Chapter 189

Chapter 189
Lucas's POV:
Elena stormed out of my office, her angry footsteps echoing down the hallway. The silence that followed felt deafening, broken only by the sound of my ragged breathing.
I let out a bitter laugh, running my hands through my hair.
What a perfect family I have.
A hollow emptiness settled in my chest. Cold. Empty.
Now I stood here in this expensive office, surrounded by the trappings of power and success, and realized I felt more empty than I ever had in my life.
Like a man who had thought he was rich only to discover his vault contained nothing but fool's gold.
I closed my eyes, trying to block out the crushing sense of loss.
A soft chime from across the room made me open my eyes.
Marcus was standing near the door, his phone in his hand, the device's glow illuminating his increasingly worried expression.
"What is it?" I asked wearily.
Marcus quickly moved the phone behind his back, his face carefully neutral. "It's nothing urgent, Alpha. Just some routine pack business that can wait—"
Something in his tone, the way he wouldn't meet my eyes, the protective gesture of hiding the screen—it all clicked into place with devastating clarity.
"It's about Sophia, isn't it?" I said, my voice sharp despite my exhaustion.
Marcus's silence was answer enough.
"Show me," I demanded, taking a step toward him.
"Alpha, I don't think —"
"Show me the phone, Marcus." My voice carried the full weight of my Alpha authority now. "That's an order."
Finally, with obvious reluctance, he stepped forward and held up his phone, the screen glowing with a live broadcast.
I looked at the screen, and my blood turned to ice. There, sitting elegantly at a royal podium, was Sophia. The news ticker at the bottom read: "BREAKING: Royal Press Conference - Princess Sophia Anderson Makes Major Announcement."
"How long has this been going on?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
"It just started," Marcus replied, placing the phone on my desk so we could both see.
"Every major pack news outlet is covering it. Royal press conferences are extremely rare—this has to be something significant."
My eyes were locked on Sophia. Even through the small phone screen, her presence commanded attention.
A reporter's voice came through the phone's speaker: "Your Highness, persistent rumors continue to circulate regarding your alleged marriage to Alpha Lucas Stone, with reports suggesting you deliberately concealed your royal identity. Could you please address these claims directly?"
My heart hammered against my ribs as I waited for her response.
Sophia's voice was clear and composed as she leaned toward the microphone. "The rumors are true. I did marry Alpha Lucas Stone three years ago, and yes, I concealed my royal identity."
A murmur of shock rippled through the crowd of journalists. Cameras flashed as reporters scribbled notes frantically.
But Sophia wasn't finished.
"However," she continued, her voice gaining strength, "I am here today to formally announce that I have terminated my mate bond with Lucas Stone."
I staggered backward, gripping the edge of my desk.
"Furthermore," Sophia's voice carried across the room with royal authority, "I am pleased to announce that Michael Wilson, Alpha of Galaxy Pack, is my fatedmate. Our formal mating ceremony will take place in three years."
My vision blurred, and a deafening ringing filled my ears.
Everything around me seemed to fade into white noise—Marcus's concerned voice, the distant sounds of the pack house, even my own heartbeat—all of it drowned out by this message.
Memories flooded through my mind—Sophia's laughter echoing through our home, her gentle hands healing my wounds, the way she used to look at me like I was her entire world. How had I let it all slip away?
My lungs felt like they were collapsing, my chest tight with a pain so acute it felt like my heart was being ripped from my body.
"Alpha!" Marcus's urgent voice finally broke through the ringing in my ears. "Lucas, can you hear me?"
I blinked, trying to focus on his face.
My throat felt raw, as if I'd been screaming.
"It's..." I started, then stopped, the words catching in my throat like broken glass. I swallowed hard, tasting blood from where I'd bitten my tongue without realizing it.
"It's really over this time," I finally managed to whisper, my voice hoarse and broken.
Marcus stepped closer, his expression filled with concern and something that looked like pity. "Alpha—"
I slumped back against my desk, raising a trembling hand to stop him from coming any closer.
"Get out," I said quietly, "I need to be alone."
Marcus took a step closer instead of leaving, his expression filled with deep concern.
"Marcus." My voice cracked on his name. "Don't worry. I just... I need some time to process this."
I watched as Marcus remained frozen in place, clearly reluctant to leave, and couldn't help but let out a bitter, humorless laugh.
"What exactly are you worried about, Marcus?" I asked, my voice heavy with exhaustion and dark amusement. "That I'm going to do something stupid? That I'm going to hurt myself?"
Marcus's face tightened, confirming my suspicions.
I shook my head slowly, the bitter smile never leaving my lips. "You don't need to worry about that. Men like me... Alphas with entire packs depending on them, with responsibilities and obligations stretching in every direction... we don't even have the luxury of that kind of escape."
"I don't have the privilege of giving up, Marcus," I continued quietly. "So you can stop looking at me like I'm about to jump off a cliff. I'm not going anywhere."
Instead of the relief I expected to see, Marcus's expression grew even more grave. His eyes filled with something that looked like profound sadness as he studied my face.
"Your pack is lucky to have you, Lucas. " he said quietly.
Marcus paused at the door, his hand resting on the handle.
"And for what it's worth," he added, his voice softer, "I've always felt lucky to serve as your beta. "
Then stepped outside and closed the door behind him with a soft click.