Chapter 104
Freya
I hung up the phone, my heart racing as the words echoed in my mind: Lucas was awake.
"I need to get to the hospital now," I told Aiden.
Aiden didn't argue or ask questions. He simply accelerated, navigating toward the hospital. The moment his car stopped, I was already pushing open the door and rushing toward the elevator.
"I know you're worried about him," Aiden said, catching my arm gently as we stepped inside. "But if he's awake, that means he's going to be fine."
I nodded absently, but my wolf was still on edge. The elevator seemed to crawl upward, and the second the doors opened, I was striding down the hallway, my heels clicking against the polished floor.
I pushed open the door to Lucas's hospital room without knocking.
Lucas lay propped against white pillows, and my breath caught at the sight of him. His normally perfect features were marred by pale exhaustion, dark bruises spreading across his left temple. The anesthesia seemed to be wearing off—I could see him wincing slightly as sensation returned to his body. But when his golden wolf eyes met mine, his face transformed with a genuine smile that made my chest tighten.
"How did you get here so quickly?" he inquired, his voice more gravelly than usual yet tinged with warmth.
I moved to the bedside chair, reaching for his hand without thinking. His skin was still somewhat numb from the medications, but I felt him respond to my touch, his fingers trying to curl around mine.
"That research material," he said, his voice taking on a note of satisfaction. "I didn't let them steal it."
I stared at him, struck by the realization that those were his first words to me. Not about his pain, not about the accident—about protecting my mother's research. As if that data was more precious than his own life.
"Lucas," I said softly, studying his face. "You're manipulating me again."
His smile widened, completely unrepentant. He knew exactly what he was doing—making me feel guilty, making me think his sacrifice was all for me. Creating emotional debt that would bind me closer to him.
Despite myself, I leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to the corner of his mouth. His lips were dry but soft, and I caught the lingering scent of antiseptic mixed with something metallic—his blood. The smell made my wolf instincts surge.
"Freya," Lucas murmured against my lips, amusement threading his voice. "The anesthesia hasn't completely worn off yet. Maybe save the more enthusiastic kisses for tomorrow when I can properly appreciate them?"
I pulled back with a soft laugh, but it caught in my throat. "Lucas, I was terrified." I held up my hands, showing him the tremor that still ran through them. Under my skin, I could see the faint tracery of blood vessels that only appeared when my emotions ran high—a werewolf stress response. "Look, my arms are still shaking."
Lucas's golden gaze focused on my hands with an intensity that made me shiver. "Your hands are beautiful," he said, his voice dropping to that seductive register that always affected me.
I rolled my eyes. "That's not what I was trying to show you."
"Then what should I be looking at?" His mouth curved in that familiar teasing smile. "Tell me what you want me to see, and I'll look very carefully."
He was deliberately deflecting, using humor to avoid the emotional weight of what had happened.
"Didn't you notice my hands were shaking?" I demanded.
"They really are," he admitted with mock surprise.
From behind me, Aiden's voice cut through our exchange with obvious irritation. "Alpha Morgan, given your wolf healing abilities, you don't look particularly injured." His jaw was tight, and there was a flicker of something like disappointment in his eyes.
I realized he'd been observing Lucas since we entered the room. From the moment we'd walked in, Lucas had been his usual charming, irreverent self—making jokes, deflecting serious moments with humor, maintaining that playful Alpha demeanor that some people found irresistible and others found insufferable.
Aiden obviously fell into the latter category.
I could practically read his thoughts as his gaze shifted between Lucas and me. While he'd never approved of Paxton's cold, distant treatment of me, that didn't mean he was ready to embrace Lucas's opposite approach.
Lucas's golden eyes shifted to Aiden with lazy amusement. "Aiden," he said, deliberately using the informal address. "That's not a very caring attitude from my mate's friend."
I watched Aiden's jaw clench. As Summit Global Group's executive president, he wasn't accustomed to being addressed so casually by someone he barely knew—especially not someone he clearly didn't approve of.
"Alpha Lucas," Aiden corrected pointedly. "You and Freya haven't completed a formal marking ceremony yet. There's no need to rush into calling me by my first name."
Lucas's expression shifted to one of exaggerated hurt, his wolf eyes gleaming with theatrical sadness. "Freya, I think Aiden doesn't like me. Is he prejudiced against me?"
I couldn't help but smile at his performance. "Stop fishing for sympathy."
Just then, Lucas's eyes went unfocused for a moment—the telltale sign of receiving a mind-link from his pack. When his attention returned to us, there was interest in his gaze.
"My assistant tells me you're planning to auction your mother's manuscripts," he said.
I wasn't surprised he'd found out so quickly. "That manuscript means nothing to me now. It only brings misfortune to everyone around it."
The research had already cost Lucas his health and safety. I wasn't willing to risk anyone else I cared about for the sake of my mother's work.
Lucas studied my face with that penetrating intelligence that made him such a formidable Alpha. "But you're not planning to give Kai Sterling the real manuscript, are you? You're going to give him a fake."
I met his gaze directly, impressed despite myself. "What makes you think that?"
"Because we're perfectly matched," he said with a grin that made my stomach flutter. "I can read your strategic mind."
I nodded slowly. "Spending a fortune on a worthless forgery would be a much more effective punishment for him." I paused, considering. "What do you think about embedding some kind of computer virus in the fake research files?"
Lucas's smile turned predatory, his golden eyes flashing with dangerous approval. "Now that's a brilliant idea."
From across the room, Aiden threw his hands up in exasperation. "What are you two talking about? Computer viruses? Fake manuscripts? I'm completely lost here."