Chapter 214
Elle's POV
"Brad's child. The next generation of Alpha blood." Her voice grew softer, more calculating. "And Elizabeth's ear."
I stared at her. "You want me to go to Elizabeth. To speak against Mary's inclusion."
"I want you to protect your child's inheritance," Victoria corrected. "Because if Mary gets formal family status, she'll spend every day working to convince Elizabeth that Lucas deserves a larger share of the family legacy. She'll argue that excluding him is unfair, that he's changed, that he deserves a chance to prove himself."
The pieces clicked together in my mind. "And Elizabeth might listen."
"Exactly." Victoria's smile was sharp. "But if the mother of Elizabeth's future great-grandson expresses concern about Mary's influence on family dynamics..."
"She might reconsider." I finished the thought, feeling the weight of the political maneuvering settling on my shoulders.
"The decision is yours," Victoria said. "I won't force you. But understand—if Mary gains equal status in this family, your child's future becomes infinitely more complicated."
Before I could respond, more footsteps echoed in the corridor. This time, they were lighter, more purposeful.
"Lucas is coming this way," I said quietly.
"Let me handle this," Victoria murmured, but I shook my head.
"No. Let me."
Lucas appeared around the corner, slightly out of breath and looking like he'd been searching for us.
"There you are!" he said with relief. "I was hoping to catch you, Elle. I wanted to apologize if I came on too strong back there. Sometimes I... well, I get excited about meeting new family members."
His smile was hopeful, almost boyish, and I could see traces of the Rayne family features beneath the dissolution. It was hard not to feel a little sorry for him.
"No apology necessary," I said warmly. "It must be strange, coming back after so long."
"It is," he admitted, some of the fake charm dropping away. "This place... it holds a lot of memories. Not all of them good."
Victoria remained silent, but I could feel the tension radiating from her.
"I imagine it does," I said carefully. "But Brad speaks very fondly of his childhood here. Maybe you'll have the chance to make some better memories now."
Lucas's eyes lit up with pathetic gratitude. "I'd like that. I'd really like that. Maybe we could... I mean, since you're family now too, maybe you could help me understand how things work around here? I feel like I've been away so long, I don't know the rules anymore."
The request was innocent enough, but I caught the calculation behind it. Lucas might be weak and unfocused, but he wasn't stupid. He was looking for an ally, someone who might help him navigate the complex family dynamics.
"I'm still learning the rules myself," I said with a laugh. "But I'm sure Brad would be happy to help you find your footing."
Something flickered across Lucas's face—disappointment, maybe, or frustration. "Right. Brad. Of course."
The silence stretched awkwardly until I spoke again. "Actually, I was just about to help Mrs. Rayne to her room. She's had a long day."
"Of course, of course," Lucas said quickly. "I should probably find my room too. Get settled in and all that."
As he walked away, I caught him glancing back over his shoulder, and the expression on his face was harder to read. There was longing there, and envy, and something that might have been resentment.
"He wants what Brad has," Victoria said quietly once Lucas was out of earshot.
"Most people do," I replied. "The question is what he's willing to do to get it."
Victoria's smile was grim. "That, my dear, is exactly what we need to find out."
As I pushed her wheelchair, I couldn't shake the feeling that the next few days were going to test every political skill I'd learned since becoming part of the Rayne family. Lucas might be weak, but desperation could make weak people dangerous. And Mary... Mary was playing a game I was only beginning to understand.
"Mrs. Rayne?" I said.
"Victoria," she corrected. "I think we're past formalities now."
"Victoria. Earlier, when you asked if you could count on me... I meant what I said. But I need you to know something too."
She looked up at me expectantly.
"I won't do anything that puts my child at risk. Not for family politics, not for tradition, not for anyone. This baby comes first."
Victoria studied my face for a long moment, then nodded slowly. "Good," she said finally. "A mother who doesn't put her child first is no mother at all. Brad chose well."
As I turned to leave. She called my name one more time.
"Elle? Brad told you about my... sacrifices?"
"Yes."
"It was worth it."
I shook my head. "I beg your pardon?"
Victoria's smile was soft, almost vulnerable—the first genuinely maternal expression I'd seen from her. "Because I love him. Because he's the kind of Alpha this pack needs. And because..." She paused, looking down at her hands. "Because I knew that someday, he'd find someone worth protecting too."
The words hit me like a physical blow. All this time, I'd thought Victoria saw me as a threat to her son's future. Instead, she'd been protecting his right to choose his own path—even if that path led to a human mate.
"Thank you," I whispered.
"Don't thank me yet," she said with a return to her usual sharpness. "We still have work to do."
As I made my way back through the estate corridors, my mind was spinning with everything that had just happened. In the space of one conversation, Victoria had gone from potential enemy to cautious ally. Lucas had revealed himself to be more complex than I'd expected. And Mary... Mary was still a complete unknown.
But one thing was clear: the game had officially begun.