Chapter 78 Chapter 78
Days went by and everything felt normal. Even after the elders visit, Lucian didn’t avoid him, we went on like nothing was wrong and he always came back at night and pulled me into his chest, his arm licking around my waist and his breath warm against my hair. I enjoyed waking up in his arms.
Some nights we spoke in murmurs till sleep took us. Other nights, words were unnecessary, we communicated with our touches. When we made love, it was slow and grounding and that was the moment I liked the most.
But I still couldn’t help but feel uncomfortable. When Lucian finally slept deeply, my thoughts crept in. The elders are still coming.
Lucian was not saying anything, he was keeping me in the dark about his plans. Anytime, I tried to talk about the elders visit he always changed the topic. And that disturbed me the most.
I rose early in the morning, easing myself from Lucian’s arms without waking him. After making love countless times last night, I had eventually lost count of how many times I came. His hands tightened briefly at my waist before relaxing. I dressed quietly and left the room.
The pack grounds were already alive when I stepped outside. Morning light filtered through the trees, glinting on the weapons as warriors trained. The sound of crashing weapons echoed in the fields.
I didn’t feel like training today. Instead, I stood at the edge of the field, my arms loosely folded watching how they moved. Some of them bowed in my direction and I acknowledged it. Some others avoided my gaze. My wolf stirred.
‘Don’t think about them’ she said.
I wasn’t even thinking about them. The reason I came out here was to take my mind off the thoughts I was having. Lucian would be worried when he doesn’t see me in bed and he would know something was up.
Then I remembered I hadn’t see Dahlia in days, not since after the announcement. At first, I thought nothing of it. Perhaps she had traveled or she was licking her wounds somewhere in the shadows knowing that she didn’t win over me.
But when I lifted my gaze and it drifted across the field and landed on familiar dark hair near the far end, my spine stiffened. It was Dahlia.
She wasn’t training either and just stood with her arms crossed and her posture rigid, her eyes fixed on me with a glare sharp enough to cut. No words were exchanged and no words needed. I held her gaze for a while longer than necessary. Then I looked away.
I won’t give you the satisfaction. I thought. A familiar voice snapped me out of my thoughts.
“You look so deep in thought and you’re hunting answers in the dirt” Ronan approached from my left, a crooked smile on his face. His presence brought a smile to my face, it was a relief I didn’t know I needed.
“Is it that obvious?” I asked.
“Only to those who have spent years doing the same” he said lightly and I snorted.
“Did you ever find them?” He shrugged.
“Sometimes. I realized that the ground wasn’t the problem” I laughed. “So would you tell me what’s got you in the mood?”
“Aren’t you supposed to be training?”
“You’re answering my question with another question. It seems more like you are trying to avoid my question”
“I just have a lot of my mind but it’s nothing serious” it didn’t look like he believed me but I didn’t care.
“If you say so. I saw you from afar and there were wrinkles on your forehead and that’s when I knew you were deep in thoughts. Remember, you can always tell me anything” I nodded.
“I didn’t forget. Enough about me, what about you? How’s training been going? I see your second in command now”
“Yes. Training has been going well though it’s not easy training new warriors but with time it would get better”
“There are new warriors?” I asked in surprise.
“Yes. You didn’t know? We train new warriors after every three months. Recruits are brought from different regions and after training, they go back to their various packs”
It made sense now why there were new faces after a while. I thought they were always here and I never noticed them. Ronan had cleared my confusion. But I wondered how I had never heard of it before. Lina had never mentioned it to me.
“That’s a lot” I said.
“Yes. It’s a way the Alpha helps to keep good relations with other packs” I nodded.
That makes sense. That was what I was trying to do back then in Silver Moon before everything happened.
“Why do I get the feeling that Dahlia is glaring at you?”
I felt her gaze too but I didn’t look at her.
“It seems like there is bad blood between the both of you right? Dahlia has always liked to be in control and when it seems like she’s no longer in control she becomes angry”
“What do you mean?” I asked like I didn’t know what he’s talking about.
“She’s angry that someone else is Luna instead of her. She can’t wrap her head around it and that’s why she continues to be a nuisance”
“Why doesn’t she direct her anger to Lucian and not others?”
“She won’t. She’ll rather die than let Lucian get upset” I laughed.
After that, we talked about other things. Training, drills, the weather. We talked about random things. Ronan was easy to talk to and relate with. He was telling me a story and said something funny and I laughed, slapping my hand on his. The sound slipping out of my mouth before I could stop it and then the air shifted.
I felt Lucian before I saw him. The bond tightened, it was hot and sharp. Ronan must have felt the change in the air because his smile faltered and his gaze slid past me. Lucian stood few steps away, his expression dark and his eye locked on me as ohh something raw and unreadable. I removed my hand from Ronan’s.
“Ailsa” his tone was clipped. My stomach dropped. I wasn’t expecting him so early. I turned fully towards him.
“Lucian” I whispered. His gaze flicked briefly to Ronan, then back to me.
“Come with me”
There was no room for argument in his tone.
“Good morning Alpha” he bowed his head. Lucian ignored him.
“I’ll… see you later” he whispered to my hearing.
I barely had time to nod before Lucian’s hand closed around my wrist, not painful, but firm and he led me away from the training field. We didn’t stop until we were beyond earshot and eyesight.
“I woke up and I don’t see you in bed only to find you outside. What were you doing with him?” He demanded. I stared at him, stunned at his tone.
“We were talking” I said and his jaw tightened.
“You were laughing and touching him” his eyes darkened.
He was jealous and it made me laugh. I decided to push his buttons more.
“Yes” I said sharply.
“I’m allowed to do that. I wasn’t kissing him. Was I?” His eyes flashed.
“Not with him” he said through gritted teeth. I pulled my arm from his grasp.
“Ronan is my friend” Lucian stepped closer, his presence looming.
“I don’t want you forming attachments with any male in this pack” my breath caught.
“What? I’m not allowed to have friends again?”
“You’re Luna now” he said, his voice low.
“Every interaction matters. Every connection can be used. People are watching and rumors would get to the elders”
This was the first time, he was talking about the elders since their visit. It made more upset than I already was.
“That doesn’t mean I stop being a person,” I shot back.
Something dark flickered across his face, maybe it was fear but it was masked quickly by something more dangerous and intense. Without warning, he cupped my face and kissed me. It wasn’t gentle. It was claiming. It was possessive. His lips pressed into mine with urgency, as if he needed the world to see, needed me to feel that I belonged to him.
When he pulled back, my heart was pounding.
“Lucian…” I murmured.
“I won’t lose you” he said, his forehead resting against mine.
“Not to another male, not to the elders and not to anyone” my chest tightened.
“You’re not going to lose me” I assured him. Then, quietly, he whispered.
“They are still insisting on their decision” my blood ran cold. The weight of his words settled heavily between us.
“Am I going to be sent away?” I swallowed.
“No, I’m never going to allow that happen” he said. “I’ll go to the council myself this time. If it would lead to a war then let it” I shook my head.
“You said nothing would happen”
“I said I would protect you” he corrected. “That hasn’t changed”
I searched his face, trying to find reassurance and finding only resolve sharpened by fear. My mark tingled faintly beneath my skin and unease curled in my chest. Nothing felt normal anymore.