chapter 156
Tori's POV:
The research institute's glass doors slid open with a soft hiss as I stepped into the cool evening air.
Nine-thirty. The parking lot was nearly empty, most researchers having left hours ago.
Street lamps cast pools of amber light across the pavement, and I pulled my jacket tighter against the autumn chill.
Then I saw it—Lucas's custom Maybach, its sleek black form unmistakable even in the dim lighting.
My heart did that stupid flutter it always did when I knew he was near. The driver's side door opened, and Lucas himself emerged, not Jack.
He was still in his business suit, the charcoal fabric perfectly tailored to his frame, but he'd loosened his tie and rolled up his sleeves.
"You didn't have to come yourself," I said as I approached, though warmth bloomed in my chest at the sight of him.
His silver eyes caught mine, that familiar intensity making my breath hitch. "I wanted to."
The interior of the Maybach enveloped me in leather and Lucas's cedar scent as I slid into the passenger seat.
He pulled out of the parking lot with practiced ease, one hand on the wheel, the other resting on the center console between us—close enough to touch, but not quite touching.
We'd been driving for maybe five minutes when I couldn't hold back anymore. "You don't seem surprised about today's chaos."
Lucas's lips quirked slightly. "Should I be?"
I turned in my seat to face him better. "Lucas. The entire party was a circus. Fiona's cheating, Ethan's revenge, the media coverage—it was orchestrated chaos. And you're acting like you expected every second of it."
He was quiet for a moment, his jaw working as he considered his words. Then: "I knew."
"You knew?" I repeated, my voice rising slightly. "For how long?"
"Since the night I learned about Ethan and Fiona's marriage being revenge." His fingers tightened almost imperceptibly on the steering wheel. "I've been helping him. Can't let him have all the credit for taking down the woman who destroyed my mate's life."
The word 'mate' still sent shivers through me, even after everything. But his casual admission left me momentarily speechless. "When exactly did you know?"
"The night I found out you were Ethan's ex-girlfriend." His voice was matter-of-fact, but I caught the edge of something darker beneath it. "The same night I realized how deeply Fiona's betrayal had cut you."
I sat back, processing this.
All those months, Lucas had been working behind the scenes while I'd been struggling to rebuild my life. The thought made my chest tight with complicated emotions—gratitude, certainly, but also a strange sense of inadequacy.
"You're thinking too hard," Lucas observed, glancing at me briefly before returning his attention to the road. "I can practically hear the gears turning."
"I'm thinking," I said slowly, "that Ethan's approach was like... hurting the enemy a thousand while damaging himself eight hundred."
Lucas's expression darkened slightly.
"Ethan made his choices. I made mine." He reached over then, his large hand finding mine and threading our fingers together. "But you should know something, Tori."
"What?"
His thumb traced circles on the back of my hand, the gesture both soothing and possessive.
"Whatever Ethan gave up, whatever he sacrificed—I'll make sure he gets it back. But you?"
He lifted our joined hands, pressing a kiss to my knuckles that made my breath catch. "You're mine now. I have you, and I'm never letting go. Whatever Ethan thinks you owe him, I'll settle that debt. But you're mine."
The fierce certainty in his voice made something warm and secure settle in my chest. "Lucas—"
"I don't regret this," I said quietly, but with absolute conviction. "Not for a second. Whatever happened with Ethan was in the past. You're my choice. You'll always be my choice."
I brought our joined hands to my lips, pressing a soft kiss to his knuckles the way he'd done to mine moments before. " That's not going to change."
His lips curved into that rare, genuine smile that always made my breath catch. "I believe you."
As we drove through Moonhaven's illuminated streets toward his private estate, I told him about the lunar phase calculations I'd been working on, the breakthrough I'd had with the tidal influence patterns.
He listened intently, asking questions that showed he actually understood the complex mathematics involved.
The house was quiet as we entered, most of the staff having retired for the evening.
Inside, he released my hand only to guide me toward the bathroom. "Shower first. You've had a long day."
I didn't argue, too tired and too content to protest his care.
The hot water felt amazing on my tired muscles, washing away the stress of the day. When I emerged in my robe, Lucas had already showered in the guest bathroom and was waiting in loose sleep pants, a towel in his hands.
"Sit," he said, gesturing to the vanity chair.
I obeyed, settling into the plush seat as he moved behind me.
The hairdryer hummed to life, and Lucas's fingers worked through my damp hair with surprising gentleness.
I watched him in the mirror—the concentration on his face, the careful way he sectioned my hair, the tenderness in every touch.
This powerful Alpha, who commanded respect and fear in equal measure throughout Moonhaven, was blow-drying my hair with the patience of a saint.
The domesticity of it made my chest tight with emotion.
"You're staring," Lucas murmured, his eyes meeting mine in the mirror.
That familiar smirk played at his lips. "See something you like?" Lucas murmured against my ear, his breath hot on my skin.
I met his eyes in the mirror, seeing the wolf lurking just beneath the surface. "Maybe."
"Just maybe?" His hands slid down to my hips, pulling me flush against him.
"Lucas—" But whatever protest I'd been about to make died as he kissed me, slow and deep and thorough. The mate bond sang between us, that invisible tether pulling tighter, stronger.
What followed was tender and passionate, Lucas taking his time to worship every inch of me as if I were something precious and fragile.
The mate bond amplified every touch, every kiss, until I was lost in sensation and emotion. When he finally claimed me, it felt like coming home.
Afterward, we lay tangled together, Lucas's hand tracing lazy patterns on my bare shoulder. An Alpha's stamina seemed inexhaustible. Lucas pressed soft kisses to my temple, my cheek, anywhere he could reach.
I must have drifted off at some point, lulled by his warmth and the steady rhythm of his heartbeat. But sleep didn't last long.
Sharp pain lanced through my abdomen, jolting me awake with a gasp. My hand flew to my stomach, and I curled instinctively against the discomfort.
"Tori?" Lucas was instantly alert, his body tensing beside me. "What's wrong?"
"I don't—" Another cramp cut off my words, sharper this time.
I pressed harder against my lower abdomen, trying to breathe through it.