Chapter 15 Lucas's Offer

Chapter 15 Lucas's Offer

Calla's POV

The cafe smelled like coffee and cinnamon. It was tucked into a corner of the human district, far from pack territories and above all, it was neutral ground.

I sat at a table by the window, watching people walk past. Humans going about their normal lives, completely unaware of the wolves living among them.

My phone said 11:58 AM. Lucas would be here any minute.

I didn't tell anyone where I was going. Especially not Darius.

The bell above the door chimed. Lucas walked in, wearing dark jeans and a leather jacket. His hair was messier than usual, and the shadows under his eyes said he hadn't been sleeping either.

He spotted me and headed over. I wrapped my hands around my coffee cup, needing something to hold onto.

"You came," he said, sliding into the seat across from me.

"You said don't say no."

"I didn't think you'd listen." He ordered a black coffee from the waitress without looking at the menu. "How have you been?"

"Why do you care?"

"Because you're my mate." He said it like it was obvious. "The bond doesn't just disappear because I rejected you."

"Could've fooled me."

The waitress brought his coffee. He took a sip and winced. "This tastes like dirt."

"It's a human cafe. What did you expect?"

"Something drinkable." He set the cup down. "We need to talk about the bond."

"There's nothing to talk about."

"Yes, there is." He leaned forward. "I've been having dreams, Calla."

My stomach dropped. "What kind of dreams?"

"The bond is showing me things. Visions." His eyes searched mine. "Your shift wasn't normal. I see you running through the woods, and your wolf is different. Powerful. But every time I try to see more, the vision cuts off."

I forced myself to stay calm. "You're imagining things."

"Am I?" He reached across the table. I pulled my hands back before he could touch me. "Something happened that night. Something you're not telling anyone."

"I shifted for the first time. That's all. You're just mad I'm pretty now and not yours."

"You're not wrong.” He smiled. “You're lying, you know." He sat back. "I know you, Calla. I've known you for years. And you're hiding something."

"Even if I was, why would I tell you?"

"Because I can protect you." His voice dropped lower. "Whatever it is you're hiding, I can keep you safe. But you have to trust me."

I laughed. It came out bitter. "Trust you? You rejected me in front of everyone. You called me weak and pathetic. Why would I ever trust you?"

"Because the bond says we belong together." He ran a hand through his hair. "Look, I messed up. I know that. But I had my reasons."

"Pack politics. You already said."

"It's more than that." He looked out the window. "My father is in prison. Half the pack thinks I'm weak for not breaking him out. The other half thinks I'm a traitor for taking the Alpha position at all. I'm barely holding things together."

"And claiming me would've made it worse."

"Yes." He met my eyes again. "But things are different now. You're different. Everyone sees it. You're not the invisible girl anymore."

"So now I'm good enough?" I stood up. "Now that I'm pretty, you want me back?"

"That's not what I said."

"That's exactly what you said." I grabbed my bag. "I'm leaving."

"Wait." He caught my wrist. The mate bond flared the second his skin touched mine.

Pain shot through my chest, sharp and burning. I gasped and tried to pull away, but he held on.

"Feel that?" His voice was rough. "That's the bond, Calla. It's not going away. We can fight it all we want, but it's always going to be there."

"Let go of me."

"Not until you hear me out." He stood, still holding my wrist. "Come back to Eclipse. Let me claim you as my mate properly. I'll protect you from whatever you're hiding. I'll make sure no one touches you."

"Why?" I yanked my hand free. The pain faded but didn't disappear. "Why do you suddenly care?"

"Because I can't stop thinking about you." His jaw tightened. "The bond is driving me crazy. Every time I close my eyes, I see you with him. With Darius. And it makes me want to tear something apart."

"That's not love. That's possession."

"Maybe." He stepped closer. "But it's real. And you feel it too. Don't lie and say you don't."

He was right. The bond was there, pulling at me, making it hard to think. But it wasn't enough.

"I'm not coming back," I said. "I'm engaged to Darius."

"That's fake and everyone knows it, he's just using you to get back at me. Don't be stupid."

"It doesn't feel fake."

Something dangerous flashed in his eyes. "You care about him."

"Yes."

"More than you care about me?"

"You never gave me a reason to care about you." I backed toward the door. "All you ever did was make me feel small. Worthless. Like I didn't matter."

"I was protecting you."

"By humiliating me? By rejecting me in front of the entire pack?" I shook my head. "That's not protection, Lucas. That's cruelty."

"Then let me make it right." He followed me. "Give me a chance to prove I've changed."

"You haven't changed. You're just mad you can't have me now." I pushed open the door. "I'm not some prize for you to win back when it's convenient."

"Calla—"

The bond flared again, stronger this time. I stumbled and caught myself on the doorframe. My chest felt like it was being ripped open.

Lucas grabbed my arm to steady me. "Are you okay?"

He pulled me into himself and before I could stop it, he kissed me. His lips were soft on mine as I stared wide eyed in shock. This was definitely not how I imagined kissing Lucas would feel like.

"Don't touch me." I shoved him away. The pain got worse. "This is what you did. You rejected the bond, and now it's broken. Every time we're near each other, it hurts."

"Then let me fix it." His hand reached for my face. "Let me claim you properly. The pain will stop if we complete the bond."

"No." I stepped back into the street. "I'm not your mate anymore. I'm Darius's."

"You don't mean that."

"Yes, I do." I turned to walk away.

"He's using you," Lucas called after me. "You know that, right? He's only with you to hurt me. To get revenge for Daniel."

I stopped. "At least he's honest about it."

"And you think that makes it better?" Lucas laughed. "You think because he told you his reasons, that makes the manipulation okay?"

"It's not manipulation."

"Isn't it?" He came closer. "He saw a broken girl running from her mate, and he swooped in to play hero. But what happens when he's done with you? When the revenge isn't fun anymore?"

"That won't happen."

"You don't know that." He was right behind me now. "Come back to Eclipse, Calla. Where you belong. I'll protect you. I'll claim you. I'll make sure no one ever hurts you again."

"Even you?" I started walking. Each step away from him made the bond burn hotter, made my chest ache worse. But I kept going.

"This isn't over," he called after me but I didn't look back.

I made it to the corner before my legs gave out. I caught myself against a wall, breathing hard, the bond screaming at me to go back. To let Lucas claim me. To complete what the Moon Goddess started.

But I wouldn't. I couldn't. I pulled out my phone to text Sierra that I was okay.

That's when I saw him.

Darius stood across the street, leaning against his car. He'd been there the whole time. Watching through the cafe window.

And from the look on his face, he'd seen everything.