Chapter 302 302
Fabrice POV
Over the past week, we’d settled into something resembling a routine.
Damien was away at Bloodnight, but he’d insisted on leaving Lucas behind to act as his eyes and ears. That alone unsettled me. Whatever Damien was handling, it was clearly something Lucas couldn’t or wouldn’t take care of on his behalf.
What troubled me more was that I hadn’t had a single moment alone with Lucas all week.
Between training sessions, long hours at the hospital with Florence, and helping with the twins, our paths barely crossed. And when they did, Aurélie was always present. Without the mind-link between our packs, there was no safe way to discuss what had happened at Black Mist.
Judging by Lucas’s behaviour his secrecy, his evasiveness, the fact that he hadn’t even been honest with Damien I suspected that avoidance was intentional. He didn’t want me raising the subject at all.
Lucas was still staying at the Alpha home. That morning, I arrived earlier than usual, slipping in before training began, hoping to catch him while Aurélie and the children were still asleep.
For once, luck was on my side.
He stood alone in the kitchen, a mug of steaming coffee cradled in his hands, staring out into the garden through the French doors.
“Lucas,” I said quietly, lowering my voice as I glanced over my shoulder to be certain we were alone. “What happened?”
“What do you mean?” He turned to me, wide-eyed, playing dumb. The act was almost insulting.
“You know exactly what I mean,” I replied coolly. “You lied to Damien.” I fixed him with a knowing look over the rim of my glasses.
“I didn’t lie,” he said quickly. “I just… haven’t told him yet.”
The ease in his tone made my jaw tighten. Was he deflecting or trying to shut this down before it went any further?
“And will you?” I pressed.
“Tell him what?”
“That you didn’t burn the body,” I said flatly. “Because unless I’m mistaken, there wasn’t a fire anywhere near the Black Mist grounds that day. Certainly not one big enough to cremate a body.”
“It’s Bloodnight business”
“Bullshit,” I snapped, cutting him off as my wolf bristled. “Don’t insult me with that. Anything that happens to Bloodnight affects Darkvale directly or indirectly. You know that. What happened, Lucas? Where is the body?”
It took every ounce of restraint not to grab him by the collar and shake the truth out of him.
“It’s gone.”
“Gone?” I repeated sharply. “Gone where?”
“I don’t know.” His voice dropped. “I can’t explain it. All I know is that Damien doesn’t need to hear this right now. His entire life he’s been forced to sacrifice happiness. I won’t let that happen again. He deserves this Aurélie, the children. Just trust me when I say Gaston is dead and the body was… disposed of.”
He moved away from the doors then, taking a seat at the kitchen table, his shoulders rigid.
“And the warriors?” I asked. “The ones who were in the cave?”
“What about them?” He may have sat down, but his back went stiff at the mention.
“Some of them are in the hospital,” I said carefully. “Panic attacks. Self-medicating. Lucas what the hell happened in that cave?”
“Drop it, Fabrice,” he said sharply. “Please. If my men are causing issues at the hospital”
“What is going on?” I demanded, shaking my head. This wasn’t like him. Lucas was usually transparent when it came to the safety of the Darkvale Alpha family.
So why the resistance?
The answer struck me hard.
Aurélie had been in that cave. She’d witnessed Gaston’s death.
“They aren’t causing problems,” I said firmly. “I’m worried about them. This isn’t normal behaviour.”
I wasn’t accusing him of anything I was concerned. These were strong, disciplined warriors. Whatever they’d seen or experienced had shaken them deeply. The signs were uncomfortably close to post-traumatic stress.
“We’re werewolves,” Lucas shot back. “What exactly qualifies as ‘normal’?” He exhaled slowly. “I appreciate your concern, but I’m handling it. And if any of this comes back to bite me which it won’t you’ll be the first to know.”
His gaze hardened, his voice turning final.
“Gaston is dead. There’s nothing more to it. And as far as Damien is concerned, the body was burned.”
The message was clear.
Drop it.