Chapter 71 Lucian's pov

Chapter 71 Lucian's pov
My heart slammed against my chest. The world tilted on axis as I stared at her face.

I could see this was not going the way I had wanted but maybe this was for the best.

Maybe Sienna was the weight pulling me back from doing what needed to be done.

Maybe I needed this.

This was the best way to get Alpha Jacquet to join hands with me and take down Alpha Stephan.

His marriage to Sienna was going to be a benefit to me. I could just tell him why we really ran.

There was no point in lying to him anymore once he got married to Sienna.

But then, I could feel her wolf reaching out to me. She was scared of saying the word, ‘No.’

If there was one thing I know about Sienna, I knew she was never going to betray the love that we shared.

I shut my eyes, the gentle murmur of the crowd fading into distance.

All I wanted to hear was her words but then, I was only greeted with silence. I opened my eyes and she was not beside Alpha Jacquet.

I guess she gave him answers already.

Alpha Jacquet's eyes met mine and without being told, I pushed the crowd trying to run after Sienna.

“ Sienna!” I shouted into the dark as I raced after her.

“ Slow down! Will you?” I said almost out of breath.

But she was too fast. It was almost as if she was on all fours.

I met her under the tree not too far from the party.

Sienna looked back, her gaze scanning my eyes.

“ What were you expecting me to say back there? That I was going to marry a man who is not my mate?”

I arched my eyebrows.

“ This was inevitable, Sienna. We both know it was bound to happen the moment you told everyone I was your brother.” I said running my hands through my hair.

“ Are you saying this is my fault?” Sienna said with her hands clenched tightly.

Fighting with her was the last thing I had in mind but I knew this was going to get out of hand if I didn't try to stay calmer.

I took a deep breath and forced myself to calm down.

“No,” I said slowly. “That is not what I mean.”

Sienna laughed softly, but there was no joy in it. “Then what do you mean, Lucian? Because it sounded like you were blaming me.”

I stepped closer to her.

The moonlight filtered through the leaves above us, casting shadows on her face. Her eyes were shining, not with tears yet, but with hurt.

“I mean,” I said, choosing my words carefully, “that the lie put us in this position. And now it is catching up with us.”

She turned away from me. “So what was I supposed to do? Tell them the truth? Tell them you are my mate? That you are a fallen Alpha hiding from your enemies?”

I said nothing.

She turned back sharply. “They would have killed you, Lucian. Or worse, use you.”

“I know,” I replied quietly. “And I am grateful you saved me. I really am.”

“Then why does it feel like I am the one paying the price?” she asked.

Her voice cracked a little.

That hurt more than anything she could have shouted.

I moved closer, lowering my voice. “Because I am selfish.”

She frowned. “What?”

“I thought about it,” I admitted. “When Alpha Jacquet spoke. For a moment, I thought… maybe this was the right path.”

Her eyes widened. “You thought about letting him marry me?”

I looked away. “I thought about what it could give us. An army. Protection. Power.”

Silence fell between us.

“So I am a tool now?” she asked softly.

“No,” I said quickly. “Never that.”

“But you considered it,” she replied. “You considered giving me away so you could win your war.”

The words stung because they were true.

“I am trying to save my people,” I said. “I am trying to fix all of this.”

“By using me as bait? And what about us?” she asked. “What about what we have?”

I swallowed hard. “That is what scares me the most.”

She took a step back. “Lucian, I ran tonight because I felt trapped and boxed into a corner.”

Her words hurt more than I cared to admit. We had gone through a lot together but none of this.

This right here is a test of our love.

“I felt like no matter what I chose,” she continued, “I would lose something. If I said yes, I would lose myself. If I said no, I would risk losing you.”

“You would never lose me,” I said.

She shook her head. “You are already slipping away.”

I reached for her hand, but she pulled back.

“Do you know what Alpha Jacquet said to me before I ran?” she asked.

I looked at her. “What?”

“He said this marriage would protect you,” she said. “That if you were tied to Ravenclaw by blood, no one would dare touch you.”

My jaw tightened.

“He said it would keep you safe,” she went on. “And for a moment, Lucian, I almost agreed.”

My heart stopped.

“Why?” I whispered.

“Because I love you,” she said simply. “And I was ready to give up everything if it meant you would live. If it meant you could get back what you lost.

Her words crushed me.

“But then I realized,” she added, “that loving you should not mean losing myself.”

I nodded slowly. “You are right.”

She looked surprised.

“I should not have even thought about it,” I said. “I should have stopped it the moment it started.”

“But you didn’t,” she replied.

“No,” I admitted. “And that is on me.”

We stood there, the sounds of the party faint in the distance.

“So what now?” she asked.

I looked at her. “Now we tell the truth.”

Her eyes widened. “You want to tell them everything?”

“Yes,” I said. “Not tonight. But soon.”

“That could destroy everything,” she said.

“It already is,” I replied. “Just slowly.”

She hugged herself. “The Alpha will feel betrayed.”

“He already is,” I said gently. “He just does not know it yet.”

She sighed. “And what if he turns against you?”

“Then I face it,” I replied. “As an Alpha should.”

She studied my face, searching for doubt.

“And if telling the truth costs you the army?” she asked.

I hesitated, then said, “Then we would find another way around this.”

She stepped closer this time. “You would do that?”

“I would rather lose a war, lose my throne,” I said, “than lose you.”

Her eyes softened.

For the first time that night, she reached for my hand. I held it tightly, like she might disappear.

“We are not ready,” she said. “Not yet.”

“I know,” I replied.

Footsteps approached in the distance.

“We should go back,” she said. “Before they come looking for us.”

I nodded. “Together.”

As we walked back toward the light, I knew nothing would be the same again.

Alpha Jacquet would demand answers.

The pack would watch us closely.
It was only a matter of time before they saw us for what we truly are. .
But for now, Sienna’s hand was in mine.

And that was enough to keep me standing.