Chapter 56

Lauren

I knew Alexander was lying when he left.

His gaze was the same but there was that hitch in his tone. The same one when he used to sneak off to see Sophia.

Only this time, I couldn’t help but trail him.

The winds that rustled through the towering pines seemed heavier than usual, carrying whispers of dissent and unease. I could feel it as I walked through the forest compound, my boots crunching softly on the gravel path as I followed Alexander’s scent—though, there were many mingled in it.

A Pack meeting.

The familiar sights and sounds of the place felt foreign, almost hostile. I wasn’t sure if it was because I’d been away too long or if the shift was in the people themselves.

I lingered at the edge of the clearing, hidden by the brush. The pack had gathered around a tall, ancient tree. Some faces I recognized; others were strangers. At the tree’s base stood a small stage, its wooden surface adorned with delicate, living flowers.

And atop it, looking out over the crowd, was Alexander.

Well. At least he wasn’t cheating. Not that we were together.

One of the pack’s Beta, Gabriel, was next to him helping lead a meeting in the great den. The voices beyond the trees were muffled, but the tone was unmistakable. It wasn’t celebratory. It was tense. Hesitant.

“We can’t keep pretending everything is fine,” a deep voice said, its owner unmistakably Gabriel. “Lauren’s return changes things, whether we want to admit it or not.”

“Sophia brought stability,” another voice chimed in, sharp and accusing. I didn’t recognize who it belonged to. “She was organized, decisive, and never a distraction. Her bloodline, her iron claws were the future this pack needed.”

My heart sank. I knew not everyone would welcome me back with open arms, but hearing it laid out so bluntly was another thing entirely. I pressed my back against the tree behind me, my breath hitching as I tried to steady myself.

“Lauren is part of this pack,” Alexander countered, his voice low but firm. “She always has been. And she’s earned her place here as my Luna. I will not tolerate this talk of her.”

“Then explain yourself,” Gabriel countered quickly, some nodding in agreement. “Why was Sophia exiled?! Why had Lauren faked her death!?”

Alexander snapped back just as hot, “Watch your tone,” his voice laced with a growl as Gabriel shrunk. “You trust me to lead, yes? Then do so and shut it. My family doesn’t need your approval.”

There was a murmur, a few voices rising in hushed protests, but a new voice cut them off, one I didn’t recognize. “Enough. We’ll revisit this when cooler heads prevail. Dismissing someone who has given their life to this pack isn’t a decision to be made lightly. Especially a Luna.”

I didn’t wait to hear more. The sting of their words followed me as I hurried away, my steps quick and uneven.

I didn’t know where I was going until I reached the edge of the woods, the place where the boundary between the pack’s land and the rest of the world blurred.

The trees felt like they were closing in around me, their shadows long and dark in the fading light. Why hadn’t Alexander just explained? Did he fear appearing weak? Does that just lead us into more trouble?

My phone buzzed in my pocket, jolting me from my thoughts. I jumped slightly, my pulse quickening. Pulling it out, I stared at the name flashing on the screen. Liam.

Right… how had I almost forgotten? My fake fiancé. My right-hand man for years. The person who’d always been there to pick up the pieces.

I hesitated, thumb hovering over the screen. Finally, I answered. “Hey.”

“‘Hey’?” His voice was steady, but there was an edge to it, sharp enough to make me flinch. “Alright, so this is how we’re doing this now, huh? Fine. But we need to talk.”

I swallowed hard, my mouth suddenly dry. “I’m listening.”

“Sure. You know, Lauren, I swear to—nope, not talking about that now. This is something I should say face to face. But since I’m not there, this will have to do.”

There was a pause. I could hear him pacing on the other end of the line, the faint creak of floorboards and the rhythm of his footsteps betraying his agitation.

“What are you doing?” he asked abruptly, his voice cutting through the silence like a whip.

The question caught me off guard. “What do you mean?”

“What do you mean, what do I mean?” he snapped.

“I’m in the woods,” I replied cautiously, unsure of what he was getting at.

“No,” he said, exasperated. “I mean with Alexander!”

“That’s why I asked what you meant!” I shot back, the words spilling out before I could stop them.

He let out a frustrated growl. “Lauren! You’re doing it again! Walking back into something without a plan. Acting like none of this matters, like there’s no risk. Have you thought about what’s really at stake? You’re in his damn house!”

I bristled at his tone, heat rising in my chest. “Of course I have! Do you think this is easy for me? Coming back here, facing everyone? Facing Alexander?” His name came out sharper than I intended, but I didn’t care.

“Ah, so it’s about him,” Liam said, his voice dropping into something colder. “It always comes back to Alexander, doesn’t it?”

“This isn’t fair,” I said, my grip tightening on the phone. “You knew what this was. You agreed to it.”

“Did I?” His laugh was bitter, almost mocking. “You said it was just for show, Lauren. A way to keep things simple. To protect yourself. But it didn’t feel completely fake, did it?”

My breath caught. “Liam…”

“No,” he interrupted. “I need to say this. I care about you. I always have. And maybe you care about me too, but you’re not just confused, Lauren. You’re in denial. You’re letting yourself get pulled back into something that’s only going to hurt you. Do I need to remind you that you nearly died? And without me, you wouldn’t even be here to make this choice!”

“It’s not that simple,” I whispered, the words tasting hollow even as I said them.

“It never is,” he replied, his tone softening slightly, though the frustration still lingered. “But you need to be careful. There are things happening behind the scenes that you don’t know about. People who are working against you. And the last person you should trust right now is Alexander.”

I froze, his words hanging in the air like a storm cloud about to break. “Why?”

“Just… trust me on this. He’s not who you think he is. He never was.”

“You’re being vague, Liam,” I said, my voice trembling. “If you know something, just tell me.”

“I can’t,” he said, the frustration in his voice palpable. “Not yet. But you need to start thinking about who’s really on your side. So who’s it gonna be? Me? Or the man who left you for dead?”

The line cut before I could respond, leaving me standing there, phone in hand, my mind spinning.

The weight of his words pressed down on me, suffocating. My chest felt tight, anger and confusion swirling in equal measure. Who could I trust?

Alexander’s voice from the meeting echoed in my mind, his defense of me standing in stark contrast to Liam’s warning. His words had seemed so sincere. But was it all just a game?