Chapter 53
Harper’s POV
At the moment, I know three things to be completely true.
Logan lied when he said he saved me that night.
Lucas saved me without asking for anything in return.
And I treated Lucas like he was the one who did something wrong.
Guilt gnaws at my heart as I think about how I treated Lucas. He honestly hasn’t done anything to wrong me. He’s been kind and accepting of me ever since I explained my situation, even standing up for me against my family.
I wave at Jenna as I leave the medical wing.
How can I apologize to Lucas? It would be awkward to give him a gift, and I’m too ashamed to face him. Besides, if I get too close, Sierra will find out, and I know I can’t handle any more backlash from her.
As I make my way toward my room, a few warriors pass me.
“Alpha Lucas was brutal,” one man groans, rubbing his chest.
“Three hours for training is ridiculous,” another complains. “We even missed breakfast and now we have to wait another two hours for lunch.”
I glance back at them, an idea forming in my mind. If they missed breakfast for training, that means Lucas probably did too.
Turning, I walk toward the kitchen and slip inside when no one is looking. No one will be in here to make lunch for at least an hour, so I gather a few ingredients and make the easiest meal I can. I set water to boil and grind meat in the skillet, letting it sizzle and brown before adding seasonings.
It doesn’t take long to make the spaghetti, and as I scoop it into a travel container, I glance over my shoulder at the clock.
Just in time.
Slipping back out of the kitchen, I make my way to Lucas’s office as nonchalantly as possible and set the meal right outside of his office. Luckily, his office is near the end of the hall, so I knock and dart away.
I duck around the corner, peeking out when I hear the door open. Lucas pops his head out, looks left then right, and then notices the meal.
“Who is it?” I hear Mason ask, and he too sticks his head out. When he notices the food container in Lucas’s hands, he smiles, “Sweet. You had lunch delivered… but that doesn’t look like enough for the three of—”
“It’s mine,” Lucas says, glaring at my stepbrother. “If you’re hungry, get your own.”
I stifle the laugh that tries to burst free at Lucas’s possessive growl. He shoves Mason aside and disappears into his office. Mason just shakes his head with a chuckle and says, “Thanks, Harper. He was getting grumpy.”
Then, he looks directly at me and grins. I duck back behind the wall and press my hand to my wildly beating heart.
Does that mean Lucas knew I was here too?
“You don’t have to drain your energy, Healer Harper,” the warrior, Jace, says.
“It’s fine. Healing a fractured wrist won’t kill me,” I tell him, touching the bruised area and letting my magic seep into it. “Besides, you guys are working hard to protect the pack.”
He nods and glances behind me, his eyes growing wide at something.
When I look back, I find Lucas standing behind me, watching me. A jolt of awareness runs through me as something stirs within my chest. I quickly turn back around and look at the warrior.
“You’re alright now,” I tell the man. “You can go back to work.”
Turning, I skirt around Lucas, but he catches me by the arm. His grip is gentle yet unyielding, telling me that he’s not just here to check on his injured men.
“Did you need something, Alpha?” I try to keep my tone steady and calm, but it still shakes a bit, giving away my nerves. Lucas studies me silently before softly tugging on my arm. I follow him outside, unable to really do anything else, but I don’t stop scanning the area around me.
Sierra’s spies could be anywhere.
I don’t want to be caught with Lucas, but the further we walk, the more I turn my attention to him and the warmth radiating from his hand.
“Come with me to patrol,” Lucas finally says as we stop at the tree line. “I’d like you to see what the warriors do and see the environment just in case something happens like last time.”
Last time… he means when I had to be led through the forest because I don’t know my way around.
“I don’t have a wolf, so I can’t—”
“That’s not a problem,” he says confidently. “You can ride on my back.”
I trip and almost fall to the ground because of his words, but Lucas grabs me by the waist and lifts me up.
“Are you alright?”
“You want me to ride on your back?”
He nods and crouches in front of me. One second, it’s Lucas, and the next, his body changes and a wolf is in front of me.
“I-I don’t know about this,” I mutter, stepping back. The wolf growls softly then nudges his muzzle beneath my hand. He shakes his head slightly, and my hand slides down the back of his head to his neck.
Another soft growl, and I find my fingers running through his dark fur. It’s soft, and little sparks ignite in my fingers with each touch.
It would be inappropriate to ride him like a horse, but my body moves without my permission. I step closer, and he lays down, giving me easier access to climb on.
“Are you sure about this?”
His big, furry head nods once before he stands. I gasp, falling forward slightly and gripping his fur.
“Don’t you dare drop me, Lucas,” I hiss, holding tightly. I’ve never done anything like this before, and yet a thrill runs through me as he takes off running. Wind whips around my face, trees blur, and an excited shriek falls from me.
I hold on tight as he takes turns and jumps over logs. The feeling of freedom was exhilarating, and my heart aches for what I’ve lost. I miss running as a wolf, but he’s given me a bit of that feeling back, even if it’s temporary.
I decide to enjoy the feeling.
“Look at the deer!”
“There’s a blue bird!”
“There’s some of your warriors!”
Lucas’s head moves with each of my findings. He even chases after a rabbit that I point out, bounding over a fallen tree and making me shriek. Then, he has the little rabbit in his mouth, showing it to me by lifting his head and turning it toward me.
“Don’t eat it!” I cry out, scrambling off his back. He drops the creature into my arms, and I pet it, checking it for injuries.
When I find none, I set the little animal free and turn to Lucas. I gasp when I find him standing there in human form. He rakes his hand through his hair and smiles.
“I wasn’t going to eat—”
A branch snaps from somewhere behind us, but before I can turn, Lucas shoves me behind him and shifts.
A wolf jumps out, rams into Lucas, and sends both to the ground. They roll, a whirlwind of fangs and claws, and nearly hit me. However, Lucas quickly gets the upper hand by dragging the rogue back and clamping his teeth over the rogue’s scruff.
Lucas growls menacingly, resulting in the rogue whimpering and yielding just as two warriors appear from the trees. The moment they have the rogue in custody, Lucas shifts and comes to me, checking me over.
“Are you hurt?”
“No, thanks to you.”
“We’ll be more careful next time,” he says, turning me around to check further. I don’t protest even as his words heat my cheeks.
“Next time?”
I peer up at Lucas in time to see the concern still shining in his eyes as he looks down at me.
“Yes. Next time.”
