Chapter 55

Harper’s POV

Heat fills my cheeks as embarrassment rises within me. I definitely should have waited for Logan to get here before getting in the water. Now, I’m standing barely dressed in front of Lucas, and he’s staring.

Hard.

His shirt covers me enough to keep the important bits hidden. However, I realize he’s not looking at my body. He’s being a gentleman and is looking only at my face, which is nice. So, I take a few deep breaths and try to calm down.

Logan will be here soon, and Lucas will leave.

“Is it your duty to always come to my rescue when you think I’m in trouble?” I ask, suddenly curious. He has saved me several times so far, or he has tried to save me- in this instance.

Lucas blinks and clears his throat, stepping back, “It is. I’m the Alpha and I am supposed to keep everyone safe.”

“Then, I should apologize for treating you coldly lately,” I say, turning and moving back to the water. I walk into the warm water until it covers my ankles and sigh. “You saved me the night I was attacked and trapped in my bedroom. You’ve also saved me on several occasions where I couldn’t save myself, which put you in danger for my sake, so I want to say thank you.”

I feel his presence close behind me.

“You don’t have to thank me for saving your life, Harper,” Lucas says softly, the warmth of his body coming closer and closer to me. I can hear him breathing, and my heart thumps louder.

He’s so close.

Then, an arm snakes around my waist, pulling me back. His chest presses against my back, but I continue looking at the water. It sparkles under the sunlight like something from a fairytale, and I let myself believe that, for a moment, having him close is alright.

Lucas’s touch is more tender than anything I’ve ever felt, and it sends little sparks of warmth through my body. I should pull away, but I don’t want to. Having him this close is comforting in a way that I shouldn’t be feeling.

Lucas isn’t my mate, but he makes me feel safe.

Isn’t that wrong? Shouldn’t I be unhappy with another man touching me?

“Are you going to tell me who attacked you?” He asks, breath fanning across my neck and sending shivers down my spine.

“I…”

I want to tell him the truth. Actually, everything in me wants to tell him that it was Sierra, but again, I hesitate. Sierra isn’t just a random pack member. She’s his mate, the woman he’s about to marry, and his partner chosen by the Goddess.

Punishing her would be difficult for Lucas, physically and emotionally. It would go against his nature to hurt his mate, yet there’s something different about their relationship. If he was fully committed to their bond, he wouldn’t be here and holding me.

Even if they’re having issues, there’s no guarantee that Lucas would fully or justly punish Sierra. Besides, if I told him and he didn’t do anything, Sierra could find out, and that would mean a world of pain and trouble for me.

Sighing, I pull out of Lucas’s hold and cross my arms over my chest. None of this is normal, so why do I want him to choose me?

“Are you ready for your upcoming wedding to my stepsister?” I ask, forcing myself to focus on reality.

This is the real world, not a fantasy, and Lucas is going to mate with someone else.

“I…I don’t have much to do with the planning. Sierra and your stepmother are planning the wedding,” he says hesitantly. “Although, I have been thinking of pushing the wedding back.”

“What?” I haven’t heard anyone else mention this, and he’s never hinted at it before either.

Tilting my head back, I stare up at Lucas, studying his face. His brows are pinched together, and his lips are turned down. Usually, Lucas looks confident and unfazed, but right now, he looks confused. There’s a reluctance in his expression that has me wanting to ask more questions.

I haven’t been in the pack for long, but it hasn’t escaped my notice that he and Sierra don’t exactly click like other mated couples. There’s something between them that seems to be keeping them from connecting all the time, which is odd.

Most mates instantly feel pulled together, which usually results in a completed mating with a month of meeting.

Sierra and Lucas, however, have waited an entire year.

It’s strange.

“There have been so many attacks on the pack lately, and the number of rogues spotted recently is much higher than it should be,” Lucas says on a sigh. “It would be irresponsible to celebrate and use my time to focus on personal matters while people are in danger.”

I nod, but something about his answer doesn’t strike me as the complete truth.

“Besides, there’s another matter that has recently caught my attention that could end up being a problem for not only our pack but others as well,” Lucas says while lowering himself to one of the rocks on the edge of the water. “I found a night market that sells illegal goods and services.”

Turning, I sit on the edge of the water with my feet still in it. I look up at him and nod to let him know I’m listening.

“I found it by accident, really, but when I got there, it was busy,” he explains. “There were witches, wolves, and probably other factions there too. I can’t name everything I saw, and I’m sure not all of it was illegal.”

“Where was it?” I ask.

He glances at me then looks back out at the water, “Underground in another town. Like I said, finding it was an accident, but while I was there, I saw a man selling wolves.”

“Werewolves?” I can’t imagine someone doing something so vile. It’s the same as trafficking.

Again, Lucas shakes his head, and I watch as his eyebrows pull down, “Not exactly.”

“What do you mean? Either it’s a werewolf or a real wolf,” I say, confused. There’s no in between.

“I hate to bring this up because I know it’s not exactly a happy memory for you, but do you know what happens when someone loses their wolf soul?” Lucas asks, peering at me again. His eyes move over me before coming back up and finding mine. “Did you know that wolf souls, once pulled from their host bodies, can turn into physical wolves?”

“I read about it in a book, and I’ve heard rumors, but I’ve never seen it happen,” I answer.

Lucas leans in, propping his elbows on his knees, “When your father took your wolf soul, you didn’t see your wolf?”

“No, but I was in so much pain that I blacked out for most of it,” I admit, pulling my knees to my chest. “I thought they were just rumors or stories spread to make people feel better about losing their wolves. I never thought they were true.”

“They are, and I think that maybe your father sold your wolf to this market,” Lucas says, then sighs. “There was a wolf with healing abilities being auctioned. She… I think she called out to me for help.”

“It couldn’t be my wolf,” I whisper, letting my chin fall to my knees. “My wolf was mute, and besides, my father took her a year ago.”

“Maybe not,” Lucas says, and I look up when his hand touches the back of my head. He crouches next to me, watching me as he continues.

Tears sting behind my eyes, and I shake my head, “It’s been too long.”