Chapter 66

Lucas’s POV

“What do you mean? Are you feeling alright?”

My head feels heavy, and I try to shake off the headache that pulses between my temples.

“I told you,” I hiss, glaring at her. “I will not be marrying you.”

Without looking back, I storm out of my office. What the hell had she given me that would make me have feelings for her? Was it an aphrodisiac?

That had to be it… right?

“Alpha… are you alright?” Nora, my Gamma’s sister, stops me. She touches my arm, then pulls away quickly. “Do you have a fever?”

Shaking my head, I glance back toward my office in time to see Sierra darting out and down the hall in the opposite direction. I’m not sure where she’s going, but as long as it’s not near me, I don’t care.

“I need to talk to you,” Nora says.

“Is it important?”

“It is, but first, I need to ask you a question.”

I stare down at the girl, trying to ignore the strange feeling inside me. “Shoot,” I mutter and lean back against the wall.

“Who do you love?”

“Excuse me?”

“Do you love Sierra or Harper?”

Without hesitation, I answer, “Harper.”

Nora sags in relief before smiling, “Good. That means it worked. I hoped I didn’t do it wrong because that would mean you’d be stuck with someone like Sierra as your mate forever, and I realize that’s not what—”

“What are you going on about, Nora? Speak plainly.” She’s rambling, but I have no idea what she’s talking about.

“Sierra has been using magic and potions to force a fake mate bond on you,” Nora says, making me freeze. “She’s not your true mate, but I think that Harper might be. If she is, then that kiss wasn’t wrong.”

“Do you know this for sure?” I ask, standing and looming over her.

She shrinks back a bit and offers me a paper, “My father remembered that there were people in the world who can forge and break fake mate bonds. He had this spell from years ago, and I had a thought that Sierra was faking a bond with you. I used the spell—”

“When?”

“When did I use the spell?”

I nod.

“Just before I came to find you, and since you said you love Harper, I think it worked.”

“I think it did,” I grit, looking down at the paper as my anger bubbles. How dare Sierra form a fake mate bond. “Is that all?”

Nora shakes her head, “I think… Logan might be in on it, but I don’t have proof of that.”

“I’ll find out,” I tell her, laying my hand gently on the top of her head. “Thank you, Nora. I offer my blessing in appreciation.”

She bows with a gasp. I don’t bestow blessings often, but every now and then, I’ll bestow them on the deserving.

And this girl deserves many blessings for the trouble she just saved me from.

Harper’s POV

Talking to Logan sooner rather than later is probably for the best. After last night, I think we need to discuss our mate bond and whether we should be together or not. These feelings I have for Lucas don’t seem to be going away, while the feelings I first had for Logan are becoming faded.

I’d rather not string him along, so I make my way toward his room.

When I reach his door, I go to knock, but voices catch my attention. Two voices. I lean closer to the closed door to hear better.

“Why are the mate bonds fading? Did you give me bad ingredients?” A female snaps. I recognize Sierra’s voice instantly, and confusion fills me What is she talking about? Mate bonds and ingredients?

“I’m not sure, but the ingredients are legitimate,” Logan says. “I bought them from a well-known and highly suggested witch, who says they’re perfect for forging fake bonds.”

I slap my hand over my mouth to smother the gasp that tries to escape.

They’re forging fake bonds for people?

That’s highly illegal unless sanctioned by the council and usually only used for emergencies.

“Well, Lucas keeps slipping from my spells,” Sierra hisses, and I bite my tongue. “I’m having to dose him more often, and it’s taking a toll on my body. I’m losing too much essence, and it’s not even working. He’s falling for Harper!”

“I understand that, but I don’t know what’s going wrong!” Logan growls angrily. “I can’t fix everything.”

My heart aches at the idea of Logan being foolish enough to do something like this. He’s breaking the law, which is something I didn’t think he would do, but clearly, I was wrong. What else don’t I know?

And why is he helping Sierra? I didn’t think they were friends or had any connections with each other.

“Today, I reapplied the spell, and it didn’t even take ten minutes before Lucas came out of it,” Sierra complains. “I almost had him agreeing to marry me this weekend, but he snapped out of it and shoved me away.”

I shouldn’t be listening to this. If they find out that I overheard their conversation, I could be in trouble. Sierra wouldn’t take it well, and when something doesn’t go her way, she can get violent. I know that from firsthand.

However, I can’t move. My feet won’t listen to my brain.

“How do I keep him from slipping out of the spell, Logan? I can’t keep sacrificing my essence, or I’ll keep losing years off my life,” Sierra says, and I can’t believe what I’m hearing. She’s literally risking her life to fake a mate bond with Lucas.

“Maybe you should stop trying to force a bond and let him be with his true mate,” Logan suggests, but he sounds bitter. The sharp tone in his voice says he doesn’t like that idea either.

“What?” Sierra shrieks. “You think I’d let my pathetic, wolfless bitch of a stepsister be with Lucas?!”

“He’s the one who marked her the night of your party, so they are technically mates already!” Logan shouts, and my stomach drops.

Lucas is the man who marked me a year ago… but if that’s true, why didn’t he say something? Was it because of this fake bond Sierra is pushing on him?

I stumble back, finally able to move, and I quietly run down the hall. I can’t stay here any longer. I need to find Lucas, have him remove the mark, and I need to get answers.

Panting, I push through the doors of the dining hall to find people still eating lunch. I scan the room, but I don’t see Lucas, so I run up to his office. Only, it’s empty.

“Hey, Mason. Have you seen Lucas?” I ask when Mason turns onto the hallway I’m walking down.

“No. He left early this morning and hasn’t been here since.”

“Do you know when he’s coming back?”

“He didn’t say.”

“Right,” I mutter. “Thanks.”

If I can’t get to Lucas, I’ll go back to Logan. I need answers and an explanation. He seems to know a lot about the tricks and schemes Sierra is pulling, but when I get back to his room, it’s silent.

I knock on the door. Then I knock again.

“Logan?”

Silence.

I groan. He was just here and always seemed to be around when I’m not looking for him—Lucas too, but now they’ve both disappeared.

My phone buzzes from my pocket, and I pull it out, hoping it’ll be Logan or Lucas, but it’s not. A message from Jenna blinks on the screen.

Jenna: You’re needed to heal an injured child.

Me: On my way.

Tucking my phone back into my pocket, I head toward the medical wing. I guess my questions will have to wait for later.