Chapter 73

Lucas’s POV

“What are you going to do about Sierra?” Mason asks, watching me carefully. We haven’t had much time to talk about his sister’s punishment. We’ve been so focused on Lucas and trying to prove Harper innocent that I haven’t gotten around to dealing with Sierra.

I sigh, the exhaustion weighing me down, but I still turn to my Beta.

“I’m going to talk to her, but I haven’t thought of a punishment yet,” I answer honestly. He deserves that. I can’t let Sierra off easy, but working day and night, for three days, to find proof that Harper didn’t work with Logan is getting all my attention.

The guilt of putting her in that cell is eating at me, tearing me apart on the inside so much that my wolf has gone silent. He refuses to speak with me. I even tried to go down to the cells, but the elders were strictly against it, and I didn’t want to cause more trouble for Harper, so I’ve stayed away.

Even though I’m Alpha, the elders have power as well. They could report me to the council if they think I’m going against council law by prematurely releasing Harper. So, I set my mind to doing what I can to free her by proving her innocence.

Sighing, I close my eyes. I know that once Harper does get out, I’ll have to beg for her forgiveness. In order to do that, though, I must get her out first. It’s why I haven’t slept for three nights. I refuse to let her rot in that cell if she hasn’t done anything wrong.

“I’m not saying she was right,” Mason says, and I open my eyes again to look at him. “But as her brother, can I ask that you be fair with her punishment?”

Before, I would’ve been upset at his question, but seeing how I reacted to Harper, I understand his concern.

“You’re not going to ask me to spare her?”

Mason shakes his head, “No. Faking a mate bond is wrong, and she should be punished.”

Nodding, I stand and clasp a hand on his shoulder. “I will pass judgement with a fair and unbiased punishment,” I tell him honestly. For all Sierra has done, I am glad to see her punished, but that doesn’t mean I want to abuse my power.

I’m not one of those Alphas who sees himself as a god. I’m far from it, which is clear by the mistakes I make.

Leaving Mason to continue working in my office, I head out to find Sierra. After searching some of her favorite spots in the pack and not finding her, I make my way to my room. The moment I step onto my hallway, I can hear her footsteps going back and forth as she paces the floor.

The smell of anxiety fills the hallway, growing stronger as I come closer to my bedroom.

Sierra paces outside my door, looking worn down and tired. She looks almost as bad as I feel. The bags under her eyes are prominent and dark, something I’ve never seen before because she’s always so particular about her looks.

A little part of me is happy that she’s having a hard time. She deserves to know how it feels to be hurt by someone after what she’s done.

“Sierra.”

Her head whips up at the sound of my voice, and she smiles. It doesn’t last long, though, before it falters. The way her entire body deflates when she sees the entirely unhappy look on my face is almost comical, if this weren’t such a serious situation.

“We need to talk,” I say, stopping in front of her. “Honestly, I’ve already told you everything you need to hear, but I’m going to say it again.”

She watches me with confusion, reaching out for me, but I push her hand away. I don’t want her to touch me, especially after trying to force me to be with her.

“My love for you stems solely from the mate bond between us. The mate bond tells me that we’re mates, that we belong together, and that I love you. Being with my true mate is something I’ve always wanted, since I was a child, and I intend to love only my true mate,” I tell her, and again, her smile returns.

“I knew you loved me, Lucas. You just needed time away from Harper to see that!” She exclaims happily. She launches herself at me, and I have no choice but to catch her as she clings to me like a monkey.

As soon as I can, I push Sierra off of me and move back a few steps.

Shaking my head, I can’t stop the bitter chuckle from leaving me. Sierra’s smile falls again as I continue what I was saying, “But that’s not true anymore. I have fallen for someone else, and I intend to reject the bond between us.”

I know our bond is fake, but I’d like to see just how far she’ll take this before the truth is revealed.

Sierra gasps in anger just like I thought she would. Her hand flies out, but I catch it even as she begins yelling at me, “You’re a bastard! How could you reject your mate? I haven’t put all this time and effort into this relationship just for you to end it because of a little distraction like Harper!”

Too tired to argue, I shake my head.

“I know what you did,” I say.

“Wh-What do you mean?” She stutters, going completely still as she stares up at me.

“You do know that forcing a mate bond, or creating a fake one, is illegal by council law and can result in physical punishment or imprisonment, right?”

Sierra’s eyes widen, and I take note of the fear that fills her eyes. She stutters and flutters her hands nervously in front of herself, trying to come up with a lie, but all that comes out is a pathetic, “I would never do something like that.”

“Then you won’t mind if I order a search of your room and parents’ house.”

Again, she goes still, but this time, the anger returns to her eyes. She straightens up, and even though she’s still nervous, she growls at me.

“You can’t—”

“I can, and I will,” I tell her, moving toward her this time. She backs up, her back hitting the wall as I loom over her. “During this time, Sierra, you will not interfere with my search. If I find that you’ve tampered with my investigation, or with the warriors while they search, your punishment will be worse.”

“I-I understand, Luc—Alpha Lucas,” she mutters, bowing her head. I watch her for another minute before moving back.

“Even though the bond was fake, I will do this properly,” I state, and Sierra looks up again. “I reject you, Sierra, as my mate. We will never have a bond, and I will only be with my true mate, not a substitute or a fraud. Keep that in mind before you approach me again.”

Turning, I leave her behind so I can go back to helping Harper.