Chapter 16

“It’s hockey.” Lucas emphasized, his voice carrying a mix of frustration. “And our game is already over. We won our match; not like you care.”

“You’re right,” the man replied, his tone devoid of any concern. “I don’t care.”

I was taken aback by the stranger’s callous attitude towards Lucas. How could he be so cruel?

Before I could say anything, he continued speaking, his words laced with a dismissive arrogance.

“You’ve wasted another morning of your life with that… sport. It’s unbecoming of you. There are more important things for you to focus your energy on.” He scrutinized Lucas. “Come to my company later this afternoon. We’ll continue this talk there.”

Lucas’s expression didn’t betray his anger or resentment, but the dark intensity swirling within his piercing blue eyes revealed his irritation.

And that, in turn, ignited a sense of annoyance within me. It felt like my blood was simmering, ready to boil over.

“Excuse me?” I questioned the stranger. When the words left my mouth, they felt like acid.

Suddenly, a surge of protective anger welled up inside me, reminiscent of the countless times I had defended Lucas from bullies in our childhood.

It felt as if my entire being was consumed by the instinct to shield him from any harm. I didn't care who this stranger was or how much stronger he might be than me. All I wanted was to make him feel the pain that his callous words had inflicted on Lucas.

Across the table, Lucas noticed the mix of confusion and distress etched on my face. He let out a deep, heavy sigh. “Shana, this is my father, Kendrick.” My heart seemed to skip a beat. This man, this horrible human being who had just spewed hateful words at Lucas, was his father? “Dad, this is Shana, my best friend.”

Best friend… He called me his best friend.

I felt a reflexive urge to argue against his words, but Kendrick’s hard gaze shifted to me, halting any protest on my lips.

His nose twitched into a scrunch as he frowned. “Wolfless?” It was as if he could detect it in the air around me. My breathing caught in my throat. “Are you friends with wolfless now, son?”

Without hesitation, Lucas rose from his seat, the scraping sound of his chair against the floor punctuating the tension. He stood tall, placing his fists firmly on the table, as if grounding himself to the spot. “You can talk to me however you’d like, but don’t disrespect Shana. Show her some respect.”

If Kendrick was surprised by Lucas’s show of protectiveness, he didn’t show it. Stepping closer, he allowed their chests to touch, the imposing figure of an Alpha meeting his son’s gaze.

Lucas was only a centimeter taller than his father, but Kendrick was much bigger. Though Lucas may have been strong and powerful, there was a raw edge to Kendrick’s presence that Lucas lacked, a mark of his years as an Alpha.

“Watch yourself. I don’t like your tone.” Kendrick’s gaze came back at me. “Are you friends with her just to spite me? Why can’t you be friends with more Alpha heirs? Wolfless are born and bred with bad luck.”

He was talking about me as if I wasn’t even sitting here. Like I was a mere object.

“I’ve known Shana since I was a child,” Lucas argued, his voice steady. “Her family has always been there for me. They helped me. Wolfless or not, she’s always going to be my friend.”

A flicker of realization seemed to dawn on Kendrick, and he reached into his back pocket, pulling out something. It wasn’t until he opened the book that I realized it was a checkbook.

What is he planning on doing with that?

“Here.” Kendrick threw the piece of paper at me as if it held the power to solve all his problems— specifically the problem being me. He treated me as though I was worthless to him. Someone he could pay to get rid of.

I examined the check, my jaw slackening at the sight of the $100,000 amount scrawled on it.

Holy shit. That’s a lot of money. More than I could’ve ever expected him to give me.

“Treat that as a thank you and your family for taking care of Lucas when he was a child,” Kendrick said.

“No, I can’t accept this—” I began to protest.

“Do you want more?” Kendrick interrupted; his pen poised to write another check.

I couldn’t believe he would’ve given me even more.

I shook my head vigorously. “No! I don’t need any money. I’m not friends with Lucas for that.”

“So, you’re not just looking for money?”

“Of course not!” I exclaimed furiously, insulted he would even assume such a thing. “Like Lucas said, we’ve been friends since childhood. We’ve only just met again because we both go to Shadow High.”

Kendrick snorted dismissively. “You go to Shadow High? That’s great. They allow wolfless there?”

“Dad,” Lucas warned again.

“What?” Kendrick shrugged indifferently. “I’m not even too surprised. That school will accept anyone, even this… girl here. Tell me, are you as stupid as Grandma Jo?”

At the mention of Lucas’s grandma, my eyes flew over to him. His nostrils flared; his hands gripped the table as if he was holding himself back. “I think it’s time for you to go, Dad.”

“Who are you to tell me what to do?” Kendrick asked him.

“You may be able to control a lot of my life, but you can’t control what friends I make,” Lucas said. “And I don’t want to hear you talking about Grandma Jo.”

Kendrick rolled his eyes as if he was thinking, “This kid is going to be the death of me.”

Kendrick’s earlier words stung, but I refused to back down. The fierce determination within me grew stronger, fueled by the love and loyalty I had for Lucas.

"I may not possess the same status or abilities as you,” I said, “but that doesn't make me any less deserving of respect. And let me make one thing clear: I will always stand by Lucas, no matter what, because he is my best friend, and I believe in him."

Kendrick's stare pierced through me, his eyes squinting as if he was trying to figure out whether I was just clueless or some kind of mysterious puzzle he couldn't crack. The silence dragged on, the tension thickening in the air.

I could tell he didn't want to give any weight to what I was saying, like my friendship with Lucas threatened his control and beliefs.

But I wasn't about to back down. I held my ground, meeting his gaze with unwavering determination and a hint of defiance.

I had witnessed the hurt in Lucas's eyes, how his father's words had cut deep, and I wasn't going to let Kendrick brush off my presence and the importance I held in Lucas's life so effortlessly.

Kendrick turned to his son. “This discussion isn’t over, son. I’ll see you later. There’s an important meeting I must attend, and I want you there.” He pointed a finger at Lucas. “And learn to be more like your older brother. He’s working much harder than you. You need to pick up the slack.”

That tidbit was a new revelation. I knew that Lucas was Kendrick’s illegitimate son, but I didn’t know that Lucas had an older brother…

With a swift turn, Kendrick exited the restaurant, leaving Lucas and me in an uneasy silence.

As I observed Lucas from across the table, his face remained impassive, yet the lines etched on his forehead revealed weariness.

I wanted to ask him so many questions, but I felt like now wasn’t the time. He’d just had to deal with all of that. I didn’t want to burden him even further and—

“You can ask any questions you want.” Lucas broke the silence, pulling me out of my thoughts. “I’m sure you have many.”