Chapter 181

The next morning, the sunlight filtered through my curtains, casting a warm glow in the room.

As I stirred awake, the events of the previous night flooded my thoughts. I laid there for a moment, recalling the confrontation last night.

All in all, it had ended on a positive note. Lucas was back in my life, but the scars of betrayal still lingered. I didn't know how long it would take for me to forgive him. Trust meant a lot to me, and it seemed like it was hard for Lucas to trust me.

He's lied to me so often that I've gotten used to it. I shouldn't have to be used to feeling this way. I wanted Lucas to treat me with respect. I didn't want him to go behind my back and do things that I would eventually find out.

I didn't want to make things easy for him. He'd have to work hard to gain my forgiveness. Hopefully, that will teach him never to lie to me again.

When I finally got out of bed, I changed and walked downstairs. Lucas was already seated at the dining room table, a plate of breakfast sitting before him.

It felt strange to have him back, sharing the same space again. His presence was both comforting and unsettling.

Grandma Jo must've noticed my hesitation because she smiled at me from where I stood in the doorway.

"Good morning Shana, are you hungry?" she asked kindly.

Lucas's head went up once he realized I was there. He wiped a hand over his mouth as he greeted, "Morning."

"Morning," I replied, still unsure how to navigate this new dynamic between us.

I went around the table and took the seat directly across from Lucas. Grandma Jo sat at the end of the table in between us, serving as somewhat of a barrier.

I picked a blueberry muffin off the plate in front of me and took a generous bite.

"Did you sleep well, dear?" Grandma Jo asked as she poured me a glass of orange juice.

"Thank you," I said with a nod once she had finished. "Yes, I slept pretty well."

"That's good, I was worried after what happened with your father it would play on your mind." She put a hand to her chest. "I'm sorry about that, by the way. Lucas told me all about it."

I brushed off her apology. "Don't be sorry. It's typical of my father to come and go as he pleases, but leave chaos in his wake."

"Your father doesn't deserve you," Lucas suddenly said. My eyes snapped toward him.

The memory of him comforting me when my father called crept into my mind, a reminder that despite everything, he had been there for me. Lucas was always there for me in my most vulnerable moments.

I instantly felt guilty for wanting to drag out my forgiveness. I knew I couldn't stay upset with him forever.

Once the two of us had finished our breakfast, we got ready for school in a quiet rhythm. The tension between the two of us hung in the air, and I could tell Grandma Jo was holding her breath until we left the house.

As we walked out the front door, Lucas held the door open for me. It was a gesture that felt both familiar and foreign. I could tell he was trying to make an effort to make things right again.

But I didn't want to fold so easily. It would take more than him holding the door open for me to move past this.

The car ride to school was filled with even more awkwardness. As uncomfortable as it was, Lucas respected my space, not pushing me to talk or be something we weren't ready for yet.

"Shana, I know things are complicated," Lucas finally broke the silence, his eyes remained focused on the road. "I understand it'll take time for us to heal, and I appreciate you giving me another chance."

"I'm not the kind of person who just gives up." I glanced at him, a mix of emotions swirling within me. "But it's not that easy, Lucas. Trust takes time to rebuild."

"I know," he nodded, seriousness in his eyes. "I'll do whatever it takes."

"Actions speak louder than words," I added. "And so far, your actions haven't showed me that you mean what you say."

Lucas was silent, chewing on that observation. There were no lies in my words. He needed to show me he was really willing to change.

Thinking about change made me realize just how quickly things shifted within a twenty-four hour period. Lucas was back at Grandma Jo's and we were arriving to school together again.

I wondered if the school's group chats would have anything to say about that. The drama still bothered me, but with graduation looming on the horizon, it wasn't something I would need to worry about for much longer.

The bittersweet reality that our high school journey was almost over made me shift toward Lucas.

What was he going to do now that he didn't have to follow his father's orders?

"You haven't spoken to your father since the engagement party?" I asked.

Lucas shook his head. "No, that was the last time I saw him."

"So, what's next for you?" I asked, genuinely curious. "Graduation is soon, which means college is the next step..."

He considered the question for a moment. "My father doesn't want me to pursue hockey, but I think I don't care what he wants anymore. I want to do what's right for me."

"Do you think you'll play hockey for a college team?"

Lucas shrugged. "I want to. I've gotten a bunch of offers, and there's this one school I really want to go to. Their hockey team is the best and they already reached out to me."

"Lucas, that sounds amazing," I said, nodding with enthusiasm. "You have to go then."

"I'm thinking about it," he said, peeking at me out of the corner of his eye. "What about you? Any plans?"

I sighed, turning away from him and staring out of the window. "I'm not sure yet. I'm thinking of taking some time off, figuring things out... I can't prepare for the future when I don't know what'll happen within the next few weeks."

"Are you talking about your dad?" Lucas looked at me, his expression thoughtful.

"I'm talking about my White Wolf," I said. "I still don't know what it means or how to control it. There's a possibility that I might spiral out of control before graduation."

"You know, we can still train together if that makes you feel better," Lucas said. "I know how much you love it."

I considered his proposal, appreciating the idea of maintaining some semblance of normalcy. "Yeah, we can do that."

Lucas hesitated before asking, "Have you noticed any strange symptoms lately? Anything related to your... you know, the wolf?"

I furrowed my brow, pondering his question. "No, everything's been surprisingly calm. Why do you ask?"

He shrugged, a hint of concern in his eyes. "Just making sure nothing is escalating. I just want you to be safe. That's all."

For now, things were okay. But how much longer would that last?