Chapter 52

Lucas gently took my hand and led me away from the dance floor, guiding me through the crowded dance floor toward a more secluded area.

As we walked, I could feel the warmth of his hand in mine which offered some comfort amidst the swirling emotions inside of me.

Finally finding a quieter spot, Lucas pulled me close, wrapping his arms around me in a comforting embrace.

"You can tell me anything, Shana," he whispered, his voice filled with concern. "I hate seeing you upset."

I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself. I didn't want to burden him with the hurtful words I had overheard, but I also knew that keeping it to myself would only weigh me down further.

"There were some girls in the restroom, and they were talking about me," I admitted, my voice trembling slightly. "They said horrible things--"

"What did they say?" Lucas asked his grip on me tightening as he listened to my words.

"Just bringing up that I'm wolfless, as usual. But they were also questioning why you would be with someone like me..."

His jaw clenched in anger. "They have no right to say anything about you," he said firmly. "You are amazing, Shana, and I couldn't care less about what they think."

"But it hurts, Lucas," I said, tears welling up in my eyes again. "It always hurts, no matter how strong I try to be."

He gently brushed away my tears with his thumb. "I'm so sorry you had to hear that," Lucas said, his voice filled with empathy. "You are not defined by what others say. You are strong, beautiful, and kind. And being with you tonight has been the best part of my evening."

I sniffled, looking up at him. "But those girls, they made me feel like an outsider like I don't belong here."

Lucas cupped my face in his hands, making sure I was looking directly into his eyes. "You belong here, Shana. You belong anywhere you want to be. Don't let anyone make you feel otherwise," he said firmly. "Those girls are just insecure and bitter, trying to bring others down to feel better about themselves."

He leaned in and gently kissed my forehead, sending a wave of reassurance through me. "I'm here for you, always," he whispered.

The warm press of his lips on my skin took me by surprise.

It felt... nice.

I didn't think I'd ever been so warm and fuzzy inside from such a simple gesture.

It was exactly what I needed at that moment. I felt grateful for having Lucas by my side, someone who saw me for who I truly was and cherished me regardless of my background or status.

"Thank you, Lucas," I said, my voice softening. "You have no idea how much your support means to me."

Lucas smiled warmly, but I could see that it was strained.

Even though he was reassuring me right now, I could tell that what the girls said about me was still bothering him.

"You don't have to thank me. It's what I'm here for," he said.

Lucas's resolve to protect my honor was unwavering. As the two of us walked back to the dance floor, he became increasingly aware of the gossip and its impact on me.

We could see people standing around, staring at us as if they were trying to figure us out. I hadn't noticed it too much before, but now, it was painfully obvious that people were curious about Lucas and me.

Lucas seemed to be agitated by all the unwanted attention. "Is there a reason you're staring at my date?" he asked a random Omega boy who walked by staring daggers at me.

The boy shook his head and quickly walked off, clearly not wanting to mess with an Alpha.

Elsewhere, I could see girls watching me and whispering behind their hands. I wondered which of the girls were the ones I had heard in the bathroom.

My face must've given my emotions away because I felt Lucas take a step closer to me, brushing my arm with his.

"Just stay by my side the rest of the night," Lucas insisted.

It was clear that he wanted to shield me from any further hurt.

I nodded, still keeping my eyes trained on all the people around us.

I heard him sigh from beside me, making me turn in his direction.

"We don't have to stay here, Shana," he whispered, his eyes filled with concern. "We can skip the upcoming dances if you want. But we'll do it together."

His gesture touched my heart, and I knew that being with Lucas was all I needed to feel safe and valued.

"Are you sure?" I asked.

"Yeah, I don't mind. I just want to spend time with you."

"So, you don't want to work on your dance moves?"

Lucas laughed, shaking his head at me mischievously. "I've got my dance moves covered. You're the one who was in need of a lesson."

"Hey!" I shout in mock offense. "You said I was going a good job!"

"You were, I'm just teasing you." He smiles, bumping into my arm again.

Together, we stood our ground amidst the whispers and judgment from fellow students. The only time Lucas and I were interrupted was when Alphas approached him to network with him, talking him up and giving him the spiel on their life story.

As one Alpha went on and on about his achievements, I noticed Lucas glancing at me from time to time, his expression showing impatience. It seemed like he was itching to spend more time alone with me.

"Lucas, it's great that they want to network with you, but I think we should find somewhere quieter where you won't be interrupted," I said. "Every time someone comes up to you, you start frowning."

"I don't know why they won't leave me alone." Lucas flashed me a grateful smile. "But you're right, Shana. Let's get away from this crowd."

With that, he led me to a more secluded area. Away from the prying eyes, I felt a sense of relief and comfort in Lucas's presence.

However, even in a quieter spot, girls spotted us and approached Lucas, asking him if he'd like to dance with them.

It both surprised and bothered me that some girls would be so bold to approach Lucas right in front of me, knowing I was his date.

I tried not to let it affect me, reminding myself that Lucas had already shown me that I was important to him. Yet, I couldn't help but feel a twinge of insecurity each time another girl tried to fight for his attention.

Lucas, on the other hand, handled every girl with kindness. He politely declined every person who tried to converse with him, making it clear that he was enjoying his time with me.

"No, thank you," he said with a smile to a persistent girl who wouldn't take no for an answer. "I'm here with Shana, and I'd rather spend all my time at formal with her."

When the girl walked away from us, I turned to Lucas. "That was a bit harsh."

Lucas rolled his eyes. "What do you want from me? That's like the seventh girl that's interrupted us to ask for a dance. Can't they see I'm sitting here and talking with you?"

"If you want to go dance don't let me stop you."

"Shana," Lucas gave me a hard stare. "I don't want to dance, and if I did, I'd only want to dance with you."

Suddenly, the music was cut off as the dean approached the stage with a microphone in his hand.

"Lucas Busch?" The dean said, looking around the crowd until his eyes landed on Lucas. "Can you make your way toward the stage for your speech?"