Chapter 56

“It’s just that Lucas doesn’t like girls who are all skin and bones.” Victoria’s words played in my mind on repeat.

The sting of embarrassment on my cheeks is impossible to hide.

As Victoria's cruel words hung in the air, James couldn't hold back any longer.

As Victoria's awful words hung in the air, James wasn't able to hold back any longer. He stepped forward, moving to stand beside me, his voice firm and unwavering.

"That's enough!" he said, his eyes locked with Victoria's. "You've been nothing but horrible the second you walked over here, and I won't let you talk to Shana like that."

Victoria scoffed, brushing off his comment as if it didn't matter. "Oh, lighten up, James! I was just having some fun," she said, not bothered by the tension she had caused. "Besides, Shana doesn't look too bothered by my observation, do you?"

I glared at her, feeling my fists tightened in my lap. As much as I didn't want to admit that her words hurt-- they did.

And how well did she even know Lucas to be able to make such a claim?

Lucas, trying to make the situation better, stepped in. "Victoria, I don't know what's gotten into you, but it's not appropriate to be rude to anyone, especially someone you just met," he said, his voice calm but stern. "Shana is my best friend, and she deserves respect."

Victoria rolled her eyes, clearly unimpressed by Lucas's response. "Best friend, huh?" she said, her tone mocking. "Well, I'm your fiancée, so I guess that makes me a little more than a best friend."

Lucas's face was as hard as stone as he took in Victoria's words. I could tell he was holding himself back from saying something to her that would possibly hurt her feeling.

It was clear he didn't want to make a scene in front of everyone at this restaurant.

"I'll talk with you later," Lucas said, avoiding eye contact with Victoria, "but right now, it's not the time or place to discuss this."

Clearly irritated, Victoria huffed and turned away, muttering something under her breath before storming off.

As she left, the tension in the room eased, but the damage Victoria caused couldn't be erased.

I felt humiliated and hurt by Victoria's comments and was still trying to wrap my head around the fact that Lucas had a fiancee.

But it seemed as though I wasn't the only one distraught by the whole interaction. James was clearly upset about everything as well.

Lucas noticed how both James and I were affected by the encounter.

He sighed and looked at us with regret in his eyes. "I'm sorry you both had to deal with that," he said sincerely.

James, still visibly annoyed, replied, "I never knew you had a fiancée, Lucas. Why didn't you tell us?"

"How could you keep something like that from us?" I tagged onto his question, suddenly feeling the urge to ask a million questions.

None of this was making any sense.

"I wanted to talk to you both about it, but I never found the right time," Lucas explained, feeling the weight of the situation.

"Well, how long have you known this?" James asked.

"Uh," Lucas scratched the back of his neck. "It's not really something that I've known..."

"What does that even mean?" I asked, resting my elbows on the table as I started to grow impatient.

"Was it recently?" James asked, mirroring my actions.

"Yeah, I've known this was a possibility for a few years now," Lucas admitted reluctantly.

"A few years now?!" James exclaimed. "And you never thought that it was important enough to share with your two best friends?"

"I know." Lucas looked sheepish. "I should have told you both sooner, but I was trying to figure everything out on my own. A part of me was still hoping that there was a way out of it."

I couldn't help but feel disappointed with Lucas. A mix of anger and confusion washed over me. The one person who I thought told me everything -- the one person who I thought would never lie to me, had been keeping this huge secret from me for months now.

I was seeing Lucas in a different light, and I didn't like it. Maybe I didn't know him as much as I thought I did.

I couldn't even imagine the hurt James was experiencing. He's been friends with Lucas for much longer than me.

James was an Alpha, but I didn't know how familiar he was with their side of society, and how they functioned. His father obviously wasn't as important as Lucas's father, Kendrick Busch.

Kendrick had the ability to control anyone. He held immense power just because of his name, and who he was.

Knowing Lucas belonged to a bloodline of such power made my blood run cold. I couldn't picture him being in a position of such power... it felt strange.

I remember how it felt to go with him to his father's company one day and experience that environment. It was so far from the Lucas I knew.

And now this.

A secret fiancée that I didn't even know existed.

"So, you've been engaged this whole time, and we had no clue?" I said, trying to wrap my head around it.

Even saying the words aloud felt wrong. It didn't feel like it belonged together in one sentence.

Lucas nodded and regret was written all over his face. I almost felt sorry for him--

Almost.

"I never wanted to hurt either of you by keeping this from you," Lucas said desperately. "It's just that things with Victoria are complicated, and I didn't want it to change how you both saw me."

"How complicated can it be?" James cut it. "You could've just told us, 'Hey guys, by the way, I have a fiancee!' But instead, you decided to tell us nothing and keep it to yourself."

"Our history is complicated," Lucas continued. "It's hard to explain. You guys don't fully understand what it's been like for me with my father."

At the mention of his father, I felt a pang of sympathy. I remember how cruel Kendrick was toward Lucas... It wasn't the kind of relationship a child wants to have with their parent.

"Complicated history?" I asked, confused.

"Our families have known each other for generations. Victoria also comes from a line of powerful Alphas. It wasn't until my father realized I was his son that he started to suggest Victoria and I marry one day to strengthen the bond between our families," Lucas confessed.

"So, let me get this straight," James said. "Your father is basically forcing you to marry Victoria?"

Lucas nodded. "It's just like another business transaction for my father. He doesn't care if I don't like her, or don't love her. He's only thinking about himself, our family name, and his business. My feelings aren't even a thought in his head."

James was quiet for a moment as he let Lucas's words sink in. "Why keep it a secret from us?" he asked. "That's the only thing I don't understand."

"Because I hate burdening people with all my problems-- especially both of you," Lucas replied. "You already have so many other things going on in your personal lives, I didn't want to add any more weight.”

I was about to speak, but Lucas kept talking.

“I was hoping that I would be able to find a way to end things with Victoria before anyone ever found out about it, but it's been a lot more complicated than I anticipated..."