Chapter 84

My footsteps echoed down the empty hallway as I made my way to Lucas's private locker room.

I was nervous to finally see him face-to-face after these weeks of us not speaking to each other.

As much as I'd never admit it to him, I missed seeing him all the time. I missed the connection we used to share.

I knew that I had to keep my distance because if I got too close, he would only end up hurting me like he already has.

But seeing him so defeated on that ice rink earlier — not because the Dragons lost, but because of the emotions weighing him down — I felt so much empathy for him.

He needed someone right now, and I would gladly be that person.

But first, we needed to clear the air after the conversation we had on vacation.

I didn't know how Lucas would respond, but I was willing to take a chance.

As I reached his door, I noticed that it had cracked open slightly. Frowning, I was about to push it open when the sight that greeted me left me stunned.

Victoria was inside, standing very close to Lucas who was sitting down in a chair with his head hung low.

Her hand rested on him in a comforting way, rubbing up and down his back.

I knew that Victoria and Lucas weren't romantic with each other, but seeing them be so close still made me grow sick with envy.

Lucas also never allowed anyone in his private locker room except for me or James.

Victoria was the last person I ever expected to see here... What was she doing here?

A bitter feeling lodged in my chest as I watched the two of them talk with one another.

"It's not easy. If anyone can understand how you're feeling, it's me," I heard Victoria say.

Lucas shook his head and said something too low for me to hear.

Were they talking about their parents or their family's businesses?

I took a small step back, feeling an ache of discomfort.

What Victoria had said was nothing but the truth.

I would never be able to relate with Lucas on his family situation. I had no idea what it was like to be an Alpha or have the same pressures put on me.

Watching the two of them together was only a reminder of the control that Kendrick and their families had over their lives. Their talks of business and alliances would always be like this.

This was the reality of their future together.

And as always, I felt like an intruder— an outsider in their world.

And worse, I felt that I would never truly be able to understand Lucas because of it. How could I when I was nothing like him?

My fists clenched involuntarily at my sides as my thoughts began to consume me.

My bitterness spread like a bad virus. My jealousy and frustration tangled together, feeding off each other until I couldn't bear to look at the two of them any longer.

What was the point?

Victoria must have noticed Lucas's bad mood and she beat me here to it. The only person who would comfort him right now was her... because she KNEW exactly what he was going through.

What kind of help could I offer? I hadn't spoken to him in weeks. He probably thought that I hated him and that we would never be friends again.

I wanted to laugh at myself. What was I thinking when I came here? That he would just accept me with open arms again as if nothing had happened?

I was delusional, and I needed to leave now before they caught me here.

I turned on my heel, ready to get as far away from here as possible.

As I started to walk away, I heard Lucas's voice faintly say, "...but I can't keep living my life according to his plans."

I was still as I waited for him to continue.

"I know what you mean," Victoria's response was equally quiet, her words slightly muffled by the closed door. "With all of that on top of the wedding planning they want us to complete. Everything feels like a business deal."

My steps faltered. Wedding planning? My heart clenched, and I strained to hear more.

I had no idea how far along into wedding planning they were. My impression was that they hadn't planned a single thing yet...

Are they going to get married sooner than I thought?

"Victoria, I don't know how much longer I can do this," Lucas's voice grew slightly louder. "I wish I could just be myself and make my own decisions."

"I wish it was that simple for us, Lucas. But it's not and you know that."

The knot in my chest tightened. Their words weren't just about the two of them anymore. It was about the entire structure of their society and the pressures they faced.

Combined with my jealousy, it was too much and I couldn't deign to listen to any more of it. I turned and marched down the hallway, needing to find an escape.

I must've not been paying close attention to where I was going because I ran right into James's chest.

"Geez, Shana." James took a stumbling step back, rubbing his chest with a smile. "Do you ever watch where you're going? You almost knocked me over."

I barely managed to catch my breath before blurting out, "I saw Victoria in Lucas's private locker room."

Immediately, James's brows furrowed, his expression turning gravely serious. "What?"

"They were talking." I nodded, my voice trembling with anger. "And she was rubbing her hand on his back to calm him down... and they were whispering."

"Whispering?" James's jaw twitched and tightened. "Whispering about what?"

I shrugged, rubbing my arms. "I don't really know. I think it was about their wedding."

James looked off into the distance, probably training his eyes on Lucas's door. "I'm going in there."

Before I could stop him, James was making quick strides toward Lucas's locker room. Panic fluttered in my chest, and I followed him, my steps hesitant.

Was James about to make things worse? He always made a big scene, especially when it came to Victoria. Oh God, this was not going to be good...

James pushed open the door aggressively and when he did, both Victoria and Lucas jumped apart, startled by the intrusion.

I went to stand just outside the door so that they wouldn't be able to see me. But I strained to hear their voices.

"What are you doing in here, Victoria?" James asked.

Her response was composed and professional with a hint of irritation. "We're just having a conversation, James. You don't have to barge in here like some kind of animal."

"Right, because private locker rooms are great places for business meetings," James's voice dripped with sarcasm.

The tension in the air could be cut with a knife, only making me feel like an intruder once again.

I turned away yet again, unable to listen any longer.

As I walked away, the last thing I heard was James and Victoria's voices rising and clashing in another argument.