Just as Lucille expected, she was soon summoned to face Edward. She stood in the grand sitting room, her hands behind her back, wearing a calm and uncaring expression.
"What did you tell her?" Edward’s voice was cold, almost icy.
"I said a lot of things," Lucille replied flatly.
Mark, clearly angered by her tone, snapped, "Do you even understand that the Tribunal gave a sentence against you?"
Lucille’s eyes narrowed. "Are you part of the Tribunal? Were you even there that day?" she shot back sharply.
Mark froze, stunned. His mouth fell open, unsure of what to say. "You do know you can be reported to them for going against your punishment, right?"
Lucille scoffed loudly, the sound mocking. "Then what are you waiting for?"
Mark’s anger deepened, but he stayed quiet, glancing at Edward, who looked tired and dr
That same day, Edward left Landmark City in a rush. He couldn’t stay a moment longer. Not when he had seen with his own eyes that Lucille now lived and worked there, and worse, that Mitch had marked her.Hours later, he stormed into his father’s mansion, slamming the heavy door so hard the walls shook.The domestic staff rushed forward with greetings, but he brushed past them like they were invisible. His chest rose and fell fast, anger and pain clouding his face. He marched straight to his father’s study and pushed the door open without knocking.Williams, seated with a glass of wine in hand, looked up slowly. His brows furrowed. “What is it this time? You look like a madman.”Edward’s throat tightened. His lips trembled before words broke out. “Father… Mitch’s mate… it’s Lucille.”Williams stilled, the glass of wine almost slipping from his hand. His eyes narrowed. “Who’s Lucille?”Edward’s voice cracked with rage. “Lucille Clinton! My ex-mate!”The glass landed heavily on the tab
“How could it be?” Mark muttered under his breath.“I need to find Lucille.” Edward paced the room, his hands restless, his chest rising and falling fast.“If it’s Lucille, what will you do?” Mark asked, concern in his tone.Edward raked his fingers through his hair. “If it’s Lucille, then he has already marked her. Do you know what that means? She’s completely out of my reach!” His voice cracked with pain.He stopped pacing, eyes burning. “I messed up, Mark. I shouldn’t have hurt her. I shouldn’t have listened to you all. I ruined everything,” his voice trembled, almost breaking.Mark went silent, but after a long pause he said, “The Tribunal Council will never allow the High Councilor to mate an omega.”“Not Mitch!” Edward snapped, his anger sharp. “Do you forget who he is? That cousin of mine always gets what he wants. Always. If he wants Lucille, the council won’t stop him.”Mark shook his head. “It shouldn’t be Lucille. Because if it is, how will you face her?”Edward’s shoulders
“It’s just a question,” Andrea said sharply. “If you’ve marked someone, the family should know. That’s the tradition.”Dominic nodded slowly. His old eyes fixed on Mitch. “You know the rules, grandson. When a man marks a mate, he must declare her to the family.”Mitch’s jaw tightened. He knew the tradition well. He nodded once. “Yes. I found a mate and I marked her.”Edward’s heart nearly jumped out of his chest. His fingers trembled against his lap. His wolf stirred madly inside him. Was it Lucille?“Who is she?” Dominic pressed.Mitch drew in a deep breath. His chest rose and fell slowly. He hadn’t planned for this moment. If he had remembered that her scent would cling to him, he would never have walked into this gathering.“It’s the tradition,” Dominic repeated firmly. “Say her name.”But Mitch stayed silent.Williams narrowed his eyes. “Why don’t you answer, Mitch? Who is she? Where is she?”Mitch lifted his head. His gaze locked on his uncle. Calm. Cold. Like stone. “My personal
The large sitting room of the Jones family was filled to the brim, the air heavy with unspoken words.On the largest sofa sat an aged man with a crown of grey hair. Dominic Jones, the patriarch, father to Williams and Andrea. His presence demanded silence, though the atmosphere already choked of it.To his right, Williams Jones sat stiffly, hands clasped tightly, his jaw locked in stone. On Dominic’s left, Andrea Jones lounged with crossed legs, his face unreadable, his fingers tapping restlessly on his phone.Edward Jones sat beside his father, head tilted back against the sofa, eyes closed as though he wanted to shut the world out. Around them, every sofa was occupied, except one.The silence stretched until Dominic’s voice broke it. His words were slow, weighed down by age and disappointment.“For the first time in this family’s history, this gathering feels suffocating.” His shaky voice echoed through the room. “How did we get here?”Andrea slipped his phone into his pocket and f
THE MORNING AFTERThe soft light of dawn slipped into the room, brushing gently over the curtains.Lucille stirred under the covers, her body sore yet warm, wrapped in the scent of her mate. Before she could fully open her eyes, she felt something soft graze her bare shoulder.Mitch’s lips moved slowly across her skin, waking her with every touch. His warmth pressed against her, his breath fanning over her neck. She turned, still half-asleep, only to be caught in a sudden, deep kiss.His lips claimed hers with hunger, and her sleepy protest melted away the moment his tongue brushed the mark on her neck. A jolt of heat shot through her, and her body shivered in answer.Her wolf stirred, restless, excited.“Mitch…” she whispered, trying to steady herself, but his wolf was already pushing through, calling for her.The bond pulsed between them like fire.His kisses grew hotter, stronger, as if he could never get enough of her. The taste of her lips, the feel of her skin, the sound of he
Meanwhile, Mitch Jones was not himself.It had been five days since Lucille was given the two weeks’ leave, and five days since he last saw her or heard her voice.Every night, Mitchell sat alone in his large, empty office, staring at his phone. Sometimes, he typed a message to her, but every time he deleted it before hitting send.The space she asked for was choking him, but he held on to one hope, that when the two weeks were over, she would walk back to him willingly.He missed her voice, her smile, her presence. The house she knew, the one she visited, wasn’t even his main house. He had moved there only to be closer to her, to make her feel that their difference in social status wasn’t too wide. But now, she already knew the truth.Glancing at the wall clock, he realized it was two hours past office closing. With a sigh, he stood, picked up his jacket, and called his aide.Not long after, he left the office.“To Dream Villa,” he instructed.The ride was long, but finally, they ar