Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3

Lucien's Standpoint.

Sleep was a joke.

I stared at my ceiling, listening to the soft sounds coming from the room next door. Raina was awake too, I could hear her moving around, probably as restless as I was.

The kiss from earlier kept replaying in my head. Not the one from this morning, that had been desperation, a stupid move to make Cassandra jealous. Though it didn't feel enough for what she did to me, going out with another boy. The kiss tonight, after dinner when dad had gone to his study and left us alone to 'get to know each other.'

We started talking about books, I could see from the way her eyes lit up that it was something of interest to her.

“Why do you like reading books so much? I find it tiring.” I smiled, leaning back against the chair in the small library dad and Elena had put together in one part of the living room.

Walking around the shelves, with her back now faced at me, she turned with a smile, holding a book. “It's more than I could ask for. It's everything I need to remind me that I'm alive, and I can do it. Why wouldn't you like something like that?”

“Perhaps because it's all fake.” I shrugged, my voice harsher and icy than I intended.

She was my mate, I felt it when I touched her and when I kissed her in the school hallway, I confirmed it. Though I was still in love and in a relationship with Cassandra, I knew better not to upset my mate. Her pain is mine to bear now.

But why is she not saying anything about it?

“Pardon my tone,” I quickly apologized, forcing a smile back to my face.

She smiled, but it vanished the next second. “I'm also good at that, Lucien. And you don't have to pretend around me. Just do you.” She said and turned back to the shelf, her fingers trailing the books on it.

She lifted her head up and stood on her toes, trying to reach a book on the higher shelf. I walked towards her and grabbed it for her, my fingers gently brushing against hers.

Our eyes met, my eyes darting between her eyes and lips as her scent left me intoxicated. As though on cue, I leaned closer to her, sniffing her softly. 

Before I could think, before I could remember all the reasons it was wrong, my lips had pressed against hers. Soft this time, gentle and asking permission instead of taking. For a moment, I drowned in this new world, surrounded by her intoxication scent as though nothing else mattered. She melted against me for just a moment before reality crashed back.

“We can't do this,” she whispered against my lips.

“I know.”

“Your dad would kill us both.”

“Probably.”

But neither of us moved away.

Now I was lying in bed, hard as hell and going out of my mind. Every breath brought her scent that made my wolf pace restlessly.

Then my phone buzzed, it was a text from my dad.

We need to talk.

I groaned, and rolled out of bed, pulling on a t-shirt. Dad's study was dark except for the lamp on his desk. He sat behind it like a judge, the lamp only revealing half of his face.

“Close the door.”

I did, then slumped into the chair across from him. “It's late, dad. I have practice tomorrow, why do you want to see me?”

“I know what happened in the library tonight.”

My stomach dropped. “What do you mean?”

“Don't play coy with me, boy. I saw you kiss her.”

Shit. I ran a hand through my hair, searching for the right words that wouldn't make this worse. “Dad, I can explain…”

“Can you? Because from where I'm sitting, it looks like you're about to make a very big mistake.”

“It's not what you think.”

“Isn't it?” He leaned forward, his voice deeper. “You kissed your step-sister.”

“Well, in my defense, she is not really my sister…”

“She is Elena's daughter. She's under our protection. She is vulnerable, alone, and living under the same roof as us.” His voice got harsher with each word. “And you're treating her like one of your conquests.”

“It's not like that.” The words exploded out of me. “You don't understand what it's like when I'm near her. It's like… like I can't breathe unless she's close.”

Dad went very still. “What are you even saying? You just met her today.”

“I think she's my mate.”

The silence that followed was deafening. My dad's face went pale, then blank.

“That's impossible.”

“Is it? Why do I feel like you're just making this about you instead, dad? The way she smells, the way she looks…" I watched his face carefully. “She looks exactly like Elena.”

“Don't.” His voice was fast and sharp. “Don't go there.”

“I'm not blind, dad. I saw the way you looked at her tonight at dinner. Like you were seeing a ghost.”

“Elena is dead.” He said it like he was trying to convince himself. “And Raina is her daughter, your sister.”

“Step-sister,” I corrected. “No blood relation.”

“It doesn't matter.” He stood up, moving to the window. “She's family now. End of discussion.”

“And what if the bond is real?”

“Then you'll learn to live with it.” He turned back to me, a frown marring his face. “Because nothing can happen between you two. Nothing, Lucien.”

I stared at him, the man who had raised me, taught me about honor and duty. But he had also taught me that mate bonds were sacred and couldn't be refused.

“And if I can't ignore it?”

“Then you'll leave.”

“You will kick me out?” My chin dropped in shock.

“I'll do whatever it takes to protect her.” His voice softened slightly. “Elena asked me to keep Raina safe. I won't let anyone hurt her, not even you.”

 “I would never hurt her.”

“Wouldn't you?” He stared at me for a second. “What happens when you get tired of her? When novelty wears off, and you move on to the next girl? What happens if Raina, then?”

His words felt personal because I knew he was telling the truth. I had a reputation for a reason. But this felt different, Raina felt different.

“It's not like that with her.” I tried to protest.

“Prove it.” He moved back to his desk. “Stay away from her. Give her space to adjust to all this without you complicating things.”

I wanted to argue, to fight, to tell him he was mistaken, but the look in his eyes stopped me.

“Fine,” I said, heading for the door. “But you can't fight a mate bond forever, dad.”

“Watch me.”

As I climbed the stairs back to my room, I could hear soft crying coming from Raina's room. Every instinct I had screamed at me to go to her, to comfort her, and to hold her until the tears stopped rolling.

Instead, I went to my room and shut the door.

But I didn't sleep.