Chapter 4

LUCIEN’S POV

I couldn’t stop thinking about her. It had been three days since the guards dragged that girl into the council room. Three days since I’d looked into her eyes and felt something I’d never felt before.

I sat at my desk and stared at the reports spread out in front of me. But the words seemed blurry. I struggled to make sense of them. I couldn’t even focus. I pressed a hand to my temples. This can’t be happening to me .

“My lord?”

I looked up. Marcus stood in the doorway, bowing slightly.

“What is it?”

“The reports from the eastern borders are ready. Shall I bring them now or later?”

“Later. I need a moment.”

He nodded and left quietly.

I leaned back on the stool I sat on, staring up at the ceiling. I should’ve killed her. That’s what logic demanded. She’d been caught near my private chambers. That alone was treason. A clear reason for execution. But I didn’t. I’d spared her life.

Why?

I stood and walked to the window. I looked down at the grounds that seemed so far down from where I stood.

When the guards had held her arms, I noticed a small mark on her hand. It was faint but definitely unmistakable. It was The Emberfang insignia. The same pack I wiped out eighteen years ago. She was definitely one of the members and she must have escaped. She wasn’t supposed to exist. And knowing who she was, I should have had her dead. But instead , here she was, under my roof, breathing my air. I literally gave the enemy a weapon.

I should have been furious. I should have dragged her to the dungeon and made her confess what she was doing here. But instead I made her my personal servant. Even I didn’t understand why. But I knew there was something about her that made me hesitate. Something I really hated but couldn’t ignore.

That strange pull every time I looked at her, like something invisible kept dragging me toward her, plus the heat in my chest each time I held her gaze with mine, I despised it. I was supposed to be the Alpha. I couldn’t afford to get distracted. Not by fear, not by pain, and definitely not by some girl. But no matter how hard I tried, she wouldn’t leave my mind.

That evening, I went to the training yard. I needed to clear my head. I picked up my sword, swinging it in the air, when I began to have flashbacks. I could see her kneeling before her Father. I hadn’t seen her when I had killed him. But now, I could see her. Like it was real.

“My lord, are you alright?” the guard asked, calling me out of my reverie. I jerked in shock and looked at him

“I’m fine,” I snapped.

“You seem distracted.”

“I said I’m fine.”

Just then, he backed away. As expected of course. I dropped my sword, went to the basin, and splashed cold water over my face.

Get it together, Lucien. She is a survivor from the Emberfang pack. And she was definitely here for revenge. That could be the only explanation.

But even with that thought, I couldn’t picture dragging her to the cells. I couldn’t imagine hurting her. Because something inside me refused to. And I fucking hated the fact that I didn’t know why

Seeing my efforts were futile, I decided to go back to my chambers to catch some sleep. Few minutes after being carried away by sleep, I saw a vision. I could see a burning forest and I could hear screams. The entire place was filled with blood. A little girl was hiding behind a tree, looking very scared.

I jerked out of my dream into reality as I sat upright. What the hell was that? It felt real. Too real. But it couldn’t be. I didn’t remember her from that night. I stood, pacing toward the window.

Her young face stayed in my mind. The terror in her eyes couldn’t leave my thoughts.

“ What the fuck is wrong with me?” I groaned out of frustration.

The next day, I summoned her. I had another task for her. But honestly, it was just another excuse to see her again. And I loathed myself for it even though I found it hard to stop it

She came in, looking pretty innocent as always. But I could see the bitterness that raged in her heart each time she had anything to do with me.

“You wanted to see me, my lord?”

I stood facing the window. “I have another task for you.”

“What is it?”

I turned.

And the moment I did, the heat surged again.

Then another flash hit me. This time, she was her present self. She was sitting alone in a dark room, crying. I had stood close by, watching silently.

I blinked, and it was gone.

“My lord?” she asked softly. “Are you alright?”

I blinked again.

“I’m fine.” I replied sternly.

“You don’t look fine.”

“I said I’m fine,” I repeated, sharper than I meant.

She didn’t argue. She swallowed and bowed her head.

I picked up a small wooden box and held it out.

“Take this to the eastern wing. Give it to the head guard.”

She stepped closer and took it. Our hands brushed again. I felt that heat again. She flinched and quickly took the box off me. I knew she felt it too. Then she bowed again, without looking at me and hurried out.

I stood there, breathing hard, and looking at her as she left. This was the most dangerous threat I have ever known. Like knowing someone is a threat and yet I couldn’t do anything about it, had to be the most dangerous thing to have ever occurred to me.

I couldn’t tell anyone what was transpiring. Yet, I was at a loss as to what to do.

What was happening to me?

And for the first time, I genuinely couldn’t figure that out.