Chapter 5

LUCAN

Pain exploded across my back the moment steel met my flesh.

Not sharp—burning. Like fire digging in and refusing to let go.

I hit the floor hard, my shoulder taking most of the impact as I twisted, instinctively shielding her. Calla’s gasp cut through the chaos in the hall, thin and terrified, and that sound alone was enough to make the pain irrelevant.

“Guards!” someone shouted.

The boy didn’t get a second chance.

I grabbed his wrist before he could pull the blade free, slammed my elbow into his chest, and rolled us apart. He stumbled back, eyes wild, but three warriors were already on him. Within seconds, he was restrained, face pressed to the stone floor, knife kicked far out of reach.

The hall erupted, voices overlapping, chairs scraping back, elders shouting orders.

I pushed myself up on one arm. Bad idea.

White flared across my vision.

“Lucan!” Calla was beside me instantly, her hands hovering like she didn’t know where she was allowed to touch. Her eyes were wide and terrified. “You’re bleeding.”

“I’m fine,” I lied automatically.

She didn’t look convinced. “You’re not.”

Strong hands lifted me before I could argue. Rowan’s face appeared above me, grim and focused.

“Take him to the healers,” he ordered. “Now.”

The healer’s chamber smelled of herbs and heat. I was laid flat, my tunic cut away with swift, efficient hands. Someone pressed a cloth against my back. I clenched my jaw, refusing to make a sound.

“You’re lucky,” the healer muttered. “Blade missed anything vital.”

I exhaled slowly. Lucky wasn’t the word I’d use, but I’d take it.

My mind wasn’t on the wound anyway.

It was on Calla.

“Where’s Calla?” I asked.

Rowan answered from the foot of the bed. “Presiding over the hall.”

I turned my head sharply. “What?”

“She refused to leave,” he said. “Council tried to adjourn. She didn’t allow it.”

That earned a low, surprised laugh from me, cut short by pain.

“Of course she didn’t,” I muttered.

By the time they finished binding my back, the worst of the pain had dulled into something manageable. I dressed slowly, ignoring the healer’s protests, and headed back toward the hall.

The door opened just when I reached for its grip and calls stepped out. She froze instantly, reeling with shock. 

“Why are you here?

“I’m fine,” 

“No you’re not,” she argued, reaching for my arm. 

I grabbed her arm and held her in place. 

“Listen to me,” 

She paused and stared, just what I wanted. 

“I’m fine. The pain is gone, but I’ll heal with time,” 

She took my words with a slow nod, then I let go of her arm. 

“Is the meeting over?”

“Yes. Your father just returned and went to interrogate the boy,”

“Is that where you’re heading?”

She affirmed with two nods. 

“Good, we’ll go together.” 

*******************

My father walked out of the room with his hands covered in blood. A wolf gave him a hand towel which he wiped most of the blood off with. 

“Has he said anything useful?” I asked. 

“Nothing yet,” he answered, attention shifting to his bride. “Are you okay?” 

Calla nodded, forcing a smile. “Yeah,” 

“Sorry you had to go through that on your first outing. The pack can get really scary at times. Are you…”

They’re voices faded at the corner as I stood at my end, observing them. 

They hadn’t known each other for long, but my father seemed to be putting so much effort to show care and concern towards his new Luna. 

What I couldn’t understand was why it made me feel uneasy. 

They spoke for a while before my father walked away. 

Fear still lingered in the student’s eyes, but she tried to hide it as much as she could. 

“Do you want to go in?” I asked. 

“No, no. I’ll rather return to my room,” 

“I could come with…”

“No, I'm fine. Thank you,” she said and walked away with a wolf behind her. 

I returned to my room almost immediately only to find one of the students there. She was working her way around my desk and shelf. 

“Excuse me?”

She turned around and bowed. “I was asked to arrange your room,”

“By whom?”

“Alpha Garrick,” she replied. 

My father? When?

I knew she was lying, because my father would never. But my attention was taken away by her cleavage. The gown she wore rested softly on her shoulders, parting at the center into a letter y that revealed more than she should. 

“Do you mind?” She asked. 

“What’s your name?”

“Beatrice,” 

“Hmm,” I hummed, walking towards my bed. I took my shirt off, sat, widened my legs and leaned backward, putting all my weight on my elbows. “Did my father tell you I have a girlfriend before sending you here?” 

Her eyes followed my every move with zero distractions. “No,” she muttered. 

“Come,” I signaled with two fingers and a breath of the word. 

I could bet on my title that my father wasn’t the one who sent her to my room. 

She wasn’t the first student assignee to waltz into my room with a lie just to lay with me, neither would she be the last. 

But this time, something was different. 

I wanted none of them as much as I wanted my father’s bride. 

“Kneel,” I said slowly. 

The rag dropped from her hand, and her knees followed. I made a head gesture to my belt, biting my lower lips. 

A small smile crossed her lips. 

It was a “go ahead” without saying any words. 

Her hands worked around my belt, unfastening it with a slow tease. 

My dick budged, hard enough to pull her eyes away from me. 

“Don’t stop now,” I muttered. 

“Didn’t plan to,” she responded softly.

She pulled my trouser off, letting my dick out with a calm shoot.  Her fingers wrapped around my shaft, eyes admiring the little god with delight. 

She leaned forward, head dipping towards my dick. 

A knock came. 

Short and too sudden. The door swung open. 

“Lucan, your father asked that…”

“Shit!” I pulled away immediately and covered up with the sheet. 

Nyvara halted a few inches away from the door , staring dumbly. 

“Out!” I yelled. 

She turned and left immediately. 

I straightened abruptly, the motion pulling at the wound on my back. Pain flared, grounding me.

“Get up,” I said, voice suddenly flat.

The girl over knees blinked. “I—”

“Now.”

She scrambled to her feet, confusion replacing whatever confidence she’d walked in with. I stood as well, reaching for my discarded shirt and pulling it back on despite the protest of my muscles.

“You can go,” I added. “And don’t come back unless you’re actually sent.”

Her lips parted, disappointment flickering across her face before she bowed stiffly and hurried out, the door closing softly behind her.

“Fuck!” I cursed, locking my door immediately. 

What the fuck?

Am I supposed to go meet her or just act like none of this happened?

Why do I care so much about what she’d think? 

She’s just an assignee after all, and I know just exactly how to obtain her silence.