10

LUCAS

I watched as Hilary ascended the stairs, her steps hurried, and cheeks flushed. She had dismissed me so abruptly, yet the quick press of her body against mine lingered in my mind. It was unexpected, soft, and filled with an emotion I couldn't quite decipher. For the next few moments, all I did was stand there and watch her figure slowly disappear, trying to gather my thoughts.

It wasn’t like me to apologize, especially not for something I believed was necessary. But seeing Hilary with Layla, realizing she could have left completely but didn’t, stirred something inside me. Fear, perhaps, mixed with a protectiveness and possessiveness, I hadn't expected to feel so strongly.

I sucked in a deep breath and finally began the stroll to my office. The house was quiet now, the argument with Layla still echoing in my ears. She had no right to interfere, but I couldn’t deny that her words had struck a chord. Was I really treating Hilary the same way she'd been treated in that dump of a house? Was I no different from the monster of a father she'd left behind.

As I sank into my chair, I replayed the events of the day in my head. Locking her in the room was a mistake, one born out of fear and desperation. I was terrified she would leave or that she would do something irrevocable in a moment of desperation. I feared I would lose her and that she would leave my life just as quickly as she'd come, but I knew now that trying to make her stay by locking her up wasn't the answer. I needed to find another way to make her stay, I needed to give her a reason to stay. Completely of her own volition.

I glanced at the stack of papers that needed my attention on my desk, but my mind kept drifting back to Hilary. Her bravery in the face of everything she’d endured was remarkable. She deserved better than this, better than me. But she was my wife, and I wasn't going to let her go. I just had to figure out how to be the husband she deserved. It was me who needed work.

The silence of the room was interrupted by a soft knock on the door. “Come in,” I called, expecting it to be one of the staff. But in walked Dylan, looking weary but resolute.

“You really need to work on your temper, Lucas,” he cut to the chase the second he stepped in, closing the door behind him. “Layla means well, you know that.”

I sighed, rubbing my temples. “I know, Dylan. But her meddling only complicates things.”

“Maybe. But she has a point, and you know it. Hilary isn’t just someone you can lock away. She’s your wife. She deserves your respect and understanding.”

“I know that,” I said, frustration creeping into my voice. “I just... I don’t know how to do this, Dylan. I don’t know how to be what she needs.” I finally confessed, seeing no way out of it.

“Start by giving her some space,” he said simply, like that would be the answer of all of life's problems. “Let her find her footing here. Trust that she won’t run away.”

“Easier said than done,” I muttered, but I knew he was right. Trust was key, and I had to show Hilary that I trusted her.

Dylan nodded, understanding. “She’s stronger than you think, Lucas. Give her a chance to prove it.”

After Dylan left, I sat back, lost in thought. Trusting Hilary was a risk, but it was one I had to take if we were going to make this work. I couldn’t keep her locked up, couldn’t keep treating her like a prisoner. She deserved more, and I had to be the one to give it to her.

I also couldn't stop thinking about the hug. It was like my mind was stuck on a loop, reliving the moment over and over again. I couldn't bring myself to be over the warmth of her embrace, albeit quick and ending sooner than I'd liked. It bathed me completely in the comfort that was Hilary. That soft glow and warmth that she'd always had around her had managed to seep into the hug too, and I couldn't believe I'd even considered treating her any lesser than the goddess she was. I had been a jerk to her, and I knew it. I had hurt her feelings, and I needed to make it up to her.

I swore to myself that I would make it right the next day. I would find a way to really let my repentance show to show her that I valued her above anything. The minutes between finding an empty room and finding her at the clearing next to the barrier had been the worst for me. I had been so, so close to spiralling. The barrier was thining, and even finding her there hadn't eased my nerves completely. What if someone had swooped in at the last minute and pried her right out of my fingers even before I could hold on. I could still feel the traces of the panic I had felt when I had to trace her scent into the forest, the relief when I saw her and the anger afterwards.

She was like a drug to me, and I already knew that it was futile to try getting her out of my head. It was quite ironic seeing how she felt the exact opposite about me. She wouldn't be anywhere near me for a second longer than she had to. I had to change that.

The next morning, I was pacing up and down in my office, awaiting Layla's arrival. I'd demanded to see her, and she should be here any minute now, but my Beta walked through the door instead. His hair looked out of place, and he ran a hand through it in confirmation of my thoughts. It was a nervous habit he had, and coupled with his stiff posture. I could tell he had something to hide.

"Lucas, Layla sends her apologies, but she's feeling a little tired today," he said, avoiding eye contact.

I growled, irritation licking at my nerves. That had to be the poorest excuse he could've come up with, and it felt like an insult to my intelligence. Layla was avoiding me, and I knew why. She always acted before thinking, and now that the heat had boiled over, she was finally doing some thinking. She had disrespected her Alpha, not that I was going to do anything with her anyway. I just needed her advice right now. Hilary must have told her some things.

"Look, Lucas, I am sorry for my wife's behaviour the other night. I know she was out of line. She’s just in one of her….. moods right now."

I glared at him, my irritation evident.

"Why did you want to see her, anyway?" he asked, trying to deflect attention from his wife's actions.

Before I could answer, Eros, ever one with the worst timings, walked into the room, a hoarde of snacks in hand. I raised a brow at him, my irritation growing. "What are you doing here, Eros?"

He shrugged, his grin unapologetic. "We live here together, Alpha. I figured I'd bring some snacks to share."

I snarled, my patience wearing thin. "Get out, Eros. This is a private meeting."

Eros held up his hands, his eyes sparkling with amusement. "Sorry, Alpha. I didn't mean to intrude."

But in complete contrast to his words, he took a seat on the sofa, staring back at us innocently. “What?” He asked, as if only just noticing the pair of eyes following his every move.

With a much needed intake of breath, I willed myself to remain calm and settled into my chair, gesturing for Dylan to take a seat since Eros was already seated.

"I need to talk to you both about something," I said gravely. I wondered why I was still so stuck on this, but I obviously needed to get it out if I was going to get on with anything.

"What is it, Lucas?" Dylan asked, now turning serious too, but Eros just hummed, crunching something between his teeth.

I took a deep breath, trying to gather my thoughts. "It's about Hilary….. she hugged me the other night, and I can't stop thinking about it." I felt a little ridiculous admitting it, but I needed to hear their thoughts. I felt like I was going to go crazy if I kept pondering all by myself.

The sound of Eros' sudden, uncontrollable laughter had my brows pulling tight. “By the moon goddess, I'd have never thought I would see the day you would become a lovesick puppy, like Dylan! Do you remember Dylan? He got so drunk and wouldn't stop crying for Layla until we had to knock him out. Remember?” He snorted, and I cocked my eyebrows at Dylan, who looked ready to throttle the teenager.

"You're reading meaning into an ordinary hug!" He finished, shaking his head.

I glared at him, wanting to throw him out of the room and slam the door in his face already, but I continued to will myself to calmness. He was just a teenager.

“Lucas, I think Eros is right. And if you're thinking about courting her, maybe you should try buying her something.” Dylan finally contributed, tone collected as ever, but I could swear I heard a hint of a smile in his voice.

I cocked my head at that, intrigued despite myself. “Hm. What do you suggest I buy then?"

"Girls like shopping," Dylan said, his voice thoughtful. "You should take her shopping, show you care about her interests and hobbies. It just might do the trick." He smiled, his eyes far away as if recollecting a fond memory.

"That's a good idea, you should buy her flowers or chocolates… or both." Eros chirped, and Dylan shook his head.

“That's quite stereotypical. Not all girls love flowers and chocolates. Layla, for example, wanted games."

"Games?!" Eros and I chorused in unbelief.

"I always knew something was up. How could such a pretty woman be mated to you?" Eros added, amused.

" That's why I need Layla's help, Hilary might have mentioned something to her."

Before Dylan could respond, his phone rang, and he picked it up, listening for a while before his face suddenly hardened. By the time he dropped the call, his eyes were devoid of any emotion as they held mine.

"Domineco has attacked another village," he informed, his voice grim.

Something hot and cold at the same time and ugly in every sense of the word curled in my guts at the mention of the name. I'd gotten so engrossed in Hilary that I'd almost forgotten what was most important - giving her a world where she didn't have to worry about bastards like Domenico Gray.

I got to my feet, my decision made. "Dylan. We need to take care of this." I didn't bother to explain, I didn't have to. Dylan knew exactly what needed to be done.

"Yes, Alpha." Came his reply.

"Alright! It's time to kick some butts!". Eros cheered, dusting crumbs off himself and getting up.

"You are not coming with us," I said simply.

“We need someone to watch over the pack," Dylan imputed, but in typical Eros fashion, he scoffed.

“That's a shitty excuse, and you know it, I'm coming with you."

“You are staying back, Eros. That is an order.” I growled and slammed the door right in his face before he could get an argument in.

I didn't have the time nor patience to deal with his childish tantrums now, I needed to make Domenico pay for what he had done. Both Eros’ bruised ego and Hilary would have to wait for now. As I thought of her, I felt my resolve strengthen. Play time was over. I needed to get rid of Domenico Gray.