Frangnace

Lucian POV

The golden light from outside my chamber indicated that dawn was breaking. Being compelled to rise was not so much as a desire rather than an earnest emotion I found myself subject to. The emptiness in the Palace while my mother lay with a grave sickness. But today, a new change was casting its shadow: a will had sprouted within me yet again in preparation to dispel the swirling emotions I had suffered for a long time.

I needed to speak to Sarah, needed to close a gap that set us at a distance since chaos began.

I dressed speedily; somehow the cloth of my garment was heavier than normal; narrow strips of thought fought with and sided easily with some while opposing at times while handling issues from Clark until then. But only she had stood by me unflinchingly, exhibiting an unconditional sense of loyalty on every level. There persisted an unspecified degree of nagging that implied she ought to take precedence over my list of priorities for one reason or another.

As I left the chamber, I lacked nothing but a sense of destination. Today we seemed to be going hand in hand with purpose. So I made my way straight towards the garden-I had seen Sarah there from time to time. The sequence of high hopes regarding my call to the fortuitous harmony of my garden surmise best suited me as well.

I could see Kavanaugh sitting there on one of the benches, gazing at the pink-flowered climbing rose. Her appearance denoted something close to lost porture, and inner turmoil made things worse. She was the Luna, my soulmate, and yet had not been granted the priceless attention she deserved in some time.

“Sarah,” I called, suddenly recalling the silence that had fallen all around us. She looked up, her expression making a quick shift from contemplative to surprised.

““Lucian,” she said, the beginnings of a smile lingering on her lips. “I did not expect to see you here.”

“I had to talk to you,” I said as I stepped a little closer. “About everything that has gone down, and… about us.”

The smile dropped and changed into a mask of seriousness almost instantly. “I know things have been crazy for a while, but I am here for you. What is it?”

I breathed deeply, heart racing as I prepared to lay it all on the line. “I have been having it hard. With my mother’s sickness and then the return of Clark, I have allowed them to cloud my judgment, and I can no longer keep ignoring what we have.”

She softened her gaze, and perhaps there was a little hope flickering alive. “I see. It has been a lot on your plate. But you do not have to go through it alone.”

“I know. I have been stuck in the past.” I stepped even closer to her. “I have allowed my emotions to set me in opposite directions. But you… you have been my anchor through all this. I want to fix things this time between us.”

“Lucian,” she said gently, moving to stand next to me, “there is no need for you to apologize. I have seen everything you have carried. Just know that I will be there for you, whatever might happen.”

Her words soothed me like balm on a wound, and in that moment, I felt that the connection between us deepened. There was thick tension in the air saturated with unexpressed sentiments-I caught the blazing embers of desire flickering in her eyes. "I've really come to understand how important you are to me," I said very softly. "You are my Luna, and I want to be the leader you deserve."

How could it happen that the world disappeared around the two of us while Sarah held the gaze she kept on mine? "I want that too, Lucian. I fought for you and the pack, and I believe in our potential as a team."

And right there, every tension that had formed between us just evaporated. I reached out to tuck a lock of hair behind her ear so softly that my fingers barely brushed against her skin. The gesture was so slight and innocent that it ignited fire between us. "You always believed in me," I said softly, choked with emotion. "And I don't want to take that for granted anymore."

Her breath hung suspended for a moment, and I could see the breaking of her barriers. "I've loved you for so long, Lucian. I just didn't know if you felt the same."

"I do," I confessed, staring right into her tear-filled eyes, heart racing. "I've been scared to say it, with all the chaos surrounding everything else. But you're my heart, Sarah. Without you, I just don't know how I would deal with it."

She stepped right into my arms, resting her head against my chest, under which I could feel her warmth emanating. An instance of faltering yet fortitude, a bridge made of delicate feuds in all turmoil.

"I'm right here, Lucian," she said into me, almost in a whisper. "We face this together. I will fight for you and for the pack."

Just breaking apart, I looked down into her face and felt my heart expand with love. "Thank you for being there when I stumbled. I swear to always be there for you."

An unsuspecting silence lingered in the air as our lips came barely in contact with one another in a tender kiss; a spark igniting between us. This was a promise—one that stood above the chaos that surrounded us. In that moment, I knew that together, we could face anything.

But just as the kiss was beginning to deepen, an echoing sound interrupted our moment. The palace guards were calling; there was urgency in their voices. I felt my stomach knot as I pulled away, and the sobriety of our situation came crashing in.

"What is happening?" asked Sarah, her concern now etched on her face.

"I don't know," I said, my heart racing. "Let's go find out."

We separated, still in a frantic rush back toward the palace. As we neared the entrance, I was able to see a group of warriors standing together, their countenances grave.

"Alpha!" one of the guards called out as we approached the others. "We need you! There has been a breach in the perimeter! The rival pack is moving closer!"

I felt my heart sink. Just when I thought I could focus on our relationship, danger was becoming even more imminent. "Gather everyone," I ordered, my tone firm. "We need to prepare for an attack."

Sarah nodded, determination shining in her eyes. "I'll assemble the women and children for safety. We mustn't let them hurt anyone."

As we set to work, I found my sense of purpose seeping back into my heart. The connection between Sarah and me was only growing, and now, together we would march to meet this threat. With her by my side, I was invincible.

The chaos of the palace faded as we were concentrating on whatever had to be done. But at a glance at her, I knew that, no matter how challenging the road ahead was, I had found my partner, my Luna. Together, we would protect our home, our family, and one another. The love we shared would provide us strength, and we would stand against any storm that dared approach.