Chapter 82: A Warning from the Alpha Lucas’s POV

I was still thinking about the night before as I walked to the Alpha's rooms. Even though Darius had sent for me, I couldn’t help but notice the weight of implied expectations in his message, despite its politeness.

His study door creaked slightly as I pulled it open, signaling my arrival. Darius sat at a big wooden desk, staring closely at a map that was laid out in front of him. A smile curved his lips as he looked up, but it didn’t quite make it to his eyes.

“Lucas,” he said in a kind but guarded tone. “Enter. Shut the door after you.”

I followed his directions, entering the room and quietly clicking the door shut. There was a subtle fragrance of smoke and old leather about the room, the kind of smell that stuck to strength.

“You were hoping to see me?” I asked in an objective tone.

Darius pointed to the chair on the other side. “Take a seat. Since you and your sister came, we haven’t had much time to chat. I thought it was time for us to get to know one another better.”

I sat down and leaned back a little to make myself look comfy. “Thank you for your hospitality. Lia and I—”

“Lia,” he cut in, his eyes focusing. “She appears to be... sensitive. She must be finding it tough to adapt to life away from her former pack.”

I gritted my teeth and faked a grin. “She is stronger than she actually is.”

Darius steepled his fingers and relaxed back in his chair. “Yes, strong, but also susceptible. Caleb, this world is cruel to those who are weak. You and I are both aware of that.”

His comments carried a hint of caution, veiled in layers of politeness.

I said in a firm voice, “She’s safe here. Both of us are.”

“For now,” Darius said, his grin taking on a slightly hungry tint. “However, safety is a delicate concept, isn’t it? It is incredibly brittle.”

I shifted in my chair as my gut told me to be careful. “Are you implying that we should be concerned about a threat?”

Darius cocked his head, and I couldn’t quite read the sparkle in his eyes. “Caleb, there are always dangers. Rival packs, rogues, and even internal betrayals occur rarely. I’m telling you to keep your sister close because of this. Keep her safe. Steer clear of... needless trouble.”

His words hit me like a kick to the belly, causing my chest to stiffen. He was aware. Or, he suspected, anyway.

Despite the tempest building inside of me, I replied, “I’ll do whatever it takes to keep her safe.”

With a tone that softened just enough to make the moment feel like a reprieve, Darius replied, “Good. I was hoping to hear that.”

During the remainder of the chat, Darius inquired about my “previous pack” and my views of Crescent Grove’s territory. I gave a thoughtful response, offering just enough information to meet his needs without giving away anything that might be used against me.

My thoughts were racing by the time I finally left his study. Despite the subtlety of his warning, it was clear that he didn’t trust us. And why should he? We were strangers, and strangers always had something to hide in his world.

I walked quickly and carefully back to the cottage. Anna was sitting by the window and looked up as soon as I walked in, her face cautious.

Her voice was tense as she questioned, “What did he want?”

I was unsure of how much to tell her, so I paused. “Just a little conversation. He wanted to confirm that we were getting settled.”

She squinted. “That’s it?”

I sighed and ran a hand through my hair before saying, “Anna, Darius is keeping an eye on us. I don’t think we can stay here much longer because he seems suspicious.”

She folded her arms across her chest and her face sank. “We can’t just walk away, Lucas. Not quite yet. We haven’t been this safe in weeks.”

“Safe?” I raised my voice a little and echoed. “You refer to this as safe? As if he were waiting for us to make a mistake, he practically told me to keep you out of trouble.”

Her stance was guarded as she stood. “Perhaps you would understand that not everyone is trying to harm us if you stopped searching everywhere for threats.”

“Not everyone,” I said, taking a step toward her. “However, Darius? He’s not the kind to take in folks just because he wants to. Anna, he wants something. Additionally, he will discover what we are hiding if we remain for too long.”

Her eyes grew softer, the fire in them fading somewhat to show the fear underneath. “Lucas... I’m worn out. I’m sick of running and constantly checking my back. Why don’t we just stay here for a while longer? Only until we decide what to do next?”

Her comments were like a kick to the stomach. The tiredness in her voice stopped me from fighting with her and telling her that staying was a mistake.

I put a hand on her shoulder and extended out. “I understand. Yes, I do. However, we must stay vigilant here.”

She searched my eyes as she glanced up at me. “So, what should we do?”

“We have a plan,” I stated strongly. “Something to make sure we’re not stuck if things go wrong—an escape route, a backup plan.”

Reluctantly, with a confused gaze, she nodded. “All right. However, we won’t leave until absolutely necessary. Make me a promise.”

I said, “Promise,” even though it sounded like a lie.

I sat by the window that night and looked out into the darkness as Anna slept. Every word Darius said was filled with a danger I couldn’t ignore, and I kept thinking about it.

Although the pack looked to be tranquil, there were secrets hidden within. And those lies might engulf us if we weren’t careful.

I would respect my pledge to Anna for the time being. However, I knew in my heart that we were nearing the end of our time at Crescent Grove.