Lunatics

When two Lycans are in heat and in the middle of mating, they can smell nothing but their mate’s scent. It is one of the Lycans’ weaknesses—their awareness of their surroundings drops drastically.

They become focused solely on mating, unable to think of anything else, as if only the two of them exist in the world. They no longer care about noise, danger, or anything beyond each other.

This was why Lucas’s chest was pounding as he entered Amelia’s house. Even at the gate, he had already caught Lorcan’s scent—and not just that, but also the sweet scent of his chosen mate, Amelia.

His instincts screamed that the two were betraying him. There was no way Lorcan would come to Amelia’s house at this hour just to talk. And the timing—Solana and Olivia conveniently absent—made it feel deliberate, planned.

Lucas ground his teeth, veins bulging on his forehead in fury. He wanted to destroy the front door, but he restrained himself. He wanted to catch them in the act—to force them to face their betrayal head-on.

“In my territory, of all places?” Lucas muttered as he slowly turned the doorknob. A bitter smile crossed his lips when he realized the door had been left unlocked, as if Amelia didn’t care who might see them.

Maybe Amelia didn’t notice you’d been calling her, Dexter commented through the mind link.

I told her I’d be busy with work tonight. That’s probably why she timed it when the house would be empty, Lucas replied mentally. She doesn’t know I handed the work off to my beta.

Lucas looked up toward the second floor.

Amelia’s sweet scent grew stronger—too strong. There was something different about it now, mixed with the arousal scent a she-wolf releases during mating.

He rushed upstairs, straight to Amelia’s room. The door was open.

There, he caught Lorcan on top of Amelia, her arms wrapped around Lorcan’s neck.

“Amelia!”

Lucas roared and lunged forward, yanking Lorcan by the shirt and gripping his collar.

“What do you think you’re doing, Lorcan?! Have you lost your mind?! You’re touching my chosen mate!”

Lucas’s eyes burned, glowing as if Dexter himself had taken control. His claws slowly extended, digging into Lorcan’s skin.

“Lucas! Stop it! You’re hurting Lorcan!” Amelia shouted—deliberately siding with Lorcan, twisting the knife deeper.

Lucas shot her a vicious glare, his eyes shimmering with rage. But Amelia didn’t back down—she met his gaze boldly, determined to make him feel the pain he had once caused her.

“You’re defending him?! I’m your Alpha, your chosen mate!” Lucas yelled, raising his hand to strike her—

But he stopped himself.

He knew that if he hurt Amelia, he would lose her completely, and worse, give her undeniable proof for the rejection ceremony.

Amelia grew more irritated when Lucas restrained himself. Her real intention had been for him to hurt her—to give her solid evidence. But it seemed Lucas knew exactly what she was thinking.

“What’s stopping you? Why don’t you hit me? You’re clearly furious,” Amelia provoked him.

Still, she knew it was difficult. Despite everything, Lucas had never raised a hand against her. He was a cheater, a womanizer—but he had never physically hurt her.

“Explain to me why you betrayed me with my own brother!” Lucas demanded, glaring at Lorcan, who merely smirked, entertained by Amelia’s performance.

“He’s better,” Amelia replied curtly.

Lucas froze.

“What do you mean?” His heart thundered violently, blood rushing to his head with overwhelming rage.

“He loves better,” Amelia said. She almost added he’s better in bed but Lucas could tell from her scent that she hadn’t mated with Lorcan yet.

Lorcan’s marking scent on her body was faint—because nothing had happened.

“What did I lack?” Lucas asked, struggling to stay calm despite wanting to lash out.

“A lot,” Amelia answered. “You never had time for me. I had to beg for your attention. You ignored me constantly. You never made me feel truly loved. And what else? You always hid the scent of other women you slept with even though I’m wolfless, I could feel it. And I noticed the way you looked at Olivia.”

Every word came from years of bottled resentment.

Before, Amelia had turned a blind eye, swallowing her pain because she loved Lucas too much. She had endured being treated like she was worthless, just to receive scraps of affection from him.

“How… how did you know?” Lucas asked weakly.

“She’s your fated mate, isn’t she?” Amelia said, stepping closer.

“Even without you admitting it, I’m not the same stupid Amelia anymore. I see the way you look at my stepsister. My guess? You wanted us both. You were just waiting for her to turn eighteen, right?”

Lucas had nothing left to say.

Instead of being the victim, he had become the villain. Amelia had caught him in every lie—he was exposed.

“Let’s meet at the rejection ceremony tomorrow night,” Amelia said calmly. “I expect you to finally grant my rejection.”

She straightened herself and took Lorcan’s hand.

“Come on, Alpha Lorcan. Let’s just continue our unfinished business in your room.”

Lorcan laughed, thoroughly entertained.

He was shocked by Amelia’s boldness and her acting skills—she hadn’t even needed his help. All he’d done was enjoy the show.

“Bro,” Lorcan whispered, patting Lucas’s shoulder, “looks like I’m better than you in bed too.”

Lorcan and Amelia left the house together.

As they descended the stairs, they could hear Lucas raging inside Amelia’s room.

Amelia shook her head. Solana would surely bombard her with questions—but it didn’t matter. By tomorrow, she would be gone from this pack.

She headed toward Mia’s guest house, only for Lorcan to stop her.

“Where are you going? I thought we were continuing our unfinished business in my room?” Lorcan teased, smiling like a child waiting for his reward.

“Sorry, I still have something to do,” Amelia snapped. She couldn’t waste time—her plan had to be completed tonight.

“You’re not done yet? I thought that was the plan,” Lorcan said, following her. Amelia noticed he was still trailing her like a loyal dog.

“He didn’t hurt me. I don’t have solid proof for the council,” Amelia replied, pulling out her phone to message Mia.

“So what? Are you going to hurt yourself?” Lorcan asked.

Amelia stopped and looked at him seriously.

“That’s exactly the plan. Are you going to stop me?”

Her eyes looked dull—tired, empty. Lorcan saw it clearly, felt the sadness behind those green eyes.

“No,” he said quietly. “If that’s the proof you need to break free from Lucas, then do it. Just don’t make it too severe.”

He took her hand and pulled her along.

“Wait, what are you doing? You’re coming too?” Amelia asked, confused.

“I’m making sure you don’t seriously hurt yourself. You don’t always think things through when you’re determined—you forget how dangerous things can get,” Lorcan replied.

Amelia fell silent. He was right.

What surprised her most was how well he knew her.

Had Lorcan been watching her for a long time?

“Mia!” Lorcan shouted at the door.

Mia appeared in pajamas, clearly half-asleep.

“What the hell? Why are you two together at this hour?” she exclaimed, still not used to seeing mortal enemies side by side.

“Slap me,” Amelia ordered. “Hard. Don’t hold back.”

Mia stared at her in shock.

“Are you insane? Did you hit your head or something?”

Amelia walked inside on her own.

“You can also smash my head,” she added.

Lorcan shook his head, arms crossed.

“No—don’t do that. She might wake up to reality and go back to being obsessed with Lucas,” he muttered.

Amelia shot him a glare.

Mia felt her head start to ache.

“Guys, please. It’s almost dawn. Don’t you want to sleep? Are you just sleep-deprived? And Alpha Lorcan—we’re leaving tomorrow. Why are you still hanging around here?”

“She needs our help,” Lorcan said seriously. “So let’s help her then we can all sleep.”

Mia couldn’t tell if he was serious or just messing with her.

“I’ve got it!” Amelia suddenly said. “Push me down the stairs.”

Mia snapped.

“That’s it. Go home. I’m going to bed.”

“I’m serious,” Amelia insisted. “Wrap me in a blanket and pillows then push me.”

She sprinted toward Mia’s room.

Mia and Lorcan exchanged looks before following her.

“This is my fault,” Mia muttered. “If I hadn’t told her she needed revenge, her brain wouldn’t be like this.”

Lorcan laughed, already excited about whatever crazy idea Amelia would come up with next.

“Do you have a helmet?” Lorcan added casually. “Let her wear it before you push her down the stairs.”

Mia looked like she was about to cry—she was surrounded by lunatics.