65. Lucas
65
Lucas
She smiled at me. Like really smiled at me. It is the same one she would give me before we found out we were mates. Before I rejected and hurt her. It’s the one smile that always drew me in mysteriously when we were growing up, and now I know why.
I can’t help but look away, feeling my face heat up as I try not to think of how that smile causes me to feel some lust towards my mate. The bond hums from that smile. As if she was accepting something, and I can feel it. It did not heal the bond further, but it did bring me a lot of hope.
The bonfire has been fun, something I thought I forgot about, as I was introduced to many warriors and hunters of the pack. I had decided to keep my distance from Kaylee, to let her have some space from me like Kurt told me to, and instead focused on getting to know the wolves under her command. It seems this was the right idea, as I still can’t get her smile out of my mind.
“So, what do you think of Ivory Fangs?” Ricky asks, bumping his shoulder into mine. I want to push the man away, my blood feeling like I am being disrespected, but I remind myself that I am no longer an alpha. I am just a regular wolf now.
“It’s calming. I can grow to like living here,” I answer, sipping on a cold soda. Ricky lets out a scoff, watching me with amusement while his friends go on to talk about how they feel safer with Kaylee and Amelia back. Jealousy rips through me, and a small growl escapes my lips before I can stop it. They freeze, their eyes narrowing as they look at me with worry. Ricky has to explain to them that I am Kaylee’s mate, and they immediately apologize for their words. I nod, not trusting myself to not snap at them if I speak.
“Lucas.” Hearing my name, I turn to see Kurt looking at me, motioning for me to join him. I excuse myself from the small group, seeing relief on some of the wolves’ faces as I walk away and follow Kurt. He leads me towards Kaylee’s table and for a moment I panic, until I see my aunt and uncle reaching there first. My uncle whispers something into Kaylee’s ear. She nods, getting to her feet and following them, while Kurt changes course and we meet the three at the entrance to the pack house.
“Where is the best place to talk, Amelia?” Kurt asks as we walk inside, Kaylee eyeing me suspiciously. I smile at her, having a feeling what this might be about as my aunt leads us upstairs, and I realize she is leading us to her office. Kaylee quickly takes a seat in an armchair, curling up with her legs under her. Kurt and I decide to take the sofa, while my aunt and uncle sit on the loveseat.
“So, what is this conversation about, Kurt?” my uncle asks as we settle in.
“It’s about a lot of things, but namely why Kaylee’s parents and Lucas’ mother were murdered,” Kurt answers, a shocked gasp sounding from Kaylee.
“What do you mean, my parents were murdered?” she demands, standing from her chair. My aunt is by her side, holding onto her as Kaylee shakes with anger and sadness.
“They died protecting Ramos and Lucas,” she continues, her voice filled with conviction.
“It was a setup by Marilyn and Ramos,” Kurt states, causing the room to go deathly quiet.
“Just like Lidia’s death was orchestrated by Ramos, because he wanted more power,” his voice cracks, and I feel the pain that Kurt has held back for years come through.
“Lidia died from a heart attack,” my aunt chimes in, and for once I question if this was the true death of my mother.
“It wasn’t a heart attack,” Kurt sighs, tears in his eyes.
“Even though we were forced to reject each other, I would have felt it if Lidia had died from a heart attack.” My aunt, uncle, and Kaylee look on in shock, and I gently place a hand on Kurt’s shoulder. He sends me a small smile, the tears finally falling before he turns to address the others.
“Lidia was in an arranged marriage with Ramos as a pup, because Oak Fur did what Blood Oath did, threatened our pack, Harvest Willow,” he continues, Kaylee and my aunt returning to their respective seats.
“We grew up together, Lidia being the only child to the alpha and Luna, while I was to be her beta. No one knew she was arranged to be married, until she turned eighteen and we found out we were mates. We were ecstatic, telling our parents of the news, when Ramos and his parents came, ready to collect Lidia.” My eyes meet Kaylee’s, and I can see the pain in her eyes. I know she is thinking about how I rejected her. How I hurt her because I thought I was doing what was right for Oak Fur at the time.
“Back then, Oak Fur was stronger than it is now. They had the power to destroy a small pack like Harvest Willow. Lidia fought the arrangement, but Ramos threatened to kill me if she didn’t come with him. In the end, we both went to Oak Fur so that Ramos could keep his eyes on us.” He takes a deep breath as his voice cracks, a sadness seeping from him that I have never felt from anyone before.
“Lidia met your mother, Kaylee. They became good friends, and she let your mother know of a secret that only a few knew. Lidia could see people’s fates and futures. It’s why Ramos wanted her.”
“So, what does this have to do with my parents then?” Kaylee asks, getting a sad smile from Kurt.
“It’s because Lidia told your mother that she saw you and Lucas as fated mates when she held you for the first time. Ramos was there and at first, they all seemed happy to know Lucas would mate with a she-wolf with a strong bloodline. Then the incident with Blood Oath happened a few years later.” Throughout Kurt’s explanation, Kaylee kept her gaze on me. It seems the incident with Blood Oath is the reason for everything going wrong.
“Lidia was against Lucas going to the peace talks with Ramos, stating he was too young. Ramos argued with her, to the point things turned violent. He sent her to the infirmary, and left while she was struggling to live from the wounds he gave her. She told me then that she saw what would happen, and didn’t want Lucas to enter an arranged marriage like she was forced to. I knew she had seen the future of those peace talks, and that it would end up being the thing that changed everything. When you returned, Lidia became even more overprotective of you and Kaylee, wanting you two to form a close bond, hoping and praying to the goddess that when Kaylee turned eighteen, the bond between you two would be so tight that you would mark her immediately.”
“But I didn’t,” I state with shame, looking apologetically at Kaylee.
“The threat of Blood Oath was still at the back of my mind, after eleven years of Ramos hanging it over my head. I hesitated in marking her, and I regret it every day.” I see tears well in Kaylee’s eyes, feeling the gaze of the other three wolves watching her and me.
“You didn’t. Lidia knew there was that possibility, and so she gathered evidence from the time you were ten to the time you were fifteen, and then I continued after her death. She made me swear to not tell you or Kaylee anything about the past she and I shared, until you left Oak Fur. She knew you would, if it was for Kaylee. It’s why I couldn’t say anything until now, nor share any more details of how she and Kaylee’s parents were murdered.” Kaylee’s gaze leaves mine as she stares at Kurt, but I keep watching her. The death of her parents was one of the times I regret not being there for her. I stood beside my father, ordered to stay at his side while Simon and my aunt consoled her on the rainy day of their funeral.
“When Lucas turned fifteen, Lidia caught Ramos with an omega. Furious, she told him she was sending all the evidence she had collected to the council. In a fit of rage, Ramos took a silver dagger he had and stabbed her in the heart. I felt it, felt the pain she had felt, while I was with Kaylee’s dad. The pain had been so unbearable that he rushed me to the pack hospital, where he was told my mate most likely had died. It was just after that that we heard a commotion coming from the hallways, as Ramos roared that Lidia wasn’t breathing. The hospital was in chaos trying to save Lidia and without realizing it, Ramos dragged the doctor in charge into my room. He threatened the doctor, saying he would kill his family if he ruled Lidia’s death as anything but a heart attack. It didn’t take a genius to figure out that he killed her, and after using some morphine on the doctor, I got told the truth—that a dagger pierced her heart.
Her funeral was the next day, and I watched as you consoled Lucas. I could tell the mate bond was strong between you two, and so could Ramos and your parents, Kaylee. In the end, your parents asked Ramos to allow Lucas to live with the three of you, so you two could grow closer and form a better bond, but Ramos forbade it. Only Lidia, Ramos, Lucas, and I knew about the arranged marriage between Lucas and Marylin, but your parents became a thorn in Ramos’ side when they kept insisting that you and Lucas needed to spend time together, and Lucas had to give up Marilyn.” Tears fall from Kurt’s eyes.
“After the funeral, Ramos went and attacked Harvest Willow, stating that Lidia betrayed him by threatening to reveal everything he had done to the council. It was his way of getting revenge, and showing her parents that they meant nothing to Ramos now that Lidia was just a discarded pawn in his eyes.” His voice cracks as he talks about his former pack being destroyed by Ramos. I want to say something, want to comfort the man that has become a friend of mine, but he holds his hand up as I go to comfort him.
“Four years later, Ramos had enough with Joan and Easton stating that Lucas shouldn’t be with Marilyn, and that he needed to spend more time with you. Like I said, they were a thorn in Ramos’ side, and he had to get rid of you and your parents, Kaylee.” Tears are falling from Kaylee’s eyes and without hesitation, I move to her side and wipe them away. She flinches at first, but accepts my touch as she takes my hand in hers and squeezes it.
“The rogues weren’t a coincidence, were they?” my aunt asks, her voice filled with emotion.
“No. Ramos hired them to cause havoc in the pack. The goal was to kill Kaylee and her parents, but Simon and Lucas were with her that day and the three fought tooth and nail to survive. So, Ramos had them attack Lucas and himself. Lucas ended up leading the rogues attacking him away from Kaylee and Simon to protect them, while Ramos led them towards Lucas. It was Kaylee telling her parents what happened that had them rushing to find Ramos and Lucas. In the end, they died thinking they were fighting to protect Ramos and Lucas – the wolf that was the future mate to their daughter.” The room is silent after the explanation. I remember that day all too well. Remembered Kaylee, Simon and I relaxing by the pond we always went to, when the scent of rogues filled our noses. They attacked us without warning, and we fought to survive. Something then changed in their attack—after thirty minutes of the three of us killing many of the rogues, they focused their attacks on me. I ordered Simon and Kaylee to go get help, and while I led the rogues away, my father asked me where I was. I thought it had been just out of worry, but knowing now that he had had a hand in why Joan and Easton Kingsley were killed, he likely asked for my location so that the two of them could rush in to our aid, and die at the hands of his plot.
Kaylee looks at me, a mix of pain and helplessness in her eyes, and without thinking, I pull her into my arms. I can feel through the bond that she doesn’t blame me, as we both are victims of Ramos and for that, I am glad. I have already hurt her enough times, and regret my past.
She surprises me and buries her face into my shoulder as she silently cries. I feel the bond reaching out between the two of us as I hold her, and the relief she feels that I am finally there for her, holding her while she grieves her parents’ deaths all over again. I whisper that everything will be fine, that Ramos will pay for what he did. Kaylee nods against me, her fingers clinging to my shoulder, and I sigh. If Ramos was this ruthless to his betas as well as his chosen mate, who’s to say he won’t come after Kaylee and me, since I am still the heir to Oak Fur.
“Kaylee, there is more we need to talk about,” my aunt sighs. Kaylee stiffens at her words, clinging to me further as she gently pulls away to look at her.
“What else is there?” she asks quietly, the heartbreak in her voice causing my own heart to clench. I wish I could take this pain from her.
“It’s about Jordan. Unfortunately, this also includes Ramos, because him kidnapping you wasn’t just a spur-of-the-moment thing.”