34. Evelyn
34
Evelyn
T he next morning, I woke to the soft sound of snoring. Chad was sprawled out on the large dog pillow Alister had added to the floor. For a moment, I lay still, savoring the warmth of Alister’s arms around me and the peaceful quiet of the early morning.
But the events of the previous day came rushing back, and I felt the weight of responsibility settle over me once more. With a sigh, I gently extricated myself from Alister’s embrace and slipped out of bed.
I made my way to the kitchen, hoping to grab a quick cup of coffee before the others woke up. To my surprise, Lucien was already there, hunched over a steaming mug at the kitchen island. It seemed everyone had slept over.
“Morning,” I mumbled, heading straight for the coffee pot.
Lucien grunted in response, his eyes still fixed on whatever he was reading on his tablet. I poured myself a cup and leaned against the counter, studying him over the rim of my mug.
“Did you sleep at all?” I asked, noting the dark circles under his eyes.
He finally looked up, his green eyes bloodshot but alert. “A bit,” he said. “I’ve been working on our potions and researching to find any information that might help us understand what Morgana is planning.”
I nodded, feeling a mix of gratitude and guilt. While I was sleeping, Lucien worked tirelessly to help. “Find anything useful?”
He shrugged, running a hand through his messy hair. “Nothing concrete.”
I took a moment to observe him. He was handsome even when tired, always there for me when I needed him…Even if he was at times a pain in the ass.
Could he be the last of my fated mates?
“What?” he asked, looking up from his tablet.
“Nothing.” I blushed.
“Just say it, Evelyn.”
“Well, you know when I went to the Shadow Realm…”
He nodded.
“Well…” I fumbled, the words getting stuck in my throat. “Apparently, I have five fated mates! Five! Yes, I know that’s crazy! Anyway, I know Alister and Ryker are my fated mates; they’ve confirmed it, and Chad and most likely Rafe too, but I…”
I trailed off, feeling foolish.
“I’m not your fated mate if that’s what you’re asking,” he said, his tone matter-of-fact.
“Oh.” A wave of disappointment washed over me.
“I’m sure you’re relieved,” he added, a hint of sarcasm in his voice.
“What? No! Of course not! You’d make a great fated mate,” I mentally groaned, feeling even more embarrassed.
I hadn’t realized how much the idea of Lucien being my fated mate had taken root until he dismissed it so casually.
An awkward silence stretched between us before Lucien sighed. “Sorry. I didn’t mean for it to come out like that. I’ve…”
He paused, collecting his thoughts while I fidgeted.
“I know I’ve been a little overreactive lately. I don’t mean to be. I just don’t want to see you hurt after everything you’ve been through… And having to date Clarissa, knowing full well she caused you pain, is pushing me to my limit.”
I reached out for his hand, giving it a gentle squeeze and offering a small smile, even though my heart was pounding so hard I could feel it in my throat. “Lucien, you can stop dating her if it’s too much. And I’m grateful you’re here. I know that I can always count on you,” I said, trying to keep my voice neutral.
His gaze softened, the tension in his shoulders easing slightly. “I’ll always be here, whenever you need me. As a friend.”
The “as a friend” stung, but if I could have him in my life, even as a friend, I’d be happy…I think.
“Thank you, Lucien. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
He squeezed my hand back, his thumb brushing over my knuckles. “You won’t have to find out,” he murmured.
The moment stretched on between us, leaving me even more confused.
Then Chad burst into the kitchen, his hair sticking up in all directions and a grin plastered on his face.
“Morning, little witch!” he chirped, ruffling my hair as he passed. “And Lucy,” he added, nodding at Lucien.
Lucien’s scowl was back, and I muffled a laugh.
“Any chance of pancakes?” he asked hopefully, peering into the fridge.
I raised my eyebrows. “You’re thinking about pancakes at a time like this?”
He turned to me, his expression suddenly serious. “Little witch, there is never a bad time for pancakes. Especially when we’re facing a potential magical apocalypse. We need to keep our strength up.”
“He’s got a point,” Rafe said, entering the kitchen. He wrapped his arms around me from behind, his voice gentle as he whispered in my ear, “Are you okay?”
“Yep, all good,” I replied, plastering a smile on my face.
Rafe’s arms tightened around me for a moment before he released me and added, “We can’t strategize on empty stomachs.”
“Alright,” I conceded. “Pancakes it is.”
Mrs. Cook was only hired for lunch and dinner, so breakfast was always a DIY affair.
In any case, we needed all our strength today to investigate where the shifter had died, and I needed to eat my feelings.
* * *
Once we gathered in the strategy room, Ryker spread out a map of the area where the shifter had been found dead. His finger traced a path to a small town about an hour’s drive away.
“Here,” he said. “The body was found near a creek, just outside town.”
Lucien stood by the table, distributing small fanny packs to each of us. He handed me a pink one, stuffed with extra vials. I couldn’t help but laugh.
“Seriously, Lucien? Do I really need so many of these? You know I’m already pretty powerful, right?”
Lucien rolled his eyes. “Powerful or not, you still need these. Each vial serves a different purpose if we encounter enemies.” He pointed to each color. “Red is for explosives, blue enhances your strength, green provides temporary invisibility, and yellow amplifies your magic.”
Chad took one look at his yellow fanny pack and groaned. “Man, this is not a cool look.”
I glanced over to see him grabbing a camouflage-patterned one instead.
“This one’s mine,” he declared, strapping it around his waist. He clapped Lucien on the shoulder, adding, “You might not be the weakest link of the team after all.”
Lucien ignored him and continued explaining the potions’ uses.
With our gear in place, we headed out.