"I'll be back in a few minutes," he says, almost too hastily, and strides out of the room.
Once I'm alone, I peel off the hated maid's uniform and step into the shower. The hot water cascades over my shoulders, and I can't hold back a moan of relief as it soothes my aching body.
“Can we trust him?” I ask Eira, letting my forehead rest against the cool tile.
“I'm tired of being a pawn in these Alpha games,” I add, thinking of Kael, of Sabrina, of all the machinations that led me here.
“Fate brought us here,” Eira responds, her voice warm and certain in my mind. “Trust your instincts, little one. They've never led us astray before.”
I close my eyes, letting the steam envelop me, and try to quiet the war between my heart and my head.
A soft knock sounds just as I finish wrapping myself in the plush towel. Before I can respond, Lucian enters, a jar of ointment in his hands. His eyes darken as they trace the constellation of bruises across my exposed shoulders and arms.
“I brought something for your wounds,” he says, his voice husky and thick.
"I'll be fine," I say quickly, clutching the towel tighter. "My wolf healing will take care of it."
"Your wolf is weakened from the mate bond severing." His voice is gentler now, but firm. "It's why your body is still so..." His eyes linger on a particularly dark bruise. "...broken."
"But—"
"Sit." The Alpha command in his voice brooks no argument as he guides me to the bed. My legs betray me, folding beneath his will.
"Relax," he says softly, his warm breath on my neck. He unscrews the jar, and the scent of healing herbs fills the air. "This will help."
His touch is surprisingly gentle as he works the balm into my bruised skin, starting at my shoulders and moving down my arms. "Let me help with the others," he murmurs, his fingers brushing the edge of my towel where more bruises hide beneath. The intimacy of his touch sends a shiver through me, igniting a warmth that's both comforting and confusing.
I hold my breath as he tends to the marks Kael's whip left behind, my body betraying me with its response to his careful ministrations. His hands work their way down my neck to the top of my breasts and, against my will, my nipples harden as his fingers circle above them.
My pulse races, unsure what will happen next, and doubtful of how strong my resolve will be, when he mercifully moves his hands back up toward my shoulders. I take in deep breaths, trying to regain my composure.
"Tell me," he says, his voice low. "What drove Kael to reject you? To do this?"
"Ambition," I whisper, the word bitter on my tongue.
His hands pause on my shoulders. "Such a wolf shouldn't lead the united packs."
A harsh laugh escapes me. "And you're different? Aren't all Alphas driven by ambition? What makes you any better?"
Hurt flickers across his face, but he remains silent, continuing to work the tension from my neck with strong, careful fingers.
Finally, he speaks. "Darkfang is different." His voice is quiet but intense. "Here, we value loyalty above all else." Something stirs deep within me at his words, and I look at him in wonder. Maybe Lucian is different.
His fingers work their way to a particularly tender spot at the base of my neck, and despite myself, I let out a small sigh as the pain begins to ease. The balm's warmth seeps into my skin, and with it comes an unfamiliar sense of safety that terrifies me more than any pain.
"Does it hurt badly?" he murmurs, his touch unexpectedly gentle on a particularly dark bruise. There's something in his voice I haven't heard before, a softness that makes the walls I've built start to crumble, just a little.
"Why do you care?" I ask, unable to keep the suspicion from my voice. "The feared Alpha of Darkfang, personally tending to a rejected Luna's wounds?"
His green eyes meet mine, something fierce and unreadable flickering in their depths. "Not everything is about power plays, little wolf." He pauses, his fingers stilling on my shoulder. "Sometimes even Alphas know what it's like to be broken."
“Oh really?” I scoff, trying my best to keep up my defenses. “How would you know anything about being broken?”
His gaze darkens. “Because I know what it’s like to be alone.”
The admission catches me off guard, hitting deeper than I expect.
I can’t stop myself from asking, the words slipping out before I can think them through. “Don’t you have a Luna?”
His expression changes, a flicker of something haunted crossing his face before he steadies himself. “Not anymore.” His voice is low, barely a murmur. “My previous Luna… she died. Over a year ago.”
The impact of his words settles over me, and I feel a pang of sympathy I didn’t expect. “I’m… I’m so sorry,” I whisper, my voice thick with genuine sorrow.
He nods, a distant look in his eyes as he continues. “She was on patrol with Cade when they were ambushed by a rogue pack. She fought well, but… by the time Cade got her back to camp, she was already dead.” His gaze falls, as if reliving the memory, and I can sense the lingering pain he tries so hard to hide.
Without thinking, I reach out, my hand brushing against his arm. “That must have been… so hard.”
He looks down at where my hand rests on his arm, and for a moment, he seems lost in thought, as though he’s weighing whether to share more. Finally, he speaks, his voice tinged with resignation. “I thought about taking a new Luna. Someone to lead beside me. But…” He hesitates, his jaw clenching as he struggles for the right words. “I haven’t felt the bond with anyone—at least, not in the way it should be. Not the way a true Alpha and Luna are meant to be connected.”
He pauses, his gaze meeting mine with an intensity that’s almost unsettling. “A pack depends on that connection. Without it… it feels hollow, forced. And I won’t choose a Luna I don’t feel that bond with.”
The quiet conviction in his voice makes something stir inside me, and I find myself holding his gaze, caught in the depth of his words. He’s searching my face, his expression unreadable, as though he’s looking for some answer, something he hasn’t found before.
Almost without realizing it, I reach for him again, my hand lingering on his arm. The contact sends a shock through me, an electric pulse that makes my breath hitch. He doesn’t pull away; instead, his hand covers mine, strong and warm.
“Lucian…” I whisper, my voice barely a thread of sound. I don’t know what I’m asking for, don’t even know what I need, but the intensity of his gaze holds me captive, as if he’s willing me to let go of the pain that’s been choking me since Kael’s rejection.