115 How Serious Is it?

17 bPaints /b

b115 /bHow bSerious /bIs bIt/bb? /b

bMara /b

Lucian started the car. We didn’t head home.

Instead, he drove toward the cliffs.

I didn’t ask why. I already knew. Whatever was going on, it was worse than he’d admitted.

The silence between us was thick, heavy with everything unsaid. I kept my eyes on the road, the trees blurring

past like time we were wasting. He didn’t look at me once.

When we arrived, he cut the engine and got out without a word. A imoment /iter, he opened my door. i stepped out slowly, reluctantly, like my body had to be convinced to move.

From the trunk, Lucian pulled out a massive pic basket, a cooler, a mat, and three giant pillows. A full

setup.

“You came prepared,” I said quietly, unsure whether to be touched or frustrated.

He gave me a small smile. That crooked, charming one I used to love.

He spread the mat, kicked off his shoes, then–without shame or hesitation–changed into a t–shirt and shorts right in front of me. Normally, the sight of his body would’ve done something to me. Today, it didn’t. I

was too tired, too raw.

Heid everything out like we were about to enjoy azy afternoon, then looked up and motioned for me to join him.

“Come here, Mara,” he said, sitting on the mat.

I slipped off my shoes, undid a few buttons on my dress for air, and sat beside him. Close, but not close enough to forget why we were here.

He pulled me in gently, his lips brushing my neck. A soft kiss, too soft. Strategic.

“Mara…” he whispered, and I felt the tremor in my chest.

He wasn’t ying fair. And I hated that it was working.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you everything,” he said quietly. “But I swear, it’s not as serious as it seemed. No casualties. No real threat yet. And with Chase still out there, we can’t afford to get distracted.”

“You still should’ve told me,” I said, forcing the words out. “You don’t get to decide when I know the truth. Was I supposed to find out only after it spiraled? After you had to leave, maybe note back? I trained at the

e real story. academy too, Lucian. I know how this works. Don’t insult me with half–truths. Just–tell

Please.”

He took a deep breath. “It’s what I said. Mostly. I made it sound worse because I didn’t want to waste resources protecting Martha’s parents. It’d be an abuse of power, Mara. ric isn’t our problem–he’s hers. She’s the one who left her boyfriend for a rich Alpha. No one wants to say it out loud, but that’s the truth. All that talk about him being dangerous? Probably just a story she tells to feel less guilty. If she really feared him, she wouldn’t have needed to meet my father to walk away.

C

115 How Serious & It?

“And if ric Moongrove is real and he is dangerous, then in his eyes, he’s just settling a score. A rich Alpha stole his girl because he could.”

His words hung there, cold and sharp.

And then something clicked.

Not a thought. Not a theory.

A truth.

It hit me so hard I couldn’t speak.

“Mara, Mara…” Lucian said, his voice low and tenseb. /b

“Lucian…” I whispered, barely able to say the words. “Could ric be Chase?”

He stared at me. For a second, he didn’t move. Then his eyes widened.

“Wait… Mara, they seem simr, yeah–but Chase is a wealthy man. Why would he ckmail her?”

“To keep control,” I said. “Not for money. To keep her afraid. To remind her she’d never really escaped.”

Lucian nodded slowly. The idea wasn’t impossible–and that alone was terrifying.

“You might be onto something,” he said. “But let’s not run too far with this yet. This is Martha we’re talking about. She could’ve made the whole ric story up to hide whatever really happened. If Chase is ric, then ric exists. And if he exists, she should’ve been begging us to track him down and stop him. But she didn’t. She refused help. That’s not fear, Mara. That’s guilt.”

He had a point. A woman being stalked doesn’t say no to protection unless she’s hiding something. If Martha truly wanted peace, she would’ve weed Lucian’s power and reach. But instead, she fought him. Lied to

him.

That alone spoke volumes.

“Then why risk Darian’s reputation?” I asked. “She loves him. I don’t get it.”

Lucian gave a dry, bitterugh.

“Martha only loves Martha. She knows Darian will never be Alpha, but she also knows my father loves him— and he won’t kick her out. Whether it’s love or pride, he’s bound to her. She’s ying the long game.”

I shook my head. “Still… she wouldn’t want to hurt Darian. Not intentionally.”

Lucian turned to me, eyes sharp.

“Mara, iyou /iof all people should know that’s not true. Who’s hurt Darian more than Martha? She pushed my father to marry me off to you–knowing Darian loved you. She threw Tiffany into his life just to drain ollits. And if throwing Northwood’s wealth. She’ll sacrifice anyone, even her own son, if it gets her what she shade on Darian’s name stops my father from digging into her secrets? She won’t hesitate.” /li/ol

I went silent. Deep down, I knew he was right. Martha didn’t draw lines. Not when it came to self–preservation.

“She’s calcted everything, Mara,” Lucian said. “Whatever the real story is, it’s darker than what she told us. Martha’s not just a liar–she’s a strategist. If she chose this route, it means the truth is worse.”

The realization settled in my stomach like ice. She really didn’t have limits.

115 How Serious is it?

“So… what happens when her parents move into the mansion?” I asked cautiously.

Lucian justughed, shaking his head.

“Oh, that? That’s when the circus really begins.”

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