Chapter 16: – A Dangerous Game

Lila POV

The door clicked shut behind Lucas, leaving an eerie silence in the room. My chest rose and fell as I tried to steady my breathing, my mind racing with conflicting emotions. My wolf was unusually quiet, simmering with a sense of satisfaction that only irritated me further.  

“He won’t back down,” she finally murmured, her words tinged with amusement.  

“He’s arrogant,” I snapped aloud, pacing the room. “He thinks he can just walk in, claim me, and expect me to fall at his feet.”  

“Because he’s your mate.”  

I stopped in my tracks, glaring at the empty air as though my wolf stood before me. “He’s not my mate. He’s a monster, a tyrant. And you’re supposed to be on my side.”  

“I am,” she replied calmly. “And so is he, even if you won’t admit it.”  

---

My fingers curled into fists as I wrestled with the undeniable truth I was trying so desperately to ignore. The bond was there, humming like a taut string between me and Lucas, pulling me toward him no matter how hard I resisted.  

But I couldn’t afford to give in—not when I had spent years plotting his downfall.  

My gaze drifted to the door he had just exited. For someone I despised, Lucas King was proving to be far more composed and respectful than I had anticipated. I had expected force and arrogance, yet he hadn’t pushed me, hadn’t crossed the boundaries I set.  

It made me hate him more.  

---

The memory of his dark, piercing eyes lingered, and I clenched my jaw. “Respectful or not, he’s still the enemy,” I muttered.  

My wolf huffed, clearly unimpressed. “You can lie to yourself all you want, but the truth remains. He’s not the villain you’ve built up in your mind.”  

I shook my head, refusing to entertain the thought. “I don’t care. My mission is clear, and he’s in my way.”  

“Keep telling yourself that,” she replied smugly.  

---

Determined to regain control of my spiraling emotions, I smoothed down my dress and opened the door. I needed to focus, to stick to my plan. Fidel would undoubtedly be waiting, his oblivious charm an easy mask to wear while I gathered myself.  

As I descended the stairs, my wolf stirred again, an irritating whisper at the back of my mind. “He’s watching you.”  

I didn’t need to look to know it was true. The weight of Lucas’s gaze was palpable, even through the crowd.  

---

At the bottom of the stairs, I spotted Fidel near the bar, chatting animatedly with a group of men. The sight brought a small, smug smile to my lips. Lucas’s earlier reaction to my fabricated story had been everything I had hoped for. I could still see the flicker of anger in his eyes, the way his jaw tightened.  

“Fidel,” I called sweetly as I approached, slipping my hand onto his arm.  

He turned to me with a bright smile. “Lila, there you are! I was starting to think you’d abandoned me.”  

“Never,” I replied, my tone light and teasing.  

Out of the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of Lucas standing near the edge of the room, his focus unmistakably on me.  

---

The corners of my lips lifted slightly as an idea formed. I leaned closer to Fidel, my voice low enough that only he could hear. “You’re being such a gentleman tonight. It’s almost enough to make a girl wonder.”  

Fidel blinked, his expression shifting to one of curiosity. “Wonder about what?”  

“Oh, nothing,” I said airily, letting my fingers brush against his sleeve. “Just thinking about the future.”  

I didn’t miss the way Lucas’s posture stiffened, his sharp eyes narrowing at the interaction.  

---

“You’re playing with fire,” my wolf chided, but there was no mistaking the hint of amusement in her tone.  

“Good,” I thought back, keeping my expression neutral. “Let him burn.”  

Fidel, oblivious to the tension in the room, chuckled. “You’re in a good mood tonight, Lila. That’s rare.”  

I smiled sweetly, though my mind was elsewhere. My plan was simple: keep Lucas off balance, push him far enough to make him show his true colors. If I could prove he was as ruthless and controlling as I believed, the bond would mean nothing.  

---

But as the night wore on, Lucas continued to surprise me. Despite the taunts and my proximity to Fidel, he didn’t storm over or force me away. Instead, he watched, his gaze a steady, unyielding presence that sent an irritating shiver down my spine.  

It was infuriating.  

I turned to Fidel, feigning interest in whatever story he was telling. My wolf’s voice cut through my thoughts again. “Why does it bother you? That he’s not reacting the way you want?”  

“It doesn’t,” I whispered under my breath, keeping my smile firmly in place.  

“Liar.”  

---

When the group around Fidel finally dispersed, I took the opportunity to draw him further into my game. “You’ve been so charming tonight,” I said, my voice warm. “It’s no wonder everyone gravitates toward you.”  

Fidel laughed, clearly enjoying the compliment. “You’re too kind. But you, Lila, are the star of the evening.”  

I tilted my head, my gaze drifting deliberately toward Lucas before returning to Fidel. “Do you really think so?”  

“Without a doubt,” Fidel replied.  

---

The pull of the mating bond flared again, sharp and insistent, and I had to suppress a grimace. Lucas’s presence was like a constant weight pressing down on me, demanding attention even when I refused to give it.  

“Excuse me,” I said abruptly, stepping away from Fidel.  

“Everything alright?” he asked, concerned.  

“Of course,” I replied with a quick smile. “Just need a moment to myself.”  

---

I retreated to a quieter corner of the room, my hands clenched into fists as I fought for composure. My wolf growled softly, unsettled by my turmoil.  

“You can’t fight this forever,” she said.  

“Watch me,” I hissed under my breath.  

But even as I said the words, doubt crept in. For all my resolve, I couldn’t deny the way Lucas had affected me tonight. His steady gaze, his surprising restraint—it all chipped away at the image of him I had clung to for so long.  

I hated it. I hated him.  

---

And yet, a small, traitorous part of me wondered what it would feel like to stop fighting, to let the bond take over and see where it led.  

I shook my head fiercely, banishing the thought. I had a mission to complete, and Lucas King was nothing more than a means to an end.  

As I rejoined the crowd, my mask firmly back in place, I couldn’t help but glance in Lucas’s direction one last time. His eyes met mine, and the intensity in his gaze sent a shiver down my spine.  

This was far from over.  

___________________

The weight of Lucas’s gaze lingered on me as I walked away, each step feeling heavier than the last. My wolf stirred uneasily, her sorrow a tangible presence in my mind.  

“You’re making a mistake,” she murmured, her voice tinged with longing.  

“No, I’m staying focused,” I shot back silently, determined to shake off the pull of the bond. “This is what we’ve been preparing for.”  

My wolf huffed in response, the sound a mix of exasperation and heartbreak. “You’re lying to yourself. You feel it as much as I do.”  

I ignored her, refusing to give in to the emotions swirling within me. Lucas King was my enemy—he always had been. No bond, no primal connection, could change that.  

---

As I exited the room, the vibrant hum of the party greeted me, a stark contrast to the suffocating tension I’d left behind. Fidel’s laugh cut through the noise, grounding me in the present. His presence was an anchor, a reminder of my mission.  

But even as I made my way toward him, Lucas’s presence lingered in my mind like a shadow I couldn’t shake. I hated the way he unsettled me, the way he made me question everything I thought I knew.  

Fidel caught sight of me and waved me over, his grin as charming as ever. “There’s our star of the evening!”  

I forced a smile, slipping into my role effortlessly. “Did you miss me already?”  

“Always,” he teased, pulling me into the conversation he was having with a few acquaintances.  

---

The banter flowed easily, but my thoughts remained elsewhere. Lucas’s image haunted me—the quiet intensity of his gaze, the restrained power in his presence. He wasn’t acting like the monster I had spent years hating.  

But monsters could wear masks, couldn’t they?  

I took a sip of champagne, the bitterness of my thoughts mingling with the drink. If I started doubting now, everything I had worked for would crumble. Lucas didn’t deserve redemption, not after everything he had done—or everything I believed he had done.  

---

“You’ve never truly seen him,” my wolf interjected, her voice softer now, almost pleading.  

“I’ve seen enough,” I whispered under my breath, earning a curious glance from Fidel.  

“Something on your mind?” he asked, his tone light but curious.  

I shook my head quickly. “Nothing important. Just a little overwhelmed by all the excitement tonight.”  

He laughed, clearly buying the excuse. “That’s why you have me—to keep you grounded.”  

The irony of his statement wasn’t lost on me. If only he knew the real reason I was here.  

---

The evening stretched on, and I continued to play my part, smiling and laughing in all the right places. But the truth was, my focus was fractured. The mating bond tugged at me relentlessly, a constant reminder of the connection I was trying so desperately to deny.  

My wolf mourned the distance between us and Lucas, her sadness bleeding into my own emotions no matter how hard I tried to block her out.  

“You can’t run from this forever,” she said softly, her words striking a chord I didn’t want to acknowledge.  

I clenched my jaw, my fingers tightening around the stem of my glass. “Watch me.”  

---

As the night wore on, I excused myself from Fidel’s side, needing a moment of solitude. I found a quiet corner of the venue and leaned against the wall, closing my eyes briefly.  

The stakes of my mission weighed heavily on me, the burden of my choices pressing down like a physical weight. Destroying Lucas wasn’t just about revenge—it was about justice, about making him pay for the lives he had ruined.  

And yet, the bond complicated everything. How could I reconcile the mate I was bound to with the man I was supposed to hate?  

---

The memory of Lucas’s restrained demeanor earlier only added to my turmoil. He had every opportunity to assert his dominance, to claim me as his mate, yet he hadn’t. Instead, he had shown a level of respect I hadn’t expected, and it threw me off balance.  

But respect didn’t erase his past. It didn’t absolve him of his crimes.  

I straightened my posture, shaking off the doubt threatening to creep in. “Stay focused,” I muttered to myself. “He’s the same man you’ve always known. Nothing’s changed.”  

“Everything’s changed,” my wolf whispered, but I refused to listen.  

---

As I returned to the main room, I spotted Lucas across the crowd, his figure a commanding presence even in the midst of the chaos. Our eyes met briefly, and the intensity in his gaze sent a shiver down my spine.  

I looked away quickly, forcing myself to focus on Fidel, who had been waiting patiently for my return.  

“There you are,” he said with a grin. “I was starting to think you’d disappeared on me.”  

“Just needed a breather,” I replied, slipping seamlessly back into my role.  

---

Despite my outward composure, the bond continued to hum beneath the surface, an incessant reminder of the connection I was fighting against.  

Lucas didn’t approach me again that night, but his presence was impossible to ignore. It was as if he was everywhere and nowhere all at once, his energy a constant undercurrent in the room.  

When the evening finally drew to a close, I felt a strange mix of relief and apprehension. The night was over, but the battle between us had only just begun.  

---

As Fidel offered to escort me to the car, I caught one last glimpse of Lucas standing near the exit, his expression unreadable. Something in his eyes made my breath hitch—determination, frustration, and something else I couldn’t quite place.  

I turned away, my resolve firm even as my heart wavered.  

“Goodnight, Lucas,” I thought to myself, knowing he would hear it.  

The faintest smirk tugged at his lips, and I knew he had caught my unspoken message.  

The game was far from over, and I had no intention of losing.