Chapter 31

Ethan stood in the doorway, his expression unreadable. His eyes were dark, filled with a storm of emotions that he kept carefully hidden behind a confident stride. He stepped into the room and shut the door gently behind him. His presence instantly commanded attention. Lucy felt a shiver run down her spine as his gaze locked onto hers, a silent exchange passing between them that sent her heart racing.

The silence that settled over the room was thick and heavy, each of them lost in their own thoughts. Ethan stood near the door and took a brief look at the three women as he grappled with the implications of what Lucy had just said. The idea of Lucy needing to find her mate had struck a chord with him, but he kept his emotions tightly controlled, unwilling to let anything slip. His jaw clenched as he tried to process the weight of the situation.

Ethan took a step forward and the atmosphere shifted, a tension thickening the air like a storm cloud hovering overhead. Lucy's words had just left her lips, and the realization of what she had said hung heavily among everyone present in the room. And the sudden presence of Ethan only amplified their unease. Marie wasn't too moved by what had just happened but the two women silently processed the implications of what he might have heard.

Katherine’s heart raced, her mind scrambling to assess the situation. She didn’t trust Leo—not in the slightest—and by extension, she wasn’t sure about Ethan either. Ethan helping Lucy while she was unconscious did not change her mind towards him as she knew Ethan to be Leo’s right-hand man, after all, and his loyalty would naturally lie with his master. The thought of Ethan reporting back to Leo about Lucy’s predicament filled Katherine with a cold dread. 

*What have I done?* she thought, cursing herself for speaking so openly in front of Lucy. *If only I hadn't brought it up that Lucy would need her mate if she wants to survive then all this wouldn't have happened.” “What if Ethan tells Leo…* She couldn’t finish the thought. The idea of Leo knowing of Lucy's solution to her problem. Him possibly using the information to treat Lucy as he deem fit made her blood run cold.

She glanced at Ethan, trying to read his expression, but his face was unreadable, a mask of calm that revealed nothing. Katherine’s distrust deepened. *This must not get out… who will Ethan tell?,* she resolved, her mind racing to find a way to mitigate the damage. *I need to make sure Ethan keeps this to himself. But how?*

Lucy, on the other hand, felt a wave of anxiety crash over her the moment Ethan walked in. Katherine’s words had already unsettled her, and the idea that her only hope of unlocking her wolf was tied to finding her mate was overwhelming enough on its own. But now, with Ethan standing there, possibly having overheard everything, Lucy’s unease turned into something bordering on panic.

*Leo can't know of this but there's no way he wouldn't know. Ethan would tell him everything,* Lucy thought desperately, her pulse quickening. *Not yet, not anyone can know about this.* The last thing she wanted was for Leo—or anyone else, for that matter—to know the key to her problem. The thought of Leo knowing made her feel vulnerable in a way she wasn’t prepared for. *If Leo finds out, what will he do?* she wondered, fear curling in the pit of her stomach. *Would he try to help, or would he see it as a weakness to exploit?*

She stole a glance at Katherine, hoping for some sort of reassurance, but Katherine’s eyes were filled with the same concern that was coursing through Lucy. They were both thinking the same thing: *How much did Ethan hear?* And more importantly, *What would he do with that information?*

The silence stretched on, the weight of their unspoken thoughts pressing down on the room. Ethan, sensing the tension and fully understanding its cause, stood there quietly, observing the two women with a hint of suggestions. 

Katherine finally broke the silence, her voice carefully measured. “Ethan, I thank you for helping out to revive Lucy.” She stood up on her feet and bowed slightly, trying to keep her tone casual.

Ethan glanced at Lucy, noting her pale complexion and the lingering unease in her eyes. “It’s okay… It's Leo you should be thanking. Well, I just wanted to check in,” he said slowly, his gaze shifting between the two women. “Make sure everything’s alright.”

Lucy forced a small, shaky smile, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “Everything’s fine, Ethan,” she replied, her voice betraying a trace of the anxiety she was trying to hide. “Thank you so much Ethan. At least, Leo isn't here to receive my thanks.” She took a deep breath in.

Ethan gave a small nod and silence loomed in the air as it took over the room. Marie, seated beside Lucy, was equally troubled. The idea of a mate had hit her hard too, but in a different way. She was torn between her concern for Lucy and her understanding of the political reality they were all living in. The idea of Leo being Lucy’s mate was not something she had ever truly considered, and the complications it could bring filled her with dread. 

Ethan finally broke the silence, turning his gaze to Katherine. "How do you know about Lucy's curse?" His voice was steady, but there was an undercurrent of suspicion.

Katherine met his gaze, her expression carefully controlled. She knew she had to tread carefully. “Mason told me,” she replied, her voice measured and calm. “Mason was Lucy's Father. He was a guard here, though a lower rank.” She paused and took a brief look at Lucy before she continued with her explanation. “I've known Lucy since she was born and I took care of her.” 

Ethan gulped, his gaze unwavering as he pressed on with his gaze on Katherine. “So, where is Mason?”

“Was my father not that important in this pack for you not to know that he's no more?… I lost him.” Lucy grinned as he responded to Ethan's question.

Ethan's mused, unable to respond to Lucy's question and accusations. He grunted and just folded his lips. He turned to notice Katherine since she was the one answering his questions before Lucy interrupted. Katherine understood the gesture and continued.

“Before Mason died, he confided in me about Lucy. He didn’t explain much, just that it was something that affected Lucy deeply. I don’t know the full story or the reason behind it, but that’s all I know.”

Ethan narrowed his eyes slightly, considering her words. He knew there was more to the story, but now wasn’t the time to press further. After a moment, he gave a curt nod, seemingly accepting her explanation, though his mind continued to churn with questions. He glanced at Lucy one last time before turning on his heel and stepping out of the room. It took him a few seconds before he shut the door behind him as he stopped to take a brief look at the three women.

As Ethan left, the room was plunged back into silence. Lucy, Marie, and Katherine exchanged glances, each of them feeling the weight of what had just transpired. The air was thick with tension, unspoken thoughts hanging between them like a cloud.

Lucy was the first to speak, her voice quiet and tinged with uncertainty. “What do you think Ethan will do?”

Katherine sighed, her brow furrowing in thought. “He’ll probably tell Leo,” she answered, her tone resigned. “He’s loyal to Leo, and he’ll want to make sure he knows what’s going on.”

Marie nodded in agreement, though there was a trace of worry in her eyes. She turned to Lucy, her voice soft as she asked, “But what about you, Lucy? What will you do? If Leo really is your mate… well, there’s no way anything can happen between you two. Not during Alpha Eric’s reign.”

Lucy's heart sank at Marie's words, the reality of her situation pressing down on her like a crushing weight. She opened her mouth to respond, but no words came out. She felt a knot of fear tightening in her chest, a fear that she might fall back into that dark, unconscious state. She closed her eyes, trying to steady her breathing, to calm the storm inside her.

Katherine watched Lucy closely, her eyes narrowing slightly. “Are you sure Leo is your mate, Lucy?” she asked, her voice carrying a hint of skepticism. “I don’t like him. There’s something about him that doesn’t sit right with me. Remember what I told you about his father? He can't be any different.”

Lucy opened her eyes and looked at Katherine, her expression conflicted. “I’m not sure of anything anymore,” she admitted, her voice tinged with frustration. “I can't deny the fact that I want him, I can feel the connection, but… nothing around us supports it. Everything is working against us.”

Katherine nodded slowly, understanding what Lucy was going through. But before she could respond, the door to the room was thrown open with a loud bang, startling all three women. They turned to see Isabella standing in the doorway, her face flushed with anger and determination. She slammed the door shut behind her, her chest heaving as she glared at them.