Chapter 55

The hallways were long and the stone floors echoed with the sound of Lucy's soft footsteps as she wandered aimlessly, her mind lost in a haze of confusion and turmoil. Her thoughts kept circling back to the words Isabella had said, echoing in her head like a constant drumbeat.

“Aiden's ruthless, cruel… he won't care about you. He's never cared about anyone…”

Lucy's head throbbed with the weight of those words, the uncertainty about what lay ahead heavy in her chest. She could barely hold onto the fragments of her thoughts, let alone understand the difficulties that surrounded her.

Her temperature had spiked again, and she felt dizzy but that was the least of her worries.

She had to focus. I have to get a grip, she thought. I can't let this affect me…

But before she could lose herself again, she heard her name—soft, yet urgent—calling out from behind her.

“Lucy,” Marie's voice broke through the fog.

Lucy didn't respond at first. She kept walking, one foot in front of the other, her mind too far away to react. But then, Marie's hands gripped her shoulders, gently but firmly, turning her around.

Marie's face softened as she embraced Lucy tightly, the warmth of her body like a brief comfort. “I'm so sorry, Lucy. I should have known… I should have been there for you.”

Lucy froze in Marie's arms, feeling the heat that radiated from her own body, too hot, too intense. She could feel her skin burning under Marie's hands. The heat from inside her had reached unbearable levels, and she could barely keep her footing.

“Marie…” Lucy whispered, her voice hoarse, though she had no strength to explain why she was trembling.

“Let's get you inside,” Marie said softly, her voice full of concern. She took Lucy's arm, guiding her into their room. Yes it was small, cozy and it was one of the few places in the pack house that didn't feel like it was suffocating under expectations.

Marie eased her onto the mattress, pushing back the pillow and only her sit and cool down. She placed a hand on Lucy's forehead, feeling the heat rise from her skin.

“Your temperature's rising again,” she noted, her tone laced with worry. “What's going on, Lucy? Remember the last time… what happened when your temperature was like this?”

Lucy's mind raced and for a moment, all she could do was look down at her hands, at the trembling of her fingers. She didn't answer at first. She didn't know how to explain. Her thoughts kept drifting to Aiden. Why is he my mate? She couldn't help but wonder. But there was more to it, so much more than that. What if everything they said about him is true?… What if he's the same Aiden he was back then?

Marie sat beside her, watching her carefully, waiting for the walls to come down. “Lucy, what happened back there with Aiden?” She asked gently, her voice barely above a whisper. “Please, tell me what's going on. I need to know.”

Lucy's heart ached at the question. She felt an overwhelming rush of emotions, the mix of confusion, pain and fear but underneath it all—there was a strange, undeniable pull toward Aiden.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Lucy sighed, her eyes slowly lifting to meet Marie's. There was a soft smile on her lips, a bittersweet expression as she spoke the words that had been circling her thoughts ever since the moment Aiden had questioned her.

“Aiden…” she began, her voice faltering slightly. “Aiden is my mate.”

The words hung in the air as Marie stared at her in silence for a moment, her expression unreadable. She took a breath, and when she spoke her voice was soft but tinged with disbelief. “Aiden? Is it the one I know? Is it the Lycan Prince? The ruthless one?”

Lucy nodded slowly. “Yes, I didn't expect it either. I thought—” she stopped herself. She couldn't meet Marie's eyes. The weight of her own words has drained her of any strength to explain further.

 The words she had thought she understood, about the cruel and heartless Aiden, now seemed so far away, so distant.

Marie furrowed her brow, clearly struggling to understand. “But… are you sure? I mean, Lucy, you don't seem—”

“I'm sure,” Lucy said quickly, her voice more certain than she felt. She looked away, her eyes focused on a distant point on the wall. “I felt it when he… when he spoke to me. It's like everything clicked into place. I don't know how else to explain it. I've never felt this way before, not even with Leo.”

Marie's lips parted as if she wanted to speak but didn't know how. She leaned back slightly, her expression shifting from shock to something more contemplative. Her fingers brushed her chin as if piecing together a puzzle. “Well, that… explains a lot,” she said quietly, more to herself than to Lucy.

Lucy glanced up. “Explain what?”

Marie gestured vaguely, her voice growing a little more animated. “The way he was with you. Calm. Reserved. You said he didn't hurt you or punish you, right? That's not the Aiden I've heard about. He's usually brutal, unrelenting. I guess with you…” she trailed off, shaking her head. “It's strange, Lucy. I can't believe it, but maybe this—” she paused, searching for the right words— “this bond is making him act differently.”

Lucy sighed heavily and leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees. Her thoughts churned, a whirlwind of uncertainty and doubt. “That's what confuses me,” she admitted softly. “The Aiden I've heard about—he’s ruthless, cruel and cold. Everyone says he doesn't care about anyone, male or female. But in the hall… he wasn't like that. He wasn't cruel. He wasn't…” she paused, struggling to articulate the difference. “He wasn't the monster I expected.”

Marie watched her carefully, her brow furrowed in concern. “And that scares you, doesn't it?”

Lucy looked up, her eyes glassy with unshed tears. “It does,” she whispered. “I don't know which Aiden to trust. The one everyone fears? Or the one who seemed to care, even if just a little?”

Marie reached out, placing a hand gently on Lucy's knees. “Sometimes, people are more complicated than the stories we hear about them. But Lucy… you need to be careful. But, you need to meet with your mate, sooner than expected… it's coming, the full moon and we don't know how your wolf will react.”

Lucy nodded, her mind still clouded. “That worries me… and now, Katherine is not around.”

“Yes, I guess she should be back before the full moon… it's hard getting supplies these days.”

Before Lucy could say more, a sharp voice rang out from the hallway, cutting through the quiet like a blade.

“Marie!” It was Isabella. Her voice carries its usual mix of authority and impatience.

Marie's head snapped towards the door. “And here comes trouble,” she muttered under her breath before rising to her feet. She turned back to Lucy, hee voice barely above a whisper. “The stable,” she said, her tone laced with annoyance. “We've been tasked with cleaning it out—dung, filth and all. The smell is unbearable.”

Lucy's brow furrowed, but she nodded in understanding. She stood up immediately, her voice just as hushed. “So that's why Isabella told me to find you,” she murmured. A faint sigh escaped her lips. “She didn't even bother explaining it fully.”

Marie offered a small, sympathetic smile. “She wouldn't. She enjoys keeping people on edge.” She placed a hand on Lucy's shoulder, her tone turning brisk. “Come on. We'd better get moving fast before she decides to pile more work.”

Without another word, the two hurried out of the room, their footsteps echoing softly in the corridor. There was tension between the both of them but neither of them looked back. Their shared determination to avoid Isabella's wrath propelled them forward.

As they rounded a corner, Isabella's voice suddenly cut through the hallway, sharp and commanding. “Lucy! Marie! Where do you think you're going?”

Marie cursed under her breath, her steps faltering. Lucy turned her head and glanced back at Marie as they both sighted Isabella standing ahead of them, just a few distance away. But before either of them could respond, a shadow loomed behind Isabella.

“Isabella.”

The voice was low and steady, carrying a weight that made both women freeze. Isabella spun around, her hand flying to her chest in surprise. “Leo!” she exclaimed, her tone laced with uneasiness. “You startled me.”

Leo gestured with his eyes and told Lucy and Marie to leave. They bowed their heads and hurried out of the scene.

“What are you doing, Leo,”

“You will follow now.” Leo said, held her hands and off they went.