Chapter 70

Lucy stood frozen, her thoughts colliding like waves in a storm. How did he know? How much does he know? Aiden's words— “You don't have your wolf, do you?”---still hung in the air, heavy. She bit down her teeth, clenching her jaw tightened as she struggled to find a response.

What could she even say? Admitting it felt like ripping herself open, exposing the raw, shameful truth of what she was. How would he see me if I told him? she thought. Would he look at me like everyone else does—like I'm broken? Or worse, would he pity me?

Her fingers twisted together nervously and her gaze darted to the ground. The words clawed at her throat, desperate to be spoken but she couldn't quite bring herself to let them out. The silence stretched between them and the weight of it pressed against her chest.

Aiden, however, remained calm. She could feel his eyes on her, steady and patient, like he was giving her space to come to terms with what he already knew. Slowly, he stepped closer and before she could retreat further into her spiraling thoughts, he reached out and brushed his fingers gently against her cheek.

The softeners of his touch startled her, and her eyes snapped up to meet his. There was no judgement in his gaze—just an overwhelming warmth that threatened to undo her completely.

“You don't have to say it,” he murmured, and tilted his head. “I've already noticed.”

Lucy's breath caught in her throat. Her first instinct was to pull away, to shield herself from what she feared might come next—a look, maybe disappointment, rejection or even worse. But instead, Aiden's arms came around her in an embrace so sudden and unexpected that she barely had time to react.

Her body stiffened at first, the intimacy was different—foreign and overwhelming. Yet, as the warmth of his hold seeped into her, she felt a flicker of something she hadn't allowed herself to feel in a long time: relief.

Aiden's voice came again, soft but resolute. “We'll figure it out together.”

Her mind reeled. Together? she thought, the words echoing in her head like a foreign concept. She had been alone in this situation for so long, isolated by her inability to shift. She hated herself for it, even, she herself thought she was an outcast. And now, the idea that someone—a Lycan, no less—would stand beside her felt surreal.

She hesitated, her hands hovering before finally resting against his chest. She could feel the steady thrum of his heartbeat beneath her palms, grounding her in the moment.

“Aiden…” she whispered, her voice trembling.

He pulled back just enough to look at her, his hands still resting gently on her shoulders. “Lucy, you're not alone in this. Whatever's keeping your wolf locked away, we'll find a way to free her, I promise.”

She blinked rapidly, willing the tears that pricked at her eyes to stay put. “But… what if it's impossible?”

“It's not,” he answered just immediately, his gaze pressed on her face. “Nothing about you is impossible. You're stronger than you think, Lucy.” he embraced her again, patting her gently on her back.

His certainty made her chest ache. How could he believe in her so effortlessly when she struggled to believe in herself?

Lucy leaned into Aodens embrace, her heart heavy with conflicting emotions. His words lingered in her mind… “We'll figure it out together.” She wanted to believe him, wanted to trust that he could help her, but the truth weighed on her like a stone

She knew what it would take to unlock her wolf. The answer wasn't buried in some ancient ritual or hidden in the whisper of her ancestors. It was something simple yet impossible… something that made her throat tightened every time she thought about it. 

The bite of my mate.

The phrase repeated itself in her head, an unwelcome echo that wouldn't let her rest. She swallowed hard, trying to steady her breathing as Aiden's warmth enveloped her. Could she tell him? Should she tell him?

Her mind raced, darting between possibilities. If she told him the truth, what would he think? Would he see her differently, maybe as someone desperate and broken, clinging to an impossible hope? Or would he see it as a burden, a responsibility he never asked for?

What if something happens? Something no different from Leo's time?

The thought struck her like a blow to the chest. She had no proof that Aiden was the one destined to help her. The connection she felt with him was undeniable, but was it enough? And even if he was her mate, would be better willing to bite her, to take on the weight of her struggles knowing it would bind them forever?

The idea of being vulnerable, of laying her deepest fear bare before him was terrifying. She had spent so long hiding this part of herself, guarding it like a secret too fragile to share.

Aiden's hand moved gently omg her back, his touch soothing and steady. “You're quiet,” he noticed, his voice pulling her from her thoughts.

Lucy glanced up at himz her lips parting as if to speak, but no words came. She felt like a coward, unable to voice the truth that clawed at her insides.

“I'm just… thinking.” she murmured her voice low.

He tilted his head, his expression warm. “About what?”

She hesitated, her gaze dropping to the ground. Her voice was barely audible when she finally spoke. “Aiden, what if… what if you change your mind? What if you see me as—”

“Stop,” he interrupted gently, his thumb brushing against her cheek. “Don't finish that sentence.”

She stared at him, her lips parting in surprise.

“You're not broken, Lucy. You're my mate, that makes you more. You're not less and nothing about you could make me change how I feel.”

Her heart skipped at his words, and for the first time in years, a sliver of hope warmed its way into her guarded heart.