Chapter Fourteen

Brielle.

Despite my better judgment, I found myself unable to resist the magnetic pull between Lucien and me. It was like an invisible force drawing me to him, even though I knew it was wrong. The tension between us had become unbearable, and I knew something had to give.

One evening, I went to Lucien’s office to return a file. The door was slightly ajar, and I could see him inside, sitting at his desk with a bottle of whiskey in front of him. He looked lost in thought, and it was rare to see that, considering the fact that his face was always unusually stoic. I hesitated for a moment before knocking softly on the door.

“Lucien?” I said, stepping inside.

He looked up, his eyes meeting mine. There was something in his eyes, the way he looked at me, that made my heart skip a beat.

“Brielle.” He said. “Come in.”

I closed the door behind me and walked over to his desk, placing the file down.

“I brought this back. It’s the report you asked for.”

“Thank you.” He said, but his eyes were on me, not the file. He poured another glass of whiskey and offered it to me. “Want some?”

I took the glass, my fingers brushing against his. The contact sent a shiver down my spine.

“Sure.” I said, taking a sip. The warmth of the liquor spread through me, adding to the heat I already felt in his presence.

We stood there in silence for a moment, the air thick. I could feel the tension building between us, like a coiled spring ready to snap.

“Lucien.” I started, but he cut me off.

“Brielle, I can't stop thinking about you.” He confessed, his voice sounding raw. “No matter how hard I try, I just can't.”

I felt a rush of emotions.

“I feel the same way.” I admitted. “But what are we going to do? This isn't fair to Zane, or to the pack.”

He stood up and walked around the desk, stopping in front of me. His eyes bore into mine, and I could see the conflict in them.

“I know it's wrong.” He said. “But I can't deny how I feel any longer.”

Before I could respond, he pulled me into his arms and kissed me.

The kiss was intense, filled with all the emotions we had been holding back. It felt like release for me. I kissed him back, unable to resist the pull between us.

We stumbled towards the couch, our hands exploring each other’s bodies with a desperate need. Clothes were discarded, and soon we were nothing but a tangled mess of limbs, lost in the heat of the moment. The world outside ceased to exist as we gave in to our desires.

Afterwards, we lay there, our breathing heavy. I felt mad guilty, but I couldn’t bring myself to regret what had happened between us. It felt too right.

“We can't let this happen again.” I said, but even as I spoke the words, I knew they were a lie.

Lucien looked at me, his expression serious.

“I know. But we both know it's not that simple.”

And it wasn’t.

Our first encounter led to more. We began meeting in secret, as we were unable to resist each other. The guilt would hit me terribly each time we hooked up, but the pull and tension between us was too strong to ignore. I couldn’t stop, and neither could he.

I found myself sneaking out to Lucien’s part of the pack house in the middle of the night, my heart pounding each time I did it. Our lust for each other was intense and uncontrollable, and I didn’t think that Zane suspected a thing.

Sometimes, it was Lucien who would come to my quarters whenever Zane was away, showing up unexpectedly and causing me to worry.

“What if Zane shows up?” I asked him.

“There’s no need to worry. I sent him on an errand, and he shouldn’t be back anytime soon.” Lucien would say with a smirk on his lips, and I found that incredibly attractive.

Our meetings became more frequent and reckless. We began having secret sex breaks in his office, the danger of getting caught seeming to add to the excitement. Each time we were together, I promised myself it would be the last, but I always found myself going back to him.

The affair consumed us, and we took increasingly risky behaviors. We started having sex in semi public places within the pack’s territory, driven by a need we couldn’t control. The fear of being caught only made it more intoxicating for us, and we were completely drunk, the wine being our bodies.

“This is crazy.” I whispered as he pressed me against the wall, his hands roaming over my body.

“I know.” He murmured against my neck. “But I can’t stop. I need you all the time. Brielle. But I can’t stay away from you.”

And neither could I. The fire between us was consuming everything in its path. We were playing with danger, and I knew it was only a matter of time before we were caught.

But at that moment, with Lucien's lips on mine and his body pressed against me, I didn’t care. All I cared about was him, and mostly the way he made me feel.

It didn’t help that after that, I was constantly on edge, the guilt and fear eating me up. But no matter how hard I tried to talk myself into it, I couldn’t bring myself to end it.

Zane walked in to see me muttering to myself.

“Brielle, are you okay?” Zane asked me as he sat down.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Why did you ask?” I asked him with a frown.

“Nothing. It’s just that you seem... off lately.”

“I'm fine, really.” I said quickly, forcing a smile. “Just tired, I guess.”

He looked at me for a long moment, his eyes searching mine. I held my breath, wondering if he could see through the lies I had just fed him.

“Alright.” He finally said, though he didn't sound convinced. “Just let me know if there's anything bothering you, okay?" I’m always here for you if you need to talk.”

“Of course, I know that, honey.” I replied, feeling a knot of guilt tighten in my stomach.

The affair with Lucien was spiraling out of control, and I was risking everything. Zane had bee so good to me. But the thought of giving Lucien up was unbearable. The pull between us was too strong to resist, and I was powerless to stop it.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Zane touched me, and I flared up.

“I said I’m fine! Leave me alone!” I yelled and stormed out.