Chapter 60: A Risky Gamble Anna POV

Lucas was lying on the floor of the cabin and breathing quickly and irregularly. He was lying on old wooden planks that were marked with blood that got through his homemade bandages. It was both unsettling and reassuring to see it. I stood over him with my arms crossed, not sure if I should stay or leave. I really wanted to get away from the chaos and trouble he had caused in my life. Even though I hated that part, I felt like I had to help him.

"Why do you always have to make things so complicated?" I spoke to myself as I paced around the small house.

His rough breathing was the only thing that could be heard. Each raspy sound was like a quiet charge. I looked at him again because there was something I didn't want to say, and my chest got tight with anger.

I let out a sigh as I knelt next to him and carefully took off the bloody bandages. He had a deep, sharp, and angry looking gash across his side. I whispered, "Great, just great."

Lucas insisted on bringing the supplies, so I dug through them. A needle, thread, and a bottle of antiseptic were among the few scant medical items in the little satchel. My fingers trembled as I uncapped the bottle, the sharp smell stinging my nose.

"This is going to hurt," I said, more to myself than to him. As if he could hear me.

Lucas stirred slightly, his face contorting in pain. His lips parted, and he whispered something unintelligible. I leaned closer, my heart oddly pounding.

"Anna," he muttered, his voice scarcely audible.

I froze. My name on his lips seemed like a weight weighing down on me. Shaking it off, I focused on cleaning the wound. The antiseptic hissed as it hit torn flesh, and Lucas flinched, his eyes flickering open for a short instant.

"Stay still," I ordered, my voice harsher than I meant.

His eyes greeted me, hazy and unfocused. "You... stayed?" he whispered.

I didn't answer. Instead, I threaded the needle with shaky hands. "This is going to hurt," I said again, more strongly.

Lucas reacted with a grunt, and as I started to suture the wound, his jaw tensed. My stomach turned with every tug of the thread through his skin, but I made myself keep going. Even though he didn't scream, I could tell how much pain he was in by the stiffness in his body.

"Why do you do this?" I broke the silence by asking. I didn't mean to sound that sharp. "Why do you keep risking your life for me?"

He didn't reply right away. His voice was thick when he finally spoke. "Because it matters."

With the needle hovering above his skin, I stopped. "What's important? Me? The mark? Lucas, what are you truly pursuing?"

He remained silent as drowsiness gripped him once more, his head lolling to the side. Anger building beneath the surface, I gazed at him. "Typical," I mumbled as I used a little more force than necessary to finish the final few stitches.

After finishing, I leaned back on my heels and gazed at the guy who had become my biggest source of perplexity as well as my guardian. Sweat dotted his forehead, and his face was pale. He looked calm in his unconsciousness despite everything. Even weak.

"Why do you care so much?" I muttered, more to myself than to him. "What are you hiding, Lucas?"

I threw the red bandages into a corner and cleaned up the mess. Other than the creak of the wooden floors and the sound of his breathing, the cabin was strangely quiet. My mind was racing as I sat down at the window and looked out into the night.

I kept asking myself, "Why hadn't I left?" Ever since he found me, Lucas had been nothing but trouble. He had pulled me into a maelstrom of danger, lies, and unsolved mysteries. Nevertheless, I was here, caring for his injuries rather than going.

I rubbed my temples and mumbled, "You're an idiot, Anna."

The predicament weighed heavy on me as the hours passed slowly. Lucas had repeatedly put his life in danger for me. However, why? Was the mark the only thing at stake? Or was he hiding something more from me?

I remembered what he had said earlier about his pack betraying him and sending him on a mission to Nightshade. He had talked about honor and loyalty. Was it just that, though? Or was he driven by something else?

I kept thinking about what his packmate had said: "A cursed omega."

I felt my stomach turn at the words. Did he see me like that? Like a curse? Something he'd been made to carry?

I took another look at Lucas, who was breathing shallowly, his chest rising and falling. "You're not exactly a picnic either," I whispered. However, the bitterness in my voice didn't match the knot of fear tightening in my chest.

I made my choice as daylight drew near, the faint light coming through the crevices in the cottage walls. I couldn't continue to be blind. I needed answers. And if Lucas wasn't going to freely give them to me, I would have to find them on my own.

I would wait initially, though. Only until he gained enough strength to move. Then? I wasn't entirely certain.

I leaned back against the wall and felt the pull of tiredness. As my eyes closed, my mind continued to race, filled with questions, concerns, and the unsettling thought that staying might be the worst choice of my life.

The sun was high in the sky when Lucas woke up again. Before I could change my mind, I was by his side as his moan drew me out of my anxious thoughts.

"How are you feeling?" I asked, my voice softer than I meant.

His face looked sleepy as he blinked up at me. "Like I got run over by a rogue pack."

In spite of myself, I snorted. "You're not far off."

Lucas tried to sit up, wincing as the motion tugged at his stitches. "You... stayed," he repeated in a tone that was both surprised and grateful.

"Don't make a big deal out of it," I added quickly as I crossed my arms and stood. "I'm not your nurse."

He forced a weak smile. "Could've fooled me."

I rolled my eyes without answering. Instead, I gave him a bottle of water and watched him gulp it down. When he finished, he turned to face me with a questioning look.

"Thank you," he said in a real tone.

I removed my eyes as his intense stare caused my chest to constrict. "Don't thank me. Lucas, just... be honest with me. Really, why are you doing this? Why are you protecting me?"

The ghosts of his past began to flicker across his face, darkening his expression. "Anna."

"Because right now, I don't know whether to trust you or run," I fired back, my anger rising to the surface.

Lucas took a while to reply. His voice was soft when he did speak. "I'm trying to protect you because... because I believe you're worth it."

I was taken aback by the honesty in his voice, but it didn't dispel my doubts. "What is it worth? The danger? The risk? Lucas, why? Why me?"

He combed through his hair with a groan. "Because I've watched what happens when people like us are left on their own. And I'll make sure you don't feel it."

His words hovered in the air, heavy with unsaid meaning. I wanted to believe he was sincere and to trust in his good motives. However, the constant doubt in the back of my mind wouldn't go away.

"We'll see," I finally replied. "For now, just focus on healing."

As I made my way to the window and looked out at the forest beyond, Lucas didn't answer, but I could feel his gaze on me. We could feel the tension between us, like a thin thread that could snap at any time.

And as I stood there watching the shadows move among the trees, I couldn't shake the feeling that our fragile union was about to unravel.