Chapter 80: Secrets Beneath the Surface Anna’s POV

The air was fresh with a trace of dew as the morning sun painted the Crescent Grove pack's area in gentle greens and golds. After breakfast, Lucas suggested going for a walk, and even though I was nervous, the idea of getting some fresh air and stretching my legs appealed to me.

We took a leisurely walk down a short path that wound through the training grounds of the pack and into a tiny tree grove. The sound of birds chirping and leaves rustling filled the woods, but my mind was anything but tranquil.

"Why are you so quiet?" Lucas's question cut through my thoughts.

I answered defensively, "I'm always quiet."

He shoved his hands into his pockets and grinned. "No, you're not. Since breakfast, you've been thinking. Spill it."

I kicked at a loose stone on the road while letting out a sigh. "It’s just... this place. Something doesn't feel right."

Lucas raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

I paused, trying to find the right words. "Darius. He pays too much care. As if he's keeping a closer eye on us than he should."

Lucas gave a low, contemptuous laugh. "He's an Alpha. His job is to keep an eye on everyone."

I turned to him and stopped moving. "No, Lucas. It's not the same. He's specifically keeping an eye on us. Not only because we're new, either."

A flicker of contempt replaced Lucas's smirk. "Anna, you're thinking too much about it. Yes, he is careful, but that's to be expected. We are unfamiliar with his pack."

I retorted, "Strangers who haven't given him a direct explanation of why we're here."

Lucas let out a sharp breath, clearly running out of patience. "Nothing we've done has raised his suspicions. You need to stop viewing every shadow as a threat."

His comments hurt, but I wasn't prepared to give up. "And just because it's easier that way, you need to stop acting like everything is fine."

For a considerable amount of time, we gazed at one another, our tension intense and unyielding. Lucas finally let out a sigh and combed through his hair.

"Look," he continued in a softer voice, "I understand. It's not great right now. On the other hand, we must make the most of our current position. Nothing Darius has done shows that he poses a threat."

"Yet," I whispered to myself.

Lucas turned to go on down the trail, ignoring me. "Come on. Let's continue our trip."

A tiny area with a view of the pack's main grounds was revealed by the opening of the trees. Near the edge of the training area, a group of pups chased one another, their laughter echoing like a tune. The image briefly seemed nearly natural, like a glimpse of a life I had never lived.

Lucas smiled slightly as he watched the pups while resting against a tree. Silently, he remarked, "Reminds me of home."

I looked at him and was taken aback by the tone of desire. "Moonstone?"

He looked away as he nodded. "Indeed. Everyone used to meet for these large training sessions, including adults, children, and omegas. Not perfect, but it felt... linked."

I examined him, trying to make sense of this more sensitive side of Lucas in light of my growing mistrust of him. "Are you missing it?"

"Occasionally," he admitted. "However, things have changed since then. Too many things changed."

Unspoken meaning weighed heavily on his words as they floated in the air. I was about to press him when I noticed a movement.

Darius was talking to one of his scouts while standing close to the edge of the area with his arms crossed. Just a little too long, his eyes wandered to us before turning back to the scout.

I felt a chill go through me.

"Anna?" I was brought back to the present by Lucas's words.

My discomfort boiled to the surface as I turned to face him. "He's observing us once more."

Lucas stared after me, his face blank. "You're making things up."

"No, I'm not," I stressed. "He has spent the entire week doing that. Did you see the way he gazed at us at supper last night? He seems to be waiting for us to make a mistake."

Lucas rolled his eyes, but his face had a glimmer of something, perhaps skepticism. "He is an Alpha. He is responsible for noticing things. However, that does not mean that he is trying to harm us."

Boiling with anger, I crossed my arms. "Why aren't you going to believe me?"

He replied, "I do take you seriously. However, I am also aware of your thought processes. You are letting your paranoia to control you."

The charge hurt, but before I could respond, the pups' joyous yelp caught our attention. A young girl had stumbled and fallen, and as the others crowded around her, her laughter turned to tears.

I followed my instincts and moved forward without thinking. Lucas, however, was ahead of me, squatting next to the girl and offering a helping hand.

He said softly, "Hey, are you okay?"

The girl brushed away her tears and sniffed while nodding. "I stumbled."

Lucas ruffled her hair and grinned. "That's the result of running too fast. You must pace yourself, child."

The sound of her laughing cut through the tightness in my chest. Lucas got up and gave me a little, unsure smile in return.

"See?" he muttered. "Not everything poses a risk."

We walked on, but the uneasiness from earlier hung over us like a cloud. I couldn't get Lucas to stop acting like everything was fine, but I had a sneaking feeling that Darius was paying more than just passing interest.

Lucas slowed as we got closer to the cabin, his eyes averted.

He asked suddenly, "You really think we're in danger here?"

Uncertain of how to reply, I paused. "I'm not sure. However, I believe we must take caution."

Lucas's jaw tensed as he nodded. "Agreed. However, we cannot allow fear to control our behavior. We will only exacerbate the situation if we act suspiciously."

I wanted to argue, but I was at a loss for words. Instead, with the burden of my worries bearing down on me, I followed him inside.

We were safe for the moment. However, for how long?