Chapter 8: The Visit

Lucian’s POV

I sat behind my desk, reviewing the latest pack territory reports, when my Beta walked into the study.

​"Alpha," Levi said, bowing his head slightly. "Your brother, the Alpha King, and your mother just arrived."

​I raised an eyebrow, setting down the paper in my hand. "Lucas and Mother?"

​Neither of them had sent word that they were coming. I pushed back my chair and stood, adjusting the sleeves of my shirt before walking past Levi and heading downstairs.

​When I entered the living room, I found Mother standing near the fireplace while Lucas stood by the window.

​"Mother,"

​She turned immediately, a warm smile spreading across her face. "Lucian."

​I walked over, leaned down to wrap my arms around her in a brief hug, and placed a gentle kiss on her cheek.

​"How are you doing, Mother?"

​"I am doing fine," she replied, resting her hand on my arm. "And you?"

​"Still alive."

​She shook her head, placing a hand against my cheek for a moment. "That is the only answer you ever give me."

​"Because it’s the only answer that matters."

​Her smile faded slightly as her eyes moved over me, checking for injuries even though the war was already over.

​"You never told me you were visiting," I noted, lifting my head.

​"That was the point." She glanced toward Lucas. "Your brother and I wanted to surprise you. We also wanted to see how you were doing after the war."

​I turned toward my brother. Lucas stood near the window, calm and confident, carrying the natural authority that had always followed him.

​"So, the Alpha King finally found time to visit his younger brother?" I teased.

Around my family, I could be myself. I didn’t have to be the ruthless Alpha everyone else expected me to be.

​Lucas scoffed and crossed his arms. "Don’t sound so honored. I only came to make sure you haven’t burned down your mansion yet."

​"Disappointed?" I asked, folding my arms across my chest.

​"Very."

​I gave him a cold smile.

​Mother sighed as she looked between us. "You two haven’t even been in the same room for a minute, and you’re already starting. Lucian, you take after your father too much."

​"I am my father’s son," I answered simply.

​Lucas scoffed. "Unfortunately." He studied me for a moment. "Your name is everywhere, brother. Every pack we passed through had something to say about you. Some call you ruthless. Others call you cruel." His lips twitched. "And apparently, half the kingdom now calls you the Beast."

​"Good," I replied calmly, not caring what anyone thought of me. "The more they fear me, the less likely they are to become my problem."

​Lucas shook his head. I could tell he had more to say, but for once, he kept it to himself.

​For a moment, the room almost felt normal. Then Mother asked the one question that immediately wiped the amusement from my face.

​"How is Lillian?" Mother asked quietly. "Your brother wants to move her to his pack. He thinks his healers might be able to do more for her."

​A sharp pain hit my chest, but I kept my face blank and my jaw tight. "Nothing has changed."

​The room became quiet.

​Lucas nodded. "I have already spoken to my Grand Healer. He wants to examine her himself."

​Lillian had only come to visit me for a few days, and the very next morning, the war broke out. My younger sister wasn’t supposed to be anywhere near the fighting. If only she had stayed in the Stone Pack with Mother and our other siblings, she would have been safe instead of lying unconscious right now.

​And the people responsible were still breathing. Including the man who had sent his daughter here to become my wife.

​"I’ll consider moving her," I finally said.

​Mother stared at me for a few seconds. She knew me well enough to see where my thoughts had gone, so she quickly changed the subject.

​"So," she said, looking around. "Where is my daughter-in-law? Your wife. Where is she?"

​"She is probably somewhere in the mansion."

​Lucas stared at me. "You don’t know where your own wife is? You’ve been married for less than a day."

​"She is not my wife."

​Mother shook her head. "Lucian..."

​"Mother, please," I cut her off. I knew she was about to start her lecturing, and now wasn’t the right time for that.

​Lucas laughed. "What a loving husband."

​I shot him a warning look.

"Keep talking," I said.

Lucas grinned.

Being Alpha King had apparently made him forget that I had broken his nose twice when we were younger.

Mother started to say something, but Lucas’s attention suddenly shifted. The grin disappeared from his face as he glanced toward the staircase.

​"Something doesn’t feel right," Lucas said, his eyes narrowing.

​I immediately became alert. "What is it?"

​Lucas was no ordinary wolf. He was born with rare sensory gifts that allowed him to feel shifts in energy and danger before anyone else. Instincts that had saved lives more than once. If Lucas said something was wrong, then something was wrong.

​Lucas didn’t answer. He simply turned and headed straight for the stairs. I followed close behind his quick, heavy strides. He bypassed the main guest rooms, moving faster through one hallway after another as though something was pulling him toward the quiet wing near the old storage rooms.

​This part of the mansion was rarely used.

​Lucas suddenly stopped in front of one of the doors and grabbed the handle.

It was locked.

​His expression darkened. "Move."

​I didn’t hesitate. I stepped forward and slammed my shoulder into the door.

​The lock broke instantly, and the door flew open, splintering off its hinges before crashing to the floor.

​Complete darkness greeted us inside. A heavy, suffocating silence hung in the air.

​"What is this?" I growled, stepping inside as my eyes adjusted to the shadows.

​"There," I said, spotting a crumpled figure lying motionless on the floor.

​Lucas immediately moved past me and crouched beside the figure. It was a woman. Her blue dress was crumpled around her, and dark hair covered most of her face.

He lifted her into his arms and carried her into the hallway.

​The moment Lucas carried her into the light, my eyes widened. I stared at the pale face resting against his chest, unable to believe what I was seeing.

Annabel?

Of all the people I expected to find unconscious on the floor of my mansion, my unwanted bride wasn’t one of them.

Lucas’s expression hardened as he carefully lowered her onto the floor. He pressed two fingers against her neck, checking for a pulse.

"She’s breathing," he said. "But barely."

I crouched beside her, my jaw tightening as I stared at her pale face. What the hell was she doing locked inside one of my storage rooms?

Before I could say anything, hurried footsteps approached from behind us.

"Lucian? Lucas? What happened?"

Mother appeared at the end of the hallway and hurried toward us. But the moment her eyes fell on the Annabel ying on the floor, she stopped.

The color slowly drained from her face.

"Mother?" Lucas called.

She didn’t answer. Her eyes remained fixed on Princess Annabel, and the strange look on her face made me slowly rise to my feet.

Then her lips parted.

"Her...?"

I frowned. "What?"

Mother took a small step backward, staring at Princess Annabel as though she had seen a ghost.

"It’s her."