The Alpha's Forgotten Mate

Lucy POV

“Why are you here?” Lucy’s voice trembled slightly as she stood just a few feet away from the door, her back pressed against the wall. Her eyes darted between Marcel and the door, her mind racing. She could feel the tension in the room, thick and suffocating. Every part of her screamed to open the door and find out who it was, but Marcel’s presence, the way he stood so rigid, told her there was more to this situation than she understood.

Marcel’s gaze was locked on the door, his fists clenched by his sides. “I told you not to open it,” he said through gritted teeth, his tone strained. He wasn’t angry with her, but with the situation. She could tell by the way his muscles were coiled, ready for a fight that he wasn’t entirely in control of.

Lucy swallowed, trying to steady herself. She didn’t know what was happening, but she could feel the fear creeping up her spine, taking root in her chest. What did Marcel mean by “we’re not alone”? Who was outside that door?

Her breath hitched as she glanced at the door again, wondering if Jeremy had some kind of clue or if he was part of something much bigger, something she hadn’t yet understood.

“Why won’t you let me open it?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. She needed answers, and she needed them now. She couldn’t stand this oppressive silence any longer.

Marcel turned to face her, his expression unreadable. His eyes, however, were intense, sharp as knives. “There’s more going on than you think. I don’t want you involved in this.”

Lucy frowned, feeling the sting of his words. “I’m already involved, Marcel. Whether you like it or not, I’m a part of this now.”

He hesitated, his eyes softening for a split second, but the moment passed quickly. “You don’t understand. This isn’t just about you or me. There are things going on that you won’t be able to handle. You need to trust me on this.”

“I don’t need you to protect me,” Lucy snapped, her frustration bubbling to the surface. “I’m not a child anymore, Marcel.”

He opened his mouth to say something, but before he could respond, the knock at the door came again. Three sharp raps that echoed in the heavy silence. Lucy’s heart raced as she took a step forward, her hand instinctively reaching for the door handle, but Marcel was faster.

“No,” he growled, grabbing her wrist with a grip that was surprisingly firm. His eyes locked onto hers, pleading without words. “You can’t open that door, Lucy. You don’t know what you’re dealing with.”

Lucy’s pulse quickened, the hairs on the back of her neck standing on end. She felt trapped, cornered. “Who is it? Tell me! Why are you being so secretive?”

Marcel’s jaw tightened, and he stepped closer to her, his voice dropping low. “It’s someone from my past. Someone who knows too much. I can’t let them get to you. Not like this.”

Lucy’s breath hitched as a wave of realization swept over her. “Who are they? What do they want from you?”

Marcel’s gaze flickered briefly to the door before he closed his eyes, clearly struggling with what he was about to say. “It’s not just me they want, Lucy. They want everything. The power. The control. And they’ll stop at nothing to get it. You’re too important now, and they know that.”

Lucy’s mind spun, the pieces of the puzzle slowly starting to click together, but she still couldn’t see the full picture. Her heart pounded in her chest as she took a deep breath. “So, what are we supposed to do now?”

“We stay here. We wait for them to make the next move. I’ll deal with whatever comes our way, but you can’t be a part of it,” Marcel replied, his voice steady yet tinged with a sense of finality.

Lucy shook her head. “You can’t make that decision for me. I’m not some damsel in distress. I’ve been through too much to sit here and do nothing while you protect me. I want to help.”

“You don’t understand what you’re asking for,” Marcel said, his voice low and tight. “The people I’m dealing with, they’re dangerous. They’re not like us, Lucy. They’ll use anything to get to me. To get to us.”

“Us?” she repeated, her voice catching on the word. “What do you mean, ‘us’?”

Marcel didn’t answer right away. Instead, he glanced at the door once more, his expression hardening. “This is bigger than us, Lucy. Much bigger. But I won’t let them take you away from me. Not now. Not ever.”

There was a long pause as Lucy stood there, trying to process everything he had just said. It was like a storm was raging in her mind, each word he spoke creating ripples of doubt, fear, and confusion.

But something inside of her knew that she couldn’t just stand by and let Marcel face whatever was on the other side of that door alone. She had to be there for him. She had to know the truth, no matter how dangerous it might be.

“Marcel…” she began softly, but he cut her off.

“Not now, Lucy,” he said firmly. “Not yet. When the time comes, I’ll explain everything. But for now, you need to trust me. I need you to trust me.”

Lucy looked at him, her heart torn between the need to know everything and the desire to keep him safe. She didn’t know what was at stake. She didn’t know what was coming. But she knew one thing, whatever happened next, they had to face it together.

With a deep sigh, she took a step back, her shoulders slumping in defeat. “Alright,” she said, her voice soft, but resolute. “I’ll trust you. For now.”

Marcel gave a nod, his eyes softening as he stepped back from her. “Thank you,” he murmured, the weight of the moment pressing down on both of them. He turned away, his gaze flicking toward the door again.

Lucy followed his gaze, her heart heavy with the unknown. “What now?”

“We wait,” Marcel said, his voice tinged with the same quiet intensity. “We wait until they make their move.”

But as the seconds stretched into minutes, and the minutes stretched into hours, the tension in the room seemed to thicken. They were waiting for something, someone, and Lucy wasn’t sure how much longer she could stand the silence.

The knock at the door came once more, louder this time, followed by a voice, a voice that sent chills down her spine.

“Marcel… I know you're in there.”