Chapter three
1830 Words
Lucien
Her touch nearly broke me.
My wolf snapped, demanding I claim her now, in front of everyone. To hell with her fiancé, to hell with the eyes watching us. She was mine.
But I clenched my fists, fighting it.
Still, I couldn’t stay away.
The rest of the evening passed by in a blur. My head was banging with every minute that went by. I had to get some air.
I made my way to the balcony but I found her alone, gripping the railing tightly. She was staring at the night sky and I noticed that her shoulders were tense.
“Maria,” I said softly.
She spun around, eyes wide. “You….”
“I had to see you.” My voice was rough, ragged. “Tell me you feel it too.”
Her lips parted, trembling. “Feel what?”
I stepped closer, so close I could feel the heat radiating from her. “This. Us.”
Her chest rose and fell rapidly. “I… I don’t know what you mean.”
I smirked faintly. “Liar.”
She gasped, moving back until her shoulders hit the wall. “Stop. I’m engaged. This, whatever this is, it can’t happen.”
My wolf howled in protest, and I braced my palms against the wall on either side of her, caging her in. “I don’t care who you’re promised to, You are mine.”
Her breath hitched. For a moment, I thought she’d push me away. Instead, her hand rose slowly, almost touching my chest, before she yanked it back quickly.
“I can’t,” she whispered, shaking her head. “I can’t do this.”
I swallowed hard, forcing myself to step back before I lost control.
But as she slipped back inside, her scent still clinging to me, I knew there was no turning back.
Maria
The rest of the night was a blur. Rafael smiled, shook hands, and toasted our future. But my thoughts were miles away on the balcony, on Lucien’s words, on the fire still simmering beneath my skin.
“Mine. You're mine.”
I didn’t know if I was terrified… or if I wanted it to be true.
The morning sunlight peeked through my curtains, but it didn’t bring warmth. I woke up drenched in my own sweat.
My dreams had chased me again, shadows clawing at me and blood staining my hands. Blood that I knew wasn't mine.
I pressed a hand to my chest to calm my racing heart. It didn’t stop racing.
Last night’s dinner replayed in my head like a movie I couldn’t pause. The balcony, the brush of his hand, his voice.
“You are mine”.
“Stop it,” I muttered to myself, dragging the blankets off and pacing to the window. The estate gardens stretched out endlessly, green and beautiful, but they gave me no peace. My chest was still tight, as if a string had been tied around my ribs and pulled in the wrong direction.
A knock at my door startled me.
“Maria?”
Rafael.
The door opened and he stepped in, smiling. He carried a bouquet of lilies, my favorites. His dark hair was neat, his suit pressed. He looked carefully put together, like always.
“Good morning, love,” he said smoothly, offering me the flowers. “For you. You looked so radiant last night, I couldn’t wait to see you again.”
I forced a smile, taking the bouquet. “Thank you. They’re beautiful.”
He studied me with sharp eyes that didn’t match the warmth of his words. “You look tired. Did you sleep poorly?”
“Yes,” I admitted, clutching the flowers. “Nightmares again.”
His brow furrowed with perfect concern. “Nightmares? About what?”
I shook my head, laughing nervously. “It’s nothing. Just… wedding nerves, I think.”
Rafael stepped closer, tilting my chin with two fingers so I had to meet his gaze. His smile was soft, but there was a weight in his eyes I couldn’t place. “Don’t hide from me, Maria. I want to know everything that troubles you. You’re mine, after all. Next month, we’ll be husband and wife.”
The words sat heavy in my stomach.
I swallowed. “I know.”
He kissed my forehead gently, lingering just long enough. “Good. Then trust me.”
I nodded, but inside, a voice whispered: “Trust him with what?”.
Rafael
The lilies were an act.
The forehead kiss, the soft tone, the concern, it was all carefully constructed. Beneath it all was my carefully put together strategy.
My smile faded the moment I closed the door to her room. My hands curled into fists at my sides.
Something was off with her. I’d noticed it last night the moment Lucien walked into the ballroom. The way her body became stiff, the way her eyes widened. She hadn’t looked at me like that once. Not once.
Lucien.
I ground my teeth. The thought of that arrogant Alpha’s son even glancing at her made my blood boil. He already commanded way too much respect, too much power. If he discovered what Maria truly was……
My jaw clenched harder.
No. She belonged to me. My family had planned this union for years, long before she was of marrying age. I’d been raised on my father’s words.
“Her bloodline is the key, remember the prophecy. She will make us unstoppable.”
And when I finally claimed her, her power would fuse with ours. The Delacruz family would rise above Lucien’s, above them all.
“Smile, Rafael,” I muttered to myself. “She must never know. Not until it’s too late.”
Lucien
I hadn’t slept. Not even a minute.
Every time I closed my eyes, I saw her.
Maria.
The way her lips parted when our hands brushed. The way her scent wrapped around me like a secret I couldn’t scrub off.
My wolf howled violently inside me.
“Mate. Ours.”
I pressed my palms to my temples, trying to shut him out.
“Enough,” I growled aloud. “She’s promised to another. Besides, she's human.”
The wolf snarled, slamming against the walls of my mind.
“Doesn’t matter. She is ours.”
A knock broke me out of my thoughts.
“Lucien?” Marcus, my cousin, stepped into my study, his eyes narrowing at the sight of me. “You look like hell.”
“I feel worse,” I admitted.
He crossed his arms. “Is this about the girl from last night?”
I didn’t answer. He didn’t need me to.
Marcus sighed. “You’ve found your mate.”
I nodded, gritting my teeth.
“And she’s engaged to Rafael Delacruz.”
The words tasted bitter. “Yes.”
“Damn,” Marcus muttered. “That’s… complicated.”
Complicated was an understatement. It was a disaster.
Before I could say more, another knock came. This time it was my father. His presence filled the room with authority.
“Lucien,” he said firmly. “We need to speak.”
I straightened. “About what?”
He motioned for me to follow him. In his study, the fire crackled as he poured two glasses of whiskey.
“The Alverez family,” he began. “Their daughter is to be married to Rafael Delacruz. It will strengthen their position. You must show support.”
I stared at the fire. “Tell me about her.”
He looked at me, eyes sharp. “About who?”
“Maria,” I said slowly. “Rafael’s fiancée.”
A pause. Then his jaw tightened. “It’s not important. Focus on your own path.”
Frustration burned through me. “Not important? She….”.
I stopped myself before saying too much. “Why won’t you tell me anything about her?”
“Because it doesn’t concern you,” my father snapped, the conversation closed.
But as I left, my wolf whispered what I already knew. My father was hiding something.
Maria
By afternoon, I couldn’t take the tightness in my chest anymore. The way Rafael’s perfect smile made me feel like I was being caged instead of cherished.
I needed to talk to someone. Since I couldn't go to my mom, I wouldn't go to Aunt Elena.
I found her in the east wing, reading near the tall windows. She looked up as I entered, her sharp eyes softening.
“Maria, darling. You look pale. Sit.”
I did, twisting my hands together. “Aunty, I need to ask you something. And I need you to be honest.”
She raised her brows. “Go on.”
I swallowed. “I’ve been having dreams. Strange dreams. Of wolves. Blood and
Shadows. And last night, when I met someone, it felt like…..like I knew him already. Like something inside me recognized him.”
Her expression darkened. “Who?”
I hesitated, “Lucien Calderón”
Aunty Elena pressed her lips together. For a long moment, silence.
Then she leaned forward, her voice low. “Maria, you must be careful. There are things about your family and your bloodline that you do not yet understand.”
My heart pounded. “What do you mean?”
She shook her head. “It is not my place to tell you everything. But know this, your dreams are not just dreams. And your instincts? Trust them. They will protect you when others cannot.”
I gripped her hand desperately. “Aunt Elena, please tell me the truth.”
Her eyes softened with pity. “You are more than you know. But for now… say nothing. Not to Rafael. Not to anyone.”
I nodded shakily, though it gave me no comfort. Because deep inside, I already knew that my life wasn’t what it seemed.
That evening, Rafael found me in the garden, admiring the golden sunset.
“You’ve been distant lately,” he said quietly, taking my hand. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” I said too quickly.
His thumb brushed over my knuckles, gentle but insistent. “Maria. I know you. You’ve been restless and distracted. Is it the wedding? Do you want to postpone?”
The thought flashed in my mind.
Postpone? Maybe I wanted to call it off. But I shook my head. “No, I just… haven’t been sleeping.”
His gaze sharpened. “Is that all?”
“Yes,” I lied through my teeth.
He searched my face, as if trying to peel back my skin and read the truth beneath. For a terrifying second, I thought he cou
ld see Lucien’s eyes in my head.
Then he smiled again, perfect and warm. “You just need to get a lot of rest. The wedding will be beautiful. I promise.”
But when he pulled me close, his grip was too tight. And I knew he didn’t believe me.
- Writer
