My Killer Calls Me Mate

Chapter 5

Lucian's POV:

“You don't have to guide me, Lauren.” I said, forcefully peeling her fingers off my sleeve. “You could have just pointed me to the direction of the drinks.”

Lauren pouted, her eyes instantly widening with that innocent look she always used to get her way as she stepped closer, trying to reclaim her grip. "But Lucian, I just wanted to show you where the good stuff is! It's crowded, and I didn't want you getting lost in my best friend's house."

In reality, I didn’t feel like drinking a damn thing. The excuse about needing a drink was nothing more than a lie to put immediate distance between myself and Anatoria.

As Lauren walked a half-step ahead of me, her blonde hair swaying as she navigated the crowd, a sudden wave of anger began boiling over inside of me. Images I wanted to rip out of my brain threatened to surface but I swallowed the rage down.

When we finally reached a long table draped in white linen where a server was standing, I snatched a glass of champagne from the tray then I stood there, stiff as a statue, while the server quickly turned his attention to attend to someone else.

“So, why did you suddenly decide to come tonight anyway? Is it because…"

"Let me be, Lauren." I interrupted, but instead of listening or stepping back, Lauren crossed her arms tightly over her chest, scrunching her nose in defiance. "Why are you acting so unusual today?”

Annoyed beyond measure, I turned my head to glare down at her. "I need space to think properly, so please let me be."

Hearing me say this didn't deter her; it only made her question me further. "What is bothering you so badly? Did something happen with the elders? You can tell me, Lucian, you know you can trust…"

But as her lips moved, my ears tuned her out completely instead my eyes remained fixed across the room, locked onto Anatoria and Kairo.

My chest tightened as jealousy reared its head within my wolf, screaming at me to march across the hall and tear them apart. "Lucian! Are you even listening to me?!" Lauren’s voice gritted, her fingers grabbing my arm again, holding me tightly.

"Let. Me. Be!" I growled, glaring down at her hand until she flinched and spun on her heel.

I watched as she marched directly back across the room to where Anatoria and Kairo were standing. She began gesturing wildly, her mouth moving at a mile a minute as she narrated everything to Kairo who immediately excused himself from Anatoria with a slight bow, then he made his way through the crowd toward me.

When Kairo arrived, he grabbed a glass from a passing tray and nudged my shoulder. "Are you okay, man?"

I shrugged, staring into my champagne. "I'm fine."

"Right. Fine." Kairo scoffed, leaning against the bar table. "You've been acting completely out of it since you woke up a few hours ago. Don't lie to me."

"I'm not lying. I'm just tired," I argued.

"Lucian, you literally locked yourself in your room the second you woke up this evening." Kairo paused, looking over at his sister, who was now talking to Ana again. "And what's the deal with Lauren? You're always the one who indulges her. I'm her actual brother, and I rarely ever give her as much attention as you do.”

As Kairo spoke, I turned my attention away from him, my gaze drifting back to Anatoria and Lauren standing together. ‘If I had never been so kind and attentive towards Lauren in the past none of what had happened would have ever happened.’ I told myself, the guilt crushing my lungs.

Suddenly, I turned to Kairo on impulse and asked. "Are you interested in Anatoria?"

Kairo blinked, completely caught off guard then he shook his head quickly, letting out a breathy laugh. "What? No. I never even wanted to come here in the first place, remember? I only came because you insisted that I listen to Lauren and attend this part.”

"That's not what I mean.” I pressed, my fingers tightening around the stem of my glass. "I mean, do you have any interest in her now that you've actually stood face-to-face and spoken to her?"

Kairo raised an eyebrow, studying my face. "Still no. We didn't really talk about anything important. She seemed completely spaced out, to be honest. I was actually glad when Lauren came over to complain about you, because it gave me the perfect excuse to slip away."

Kairo's expression hardened. "Don't you dare change the subject, Lucian. Tell me what suddenly affected your mood so drastically from before you fell asleep earlier today."

Before I could formulate a lie, a sharp sound cut through the music from a few yards away, where a woman had slipped on the hem of her long dress and her glass flew from her hand, shattering against the floor.

The sound of the glass fracturing on the hard wood didn't leave my head. It magnified tenfold, transforming into the deafening c***k of a gunshot and my breathing instantly became erratic as my vision blurred.

"Lucian? Hey, Lucian!" Kairo’s voice called out, but when I frantically turned to my side, Kairo wasn't beside me anymore, and I wasn't in the ballroom anymore.

Instead, I was standing in the center of the Pack Square and in my right hand was a silver gun, smoke still curling lazily from the barrel and right before me, collapsed on the blood-soaked gravel, was Anatoria's corpse.

The mere sight of her body on the ground sent shivers through entire body. "No... no, no, no!" I screamed, dropping the gun and it clattered against the stones.

I fell to my knees, my hands shaking uncontrollably as I scooped her limp body into my arms and pulled her against my chest. "Ana! Ana, please, open your eyes! Wake up!”

“Who did this?!" I looked up at the sea of horrified, silent pack members. "Who shot her?!" I roared, my Alpha voice tearing through the square. "Guards! Find out who shot my wife and arrest them! Now!"

From the steps of the tribunal, Chief Elder Craig stepped forward, his face twisted in absolute confusion and disgust. "Alpha... what has suddenly gotten over you? What kind of game is this?"

"Find the killer!" I bellowed, tears streaming down my face as I clutched Ana's cooling body.

"You are the killer, Lucian!" Elder Craig snapped.