Leah's POV
I slapped the back of Jorah's seat and shouted, "Drive. Drive now, Jorah!"
Jorah hesitated for a fraction of a second before starting the engine. The car roared to life and surged forward with a sudden jolt. I flung the door open, willing Lucas to join us.
"Get in, Lucas! We have to go!" I mentally urged him.
To my amazement, Lucas seemed to hear my silent command. He launched himself into the car just as it lurched ahead, crashing through several barricades.
I grabbed his arm, pulling him towards me as we careened down the road. Through the rearview mirror, I saw Jalin leaning against the tree, his face twisted with resentment. It was a look I had never seen from someone I once trusted and loved.
For the first time, I truly understood what Lucian had meant: "He's not our father. He's the King. He can't trust anyone."
Goosebumps prickled my skin. The idea of a father distrusting his own children was horrifying. Then, an even more chilling thought emerged: Does that mean I can't trust anyone either?
"That's what it means to be a Lycan," Lucas said, breaking into my thoughts.
I turned to him, staring into his eyes. "You read my thoughts," I whispered. "Since when could you read my thoughts?"
"We're supposed to read each other's thoughts. That's what mates do. But after we married, I couldn't read yours. It made me feel alienated because real mates can read each other's minds," Lucas said, adjusting his jacket and tie.
"But that's not true! I loved you with all my heart!" I exclaimed, shocked. "I wanted to connect with you, but no one can read a Lycan's mind!"
Lucas's expression softened with heartbreak. "That was the problem, wasn't it? I didn't know you were a Lycan back then. You never told me."
"Because I wanted to be loved as a woman, not feared as a Lycan!" I replied, my voice trembling.
"I didn't know. The truth is, it was agonizing. Every day, I was in tremendous pain, feeling disconnected from my own mate. And you were the source of my torment," Lucas said monotonously.
My heart shattered into a million pieces. He had wanted to relate to me, to love me. After all these years, the barrier to my mate's love had been my own secrecy. It also explained Lucas's persistence in wanting me back after discovering my true nature.
"But now, why can you read my mind?" I asked.
"Because you're pregnant with my child. He's our connection," Lucas said gently. "You had to first acknowledge him as my child before allowing access to your mind."
His eyes held a mix of passion and tenderness - an expression I had always yearned to see.
Jorah swerved the car to shake off the Moon Growler soldiers. The car tilted, and I instinctively leaned towards Lucas, seeking his comfort and strength.
He instinctively pulled me into his embrace, lowering his head to press his lips against mine. His kisses were like a storm, passionate and overwhelming, and I felt tears stream down my face.
My mate loves me. After all these years of twists and turns, it turned out that my mate and husband truly loves me. He's my second chance, my most precious gift from the Moon Goddess.
I looked up at him and kissed him back with equal fervor. Suddenly, I felt waves of warmth and comfort radiate from him, an intimacy so profound it nearly brought me to tears.
He tried to soothe me with patience and tenderness, whispering, "I love you, Leah. I want to give you everything in this world."
"I want nothing but you," I whispered back, embarrassed by the depth of my sudden revelation. "I want to give you a child and make us a family."
"Let's start over," he whispered in my ear, his breath warm against my neck. "This time, please don't run away from me."
The car came to a sudden stop.
"Did you see that?!" Jorah turned to us, a mischievous grin and a giddy look on his face. Behind us, a line of overturned cars blazed in flames. "I got rid of all of them!"
"Jorah," Lucas said, looking at him with approval, "you're one hell of a driver and one hell of a Beta."
Jorah immediately burst into tears. As far as I knew, Lucas rarely praised anyone.
"I'll do anything for you, Alpha!" Jorah cried out.
"Alright, Jorah," Lucas said in a low voice. "Now drive us to the Court. My Luna has a father to save, and I have a King to protect."
Mick's POV
“What do you mean you’ve lost them?!” I yelled at Cole, swiping everything off the table in a fit of rage.
He stood trembling in the corner, unable to utter a word, which only fueled my anger further.
Clara walked in, her gaze sweeping over the mess I had made. She was wearing her wedding dress, and she clearly wasn't pleased with what she saw.
“Breaking things won’t change anything, Mick,” she said in a silky, nasal tone, trailing her delicate fingers across my chest. She looked stunning and smelled intoxicating.
I pulled her into my arms and pinned her against the wall.
“I would set the whole world on fire for you,” I said, staring deeply into her eyes.
Fireworks lit up the night sky, casting brief illumination over the dismal scene below.
Clara leaned into my chest, her gaze distant as she looked outside.
A deep sadness etched her features, so reminiscent of my mother’s. The sorrow in her eyes was identical.
The realization that I couldn’t make my mate, my Luna, happy even on our wedding night drove me to the brink of madness.
I lowered my head to kiss her, but she pushed me away.
“Tell me what you want, Clara,” I stepped forward. “Tell me what I need to do to make you smile.”
“You want to see me smile?” she asked, her voice electrifying every nerve in my body.
I nodded, swallowing hard.
She perched on the edge of the bed and spread her legs apart. She wore nothing beneath her wedding dress.
“Come to me,” she commanded.
I moved toward her, but she lifted a leg onto my shoulder, her foot pressing against me to keep me at bay.
“Crawl,” she purred, licking her lips.
That sent me over the edge.
I dropped to my knees and crawled towards her, kissing her feet.
She shivered, the sensation igniting her desire.
I kissed my way up her inner thigh until she suddenly said, “I want to see Leah in pain.”
“She will,” I whispered, continuing my ascent, exploring her most sensitive spots.
“I want to torture her until she begs for mercy,” she hissed.
“It will be done,” I mumbled, my lips teasing her groin.
She moaned with pleasure.
As I climbed on top of her and pressed myself deep into her body, a single thought burned in my mind:
That Lycan bitch is dead.