The Alpha's Stolen Luna - Chapter 119: Chapter 119

: Sutton
I was worried about how Lucas was handling the information we’d found. It had been hard enough for him to believe there was a traitor in his pack. But to think it was someone close to him or his family was infinitely more painful. I knew he had a plan formulating in his head, but he hadn’t been ready to share it with me yet. I just hoped he wouldn’t send me away again. I was preparing to fight him on the subject if I had to.
He was quiet during dinner with Aunt Lara and Jack. I tried to keep things upbeat so they didn’t catch on that something was wrong. It would hurt them to know that one of their neighbors was capable of this as well. But Lara was harder to fool than I had hoped.
Once we were done eating, she sent Jack down to their rooms on some errand. As soon as he was gone, she turned to Lucas.
“What is going on?” she demanded. “Something is off with you two.”
Lucas leaned against the kitchen counter. “We’re going to need you to take Jack home tomorrow,” he broke the news to her. “Just for a couple of days, hopefully.”
Aunt Lara’s brow knitted. “Why does that sound more ominous than it should?”
“Because we’re going to need you to do us a favor when you get back into town,” Lucas replied. “I’m sure you told all your friends you were coming to stay with us. So, I’m going to need you to make a bit of a show of returning. Stop at the market. Drop in at Patty’s. Anything to run into people. When they ask about your stay, tell them you came back because Sutton and I went away on a retreat to see her through her heat.”
Lara’s face picked up curiously, her eyes darting to me. “Are you nearing…?”
“Not yet,” Lucas jumped in, leaving me just as confused as before. “We just need a good rumor going around. Can you do that for me, Aunt Lara?”
Her concern hadn’t been alleviated by the conversation. If anything, she was visibly more worried than she had been before.
“You know I’d do anything for you, Lucas,” his aunt replied, her features softening. “If you need our help, all you have to do is ask.”
“I know,” he replied with a soft smile. “But this will be enough for now.”
“Okay,” she replied, not pushing the subject any further. “I guess I should go start packing for the morning.”
We exchanged hugs before she left. I had no idea what kind of plan Lucas had in mind but I felt a little guilty not telling her more. I suppose it was better this way. There was no need to panic her and Jack and the rest of the family when it may turn out not to affect them at all. Now, I, on the other hand, absolutely needed to know what that mate of mine was thinking.
“So, now are you going to tell me what this plan of yours is?” I demanded, putting a hand on my hip as I dropped our plates in the sink.
Rhonen flashed in Lucas’ eyes and a grin played at his lips. It was quickly followed by him pulling me into a passionate kiss. One hand pushed through my hair while the other gripped my chin.
“You’re cute when you’re bossy,” he growled. Taking a step back, he grabbed my hand. “Come on.”
I was going to ask where we were going, but he obviously wasn’t in a talkative mood. The best thing I could do was go along with whatever he wanted. Despite my confusion as he led me out of the apartment and through the packhouse. We made our way to the grounds, heading into the trees.
The late spring days had gotten longer, so the sun was still out even at this hour. Although the first signs of twilight were already evident through the foliage. Still, there was plenty of light to recognize the clearing where I had shifted for the first time when we came upon it. Nova came to the forefront of my mind, eager to see what would happen next. I could even feel her pushing against the shift. Just lightly. So that I knew what she wanted but not enough to strain my still-growing control.
“Learning to defend yourself was smart,” he said, leading me to the middle of the grass. “You’ve gotten so much stronger since you’ve been here, baby. And I’m so proud of you. But you’re still a ways off from being fighting fit. Unfortunately, we don’t have time to get you there before we face whoever has betrayed us.”
“You want to leave me behind again,” I stated, sensing where this was going.
Lucas rubbed the back of my hand with his thumb before lifting it to his lips.
“No,” he said surprisingly. “I’m taking you with me to Wildmore, princess. You deserve that much and we’re both stronger together. However, whether I bring you to the actual meeting is still under consideration.” Letting go of my hands, he took a few steps back, looking me up and down. “Max is a good teacher. He knows how to teach someone to exploit strengths and weaknesses. Right now, Nova is your biggest strength. You need to be faster at shifting.”
“I’ve been practicing,” I told him proudly. Nova preening
“Good,” he replied with a grin. “Nova’s natural instincts are strong. With Rhonen at her back, she’s capable of handling most opponents of lesser rank. But it’s not enough just to shift. If you can build enough coordination to switch between each form during a fight, being skilled at only a handful of maneuvers is all you need to protect yourself.”
I nodded, listening carefully. I still hadn’t been able to hold the half-lycan form for more than a second or two, but I was willing to dedicate the time if it meant being there to face whoever was so bent on killing me. Nova agreed, pushing the barrier a little more.
“So, princess…” Lucas said with a grin as he planted his feet, “show me what you’ve got.”