Suspicious…
**Lucas’ POV**
“Your Highness,” a voice called from the door, pulling me from the maze of papers that had held me captive for hours. I looked up to see Damien, my beta, standing there with a troubled expression etched on his face. His demeanor alone told me that whatever he had to say wasn’t trivial.
“What’s wrong?” I asked, my voice cutting through the heavy silence of the room. Damien’s response was steady, but the concern was unmistakable. “I’ve been informed of unusual activity near the outskirts of the mansion. There are reports of unknown figures moving through the forest. It might be prudent to investigate.”
I nodded, feeling the weight of his words settle over me like a dark cloud. “Prepare a team, Damien. We need to know who these figures are and whether they pose a threat to the mansion. Double our patrols. We cannot afford any surprises.”
Damien bowed and exited swiftly, leaving me alone with the oppressive silence once more. I returned to my studies, each document now seeming more vital than ever. The growing threats outside these walls were becoming too numerous to ignore, and I knew that the days ahead would require every ounce of vigilance.
As night began to fall, I pushed myself away from the desk, my body aching from hours of tension. The grand halls of the mansion, usually a symbol of power and security, now felt like the walls of a fortress under siege. Shadows danced in the corners, and the once familiar corridors seemed to stretch into unknown dangers. I sighed deeply, resting my back against the chair, feeling the immense weight of the responsibilities that came with this crown.
The world outside the windows was a stark contrast of shadow and moonlight, a haunting reminder that danger was always closer than it appeared. The mansion, my sanctuary, now felt vulnerable, and the unease that had been growing within me was impossible to shake. Simon and I, as co-Kings of the lycanthrope, had made many enemies-some lurking in the shadows, others right under our noses. The path ahead was treacherous, but with each step, I felt my resolve harden.
As I made my way towards my bedroom, my thoughts drifted to the events of the day, specifically my encounter with Ashley. Our conversation had ended on a sour note, leaving me with a gnawing sense of betrayal. How could she ask about the crown? What was her true motive? The question burned in my mind like an ember refusing to die out.
I debated whether or not to involve Simon in this matter, knowing that his reaction could be unpredictable. I had managed the situation better than I expected, but could the same be said for Simon? Likely not.
After some deliberation, I made my way upstairs to my bedroom. As soon as I entered, I began stripping off the day’s clothes, the anger still simmering beneath my skin. I knew I needed to calm down, but the tension coiled within me like a viper ready to strike. If I didn’t, Simon would notice immediately, and that would only complicate things further.
“I just wanted to know where the crown is currently,” Ashley’s words echoed in my mind, each syllable fueling my anger anew.
“Why are you even asking about that? Does this look like information meant for you to know?” I had snapped at her, my voice cold and sharp. She had flinched, taken aback by my reaction. But it was necessary. How dare she? The possibility that she could be working with our enemies gnawed at me, each scenario darker than the last.
I had ordered her out of my study, her confusion evident as she left. My mind was a storm of conflicting thoughts, each more troubling than the last. The recent surge in complaints from the surrounding areas was already suspicious enough, and Ashley’s untimely inquiry only added to my unease. I pushed the thoughts aside for a moment, seeking solace in the warm embrace of a long bath.
The water, hot and soothing, did its job for a while, dulling the sharp edges of my worry. But as soon as I stepped out, refreshed and ready for bed, the weight of it all came crashing back down.
I sat on the edge of my bed, lost in thought. I couldn’t ignore this, couldn’t risk leaving it unresolved. After a while, I decided to inform Simon about what had transpired between Ashley and me. We couldn’t afford to be careless, not with our rule hanging in the balance. Our enemies were many, and they would seize any opportunity to bring us down.
With a deep breath, I connected with my twin through the mind link. His thoughts immediately flooded my consciousness, a jumble of images from the day we had both been with Ashley in the car. I stayed silent, curious where his mind was leading, but when the memory of him biting her nipple flashed, I couldn’t contain myself. A laugh burst from me, breaking the tension of the moment.
“Oh my gosh, Simon! What the heck?” I exclaimed, still chuckling.
“What the heck, Lucas? How long have you been listening? You know that’s very wrong of you to do, come on!”
“Hmm, I see. It’s wrong tonight to mind link with my own twin brother?”
“You know that’s not what I’m talking about. Of course, it’s not wrong to mind link with me, but why did you eavesdrop on my thoughts?”
“Me, eavesdrop? Of course not. That was far from what I was doing, Simon.”
“Oh really? So how do you explain listening in on my thoughts without my permission?”
“No, that’s not it. I just didn’t want to interrupt your thoughts, so I kept quiet. I mean, I even did you a favor. I was polite, right?”
“Polite my foot! Get the heck away from my mind. What do you want?” I chuckled softly, the humor fading as I switched back to the matter at hand.
“Is everything okay? I just felt the energy of your wolf shift. What’s wrong?”
“I don’t know if you’re aware, but the forests and streets aren’t feeling safe anymore.”
“Oh, that? We can sort that out easily enough. Don’t tell me this is what’s got you in such a mood.”
“Well, not exactly.”
“So what’s really bothering you?”
“It’s Ashley.”
“Ashley? What does that girl have to do with you being in this mood?”
“You won’t believe what she asked me today. Honestly, I was beyond annoyed.”
“What did she say?”
“She came asking about where the royal crown is kept.”
“What? Why in the world would she be asking that all of a sudden? Is she possibly working for one of our enemies?”
“That’s exactly what I was thinking. Why else would she suddenly ask something like that? And now, of all times, when things are already tense in the Kingdom.”
“This is insane! Are you sure we’re not being blindsided here? It’s crazy to think all this could be happening at the same time. Something’s definitely up,” he said, and I found myself piecing together the fragments of the situation, trying to make sense of it all.
“I can’t seem to think straight right now, but I wanted to let you know about this as soon as possible. We need to be very cautious about what we say around everyone in this mansion because we can’t be too sure who’s with us and who’s against us.”
“That’s true. We’ll need to be discreet with everything we do from now on.”
“Yes, we have to. Well, I’m heading to bed now. And please, stop thinking about that day, okay?” I said, a final laugh escaping me before I severed the mind link, cutting off any chance for him to respond.
I took a deep breath, looking down at my sleepwear, lost in the nothingness of the moment. I stayed like that for a while, unmoving, before finally tucking myself under the sheets, hoping sleep would come quickly to carry me away from the looming threats that awaited in the shadows.
Sleep didn’t come easily. The weight of responsibility pressed down on me, a relentless burden that gnawed at the edges of my consciousness. I tossed and turned, the luxurious silk sheets providing little comfort against the storm raging in my mind. The moonlight filtered through the heavy drapes, casting eerie, shifting patterns on the walls-each shadow seemed to hold a secret, a lurking danger.
Hours passed, or maybe it was mere minutes-time had lost its meaning in the darkness. My mind kept returning to Ashley, to the strange and unsettling request she had made. The royal crown, a symbol of our lineage, our authority, was more than just a piece of regalia. It was the heart of our power, the very essence of our rule. For her to ask about it… it didn’t make sense. Unless, of course, she was part of something much larger, something sinister.
The thought chilled me to the bone.
Eventually, I rose from the bed, unable to lie still any longer. The mansion was silent, save for the occasional creak of the old wood and the distant howl of the wind outside. I slipped into a robe, the heavy fabric brushing against my skin as I made my way to the window.
From this vantage point, the forest stretched out like an ocean of black beneath the silver light of the moon. Somewhere out there, in the shadows and the trees, unknown figures were moving, possibly plotting against us. My fingers clenched into fists at my sides. This was my home, my kingdom, and I would not let it fall.
A sudden knock at the door pulled me from my thoughts. My senses immediately sharpened, my body tensing as I turned to face the intruder.
“Enter,” I commanded, my voice steady, betraying none of the turmoil within.
The door creaked open, and one of my guards stepped in, his face pale and eyes wide. “Your Highness,” he began, his voice trembling slightly. “There’s… there’s been an incident.”
“What incident?” I demanded, crossing the room to stand before him. He hesitated for a while, but I looked up to face him with a questioning look on my face, and so he began.