The Alpha’s Forbidden Love

LUCY

My mind raced in confusion. Why would Lothar be meeting with a rogue member and not just any rogue but Maverick and in secret? I strained to listen to their conversation but they spoke in hushed tones, making it difficult for me to catch any words.

I began to feel uneasy as the conversation continued. What if Lothar was involved in something dangerous or plotting against Chris? I had to get closer to understanding the truth.

Silently, I crept closer, making sure I remained hidden among the bushes. My heart pounded as I caught a snippet of their conversation. They were discussing a plan and my name was mentioned.

“Why involve Lucy in this? She’s just a young girl? Lothar questioned.

“It was her choice. I don’t know what her plan is but I’m sure she’s playing a deceptive game with Cade,” Maverick said.

Lothar shook his head. “She’s as stubborn as her father, I wonder if Chris is aware of this dubious plan of hers. Does she even know the gravity of what she’s doing? If Cade finds out that she has been deceiving him, he’s going to make her suffer.”

“I tried to warn her but she wouldn’t listen. She is so strong-headed, I feel like I’m failing in my duties to protect her,” Maverick said, his voice laced with emotions.

Protect me, I thought. What was he talking about? The last time I checked, Maverick was never nice to me. He hated me and I hated him too. What did he mean by protecting me? The uncertainty and secrecy that surrounded the situation made me anxious and I struggled to make sense of it all.

Just as I was about to move closer for a better view, a twig snapped under my foot, alerting them of my presence. Maverick’s eyes widened and Lothat turned his head towards me.

“Lucy, what are you doing here?” Maverick exclaimed, caught off guard.

My heart raced as I became uncertain of what to say.”I-I followed you here. I needed to know what was going on,” I stuttered, feeling vulnerable under their stern gazes.

“Curiosity can be dangerous, Lucy. You might not like what you find,” Lothar warned, his expression stoic.

I squared my shoulders, refusing to back down. “I deserve to know what you both were talking about?” I demanded. “Why did you meet Maverick in secret? What is going on?”

“What were you thinking, Lucy? Do you think this is a child’s game? How could you try to deceive Cade?” Lothar growled at me. “Cade is a dangerous man; if he finds out that you’ve been deceiving him he’ll kill you.”

“Is he dangerous because he is a rogue in the quest for power or because he is not who he truly is?” I said.

“What are you talking about?” Lothar asked.

“Stop acting like you don’t know what I’m talking about,” I snapped. “You know who Cade truly is and you’ve been hiding it from all of us.”

Maverick turned to face Lothar, his gaze filled with confusion. “What is she talking about, Lothar? Is there something I need to know?”

“Cade is not who we think he is, he is a member of the royal family. Cade’s real name is Uther Parker, the brother to the late Alpha whom my father was accused of killing,” I blurted in anger.

Maverick’s eyes widened in shock. “Tell me it isn’t true,” he said to Lothar. “How could you keep something like this away from me?”

Lothar’s gaze softened slightly, but he remained determined. “There are things you’re not ready for, Lucy. But know that whatever you do, your family’s legacy must be your priority,” he said, enigmatically.

“I must clear my father’s name and give my mother the life she deserves,” I said, my voice etched with determination.

Lothar nodded in acknowledgment. “I agree with you, child. Now that you’ve been involved in this, you have to tread carefully. The future of our pack depends on it,” he replied.

“Did Cade really kill my father?” I inquired, I was itching to know the truth.

“If I tell you that I know the answers you seek I would be lying to you. All I know is that with time, the truth will reveal itself,” he said, burning his face.

Before I could press for more answers, Lothar and Maverick exchanged a meaningful glance. “We’ll talk more later. For now, go back to the pack,” Lothar instructed.

I reluctantly retreated, my mind filled with questions and uncertainty. I felt like I was only scratching the surface of a deeper mystery.

As I returned to the pack, I couldn’t shake off that feeling. I had a suspicion that they were hiding something from me. Finding out Cade’s true identity opened the doors to another world of mystery for me.

As the day passed by, I held onto my suspicion that he had a hand in the death of my father. Yes, they had been friends for a long time till his death but that didn’t change anything. Friends could betray each other when they had something to gain or to hide.

I remained in solitude, pondering on my next line of action. Gaining Cade’s trust wasn’t enough anymore, I wanted to become his closest ally. That was the best way to beat him at his game.

“Lucy!” a voice called out from behind me, bringing me back from my reverie. It was Maverick.

“What do you want? I want to be alone right now,” I said.

“Hear me out. I know we’ve been on bad terms for so long but I need you to know that all I’ve ever done was protect you,” he explained.

“Really? When you prevented me from joining in the attack against Chris’ pack were you also trying to protect me?” I inquired.

“Yes. Everything I’ve ever done is to protect you as your father instructed me to. I have to admit, I hate your guts but you have always proven to be a tough one and I admire you for that,” he said, a smile smoothing on his face. This was the first time I ever saw him smile so genuinely unlike the usual wicked smirk he had on his face.

He sat beside me, placing his hand on my shoulder. “With time you’ll know all that you need to know about your father’s demise. Until then I need you to trust me,” he said.

Trust him, I thought. How could I trust a man who treated me like a nobody just to be close to Cade? Was all that just a part of his plan to get close to Cade and gain his trust?

“Ease your mind little one,” he said. With that, he left my side. Leaving to ponder on all that he had said.