Lucian didn't speak on the walk back to the main house.
But Amara could feel that something has shifted.
He wasn't staring at her as if he wanted her to disappear or throwing sharp words at her. He was just…quiet. Tense.
When they reached the back patio, he finally paused.
This is as far as you go, he said.
Amara looked at him. What is this, the line between your world and mine?
No, Lucian said. That line was crossed the moment you stepped into our meeting.
What happened to you? she asked softly.
Lucian didn't look at her.
Don't act like that
Act like what?
Ask questions like you care.
Amara didn't back down. What if I do?
He let out a breath through his nose. It wasn't quite a laugh.
I used to trust a human," he said. Like he hated how the words felt leaving his mouth.
What happened? she asked.
She betrayed me.People I cared about got killed because of her. And when it was all over, she walked away like it meant nothing.
The silence between them stretched.
Amara's chest ached. Not just for herself but for him.
I'm not her.
But you're human. And that's close enough.
He turned and walked back into the house, door shutting with a quiet finality.
But Amara didn't feel dismissed.
She felt something else.
A door cracked open. Not all the way. Not yet.
But enough to know that Lucian Blackwood Alpha, loner, wolf wasn't made of stone after all.