Chapter 181: A Wolf’s Misunderstanding
Chapter 181: A Wolf’s Misunderstanding
(Celeste’s POV)
The morning light streamed through my window, casting long shadows across my quarters. I was still thinking about Matthew’s unexpected visit when Nina burst through my door, her silver–gray eyes wide with alarm.
“Miss Celeste!” she exclaimed breathlessly. “The pack guards are in an uproar. Someone was seen escaping from your private area!”
My heart lurched. “Matthew,” I whispered, immediately regretting that he’d taken such a risk. Nina rushed to my side, quickly snatching the food container from the table where Matthew had left it. She thrust it into my hands with surprising force.
“Hide this,” she insisted, her wolf’s protective instinct surging in her aura. “I’ll go see what’s happening.”
Before I could protest, she disappeared through the doorway. I clutched the warm container to my chest, the spicy aroma still lingering in the air. My silver–scarred wolf paced anxiously within me, sensing the trouble brewing outside.
The minutes stretched like hours. I could hear distant shouts and the unmistakable sounds of pursuit beyond my window. Each noise made me flinch, imagining Matthew cornered by territorial pack guards.
Nina finally returned, her face flushed but relieved. She closed the door firmly behind her, leaning against it with a deep exhale.
“It was Matthew Sterling,” she confirmed, keeping her voice low. “But he managed to slip away. The guards lost his trail at the eastern boundary.”
Relief washed over me, but it quickly gave way to worry. “This is going to cause problems,” I murmured, setting the container down.
Nina nodded grimly. “The guards are furious. A male wolf sneaking into female quarters… especially yours, with your recent mate claim situation…”
“Even though Marcus is dead, they’ll see it as a territorial violation,” I finished for her, dragging a hand through my tangled platinum hair.
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“Exactly,” Nina agreed, crossing the room to stand beside me. “And not just any male-
Alexander Steele’s second–in–command. This could get messy.”
I sank into the nearest chair, suddenly exhausted despite the early hour. “All because he
wanted to bring me breakfast.”
Nina’s lips twisted into a wry smile. “A very elaborate breakfast,” she noted, gesturing to the container. “He must have spent hours preparing it.”
The thought made my chest tighten with an emotion I couldn’t afford to examine too closely. Matthew’s kindness was dangerous–to him and to me.
“I should have sent him away immediately,” I muttered, guilt creeping into my voice.
“It’s too late for that now,” Nina replied, her expression turning serious. “We just need to hope the pack guards don’t make too much of this.”
My bitter laugh filled the room. “When have things ever gone that smoothly for me?”
As if summoned by my words, heavy footsteps approached my door. Three sharp knocks
followed, authoritative and demanding.
Nina and I exchanged alarmed glances. She quickly moved the food container out of sight,
sliding it beneath my bed with practiced discretion.
“Enter,” I called, straightening my posture and composing my features into a mask of calm
indifference.
The door swung open to reveal Lucas, his tall frame filling the doorway. His green eyes flashed
gold with suspicion as he stepped into my quarters.
“Celeste,” he began, his tone clipped and formal. “I need to speak with you.”
I arched an eyebrow, feigning ignorance. “About what?”
His jaw tightened. “There was a male wolf seen leaving your quarters earlier this morning.”
The accusation hung in the air between us. Nina shifted uncomfortably beside me, her silver–gray wolf’s protective instincts flaring.
“And?” I prompted coldly. “Was anyone caught? Or are you here to throw baseless accusations at me again?”
Lucas’s nostril flared, his russet wolf stirring beneath his skin. “The guards believe it was Matthew Sterling.”
I tilted my head, my expression deliberately bored. “Alexander’s second–in–command? Why
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Chapter 181: A Wolf’s Misunders…
would he visit me?”
“That’s what I’d like to know,” Lucas replied, crossing his arms over his chest. His eyes scanned my quarters, searching for evidence.
“Perhaps he was simply passing by,” I suggested, my tone dripping with sarcasm. “Or is that too logical an explanation for your liking?”
Lucas inhaled deeply, visibly trying to contain his frustration. His next words surprised me with their measured tone.
“Look, Celeste,” he began, his voice softening unexpectedly. “I know things have been difficult for you, especially with Marcus’s death. The arrangement was unfair from the start.”
I blinked, caught off guard by this sudden shift.
“I want to help you,” he continued, taking a step closer. “You’ll need a suitable wolf to mark you soon. As your… as the pack heir, I can help find someone who would treat you well.
My wolf recoiled in confusion, sensing something off about his sudden concern. Was this another manipulation?
“How considerate of you,” I replied, unable to keep the edge from my voice. “And what prompted this sudden interest in my welfare?”
Lucas’s brows furrowed. “Can’t you just accept that I’m trying to help? After what you said last night, about us not protecting you four years ago… I’m trying to make amends.”
I stared at him, searching his face for deceit. “By accusing me of impropriety first thing in the
morning?”
His wolf growled with frustration. “That’s not what I’m doing. I’m trying to address the situation before it gets out of hand. If word spreads about Matthew visiting your quarters at
dawn-”
“If it was Matthew,” I interrupted sharply.
“The guards saw someone, Celeste,” Lucas snapped, his patience clearly wearing thin. “And they identified him as Matthew Sterling. You need to stay away from him.”
I crossed my arms defiantly. “And if I don’t?”
“This isn’t just about you!” Lucas’s voice rose. “Think about your reputation in the pack! Think
about how this affects Scarlett’s standing too!”
There it was. The real reason for his concern.
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“Of course,” I laughed bitterly. “It always comes back to Scarlett.”
“That’s not fair,” Lucas argued, his golden wolf surging with irritation beneath his skin. “I’m concerned about both of you. But you’re making it impossible to help you!”
He ran a hand through his auburn hair in frustration. “The pack guards think he might have spent the night here. Do you understand the implications? This goes beyond mere gossip–it’s a territorial violation, especially after your mate claim with Marcus.”
My wolf bristled at the accusation. The sheer audacity of his words made my blood boil.
“Get out,” I snarled, rising from my chair. My hands shook with rage.
“Celeste,” Lucas began again, his tone insistent. “You need to understand-”
Something inside me snapped. I grabbed the remaining dishes from my breakfast–the ones
Matthew had so thoughtfully prepared–and hurled them at Lucas.
“You dare lecture me about reputation?” I shouted, my silver–scarred wolf surging with fury. “You? The one who drugged me with wolfsbane–laced wine and took me to Kane’s quarters?”
The dishes shattered against his shoulder, food splattering across his shirt. He jumped back,
his wolf growling in surprise and anger.
“How dare you stand there and pretend to care about my standing in the pack?” I continued,
my voice trembling with rage. “When you’re the one who’s jeopardized it at every turn! Your
accusations are baseless and hurtful, especially coming from someone who betrayed me so
recently!”
Lucas wiped the food from his shoulder, his expression darkening. “I was trying to help!” he
barked back, his wolf responding to my aggression. “And I’ve already explained about Kane-”
“Your explanations mean nothing,” I cut him off, my violet eyes flashing with fury. “You’ve done
nothing but harm me since Scarlett’s return. And now you have the audacity to accuse me of
impropriety?”
“The pack guards saw-”
“I don’t care what they saw!” I shouted. “Whatever happened this morning is none of your
concern. You lost the right to comment on my life when you chose Scarlett over me!”
Lucas’s jaw clenched as he rubbed his injured shoulder. “I was only trying to help. The guards
saw Matthew leaving your quarters. It’s not an accusation–it’s a fact.”
“Why do you always focus on the past?” he demanded, frustration evident in his voice. “I’m
trying to help you now. Can’t you see that?”
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Chapter 181 A Wolfs Misunders…
His words only fueled my anger. “Help me? Or help Scarlett? Let’s be honest, Lucas–you’re only concerned about how this might affect her reputation by association.”
“That’s not true,” he insisted, but the flicker of guilt in his eyes told me otherwise.
“Get out of my quarters,” I ordered, my voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. “I refuse to
engage with your twisted logic anymore.”
Lucas stared at me for a long moment, clearly struggling with himself. Finally, he turned
toward the door, still rubbing his injured shoulder.
“Fine,” he growled. “Deal with this yourself. Don’t say I didn’t try to help.”
He stalked out, slamming the door behind him with enough force to make the walls tremble.
(Lucas’s POV)
I stormed down the corridor, my shoulder throbbing where the dishes had struck me. My wolf
paced anxiously within me, agitated and confused by the encounter.
“Ungrateful,” I muttered under my breath. “I try to help and this is what I get.”
Pack members pressed themselves against the walls as I passed, sensing my agitation. Their
caution only fueled my frustration.
Why couldn’t Celeste see I was trying to protect her? The pack guards had clearly identified Matthew Sterling leaving her quarters at dawn. If those rumors spread unchecked…
I flexed my injured shoulder, wincing slightly. Perhaps I should have let the rumors spread. Let her see the consequences of her actions firsthand.
But even as the vindictive thought crossed my mind, my wolf whined in protest. Despite everything, some part of me still cared what happened to her.
I needed to find Matthew Sterling. Confront him about this morning’s visit. If Alexander’s second–in–command was pursuing Celeste, it would only complicate an already volatile
situation.
Our pack’s name couldn’t afford another scandal. Scarlett’s position was still precarious, and Eleanor’s health was failing by the day. The last thing we needed was more pack gossip about
Celeste’s nocturnal visitors.
