Chapter 182: A Misunderstanding Unveiled
Chapter 182: A Misunderstanding Unveiled
(Lucas’s POV)
I stormed through the Winter Pack house, my wolf’s fury radiating with each step. Pack members scattered from my path, pressing themselves against the walls as I passed. The morning’s confrontation with Celeste still burned in my mind, her accusations echoing
alongside my own suspicions.
I reached Alexander’s warrior quarters in the east wing, not bothering to knock before I slammed the heavy oak door open. The hinges groaned in protest as I burst inside.
Matthew Sterling stood near the window, sorting through training schedules. His head snapped up at my entrance, confusion flickering across his face before recognition set in.
I didn’t give him time to react. My fist connected with the air where his jaw had been a split second before. He’d dodged with the swift reflexes of a trained warrior, his silver–gray wolf’s
instincts sharp despite being caught off guard.
“What the-” Matthew started, but I was already moving again.
My leg swept toward his knees, aiming to take him down. Again, he evaded, this time jumping back with practiced precision. His wolf’s energy shifted from confusion to alert defense.
“Lucas!” Alexander’s commanding voice cut through the room as he emerged from the
adjoining chamber. His white wolf surged with dominance, the pressure of his aura forcing my
next attack to halt mid–strike.
“What is the meaning of this?” Alexander demanded, stepping between us. His ice–blue eyes were cold with anger, his powerful frame a barrier I couldn’t breach.
“Ask your second–in–command about his morning activities,” I snarled, golden eyes flashing as
1 glared at Matthew over Alexander’s shoulder. “Ask him what he was doing sneaking out of
Celeste’s private quarters at dawn!”
Matthew’s expression remained carefully neutral, though his wolf’s aura flickered with unease. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
His denial ignited my temper further. “Don’t lie! The pack guards saw you! You were climbing out of her window like some common thief!”
Alexander’s head snapped toward Matthew, his white wolf bristling with sudden tension.
US
+8 Point:
Chapter 182: A Misunderstandin….
“Explain. Now.”
(Alexander’s POV)
The moment Lucas’s accusation registered, my wolf surged forward with unexpected force. I struggled to maintain my composure, keeping my face impassive while my thoughts raced uncontrollably.
Matthew in Celeste’s quarters? At dawn?
“What exactly are you implying happened?” I asked, my voice dangerously low as I turned to face my second–in–command.
Matthew’s silver–gray eyes hardened. Instead of answering me, he turned to Lucas. “Did you go bother Celeste about this?”
The question caught me off guard. I watched Lucas’s expression darken with fury.
“Of course I did!” Lucas snapped. “It’s my duty to protect the pack’s reputation. A male wolf sneaking from an unmarked female’s quarters at dawn-”
“Your duty?” Matthew interrupted, taking a step forward. “Or did you just find another excuse
to harass her?”
Lucas lunged at Matthew, breaking past my restraining arm. “You dare question me? You’re the one who violated pack protocol!”
Matthew sidestepped Lucas’s attack with practiced ease, but his usual calm demeanor had vanished. “What I did was none of your business!”
“It became my business when the pack guards reported it!” Lucas shouted, attempting another strike. “Sneaking into her quarters in the middle of the night-”
Matthew moved with unexpected speed, grabbing Lucas by his shirt collar and slamming him against the wall. Despite being a beta wolf, Matthew had trained alongside me for years. His combat skills were exceptional, even against an alpha bloodline like Lucas.
“Watch your mouth,” Matthew growled, his wolf radiating protective fury. “Don’t you dare imply anything dishonorable about Celeste or my actions.”
I stepped forward, my wolf’s dominant aura flooding the room. “Enough! Both of you!”
The force of my command made both wolves flinch. Matthew reluctantly released Lucas, stepping back with his hands raised in submission to my authority.
‘Matthew,” I said, focusing on him directly, “explain why you were at Celeste’s quarters this
+8 Point
Chapter 182: A Misunderstandin…
morning.”
Lucas straightened his shirt, glaring daggers at Matthew. “Yes, explain why you felt the need
to visit an unmarked female’s private chambers before dawn.”
Matthew exhaled slowly, his wolf’s agitation still evident. “I brought her food.”
“Food?” I repeated, confusion momentarily replacing my anger.
“Yes,” Matthew confirmed, keeping his eyes on me rather than Lucas. “Spicy food. I made it
myself.”
I frowned, struggling to make sense of his explanation. “Spicy food? Celeste prefers
moon–blessed pastries from the Silver Creek bakery.”
A strange expression crossed Matthew’s face–something between surprise and pity. “No, she
doesn’t.”
“What are you talking about?” I demanded. “I’ve sent her those pastries countless times. She’s always accepted them.”
“She accepts them,” Matthew said carefully, “but she doesn’t eat them. She gives them to Nina
or Eleanor.”
The revelation hit me like a physical blow. My wolf whined softly in confusion.
“She told me herself,” Matthew continued, his voice gentler now. “She actually dislikes pastries. What she loves is spicy food–the hotter the better. She mentioned that during her time in Moon Shadow Prison, someone smuggled hot sauce to her once. It was the only bright spot in months of darkness.”
I stood frozen, processing this information. How could I have been so wrong about something so simple?
“I spent hours learning to make these dishes,” Matthew explained. “I wanted to deliver them early because I was worried they’d get cold. I know I shouldn’t have entered her private quarters without proper permission. That was my mistake, and I take full responsibility.”
His wolf’s aura radiated sincerity as he faced Lucas again. “But I swear on my warrior’s oath, there was nothing dishonorable in my actions. I respect Celeste too much for that.”
Lucas seemed taken aback by Matthew’s earnestness. “The pack guards-”
“The pack guards saw what they wanted to see,” Matthew cut him off. “A male wolf leaving female quarters at dawn. But their assumptions, and yours, were wrong.”
3/5
+8 Points
Chapter 182: A Misunderstandin…
The room fell into heavy silence. Lucas’s wolf retreated slightly, his certainty visibly shaken.
“Why did you go to her so early?” I finally asked, my voice sounding strange even to my own
ears.
Matthew’s expression softened. “I knew she’d been confined to her quarters as punishment. I
thought she might appreciate something to brighten her morning.”
Another silence, longer this time. The implications of Matthew’s actions and explanations
hung in the air between us.
I needed to know. The question burned in my throat, demanded release.
“Matthew,” I said, my voice carefully controlled, “are you in love with her?”
Lucas’s head snapped up, his eyes widening at my directness. Matthew tensed, his wolf
retreating as if seeking shelter from my gaze.
After a deep breath, he met my eyes. “Yes,” he admitted, his wolf’s aura radiating nothing but
sincerity. “I am.”
His confession hit me harder than I expected. My white wolf whined softly, a sound of distress
I couldn’t fully suppress.
“She rejected me,” Matthew added quietly. “Said I deserved someone who wouldn’t bring
trouble to my life.”
I barely registered his words, too caught in my own revelation. Celeste didn’t like pastries. All this time, I’d been sending her something she didn’t even enjoy.
I remembered her smiles when accepting the boxes, the polite thanks she’d offered. I’d interpreted her distance afterward as rejection of me, of what we once had–never considering she simply didn’t like what I’d given her.
What else had I misunderstood? What other signs had I misread or ignored completely?
The realization that I had been mistaken about something so fundamental about Celeste shook me deeply. If I hadn’t known her preference in food, what else had I failed to see? What other parts of her had changed while I remained fixated on the Celeste I remembered from
before?
My wolf paced anxiously within me as a disturbing thought formed. After four years in Moon Shadow Prison, after all she’d endured, had I ever truly tried to know her again?
Or had I simply projected my memories onto the woman she’d become, too afraid to face the reality that she might have changed beyond recognition?
