A few hours later, when Jackson called for a break, Lucas strode to her, giving her a possessive kiss before sitting down next to her. They sat in silent contemplation, admiring the rolling hills of the countryside.
“I can see why you like it here.” It was so beautiful and quiet. She could imagine that in the spring it would be even more lovely. Out here, she could forget everything. Forget about the grittiness of the city and what was waiting for them. She didn’t have to think about her life, about Bianchi and— “Lucas!” She turned to him. “I almost forgot why I called you that night. Back in New York. I have to talk to you about—”
“Shhh.” Lucas was frowning at her. “Can we just wait until we get to New York?” He sighed. “I just … I just need this time.”
She stopped. Someone was trying to frame him, and she needed to protect him. But he’d also gone through a traumatic experience shifting in bloodlust, so she wanted to make sure he was better. She decided it could wait. In any case, by now, Bushnell would have checked out Lucas’s alibi and then there was nothing to worry about. “All right. We won’t talk about it.”
They worked along the property line finishing up the fence. By late afternoon it was all done, and they all went back to the house for some leisure time. Sofia and Lucas joined Lily in the kitchen to help prepare for dinner, and they ate another huge meal. Even though she didn’t really do any work, Sofia found herself eating a lot of food, almost as much as the hungry Lycans.
Lily and Astrid offered to do cleanup in the kitchen, shooing everyone away as they needed their privacy to catch up and gossip about family matters. They all went to the living room, where there was a nice, warm fire waiting for them.
Sofia cuddled up on the couch with Lucas while Noah and Jackson sat on the recliners, talking softly about what work was left to be done. Jordan, Austin, Jack, and Zac played cards. Austin was grinning maniacally as he kept winning round after round, and Jack kept accusing him of cheating.
“All right, kids,” Jordan declared, rolling her eyes. “I think it’s about time for bed.”
“Fine,” Jack grumbled. “But I’m not mucking out the stall tomorrow because you cheated.” She stuck her tongue out at her brother, then stomped away.
“You’re a card cheat,” Lucas said to Austin. “I don’t know how you do it, but you are.”
“What, me?” Austin said innocently, but the sparkle in his eyes told otherwise.
They all said their goodnights, even Noah. He lived in a cabin not far from the house, and before he got on his bike to drive home, promised he’d be here to say goodbye in the morning. Soon, Sofia and Lucas were all alone in the living room, the flames burning down to embers in the fireplace.
“Cold?” he asked, cuddling her closer.
“You’re like a furnace,” she declared.
“I could keep you warm.” His mouth turned up at the corners. “You won’t even need a coat next year.”
His words were teasing, but she stiffened in his arms at the implication of his words. “Lucas, I—”
“Sofia, I’ve never felt this way about anyone,” he began.
Her heart thudded in her chest. “You’re going to be leader of your clan, right?”
“Yes. I’m going to be Alpha of New York.”
She swallowed the growing lump in her throat. “And you need … I mean, you’ll need a Lupa. Like Jordan.” Who was a Lycan.
“It’s not a requirement for the position,” he said. “Though it’s preferable.”
She’d always thought that if she and Lucas ever had to part ways, it would be because things would just fizzle out. But she never guessed it would be because she simply wasn’t compatible with him, biologically. Both Jackson and Zac had called their respective wives “mates”, and she guessed that was a Lycan thing. It was something she could never be to Lucas, because she was human. “But you need a Lupa, so you could also have children who are—”
“Sofia, I love you.”
His words made her freeze, and the dry tightness in her throat made her it hard to speak. More than that though, she didn’t really know what to say.
“You don’t have to say it back, not if you don’t feel the same way.” His tone was patient, but tinged with disappointment.
“Lucas.” She placed her hands on his chest. “I do care about you.” That’s why she was here, wasn’t she? “I just … I just don’t know if … I’ve never felt that for anyone before and I don’t know what it’s like.” God, why was it so hard? She couldn’t even say the word out loud. This man had bared himself to her, his feelings and what he was. But she couldn’t say it back or admit it. Not when she knew how this would end. She could never be his mate or give him Lycan children. And that felt like a knife stabbing at her chest.
“It’s okay,” he soothed, pulling her to him. “We’ll take things as they go, okay?”
“Okay.” She let his scent and presence calm her and pushed all those ugly thoughts away. Like he said earlier, just for now, while they were in this beautiful place, they could forget about the reality that awaited them in New York.
Sofia wished they didn’t have to go back to New York. During dinner, Astrid had announced that the plane would be picking them up
