Veil of Secrets

Chapter Twenty-Six - I Never Wanted That

Two weeks had passed since that emotional conversation with Lucas, but things had started to shift-subtly at first, then all at once. Lucas, once patient and understanding, seemed more agitated these days. Every time someone so much as looked at me, I saw the tension ripple through him. He was constantly on edge, snapping at people over the smallest things, especially if Jaxon or Sebastian were anywhere near me.

It started with small comments, muttered under his breath when Jaxon would laugh at one of my jokes. Then it escalated. Lucas would growl whenever Sebastian shot me one of his sly smirks, and his fists would clench if another guy so much as said "hi" to me in the hallways.

I could see it eating him up, the jealousy, the frustration, and something else I couldn't quite put my finger on.

And now, here I was, standing on Lucas's doorstep, hoping to figure out what was going on. The jealousy wasn't just affecting him; it was affecting us-whatever "us" even meant.

I knocked lightly, half-hoping he wouldn't answer, but the door swung open, and a tall, broad figure appeared in front of me. He had Lucas's same dark hair and sharp features, but his eyes... they were a striking blue instead of hazel.

"Hey," I said hesitantly. "Um, is Lucas home?"

The guy gave me a once-over, his lips twitching as if he was amused by something. "You must be Aria," he said, almost too casually, like he knew more than he was letting on.

I blinked, taken aback. "How do you-?"

"I'm his brother, Marcus. Lucas talks about you. A lot," he added, stepping aside to let me in. "He's upstairs. Not in the best mood, though."

I swallowed hard, feeling a knot form in my stomach. "Thanks," I muttered, moving past him and making my way up the stairs.

As I approached Lucas's room, the usual surge of anticipation mixed with a growing sense of dread. I hesitated outside his door, the soft sound of stifled sobs reaching my ears. My heart clenched. Lucas... crying?

Without knocking, I slowly opened the door. There, sitting on the edge of his bed, was Lucas, his face buried in his hands. His broad shoulders shook, and the sight of him so vulnerable sent a wave of sadness crashing over me.

"Lucas..." I whispered softly, stepping into the room.

He didn't look up, but I could tell he heard me by the way his body stiffened. I moved toward him, instinct taking over as I wrapped my arms around him from behind. My cheek rested against his back, feeling the tension beneath his muscles.

"What's wrong?" I asked quietly, my voice soft as I held him close. "Lucas, please... tell me what's going on."

He took a shuddering breath, his hands falling into his lap. "I didn't want you to see me like this."

I tightened my hold on him, pressing myself closer. "It's okay. Just tell me. Whatever it is, you don't have to go through it alone."

For a long moment, he didn't say anything. Then, in a voice barely above a whisper, he finally spoke. "It's the mate bond, Ari."

The weight of his words hung in the air. I felt a pang in my chest as he continued.

"It's hurting me," he admitted, his voice raw with emotion. "Every time I see you with someone else, every time you're not near me... it feels like I'm being torn apart inside. But I don't want you to worry about it, okay? You don't have to do anything. I just need... I just need to be near you, and everything will be fine."

I could feel his pain radiating through his words, and it shattered something inside me. "Lucas, why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't want to make you feel guilty," he whispered. "I know this is overwhelming for you. I didn't want you to feel like you had to stay with me just because of the bond."

I shifted around him, sitting down beside him so I could look into his eyes. He finally met my gaze, his hazel eyes glossy with unshed tears, and the vulnerability I saw there was enough to make my heart break.

"I don't want you to hurt," I said softly, reaching out to brush away a tear that had escaped down his cheek. "I never wanted that."

Lucas closed his eyes at my touch, leaning into my hand as if he needed the connection to ground himself. "I'm sorry I've been so jealous. I know I've been a mess lately. I just-" He paused, his voice catching. "I can't help it. I don't want to lose you."

"You're not going to lose me," I promised, my voice filled with emotion. "Lucas, I care about you. A lot. And we'll figure this out together, okay?"

His eyes opened, searching mine as if he were looking for reassurance. "Do you mean that?"

I nodded, pulling him into a tight hug. "Of course I do. You're not alone in this."

We stayed like that for a while, wrapped up in each other's presence. The mate bond was a complicated thing, something I was still coming to terms with, but in that moment, all I cared about was being there for Lucas.

No matter how complicated things got, I wasn't going to let him carry the weight of it alone.