Chapter 4

“Are you sure you’re ready?” Luke’s voice was calm, yet it carried an undeniable weight. We were sitting in the corner of the bar, and I could feel his gaze, steady and collected.

“I’m ready,” I said, though a part of me felt unsettled. This plan, as ridiculous as it seemed, was the only way forward.

Luke smiled faintly, seemingly pleased with my decision. “Good. Over the next few days, we’ll make Alpha Ryan realize what it feels like to lose you.”

I nodded, feeling a strange mix of anger and anticipation. We’d begun the “fake boyfriend” plan, making Alpha Ryan see me with someone else to ignite jealousy, but I didn’t expect the emotions that would follow.

Over the next several days, Luke and I spent more time together. We went to restaurants, attended social events, and acted like a couple. Each time, Alpha Ryan would show up, his gaze becoming colder with every passing day. I could see the jealousy beginning to build in his eyes, and part of me felt a bitter satisfaction. Yet, as our interactions with Luke increased, something about him began to unsettle me. He wasn’t just a carefree rogue.

Luke seemed to understand wolf pack politics better than anyone I knew. He spoke knowledgeably about our pack’s history, showing a level of authority and leadership that made me pause. The way he carried himself, with a sense of control and understanding of power, didn’t align with the image of a rogue.

One evening, we were at his apartment, and as I glanced at his bookshelf, I noticed several books about wolf pack history and even old scrolls. I picked one up, staring at the title. “These are all about wolf packs?”

Luke didn’t answer immediately. He put down his glass and looked at me, his expression unreadable. “I’m interested in wolf pack history,” he said, his voice steady. “There’s more to it than you realize.”

I furrowed my brow. “What do you mean? More to it than I realize?”

He shrugged. “Some people aren’t what they seem.”

I remained silent for a moment, considering his words. There was something about Luke that didn’t sit right with me. He knew too much about wolf culture, too much about pack politics. It was unsettling.

We spent the next few days together, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more to Luke than he let on. One night, after a particularly quiet walk, I asked him, “Were you ever an Alpha?”

His eyes flickered, as though surprised by my question. “How did you know?”

I stared at him, unsure of where this conversation was heading. “I could tell. You carry yourself like one. You understand pack dynamics... more than just a rogue.”

He looked at me for a long moment, his expression changing to something more serious. “Yes, I was once an Alpha. I led a pack, but circumstances forced me to leave.”

I froze. “You were an Alpha?”

Luke nodded, his gaze distant. “Yes. But now, I’m just a rogue, with no pack to call my own.”

I couldn’t stop the questions that filled my mind. “Why? Why would you leave a pack? Why choose this life?”

Luke sighed, and his voice grew colder. “Some choices aren’t made lightly. Some decisions can’t be taken back. You don’t need to know everything.”

I looked at him, trying to make sense of it all. His demeanor, his calm control—it didn’t match the life of a rogue. His past, the way he moved through the world, felt like someone who had once held power, and power like that doesn’t just vanish.

“Why are you helping me?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

He didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he looked at me with a gaze that seemed to weigh every word. “Because you remind me of what I used to have. What I lost,” he said quietly.

I was stunned. “You’re helping me because I remind you of something you’ve lost?”

He smiled faintly, but there was no warmth in it. “I lost something a long time ago. And now, I see an opportunity to change things.”

I stared at him, suddenly more unsure than ever. Luke’s past, his authority, and his control were starting to unravel in my mind. He wasn’t just the “fake boyfriend” I had assumed him to be. There was so much more beneath the surface.

I felt drawn to him, and yet, there was something dangerous about him, something I couldn’t fully grasp.

“Do you think this is the right thing to do?” I asked, my voice soft.

Luke looked at me, his gaze unwavering. “I think it’s the only thing to do. For you, for me, and for Alpha Ryan.”

I swallowed hard. The line between right and wrong had blurred completely. I was playing a dangerous game, but at this moment, I wasn’t sure I cared.