Chapter 27

Violet

Lucas hesitated, glancing away. For a moment, I could almost see his thoughts racing, as if he was debating how much he dared to reveal.

“I asked you a question. What did you mean by that?”

Lucas's gaze burned into me. He set his jaw. I glanced at Theodore. I could see the rage brewing in him, but before I could speak, Lucas lunged forward, hands reaching out as if he could close the distance by sheer will.

But he didn’t anywhere. The warriors shoved him back, but there was something else that pushed him even further back, an almost invisible force that threw him back and to the ground. I doubt anyone noticed, but I did and filed it away for investigation later. I walked down the steps, ignoring the warning glint in his eyes.

“Get him on his feet,” I said.

The warriors dragged him up and held him in place, but they remained between me and him. It was touching. Just the other day, I thought they would never accept me, and here they were defending me with such ferocity.

I stopped at the base of the stairs. Lucas pushed and pulled against them. His hands clenching and unclenching as he looked at me, something wild in his expression.

“Violet,” he said, his voice cracking. “Violet, please! We’re fated. You and I—we were meant to be! You can’t just—”

“You have never had the right to tell me what I can and can’t do.” I scoffed. “And all I’ve done is move on.”

“Come back to me, Violet. You know I love you. You know we’re fated. Just like your parents.”

I stared at him, feeling that old, gnawing ache twist into something colder, thinking back to all the time he’d said that exact phrase. Had he ever actually told me that he loved me?

“The only reason I'm not killing you right now for having the gall to compare yourself to my father is because I haven't had breakfast yet, and I'd rather not waste another iota of strength on you.” I narrowed my eyes and clenched my fists, making sure my knuckles popped in a threatening manner. “I suggest you take the grace of your timing. It won’t stop me next time if you ever breathe a word of my parents again.”

He paled. My expression must have been colder than I thought because he shrunk back, and the warriors holding him looked impressed.

“Leave, Lucas, before he exercises his right to kill you.” I glared at him. “Or I do.”

Theodore grinned. “I would never allow you to get your hands dirty like that, my luna.”

“Violet, please, you can’t deny the truth. We’re still— I know you can still feel me. We’re still connected.”

“Only because you were too much of a coward to face me at temple and break our bond like you had a shred of honor.” I set my jaw. “After everything you’ve done, you still had the nerve to come here. I stop expecting you to uphold any promise you made to me the night of the party. I’d suggest you get back to Nora and keep working on that son and daughter you promised her.”

His jaw dropped open. I snarled at him.

“Don't ever come back here, or I'll have him shoot you on sight.” I scoffed and turned back. “Release him.”

I heard him stumble. “Wait! What about your people?”

I looked back at him. “The amount of damage you could possibly do right now is so minimal that I'm not worried about it. You'll make them uncomfortable, and perhaps by the end of it, they’ll learn too not to bite the hand that feeds them.”

His eyes were full of desperation. “B-But—”

“You heard her,” the warriors said, shoving him back. “Get going and drive slowly.”

“You can't do this. I know you still care about them I'll do a lot more than just make them uncomfortable if you don't come back with me.”

I stopped at the foot of the stairs. I didn’t bother to look at him. I looked at Theodore. He cocked an eyebrow.

“Actually, before you go we need some information from you,” I smirked. “ what's the name of your lawyer? The Twining River lawyer, to be specific.”

He sputtered. “You– I'm still Alpha of Darkmoon.”

“Galeas works on retainer,” I smirked. “You don't have the money to pay him, and why would I authorize payment for him to work for you?”

I turned to look at him with a smirk. “Especially in an assault case?”

He stammed.

“Theodore, do you think they would count it under domestic assault?”

He chuckled. “I’m sure the lawyers will make a case for it.”

“Good. I have plans for that money.” I paused. “Well, given Twining Rivers’ monetary situation, it's more likely I have plans for that land…”

Theodore laughed. I gestured vaguely over my shoulder. “You should have spent your time enjoying the battle you won, Lucas, rather than showing up here. I’m not sure how much time you have left to work on those offspring before you’ll be too destitute to support them or yourself.”

“That’s not going to happen! There’s no way the Courts—”

"I’m sure you can make your argument to your lawyer. The court summons will be on its way to Twining River soon. If there’s any decency left in you, if you ever actually loved me, you won’t make this any more difficult than it has to be.”

Theodore’s eyes flickered. He came close to me and wrapped his arm around me.

“Breakfast should be done soon.” He smiled. “Why don’t you head inside and I’ll take out the trash.”

“I’m not leaving without you!” Lucas yelled.

I clenched my jaw. Theodore’s steady gaze was still on me. Anger and resentment brewed in my chest at his words.

"Don’t kill him. He needs to show up in court."

Theodore grinned. “Of course not. I want him to suffer for a good long while.”

He turned away. “Put him in his car and escort him away, I—”

The sound of a car crunching over the gravel drew my attention.

“The fucking nerve of people,” Theodore growled.

I turned back to see who it was as the door opened. Nora stepped out, looking frail and distressed, her eyes darting between Lucas and me. Lucas turned back.

“Nora?”

She sniffled and rushed to him, clinging to him pathetically. He wrapped his arms around her as she looked up at him with tear-filled eyes.

“What are you doing here?” Lucas asked.

"I—I had to come," she said, her voice shaking. "Lucas, I didn’t know how to tell you, but…I’m pregnant."

My gut plummeted. My whole body grew stiff. Surprise flashed across Lucas’ face. A sharp pain tore through my heart, searing me, turning the resentment in me bitter and furious. Seven years of hoping for a child, for a family with him, and nothing. And now, Nora was pregnant in less than a month? The Goddess was either on my side in every possible way or unspeakably cruel.

"Nora, you shouldn’t have traveled. Why would you risk coming here?”

“I was just so scared,” she said, her voice more of a whine. “With… With everything. My father and…”

I smirked, understanding what was happening. I almost laughed. I almost felt bad for her. She didn’t seem to understand who Lucas really was at heart. I suppose those promises of children never came with a promise of marriage. How that marrying her wouldn't get him anything financially speaking? He glanced at me, looking almost sheepish. I cocked an eyebrow at him and smirked.

“Would her being pregnant at this time help my case, Theodore?”

He chuckled. “Immensely.”

Lucas turned back to her.

"We’ll figure this out. Don’t worry. I’ll take care of everything. You just… Just head back, okay."

“Take note of the license plate,” I said to Theodore. “You’ll need it for damages.”

Theodore gently pulled me closer, resting my head against his shoulder.

"Take your little whore and leave," he said coldly, "or I’ll exercise my right to kill you for trespassing."

“No,” I murmured, feeling the bile rise in my throat as Lucas held Nora protectively. “Not with the child on the way.”

Theodore’s gaze shifted to mine, cold and certain. "The child would be better off without a father like him."

“Maybe,” I said loftily. “But I won’t have that on my conscience either. Just fine him for every minute he’s still here.”

Lucas’s face twisted into anger. He flushed, and his arm tightened around Nora.

"Don’t think for a second you’ve won, Violet. Your people are the ones that are going to pay the price. I’m going to start with Lily’s family if you don’t come back with me.”

I laughed at his stupidity, but my stomach turned at the thought. She confirmed that she and her family had moved out of Darkmoon, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t find her.

“I can take in your people if they’re willing to come to Midnight.”