Chapter 64

The following week at school feels like it drags on forever.

That’s probably because Lucas and I aren’t able to train due to the cold weather that’s raging on, and the fact that all of the students at Shadow High have been busy with finals to mark the end of the winter semester.

As dreadful as this week has been in all my classes, I’ve been looking forward to the vacation at the beach house which is next week.

James has been excited too, and every time I see him he’s gushing about how he can’t wait to spend all day on the beach.

Normally, I didn’t go outside too often because the hot weather didn’t agree with me but hearing him talk about it so much made me want to go.

Even Lucas seemed excited, which was funny considering he wasn’t happy to be going with just Victoria at first.

But as much as Lucas may not have wanted to go, I felt like he deserved some time away from his father and the business. I could tell that things had been weighing on him lately, especially after the argument he had with his father.

Since the boys were going to the beach house next week, they would be missing hockey. Lucas was anxious about that too since he wouldn’t be in charge of the team, and they would be missing their two best players.

James told me he thinks that the other Dragon players will be just fine without them for five days, but seeing the stress on Lucas’s face told me that he thought otherwise.

Honestly, I thought the Dragons would be fine, too. They were a great team, and they would be able to train just fine without Lucas there for a few days.

I think he just felt an obligation to the team as their captain. He felt like he had to constantly keep an eye on them, and ensure that they were training properly.

“Dude, you gotta let the guys breathe sometimes and stop breathing down their necks,” James had complained to him the other day at lunch.

“I don’t breathe down their necks,” Lucas defended himself.

James just answered by raising his brows and plopping a French fry in his mouth.

I thought about that conversation as I folded clothes into a suitcase in my bedroom.

The trip was only three days away now, but I had already started to slowly pack things. I didn’t like doing things last minute, and this trip had been taking over every inch of head space.

It’s all that I could think about.

There was a knock at my door, and when I turned around to see who it was, I saw my father leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed over his chest.

“What are you up to?” he asked, looking at the suitcase resting on my bed. “Packing already?”

“Thought I’d get a head start and figure out what outfits I want to bring.” I folded a pair of shorts in my hands. “It’s better than doing it last minute.”

“That’s very practical of you,” My father took a step into my room. “So, who’s all going on this trip? You still haven’t told me much about it.”

“Lucas, James, me…” I listed off. When it came to mentioning Victoria, I felt hesitant.

My father didn’t know Lucas had a fiancée, and I had a feeling he would take that news the exact way I did— with shock and confusion.

“That’s all?” my father asked.

“Uh, this girl named Victoria is also coming,” I said, trying to look away from his stare.

“Oh, that’s nice. Is she a new friend of yours?”

“Actually.” I bit my lip, meeting my father’s gaze again. “She’s Lucas’s fiancée…”

“Fiancée?” My father’s eyes widened. “Did you just say—”

“Yup!” I quipped, slamming my arms down on either side of my body. “Lucas has a fiancée! Surprise!”

“Wow…” My father sat down on the corner of my bed, resting his hands on his knees. Clearly, he had to take a minute to process this.

“It’s okay,” I said, patting his back with my hand. “I had the same exact reaction.”

“When did he get engaged?” My father asked. “I feel like I would’ve found out at work somehow, I mean, I do work for his father… but I never heard anything about an engagement.”

“I think it’s been a secret… family arrangement,” I said, trying to word it as best as I could.

I still didn’t even really understand how Lucas’s engagement came to be.

“Oh…” My father went silent as if suddenly understanding what I meant. “So, Lucas doesn’t wish to be engaged?”

“No.” I shook my head. “His father has some kind of arrangement with Victoria’s family. They’re both from high-class Alpha families. I’m pretty sure her family is also very successful.”

“That’s a shame,” my father sighed, genuinely looking pained. “Nobody should be forced to marry someone they don’t want to.”

“Victoria isn’t the warmest cup of tea either,” I confessed. “I’ve only met her once, but she’s incredibly cruel and rude.”

“Really?”

I nodded. “She kind of reminds me of Jessica sometimes.”

At the mention of Jessica’s name, my father’s face falls. “Oh, Shana. Are you sure you want to be spending five days with someone like that?”

“Lucas and James already told me they have my back,” I assured him. “Plus, I’m not afraid of her. I can defend myself if I need to.”

“Well, it makes me feel better that Lucas and James have offered you their protection. They’re good guys.”

“They are,” I agreed.

Both of them were protective over me, and I appreciated that they would go to lengths to make me feel safe and comfortable.

“Just be careful around this girl,” my father warned me. His eyes were soft as he looked upon my face. “Is she aware of your close friendship with Lucas?”

“She knows,” I said, but honestly, I couldn’t be sure if Victoria knew the full extent of our friendship. I don’t know if Lucas ever mentioned it to her. “Actually, I’m not sure.”

“Well, if this Victoria has feelings for Lucas, it would be best for you to be cautious. Girls can get very jealous.”

I laughed, throwing my hands on my hips. “What? Guys can’t get jealous, too?”

“I never said that.” My father smiled. “This one time, I went on a date with your mother and this man was trying to get her phone number right in front of me… I don’t think I’ve ever felt jealousy like that before.”

Even though it wasn’t a funny memory, I felt a grin take over my face at the mention of my parent’s relationship. “Really? What did mom do?”

“She just laughed in his face,” my father’s smile widened even further. “That made all of my jealousy go away.”

A pang of sadness hits me. “I miss her.”

“I know your mother and I eventually divorced, but she was the love of my life,” my father confessed as lines of worry covered his forehead. “I miss her every single day.”

I took my father’s hand and gave it a squeeze. He squeezed my hand back just as tightly.

“You’re strong and confident, just like her Shana,” he said. “Don’t ever let anyone diminish the way you shine.”

“I won’t,” I promised, giving his hand one last squeeze before letting go.