Lucian sighed deeply, rubbing his temple as though her words had physically tired him. “I wasn’t planning on having a full-blown argument tonight,” he muttered. His gaze sharpened as he leaned forward, his tone softening but his presence still commanding. “It’s not because you’re a rogue, Isla.”
She raised an eyebrow, unconvinced. “Oh, really? Then what is it? Because from where I’m standing, that seems like a pretty convenient excuse.”
Lucian chuckled softly, a low, almost mocking sound. “Convenient? No. It’s the furthest thing from convenient. Do you know how much harder everything would be if I brought you into this mess? The pack would riot, the elders would lose their minds, and my mother—” He paused, shaking his head with a bitter smile. “She’d make it her personal mission to destr
