His Stray

Chapter 18

Seven years prior

Lucas woke to a soft tapping. For a second he couldn’t figure out where he was. The bed smelled like sun-warmed sheets and something sweet that made his chest tighten. Then he realized it was Celia’s bed. He was curled up on his side, half tangled in her blanket, still wearing the clothes from yesterday.

His mom and dad had another fight the night before, the memories filtering back into his mind. The yelling, the sound of his father’s hand connecting with his mother’s face, her cries. He had run out before he could overhear anything else.

His eyes slid to Celia. She was fast asleep next to him, her blonde hair spilling over her pillow, one hand tucked under her cheek. Her face looked so peaceful it made something funny twist in his stomach.

That was new. He’d slept beside Celia too many times to count as little kids. It had never made him feel… weird. But now his chest felt tight and his throat dry. His eyes dropped to where her nightshirt had ridden up a little, exposing a strip of soft skin at her waist. Heat flared in his cheeks. He jerked his eyes away, angry at himself for even noticing.

Another tap hit the window, sharper this time. Lucas sat up fast, careful not to wake Celia. He padded over and eased up the old wooden sash.

Landon stood outside, hair messy, arms crossed over his chest. Even at fifteen, Landon looked bigger than most of the grown warriors. His eyes swept over Lucas and narrowed.

“You need to get back to the pack house before people wake up,” Landon said, voice low.

Lucas frowned. “What are you doing here?”

“Looking for you. You weren’t in your bed,” Landon shot back. “And when you’re not where you’re supposed to be, guess who Dad blames first.”

Lucas’s stomach twisted. He ducked his head. “Sorry.”

Landon’s eyes flicked past him, catching sight of Celia still asleep in the bed. His jaw clenched. “You can’t keep doing this, Luke.”

“Doing what?” Lucas bristled. “I just needed somewhere to go last night.”

“I know,” Landon sighed, sounding older than fifteen. “I know what happened. But you can’t keep sneaking into Celia’s bed. You’re not little kids anymore. People will start to wonder.”

Lucas scowled. “Who cares what they think?”

“You will when it gets back to Dad,” Landon muttered. His expression softened, just slightly. “Look, I’m not saying stop being her friend. Just… be smart. You’re both growing up. You can’t be sharing beds anymore.”

Lucas shifted uncomfortably, glancing back at Celia. Something about the way her hair spilled over the pillow made his stomach flip again. He shook it off. “You’re making it weird. She’s my best friend.”

Landon arched an eyebrow. “Is that all she is?”

Lucas let out a short laugh. “Come on. Don’t be gross.”

“Not being gross. Just asking.” Landon studied him, his eyes annoyingly sharp. “Because it’ll only get harder if you keep pretending it’s nothing.”

Lucas opened his mouth to argue but couldn’t find the words. Was it really nothing? He still remembered how his heart had beat too fast when Celia hugged him last night. How it felt different from all the other times.

“Get back before Dad sends someone looking,” Landon finally said, pushing gently at Lucas’s shoulder. “I’ll cover for you if I have to.”

Lucas ducked out the window, landing lightly on the grass. He cast one last look at Celia through the glass, then nodded to his brother.

“Thanks,” he muttered.

“Just be careful, okay?” Landon’s voice was low. “With her and with yourself.”

Lucas walked off toward the pack house, his stomach knotted up in ways he didn’t understand. For the first time, he wondered what it would mean if Celia was more than just his friend. And why the idea both thrilled and terrified him.

**

“Lucas is definitely the hottest,” Teegan declared, leaning closer to the mirror to smear on more lip gloss, a bright pink that matched her heavy eyeshadow.

“You only say that because he’s the alpha’s son,” Ava muttered, slouched against the sink. Her eyes rolled so far back Celia was surprised they didn’t stick that way.

Celia tried to ignore them, scrubbing her hands under the cold water. Her stomach twisted. She never liked being in the bathroom when Teegan and Ava were there. They always found something or someone to pick at.

“Well, if I had to pick out of the alpha’s sons, I’d pick Landon,” Teegan said. She capped the gloss and popped her lips. “But he’s fifteen. He’s not going to go for someone our age.”

“Landon is definitely hotter than Lucas,” Ava agreed. She fluttered her hands near her face like she was fanning herself. “So tall, and that hair.”

“Celia!” Teegan’s voice cut through the space, sharp and playful in a way that always made Celia’s skin crawl. “Who do you think is hotter?”

Celia jumped, nearly dropping the paper towel she was using. “What?”

Teegan and Ava exchanged a look, then grinned like wolves spotting a rabbit.

“You were listening,” Ava teased. “Don’t pretend you weren’t. So tell us. Which one of the alpha’s sons would you pick? Not that either of them would ever pick you.”

Celia’s cheeks flamed hot. Her heart sped up for a reason she didn’t want to examine too closely, thoughts flickering back to just two nights ago. Lucas had snuck into her room, crawled into her bed like he used to when they were small. Only it didn’t feel the same. Her whole body had felt wired, aware of every breath he took next to her, of the warmth of his skin when their shoulders touched.

She bit her lip.

“Well?” Teegan pressed, arms folding across her chest. “Come on. It’s not like it matters. Someone like you doesn’t exactly stand a chance.”

Celia looked at the floor. “I guess… Landon,” she mumbled. It wasn’t really true. She just wanted them to stop looking at her.

“Ha!” Ava crowed, elbowing Teegan. “Told you. Everyone thinks Landon’s hotter.”

Teegan flipped her hair over her shoulder. “Well, good. That leaves Lucas for me.”

They started giggling like it was the funniest thing in the world. Celia just crumpled up her paper towel and tossed it into the trash, eager to get out of there.

As she walked to class, she couldn’t stop thinking about Lucas. About how he had breathed out her name in the dark when he thought she was asleep. About how it made her stomach twist in a way that had nothing to do with embarrassment.

She shook herself and tried to focus on the hallway ahead. It was silly. Lucas was her best friend. He always had been. Whatever weird feelings bubbled up sometimes, she was sure they would go away.

At least, that was what she told herself.