99 Times for Alpha’s Bestie novel Chapter 151

“Brother, don’t-” I said the first thing I could think of to stop him; I wasn’t about to play this new game with him.

But before I could finish, his arm tightened around my waist.

“Claire, I told you. I’m not your brother. Just call me Lucien.” His eyes darkened, his voice laced with a dangerous edge.

“Enough with the games, Lucien. There’s no one here. You don’t have to pretend-” Flustered, I turned my face away.

“Pretend?” Lucien suddenly leaned in, our noses almost touching. “Do you think dinner was me putting on a show for Liam?” He pierced straight through my guarded thoughts. “That’s why you’re angry? Because you think I’m using you.”

The lake wind carried mist into the air, but it couldn’t disperse the heat sparking between us.

Pinned between his body and the railing, I could feel the warmth of his chest, even through my thin blouse.

I pushed weakly. “I’m not-”

“Shh.” His thumb pressed against my trembling lips. “Do you know what you just looked like?”

His lips brushed my ear, his voice low and rough. “A little cat with all its fur bristled. Claws out, pretending it isn’t scared.”

Laughter rang out nearby. A few couples approached, waving sparklers, their laughter breaking the moment.

Lucien had to release me as a result, and I took the opportunity to stumble away, putting a few steps between us.

Moonlight spilled silver across the lake, the waves beating steadily like a heart.

What was I doing? How could I let myself play such a dangerous game with Lucien? Hadn’t the mate bond and failed love already scarred me enough?

The cool air swept across my face, finally clearing the haze clouding my mind.

I gripped the railing, my nails digging into my palms.

Just then, Lucien caught my hand.

I yanked it free instantly, retreating two steps to put space between us.

“I think it’s better if we stay like step-siblings. If you can’t treat me like a sister, then we can be friends, but I won’t be a pawn in your game of push and pull.” I said, my eye’s drifting away to avoid meeting his gaze.

My words drew a clear line between us, slicing through the blurred tension.

For a split second, Lucien’s sharp eyes widened in surprise. Then, all traces of warmth vanished, swallowed by a chill so deep it seemed to freeze me in place.

“Hmmm-“A cold, mocking sound slipped from his lips.

In the next moment, he stepped back decisively and strode toward his car-his pace so firm and swift it made me feel like he never wanted to see me again.

My heart jolted. Had my words been too harsh, wounding him?

Our relationship had only just started to ease, and the most crucial thing in my life was still in his hands. From any angle, drawing a line or wounding him now would be nothing short of foolish.

‘What on earth was I thinking?’

Watching him walk further and further away, I stomped my foot in frustration, then hurried after him without thinking.

“Lucien! Wait-” I called, breathless, my voice tinged with regret. “That’s not what I meant!”

I tried to explain, fumbling for the right words. “I wasn’t rejecting you, and I wasn’t trying to push you away. It’s just-I really can’t handle anything else right now. I just rejected my true mate, I have nothing left, my career’s barely starting, and even everything in Calgary was stolen from me. How am I supposed to fight for anything? I wasn’t refusing you, I just—”

But Lucien didn’t so much as glance back. He kept striding forward, his legs too long, his pace too fast-l had to half-run to keep up.

My stomach muscles began to ache from the effort. Suddenly, he stopped short.

Caught off guard, I crashed right into his back.

“Ugh!” I let out a muffled cry, instinctively wrapping my arms around his waist to steady myself. The muscles beneath my hands were taut and firm, his narrow waistline clearly outlined, even through the thin fabric.

‘Wait-what am I even thinking?’

I snapped back to reality, quickly letting go, my cheeks burning with heat.

Lucien didn’t turn. His shoulders were faintly rigid, as though holding something back. In the shadows, the corner of his lips twitched upward, only to be pressed flat again.

When he finally faced me, his expression had returned to its usual sternness.

“Why explain so much?” He scoffed, “From the way you’re talking, it sounds like I’ve got some improper thoughts about you.”

I froze, my tongue stumbling. “I-uhhh…”

He gave a cold laugh, disdain flickering in his eyes. “I’ve seen people who overthink, but not to this extent.

Claire, you really love creating your own drama. Don’t flatter yourself, got it?”

I went rigid. Only then did it hit me he had never actually said anything outright. Those fleeting hints of intimacy were nothing but my own imagination.

And all that rambling confession earlier only made me look like the one flustered, the one chasing shadows.