99 Times for Alpha’s Bestie novel Chapter 48

He glanced at the piece of candy in his palm, his expression unreadable. Was he remembering when we would sneak into his father’s office and take them from the dish on the desk for guests?

I was analyzing him as he did. I had never seen someone think so intensely about such a small gesture.

Instead of eating it, he rolled it in his hand, staring down as if deep in thought.

The car fell silent again.

I couldn’t figure out why Kian shot me a frantic look; it felt as if he were trying to signal me to stay quiet. But why? If Lucien had a sore throat, the candy would help alleviate it.

Then he turned to the driver. “Please stop at the next traffic light. Ms. Reese will be exiting the car immediately.”

Sensing Kian’s anxiety, my heart began to race. What’d I do wrong?

I began to recount what I had done since entering the car, and couldn’t think of anything that was out of order and inappropriate.

Over the years, I had heard countless rumours about Lucien. He was a modern–day boogie man story, striking fear in the hearts of the majority of the wolfen community. The Royals never interfered with the Crown of Thrones pack business, as long as no other packs raised issues or they broke severe laws.

Now he was the undisputed leader of the Crown of Thorne’s pack. No one wanted to be on the receiving end of this pack’s wrath; many fought tooth and claw to become allied to them because of how deep their contacts were.

His personality was erratic, cruel, and ruthless.

Last night, he had shoved a broken beer bottle down the flirty she–wolves throat, which was just one of many horrific acts he had committed. No one intervened or tried to help the she–wolf. The Cruz family was almost, in a sense, numb to it.

But then again, I had heard even more terrifying stories about him.

“Why?“Lucien’s asked in cold voice. He casually propped one leg up, leaning back in his seat as he popped the candy into his mouth.

I stared at him, unsure what to expect. My attention zeroed in on watching his lips press together and his throat move as he chewed.

Suddenly, his eyes darkened, filled with disdain.

“This doesn’t taste anything like the old days.” His tone was filled with disappointment and disgust as he spoke.

I paused for a moment before replying with a faint smile, “Nothing gold can stay, pony boy.” I teased, referencing something we would say whenever one of us was disappointed in our youth. I mentally facepalmed myself as I realized what I blurted out. “The old brand is out of production. This is the closest I could find.”

Lucien’s jaw ticked. “Is that so?”

Lucien’s voice was low and magnetic, devoid of any inflection, making it difficult to discern whether he was pleased or angry.

Since I couldn’t read his mood anymore, I decided to reflect on the past. “Yeah, nothing stays the same. People change, too.”

Lucien narrowed his eyes, finally taking a good look at me after all these years.

I sat quietly, had my long hair tied up in a ponytail, a few strands falling loosely around my face. I knew my features were striking, and the lilac dress I wore accentuated my slender waist, falling to my ankles, paired with light–coloured heels.

Lucien stared at me for what felt like a long time, then tugged at his collar, trying to ease the sudden heat rising within him.

“So, what happened? You were so sure back then. Why did you reject your Goddess–given mate? Isn’t that what you always wanted?“His tone dripped with sarcasm.

Back then, I had married young, partly out of love for Liam but mostly to escape Lucien’s grasp.

I knew if I were mated to another Alpha, Lucien would leave me be.

If he hadn’t shadowed me throughout my college years, mocking and belittling me, I might not have rushed into accepting Liam. I never wanted to be mated to an Alpha. I knew that being wolfless, I would be viewed as lesser, but they were often overbearing, and I wanted some semblance of control over my own life.

I frowned, feeling the familiar psychological scars surface. I squeezed my fingers for a moment before saying, “When the feelings fade, it’s natural to part ways.”

“But you were in deep love. Isn’t that what you were running around telling anyone who’d listen?” Lucien scoffed, lowering his eyelashes, his gaze suddenly falling on the compartment beside his seat. His long, pale fingers tapped the leather armrest, his emotions still unreadable.

“That was history. You and I were close, too, weren’t we? Nothing lasts, men says find reasons to pull away and leave emotionally, I just seem to do the physical leaving for them.” I forced a bitter smile.

As soon as I finished speaking, I felt a shiver run through my body.

I knew that mentioning our past was like poking a bear. I subtly called him out for the deep freeze he threw me in based on his perception of things, but that didn’t make it the truth. He never wanted to hear the truth.

I survived life with the Sterling Alpha family for years, alone; I wouldn’t treat Lucien like a shadow of my past, nor would I fear him like a monster people whisper him to be.

Bang!

It was like I had said something wrong. Lucien slammed his foot down on the seat in front of him. The loud noise startled Kian, who was up front with the driver, and he jumped in his seat as if shot in the back, fear evident in both the man’s eyes.

Lucien suddenly leaned forward, opening the compartment beside him.

He turned and thrust a black gun directly at my temple.

My heart raced.

The car fell into a deafening silence.

I saw the fear in Kian’s eyes. I knew he wanted to speak; he wanted to shout and beg Lucien not to kill me, but he couldn’t. This was his Alpha. You never question your Alpha.

Judging by Kian’s fear, I knew this was most likely not the first gun Lucien pulled on a passenger in the car, but I would be the first one to not beg for mercy.

I held my breath, my clear eyes locked onto Lucien’s enchanting gaze, filled with trust and devoid of fear.

The cold muzzle of the gun slid from my temple to my eye.

I remained still, my body frozen. I didn’t want to die, but I wasn’t afraid. If this were my end, then so be it. At least I died free.

A smile lingered on my lips, as if lost in memories.

“If killing me would bring back the old you, I would gladly let you do it. You know, I’ve been living in pain from the memories, too. I often dream of us as kids, lying on the roof watching meteor showers, when you wished for my happiness. However, I haven’t been happy at all over the years. If I could, I would love to go back to when I first arrived in the Crown of Thrones pack.”

Lucien’s smile faltered.

He stared intently into my eyes, still as clear as he remembered, and childhood memories flashed through his mind.

He could pull the trigger and end my life in an instant.

Yet, his hand hesitated.

Why?