Marked By the Pureblood Alpha (Deanna and Luis) novel Chapter 167

**The Heart I Buried for You by Serene Lockwood**
**The Results Are In**

**Deanna’s POV:**

“Pervert!” I hissed under my breath, my eyes narrowing into slits as I shot him a glare that could have melted steel. The audacity of Luis was infuriating, yet there was an undeniable thrill in our banter that kept me on edge.

Luis, always the provocateur, merely arched an eyebrow, his smirk unrepentant and infuriatingly charming. “You’re the one who started it,” he quipped, his voice laced with teasing calmness that only heightened my irritation.

I huffed, feeling the heat of embarrassment creep up my cheeks. “I didn’t do anything!”

He leaned closer, his voice dripping with a lazy confidence that sent my heart racing. “Oh, come on. You were teasing me.”

I bit down on my lip, the warmth in my ears intensifying as I shoved him away, desperately trying to regain some semblance of control over my emotions.

As I glanced back at Luis, the weight of unspoken words pressed heavily on my chest. For days, I had wrestled with my thoughts, wanting to let go of the nagging questions that plagued me, but now, an undeniable urge surged within me to confront him.

“Why haven’t you come home the past few days?” I asked, my voice steadier than I felt, a hint of vulnerability threading through my words.

Luis’s expression shifted, curiosity flickering in his eyes as his lips curled into a slight smile. “What’s wrong? Are you upset because I didn’t keep you company?”

Taking a deep breath, I summoned the courage to voice my vulnerability, feeling the weight of my emotions crash over me. “That night during the storm, I actually… really wanted you to come home.”

At my admission, I noticed a sudden change in Luis. His eyes darkened, and an almost palpable shift in his demeanor enveloped us, wrapping us in an unexpected intimacy.

After a moment of tense silence, he finally spoke, his tone more serious than before. “Mrs. Eaton has been sick these past few days. I had to stay with her.”

Surprise washed over me, flooding my senses. I hadn’t anticipated that explanation at all; it caught me off guard in a way that left me momentarily speechless.

Being a member of the Mooncrown Pack, the only pure-blood werewolf pack in Lycanland, I understood that they kept their internal matters tightly under wraps, fiercely guarding against those who might seek to exploit their vulnerabilities.

Yet here was Luis, standing before me, openly sharing his concerns and responsibilities, as if he trusted me completely with his burdens.

I lowered my gaze, a soft sound of agreement escaping my lips, feeling a strange warmth spread through me.

Luis chuckled softly, breaking the tension that had settled between us. “So petty. I guess I’ll have to report my whereabouts to you all the time from now on.”

**Third-person POV:**

Meanwhile, Zelena’s heart was heavy with concern as she returned to work after her father’s discharge from the hospital. She felt a mix of relief and worry, knowing that while her father was home, her friend Deanna was struggling under the weight of her own challenges.

Watching Deanna push herself to the brink, a wave of guilt washed over Zelena. She couldn’t shake the feeling that she should be doing more to support her friend.

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