Chapter 109

Chapter 109

Skylar

Lucas breathes a laugh. “I have no idea of knowing that. What I do know, however, is that this isn’t the

future you want.

Lucian has taken over the world.”

I stare at him in disbelief. “He has?”

“Yup,” Lucas bends down to open a wooden drawer and I narrow my eyes when he picks up a bottle of

scotch as if he has done it a hundred times before.

“So you’re an alcoholist now?”

He replies without looking at me. “Lucian murdered my entire pack and family, Skylar. I have nothing

left, not even my powers. He stripped me of those, too, and now, I work a normal person job as a

detective. People come to me whenever they have demon problems.”

“Wait… but if you’re a human now, how the hell do you solve demon problems?”

“I’m not a human,” he growls. “I’m still a quadbrid, but my powers are sealed thanks to these bracelets.”

Lucas shows me his arms with a bitter look on his face. “They prevent me from using magic, such as

shape-shifting.”

“I…I see.” I blink at him. “And Lucian isn’t interested in killing you?”

Lucas laughs, but the sound is bitter. “That bastard wants to keep me alive so he can laugh at how

weak I am. For that exact reason, he kept my parents alive for five years in his prison cell, but they are

gone now.”

My heart clenches. The thought of Daisy and Xavier both being dead fills me with dread and sadness.

“What about Irma, Jaiden, and my parents?” I whisper.

Lucas casts his eyes aside. “All dead.” It immediately gets harder to breathe, but before the years can

come, Lucas stands up. “But if you’re from the past, I’m confident we can solve this. What’s your plan?”

Even though I’m equal parts sad and terrified, I somehow manage to straighten up. “Umm…well…I was

hoping to take me with me to the past, but I think my powers need to recharge? I’m not sure.”.

Lucas gives me a funny look before sighing with his head tilted and a charming smile on his. “I guess

taking you home to my apartment is our best option then.”

“Your place?” I ask, taken aback by this sudden invitation. It’s true that he is older now, but I’m still in

shock.

What do I do? Say yes? Lucas should be twenty-five right now while I’m nineteen. Does he expect

sex? Hell, are we even mates anymore? If I just disappeared, then the mate bond should still be there,

right?

“Yes, my place,” he replies, his blue and red eyes staring at me with such intensity that I find it hard to

look away. “I think it’s the safest place for you right now.”

I can’t disagree with him. I’m new in this time and although I don’t know Lucas anymore, I doubt he

would hurt me. We were sort of lovers in the past. But his feelings for me might be different now. He

might even have a girlfriend!

“Do you have a girlfriend?” The words burst out of me before I can stop them, my face flaming at the

sudden outburst.

Luca*’s eyebrows shoot up, amusement dancing in his eyes. “That’s your concern right now?” he

teases, a twinkle of his old

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Chapter 109

self in that grin. But then his grin fades, and he shakes his head. No, Skylar. I’ve got no one

A flicker of relief washes over me at his answer, but it’s quickly replaced by guilt for feeling that way

when Lucas is clearly suffering from so much loss.

He turns away from me then, reaching for the brown duffle bag testing up against the desk. He shoves

some papers into it hurriedly and then swings it over his shoulder with a grim determination, “We

should get going. I will cancel all of my other

interviews.”

I lift my eyes to his. Even though he isn’t much taller, I suspect he is at least 6’9 now, which makes

sense. If he was 6% at eighteen, then he would have had plenty of time to grow another inch.

I

“Okay,” I whisper, stepping towards him but stopping as I remember something. “Wait, my clothes.”

I gesture towards my sheep-printed pajamas, and Lucas*s eyes flicker with amusement once again.

“We can take care of that at my place,” he says nonchalantly, heading towards the staircase

It doesn’t take him very long to get rid of all the people waiting for their chance at an interview. Once he

is done, he leads me to a JEEP. He is kind enough to open the door but ducks his head to laugh when

he notices I’m barefoot and also too small to make the step.

“Need a lift?” he teases, and I can’t help but smile at his jesting tone. It feels good to see him not

looking so tormented, even if it’s only fleeting.

“That depends, I tell him. “Are you going to tease me all night if don’t make it on my own?”

He shrugs. “Maybe?”

I glare at him and he chuckles before picking me up. With surprising case, he hoists me up and into the

high seat of the SUV. He’s always been strong, but I’m shocked at just how effortlessly he lifts me, as if

I weigh nothing at all. He secures my seatbelt, his eyes freeze on my feet.

“You should have told me you had no shoes,” he growls, but I don’t think he is angry at me but at

himself. “I would have carried you to the car.”

I shrug dismissively, “It’s not that big of a deal, Lucas,” but my words don’t seem to alleviate his

frustration. There’s a bitter silence hanging in the air as he rounds the car and clambers into the

driver’s seat. As soon as he clears his throat, I can sense a lecture coming my way.

“Skylar, you need to take care of yourself,” he lectures, his voice gruff but full of concern. “What if there

were anything dangerous? Broken glass or nails?”

“I…” I start, then falter under his intense gaze. And even though it shouldn’t make me laugh, I can’t

help the laughter bubbling up my throat.

Luc*s’s eyes narrow. “What’s so funny?”

“Nothing.” I can’t stop smiling. “It’s just that you used to be such grumpy dork, and now…you’re all y

responsible. It’s…funny.”

grown up and

His eyes soften as more of my laughter ripples through the tension-filled air. He grunts at that, a

shadow of amusement crossing his face that makes me laugh louder.

“Oh, come on,” I say. “It’s funny.”

14

“I’m glad you find it funny, but I don’t. Not since the reason I had to grow up is..sad. My life changed

forever the day when.

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Chapter 109

you disappeared,” Lucas says, his voice tinged with regret and nostalgia. He glances at me, a shadow

of a smile gracing his lips. “But not everything changes, Skylar

The words hang in the air between us as he starts the car, filling the silence with the low of the engine.

He pulls out onto the deserted streets, and I’m left wondering what he meant Does he still like me?

As we drive in silence, I find my gaze drifting over to Lucas. He’s changed so much, and yet, there are

traces of the boy 1 knew in him. The way he clenches his jaw when he’s concentrating, the spark in his

eyes when he gets annoyed, the small little smile that tugs at the corner of his lips when he sees me

watching him…

The journey is short but filled with tension. He parks the car in front of an apartment building that looks

like it’s been ripped straight from a luxury magazine. When we step out of the car, he picks me up

without permission.

I glare down at him. “I can walk by myself.”

His lips form a smirk. “Don’t you think your poor feet have suffered enough already?”

With a growl of frustration, I concede, allowing him to carry me up the steps to his apartment. The smell

of Lucas’ cologne is intoxicating. For the first time, I realize how close we are. My Heart hammers in my

chest as he opens the door and steps into the luxurious apartment.

“I’ve got something you can wear,” he tells me, placing me gently on one of the plush sofas that occupy

his living room. His apartment is spacious and modern, with a view of the cityscape through a floor-to-

ceiling window. It’s breathtakingly beautiful.

He disappears into a different room for a moment before returning with an oversized shirt and a pair of

shorts. I accept them gratefully, heading to the bathroom to change.

When I emerge from the bathroom, I find Lucas standing by the window, gazing out at the city’s

twinkling lights. For a moment, I allow myself to just stand there and watch him. He’s no longer that

awkward, cute boy who used to run glance away whenever his cheeks turned red; he’s grown into a

confident, handsome man.

“Comfortable?” He asks as he turns around, snapping me out of my trance. His gaze sweeps over me,

taking in the oversized clothes that hang off my frame. There’s a hint of a smile on his lips and a

softness in his eyes that I’ve never seen before.

“I’ve had better,” I reply lightly, trying not to cringe at how obvious it is that these clothes don’t fit.

“Better than nothing, though,” he says. “I’m also glad I could finally return the favor after borrowing your

laundry for so long in order to keep myself in check.”

My face burns. “Y-you remember that?!”

A s*xy smirk spreads over his lips. “As if it were yesterday, and guess what? I might even have sniffed

you while carrying you

and I’m not one bit ashamed to admit it. Your scent is intoxicating.”

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