Alina’s POV

"Here, eat this," Lucian says, sliding the plate in front of me. A soft smile touches his lips. "You’ll love it. The chef is really good."

I stare at the food for a second before looking up at him. "When will I leave?"

His smile fades instantly.

"You don’t plan on keeping me here forever, right?" I add, my voice quieter than I wanted.

Lucian lets out a small breath. "You don’t have to say it like that, Alina. I just... I just want to keep you safe."

I scoff and shake my head. "I won’t be safe here. I need to leave."

He watches me for a moment, then sighs. "Okay, fine. You will leave. But eat first."

"Lucian..."

"Please, Alina. Just eat," he says, giving me a small, almost pleading smile.

I hesitate, then pick up the spoon and start eating. He didn’t lie — the food actually tastes good. Warm. Comforting.

"Do you like it?" he asks, leaning forward a little.

I nod.

"I knew you would," he says, his face lighting up with excitement.

I keep eating while he stares at me. It feels awkward, but I don’t say anything. After a while, he pushes a glass of water toward me. "Here, drink this."

I take the glass and drink quietly.

When I finish, I look at him again. "Now can I leave?"

Lucian’s eyes soften. He reaches across the table but stops himself. "Alina, I promise you’ll leave. I won’t keep you locked up here. I just need to make sure Aiden doesn’t find you and lock you up somewhere. I don’t think I could handle that..."

His voice cracks just a little at the end, and for a moment, I see the fear in his eyes. He really means it. But he doesn’t understand — my life isn’t safe here either. His people hate me. They look at me like I’m the problem.

Before I can reply, a familiar voice cuts in.

"Sorry to interrupt, but we need you, Lucian."

Lucian’s jaw tightens. "Can’t you see I’m in the middle of something, Ragnar?"

"I wouldn’t call you if it wasn’t urgent," Ragnar replies.

I glance between them. "I think you should go with him."

Ragnar’s eyes snap to me, cold and full of disgust. The hate in his stare makes my stomach twist.

Lucian stands up slowly. "I’ll be back," he says, his voice gentle when he looks at me.

I force a small smile and nod.

As soon as they walk out, I stand up too. My heart beats faster. I need to know what’s going on. I need to know what they’re hiding from me.

I follow quietly behind them. They enter a room at the end of the hall. The door doesn’t click shut all the way. I creep closer, slip inside, and my eyes widen.

There are so many of them.

"We have a lead from our insider," Ragnar says, his voice thick with annoyance. "Aiden is actively looking for our hideout. And this is all happening because of that woman."

My breath catches.

"You better not start with me," Lucian warns, irritation clear in his tone.

"Ragnar is right," Daniel says. "We haven’t faced this much trouble before."

My chest tightens. I remember him too well — he was the one who almost strangled me.

"She isn’t just anyone," Lucian replies, his voice steady but firm. "She is my mate... and I love her."

My eyes widen. He said it. Right there, in front of all of them. A small, unexpected warmth spreads through my heart.

Ragnar shakes his head. "You know what love does, Lucian. It’s a distraction. You’re supposed to be our leader."

"I am still your leader," Lucian snaps, frustration clear in his tone. "I gave you all a home. A safe place. A future. What more do you want from me? Do you want me to throw away the one thing that finally makes sense in my life?"

His voice cracks slightly as he continues, "My life has always been full of darkness and anger. For the first time, I feel something different. I finally have a reason to want to live through this miserable life... and you want me to let that go?"

He looks straight at Ragnar, pain heavy in every word. "You were always worried about me. You were scared I would end up killing myself. That’s why you stayed so close to me. So why are you acting like this now? You’ve seen the light in my eyes when she’s around. Why do you want to take it away?"

The room stays quiet for a second.

"Because she is connected to Aiden," Ragnar says calmly. "You know how much I hate that man. You know how much he has hurt me. But you still don’t get it."

I can’t stay silent anymore. "We aren’t together anymore," I say, stepping forward a little.

"But she has a kid with him," Ragnar shoots back. "They still have a connection. So either you get her out of here... or we will be forced to take her life."

My eyes widen in shock. The words hit me like ice.

Lucian’s voice turns deadly. "I dare you to lay a finger on her. I promise I will forget about everything we’ve been through, and I won’t think twice before taking your life. This is not a warning. This is a promise."

My heart pounds hard. This isn’t good. I need to leave. Now.

I turn around quietly, but freeze when I see a huge man blocking the door. I stagger back in fear and hit a box behind me. My foot slips, and I crash to the floor.

"Ouch!" I cry out, pain shooting through my side.

"Alina!" Lucian’s voice fills with worry. He rushes over and kneels beside me. "Are you okay?"

The big man’s deep voice cuts through the room, cold and threatening. "Who is she?" He glares down at me. "She is an imposter."

Oh no. Things just got so much worse.