Chapter 92

The crisp autumn air carried the scent of fallen leaves as Lillian hurried across campus, her backpack slung over one shoulder. She had just finished her last class of the day, and her mind buzzed with thoughts of the upcoming weekend.

"Lillian! Wait up!" Beatrice called from behind, jogging to catch up.

Lillian turned, smiling as her best friend reached her. "You're late again. What happened this time?"

Beatrice rolled her eyes. "Professor Sinclair decided to give us a surprise quiz. As if we didn’t have enough to stress about."

Lillian chuckled. "Well, at least it’s over now. Want to grab coffee?"

Before Beatrice could answer, a sleek black car pulled up beside them. The tinted window rolled down, revealing Sebastian Blackwood’s piercing gaze.

"Lillian," he said, his voice smooth but commanding. "Get in."

Her pulse spiked. "What? Why?"

Sebastian’s jaw tightened. "There’s been an incident at the pack house. We need to leave now."

Beatrice nudged her. "Go. I’ll see you later."

Lillian hesitated but climbed into the car. The moment the door shut, Sebastian accelerated, weaving through traffic with practiced ease.

"What kind of incident?" she asked, gripping the seat.

His knuckles whitened on the steering wheel. "Victoria’s engagement party was announced today. Donovan didn’t take it well."

Lillian’s stomach twisted. "What did he do?"

Sebastian’s expression darkened. "He showed up at the estate, drunk and furious. He made a scene, demanding to see you."

Her breath hitched. "Me? Why?"

Sebastian shot her a sidelong glance. "Because he still believes you’re his mate."

The car sped toward the Blackwood estate, the trees blurring past. Lillian’s mind raced. She had hoped Donovan would move on, but his obsession seemed to deepen with time.

As they pulled through the wrought-iron gates, she spotted Marcus Grayson waiting on the steps, his expression grim.

Sebastian parked and turned to her. "Stay close to me. No matter what."

Lillian nodded, her heart pounding. Whatever awaited them inside, she knew one thing—Donovan wasn’t going to leave without a fight.

And this time, she might not escape unscathed.

His words hit me like a slap. Did he truly believe I was so heartless, so scheming, that I would deliberately hurt someone just to get what I wanted? All I ever wanted was to work hard and clear my father’s debts. I wasn’t after anything else—and I certainly didn’t want to hurt anyone. Donovan was doing enough damage for the both of us.

But I refused to stand there and take his insults. I was sick of being treated like dirt. Wrenching my arm from his grip, I glared up at Sebastian, my fury burning in my gaze.

"I don’t want to hurt anyone," I snapped. "I’m perfectly capable of being friends with your daughter without any ulterior motives, Alpha Sebastian. If you have a problem with that, maybe you should take it up with her. She’s the one who invited me out, after all."

I didn’t wait for his reply. Turning on my heel, I stormed up the stairs after Victoria, though I could still feel the heat of Sebastian’s stare boring into my back. What was he thinking now? Did he actually believe me?

When I stepped into Victoria’s bedroom, she was already rummaging through her closet, pulling out an outfit for me. She glanced over her shoulder and grinned when she saw me lingering in the doorway.

"Did Father upset you?" she asked, studying my expression.

"No," I lied smoothly. "He was just asking about Oliver’s studies."

She nodded thoughtfully before turning back to her task. "Here, try this," she said, tossing me a white cropped top and a pair of high-waisted jeans.

I took them into the bathroom and changed. The clothes were a little snug—Victoria was smaller than me—but they fit well enough and were surprisingly stylish. I slipped my shoes back on, then freed my hair from its tight ponytail, running my fingers through the waves. A splash of cold water and a spritz of Victoria’s vanilla body spray later, I stepped out, feeling refreshed.

Victoria’s eyes lit up when she saw me. "You look amazing," she breathed. "Just toss your dirty clothes in the hamper. The maids will take care of them."

I hesitated but eventually did as she said, dropping my clothes into the woven basket near her closet. Victoria looped her arm through mine, beaming.

"Come on," she said, tugging me toward the door.

We descended the stairs just in time to see Sebastian speaking to his driver, Frederick, by the front entrance. Victoria’s smile faltered as she crossed her arms.

"What are you doing?" she demanded, narrowing her eyes at her father.

"Frederick will take you girls into the city," he replied smoothly.

"I was going to take my new car," Victoria huffed, crossing her arms defiantly.

"This isn't up for debate," Sebastian snapped, his tone leaving no room for argument.

I bit my lip, wondering if his irritation stemmed from our earlier conversation. Deciding not to push him further, I turned to Victoria, who was practically seething. It was clear she didn’t want Frederick driving us, but she also knew she had no choice in the matter.

After a tense moment, she finally relented and followed Frederick outside. I hesitated briefly, glancing back at Sebastian, who was watching me with an unreadable expression. His cold demeanor sent a nervous flutter through my stomach. Without a word, I turned and hurried after Victoria.

We climbed into the backseat while Frederick settled into the driver’s seat.

"Frederick, close the partition," Victoria commanded sharply.

Frederick met our eyes briefly in the rearview mirror before pressing the button that raised the tinted glass between the front and back seats, granting us privacy. Victoria exhaled heavily, as if she’d been holding her breath the entire time.

"Everything alright?" I asked after a long stretch of silence.

She turned to me, and the frustration in her gaze was unmistakable.

"I just wanted to escape," she murmured. "Away from all of it—the expectations, the watchful eyes. But my father makes sure I’m never alone. Not even for a second."

"It’s just Frederick," I pointed out. "He barely counts as supervision."

She rolled her eyes. "If you think it’s only him, you’re delusional. Look behind us."

I twisted in my seat and spotted the sleek black SUV trailing us. My brows shot up when I recognized the driver—one of the elite guards from the Silver Crescent pack. His companion was another high-ranking warrior.

"Are those Gammas?" I asked, impressed despite myself.

She sighed. "Yes. My father never lets me go anywhere without an escort. I was hoping that since I was with you, he’d ease up. But apparently not."

"So that’s why you wanted me to come along?" I asked, a pang of disappointment settling in my chest. I had thought she wanted my company, but it seemed I was just a convenient excuse to slip past her father’s security.

She frowned at me, her expression softening slightly. "It’s not just that. I do want you here."

But the hesitation in her voice told me otherwise.