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Eliana snorted, then snapped her eyes at Lucas. It was adorable, and Lucas couldn’t deny the explosion of warmth it caused inside his chest.
Her warm chocolate eyes called to him.
“I don’t know about that,” she muttered.
“Well, I wanted to let you both know,” Tao said, licking his fingers and wiping the mess from his mouth, “that there is a reason why I am here. For Phil, of course, but because of the alpha search.”
Lucas tried to give Tao all his attention when all he really wanted to do was lose himself in Eliana. Her presence in the room was like a blazing fire, hard to ignore and nearly impossible to avoid.
“Go on,” Lucas said.
Tao suddenly appeared serious, which Lucas figured was a rare sight.
“I know there aren’t any alphas on the island. I can tell you that without hearing your notes. No offense.”
Lucas shook his head, encouraging Tao to go on.
“I have a duty now, to step up and act as the pack’s leader. It is what Phil would want.”
A silence hung between the three of them, the calls of the crickets and nocturnal creatures filling the void. Lucas smiled overly wide and somewhat forced, like that of a clown.
“That is great news,” he said, sounding elated. “That would surely save me some time.”
Tao glanced at Eliana, likely for approval, and she gave him a playful smile. Her eyes crinkled at the sides, and her cheeks expressed some deeply imprinted dimples. She was dangerously alluring.
“I’m so glad you approve,” Tao announced, then stood to take their plates into the kitchen. “I’ll be right back. Eliana, do you mind if I speak to you in private?”
Lucas held up his hand in a no-offense-taken posture, and Tao moved into the kitchen.
Eliana said abruptly, “That makes your job far easier then, doesn’t it?”
Lucas wanted to believe that was true. He should be feeling gleeful, as that was the entire reason he was there in the first place. He could go back home and deal with his own pack’s issues the way he wanted to all along.
It left him empty, though, thinking about leaving the island so soon.
“It certainly does,” Lucas said, lifting his glass of beer to block his face.
When Tao returned to the table, she told Lucas that she would drop him at the resort once they had finished their chat.
“No rush,” Lucas replied.
They moved outside the restaurant and stood next to the building in the dim alleyway. Lucas was restless, knowing he shouldn’t do what he wanted, but it didn’t matter. He was already up from the table.
He moved steadily like the cautious alpha he was, pushing against the screen door, and closed it softly behind him. He could faintly hear them, but he needed to hear everything. He and his wolf needed all of the information.
Lucas crept around the side of the building, standing on the porch and leaning up against the wall casually. He closed his eyes and zeroed in on their voices, with Eliana’s being the easiest to locate in the loud tropical environment.
“I think you know what I’m going to say,” Tao said.
“I can surely guess.”
“Eliana, you are the clearest thing to an heir that this pack has. I am not asking you this because of our history; I care for you, and you care for me. But I know there’s nothing more to it.”
Lucas was selfishly relieved but kept a keen ear to the revelation of the exchange.
“Go on,” Eliana said, likely crossing her arms.
“If I’m going to be alpha, I need to gain the people’s favor. I don’t think I’m going to be a popular choice since I went away and just came back like that. I think in order to do that, you and I have to marry.”
