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“Want some company?” was all he said. I wiped my eyes, grateful he was here.
“Come in. I found some notes from Seb—from our dad. It's like he knew, somehow, that I’d come around to accepting the role of alpha, no matter how many times I told him differently.”
Lucas came in and walked over, resting a hand on my shoulder, his grip firm but gentle. “He saw something special in you, Evan. We all do. I told you from the beginning, the role was never meant to be mine. This is what you were made for. Don’t doubt yourself.”
He and Sebastian had both said that on multiple occasions, but my doubts persisted. How could I ever expect to fill Sebastian Carey’s shoes?
Lucas settled down into the chair across from Sebastian’s desk—no, my desk. “He talked about you, you know. Before you came home. Starting from the time you left, really.” My eyes flew up in surprise. “It wasn't often, but when he did, I could tell it pained him. He loved you more than you'll ever know. Even though you two didn't have much time together once you came home, it meant the world to him. I could see it shining in his eyes every day, his love and pride. His joy that his son had returned.”
“Really?” It was still hard to believe sometimes that we’d all overcome the rift between us that started all those years ago, but the time I’d had here in the last couple months meant the world to me, too.
“Absolutely. Before Dad told me the truth about you being my brother, I never understood why he seemed so pained whenever someone mentioned you,” Lucas said. “I’d been hurt, angry, even though I’m the one who caused it. My teenage brain didn’t know how to process everything I felt, but mostly… I felt guilty.”
“Guilty?” I echoed, feeling a knot form in my stomach. We’d been over his betrayal when I’d first come home, trying to bury the past and start anew. I didn’t want to go back down that path.
Lucas nodded. “I knew this role was always meant to be yours, Evan. Dad was preparing you to become alpha all along, from the moment he first brought you home when you were a kid. This was the future that was meant for you. My biggest regret is that I let my jealousy take hold. I blame myself for robbing you of precious time with him.” He looked down, the shame evident on his face.
“Lucas…” I sighed, searching for the right words.
It was true that for years I’d harbored resentment toward him for lying and getting me kicked out of the clan. But that was in the past, and I’d let go of that anger already.
“Look,” I said, rising from the desk and walking around it to sit on its edge, reaching out to place a hand on his shoulder. “The past is the past. We can't change it, no matter how much we wish we could. I'm grateful for the time I had with Sebastian, even if it wasn't enough. And I'm grateful for the chance to rebuild our relationship now as brothers.”
Lucas looked up at me then, a hint of a smile on his face.
“What?”
He shook his head, the smile growing. “Just that I know our father is still here in some small way. How many times did he come around and sit on the desk, just like that?”
He was right. I’d noticed it when I’d first come back here, that my mannerisms were eerily similar to Sebastian’s. Apparently, I handled deep family conversations the same way as well.
“I’ve told you before, but your forgiveness means everything to me. Thank you.”
“We’re brothers,” I said, feeling the familial bond of our dragons strengthen. “Our father believed in both of us, and I think we owe it to him to be the best we can be. For our family, for the clan, and for each other.”
Lucas surged to his feet then, bringing me in for a tight hug. As we embraced, that bond grew even stronger, solidifying into something unbreakable.
“There's something else I need to ask of you,” I said as we stepped apart.
Lucas frowned.
“Will you be my second-in-command? Will you stand beside me and help me lead our clan?”
“Like you even have to ask.” A huge grin spread across his face. “It would be my honor, Evan.”
Relief washed over me, knowing I could rely on him, and for the first time since Sebastian’s death, I felt that weight on my shoulders ease.
I felt lighter, but that didn’t mean I could ignore the war being waged outside our walls. Tomas would pay for all he’d taken from us, but there was more to life than revenge and power struggles. There was something I needed to take care of first before diving headfirst into that war. Something that’d been gnawing at me for far too long.
“Lucas, there's something else I need to do. Something important to me.” I could faintly hear the sounds of Mariah laughing and playing downstairs with Sofia, so I lowered my own voice and told him my plan, then what I needed him to take care of.
He grinned. “I’ve got this.”
With another clap on the back, I thanked him and left to attend to my business, then hurried downstairs to find Abi and get her in on it.
* * *
The night was calm, the air cool against my skin compared to the recent warmer evenings. Autumn would be coming before we knew it. Lucas had come to me an hour before and let me know everything was set. My heart raced with anticipation as I threaded my fingers with Mariah’s and led her down the familiar path. What I’d planned, what I wanted tonight was something that’d change everything.
