“Blah blah blah,” Bella muttered under her breath as she waved off the comment and headed out.
She knew the triplets were upstairs with Luke’s parents and that her own parents would be joining them shortly. The four of them had eagerly volunteered to watch the children, ensuring they’d stay in the Alpha suite where they could easily be put to bed if they fell asleep.
Bella made her way to the private dining room, located in the east wing past the Alpha’s office, not far from the ballroom where important functions were held. When she arrived, the door was ajar, and she stepped inside to find Luke already there.
He was standing with a drink in hand, dressed impeccably in a pale grey suit paired with a dark grey dress shirt. Not a date, she reminded herself firmly. This was supposed to be about sorting things out over dinner.
And yet, there he was—clean-shaven, hair styled neatly, exuding effortless charm, and smelling intoxicatingly good. It wasn’t cologne, just his natural scent, the one that marked him as her Mate. His blue eyes slid over to her and then traveled slowly down her figure, taking in every detail of her appearance. When his gaze returned to hers, a smile spread across his lips, and she could see the unmistakable desire in his eyes.
Not a date, she repeated in her head, trying to steady herself.
“You look beautiful,” he said, his voice soft and husky.
“I didn’t pick it,” Bella replied flatly, trying to ignore the way he was looking at her. “My mother did.”
“Then I must thank her personally,” Luke said, his tone warm. He walked to the table and pulled out a chair for her.
Bella sighed, crossing the room to take the offered seat. “This is not a date, you know that, right?” she stated as she sat down.
His chuckle sent a shiver through her. Leaning down, he murmured in her ear, his lips brushing against it ever so lightly. “I know, Bella, but it could be… hmm?” His hands glided up her arms, from her elbows to her shoulders, leaving a trail of electric sparks in their wake.
She inhaled sharply, her body betraying her resolve as his lips brushed the shell of her ear in the lightest of kisses. “I’d love for it to be a date,” he whispered, his voice a seductive caress.
Then, as if nothing had happened, he moved back and took his seat across from her, a satisfied smile playing on his lips.
Bella’s heart was racing, pounding twice as fast as normal. She realized she was holding her breath but couldn’t seem to release it. His eyes stayed locked on hers, the heat of his desire unmistakable. He wasn’t hiding it—not even a little—and it was clear he wanted her to see it.
“Breathe,” Luke said softly, his voice now back to its usual tone.
Bella exhaled shakily, feeling the heat rise in her cheeks. She was embarrassed that he could affect her so deeply, make her forget how to breathe. She’d always loved him, but he’d never had this kind of effect on her before.
This could be a real problem.
“Not a date,” Bella muttered under her breath.
Luke chuckled again, his deep voice laced with teasing. “Who are you trying to convince—me or yourself?”
She shook her head, taking a steadying breath. “I need you to stop this… just for a moment,” she said, her tone firm but soft.
He tilted his head, his expression curious. “Alright,” he replied, his teasing demeanor slipping. “What’s on your mind?”
Bella locked her eyes with his. “I really do need answers from you.”
“I know,” Luke nodded. “And I’ll give them to you. But you have to understand—I can’t control how the Bond affects either of us. It’s strong, Bella. Stronger than my last one, I can assure you.”
She seized on his words. “Then let’s start there. What happened between you and your Mate? And when did it happen?”
Luke paused, glancing at the young Omega who had just entered the room to serve their first course. He waited until she placed the plates down, retreated, and closed the door behind her before answering.
“She was a terrible Mate,” he began, his voice steady but edged with something darker. “Lazy, greedy, and unfaithful. It ended after three and a half years.”
Bella stared at him, her mind reeling. That was not the answer she had expected. She hadn’t known what to expect, but the idea of someone being unfaithful to him seemed inconceivable. Luke was gorgeous, commanding, and—she knew firsthand—capable of making a woman scream with pleasure. Who would betray that?
“Elaborate, please,” she said, her voice firmer now. “I don’t understand. Lazy? Greedy? Unfaithful? You’re going to have to put some clarity into that, Luke. I realize this might be painful to talk about, but considering she’s the reason I was banished, I think I have a right to know more than just three words.”
Luke stared at her for a long moment, his jaw tightening before he nodded. “Mia was materialistic to a fault,” he began, his tone clipped. “She refused to learn Luna duties from my mother, refused to train to defend herself, refused to even entertain the idea of producing an heir. Nothing I did for her, bought her, or tried to create with her was ever enough. The only thing we had any compatibility with was s*x.
“When I cut off her access to the pack’s funds, she rejected me outright. I still tried to fix things, but she didn’t care. She started flirting with every male around and eventually slept with one. Maddis… dealt with him. We were officially over a week later. I accepted her rejection and sent her back to where she came from.”
