Zane shook his head and rested his hands on his waist, his lips quirked into a grin. He drew his gaze down, only to look back at her retreating form. His mood had deteriorated since his conversation with his father. But joy replaced his gloominess as soon as he saw Eleanor.
"What makes you so happy?" Lucas asked, approaching him. He looked in the direction where Zane was looking but saw none.
"Nothing." Zane walked aside, but he couldn't stop smiling.
"It can't be true. Something makes you happy." Lucas followed him. "No, no, no…" He waggled his index finger left and right. "I'm sure you are thinking about someone."
"Why do you think so?" Zane stopped walking and squinted at him, curious.
"When someone smiles for no reason and their face lights up, it means they are in love. I have seen all that on your face." Lucas grinned.
LOVE…
This word jolted Zane's nerves.
'Am I in love with Eleanor?'
As he pondered whether he had fallen in love with her, his face became solemn.
'Huh… How can that be?'
Zane discarded the thought. He had his mate, and he loved her. But he couldn't deny that he desired to see Eleanor all the time. It was as if a magical force drew him to her. This kind of attraction he had never felt for Ruby.
He became skeptical, thinking he had fallen for Eleanor. That would be terrible for his relationship with Ruby.
"Humph… You are saying like you know everything about love," he scoffed and rolled his eyes.
"I don't know everything about love, but I do know a bit of it."
"Is that so?" Zane arched his eyebrows.
"I am in love with someone," Lucas confessed, his voice tinged with nostalgia.
"Alright." Zane smirked. "Who is she?"
"Someone special." Lucas's eyes twinkled as he smiled. "She is so adorable."
"Who is she?" Zane asked once more. "Do I know her?"
"Hmm…" Lucas nodded. "You met her."
Zane regarded him with a frown as he reflected on who he had recently met.
'Eleanor…'
This name emerged in his mind almost immediately.
Zane became restless, assuming that Lucas was in love with Eleanor. His smile began to fade.
Unaware of Zane's changing mood, Lucas continued, "When you fall in love, you can't stop thinking about her. You will miss her all the time. It's hard to wait to see her, but it is also enjoyable to wait until the next day to see her. Huh… I can't wait to tell her how much I adore her."
Zane couldn't keep listening to him. He turned around and walked away before Lucas could finish the last sentence.
"Zane…" Lucas frowned at his departing form. He couldn't figure out why he left so urgently. He muttered, "He is behaving weird."
Zane stormed into his room and slammed the door behind him. He paced around the room and let out a frustrated groan, racking his fingers through his hair.
"Why am I so upset about this?" he hissed. "They are free to love each other. I don't care if Lucas likes her or not."
Even though he claimed he didn't care, he couldn't stop his thoughts from racing toward her.
"What the hell is happening to me?" He snarled and dashed into the bathroom.
Eleanor felt uneasy after being caught staring at Zane. She didn't dare leave the kitchen, even when Linde asked her to. She didn't even go out to serve the food because she was afraid of running into him.
At last, her duty was over. She exhaled a sigh of relief as she left the packhouse. But she wanted to see him. She glanced around as she walked out. To her disappointment, she didn't see him. She pouted and headed to the market.
When she arrived at the location where she had seen him the day before, she looked at the tree, hoping that he would be waiting for her. But she couldn't find him there. She sighed and walked ahead with her head bowed.
"Ah…" She shrieked when someone grabbed her arm and dragged her to the roadside. A large palm sealed her mouth in an instant.
Eleanor's eyes widened in surprise as she noticed Zane pressing her against a large tree trunk.
"Shh…" he shushed her. "Don't shout."
Eleanor nodded frantically, her heart leaping into her throat.
Zane slowly drew his hand back.
Eleanor exhaled deeply. "What was that?" she exclaimed, furious. "You scared me to death."
Zane pinned her hands against the tree above her head. He leaned in closer, his face a few inches from hers. His gaze was drawn to her lips. The desire to kiss her intensified. Zane leaned in even more.
Eleanor locked her gaze on his, not daring to breathe.
"You were staring at me, weren't you?" He asked in a low, yet cold tone.
"Me… staring at you!" Eleanor shook her head. "No…" She lifted her chin. She pretended to be brave, but her pale face contradicted her boldness.
"Don't lie," Zane snarled, squeezing her wrists harder. "I have seen you staring at me."
"You are hurting me." Eleanor wriggled to break free.
"Tell me the truth, I will let you go."
Eleanor stopped moving and looked up at him. There was no way she would tell him the truth.
"What made you think I was staring at you?" she asked. "You were not the only one at the training ground."
"What do you mean?" He hissed, his eyes getting cold.
She pulled her hands back and pushed him away. "I was not staring at you. I was looking at someone else." She walked away.
After hearing her response, Zane became even more enraged. His doubts about Lucas' feelings for Eleanor grew stronger. At first, he thought Lucas' love was one-sided. Eleanor's response dispelled his misconception.
However, Zane wanted to confirm it. He yanked her arm and drew her in closer.
Eleanor stumbled on him, her hands on his chest. As she peered at his chest, she recalled his bare torso. She withdrew her hand and took a step back, blushing furiously.
Zane drew her into his arms. Eleanor's breathing hitched in her throat as she gaped at him. She felt a shudder run down her spine under his cold glare.
"Who were you looking at?" he asked.
Eleanor swallowed the lump in her throat. She was scared. Yet she pretended to be unaffected by his intimidating demeanor. Besides, his dominance irritated her.
"I can look at whoever I want. Why do you care?" She wriggled and broke free from his arms. She stepped back and snarled, "You shouldn't think about me. I am not your mate." She turned around and walked away, taking brisk steps.
Zane glared at her retreating form, his hands curling into fists. He was so angry that he wanted to destroy everything. He had the impression that someone was squeezing his heart. This kind of feeling was new to him. He couldn't figure out why he was so upset about Eleanor looking at another man.
She was not his mate. She was free to fall in love with whoever she wanted.
"What is going on with me?" He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. "This is not right. I should stop thinking about her. I can't cheat on Ruby."
He ran towards the woods.