"I need some concrete evidence against this guy ..." Isabella thought firmly as she trailed behind the two men carefully, making sure to keep her distance, so they wouldn't pick up her scent.
Her footsteps were light as she followed them around the corner of the mansion.
"Just what are they saying to be so secretive?" She grunted in frustration as she couldn't make out what they were saying.
Lorenzo merely whispered something into Lucas's ear, and Lucas gave a simple nod in response.
"Very well!" Lorenzo had said finally.
"That fast?" Isabella was taken aback.
The exchange was so brief that she had to quickly duck behind a large flowering bush when Lorenzo turned to leave.
"This definitely means they have been meeting to discuss in secret. Today's is just for a feedback, I guess." Isabella mumbled thoughtfully.
"You can come out now." Lucas's voice came from right in front of her hiding spot.
Isabella's heart skipped a beat.
"Oh no!"
She remained frozen for a moment before slowly raising her head to see Lucas standing there with his arms crossed.
Reluctantly, she stood up and brushed off her clothes.
"Oh, hey!" She said cheerfully, putting on her best innocent smile as she gave him a little wave.
Lucas scoffed in annoyance.
"What exactly do you think you are doing?" He asked her angrily.
"Just admiring this beautiful flower." Isabella gestured to the bush behind her, trying to maintain her act.
"That is bullshit. Are you stalking me now?" Lucas snapped, narrowing his eyes on her.
"What? No!" Isabella widened her eyes at the accusation.
"Then how do we explain this?" He demanded.
"However! I didn't even hear anything anyway." She protested.
"Really? So you were indeed trying to eavesdrop on my conversation with Elder Lorenzo? Have you always been this nosy?" Lucas slammed at her.
"Well, don't blame me. I wouldn't have to if you weren't being so secretive." Isabella shot back.
"What are you hiding?" She added as an afterthought.
"That is none of your business." Lucas maintained firmly.
"And what would you know anyway?" He added.
"I know enough to see that you are not the good person everyone thinks you are. You are nothing but a hypocrite!" Isabella stepped closer, staring him in the eyes.
"No, you don't know anything." Lucas smirked, shaking his head as he also stepped closer, staring at her intently.
Isabella was forced to take a step back as he kept walking closer to her like a predator. And because of that, she tripped on a small stone and lost her balance.
"Look at you! So clumsy!" Lucas scoffed but grabbed her hand before she could fall.
"Don't touch me!" Isabella yanked her hand away after she balanced on her feet.
"And that is the gratitude I get from stopping you from falling?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.
"That is rich from someone who is always glaring at me like he would harm me." She retorted. Lucas chuckled dryly.
"But I haven't harmed you yet..." He told her and smirked. Isabella gritted her teeth.
"I promise you, I'm going to find out all your secrets and expose them." She swore.
"Try harder then. You are not as clever as you think you are. Lucas maintained and chuckled again.
"We will see about that." Isabella said defiantly.
"And by the way, I won't marry you, so you better find another plan to devise." She added.
"You won't have any other choice than to marry me." Lucas said and smirked eerily.
"Is that a threat?" Isabella asked, her eyebrows furrowed.
"Not really. It is a fact." He stated simply.
"Really? Wait, why are you even doing this? You hate me so why do you want to marry me?" She blurted out, sounding so frustrated.
"Yes, I don't like you..." Lucas admitted freely.
"But I have to obey grandfather's orders. That is what a respectful person does." He added.
Isabella huffed.
"So that is what this is about? You just want to keep appearing as the golden boy forever? Look flawless so you can become the next Alpha?" She pointed out incredulously.
At that something flashed in Lucas's eyes; an emotion Isabella couldn't quite identify.
Vulnerability!
"You think you have me all figured out, don't you? You don't know anything about me or what I have been through." Lucas stated as he started stepping closer again, his voice dangerously low.
"Then enlighten me. What is your excuse for being such a two-faced bastard?" Isabella challenged, standing her ground.
"Watch your mouth. You have no idea what it takes to maintain order in this pack." Lucas snapped.
"I'm just doing what I have been groomed to do. Being what they want me to be. What they need me to be." Lucas added firmly.
Isabella nodded, pretending to be understanding.
"Oh, I'm sure it takes a lot of pretending and manipulation, must be exhausting, keeping up that perfect mask all the time." She sneered.
"Just shut up and don't ruin what I have been working for all my life. Agree to marry me and play your part." Lucas retorted.
"Play my part?" Isabella laughed bitterly.
"Like you have been playing yours? Pretending to be this kind, humble Alpha heir when really you are just..." She was saying but trailed off, as if reconsidering her choice of words.
"Just what?" Lucas challenged, stepping even closer. Isabella met his gaze steadily and this time, she refused to step back. They were merely inches away.
"Empty. That is what you are. Just an empty shell doing whatever others want you to do. It is actually quite pitiful." She commented, shaking her head.
For a moment, something raw and vulnerable flashed across Lucas's face.
"You find me pitiful?" Lucas asked unsurely, his expression was cold as if daring her to repeat her statement.
Then it was Isabella's turn to smirk.
"Yes, you are pitiful!" She repeated, firmly.
Then all hell went loose. Lucas's eyes flashed dangerously and his whole body shook with anger.