After She's Terminal The Alpha Regrets (Elaine and Lucas) novel Chapter 27

Chapter 27

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Chapter 27

Lucas never had so much work to be done before.

It felt as if the moment he woke up, he was working until the moment he fell asleep at night. It didn’t used to be like this. When Elaine had been in the house, things were…calmer. He hadn’t noticed it before.

Not until he woke up, and nothing was ready. Nothing was done. He’d always known she woke up before him, but had she always prepared the entire household before he woke in the morning? Always had breakfast waiting. Always had a schedule she’d memorized.

Lucas never realized…

He sat at the dining table now, reviewing yet another report he was certain could have been passed off to anyone else. He scanned the document, not even really reading. The words held little meaning for him.

He blinked furiously, tracking back to the top of the page to start over. He needed to get through this.

“Are you listening to me?”

The voice pulled his gaze upwards, and Lucas met Aaron’s eyes. “Not really.”

Aaron huffed out a breath. “I was saying how I think Walter’s little visit is part of their ploy.”

Lucas hadn’t mentioned what he and Walter talked about, but that didn’t stop Aaron from theorizing.

“A ploy?” Lucas mused.

“They’re trying to worm their way into all our good graces. Her father…he’s a scheming man, I just know it. Don’t get me started on Ruth. But her brother is no different…no, he’s worse, actually. Far worse. Did you see my eye after what happened? He could have taken my eye out! If you…”

Lucas looked back down at the report. “Mhm.”

He stopped listening. Yet the words on the page began to blend together, and he realized he wasn’t going to be getting much work done right now either. Not with thoughts of Elaine twisting his mind.

He hadn’t been able to stop thinking about her since Walter had come by earlier. What the older beta had said, had implied, didn’t sit right with him. But that family had always been so happy from what he could tell. Surely there wasn’t anything deeper going on.

Right?

“…Elaine is the worst of them.”

That drew Lucas’ focus. He glanced back at his stepbrother. Aaron had taken to pacing in front of the fireplace, gesturing wildly with his hands as if he were trying to solve some grand conspiracy against him.

“You know what she did?” A laugh bubbled up Aaron’s throat as he ran his fingers through his hair. “She tried to convince me that she had been there to stop the fight. But I think it was all part of her plan! She wants to look like the good guy.”

Lucas leaned forward against his hand, considering. “What makes you think that?”

“Because she’s the one who suggested I strip Matthew of his rank and send him off to jail! His own sister! It doesn’t make sense. I’m not sure how this plays into her and her father’s schemes, but mark my words–” 1

“Wait, she’s the one who suggested Matthew’s punishment?” Lucas asked.

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Chapter 27