Lethal Temptation (by Michelle Ray) novel Chapter 49

49 (Lucian’s POV) Some Insight

Lucian

My father exhaled. “You’re much stronger than I remembered.”

I let out a quiet laugh. “Stronger than I let on.”

+25 Points

He nodded, eyes dropping. He couldn’t look at me for long. Guilt had a way of lowering even a

king’s gaze.

“So?” I said, cutting through the silence.

A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. “You finally claimed each other,” he said, catching

Mara’s scent on me.

I nodded once.

“She’s tough,” he said. “Not many women would handle Tina’s pregnancy with that kind of grace.”

I didn’t respond. I wasn’t in the mood for small talk or compliments dressed as insight.

He seemed to pick up on it. He walked over to his desk, opened a drawer, and pulled out a thick file. He handed it to me without a word.

“What is this?” I asked, taking it cautiously.

“I asked you here to tell you the real reason I want you at the mansion. You need to understand- your life has been in danger since the day you were born, Lucian.”

I stiffened.

He continued, tone even but weighted. “Your mother was poisoned. There were attempts on my life. On yours. Some you know about. Others you don’t. It’s all in that file-dates, reports, security logs.”

My grip tightened on the folder.

“And before you say it-no, it wasn’t Martha. She and Darian have been targeted too.”

I raised an eyebrow at that, unsure whether to believe him.

“I believe someone is trying to wipe out our bloodline,” he said. “Someone who wants to absorb our mark. If they succeed, they absorb the pack-and by extension, the country. That’s how much power our blood carries.”

My mind reeled, trying to process what he was saying.

“We have trusted staff here. The best security. I’m not trying to trap you here, Lucian-I’m trying to keep you alive. Living outside these walls… would put you and Mara at real risk.”

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49 (Lucian’s POV) Some Insight

It reeked of Martha’s scheming.

“It’s not what you’re thinking, Lucian,” he said, picking up on my suspicion.

“Don’t,” I cut in. “Don’t try to dress this up.”

“You can’t leave Darian with nothing, Lucian. He’s your brother.”

+25 Points

“No,” I said, voice rising. “He’s your son. You want him to have something? Give him the mansion.

But he will never touch what my mother built.”

He started to speak, but I didn’t let him.

“You let your mate spend my mother’s legacy. You let her poison everything. And you stood there

and watched. You’re weak.”

His face flinched like I’d struck him.

“I’m nothing like you. Don’t ask me for this again. I don’t want the Alpha position. Let Darian keep it.

”

I pulled the documents from my coat and dropped them on his desk.

“I’m already an Alpha. And Mara is mated to me. You can’t cast us out. If you really believe I orchestrated the attack-fine. I’ll walk. I’ll shut down Steel Corp where it stands and rebuild it

elsewhere.”

He shook his head, voice cracking. “No. No, Lucian I don’t believe that. It was just… a suggestion. That’s all. If it’s not okay with you, we’ll do it your way. But you will take over from me.”

I gave him a slow nod and turned to leave, but he stopped me.

“Take these,” he said, handing me the file again. “Go through them with your wife. Please. Our future-our lives-depend on your success.”

I took the file without a word and walked out.

Back through the mansion halls, toward the left wing.

Toward Mara.

Still trying to process everything he’d said-and everything he hadn’t..

M

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