How To Lose Your Billionaire Alpha Husband In 365 Days (Or Less)!-Chapter 104: Crossroad...

Emerald stirred slowly, feeling a heavy weight on her arms and legs, as if her body was filled with sand.

The room was quiet, dark, and dimly lit by moonlight spilling in from the balcony. The fire in the hearth had gone out, and the shadows had returned to their quiet corners.

Her head throbbed, and for a few seconds, she just lay there, staring at the carved ceiling.

Where am I? She asked herself.

Then it all came rushing back: the fire, the sealed door, the smoke curling under her nose, the heat on her skin, and just before she passed out... the shadow.

She sat up slowly, ignoring the spike of pain behind her eyes.

Had someone followed me here? She thought, taking in sharp, shallow breaths. Was it the same person from my pack? The one who sent the messages? 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

"Maybe," Viola murmured in her mind. "But what if it wasn’t? What if it was someone here?"

Before Emerald could respond, the door creaked open

Lucien stepped into the room, dressed down in a soft grey shirt and slacks, hair tousled like he’d been pacing, maybe even running a hand through it a hundred times.

There was some tension in his shoulders she hadn’t seen before, but he looked relieved to see her awake. "You’re up," he said softly.

Emerald leaned back against the headboard. "Barely. My lungs feel like ash."

He crossed the room and sat in the chair beside her bed. "How are you feeling?"

"Sore, light-headed." She paused. "And confused. It’s as if I nearly died." She paused. "What happened after you pulled me out?"

Lucien moved from the chair to the edge of the bed, not too close. "The flames were put out, and you passed out."

That word made her flinch.

"Do you remember anything? How it started?"

Emerald nodded slowly. "I remember walking the halls... then I got lost, I tried to call you, but then someone shoved me and I fell into the room. Then the door slammed shut. I tried to get out, but it was sealed. Then smoke... fire." She paused again. "That’s it."

Viola’s voice rose in her mind. "Why didn’t you tell him about the shadow?"

"Because I’m not sure what I saw," Emerald thought back. "And I’m not about to cause a panic over a maybe."

Viola growled, displeased.

Lucien ran a hand down his face, but said nothing for a long while.

Emerald broke the silence. "What’s going on, Lucien?"

He looked at her, confused. "What do you mean?"

She stared at him like he’d just spoken a foreign language. "What do you mean ’what do I mean’? Someone tried to kill me here... in your home. I’m sure as hell that was no random incident.

"And don’t pretend everything’s fine. Because I know there’s something you’re not telling me."

Lucien didn’t answer right away. "I’ll get to the bottom of this," he said finally. "But you’re safe now."

"No. I’m not." Emerald’s voice was quiet, but every word landed like a strike.

Lucien stood as if to leave, but she called after him. "Wait."

He turned.

She stared up at him. "I know something is wrong in this pack. You brought me here. So why can’t you just tell me?"

Lucien’s expression didn’t shift.

"The cold stares. The whispers. That boy in the courtyard... he called you a tyrant. What does that mean?"

He looked down, then turned his gaze to the window. "Kids say strange things."

"Don’t do that," she said sharply. "Don’t lie. Don’t insult me by pretending I imagined it."

"I’m not lying."

"No? Then explain this to me: why do your own people look at you like they want to rip you apart? I’ve been threatened, stalked, attacked... but at least my people don’t look at me with hatred."

Lucien looked at her for a moment too long. When he finally spoke, his voice was measured and calm. "You need to rest, Emerald. I’ll check on you later."

And just like that, he left the room.

Emerald stood there for a moment, stunned, her hands curled into fists. "What the hell is he hiding?" she whispered.

Viola let out a low growl. "Something big. And we’re not going to find it by waiting for him to confess."

"I know."

She paced the room a few times, heart still beating hard. Every nerve in her body was on edge. She couldn’t rest, not like this. Not when her life had been threatened and Lucien refused to give her answers.

She sat on the bed and grabbed her phone. Her fingers hovered over a few names before she finally tapped one.

If Lucien wouldn’t tell her, someone else might.

He answered almost instantly. "Emerald?"

Just the sound of his voice made her shoulders drop an inch. He sounded tired but alert, like he’d been waiting for this call.

Her breath hitched slightly. "Kieran, hey."

He let out a breath. "You okay?"

"More or less."

There was a pause.

"How’s it going with Lucien?" he asked, trying for lightness. "Or should I say... Alpha Midnight, Lord of the Shadows."

Emerald gave a soft, humourless chuckle. "That’s one way to put it."

"Let me guess. He’s walking around in three layers of black and not saying anything real, aside from his usual words of wisdom?"

She smiled faintly. "Something like that."

"You know, I’m still a little amused that he got so jealous he pitched this whole rotation idea."

"I’m not here to talk about that," she said quickly.

Kieran caught her tone. "You sound off. What’s going on?"

Emerald hesitated. "What do you know about Lucien’s pack?"

There was a long pause.

"You’re not asking that randomly," he said slowly. "What happened?"

"I just..." she trailed off. "Something’s off. I don’t know if you’ve ben here before, but the way they look and act? It’s somehow. And it’s not just me; they look at him the same cold, scared and distant way."

"Cold how?"

"Like they’re scared of him. Or hate him. Or both."

Another long pause.

"I’m not imagining it, Kieran."

"I know you’re not."

Emerald sat down again, voice softer. "So... what aren’t people saying?"

More silence.

Then Kieran sighed. "Not many people know this. It’s not the kind of thing you share openly in diplomatic circles."

"Tell me."

"Lucien didn’t inherit his title. He... took it."

The memory of that final moment clawed back into her head. Someone had been watching. Just like back home. Could it be the same person? Had they followed me all the way here to finish the job?

The door creaked.

Lucien stepped into the room, dressed down in a soft grey shirt and slacks, hair tousled like he’d been pacing, maybe even running a hand through it a hundred times.

"You’re awake," he said gently.

Emerald shifted to sit upright. "Barely. My lungs feel like ash."

He crossed the room and sat in the chair beside her bed. "How are you feeling?"

"Sore. Light-headed." She paused. "And confused."

Lucien’s gaze was steady. "Do you remember anything?"

Emerald hesitated. "I remember... being shoved. Someone pushed me into the room. Then the door slammed shut. I tried to get out, but it was sealed. Magic, I think. Then smoke... fire." She paused again. "That’s it."

Viola’s voice rose in her mind, sharper than before. Why didn’t you tell him about the shadow?

Because I’m not sure what I saw, Emerald thought back. And I’m not about to cause a panic over a maybe.

Viola growled, displeased.

Lucien nodded slowly, absorbing her words. He didn’t speak.

Emerald narrowed her eyes. "What’s going on?"

Lucien looked at her, brows drawn. "What do you mean?"

Her eyes widened in disbelief. "What do I mean?" She let out a sharp, humorless laugh. "Lucien, someone tried to kill me. And don’t pretend that was some random incident. It was calculated. I was lured into a part of your estate no one had shown me and locked in a room that caught fire. What the hell is going on here?"

Lucien’s jaw worked as if he wanted to say something, but then he simply said, "I’m going to get to the bottom of it. You’re safe now."

Emerald looked him dead in the eyes. "No. I’m not."

He stood, like he was about to leave, but she reached out and caught his sleeve. "Lucien."

He paused, eyes flicking back to her.

"I know something’s wrong in this pack. I feel it. You know it." She swallowed. "I just wish you would tell me."

Lucien didn’t respond.

So she pushed. "The cold stares. The silence. The boy. What he said... Tyrant. What does that mean?"

His expression didn’t shift. "Children say strange things."

"Really?" Emerald barked a laugh. "Because I’ve heard whispers. I’ve seen how your people look at you. Lucien, it’s not just one child. They all look at you like they’re scared. Or angry. Or both."

"It’s complicated."

"Try me."

Silence.

When he didn’t speak, she leaned back, her voice lower now. "Don’t lie to me, Lucien. I’d rather you said nothing at all."

Lucien stared at her for a beat too long, something heavy and unreadable flashing in his eyes. Then, softly, "You need to rest, Emerald. I’ll check on you later."

She watched him go, frustration crawling over her skin like ants. He’s hiding something, she thought. And whatever it is... it’s already endangered me.

Her hand went for the phone on her bedside table.

If Lucien wouldn’t tell her, someone else might.