Chapter 180

Lucas POV

Shana pulled away from my arms, letting her head hang low. She didn't even make eye contact with me as she said, "I think I'm going to go to bed."

I nodded, "That's a good idea. You deserve some rest."

As I watched Shana walk away, a mix of emotions swirled within me. The events from the night hung heavily in my mind and I knew there was a lot for her to think about. There were probably still things she wanted me to address.

She made her way up the stairs and just as she had closed the door to her bedroom, Grandma Jo emerged from her own room. She peeked down at me from the top level, her face a mixture of curiosity and concern.

She walked down the stairs and motioned for me to join her in the living room. I felt like a little kid again, getting in trouble with my grandma.

She pointed to the couch, and I reluctantly took a seat, watching as she took the spot beside me.

"Lucas, we need to talk," she said, her tone serious.

I nodded, bracing myself for the inevitable conversation.

"To be completely honest with you, I already heard bits and pieces of the conversation when James was shouting at you."

"I'm sorry we caused a scene in your living room," I apologized, feeling bad that I had somehow dragged my grandmother into this mess. "I didn't think it would escalate into that."

"You've really hurt the people closest to you, Lucas. Their intense feelings on the matter only show you how much they care." Grandma Jo regarded me. "I think it's also commendable that your best friend was there to protect your girlfriend when you couldn't."

She was right, but that didn't stop my jaw from ticking with irritation. I didn't want James to be there for Shana. I wanted to be the only person she needed.

When I saw him put his arm over her shoulder at the engagement party earlier, a part of me felt rage. I'd never felt so jealous or possessive in my life. I had to stop myself from getting up from the table and doing something terrible, like punching my best friend in the face.

Grandma Jo had a way of seeing through the facade and getting to the heart of the matter.

"Explain everything to me," she demanded, her eyes fixed on mine. "I want to hear it come from your mouth."

I took a deep breath, choosing my words carefully. "I had no other choice, Grandma. My father forced my hand, and you of all people know how he is."

"I hate how easy it is for him to control you." She shook her head. "You know you have a choice, right dear?"

"Yes, I know that," I said. "I chose to do it in order to help Shana, especially after everything she's been through with her White Wolf. It's been difficult for her, and then on top of that, she finds out that her father's made this incredible debt in her name."

Grandma Jo's gaze softened, understanding the complexity of the situation. She had been there when Shana struggled with her inner wolf, and she knew the lengths I would go to help her.

"So, the debt is settled?"

"Yes, my father told me it's all been handled. What that means, I don't know." I gave Grandma Jo a look. "For how misbehaved my father might be, we all know he's a man of his word. He wouldn't lie to me about this."

"I know how Kendrick is, he uses his word as a manipulation tactic to get what he wants." Grandma Jo pursed her lips. "It's how he's gotten so far in his business. A lot of people still trust him."

"Well, it's all finished now. I have no need to be involved in his life anymore," I said, making my point clear to Grandma Jo. "I'm done being his pawn. I got what I needed. I can't live that way anymore."

The way Grandma Jo looked at me made me think she didn't necessarily believe me. I couldn't blame her though, this wasn't the first time my father found a way to drag me back in his control.

"I hope that to be true, but with you and your father, I never know." Grandma Jo sighed. "All I know is that you hurt Shana, Lucas."

The disappointment was evident in her eyes. She had told me countless times in the past to make sure I didn't hurt Shana in any way, and I had done the complete opposite to what I'd promised.

"I didn't mean to, trust me, that's not what I wanted to happen."

"You need to be more careful," Grandma Jo advised. "Shana's not only a strong woman physically, but also mentally. She's dealing with so much. A broken home, a confused sense of self, she doesn't need a boy toying with her emotions on top of it all."

The way Grandma Jo was speaking about Shana made me wonder if she saw herself in Shana at all. Did my grandma ever experience any of the same things?

"I don't want to toy with her emotions, grandma. I really, truly care for Shana," I said, desperately hoping that she could sense my sincerity. "I know I hurt her, and I hate that I'm the one who caused that.

Admitting my fault in the situation made the weight of my actions press further down on me. I didn't want my own grandmother to think I was a bad person. I didn't want my own girlfriend to think that either.

I had tried so hard to do what I thought was right, and it ended up biting me in the ass. Even though I got what I wanted, I hurt people I cared about in the process.

"But you took care of her debt," Grandma Jo acknowledged, her voice softening. "I can't deny that. You did what you thought was necessary."

It was as if Grandma Jo could read my thoughts. I appreciated her understanding, but the disappointment in her eyes still lingered.

I hated it when she looked at me that way. If I could do anything to reverse it, I would.

"Grandma Jo, I know this may be asking a lot of you, but I want you to move back in," I blurted out, changing the subject. "I need your guidance, especially now. Please, I can't do this alone. I can't go back to my father's house."

"I would never want you to go back there, anyway," she said. "Hell, I didn't even want you there in the first place. He took you from me when you shifted at age thirteen."

"I know," I said, remembering how challenging that had been for both of us. "I belong here, with you."

She regarded me for a moment, the lines on her face softening with a hint of a smile. "Lucas, you can always move back in. You mean more to me than anything else in this world. Here, you can always be yourself. You'll always be safe."

Relief washed over me, grateful for Grandma Jo's support.

"Thank you," I said with a smile, pulling her into a hug. "I promise I'll be better."

"I know you will, dear," she said as she patted my back. "I'm happy to have you back."