BENEATH HER DARKNESS: The Alpha's Little Demon by Cassandra M

038 – I Don’t Think I Can

LUCY.

“Ready for dinner?” Adan asked as a

warm smile tugged on his mouth.

“Ready!” I smiled at him after I blinked

back the tears pooling in my eyes.

“Good, I’m starving. I missed lunch because some little bunny riled me up…”

He teased me as we walked toward the

dining hall with our hands still clasped

together, and I just couldn’t help but giggle softly because he was right. We

didn’t come out of his suite after the

incident at lunch with Alexa and Alpha

Aeon, and we were just informed about

this dinner when Beta Collin mindlinked

him.

We entered the dining hall in silence, and Adan helped me onto my chair before he

sat beside me. Soon another older female with blonde hair came in, carrying a bowl

1/11

of vegetable salad. She was so beautiful, and she looked like Alexa.

Her eyes fell on me, and she gave me a warm, motherly smile as she placed the

bowl on the table. She then walked to

where I was seated, and I immediately stood up and faced her.

“Oh, Lucy! You’re as beautiful as Adan told me you are…” Her arms wrapped

around my body, and I heard a chair being pushed before I felt Adan’s presence beside me.

“This is my grandmother, Crystal. Grand

Luna of the pack and where Alexa got her

blonde hair.”

“And her smart mind,” she added, pointing a finger to her temple, which

made me smile.

“And stubbornness.” Alpha Aurelius

added, his voice still as cold as snow.

“Oh, honey, you’re the stubborn one here. I’m sure your son and grandkids.

would agree.” Luna Crystal added,

smiling at her mate before she returned her gaze to me. “A pleasure to meet you, Lucy.”

“The pleasure is mine, Luna Crystal.”

“Momma… Everyone calls me momma.”

I was about to acknowledge her words when someone cleared his throat, and Alpha Aurelius’ voice

came. “I think we should all eat.”

Dinner turned out well most of the time –

everyone at the table looked genuinely happy for me and Adan, except his grandfather, who was quiet

most of the

time.

But I tried my best not to let it affect me, although I saw him looking at me from time to time. I was

listening to Alexa’s story when, all of a sudden, my attention. was drawn to the grand Alpha when he

asked a question, and I knew it was

directed at me.

“Did your father talk about Suzanne?”

“Pops!” Adan snapped his head in that direction, and I saw his brows furrowing.

My hand went to his thigh, and I squeezed it, hoping he would calm down.

“I’m just asking a question. Answerable by yes or no.” Alpha Aurelius told him.

“No. If they did talk about her, maybe I

was not around.” I answered in a soft

voice.

“Of course, my daughter didn’t matter to

them.”

“But he talked of Alexa. Of how he still

had no idea where she was, and the last

time he was home, he said they found

Alexa but she was taken by another pack.”

“Yet, he didn’t do anything to protect her.

“Pops, I’m not sure what your point is.

Lucy has nothing to do with what Diego

and Achilles did. I thought we had moved on from this?” Adan was trying to make

his voice calm, but I could see veins

popping out from his neck. He was trying

to control himself.

“This female here was raised by the

people responsible for Suzanne… So I

wonder how she was raised.”

Adan’s jaw tightened, and I knew he was

losing his control already.

“My stepfather is a good father, and I

want to believe he raised me well.”

“Is he?” 1

“Enough!” Adan slammed his fist on the

table.

“Adan Stone!” It was Aunt Helena.

I dropped my gaze to my lap

contemplating my next move. I placed the napkin back on the table, excused myself, and stood up.

Adan stood up as well and held my arm.

My hand went to his chest as I smiled at him. “I’m okay. I just need to use the

restroom. I can ask the females there.”

I didn’t wait for his reply as I left the dining room with my head tilted down, not because I was an Omega,

but because I didn’t want anyone to see the tears that

threatened to fall.

As soon as I stepped out, I heard voices raised and some movements, but I tried

to tune out the noise and walked further

than the toilet I was pointed to. Until I reached a balcony.

I opened the sliding door and stepped out, closing the door behind me. I didn’t have my coat with me, but

I didn’t care at the moment. It was chilly, but my body

could adjust to the temperature. I just

wanted a few seconds of silence.

I knew Diego was not perfect. But he had been in my eyes, and it hurt to see him in a different light.

Soon, I heard the sliding door open, and

at first, I thought it was Adan, but the

Alpha aura was different

not as strong as Adan’s.

strong but

A coat was placed on my back, and I held

it tightly against my body without looking at the person behind me. “Thank

you…”

Soon, the one who gave me the coat

moved to my side, his hands clutching

the balcony railings, but he didn’t say anything. He was just looking at the view

in front of us.

We stayed in silence for a moment until I couldn’t hold it anymore.

“I’m sorry that my stepfather made

some terrible mistakes against you. But he had been good to me. So it hurts to hear those words… I’m

sorry.”

I had no idea what I wanted to point out.

“I’m sorry about the way I acted in there.

Alpha Aurelius said so in a much softer

tone.

“I understand you, sir.”

“One day you’re going to have a child,

and hopefully you will not make the same

mistake I did. I know I should move on.

But I can’t help it. If I forgive your stepfather, it will feel like I am also

forgiving Achilles. I’m sure Diego was

aware of Suzanne’s suffering, but he didn’t do anything. If I forgive them, it will feel like I am spitting on

my daughter’s grave- a grave that held

nothing of her, no body, no ashes, no

remnants – because I still don’t know

where she was buried or burned. This is

the cross I had to bear every day of my life.

He let out a deep sigh as a lone tear fell

from my eyes.

“I’m sorry if I’m lambasting the memory of your stepfather. I understand, we see him differently.”

“We both loved the people we lost. We’re both in pain. I’m not going to defend him to you because I

knew what he did. But please let me cherish my memory of him, on how he acted toward me. He’s not

my father, but he loved me like his own. And I don’t want to tarnish that memory.”

“I would like to believe that he raised you well. I will try my best not to open those wounds again for both

of us.”

“Thank you, sir…”

“Do you love my grandson?” His question came unexpectedly.

Love? Demons don’t do love. 1

I swallowed the invisible lump in my throat, and from the way my cheek was burning, I knew the grand

Alpha must be looking at me.

“You couldn’t answer it. Why are you with him then?”

I swallowed again before I opened my

mouth to speak. “I have never fallen in love, I don’t know what it feels like. My mother died before she

could tell me

about falling in love. And my father, the real one, I’m sure he had no intention of

teaching me about it. So I don’t know how

to answer your question, sir.”

He didn’t say anything, so I took it as my

cue to continue.

“But Adan, he makes my heart flutter. I like waking up next to him. I hated it when he had to be far away

from me for days. I’m bothered when he’s upset with

And I don’t like the idea of other

females taking his attention. I like it

when he smiles, it makes me happy knowing he’s happy.”

I tilted my head to the side and looked at

him, but he was looking far, straight ahead.

“And I want you to like me because I know how much you mean to him. I really don’t know if that’s how

love feels, but I

really like Adan, so please don’t ask me to stay away from him because I don’t think

I can.”