"I might be busy these days, Eloise. Take care of yourself. Don’t hurt yourself," Lucian said softly, his eyes filled with sincerity as they locked with hers.
Eloise blinked, a little caught off guard by the tenderness in his voice. Okay, that’s way more concerned than I was expecting. But she couldn’t help it, his eyes, the way he spoke, it was so... raw. She felt a knot form in her stomach.
Focus, Eloise. Don’t get distracted by the kind of kindness that’s going to make you do something stupid.
“I... I should tell him the truth,” she thought. She swallowed and took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. "Alpha Astra, my name is Eloise Anthony," she said, her voice a bit shaky as she started, unsure of how much to say. “I used to…”
Lucian raised an eyebrow, interrupting her with a p
