Present Day
Lucas watched her walk off, her shoulders stiff, Brady trailing behind her like a kicked puppy. Her face… the hurt was clear as day. It cut deeper than he expected, leaving something cold and hollow in his chest.
He started to stand, but one of the warriors clapped him on the back, nearly knocking him forward. “Man, what was that about?” the guy laughed. “You trying to earn some extra scraps from the stray’s kitchen?”
Another chimed in, smirking. “Maybe he likes getting his hands dirty. The stray is kinda hot and I bet she can live up to her reputation as a freak.”
They laughed loudly as Lucas clenched his jaw. He could still see Celia’s face in his mind, the way her eyes had darted towards him, almost hopeful. But they only shuttered in pain when she realized he wasn’t say
