I stumbled back, my eyes wide, and I looked up, searching for the source. And then I saw him—Lucas. His head snapped up, his piercing eyes locking onto mine from across the hall. His face twisted in shock, then anger, and I realized with horror that he had felt it too.
'No,' I thought, my blood turning to ice. 'No, it can’t be.'
Lucas’s nostrils flared as he took a deep breath, catching the scent—my scent. His expression darkened, a storm brewing in his eyes. “You?” His voice was a low growl that carried across the room, filled with disbelief and rage. “My fated mate is you? Ridiculous!”
The room fell silent. Every pair of eyes turned to me, burning with a mixture of shock, confusion, and disgust. I felt my face burn under their gazes, humiliation searing into my skin. Tears stung my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. Not again. I’d cried enough for a lifetime.
“How dare you,” Lucas snarled, his voice trembling with fury. “How dare you share her face and now—now you think you could be my mate?”