Chapter 20
Danny woke up the next morning with determination.
Dangerous determination.
Which usually meant trouble.
He sat cross-legged on the giant bed while eating cereal and reviewing Kai’s messages seriously.
Kai:
> TODAY IS JEALOUSY TEST DAY.
Danny stared at the screen nervously.
This still felt like a terrible idea.
Across the room, Lucas adjusted his cufflinks calmly in front of the mirror.
Beautiful.
Annoyingly beautiful.
Even half awake Lucas looked like he belonged on magazine covers.
Danny narrowed his eyes suspiciously.
Too handsome.
No wonder his heart kept malfunctioning lately.
Lucas glanced toward him through the mirror.
“You’re staring.”
Danny immediately shoved cereal into his mouth.
“No I’m not.”
Lucas hummed softly.
Cute.
Then he walked over and naturally leaned down to kiss Danny’s forehead before heading toward the door.
“I’ll return after the counc__ I mean board meeting.”
Danny froze slightly.
Forehead kisses.
Very suspicious fake husband behavior.
Lucas paused near the doorway.
“You’re thinking too loudly.”
Danny blinked.
“…What does that even mean?”
Lucas smiled faintly.
“It means you look guilty.”
Then he left.
And Danny immediately grabbed his phone dramatically.
Danny:
> HE KISSED MY FOREHEAD TODAY
Kai replied instantly.
Kai:
> THAT MAN IS IN LOVE WITH YOU
Danny threw himself backward onto the bed.
No.
Impossible.
Probably.
Maybe.
Ugh.
–
By evening, Danny sat inside the mansion library pretending to read while mentally preparing himself.
The jealousy test.
Simple.
All he had to do was casually mention another person being interested in him.
Easy.
Probably.
Lucas entered the library quietly a few minutes later.
The moment his eyes landed on Danny, his expression softened immediately.
There it was again.
That look.
Danny’s stupid heart betrayed him instantly.
Lucas walked over calmly.
“You waited up?”
Danny nodded.
“Mhm.”
Lucas sat beside him naturally.
Then without even asking, he pulled Danny sideways until his head rested comfortably against his shoulder.
Routine now.
Dangerously comfortable routine.
Danny took a deep breath.
Okay.
Science time.
“So…” Danny began carefully.
Lucas hummed softly while reading documents.
“Someone flirted with me today.”
Silence.
Complete silence.
Then-
Every light in the room flickered once.
Danny blinked.
“…Why did the lights do that?”
Lucas looked entirely calm.
“Old wiring.”
Liar.
Lucas slowly set his papers aside.
“Who flirted with you?”
Casual tone.
Too casual.
Danny squinted suspiciously.
“A guy.”
Lucas smiled faintly.
“How descriptive.”
Danny poked his arm.
“You’re supposed to be jealous.”
Lucas raised an eyebrow.
“So this is another test.”
Danny froze.
“…Maybe.”
Lucas looked almost amused now.
“Interesting.”
Wait.
That wasn’t the reaction Kai predicted.
Danny frowned slightly.
“Shouldn’t you care?”
Lucas studied him quietly.
Then softly asked-
“Did you like him?”
Danny blinked.
“…No.”
Lucas relaxed instantly.
And Danny noticed.
Interesting.
Lucas brushed imaginary dust from Danny’s sleeve calmly.
“Then I’m not worried.”
Danny narrowed his eyes.
“Why not?”
Lucas leaned closer slightly.
“Because you always come back to me.”
The words landed directly in Danny’s chest.
Warm.
Dangerously warm.
Danny looked away quickly.
“That sounded smooth.”
Lucas almost smiled.
“It was true.”
Danny’s heartbeat stumbled again.
Stupid heart.
Then suddenly-
The library doors opened.
Serene stepped inside elegantly.
And immediately paused seeing Danny practically curled against Lucas again.
Her expression tightened subtly.
“My king,” she greeted softly.
Lucas’s warmth vanished instantly.
“What is it?”
Danny noticed the difference immediately.
Lucas always sounded colder around everyone else.
Only Danny got the soft voice.
Interesting.
Serene approached slowly.
“The southern Alph__ partners arrived earlier than expected.”
Lucas nodded once.
“I’ll meet them shortly.”
But Serene’s eyes shifted toward Danny afterward.
Cold.
Sharp.
Then she smiled faintly.
“You seem comfortable here.”
Danny blinked lazily.
“The couches are nice.”
Serene’s eye twitched.
Lucas’s fingers suddenly tightened slightly around Danny’s waist.
Protective.
Possessive.
Danny noticed immediately.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
Serene stepped closer now.
“You adapt surprisingly quickly for a human.”
Lucas’s expression darkened instantly.
“Enough.”
The single word carried terrifying authority.
Even the air felt heavier suddenly.
Serene immediately lowered her gaze.
“…My apologies.”
Danny stared silently.
Again.
That weird pressure.
That unnatural feeling beneath Lucas’s calm skin.
Like something dangerous lurked underneath.
Serene left quickly afterward.
The moment the doors shut, the heavy atmosphere disappeared.
Danny looked toward Lucas slowly.
“…You really don’t like when she talks to me.”
Lucas answered immediately.
“No.”
“Why?”
Lucas looked at him quietly.
Because she wants to take you away from me.
Because my wolf hates anyone who makes you uncomfortable.
Instead he simply murmured-
“She upsets you.”
Danny blinked.
“…You noticed?”
Lucas looked almost offended.
“I notice everything about you.”
Silence.
Dangerous silence.
Danny’s face became warm again.
Kai was absolutely going to become unbearable after hearing this.
Lucas suddenly tilted Danny’s chin upward gently.
“Any other men flirting with you I should know about?”
The question sounded calm.
But Danny noticed it now.
The slight tension beneath Lucas’s voice.
The possessiveness hidden carefully underneath.
And suddenly-
Danny grinned slowly.
Oh.
There it was.
Jealousy.
