7.

I leaned against the railing, trying to ignore Jenna’s victorious grin. She was clearly enjoying the idea of dragging me out for a workout tomorrow. I was still considering how to talk my way out of it when the creak of the door behind us made me stiffen.

“Morning, ladies,” came a low, familiar voice.

I turned, catching sight of Lucas Steele as he strolled into the kitchen. He was the Alpha’s son, tall and broad-shouldered, with a casual confidence that radiated from him like heat. His tousled dark hair and sharp green eyes gave him an easy, intimidating air—one that was impossible to ignore.

“Lucas.” Jenna smiled, clearly unbothered by his presence. “You’re up early.”

He leaned against the counter, crossing his arms, a slight smirk playing on his lips. “What’s going on up here? You two look like you’re up to something.”

I opened my mouth to deflect, but Jenna beat me to it, her voice a little too cheerful for my liking. “Lyra was just talking about how she wanted to see the forest.”

My heart dropped. I shot Jenna a wide-eyed glare, my mouth hanging open in disbelief. “I what?”

Jenna stifled a laugh, pressing a hand to her mouth as if trying to look innocent. “Yeah, she was curious about what it’s like running out there.”

Lucas raised an eyebrow, glancing over at me, clearly amused. “Really? You, Lyra? Wanting to check out the forest?”

I sputtered, shaking my head furiously. “No! I mean, I do, but not like that!”

Jenna’s grin widened. “Oh, come on, Lyra. Don’t be shy. You’re always talking about how you wish you could run like the Alpha and Beta.”

I could practically feel my face burning. This was not happening. “Jenna, I swear—”

But before I could finish my sentence, Lucas let out a chuckle, tossing the apple he’d grabbed into the air and catching it effortlessly. “Alright, then,” he said, taking a bite, the crunch loud in the silence. “Let’s see if you can handle it.”

My eyes widened in panic as Lucas reached out and grabbed my hand. “Wait—what are you—”

“Come on,” he said, his tone casual as he pulled me towards the stairs. “No time like the present.”

I dug my heels into the ground, desperately trying to resist as he dragged me along. “Lucas, I’m serious, I don’t—”

“Too late,” Jenna called after me, laughter in her voice. “Have fun, Lyra!”

“Jenna!” I shouted over my shoulder, shooting her a death glare, but she just waved me off, clearly enjoying every second of my misery.

Lucas didn’t even seem to notice my reluctance as he tugged me down the stairs and out the back door. I stumbled behind him, struggling to keep up with his long strides. “Lucas, seriously, I don’t think this is a good idea.”

He glanced down at me, still chewing on his apple. “Relax, Lyra. It’s just a quick run. You’ll survive.”

“Survive?” I echoed, incredulous. “I’m not exactly the ‘run through the forest at dawn’ type, in case you haven’t noticed.”

He shrugged, unbothered. “Then consider this a chance to try something new.”

I huffed, my irritation rising. “I didn’t ask for this.”

“Maybe not,” he said with a smirk, “but you’re getting it anyway.”

I shot him a glare, yanking my hand back, but he held on tightly, not giving me a chance to escape. The cool morning air hit my face as we stepped outside, the faint scent of pine and earth filling my lungs. The forest loomed ahead of us, dark and mysterious, and as much as I wanted to protest, I couldn’t help but feel a small thrill of excitement creeping in.

We reached the edge of the trees, and Lucas finally stopped, turning to face me. He crossed his arms, still holding the half-eaten apple, his green eyes gleaming with amusement. “Ready?”

I crossed my arms too, trying to hide my nerves. “No. Not even close.”

He laughed, the sound low and easy, and it did nothing to calm my racing heart. “You’ll be fine,” he said, tossing the apple core into the bushes. “Just keep up.”

“Keep up?” I scoffed. “You do realize I’m not like you, right? I don’t have the whole Alpha blood thing going for me.”

Lucas raised an eyebrow, his expression turning serious for a moment. “Doesn’t mean you can’t push yourself. You’re stronger than you think, Lyra.”

I blinked, caught off guard by his words. Before I could respond, he turned and jogged into the forest, his pace steady and controlled.

“Wait—Lucas!” I called after him, but he was already disappearing between the trees.

With a groan, I reluctantly followed, my feet crunching against the leaves as I tried to keep up with him. The adrenaline from earlier returned, mixing with the morning chill as I ran, my heart pounding in my chest.

“See?” Lucas called over his shoulder, his voice annoyingly calm. “Not so bad, right?”

I scowled, breathless. “Speak for yourself. You’re not the one dying back here.”

He slowed his pace slightly, falling into step beside me. “You’re doing better than I thought.”

I shot him a sidelong glare. “Gee, thanks.”

We continued through the forest, the sounds of the early morning surrounding us—the rustle of leaves, the distant chirping of birds. It wasn’t long before the forest seemed to blur together in a haze of green and brown, my breath coming in short gasps as I struggled to keep pace.

After what felt like an eternity, Lucas finally slowed to a stop, glancing back at me with a small grin. “See? You didn’t die.”

I collapsed onto a fallen log, gasping for breath. “Barely,” I muttered, wiping sweat from my forehead. “Next time... let’s just stick to breakfast.”

He chuckled, sitting down beside me. “You did good, Lyra.”

I shot him a look. “Don’t patronize me.”

“I’m not,” he said, his voice softening. “You pushed yourself. That’s what matters.”

I let out a long sigh, my frustration ebbing slightly as I caught my breath. Maybe Jenna and Lucas weren’t completely wrong. Maybe pushing myself wasn’t such a bad idea. But still...

“Just... don’t make a habit of this,” I said, giving him a half-hearted glare.

Lucas grinned, leaning back against the tree. “No promises.”