Page 13 of Luka

Shayde shook his head. “He keeps a very low profile. I only know of this through a reliable source.”

“Find out what you can about him.” Eleazar waited until Shayde walked out before he picked up his phone and called Luka. Then Eleazar frowned when the call went straight to voicemail. Luka never let his calls go to voicemail.

It seemed Eleazar would have to do a deep dive into Lazarus on his own. Or through Shayde. His second was damn good at finding out things, but it would have been nice to have as much intel as possible through Luka.

Where in the hell was that wolf shifter?

Chapter Four

Luka contemplated whether or not it was a good idea to show Spencer his wolf form. But the look in Spencer’s eyes, the curiosity and fascination, was too much to resist. After he stood, Luka closed his eyes and focused on his wolf, feeling the primal energy surge through him. With a roar, he shifted into his wolf form, his fur rippling over his skin as he dropped to all fours.

Spencer gasped at the sight, but he didn’t run or scream. Instead, he slowly approached Luka, his hand outstretched as if to pet him.

Luka hesitated for a moment, but when Spencer’s hand touched his fur, he relaxed. It felt good to be touched, to be petted like a regular animal. It reminded him of his childhood, of times when he could shift and run free in the woods without a care in the world, which felt like a lifetime ago.

Everything was heightened—the smells, the sounds, the emotions. Luka could sense the fear radiating from Spencer, so he nuzzled his hand.

Spencer moved his hand along Luka’s back, soothing and calming. “Wow,” he whispered, his eyes locked on Luka’s. “You’re beautiful.”

Luka let out a soft whine, grateful for the attention and affection. It was extremely rare for him to receive such kindness, especially in his wolf form.

It wasn’t until a few moments later that Luka realized what he had done. He had shifted into his wolf, in front of Spencer, without even thinking about it. He had let his guard down, had allowed himself to be vulnerable.

Spencer shook his head. “No, you’re more than beautiful. You’re incredible, majestic, and I feel like this isn’t even real. Why am I not flipping out over this? Why am I petting you like this is normal?”

Luka felt a warmth spreading through him, something he couldn’t quite identify, but it felt good. Spencer was looking at him with such admiration, something Luka had never experienced before. Not even in his human form.

People feared him. People did their best to stay out of his way. Some envied him, while others hated him. A handful respected him. But this was the first time anyone had admired him.

Spencer continued to pet him, and Luka leaned into the touch, craving more. But a part of him knew he needed to shift back and keep his guard up. He couldn’t afford to let anyone, especially a human, get too close to him.

Reluctantly, Luka shifted back into his human form, his clothes falling back into place.

Spencer stared at him, his eyes wide with wonder. “That was amazing,” he said, his voice filled with awe.

Luka smiled. For the first time in a long time, he felt like he had made a connection with someone. Maybe, just maybe, he could trust Spencer. He had already shared so much with him, and Spencer didn’t seem to be afraid of him, even after seeing him in his wolf form.

But Luka knew better than to let his guard down completely. He had seen the true nature of people, the darkness that lay within them. And he had his own demons to contend with.

“I need to be careful,” Luka said, his voice low. “You shouldn’t get too close to me, Spencer. It’s not safe.”

Spencer frowned. “What do you mean?”

“I mean I’m not exactly a good guy. I’ve done some terrible things in my line of work.”

“You said you’re an assassin.”

Luka nodded. “I’ve decided to retire, but I’ve done things... things that I’m not proud of.”

Spencer reached out and took Luka’s hand in his. “I don’t care what you’ve done, Luka. I care about who you are now. And right now, I see a good man.”

Luka felt a lump form in his throat. He didn’t deserve this kindness, this forgiveness. But he couldn’t deny that it felt good to have someone accept him, flaws and all.

“Thank you,” Luka whispered.

Spencer squeezed his hand. “I mean it. And if you ever need someone to talk to, someone to lean on, I’m here for you.”

“Ditto,” he said. “I’m going to be there Friday night, at your apartment. You’re not facing this alone.” Luka couldn’t believe the words coming out of his mouth. He had only just met Spencer, yet he felt a protectiveness over him that he couldn’t ignore. He knew it was foolish, that he was putting himself and his secret life in danger, but he couldn’t help it.

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