Welcome To Hell, Dear Wife-Chapter 50: Ell

Chapter 50: Ell
Lucas was shirtless in his room, trying over and over to concentrate on the numbers on the financial on his screen, but they kept blurring together.
He’d even been reading the same paragraph for twenty minutes now because his mind wouldn’t just move away from what had happened last night.
He knew he ought to sleep now, as it was already two in the morning, yet he couldn’t bring himself to sleep, as the image of Lorena’s eyes widening when she’d seen him shift was still etched on his mind.
How do I even approach this when I see her?
He rubbed his eyes and tried to focus again. He had so much work to do, plans to finalize, and the next phase of his plan to—
Scritch...
Lucas’s head snapped on hearing that sound that had just come from outside his door. It was light and dragging, like fingernails against wood.
He went still as he tried to remain silent and listen. Then the sound came again, over and over this time.
It was moving along the wall.
His first thought was an animal. Maybe a rat had managed to get into his house through the vents, or one of his wolves on patrol.
But the next thud that came and the shadow of feet that appeared under his door in a way that blocked the light coming from the hallway got his instincts flaring.
He stood in one smooth motion and crossed the room in short strides.
Without warning, he yanked his door open as if ready to fight, but it all died when he came face to face with her.
Lorena
.
She stood barefoot in the dim hallway with one hand still raised against the wooden frame where she had been scratching.
Her eyes, on the other hand, were half-open and completely unfocused, like she was staring at him but not at him.
Her hair was tangled too, like she’d tossed in bed numerous times, while her lips remained slightly parted.
"Lorena?" Lucas voiced out, confused.
But he got no reaction. She didn’t even blink.
Instead, she took a slow step towards him, and the movement looked so strange and hypnotic to Lucas.
He immediately blocked the doorway totally with his body as he was unsure if this was another one of her antics or something else entirely. Maybe some game to catch him off guard?
But she didn’t stop and only kept on coming towards him, only to stop so close to him that he could feel the heat coming off her skin.
Her eyes stayed half-opened and unfocused, like he was invisible and she was looking through him at something only she could see.
He could not help but take a step back. "Are... are you drunk?"
There still wasn’t any reply from her. Instead, her hand lifted without warning and suddenly touched his bare chest.
The contact felt light and gentle as her fingers traced across his skin like she was feeling the heat underneath.
Lucas felt a strange sensation that he had to quickly grab her wrist to stop the movement, but she still didn’t flinch nor react at all.
She just kept looking at him with an absent gaze while her lips moved to form words too quiet for Lucas to hear.
She reached at him again with her other hand, this time brushing the edge of his pants. Her fingers caught the fabric like she was trying to remove it, and Lucas froze this time as every muscle went tight.
His instincts were torn between shock, confusion, and something else he didn’t want to name.
Heat.
So much heat that definitely had nothing to do with the night air, because it was darn cold.
She outdid herself and stepped even closer, so close that her chest touched his.
Lucas held her second wrist as he tried to push her back gently. "Lorena, you need to—"
But she leaned into him instead, pressing her cheek against his shoulder while breathing shallow and uneven.
Lucas could no longer hide the heat he was feeling. Something about her scent and her closeness to him was doing craziness in his head,
in a way that made his pulse race.
He clenched his jaw as he tried very hard to stay detached.
This was just biology and nothing more. It’s normal.
"Lorena... what on earth are you doing?" He finally snapped as he pulled her away from him, but she swayed right back into his arms like gravity was dragging her toward him.
"If this is your way of getting into my bed, it won’t work. I’m not that weak." The words were meant for her, but it felt like they were for himself too.
As if that was not enough, she stood properly and then suddenly started to unbutton her blouse absentmindedly.
One button, then two,
like the fabric was too warm for her.
"Shit." Lucas cursed under his breath and grabbed both hands again. "What the actual fuck are you doing, Lorena?"
This time she whispered, and even if it came faintly, it was enough for Lucas to pick up. "Cold... it’s so cold..."
The blouse was exposing the swell of her breast, so he buttoned it back up as he got more frustrated by the second.
"Cold? Why would you want to get your shirt off then if you’re cold? Shouldn’t you just go back to bed?" He tried to guide her, but she wouldn’t move.
She just looked up at him with those lost eyes while Lucas stood there watching her as if trying to understand what the hell was happening to her right now.
Was she high on some drugs? Does she take drugs? Is she crazy? Hallucinating?
She mumbled more words. Something about
"he can’t find me like this" and "he’ll punish me."
And then she leaned into him again, resting her head on his chest as if listening to his heartbeats. By now, Lucas’s heart had started to drum despite all his efforts to stay calm and controlled.
Then her lips parted again, and her voice came out barely a whisper but clear enough to stop his heartbeat completely.
"Hide properly. Don’t be so scared of the dark, Ell."
Lucas went completely still as memories came rushing to him.
Those exact words.
From years ago.
From that girl. And Ell, the fake name he had given her.
What the actual fuck.
Before he could properly process, her body shut down like someone had flipped a switch, with all energy draining out of her at once.
Lucas caught her in his arms, and for several seconds, he just stared at her face, unsure if she’d been awake or possessed.
"What... what did you just say?" he stuttered out, but she didn’t answer as she was already deep in sleep.
Lucas stood there in his doorway, holding the woman he’d married for vengeance, and for the first time since this whole thing started, he had absolutely no idea what the fuck was happening.