[BL] Contract Marriage: Nanny of the Alpha's Heir-Chapter 26: Locked

The great hall was unusually quiet that evening. Outside, the faint hum of cicadas blended with the rustle of trees, but inside the mansion, a strange tension hung like mist. Lucien sat on the far end of the long sofa, reviewing reports in silence. Devon sat across from him, staring into a cup of untouched tea that had long gone cold.

Elias sat between them, swinging his small legs idly, looking from one adult to the other with furrowed brows. Neither Lucien nor Devon spoke a word.

Elias tilted his head, pouting. "You’re both acting weird again."

Devon blinked, startled from his thoughts.

"W-We’re not acting weird, Elias," he said gently, setting his cup down. "Your father’s just busy, and I..."

"You’re lying."

Lucien’s pen froze mid-stroke. Devon’s breath hitched.

Elias crossed his arms. "You used to smile, Papa. And you used to talk a lot. Now you both look like you’re mad at each other."

Devon glanced away, flustered. "It’s not like that, sweetheart."

"Yes, it is," the boy said, frowning harder. "You don’t even look at each other anymore!"

Lucien finally set his pen aside, exhaling quietly. "Elias..."

"No!" Elias stood up, small fists balled. "If you keep being like this, I’m not gonna talk to either of you!"

Lucien’s eyes softened. "Elias, listen..."

But the child was already marching off toward the door.

"Where are you going?" Devon called, half standing.

"To fix this!" Elias huffed, grabbing the heavy door handle. He turned to them, blue eyes fierce with the determination only a child could muster. "You two are married now, so you have to talk!"

Before either could react, Elias slipped out and slammed the door shut, followed by the loud click of the lock turning. Lucien blinked. Devon froze.

"...He didn’t," Devon murmured, disbelief lacing his voice.

Lucien’s shoulders tensed. "He did."

For a moment, they simply stared at the locked door. Then Devon groaned softly, covering his face with both hands. "This is ridiculous."

"It’s effective," Lucien said under his breath, running a hand through his hair.

They could faintly hear Elias’s small voice outside, announcing: "I’m guarding the door! You can’t leave until you make up!"

Devon sighed, sinking back into his chair. "He gets that stubbornness from you."

Lucien almost smiled, almost. "So I’ve been told."

Silence settled again, thick and uncomfortable. The fire in the hearth crackled quietly, throwing soft light across the room. Devon stared at the flickering flames, fingers tightening around the fabric of his sleeves.

"You don’t have to pretend," Devon said finally, his voice low.

Lucien looked up from his papers, brow furrowing slightly. "Pretend?"

"That this arrangement means something to you," Devon said, his tone steady despite the tremor in his chest. "I understand. The contract was for convenience. For the pack’s protection."

Lucien’s jaw tightened. "You misunderstand."

"Do I?" Devon forced a quiet laugh. "You haven’t even looked at me properly since the ceremony, Alpha. You don’t have to be kind to me if you don’t want to."

"Alpha?" Lucien’s eyes flickered, a flash of something unreadable, before the mask slid back into place. "I don’t recall being unkind."

"No," Devon said softly. "You’ve been... careful. Distant. It’s worse than being hated."

The words hung between them like smoke. Lucien said nothing. His hand rested on the armrest, fingers flexing slightly as if fighting against words he didn’t know how to shape.

Devon continued, quieter now. "Everyone treats me differently since the wedding. They smile, they bow, they call me Luna. But you... you make me feel like I’m just a name written on paper."

Lucien looked down, a muscle tightening along his jawline. "You think this is easy for me?"

Devon blinked. "What?"

Lucien stood abruptly, the chair creaking beneath his movement.

"You think I enjoy this pretense?" His voice wasn’t angry, more frustrated, weary. "Every decision I make now is under scrutiny. The pack expects me to act as though I’ve taken a mate I love. And yet if I act too warmly toward you, they’ll suspect more than I can afford."

Devon’s lips parted, the sting of realization dulling the air in his lungs. "...So that’s all this is? A performance?"

Lucien’s sapphire eyes met his. There was no cruelty in them. Only exhaustion. "It has to be."

Devon looked away, swallowing the ache building in his throat.

"Then you’re doing well," he murmured.

Lucien exhaled sharply, rubbing his temple. "Devon..."

"Don’t," Devon said quietly, rising to his feet despite the faint tremor in his legs. "Please. Don’t make it harder."

The silence that followed was deep and heavy.

Lucien’s hand fell to his side, fingers curling loosely. He had fought wars, commanded armies, negotiated with the most ruthless Alphas, yet somehow, standing before Devon’s downcast eyes felt like the most difficult battle of all.

"I never wanted to hurt you," he said finally, voice low.

Devon smiled faintly, though it didn’t reach his eyes. "You didn’t have to. The truth is enough."

Outside the door, the faint sound of Elias humming drifted through, oblivious to the weight pressing on the two inside.

Lucien turned away, pacing to the window. Devon sank back onto the sofa, his hands clasped tightly together. The distance between them felt like a chasm, two people standing on opposite cliffs, neither able to cross.

Minutes stretched into an hour. Neither spoke. The sky darkened slowly beyond the window, stars emerging one by one.

Finally, Lucien broke the silence, his voice barely above a whisper. "If I could give you more, I would."

Devon looked up, startled. "Then why can’t you?"

Lucien’s gaze lingered on the window, unreadable. "Because I already gave everything I am... to this pack."

The finality in his tone silenced any further question. Devon lowered his gaze again, the hurt blooming quietly behind his ribs. He had expected nothing from the start, yet somehow, hearing the truth still stung like betrayal.

A soft thud came from the door. Elias’s sleepy voice followed: "Papa... Daddy... did you make up yet?"

Lucien closed his eyes, drawing a slow breath. "Hmm."

Devon managed a small, trembling smile. "We’re fine, Elias. Go to bed."

There was a pause, then small footsteps fading down the hall.

Lucien turned, just enough for their eyes to meet one last time.

"Rest," he said softly. "I’ll have Rowan unlock the door."

Devon nodded wordlessly.

Lucien lingered a moment longer, as if wanting to say something more, before finally stepping out into the corridor, his figure swallowed by the dark.

Devon sat alone by the fire, staring at the empty chair across from him, the distance between them never feeling wider.

And somewhere deep in his chest, his heart whispered what his lips could not.

I shouldn’t have signed that contract.