CHAPTER TWELVE.
in a world of boys he's a gentleman

THERE'S A STRANGE bubble of anxiety swelling in Feyre Blanchard's chest when Luke convened a meeting between them two, Alina, and Chris, wondering what was so important that they had to meet somewhere private away from the other campers. They already had plenty to worry about with a war brewing between the gods, thus meaning a war erupting right in the centre of their beloved camp. If Luke was calling a meeting between a group of individuals that he trusted most of all, then it had to be something that couldn't wait. Whatever it was, Feyre's only hope was that it was worth walking all the way into the woods for.

But while Feyre and Alina continued to walk further into the woods in silence, passing bye many trees and bushes that all looked the same along the way, Feyre's mind were all tangled together by one singular thought. Her mom. Ever since her mom missed her call from earlier that same day, she was starting to wonder if there was something wrong at home that she didn't know about since she was trapped in the comfort of camp. If she should be worried because Rosalind was the mother of a demigod child, and automatically, that would put a huge target on her back. She wondered if something or someone had done something to her that made it impossible to stay in contact with her own daughter.

     Feyre wanted to brush it off and just assume her mom was out. The woman could've created a new routine in the years following the last time Feyre had seen her. However, that didn't make any sense either. When Rosalind dropped her daughter off at the camp where she would be most safe, she promised Feyre that whenever she called, she would be there to answer. They knew it was for the better that Feyre remained at camp, but it never meant they didn't stay in contact. If Feyre ever needed her mom, she was always there. So she couldn't help but worry why that's changed all of a sudden.

Maybe she did push her mom away with her hurtful words the last time they talked once and for all. Maybe this was what she deserved for being so cruel to the one person who sacrificed everything for her. Maybe this was her punishment for neglecting that incredibly important thought. That was when Feyre Blanchard started to feel it. The guilt erupting in the pit of her stomach, eating away at her organs and rotting her body to its core from the inside out. The girl wished she could take it back. All of it. Maybe then her mom wouldn't hate Feyre as much as she already hated herself.

     The thought alone was enough to prick at her eyes. Feyre could already feel the tears for her mother forming in the corners of her eyes the second she realised her fractured relationship with her mom was all her fault. However, Feyre didn't dare allow her emotions to get the best of her. Especially in the presence of others. She would figure out what Luke wanted, and maintain the peace in camp. Then, when it was all over and Percy and the others were back from the quest, she would ask Chiron's permission to leave for no more than a week to make things right with her mom for the things she had said and done. It wasn't ideal to wait any longer than she already had been, but it was the best she could do for now.

Until then Feyre would continue to trudge her way through the woods with her sister walking beside her. By the time the pair reached where Luke had told them to meet Chris and himself, they saw the boys pacing back and forth by an old broken down building, remnants of what remained scattered across the ground, vines wrapped around every crevice of the stone, more or less likely once dedicated to the gods they were suppose to worship. Feyre was surprised to see some of it was still standing, even after all this time. Then, when Luke stopped pacing and looked up, he was relieved to see Feyre and Alina approaching, a small smile breaking out across his face in the process.

"You took your time," Luke mused. His gaze then seemed to lighten up, a twinkle of happiness glimmering in his chestnut coloured eyes. "I was thinking you girls were never going to show up," The boy then joked, earning a laugh from Chris. But his choice of words were enough to make Feyre roll her eyes in response before she stopped in her tracks, standing in front of him and Chris with Alina at her side.

     "Well..." Feyre sighed, placing her hands firmly on her hips while she smirked back at the  curly haired boy. "It wouldn't have taken this long for us to get here if you didn't pick such a secluded place for all of us to talk. Why are we out here anyways? What do you even want to talk about?" She questioned, a frown washing over her olive skin in the process.

     Alina nodded her head in agreement with her sister's words. "Yeah, because in case you boys forgot, the camp is at odds, and we're doing our best to keep the Apollo cabin in check after Dallas and the Stoll brothers almost killed each other earlier. So this better be important," She lectured them, quirking her brow while she waited for one of them to answer her.

Luke and Chris exchanged a series of looks before Chris turned to the girls, nodding his head. "Well, Luke has a plan to make the camp turn against the gods," He announced, his news being enough to make Feyre stare between the two boys with confusion and disbelief swirling around her eyes.

"What do you mean, 'turn against the gods?'" Feyre inquired, sounding concerned at the thought of rebelling against the people that gave all of them life. She always wondered what would happen if they even tried to go against their parents. Apollo gave her life. Could he take it away with a simple click of his fingers too? "Because by the sounds of it, you're basically saying we shouldn't listen to them. So, if they ask us to go to war with them, we just say no?" She elaborated.

Luke let out a chuckle, shaking his head. "When you say it like that, it makes the whole idea sound crazy," He replied.

"Because it is crazy, Luke," Alina interjected, a serious look plastered across her tanned features. The idea sounded more than just crazy. It sounded completely mental. She hated her father and the other gods just as much as the next tortured soul. But turning against them if they ask their children to pick up swords and fight, well, it sounded like an early death sentence. "You're basically asking us to go against our parents who have all the power here. We're just pieces on chessboard. What they say goes," She reminded the boys, shrugging her shoulders with disappointment.

Luke smiled at the younger girl, clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth. "But what if we don't give the gods another choice? Tip the scales in our favour?" He asked in a rhetorical manner.

He now had Feyre's undivided attention. The girl furrowed her brows together and took a step closer, appearing to be a lot more intrigued by the prospect of rebellion than previously before. "Fine. I'll humour you for a moment. Go on," Feyre nodded her head, a small and faint smirk tugging at the corner of her lips. A small part of her believed this was a pipe dream, but she was willing to hear her best friend out.

Luke smiled back at the girl for a moment before he parted his lips to speak. "It's quite simple really—"

"Brilliant, too," Chris quickly added, cutting Luke off in the process.

"I think that if we can convince the other head counsellors to back out of the war if it comes down to it, then the gods will be almost powerless without their child forces. They can fight all they want, but with small enough armies, they'll have no choice but to call a truce," Luke explained. He sounded proud of his plan, and sure it would work if they could convince the other cabins to back out of the fight. "If all the cabins can come together and create a united front against the war between the gods, maybe there won't be a war at all."

     Feyre thought about it for a moment, and it was brilliant, just like Chris had previously said. Demigods are powerful beings. They possess power and strength passed down from their godly parents, and it's useful in a war, like the one brewing in Olympus above them. That's why the campers were at odds, because their parents were already recruiting through dreams in the middle of their slumbers. If they all came together and went against their parents wishes, diminishing their power and limiting the numbers in each of their armies, then they would have no choice but to call a truce. Maybe it could even provoke a surrender. If that was the case, then maybe Feyre owed it to her cabin to at least try and show them they don't have to bend to their father's will.

     "Okay, how do we even create a united front?" Feyre questioned further, curiosity lingering on the tip of her tongue as she spoke.

Luke wasn't surprised to hear he was already winning Feyre over with his plan. He knew they both shared a mutual disdain towards the gods for the abandonment by their fathers and being used like a pawns in their games. He knew she would understand better than anyone else. "All we have to do is convince the head counsellor from each cabin to turn against the gods. If we convince them then the rest of their cabin will follow. It's simple, just like I said," He elaborated, cocking his head to the side in the process.

     Feyre pulled a face, slowly catching onto Luke's plan while she nodded her head. "So we divide the cabins between us four and convince the other head counsellors to stay out of the war. I mean, convincing Apollo's cabin, Hermes cabin, and the unclaimed should be easy. It's just the others we have to worry about," She added.

     "Exactly. Feyre, you go back to Apollo's cabin and explain to them that there doesn't need to be a war, and I'll go back to my cabin and do the same. Then we just have to divide the rest individually to speed up the process and even the work load between us four," Luke replied, going back and forth with Feyre as they went over the plan between them. It was like natural chemistry. He would come up with an idea, and should would add to it, and make it even better. Luke had to admit she had that effect on others, especially him.

     Alina glanced over at Chris for a moment, the pair exchanging looks that spoke a thousand words all at once. There was no denying that as the ones closest to their siblings, they knew everything, just like how Feyre and Luke had undeniable chemistry and love for each other. But they were either too stupid to admit it, or just too blind to see it. Now they were both being suffocated by the chemistry swarming the small group. Alina could have sworn she would have started to choke on the summer air if Chris didn't break the silence, the boy parting his lips to speak with a ghost of a smile etched at each corner of his lips.

     "Well, Zeus, Hera, Poseidon and Artemis's cabins are easy. There's no one in there as of right now," Chris informed, causing for Feyre and Luke to glance at the boy, taking their attention away from each other. "I'll gladly talk to Hephaestus and Dionysus's cabins," He volunteered.

     Alina nodded her head. "I'll take on Demeter and Aphrodite's cabins. Cabin four will take some convincing, but cabin ten is easy. Silena likes me too much, especially since we were all placing—" The girl was quickly cut off by Feyre, who nudged her sister, shooting her a glance that told her to shut up. There was so much going on, the last thing Feyre needed was Luke knowing the Aphrodite cabin were rooting for her and Luke to be together.

     Luke caught onto this, but decided to question the girls about it once they were able to prevent their parts in a brewing war. Instead, he shrugged his shoulders and sighed. "That leaves Athena and Ares's cabins," He spoke up, his eyes meeting Feyre's, who was practically begging him through looks alone to let her take on the responsibility of talking to the Athena kids. The last thing she wanted was to go toe to toe with Clarisse La Rue. "I think I should be the one to take on the Athena kids since Annabeth is like my sister," He admitted.

     Feyre placed her hands firmly on her hips once again. "You're seriously playing the sister card? That isn't fair," She argued, shaking her head in the process. "Besides, Clarisse hates me. She isn't going to want to hear a word I have to say," She reminded him.

"Guys, you can argue about it later. But for now, we need to get ahead of the gods and talk their kids out of their plans," Alina interjected before she nudged Feyre. "Come on, I'll back you up with our cabin."

Feyre spared her sister a quick glance before she turned her attention back to Luke. "We'll talk about this later, Castellan," She spoke sternly before she turned on her heel and retreated back through from where her and Alina had originally come from, leaving Luke and Chris alone in the woods once again.

Luke watched as Feyre disappeared behind the dozens of trees surrounding them, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips when he thought about her previous statement to him. He thought about her tone and playful smirk that not many noticed, but he did with plenty of ease. Once Feyre and Alina could no longer be seen, Luke turned back around to face Chris, who was staring back at him with a teasing look twinkling in his eyes. Luke noticed this about his brother and shook his head, a nervous laugh leaving his lips shortly afterwards. "What?" He asked.

     "Dude..." Chris breathed out, sounding almost exhausted, fed up, or maybe both. "When are you going to ask that girl out?" He questioned.

     Luke rolled his eyes in response to the question. "It's not like that with Feyre," He answered, trying to dismiss the topic altogether, but he should've known better than to think the conversation would end there.

"Don't, it's not like that with Feyre, with me," Chris paused for a moment, and Luke's sheepish grin was quickly wiped clean from his face. He knew better than to brush off the topic of him and Feyre when Chris was the one person he had confided in about his true feelings for the daughter of the Sun God. "You were literally going to ask her out at the bonfire a few nights ago, but once again, you didn't. I don't get why either," He pointed out.

Luke shrugged his shoulders in response. "It's complicated, man," He countered, almost believing it himself, but deep down he knew his words were far from the truth.

"It isn't complicated at all actually. You've had this crush on Feyre for two years. I don't know how long you can keep it a secret for before someone else other than me and almost everyone at camp figures it out," Chris explained, and Luke stared back at the boy, almost dumbfounded by the fact that the entire camp pretty much knew about his feelings for Feyre Blanchard. "Dude, you suck at hiding it. But luckily for you, Feyre doesn't see it."

Luke let out another quiet sigh filled with exasperation. "She's my best friend, man. I don't want to ruin that because of my feelings. Besides, what if she doesn't even like me in that way?" He confessed.

Chris let out a low chuckle and placed his hand on Luke's shoulder. "Anyone with eyes can see Feyre Blanchard is head over heels for you. Everyone but you clearly," He informed. Chris then removed his hand from Luke's shoulder and walked away to make a start on their plan to get ahead of the gods, just like Alina had previously said to them with Luke following close behind him, but all the boy could think about was her. . . Feyre Blanchard.

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Luke's plan was working. Feyre Blanchard knew that much for sure. Together, Feyre and Alina were able to convince their cabin to back out of the war if it was to ever come to one. There was some skepticism at first, but they slowly came around with Feyre's words full of promises and encouragement. Alina then left to speak to cabin four and cabin ten, which went surprisingly well with little effort from the girl. When she reported back to Feyre that neither cabin would participate in the war, she wasn't surprised. Aphrodite's kids would surely prefer to braid each other's hair than pick up a sword and fight. But the news from the Demeter cabin shocked Feyre at first, believing they would surely join the war.

     Now that half of the work was done, Feyre made her way back into the woods to meet Luke again. When she got there, he was waiting for her with a hopeful look of his own glimmering in his chestnut coloured eyes when he saw Feyre approaching him. Feyre felt a grin break out across her lips when she saw Luke in the distance. Especially when she saw the look of sweet victory plastered across his face, carved deep into his tanned skin. It gave the girl the hope she desperately needed in the midst of such uncertainty, the sight of Luke's own joy being more than enough to warm her heart as she stopped in front of him.

     Feyre watched as Luke continued to stare back at her, waiting to hear her verdict. That was when the girl let out a shaky breath, nodding her head. "Apollo, Aphrodite and Demeter's cabins are going to help us. They won't fight if it comes to a war," She announced proudly. Her news was enough to make Luke's smile grow across his face. Feyre didn't think something like this could bring the boy such joy, but little did she know, this was all for his own personal gain too. She was just too naive to see it.

     "That's great," Luke agreed, believing this could be the start of the rebellion he had been hoping for. "Hermes cabin and the rest of the unclaimed were easy to convince. Chris managed to convince the Dionysus cabin, but he's still trying to get the Hephaestus kids to come around. As for the Athena cabin, they trusted me enough to at least stay out of it until Annabeth got back so she could talk to them about it then," He elaborated further.

     Feyre almost couldn't believe it. The plan to tip the scales in their favour could actually work. If it all goes to plan then there wouldn't even need to be a war at all. "So that leaves us with Ares's kids..." Feyre trailed off, a sense of dread building up in the pit of her stomach.

     Luke clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth, shrugging his shoulders. "Well, I hate to admit it, but we're going to need Clarisse and the others for something as big as a rebellion against the gods. They have some of the best fighters. Even if we convince every other cabin in this camp to side with us, it'll be difficult to tip the scales if Zeus's or Poseidon's army have Ares and his children on their side," The boy explained to Feyre.

     "Well, you should make it quick and talk to Clarisse," Feyre instructed him, patting the boy on his shoulder before she made an attempt to turn around. But the familiar sound of Luke's voice prevented her from leaving their spot in the woods.

"But I talked to the Athena kids..." Luke paused while Feyre turned back around, a quiet sigh leaving her lips while she quirked her brow in the process. The last thing she wanted was to talk to Clarisse La Rue, knowing that it was better for everyone if someone else was to speak to the girl. "I get that you and Clarisse don't get along, and never have since you came to camp, but I'm sure she won't do anything if you just talk to her," He reminded her.

Correction. Feyre Blanchard and Clarisse La Rue hated each other. From the moment Feyre stepped foot into camp, she was instantly singled out by the god of war's favourite child. Their rivalry only continued to grow the longer they spent in the same proximity as each other. However, all hope for a future friendship, or even an understanding of each other was burned to the ground and turned into a pile of ashes after Feyre embarrassed the La Rue girl in front of her siblings and the entire camp. Feyre was new at camp and challenged Clarisse to a duel that resulted in her victory and Clarisse's failure. The girl had a vendetta against Feyre ever since.

"Clarisse would gladly stab me in the back if given the chance," Feyre countered, and Luke couldn't help but roll his eyes in response to her statement. Feyre then scoffed playfully. "It's true. If there weren't any consequences for her actions, she would gladly kill me," She defended herself.

Luke smirked back at the girl, shaking his head in the process. "Now you're just being dramatic, Blanchard," He argued. Feyre folded her arms over her chest, sighing in annoyance. "Besides, Clarisse doesn't like me either. What if she tries to stab me in the back?" He pointed out, that same smirk etched at the corners of his lips.

"Fine. Let's make this fair..." Feyre paused for a moment, grabbing her sword from the sheath around her waist. Usually, the girl wouldn't walk around the camp armed with her sword. She was safe in camp, but with the cabins at odds with each other, she believed it was best to walk around with it attached at her hip at all times. At least until every cabin was on their side.

     Luke furrowed his brows together in confusion, tilting his head slightly to the side while his gaze shifted between the girl standing in front of him and the sword clasped tightly in her hand. "What are you doing?" He questioned curiously. Feyre chuckled and smiled at her best friend, watching as he continued to stand opposite her, completely clueless.

     "I'm challenging you to a duel, Castellan," Feyre replied. Luke couldn't help but stare back at the girl with a look full of doubt swimming in his dark brown eyes. There was no way Feyre could go up against him and win. She was an excellent fighter and the best from the cabin. But she was no match against him. "Whoever is disarmed first has to talk to Clarisse," She added, making the rules simply and fair.

Feyre then watched as Luke retrieved what appeared to be some sort of magical item from his pocket before it transformed into a sword of his own. But it wasn't the boy's usual weapon of choice. The sword was large and sharp across the serrated edge. She noticed one side was golden, like all weapons crafted from celestial bronze. But the other side appeared almost normal to her eyes, like any other sword used throughout history, held proudly by mortal hands. One weapon crafted from two completely different materials. One side could kill monsters, but the other could easily harm and kill mortal beings. Feyre couldn't help but wonder why Luke would possess such a weapon. And where did he get it from?

"Nice sword," Feyre complimented, nodding towards the deadly weapon in the hands of her best friend. "Where did you get it from?" She asked, a mix of curiosity and suspicion laced in her voice while her gaze focused on the object, watching as the sharpest tip of the sword glistened in the sunlight peaking through the trees.

     Luke didn't say anything at first. Instead he smiled proudly at the sword in his hand. "This? I call it Backbiter. It was a...gift," He answered, deciding not to elaborate further about the origin of the sword and who it came from. Feyre nodded and accepted Luke's answer for what it was. She believed that if there was anything else Luke needed to say, then he would say it. He's never lied to her before. So why would he start now?

     Feyre and Luke began to circle one another, both trying to find the first opening for a clean and swift attack. Feyre stared down at the sword in Luke's hand again for a moment before she lifted her gaze to meet his eyes again, watching as the boy parted his lips to speak once again. "You are aware I'm the best swordsman in camp, right?" He reminded the girl, raising his brow with a mischievous glimmer burning in his eyes.

     "And did you forget that you taught me everything I needed to know?" Feyre retorted, swinging the sword in her hand to get a good feel of the weapon in the palm of her hand. "All your moves are my moves, remember?" She pushed.

     That was when Feyre made the first slash towards Luke, swinging her sword towards him in hopes of gaining the upper hand. However, Luke was twice as fast and blocked her strike with the edge of his sword, sparks erupting between the two metal blades. Feyre stepped back, disengaging her blade from Luke's for a moment before she made a second attempt at another strike, her sword clashing against the opposite side of his own weapon. She repeated this for a while, her sword clashing with Luke's time and time again, creating a caress in the process as her weapon began to scrape against the other, or Backbiter, as Luke called it. She had to admit it was an odd name, but just as equally violent all at once.

Luke breaks away from Feyre and they begin to circle one another again. The boy smirked at the girl, nodding his head towards her with a proud look plastered across his face. "You've got better," He commented.

Feyre paused in her tracks and retreated into a fighting stance, holding her sword forward. "I had an excellent teacher," She replied, a smile of her own tugging at the corners of her lips in the process.

Luke was the first to advance towards Feyre, Backbiter continuing to glisten in the rays of sunlight cascading down towards them. The boy then lunged his sword towards the girl, hoping to catch her off guard by bringing his sword down on her own. But Feyre saw the attack coming and was able to parry the strike just in time, beating her sword repeatedly against the edge of Luke's blade. There was a split moment when the girl believed she had gained the upper hand and would be able to disarm him in a matter of seconds. However, when Feyre lunged towards Luke for a second time, he was easily able to fend her off by using one hand to hold his sword, the weapon crashing against her own before he used his free hand to grab her by the arm and swing her around so her back was pressed against his front, the serrated edge belonging to Backbiter pressed lightly against her throat.

Feyre stood there for a moment, not sure what to do as she was stuck in an incredibly vulnerable position. She felt the warmth of Luke's body pressing into her back, her body heat mingling with his, and the tense feeling of his hot breath fanning against the back of her neck while his cheek brushed lightly against the helix of her ear, sending chills up and down her spine. Feyre swallowed thickly for a moment before she released a shaky breath past her trembling lips, feeling intimidated more so than ever before. It wasn't so much that she was in a vulnerable position that shook the girl to her core. It was more to do with how much she liked being this close to Luke. Given the recent revelation about her true feelings for her best friend, she felt captivated by his hold on her.

It was euphoric. It was almost like she was intoxicated, drunk on the everlasting high of being swept in the comfort of Luke's arms, and basking in the warmth of his presence that made her feel so infatuated by him. And when she heard Luke chuckle quietly from behind her, the feeling of his lips coming close to the edge of her ear, Feyre believed she would melt into a puddle of her own feelings at any given moment. "You know...it's not too late to accept defeat, Blanchard," Luke lowly whispered into her ear, sending another round of chills through the girl's body once again.

Feyre let out another chuckle, biting down on her lip. The girl then fought her way out of Luke's hold on her, despite how much she would've preferred to stay like that for a little while longer. Once she was free, Feyre turned around and raised her sword, the tip pointing at Luke's chest. "What? Scared I might actually win?" She inquired, a teasing look twinkling in her eyes. The familiar twinkle was enough to make Luke crack another grin.

     "It was worth a shot," Luke replied with a shrug of his shoulders before he advanced towards the girl with his sword in hand again.

     Feyre blocked the attack and pushed Luke away from her, going over her strategy quickly in her head. She looked at the boy's stance and the way he held his sword tightly between his hands, hoping to find some sort of weakness, or opening that would give her the upper hand. But Luke was a good fighter. Better than her. He would be two steps ahead so she had to move at his speed and hope for a positive result. So she advanced towards him again, and Luke proceeded to the same, both of them moving in close, crossing their swords near hilt and into an "X" shape. However, instead of fighting back, both Feyre and Luke stayed still within close proximity of each other, like they were frozen in place, their chests almost touching and their noses lightly grazing one another.

     Luke stared down at Feyre, his eyes meeting her own before his gaze slowly drifted down to look at her lips. And there was a moment where he contemplated closing the gap between them. It was simple. He just had to lean forward and allow his lips to touch her own. Luke had wanted that for so long. To feel her lips against his own, and the fireworks that would erupt like magic as he kissed her. He had waited for that moment. His heart yearned for it from the moment he realised he was falling for his best friend two years ago. Days and nights had passed him bye and each time he would live in regret for not giving into those urges out of fear, scared of the potential rejection and heartbreaking that could possibly follow if he dared to take such a risk.

     And like all those times before, Luke Castellan neglected his heart's greatest desire and stepped back, swinging his sword towards the girl before he disarmed her while she was distracted. Feyre let out a gasp and watched as her sword fell to the ground against the bed of leaves littered across the soil covered ground beneath her feet. The girl then lifted her gaze to glance back at Luke, watching as that same old smug look washed over his face, proud that he was able to win the duel, thus meaning he wouldn't have to be the one to talk to Clarisse La Rue. She would be.

     Luke then parted his lips to speak, cocking his head to the side in the process. "Looks like Clarisse is waiting for you," He mused.

     Feyre glanced back at her friend for a moment, a look of disbelief evident in her eyes while she continued to frown at the boy. "Fine. I'll speak to Clarisse. But if she kills me, I'm coming back to haunt you, Castellan," She threatened in a playful manner before she picked up her sword and stuck it back into the sheath hugging her waistline.

     "Good luck," Luke laughed, watching as Feyre turned on her heel and ventured her way back out of the woods to find Clarisse. But once her back was turned, Luke's smile faltered and was quickly replaced by a look full of defeat and regret, wishing he had given into his temptations and closed that final gap between him and Feyre when he had the chance.

     Little did he know, Feyre Blanchard was thinking the same thing.

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authors note.
Things are getting heated in camp between Feyre and Luke...that means we're getting closer to one of my favourite chapters of this story so far 🤭 you guys won't be disappointed I promise. And what about the Backbiter reveal to Feyre? Is this the start of her suspicions or will she remain blindsided by Luke?

Until then I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and I'll update again very soon!!!