CHAPTER 168: LOVES YOU THE MOST

"Why is Lucien absent from breakfast?" Azalea asked, her brows knitting together as she glanced around the table.

"Maybe he left for work again," Fleur suggested while ladling spinach soup into her mother’s bowl.

"But he came home early this morning," Travis countered. "I heard it from one of the servants."

Kieran’s gaze drifted toward Leia. She sat quietly, her eyes fixed on her plate though she hadn’t touched a bite. The troubled look on her face showed it all.

’They must have argued again,’ Kieran thought, watching her carefully. ’But what could have driven Lucien to leave without telling anyone?’

"Leia, did you see him?" Azalea pressed, spoon poised above the steaming soup.

Leia jolted slightly, her hands tightening around her napkin. "Uh... I—I don’t know where he went," she stammered, her flustered expression betraying the truth she struggled to hide.

"Lucien still works in such mysterious ways," Azalea murmured, her voice tinged with worry. "How many times do I have to remind him not to skip breakfast?"

"Mom, don’t worry about him," Fleur said gently, placing a steadying hand on her mother’s arm. "You shouldn’t stress yourself, not in your condition."

The table fell into a heavy silence after that. The clinking of cutlery ceased, and everyone seemed to retreat into their own thoughts. Leia sat stiffly, staring at the food on her plate, but she couldn’t bring herself to finish it. Both her mind and heart were restless.

’Lucien must feel so alone... like no one ever truly understands him. Why did I have to say that to him? God, I feel like I’ve ruined everything.’

"Leia!" Kieran’s voice rang out sharply, pulling her from her thoughts.

"Huh?" She blinked, startled.

"You’ve hardly eaten anything. The maids are already here to clear the table," Kieran pointed out, his eyes narrowing in quiet concern.

"Ah... I just didn’t feel like eating more," Leia murmured, trying to sound casual, though for Kieran her voice betrayed her unease.

"You’ve been injured so badly. At least eat a proper meal," Azalea said as she rose from her seat. Her tone softened, but her concern was genuine. She turned to Fleur. "I need to take my medicine."

Fleur immediately stood, looping her arm through her mother’s to guide her gently out of the dining room.

"Aren’t you feeling well, Leia?" Inara asked, concern etched across her face.

"No, I’m fine," Leia replied quickly, forcing a small smile.

"Why don’t you call Jennifer to have Leia checked?" Travis suggested, glancing at Kieran.

"That’s not necessary," Leia cut in before Kieran could respond. "You’re all worrying for no reason."

But her composure faltered the instant she caught Lucien’s presence. That familiar, intoxicating pull of Lucien’s pheromones lingered in the air, tugging at her senses. Without another word, she rose abruptly from her chair, leaving the others startled, and walked out of the dining room.

"Lucien!" Her voice carried across the hall as she spotted him midway up the stairs, phone pressed to his ear.

He turned, lowering the device slowly, one eyebrow arching in question. "What do you want?"

Kieran, who had followed, halted nearby, confusion flickering in his eyes as he looked between them.

"Let’s talk," Leia said firmly, her voice trembling only slightly.

"Sure." Lucien’s lips curved into something unreadable as his gaze slid past her to Kieran, almost as though daring him to intervene.

"What’s going on between you two?" Kieran finally asked, his voice carried a suspicion. His eyes narrowed on Lucien. "Did you trouble Leia again?"

"No, nothing like that happened," Leia answered quickly, stepping forward. "We... argued about something. And it was my mistake."

Inara and Travis looked at them, realizing something big was going on.

Lucien simply walked upstairs while Leia went after him. Kieran didn’t stop either as he followed both them.

Inara and Travis looked each other, shaking their heads.

~~~~

Leia let the door fall shut behind her, though she didn’t bother locking it. Her heart raced as she stepped further inside.

"I shouldn’t have said that. I’m... sorry," she murmured, her eyes fixed on Lucien, who was rifling through the drawer of the cupboard with calmness.

Before he could respond, footsteps followed her. Kieran had entered as well, standing right behind her.

"Why did you come in?" Leia turned, irritation flashing across her face. "I want to talk to Lucien in private."

But before Kieran could answer, Lucien closed the drawer with a soft thud. An old key rested between his fingers as he slowly turned toward them.

"Let him stay," Lucien said. "He should know why we argued in the first place. Otherwise, he’ll keep misunderstanding me, thinking I always hurt you."

Kieran’s brows knit together as his gaze shifted to Leia. A thousand unspoken questions burned in his eyes, but he held his tongue, waiting.

When Leia didn’t say anything, Lucien did. "Kieran, she wants to give her first time to you. That’s what she said."

Leia’s breath hitched, but she kept her eyes on Lucien.

Lucien’s jaw clenched as he continued, "And I have a problem with it. Not because it isn’t me but because she resists me. Every time she pulls away, it feels like she hates me. Do you understand what that does to me? It makes me doubt myself whether I’m that much unworthy of her love. Thanks to this matebond, I can’t even walk away. I’m chained to her, yet all she does is push me aside." His voice cracked slightly, rage and pain tangled together. "It hurts me too. More than she realizes."

Kieran’s eyes flicked from Leia to his elder brother, weighing his words carefully before speaking. "The two of you should sort out these feelings yourselves. I can’t interfere. But Lucien..." his voice softened, "she doesn’t hate you. Don’t let your anger poison your head."

With that, he turned sharply on his heel and left, the door closing behind him with a soft thud.

"You should leave too," Lucien said, not meeting her gaze anymore.

Leia lifted her chin, bitterness flashing in her eyes. "You said you couldn’t walk away from me because of the matebond. If freedom is what you want, then just reject me."

Lucien’s head snapped toward her, his eyes narrowing. "What did you just say? Reject you?" His eyes flashed red. "Leia... you—" He stopped himself, fists clenching at his sides as he fought to control the storm inside him. The words burning on his tongue were too cruel, and he refused to let them scar her.

Finally, he exhaled sharply. "I have somewhere to be. Don’t ruin my mood," he muttered, striding past her toward the door.

But before he could leave, Leia’s hand shot out, grasping his arm. He turned, ready to shake her off, only for her lips to crash against his.

She rose on her toes, clutching his collar desperately as if afraid he would vanish if she let go. Her kiss was fierce, trembling, soaked with pain.

Lucien lightly pushed her back as he felt dampness on his cheek. Her tear-streaked face froze him in place.

"Don’t come near me again," Leia choked out, her voice breaking. "Not unless you know... unless you know how to win me back. And if you try before then, I swear I’ll kill you."

With that, she shoved him away and fled to her room, not once looking back.

Lucien stood in stunned silence, his wolf rumbling beneath his chest. Slowly, he lifted his hand to his cheek, where her tears still lingered, hot against his skin.

As Lucien stepped out of the room, he found Kieran waiting in the corridor, hands buried deep in the pockets of his trousers.

"You’re impossible," Kieran said flatly, his gaze steady. "You always make her cry. And whether you admit it or not, Leia loves you the most out of the three of us. Why else would she let you bother her this much?"

Lucien’s jaw tightened, but he stayed silent.

"Ronan worries her too," Kieran continued, his voice low, "but not like you do. You’re different. You’re the one who gets under her skin. The one who matters enough to hurt her."

Kieran’s eyes flickered with a trace of bitterness as he added, "You told me not to be jealous. Yet here you are, choking on your own." With a small, derisive roll of his eyes, he turned on his heel to walk away.

"I’m going to see the Alpha King. Ronan will return today. I hope nothing goes wrong behind my back," Lucien said. "Also, it’s not jealousy. Leia does ask me to stop every time we–"

"She does the same to me. She is very unsure of the fact that she has to do with three mates. We have to make her comfortable first," Kieran replied, turning to face him again.

"Hmm." Lucien didn’t speak further and vanished from his place using the teleportation.

Kieran furrowed his brows together. "Why is he suddenly seeing the Alpha King? And he’s still not good in understanding a woman’s heart. I used to think Ronan was a fool in this, but I was wrong," he murmured.