CHAPTER 27: DECIDED TO INITIATE A WAR

Lucien stepped out of Leia’s room without a word. At the bottom of the staircase, he found Caleb speaking on the phone.

Lucien’s eyes locked onto him, and he commanded, "Kill him. And deliver the body to the Alpha of the Night Shade Pack as a message."

Startled, Caleb ended the call and turned to face him. "But Alpha—" he began, hesitation in his voice.

Lucien didn’t give him the chance to finish. "Do what you’re told to, Caleb." He wanted no argument or reasoning behind it. "Whoever harms the woman I own will have to bear the same fate. I am not open to any negotiation. If Malrik wants a war, then I am ready for that. He has been on my nerves for a long time," he stated.

Caleb nodded as he bowed his head, ready to comply with the command.

"Before leaving, I have important information to share with you, Alpha," Caleb said.

"What is it?" Lucien settled on the couch.

"Delia had met Malrik after we sent her away," Caleb informed him.

Lucien sneered a laugh. "She’s the one who told Malrik about Leia. I shouldn’t have spared the life of that witch. She is way more cunning than I imagined," he muttered.

"I have sent our best wolves to catch Delia," Caleb said.

"I will lead them," Ronan’s voice came from the top of the stairs. It took him seconds to be in the living room, near the couch. "I love hunting witches," he remarked with a smirk.

"No, you can’t. Focus on your recovery," Lucien refused to let him go.

"But my wound is healed," Ronan replied.

"I have said no," Lucien told him sternly this time. "Delia created a pool of tears in front of Leia. I made a mistake by not keeping an eye on her. So far, Delia’s intentions are unknown. She mentioned that her boyfriend was sick, which was why she sold Leia’s identity. Caleb, make a thorough investigation of when she had been planning and what was in her mind for Leia," he instructed further.

Caleb bowed and left the mansion to fulfill the task.

"You’re too soft with Leia. Earlier, she blamed you, yet you chose to keep quiet," Ronan said in confusion. "You see her more than as a breeder," he added.

"I want her as the luna of this pack," Lucien revealed to him.

Ronan didn’t comment on it as he respected his brother’s decision. But something in him made him feel a bit strange. ’She doesn’t deserve to be the Luna. All she throws tantrums and complaints. She doesn’t even respect Lucien and any of us. All she thinks is that we’ve caged her,’

"What are you thinking?" Lucien asked, squinting his eyes at his brother.

"Nothing," Ronan replied. "You should tell Leia that her best friend again sold her information to some crazy alpha. Leia already has a lot of misunderstandings regarding you."

"I will tell her later," Lucien replied.

"If I were in your place, I would’ve locked Leia in the dungeon for a few days for raising her voice against me. She is taking you lightly. Even the Alpha King is scared of your name, but Leia... she just loves to humiliate you," Ronan chuckled, wondering if Lucien had already developed feelings for Leia.

"I told you I have the intention to make her my luna. That’s why she can’t see the worst of me," Lucien stated.

~~~~~~

Malrik looked at the dead body of the man, one of the best warriors his pack had, and clenched his fists tightly.

"Alpha, Lucien has sent this for you," his beta informed him, handing over the letter.

Malrik took it, unfolded the parchment, and began reading.

"Beg me to spare your life, else be ready to be destroyed along with your pack."

He let out a dark laugh after reading the message. "Lucien thinks he can defeat me just because he has earned some petty favors from the Alpha King. Call the pack elders and other members. We need to prepare for a war against the Darkmoor Pack," Malrik declared with a grim look.

~~~~~~

Leia remained in her room the entire day. Even her appetite had vanished after the incident from the night before.

"Have you gone on a hunger strike?" Ronan’s voice echoed in the room.

Leia turned to look and found him carrying a tray in his hands.

"Sit up," Ronan said, placing the tray on the bedside table.

"I don’t want to eat," Leia replied.

"Then do you want me to force-feed you?" Ronan muttered. "Because of you, Lucien has decided to initiate a war against the Night Shade Pack. The least you can do for him is eat your meals on time," he asserted.

"What? A war?" Leia blinked in disbelief and finally sat up.

"You push his buttons, yet Lucien keeps listening to you. He already sees you as his Luna. That’s why he’s going to lengths I never thought he would, for a woman," Ronan remarked.

"But I never asked him to do that," Leia said.

"Indeed, you didn’t. But Lucien has decided to end their existence. Do you know who leaked the information about you to the Night Shade Pack?" Ronan asked as he grabbed the bowl filled with vegetable and meat soup.

"Who was it?" Leia curled her fingers in anticipation.

"Your dear childhood friend, Delia," Ronan replied with a mocking chuckle.

"What?" Leia arched her eyebrows in shock. "I-I thought..." She was devoid of words, unable to understand how to process it. Delia was begging to forgive her a day ago.

"Witches can’t be trusted. Your so-called friend has plotted something against you. We think that her reason for approaching you wasn’t to apologize to you, but to give your location to a rival alpha. Many have been looking for you for a long time. What confuses Lucien is why Delia sold your information to the auction house owner?" Ronan said while stirring the spoon in the soup. He then brought it to Leia’s mouth and continued,

"Have this."

Leia leaned closer and sipped the soup slowly. "I can drink the soup myself," she asserted.

"Let me feed you the soup. I didn’t thank you yet for saving my life," Ronan said with a soft tone.