CHAPTER 53: DRAWN TO ONE OF US

Lucien dragged Leia to the door. Without a hint of softness, he pushed her out and growled, "Leave at once if you don’t want to end up in my bed tonight."

His knuckles had gone pale from how tightly his fists were clenched, and his voice was laced with warning. It seemed like he was dangerously close to losing control.

Leia didn’t look back and ran back to her room.

The hallway felt longer than ever as she bolted into her room, slamming the door shut behind her. Her fingers fumbled to twist the lock in place before allowing herself to breathe.

Leaning against the door, she whispered to herself, "What just happened...? Did he actually let me go?"

Her voice trembled, disbelief clouding her thoughts. The image of Lucien’s bloodied hands, the sharp flash of his canines, and the guttural growl all replayed in her mind.

"I thought he wasn’t coming home tonight..." she muttered, trying to calm her racing heart.

Still shaken, Leia walked over to her bed and slid beneath the blanket, pulling it tightly around her. She let the bedside lamp remained on.

However, she couldn’t shut her eyes in fear.

"What if he storms in tomorrow and demands to know why I was in his room?" she whispered into the silence. "Agh! Why did he have to come back tonight, of all nights?"

Her thoughts wandered again, to the blood on his hands. "He must’ve killed tonight... including Malrik," she murmured. "But wasn’t the battle supposed to run all night?"

Just then, a sharp crash echoed through the hallway.

Leia bolted upright as her breath hitched. The sound had come from Lucien’s room. Unlike the other two alphas, his room was so close to hers that the vibration seemed to reach the walls around her.

"What’s happening to him? Why is he breaking things? Should I check on him? No! What if... What if he kills me too in rage?" Leia murmured, bringing her hand to her chest.

Just then, she heard a knock, causing her heart to thunder against her chest.

"Leia, it’s me," said Kieran. "Open the door," he urged.

Leia rushed to the door the moment she heard the sound. Her heart pounded in her chest as she twisted the knob and opened it.

Standing right in front of her was Kieran with a worried and serious gaze.

"We need to go," he said quickly. "Put on a cardigan or a hoodie, and grab your slippers."

"Huh?" Leia blinked in confusion, unsure if she’d heard him right.

"Lucien’s gone into rut," Kieran said bluntly as he strode past her and headed straight for the wardrobe. Without waiting, he grabbed the first cardigan he could find and tossed it over her shoulders. "Hurry."

Leia barely had time to slip on her footwear before Kieran gently but firmly took her wrist and pulled her out of the room. They exited the mansion in haste.

Within minutes, they were seated in a car, Kieran behind the wheel. He drove without delaying, heading toward the same hotel where Ronan was staying.

As the car sped down the road, Leia finally found her voice. "How did this happen out of nowhere? I thought ruts came with signs?"

Kieran didn’t take his eyes off the road. "It didn’t come out of nowhere. Lucien didn’t pay heed to it this time. We’ve always relied on suppressants. None of us used omegas to regulate our urges during rut seasons."

"So why now?"

"Because suppressants can only work for so long. And when a rut breaks through despite them, it hits hard, more intense than usual," Kieran explained. "Lucien was still in control when he threw you out. That alone says a lot. Most alphas in rut can’t stand being near an omega without completely losing themselves."

Leia went silent, processing everything. "That’s why he said he would take me to bed," she mumbled.

Lucien had chosen to send her away before his instincts won.

’I didn’t know he would be so thoughtful.’

"So... none of you ever tried to take an omega during your rut seasons?" Leia asked cautiously, her voice soft but steady.

Kieran shook his head. "No. That’s not our way. We don’t force. We’ve always taken suppressants and stayed away from omegas during those times."

Leia hesitated, then brought up what had always lingered in her mind. "But Ronan... he tried to—"

"I know," Kieran interrupted gently, glancing at her briefly before focusing on the road. "Leia, you’re not a hybrid. And Ronan, he tends to lose his head after returning from battle. His instincts spike, and it clouds his judgment."

She remained quiet, waiting for the rest.

Kieran sighed. "Lucien had always planned to continue his bloodline with a pure-blooded omega. From the start, that was the goal. I’m not excusing Ronan’s actions, believe me, I’m not, but in his mind, it wasn’t lust or malice. It was duty. Lucien had discussed the plan with all of us before he even began searching for you."

Leia’s hands gripped the cardigan tighter around her body. "So I was chosen."

"You were meant to be our mate," Kieran said simply. "But Lucien wanted it to happen on his terms, not through force, not under rut, and definitely not through someone else’s mistake."

"Will Lucien be alright?" Leia asked after a moment of silence.

Kieran gave a small nod. "He should recover in two or three days. The suppressant crash is harsh, but his control is strong."

Leia exhaled in relief. "That’s good to hear."

After a pause, Kieran asked, "When is your next heat?"

"Two weeks from now," she replied.

"Hm. I’ll make the necessary arrangements," he said. "Being around alphas during that time can be overwhelming, especially for someone going through their first heat in a pack. You’ll be vulnerable, Leia. And instinct might cloud your judgment. You may feel drawn to one of us, even if you don’t mean to."

Leia bit her bottom lip thoughtfully, then gave him a small smile. "I trust you, Kieran."

Kieran glanced at her, something soft flashing in his eyes. "Then I’ll make sure you’re safe. That’s a promise."