CHAPTER 54: EASING IT WITH A PARTNER

The next morning, Leia woke up far later than usual. A soft groan escaped her lips as she propped herself up against the headboard, her eyes slowly adjusting to the warm daylight filtering through the curtains. When her gaze fell on the wall clock, a frown formed on her face; it was already close to midday.

"Kieran didn’t wake me up," she murmured to herself.

She swung her legs over the edge of the bed and reached for the glass pitcher on the bedside table. Pouring herself some water, she took a few slow sips. Lowering the glass, she stared blankly for a moment, her thoughts drifting.

"I hope Lucien was alright last night..."

Deciding to freshen up, Leia made her way to the washroom. The hot shower helped clear her mind and ease the stiffness from sleep. Wrapping herself in the bathrobe afterward, she stepped out, only then realizing she hadn’t brought a change of clothes from home.

Just as she walked back into the bedroom, she froze mid-step. Her eyes widened slightly to see Ronan.

"Good afternoon," Leia greeted in her warm voice.

Ronan rose from the chair and turned to face her. "Good afternoon," he returned politely, then nodded toward the bed. "That bag has your clothes."

Leia’s gaze followed his gesture. "Did you bring them?" she asked, arching a brow.

"No," Ronan replied simply. "Kieran sent them for you."

A flicker of thought crossed her face as she glanced briefly at the bag. "So, where is he?" she asked, her eyes scanning the room.

"He had to leave," Ronan answered. "Something important came up."

"Oh," Leia murmured as she unzipped the duffle bag to check its contents. Just then, Ronan’s voice broke the brief silence.

"I’ll head out now. You should change," he said, his tone courteous but distant. "I’m in the room next door. If you need anything, don’t hesitate to call me."

He turned, about to leave, when Leia spoke up.

"Have you had your lunch?"

Ronan paused at the doorway. "Not yet."

Leia looked up from the bag, meeting his gaze. "Then... let’s have lunch together."

"Sure," Ronan replied without hesitation before stepping out, giving Leia the privacy she needed.

Once he was gone, Leia changed into an off-yellow top and a pair of fitted black jeans. As she dried her damp hair, she picked up her phone and unlocked the screen, scrolling through the notifications. Seeing nothing from Lucien, she let out a small sigh of relief.

"Thankfully, Lucien didn’t call or message me," she muttered under her breath. "His rut came at the right time; otherwise, he would’ve thrown a fit."

With a soft click, she switched off the hair dryer and reached for her comb, running it through her still-warm locks. She decided to leave her hair loose, letting the strands fall freely over her shoulders as she gave her reflection one last glance.

After getting all ready, Leia wore the pair of sneakers that were also present in the duffle bag and walked out, keeping the key card inside her pocket. "Eh? Which one is his room?" she mumbled, looking right and left.

Just then, the door to the adjacent room opened, and Ronan stepped out.

"This is my room," he said casually, nodding toward the door behind him.

"Oh, I’m starving," Leia responded with a small grin. "Let’s go eat." Without waiting for a reply, she walked ahead of him with brisk steps.

As they made their way down the hallway, Ronan glanced at her. "Did you go near Lucien last night?"

Leia paused for a split second, a subtle hesitation flickering in her eyes. "No. Why would I go near him?" she asked, forcing a light chuckle. "Kieran woke me up and told me to leave the mansion before Lucien could get close."

It was a white lie, and she knew it. As they continued walking, her fingers began to fidget restlessly by her side, a sign of the worry creeping into her chest. Once Lucien’s rut ended, she had no doubt he would confront her, and she wasn’t ready for that moment.

As they stepped into the elevator, Ronan reached out and pressed the button for the ground floor.

After a moment, Ronan spoke, "Lucien has one of the strongest and most painful ruts among us."

Leia turned her head slightly, listening.

"The doctor once advised him to consider easing it with a partner," Ronan continued, his gaze fixed on the changing floor numbers above the door. "But he refused. Said he’d rather endure the pain than give in to something... he couldn’t control."

"Are you suggesting that—" Leia began.

"No," Ronan cut her off gently but firmly. "I’m not suggesting anything."

He paused for a moment before continuing in a more serious tone. "I’m merely telling you... If Lucien had come into close contact with you last night, he might not have been able to stop himself."

Leia’s breath caught in her throat. ’But he did control himself. He asked me to run away,’ she thought.

More people entered the elevator as it descended, stopping at different floors. Soon, it grew crowded. Ronan instinctively shifted, positioning himself in front of Leia as a buffer between her and the others. His hand rested on the metal wall behind her, steadying himself as the space narrowed.

Suddenly, a jolt from someone trying to squeeze in caused a ripple through the group, and Ronan was pushed backward, his body pressing lightly against Leia’s.

"Sorry," he murmured in a low voice. "The elevator suddenly got crowded."

Leia gave a small nod, her gaze fixed on the floor. She could feel the warmth of him so close, the steady rise and fall of his breath, and she wasn’t sure if the flutter in her chest was from the confined space or something else entirely.

Thankfully, the crowd lessened as they finally were on the first floor. They stepped out too when Ronan held her hand. "I will take you to a nice place for lunch," he pointed with a smile.