CHAPTER 62: MATE WITH ANOTHER SHE-WOLF

The next morning when Lucien woke up, he found the bed was empty. And the fragrance of Leia’s pheromones was gone too.

However, what relieved him was the pain that had left his body not entirely though. He did feel better than before, refreshed and calm. Looking for his phone, he got down from the bed and found it on the table. As he picked it up, his eyes fell upon the sticky note on it.

"I’ve gone back to the mansion."

He chuckled, letting the crumpled note fell to the floor. With a faint smile tugging at the corner of his mouth, he tapped Leia’s contact and brought the phone to his ear, already anticipating the sound of her voice.

After a few rings, Leia finally answered the call.

"What do you want now?" she asked, her tone laced with irritation.

Lucien didn’t seem fazed. "I want to have lunch and dinner with you. Come here in the afternoon."

"You’ve recovered," Leia replied. "I don’t think my presence is needed anymore."

She paused, then added, "Besides, I have responsibilities. Did you forget I’m the Pack Development Coordinator? I can’t keep putting off my work every day just because you feel like seeing me."

Lucien exhaled through his nose. "I’m the pack’s alpha. Whatever I order, becomes the supreme command."

"But I don’t want to be absent from the first day of my work," Leia insisted.

"Then come at night." His voice dropped into a firmer register. "And I don’t want to hear a no."

Leia didn’t bother responding. The call abruptly disconnected, making him chuckle softly again.

Lowering the phone back onto the table, Lucien stretched and walked to the washroom. After a hot shower and a change into comfortable lounge clothes, he stepped into the room again. It was freshly cleaned, curtains drawn open, the bed made, and the faint scent of citrus lingering in the air.

He paused, sensing a familiar energy nearby. A subtle smirk crossed his face.

Descending the stairs, he found Ronan seated on the living room couch, a thick book open in his lap.

"You brought the servants," Lucien said as he approached.

Ronan looked up and casually closed the book, placing it on the table.

"Yes," he replied simply. "This place was starting to look like it belonged to a depressed bear. And I felt I should personally see you."

"You were worried about Leia, weren’t you?" Lucien asked, settling into the armchair across from Ronan.

Ronan leaned back, a knowing smirk playing at his lips. "I wasn’t worried about her," he replied. "I was worried you might not be able to control yourself in front of an omega."

Lucien narrowed his eyes slightly, but Ronan continued, voice laced with amusement, "Your self-control honestly surprises me. Makes me wonder how much you’ve trained yourself to resist instincts like that."

Lucien exhaled deeply, running a hand through his slightly damp hair. "Her pheromones... they calmed me after intensifying my rut," he admitted. "Strangely enough, keeping her close helped me fight the urge to... release."

Ronan raised a brow. "Leia isn’t going to accept you as her alpha anytime soon. You need to win her heart first," he said firmly.

Lucien’s gaze sharpened. "And you’ve succeeded in doing that?" he asked in a low voice. "You like her... yet you didn’t bother to share that with me."

Ronan’s expression faltered. "She told you?"

"I found your scent on her," Lucien replied, his unwavered gaze remained fixed on him.

Ronan looked away for a brief moment, his eyes dropping to the floor as a wave of guilt passed through him.

Breaking the tension, Lucien asked, "Did you have breakfast?"

"No," Ronan answered. "Should I cook for us? I sent the servants back."

Lucien gave a faint nod. "Sure."

As Ronan began to stand, Lucien’s voice called him back. "You’re not going back to the hotel, Ronan. Calandrino Mansion is our home. If Grandma makes you feel uncomfortable... I’ll ask her to leave."

Ronan blinked, taken aback. "You’d really do that?"

Lucien met his eyes. "For you? Yes. You are my brother. And I will do everything to protect you."

Ronan gave a small, almost wistful smile. "Don’t bother with that. Grandma will throw her usual tantrums if you do something like that."

Lucien didn’t respond, but his expression darkened slightly.

Ronan stood and continued, "Anyway, I’ll head to the kitchen."

Lucien remained seated, his fingers lightly tapping against the armrest.

"I promised Leia I’d make sure no one speaks ill of you," he muttered under his breath. "What I should’ve done long ago... I’ll do it now. This time, I don’t care what the others think."

~~~~~

"Leia, did you go to Lucien last night?" Azalea’s voice rang out, halting Leia just as she reached the steps outside the mansion.

Leia slowly turned. "Why is Grandma asking that?"

Azalea began walking toward her. The cane clinked against the tiled floor before are finally took a halt before Leia. "I heard the servants whispering. They said they saw you coming back from the direction of the cottage early this morning."

"Yes, I was in the cottage last night," Leia admitted. "But not for the reason you think. I wasn’t there to fulfill what an alpha needs from an omega during his rut."

Azalea’s lips curved into a knowing smile, her tone turning almost indulgent. "You don’t need to feel embarrassed about it. This was always meant to happen. It’s why Lucien brought you here to begin with."

Leia’s gaze darkened subtly, but she held her tongue.

"Forget what I said about you in the past," Azalea continued with a sweeping tone of absolution. "What matters now is that you’re with him. Get his mark, Leia. Become the Luna of this pack."

The old woman’s eyes gleamed with hope as she reached out gently, her fingers brushing Leia’s arm. "And pray to the Moon Goddess," she added, "that she blesses you with a son. A strong heir to carry forward the Calandrino legacy."

Leia let out a soft chuckle, her reaction catching Azalea off guard.

The old woman’s brows furrowed slightly. "What’s so amusing?"

Leia turned to face her, still smiling, though the warmth in it had cooled. "I’m not getting your grandson’s mark," she said plainly. "I don’t even like him. And I have no intention of becoming his Luna, Grandmother. You should find him a strong she-wolf from a prestigious Alpha bloodline. Someone who fits your vision."

As she began to turn away, Azalea’s hand snapped out and caught Leia by the wrist, surprisingly firm for her age.

"Then leave this pack!" the old woman hissed. "If you’re not willing to be Luna, you don’t belong here."

Leia stared at her, not flinching even for a second.

"My grandson is set on you, whether you accept it or not," Azalea continued bitterly. "You think I haven’t tried? I’ve pleaded with him to choose a hybrid she-wolf from a powerful Alpha family! But no, he wants a pure she-wolf. And now, you dare turn your back?"

"Grandma," Leia said, "I respect your age, so please don’t push me to say something I might regret."

With a sudden tug, she freed her wrist from Azalea’s grip, taking a few steps back.

"The truth is... I can’t leave this pack," she continued, a faint smirk curling at the corner of her lips. "Especially now that all your grandsons seem to have taken an interest in me."

Azalea’s eyes widened, her breath catching in her throat.

Leia turned without waiting for a response and walked out of the mansion without apologizing.

Behind her, Azalea stood frozen, lips pressed into a thin line. "What does this girl really want?" she muttered, the deep frown etched across her forehead growing heavier with confusion and unease.

Then, she went back to the couch and picked up her phone. Searching for a number, she called at it.

"Please see me in an hour in the mansion," Azalea requested and hung up the call. "Lucien is chasing a woman who’s not even giving him attention. I can’t believe he’s becoming a fool because of Leia. This girl is cunning as I expected. She is scheming something big in her head," she mumbled while feeling frustrated.

Hitting her cane against the floor, she sharply glared at the house butler, who was standing nearby.

"I want you to keep your mouth shut about this. Tonight, Lucien will mate with another she-wolf. She may not be to his liking, but once it’s done, he won’t dare to run after Leia again," Azalea stated with a smirk.

"But I don’t think Alpha Lucien will ever mate with a hybrid. Madam has tried doing this even in the past," the house butler stated. "All of your attempts failed that time too," he added.

"That’s why you’ll help me this time. I’ll share with you the plan I’ve in my mind. You can’t refuse to do it. It’s an order of mine and you must fulfill it," Azalea affirmed.