CHAPTER 64: COMPLETE THE MATE BOND TONIGHT

By early evening, Ronan had excused himself, saying he’d received an urgent summon from their grandmother.

Lucien returned to his room with tensed shoulders. He dropped onto the recliner, letting out a heavy sigh as his head fell back against the cushion. For most of the day, his rut had remained manageable.

But now, as the golden hue of dusk seeped into the room, that fragile control began to unravel.

A sudden heat passed through his veins, making his skin prickle. His breath caught in his throat, and the familiar ache spread through his chest and lower abdomen.

"Fuck," Lucien hissed under his breath, clenching his fists. "Why is this happening again?"

A low growl echoed in the back of his mind, his wolf was again snarling with frustration and restlessness.

’You should’ve convinced Leia to mate with us,’ his wolf rumbled.

Lucien squeezed his eyes shut, his body tensing under the pull of his rut, and cursed the hollow ache that only one presence seemed to soothe.

He wanted Leia again, craved her with a desperate ache that had only grown stronger since morning. But she had vanished without a trace, and now her calming scent was gone from the air, leaving his instincts spiraling out of control.

Lucien opened his eyes, blinking against the haze that clouded his vision. His breathing had turned ragged, chest rising and falling in uneven bursts. The heat pulsing beneath his skin was unbearable. Frantically, he looked around for his phone, eyes darting across the dimly lit room. His head throbbed, his hands trembled, but he finally spotted it on the far table.

Gripping the device with unsteady fingers, he dialed Leia’s number.

"Pick up the phone," he muttered through clenched teeth as the call rang. But she didn’t answer the call. He tried again and again, but Leia didn’t pick up.

With a low growl of frustration, Lucien threw the phone onto the bed and stormed toward the bathroom. His body felt like it was burning from the inside out. In one swift motion, he tore off his clothes and stepped beneath the freezing spray of the shower, water cascading down his tense frame.

"How am I supposed to convince her?" he muttered. "She’s the only one who can tame this... and yet she refuses to be mine."

His fist slammed against the tiled wall with a loud crack, pain briefly dulling the fire raging in his veins. Gritting his teeth, Lucien stood beneath the water until his breaths steadied, at least enough for him to move.

When he emerged from the bathroom wrapped in a bathrobe, the sky had surrendered to night. His room was steeped in shadow, lit only by the faint moonlight filtering through the windows. The heat within him had subsided slightly... but not enough.

Then, he felt a strange scent brushed the air like silk against his skin. It wasn’t Leia’s. This was different.

His wolf, Theron stirred inside him.

’Lucien... it’s of not Leia’s. And I don’t like it,’ the wolf growled, ’but something about it is pulling me. I can’t resist it, and I don’t understand why.’

Lucien’s jaw tightened as he inhaled deeply, trying to make sense of the strange lure threading into his instincts.

’You’re right,’ he murmured. Unable to resist, Lucien walked out of his room.

~~~~~

Leia offered Kieran a soft smile as she took the warm cup from his hand. "Thanks for the coffee," she said, inhaling its rich aroma before taking a delicate sip.

"Kieran," she began thoughtfully, "do you think Lucien would agree if I proposed a plan to give equal rights to the lower-ranking wolves, especially the hybrid omegas?"

Kieran nodded. "I believe he would. Lucien isn’t as rigid as most alphas. If anyone can persuade him, it’s you."

Leia gave a small nod. "Then I’ll go see him once I finish this."

"I thought he was doing better," Kieran murmured, brows drawing together in concern.

"He’s not," Leia replied. "A rut doesn’t vanish just like that. He’s been taking heavy doses of suppressants, and now his body’s fighting back harder than ever."

"Then I’ll take you to the cottage," Kieran offered immediately, rising halfway from his seat.

Leia lifted a hand to stop him. "No. You should stay here. Ronan is home, and with Lucien absent, I’m worried Grandma might act out toward him. He needs someone on his side."

Kieran hesitated. "But—"

"You told me once how guilty you felt... that Ronan’s fate was always compared with yours and how he was labelled as cursed," she interrupted gently. "Protect him now. That’s what matters."

Kieran looked down, the truth in her words sinking deep. "You’re right."

Leia stood, glancing toward the mansion. Through the floor-to-ceiling windows, she could see everything in the expansive living room, though the conversation inside remained a mystery.

"Grandma never calls Ronan without reason," Kieran muttered, eyes narrowing.

"Maybe she wants to mend things with him," Leia suggested, though her tone carried more hope than certainty.

"That’s impossible," Kieran said firmly. "She’s always resented Ronan. But now... she’s being overly sweet. I just hope it’s not because she’s scheming something."

Leia hummed in quiet agreement and took the final sip of her coffee. Then she offered Kieran a parting smile, gave a small wave, and turned to make her way toward the cottage.

It didn’t take her more than ten minutes to arrive at the cottage’s door. But what shocked her was that the lights were off.

"Did he already go to bed?" Leia murmured and took out her phone to check the time. "It’s not even dinner time," she mumbled and went inside the cottage.

Ascending the stairs, she reached the room and pushed the door open.

"Lucien, are you asleep already?" Leia asked when a pair of strong arms hugged her tightly.

"Save me," Lucien begged.

"Lucien, why do you always push me away? I’ve everything in me. We are supposed to complete the mate bond tonight!" Elsa screamed, feeling both angry and frustrated.