Chapter 184: To meet your father
"So, you’re saying your father is behind everything that’s happened to you?" Rhea asked, setting aside the half-empty bucket of popcorn.
"Yes." Leia nodded, leaning back against the couch as she hugged her soft toy to her chest. "The three of them promised me they’d uncover the truth. But... I don’t want to be a burden on them."
"How could you be a burden?" Rhea pressed gently.
"I’ve only brought them trouble," Leia murmured.
"My best friend, Delia, betrayed me and brought calamity on this pack. Then the hunters came. Eshira could have attacked Grandma that day, what if she had been struck instead? I never told anyone, but every night I’m haunted by the thought that their grandmother might have died because of me. It was a narrow escape. And I’m not strong enough. Jennifer was right about me."
Leia hugged the couch pillow tightly to her chest.
"Jennifer, the new pack doctor, right?" Rhea asked. "Did she say something to you? I’ve heard she has a way of cutting people with her words. Too prideful by half. Don’t let her get to you, Leia. You may hold the rank of omega, but that doesn’t mean you’ll always be weak."
Leia straightened, turning her head toward Rhea. "I don’t know, Rhea. I don’t know what future awaits me. I’m just... Confused again."
"Then don’t be," Rhea said firmly. "Who knows? You might even win the upcoming contest, the one for female wolves."
"Don’t jest. I’m going to lose it. I decided to start practicing, and the very next day I was attacked by a hunter. Now I’ve stopped practicing altogether. I’m not even fulfilling my role as pack coordinator properly. All I do is get hurt and then lie in bed for days," Leia muttered.
"But anyone in your place would’ve done the same," Rhea whispered, returning to her popcorn. "Just relax for now. You’re overthinking."
"I’m not overthinking. That’s just my reality," Leia murmured. Then, lowering her feet to the rug, she added, "I’m going to the garden. You keep watching the movie."
"Sure." Rhea waved as Leia slipped on her slippers and stepped outside, seeking the fresh air.
The bright sunlight struck her face, forcing her to raise a hand to shield her eyes. Through the gaps between her fingers, the rays filtered in, and she blinked against the brilliance.
"What am I? I’ve never been this confused," Leia murmured to herself. "I always thought I knew myself. But lately... I feel so lost. Mom, if you were here, things might have been a bit clear for me."
Just then, the doorbell rang. Leia lowered her hand and decided to check, since Rhea was engrossed in the movie. At the gate, a man in a helmet stood holding a box.
"Ma’am, a parcel for Miss Rhea," he announced.
The security stationed around the house immediately tensed, alert to the delivery.
Leia opened the gate and reached for the package. The man behind the helmet was none other than Aaron Rudwig. The moment his eyes fell on the mark on Leia’s neck, he flinched in surprise.
’What kind of mark is that? A hunter shouldn’t feel repelled by it...’ he thought, wariness flickering across his features.
"Thank you," Leia said, glancing at the parcel. "Do I need to sign for it?"
"No," Aaron replied, then returned to his bike.
Leia started to turn away when he called out, "It’s so humid. Could you spare a glass of water?"
"Of course! Please wait here," she said, heading inside.
She grabbed a bottle from the refrigerator and returned, holding it out. "Here."
"Thank you," Aaron said, his smile hidden behind the helmet. Unbeknownst to her, he had slipped a note into his wallet before leaving, ensuring she would notice it.
Just as Leia was about to close the gate, she spotted the wallet on the ground. She picked it up and waved, calling after him, but he was already gone.
Curious, she opened it. Instead of an ID, she found a note. Unfolding it, her eyes scanned the words:
"If you want to meet your father, meet me at the Southern border. Don’t tell your mates, their lives could be at risk."
Leia clenched the note tightly in her fist and hurried inside after shutting the gates. She set the box down on the table, then ran upstairs to her room.
Shutting the doors behind her, she again opened the wallet. But there was nothing except for that note. "My father is alive!" Her mind spun with that thought. She paced in the room, thinking what she must do.
"No. No. I can’t let any of their lives to come into danger. I’ve to go to the Southern Border myself. But Rhea won’t help me. She will question me first and might stop me," Leia murmured, debating how she should commute to such a place.
Running to the bedside table, she picked up her phone and searched for the Southern borders of the pack.
"It’s at least ten miles away from here," Leia murmured. Not too far if I go by a car. But then, I’ll reach there by the night."
Lowering herself to bed, Leia bit her nails, contemplating again while staring at the note.
~~~~~~
Lucien returned home with a strange headache. The conversation with Cesar left him with many questions. He went to his room and then took out the key to his parents’ room. It had been months since he stepped in there. Though it was cleaned regularly by their house butler, but he avoided coming here.
Heading downstairs, he went to the room and opened it. As he stepped inside, the memories of his parents rushed into his mind like it all happened yesterday.
"Why did the witches choose me?" he mumbled.
Everything in his parents was kept untouched. He stopped at the photo frame of his parents, which brought tears to his eyes. So many years had passed, but it still hurt him.
Lucien walked over to the cupboard. It was empty of clothes but held old documents and photo albums. He opened it, scanning the contents before randomly pulling out a file. Flipping through it, he realized it contained the pack’s earlier paperwork.
Setting it back, he ran a hand through his hair. "What am I even looking for? My parents didn’t leave a single hint about me... But Alpha Prince Cesar was right. I... I can teleport. Others can’t. That’s... Strange about me."
"Lucien, what are you doing here?" Azalea asked, entering the room with her stick in hand. "Is something troubling you that you came to your parents’ room?"
He gestured to the photo frames on the wall. "Look at your parents... They seem so alive."
Tears welled in Azalea’s eyes, but she didn’t let them fall.
"Grandma, isn’t it strange that I can teleport?" Lucien asked. "I first showed this trait when I transformed into my wolf. Was I born with something... Special?"
Azalea’s grip on her stick tightened. "Well... You are blessed by the Moon Goddess," she replied, avoiding his gaze.
"Grandma, every wolf is blessed by her," Lucien said firmly. "It’s not something common among our kind. No one in my family can do it, not my father, not my grandfather. Then why me?" He stepped closer to her. "If you know something, you should tell me."
"If I had known, I would have," Azalea said softly, looking at him. "But why are you thinking about it now?"
"I... was curious, suddenly," Lucien admitted, sensing the unease on her face, perhaps memories of her dead son and daughter-in-law. "Come, I’ll see you back to your room." He gently took her arm, guiding her.
"Lucien, what brought you here? You visit this room only two or three times a year, on their wedding anniversary, and their..." Azalea trailed off, unable to finish the sentence.
"I just wanted to see them," Lucien replied, keeping his true motive to himself. He sensed his grandmother was holding something back, and he felt it wasn’t his place to press her.
Azalea stopped in her tracks, her eyes narrowing slightly. "I can tell you’re lying to me."
Lucien’s gaze hardened. "And you’re doing the same. You know why I was born with this... Special trait of teleportation. Did my parents hide something from me?"
Azalea’s face was etched with worry. She had never intended to reveal such a heavy truth to Lucien, yet now she felt she couldn’t even lie. That secret was meant to die with her.
"Grandma... what is it? Please, tell me," Lucien urged, his voice edged with concern.
Before she could answer, Ronan burst in, eyes wide with panic. "Lucien! We have to go to Leia, now!"
"Did something happen?" Lucien panicked as he let go his grandmother’s arm and glanced at both of his younger brothers.
He then turned to their grandmother. "I’ll drop you to your room."
"I’ll do that, My Lord," the house butler suggested. "You should leave with your brothers."
