Chapter 28

Leo turned slowly, trying to mask the storm of thoughts that welled within him. His heart pounded in his chest, his thoughts spiraling out of control. **What now?** For a brief moment, he feared his father might have noticed something was amiss, that he might question his intentions or demand an explanation for his barely-contained rage.

As Leo faced his Father, he was composed and asked his father what the matter was as he needed to prepare for the coming of Aiden. Eric smiled and nodded his head. 

“Yes I know… That's very good of you, Leo,” Eric said with a smile on his face and simply held out a vest, black and finely crafted. "Wear this," he instructed, his tone leaving no room for argument. "During Aiden's welcome."

Leo's tension eased as he realized it was just a vest. **That’s it?** He had half-expected something far worse, a command that would put him even more on edge, but this... this he could handle. 

He reached out and took the vest from his father, nodding in acknowledgment. "Thank you," he said, his voice steady.

“Yes, it portrays confidence and authority… you deserved it Leo.” Eric's gaze lingered on him for a moment longer, as if searching for something in Leo's expression. But then he gave a curt nod, seemingly satisfied. "Good. Just make sure you're ready."

Without another word, Leo turned and left the chamber, his grip on the vest tightening as he walked away. **At least it wasn’t anything more serious,** he thought, trying to calm the rage within him.

As soon as he stepped into the hallway, the door closing behind him, Leo let out a breath he didn’t realize he’d been holding. **Just a vest.** The relief was palpable, though it did little to quell the simmering anger within him. He had so much more on his mind, so many other things that demanded his attention, yet he was being dragged into this pointless ritual.

Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed one of his father’s guards stepping into line behind him. **Of course,** he thought bitterly. **He can’t even trust me to get prepared on my own.** The guard’s presence was a silent reminder that his father was always watching, always pulling the strings. **He doesn’t need to say it. The guard following me is message enough.**

“What happened? What is the matter?” Leo questioned, his posture authoritative.

The guard bowed at first before responding to Leo's question. “The Alpha told me to help you with whatever you needed. I'm just here to lend you a helping hand.” The guard responded and bowed a second time.

Leo nodded and started walking without uttering another word. His pace was brisk, trying to focus on what he needed to do next. **I have to find Ethan. I have to make sure Lucy is okay.** The black vest felt heavier in his hands than it should have, a symbol of the burdens he couldn’t escape. 

The guard trailed a few steps behind, vigilant and silent. Leo clenched his jaw, trying to push down the resentment rising within him. **You may watch me, but you won’t control me,** he thought defiantly, his resolve hardening with every step. 

As Leo walked down the corridor, the guard assigned by his father kept pace beside him, a silent sentinel of Eric's ever-watchful eye. **I have to find a way to lose him,** Leo thought, his mind racing through various possibilities. He needed to check on Lucy, to see how she was, but with this guard shadowing his every move, it seemed impossible.

The tension within him only grew as he considered his options. **I can't let him see me go to her. He'll report everything back to my father.** Leo’s thoughts churned, seeking a solution. **Maybe I can shake him off in the crowd or find some excuse...** 

But just as his mind was grappling with this, he heard a familiar voice. 

"Leo!" Isabella's voice was sharp, her footsteps quick as she approached him. Her presence was like an unexpected storm cloud, darkening his mood further. 

He glanced at her but didn’t break stride, hoping she would just leave him alone. But Isabella was determined. She quickly fell in step beside him, her expression a mix of curiosity and something more intense—desperation, perhaps.

“Leo, what’s going on?” she demanded, her voice tinged with frustration. “Ethan’s been acting strange, and I can’t find Marie or Lucy anywhere. Their door was locked, Leo! Do you know anything about it?”

Leo kept his face impassive, his jaw tightening as he remained silent. **I don’t have time for this, Isabella.** But she wasn’t giving up.

“Leo, are you even listening to me? Do you know what’s happening? And why was Ethan meeting with Katherine? What is he hiding?” Her questions came in rapid succession, each one more insistent than the last.

At the mention of Katherine, Leo abruptly stopped, causing the guard and Isabella to halt as well. His eyes narrowed as he turned to face her. “Have you been stalking Ethan, Isabella? Following him around to know his whereabouts?” His voice was cold, laced with irritation. He knew Isabella could be persistent, but this was beyond what he was willing to tolerate.

Isabella’s eyes widened at the accusation, her confidence faltering. She opened her mouth to respond, but she was stammering, trying to find the right words to dig herself out of the hole she’d just fallen into. “N-no, Leo, I wasn’t... I mean, I was just... I couldn’t find Katherine anymore, and I thought—”

Leo interrupted her, his patience wearing thin. “I don’t care about Katherine, Isabella. Do you know where Ethan is or not?”

She hesitated, clearly taken aback by his tone. “No, I don’t know where he is now,” she admitted, her voice quieter, the wind taken out of her sails. She looked at him, searching his face for any clue, any hint of what was really going on. But Leo’s expression was a mask, revealing nothing.

The guard remained silent, his presence like a looming shadow beside them, watching the exchange but saying nothing. Leo’s thoughts were a tangle of frustration and urgency. **I don’t have time for this,** he repeated to himself. **I need to find Ethan, not waste time with Isabella’s questions.**

Isabella’s eyes darted back and forth, searching for something in Leo’s expression. “Leo... if something’s wrong, I can help,” she offered, her voice softening, her persistence now replaced with genuine concern.

But Leo shook his head. “This isn’t your problem, Isabella,” he said firmly. “Just stay out of it.” 

Leo continued and Isabella and the guard followed after him. But Leo's mind raced and weighed his options. He thought about seeking Isabella's help but it wasn't the right call. But then, considering whether he could trust her in this situation or not, he suddenly formed a plan in his mind, one that required Isabella's cooperation. **It’s risky, but there’s no other way.**

He slowed his pace and glanced at Isabella, his expression shifting from irritation to something more calculating. Isabella mused, her eyes fixed on him, thinking what had made him stop. But then, Leo leaned closer and whispered something in her ear.

Isabella’s initial reaction was one of surprise, her eyes widening slightly. But then, unable to help herself, she giggled, her laughter spilling out and echoing down the hallway. The sound was so unexpected, so out of place, that even the guard beside them shifted uncomfortably, unsure of what had just happened.

“Oh, Leo,” Isabella said, her voice playful but laced with a hint of mischief. “So now you need my help, and you expect me to just go along with it?” Her tone was low, just enough for Leo to hear without alerting the guard.

Leo didn’t respond, simply holding her gaze, his expression serious. He knew Isabella well enough to understand that she loved to tease, especially when she had the upper hand. But this was no time for games.

Isabella studied his face, searching for any sign of a joke, but could see the expression on Leo's face and there was nothing like a joke. Her laughter faded from her eyes that instant and was replaced by a growing realization. **He’s not playing around. Something is really wrong.**

She finally drifted into silence, the weight of the situation sinking in. Shortly after a brief pause, she spoke up, her voice softer now. “Alright, Leo,” she said, her tone more sincere. “But if you want my help, you’re going to have to tell me what’s really going on. I don’t like being left in the dark.”

Leo gave a small nod, his expression still unreadable. “Just help me out first,” he said, his voice steady but with a sense of urgency that didn’t go unnoticed by Isabella.

She hesitated for a moment, then nodded in agreement. “Okay,” she replied simply, her tone now serious. Without another word, she turned and walked away, her mind already working on the best way to follow through on whatever plan Leo had in mind.

Leo watched her go, his thoughts racing. **I hope this works.** 

As Isabella disappeared from sight, Leo continued walking beside the guard. His thoughts kept returning to Lucy and the urgency of finding Ethan. The seconds seemed to drag on, and just when he was beginning to lose hope, something unexpected happened.

The sound of hurried footsteps echoed down the hallway. Leo looked up just in time to see a group of maids, a dozen or so, sprinting towards them. Their arms were full of clothes and veils, and they seemed completely unaware of anything else as they dashed forward.

The maids ran straight between Leo and the guard, their hurried movements creating a chaotic swirl of fabric that briefly obscured everything. The guard shouted at them, his voice harsh and commanding, but the maids paid him no mind, focused only on their task.

In that moment of confusion, Leo seized his chance. The guard’s attention was diverted, and when the last of the maids had passed, the hallway was suddenly empty—Leo was gone.

The guard’s eyes widened in alarm as he frantically searched for Leo, his gaze darting up and down the corridor. But Leo was nowhere to be seen. Panic set in as he realized the severity of the situation. **How could I lose him? The Alpha will not like this… could he have gone to his apartment?**

The guard stood frozen, trying to piece together what had just happened. **He couldn’t have gone far. I’ll find him. I have to.** He muttered under his breath as he turned and began his search.