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Chapter 45
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2024-10-29 19:42:56The round table of Eric was filled with an unsettling silence, heavy and tense as Alpha Eric's question hung in the air. All eyes were on Aiden, waiting for his response. He remained quiet, his face composed and unreadable, as if carefully weighing his answer.
Slowly, Aiden leaned back in his chair, the faintest smile playing on his lips, a gesture that seemed to speak of amusement rather than anger. His relaxed demeanor only heightened the tension around the table, making everyone's nerves tightened just a little more.
Leo's heart pounded in his chest as he watched Aiden closely, every muscle in his body taut with anticipation. He knew Aiden's reputation all too well, the stories of his ruthlessness and the way he dealt with anyone who dared to cross him.
And now, Leo's thoughts were consumed with worry for Lucy. He couldn't bear the idea of her suffering because of a simple mistake, not after all that she had gone through. And the thought of Aiden deciding her fate filled him with a quiet, simmering rage.
``If Aiden chooses to punish her…`` Leo thought, his fists clenching under the table, ``I swear he'll pay for it.`` The vow echoed in his mind, fierce and unyielding. Leo's usually calm expression was cracking under pressure, his protective instincts flaring up.
He didn't care about the consequences, feeling like it wasn't this time he would keep calm. As he looked at Aiden, he imagined every possible way he could make him regret any harsh decision.
Ethan, seated beside Leo, noticed his growing agitation. He could see the uneasiness in Leo's posture, the way his shoulder tensed and his jaw tightened. Ethan placed a firm hand on Leo's hand beneath the table, a silent reminder to stay calm.
He wagged his head sideways as Leo looked his way—a gesture that best conveyed the words, ‘don't do anything, no matter what happens, no matter his decision, don't lose your cool’.
He knew how reckless Leo could be when emotions ran high, and the last thing Ethan wanted was for him to act rashly, especially in front of Eric and Aiden.
Leo met Ethan's gaze, his eyes flickering with frustration. He understood Ethan's warning, but it did little to quell the storm brewing inside him. He hated feeling powerless, hated sitting there, forced to watch and wait as someone else decided his mate's fate.
Leo's anger simmered just below the surface , a barely contained force that only Ethan's steady presence managed to keep in check.
Isabella, seated beside Aiden, her eyes darting between him and Leo. She could see the fire in Leo's eyes, the unspoken fury directed at Aiden, and it only fueled her own thoughts. She knew Leo's feelings for Lucy, and she couldn't deny the dark satisfaction that crept into her heart at the idea of Aiden punishing Lucy.
In her mind, it was a fitting consequence, not just for Lucy's blunder but also for the silent rivalry she felt toward her. Isabella's lips twitched into a faint, barely noticeable smirk as she silently hoped that Aiden would make an example out of Lucy.
``She deserves it,`` Isabella thought coldly, recalling Lucy's defiance and the way she had drawn Aiden's attention. To Isabella, Lucy was just another maid—nothing special—and the idea of her being singled out by Aiden for punishment felt like the proper order of things.
It was a reminder of where Lucy belonged and a way to keep her in her place. The silence stretched but for a moment.
Marie stood behind Isabella who was seated, the jar of wine still in her hand. She gulped and swallowed hard at the question. She hoped that Aiden wouldn't punish Lucy, knowing that Lucy was in no condition to take any beating.
Finally, Aiden glanced around the table, his gaze briefly flicking over Leo, Ethan and Isabella before settling on Eric. He took a moment, as if savoring the suspense, before his calm voice broke the quiet.
“No,” Aiden said, his tone even and without hesitation. “There was no need for that. It was a simple mistake.”
Aiden's answer was almost dissatisfying , spoken with a casualness that seemed to dismiss the entire incident as nothing more than a minor inconvenience.
“Oh! I never thought you'd be this nice… not to a maid.” Eric shrugged. “Very well.” He nodded, accepting Aiden's decision without further comments.
“Yes, tonight should be a night for celebration, not for punishing maids… I guess, there's still enough time for that after tonight.” Aiden whoosed.
Eric gestured while Leo exhaled slowly, relief washing over him at Aiden's unexpected leniency. He hadn't been sure what to expect, but Aiden's restraint was not something he had anticipated.
Leo loosened his clenched fists under the table and glanced briefly at Aiden, still cautious but thankful that the situation hadn't escalated.
Ethan squeezed Leo's arm one last time, his expression, that of a relief. “See?” Ethan whispered, keeping his voice low. “It's fine. Just let it go.”
He was glad that Lucy wouldn't be punished, but he couldn't shake the feeling that this was far from over. There was still something about Aiden's demeanor that didn't sit right with him.
``How could he? I thought he would love to punish her? That's who he is, why now, why not Lucy,`` Isabella thought, less pleased with Aiden but forced a smile but inside, shd seethed. She had hoped for a different outcome.
Aiden leaned back in his chair and coughed , his smile still faintly visible, a quiet satisfaction in the way he had held everyone's attention. They all looked at him and at that moment, he opened his mouth to speak.
“I change my mind, Alpha,” He tilted his head to one side.
“What do you mean?” Leo questioned, demanding a response.
Aiden smiled and turned his head to notice Leo. Leo, this time around, placed his hands on the table and leaned forward, his back distant away from his chair.
“Aiden, I don't understand… make me.” Eric requested.
“I'll have her punished… The maid.” Aiden said.
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All eyes were on him. The round table of Eric had grown silent and the silence persisted for a moment. Eric looked at him, surprisingly but that didn't stop him from taking a sip from his cup.“Yeah, I've changed my mind,” he said again, his voice firm. “She needs to be punished for her carelessness.” Leo's heart sank at his decision. His hands curled into fists beneath the tables, his knuckles turning white from the pressure. He wanted to speak, to defend her but there was no way he could do that, not when his father was around.But the rage inside him was unmistakable. Ethan, sensing his frustration, discreetly reached under the table and placed a steadying hand on Leo's clenched fist. He turned his head to notice Ethan and Ethan made a gesture in which he understood too well.Leo but his lip, his eyes flickered and landed on Aiden. They were locked on him. Inside he was boiling but he forced himself to stay composed.Isabella, seated next to Aiden, could barely hide her satisfacti
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The hall was empty now, the echoes of footsteps fading into the distance as everyone filed out, leaving only Aiden and Leo at the round table. There was silence between them and it was heavy. Aiden remained relaxed while Leo sat rigid, his hands still clenched beneath the table. For a few moments, neither of them spoke. It was a standoff, both aware of the situation at hand but neither of them was willing to break the silence—not until Aiden did as he noticed the gesture Leo made to get Isabella out of the hall, including Ethan.“You've been dying to say something, Leo.” Aiden said, his voice low but sharp. His eyes flickered with amusement as he leaned back slightly in his chair. “So, go ahead. Say what you've got to say.” He raised his head to notice him. “Don't think I didn't see what you did back there.” Leo raised an eyebrow at his words but didn't respond immediately as he waited for him to explain better about what he had done as he had no idea what he was talking about.“I
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Lucy stood in the doorway, she looked smaller somehow, shoulders set as if bracing herself against the weight of all those gazes that followed her every movement. Isabella, standing at her side, held her firmly, almost like someone who was to be condemned.Leo's gaze was fixed on her, his posture rigid, thoughts stirring like a tempest in his mind. She doesn't deserve this. The words rattled through him like a drumbeat. He'd once cast her aside, let her drift from his life as if she meant nothing. She's my mate, he thought, feeling the weight of that reality hit him with a familiar, unwanted pain. And now I can't even shield her from what's coming.The memory of his father's words flashed through his mind. Alpha Eric's cold decree: Lucy would be disciplined. Her status as a mere servant made it difficult to stand up for her in front of his father. Leo found himself helpless, his own standing stripped away, his fists clenched to hide the tremor in his hands.Why did I let it come to t
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Lucy paused, feeling her heart skip a beat. Did she believe it? Standing here with him now, feeling the warmth radiate from his presence. It was hard to reconcile the image of him she'd been given with the man before her. And yet, doubt lingered, like an old shadow that resisted the light.“I… I don't know,” she finally whispered, her words honest and trembling. “But it's hard to imagine… it's hard to believe…” Her voice faded, unable to find the right words. Her hands fidgeted, her fingers twisting together as if they could somehow ground her.He took a step closer, so close now that she could feel the warmth of him, his presence like a fire’s gentle heat in the coldness of the hall. Gently, his hands reached for her shoulder, his touch steady but was feather light.“Lucy,” he said softly, his voice like a balm against the uncertainty swirling inside her. “What they say about me… I suppose there's truth to it… I haven't been… kind, not always. But it doesn't mean I am incapable of ca
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The door opened wide and the heavy sound of boots echoed off the stone floors as Leo entered the hall. He paused at the threshold, his gaze sweeping the room, searching for a sign of what had passed between them. Aiden sat calmly at the round table, fingers resting lightly on the wood, his expression as unreadable as ever. Across the room, Lucy stood with her head bowed, her posture still but tense, as if she were bracing herself.Leo felt a surge of frustration tightening his fists, questions swirling like the storm clouds in his mind. What did you do to her, Aiden? he wondered, anger rising like bile in his throat. He knew his Father's decree was beyond challenge—Aiden had been given free rein, yet Leo had held onto some stubborn hope that perhaps Aiden's arrival would spare Lucy from punishment. But seeing her now, silent and bowed, he felt his insides churn with a darker suspicion. How could she stand just there, as if she were nothing more than a piece in some twisted game? Who
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The memory came rushing back to Leo, unhidden, a night painted in the vivid hues of shame and fury. It was the tournament season, the annual test of strength, strategy and dominance that determined the pecking order among the younger wolves of the pack. Leo had trained for months, his every waking moment dedicated to proving himself to his father. But when the final match ended, it was Aiden who stood victorious, his name resounding in cheers as he was crowned the winner.Leo stood in the arena, his breath shallow and uneven, his body bruised and bloodied. His father's gaze burned into him, a mixture of disappointment and expectations. Yet, Leo couldn't meet his eyes. He'd failed.Aiden, on the other hand, was radian in his triumph. The young Lycan exudes confidence, his smirk a dagger aimed at anyone who dares challenge his dominance. And with his victory came the privilege: the right to pass judgment on behalf of the pack.It began almost immediately. A group of rogues has been cap
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The air outside was heavy with tension, the kind that settled like a storm cloud waiting to break. Isabella's voice rose sharply, cutting through the quiet as she stood in front of Lucy. Her arms were crossed and her face was a mix of frustration and barely veiled contempt.“You think you're special now, don't you?” Isabella sneered, stepping closer to Lucy, her tone harsh. “Just because you spent a few moments with Aiden there without any scratch? Don't think for a second that it makes you untouchable. I know all about you, Lucy. About how you faint, how you're too weak to handle even the simplest tasks.”Lucy flinched, keeping her gaze low. Isabella's words stung but she didn't dare respond.“I should put you back in the laundry room,” Isabella continued, her voice dropping with contempt. “You remember what it was like, don't you? Long hours, the heat, the endless piles of clothes. Maybe that would remind you where you belong.”Lucy's hands trembled at her sides, but clenched them i
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The words hung in the air for a moment before Isabella straightened and began pacing slowly across the room, her voice hardening with each word. “It was a gathering of the packs. A treaty meeting, they called it. Aiden was already a leader in every sense of the word. As a Lycan and with his achievements in different contests with different contestants from different packs, his father had given him authority over several matters—touch authority if you ask me.” She stopped, her back to Lucy. “But then again, who would dare question him?”Lucy swallowed, her fingers twitching in her lap.“There was a rogue,” Isabella continued, turning her face to her. “A woman who had been caught stealing food from the camp. She was older, frail, and clearly desperate. She claimed she had cubs to feed, though no one had seen them. Most of us would've handed her over to her pack, let them seal with it. But not Aiden.”Isabella's eyes narrowed as if she could still see the scene playing out in front of h
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The tension in the air was fierce even after the fight had come to an abrupt halt. Dust from the scuffle lingered in the breeze and the faint murmur of the dispersing crowd hummed in the air. Leo's hand was still stiffened in the air as he looked up. All focus shifted to the one who had stopped the fight. Alpha Eric stepped in the training ground, his presence commanding immediate attention. Eric strode forward with long, purposeful steps, his silver edge clock billowing slightly behind him. His guards flanked him, their expressions stoic and beside him walked Ethan. Ethan has been the one to deliver the news of the escalating fight. Ethan's eyes scanned the ground, his sharp gaW noting every detail, from the guards to the pack members.Leo straightened the moment he saw his father approach, wiping the sweat from his brow as he quickly stood to his full height. Aiden, however, didn't move right away. Sitting on the dusty ground, he tilted his head slightly, spitting blood to the sid
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The training ground buzzed with tension, the air thick with anticipation as Lucy hurried down the dusty path, Marie trailing close behind her. The sun hung high, casting sharp shadows over the guards and the few pack members who had gathered to witness the spectacle. Lucy's heart pounded in her chest, her feet barely touching the ground as she weaved her way through the throne of armored figures.“Excuse us,” Marie muttered, pushing past a particularly burly guard.Lucy didn't stop, her eyes scanning the clearing until she caught sight of the center. A small crowd encircled the two figures at the heart of the commotion, the tension radiating off them like waves. She stepped forward, ignoring the murmurs around her, and found a spot just close enough to get a clear view.She barely noticed the guards muttering about their presence or Marie's standing slightly behind her. Her attention was fixed entirely on the two figures in the center.Aiden stood in a composed stance, his hands clas
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The question struck Lucy like a blow and she stumbled under the weight of it—not physically but emotionally. Her breath hit her and she blinked rapidly, trying to compare herself. Love Leo? The words echoed in her mind, unwelcome and painful.Lucy stared at the ground, her grip tightening on her clothes on either side. She didn't answer immediately. Her thoughts were a mess, tumbling over each other in disarray. Why is she asking me this? Why now? And what am I supposed to say?After a long, tense silence, Lucy finally spoke, her voice measured but laced with bitterness. “Leo rejected me with his own mouth,” she said, each word carefully enunciated, “and he told me to forget about him… and that's what I did exactly. Or, how can you expect me to love someone that doesn't love me, huh?”Isabella raised an eyebrow, her expression a mix of skepticism and disbelief. She gestured with one hand, a small, sharp flick of her wrist, as if physically brushing aside Lucy's words. “You didn't answ
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The sudden impact threw her off balance, causing a few clumps of dung to fall from the bowl. The heavy bowl wobbled precariously and she scrambled to steady it.“Oh no!” she gasped, her heart pounding. She set the bowl down hastily, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment. Her gaze darted up, her breath catching in her throat as she took in the person she had bumped into.It was Aiden.He stood there, his piercing gaze fixed on her. His swift reflexes had saved him from most of the mess, but a smear of dung stained the sleeve of his dark shirt. He looked at it briefly, his expression unreadable, before his eyes shifted back to her.Lucy's fear spiked instantly, her pulse thundering in her ears. Her thoughts raced, chaotic and panicked. Why him? Of all people, why him?Aiden's eyes flicked to the bowl on the ground and back to her. His tone was calm, yet there was an undercurrent of authority. “Why are you carrying that by yourself?”His question was simple but it felt like a challenge.
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The early days of the sun were faintly breaking through the cracks of the heavy curtains in Leo's room when he pushed open the door. The air inside was still, carrying the faint scent of cedarwood and smoke from the fireplace he hadn't lit in days. He exhaled heavily, shutting the door behind him and moved to the center of the room. He shrugged off his jacket, hanging it on the peg by the wall, before tugging his shirt over his head.The cool air kissed his bare skin, drawing out a soft sigh as he stretched his shoulders. His muscles ached from the night's relentless training—he’d spent hours in wolf form, rubbing and fighting to exhaust the emotions that had been clawing at him since yesterday. But the ache was nothing compared to the battle in his mind.Turning to grab a clean shirt, his eyes caught the faint rise and fall of a figure on his bed. He stilled, narrowing his eyes, his wolf instantly alert. It took only a moment for him to recognize the brown hair spilling over his pil
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The words struck her like a blow. She felt her knees weaken momentarily, but she quickly steadied herself, her fingers curling into fists at her sides. How dare he? she thought, fury and disbelief tangling in her mind. He even has the audacity to call Lucy his mate right in front of me. Her composure wavered for only a moment before she regained her footing, glaring at Leo with newfound resolve. “And exactly are you planning to do that?” she shot back, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “She's a maid, Leo. She has no standing here. Why make you think you can claim her? Not when your father is here.”Leo didn't back down. If anything, her defiance only seemed to stoke the fire within him. He took another step forward, closing the distance between them. “Because I'm going to be Alpha soon,” he said, his voice low and commanding. “And when that happens, you'll see. I don't need your permission.”The determination in his voice sent a chill down Isabella's spine. She narrowed her eyes, stud
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The heavy wooden door closed behind them with a low cream and Isabella found herself standing in the dim warmth of Leo's room. The space was simple yet deeply personal, an extension of its owner.The air was scented faintly with pine and leather, and the faint bluish light of the moon filtered in through the narrow window. Her eyes immediately fell on the intricate carvings etched into the walls—images of wolves mid-run, trees swaying and the crescent moon. Each one was unique, bearing the unmistakable mark of Leo's careful hand.She stepped closer to one of the larger drawings, tracing the grooves with her fingers. “You carved these yourself,” she murmured, her voice reverent.Leo, standing a few places behind her, crossed his arms over his chest and kept mute, his eyes following her movements closely.Isabella inhaled deeply, her eyes roaming the room. It had been so long since she'd last stood here. She took in the sturdy wooden bed, its frame hand-carved to match the alls, the sta
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The hallways were long and the stone floors echoed with the sound of Lucy's soft footsteps as she wandered aimlessly, her mind lost in a haze of confusion and turmoil. Her thoughts kept circling back to the words Isabella had said, echoing in her head like a constant drumbeat.“Aiden's ruthless, cruel… he won't care about you. He's never cared about anyone…”Lucy's head throbbed with the weight of those words, the uncertainty about what lay ahead heavy in her chest. She could barely hold onto the fragments of her thoughts, let alone understand the difficulties that surrounded her.Her temperature had spiked again, and she felt dizzy but that was the least of her worries.She had to focus. I have to get a grip, she thought. I can't let this affect me…But before she could lose herself again, she heard her name—soft, yet urgent—calling out from behind her.“Lucy,” Marie's voice broke through the fog.Lucy didn't respond at first. She kept walking, one foot in front of the other, her min
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Lucy blinked, looking up into Leo's familiar face. His eyes were sharp, but there was a flicker of concern beneath his furrowed brow.“Lucy,” he said, his tone softening. “Are you alright?”Her lips parted but no words came out. She felt his hands tightened slightly on her shoulders, anchoring her as she swayed, her gaze fixed on the ground.Her silence gnawed at him, but before he could press further, Ethan, who had been following closely behind, cleared his throat.“Leo,” he began, his voice low but insistent. “You can't be seen like this with her. Especially not by your father.”Leo tensed, nodding his head. “I know,” he replied curtly, glancing at Ethan.“Do you?” Ethan pressed, stepping closer. “Because if your father sees you—”“I said I know!” Leo snapped, his voice echoing down the corridor. He took a breath, his frustration barely contained.Ethan fell silent, his gaze flicking to Lucy, who was only staring but seemed oblivious to their exchange. He sighed. “I'm just trying t
