Chapter 4

"How could I perceive this scent, how is this possible," Lucy said in a low tone with her lips partly apart. "I don't even have my wolf yet," She pondered as she trod along the path which the scent she perceived had taken her to. She watched back and forth to see if anyone was following her trail as she could not be found roaming about in such a restricted area.

The scent became stronger and soon sensed it must be Leo. She was brought to a stop when she got to a balcony that looked like an abandoned site. She sighted no one but yet, it was the place the scent stopped. She proceeded stealthily without her foot, making a slight sound.

"Leo,' She uttered with a soft voice when she sighted him, standing only a few strides away from her. He looked fit in his black jacket and black jeans as he seemed to stand in a stance.

"Lucy, you are here, how come," Leo said as he turned around to notice her.

Lucy didn't get what he meant by his words, rather, she rushed at him and embraced him firmly, pressing her head against his chest and feeling the warmth of his body.

"How did you know I'm here,... I mean you've never been here before," He said and held her by her shoulder with both of his hands so that they both made eye contact.

"Your scent, I followed it... It was so strong, I could not resist it," She paused and smiled. "Like I was being pulled... That was how I feel," She said and folded her lips. Leo just stared at her, having the feeling to kiss her lips but could not bring himself to do it. He looked around to see if anyone was watching and soon sighed, sharply.

"It's not safe with you here with me," He said to her and held her hands, clustering his fingers with hers.

"We have to be careful about how we see," He concluded but that raised questions in Lucy's mind as she thought about why he was so scared of being around her.

"What's wrong, could it be because I'm a handmaid,... Was that the reason why?" She suggested and withdrew her hands from his.

"No, no... It's nothing like that," Leo responded, immediately and strived to hold her hands but Lucy was more concerned about knowing his reasons. She soon reflected on her thoughts and disclosed to him what Isabella told her.

Leo drifted into silence and took a deep breath, his heart lingering from his jacket.

"Don't believe the words of Isabella... She was only trying to get you to hate me," He claimed and soon got hold of her hands.

"I'm sorry if I make you feel worried and inconvenient," He gulped and gazed into her eyes. He shook his head all of a sudden as he remembered how Lucy found him. "Wait, who told you I'll be here," He questioned. 

"What do you mean... I don't understand," Lucy shrugged.

"That's because I didn't even send it to you in the first place... I'm surprised," He hurled back but with a calm voice. Lucy pondered, her eyebrows looking faded as she gasped. She whispered to Marie and raised her head to sight Leo.

"You mean, Marie told you to meet up with me," He asked and Lucy nodded her head.

"Oh, you have to go... Now, hurry," Leo said with a loud thick voice, being careful not to yell at her. Lucy was about to question him but Leo propelled her forward so she walked out through the entrance but before she could do that, Isabella showed up at the doorstep, causing Lucy to halt.

"Look who I found, the stubborn handmaid lurking around the Future Alpha," She said and chuckled, drifting into laughing devilishly.

"What are you doing, why are you here," Leo grinned and stood right in front of Lucy.

"Now, you're with her... You've forgotten me, Leo, how we started," She retorted with a loud, angry tone. Leo kept mute and gulped, looking away from Lucy.

"What did she mean... Does it mean,..." Lucy said but was cut off when Leo yelled at Isabella, ordering her to leave. Isabella tilted her head.

"I know, you can order me around but you can't when you see your Father," Isabella grinned and backed away, taking a few steps backward.

"What have you done, Isabella... What did you tell Father," He rushed at her, swiftly and got hold of her, questioning what she meant by her words but Isabella was silent and just stared at him. Leo raised his head, up high and sighted his Father coming towards his way with a few guards behind him.

He took a brief look at Isabella and backed away from her. He fidgeted on a spot and wandered back and forth.

"I'm sorry if I'm being selfish," Isabella muttered but Leo hurled back with a sharp voice and said, "You don't get to say another word, Isabella,"

Leo came to a standstill when Alpha Eric showed up at the doorstep and stood beside Isabella. Lucy bowed her head as she could not bring herself to face Alpha Eric.

"You're the handmaid who tried to seduce Leo," Eric muttered and yelled at Lucy so that she would look him in the eye but Lucy won't give in. He rushed at her like a lightning bolt and held it so tight by her jaw and slowly raised her head.

He tilted his head as he stared into her eyes and in no time, landed a resounding slap on her face, causing her to lose her balance. Eric turned away from her and chuckled.

"Son, you've got some confidence... Harboring a handmaid, a wolf-less girl, from nowhere," Eric vociferate and held firmly the shoulder of Leo so that his claws pierce through his skin.

Leo grunted with his eyes closed. "I don't know who he was, I would have killed him... you got your weakness from him," He said in a silent tone. 

"You know what to do to atone for what you have done, My recognition or her... Your choice," He said and took his leave, ordering his guards to follow him.

Isabella stood, with her back leaning against the wall. Her eyes looked wet as tears dropped from her eyes. What happened with Lucy didn't bother her but Leo, getting injured in the process made her feel sorry.

"Leave... Now," He commanded and without hesitation, Isabella walked hurriedly out of the site.

Leo took his eyes off Isabella and turned to face Lucy. Lucy who just regained consciousness whispered his name and was about to touch him but Leo flung his hand so hard that he pushed her hard, causing her to fall on the ground and hit her head on a rock that was behind her.

Her head bled immediately as she groaned in pain. "I'm sorry for all that happened but don't come looking for me again," He said with all seriousness. Lucy shook her head swiftly and slowly got up and back on her feet.

"Are you minding what your Father had just said... You shouldn't, Leo," She debated.

"I'm trying to protect you but then I should... I've become weak and my Father does not want that from me," He said.

"Now, you will respect me like a handmaid should respect a Royal one, we will no longer see each other... Forget everything we had together," Leo said, his face expressionless with no remorse. Lucy sobbed, her face caked in dust. She questioned him, searching for reasons but Leo walked away without looking back, leaving Lucy behind all by herself.

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Leo sat on the balcony of his residence, throwing stones at a tree that was planted by his Mother. His Mother, Luna Ava was not among the pack as she had gone on a tour out of the pack, and would take her a few weeks before she got back.

"What have I done... Was it the right thing to do," He cried out, picked up a stone from the ground, and threw it at the branch of the tree, causing it to fall off.

"Don't be hard on yourself, you did the right thing," His wolf replied.

"No, no," He yelled and got up. He shifted to his wolf and threw a hard punch at the tree, causing dozens of its leaves to fall off.

"But I've lost her, how am I going to get her back,"

"You will, once you gain power... She's still here, going nowhere, she's all yours," His wolf responded.

Leo fell to his knees and cried out loud. He regretted his actions but yet had no choice as he did that to make his Father see him, knowing that he had to earn his respect as there was something that could stop him and that happened during his birth.

He got up and stood upright with a sinister look, shutting out his feelings, and decided to gain power before coming for Lucy.