A few days later—
"Grandma, I won’t be ho for a few days," Lucien said gently. "There’s important work I need to attend to. I’ll be taking Kieran with , so Leia and Ronan will stay here with you. I hope... you’ll try to bridge the gap between you and Ronan while I’m away."
Azalea’s hands tightened faintly over the blanket on her lap. Her gaze dropped, weariness pulling at her features. "Ronan doesn’t co near . Even during those three days in the hospital, he never stayed by my side." Her voice faltered. "He’s been hurt too many tis because of . I... I can’t bring myself to call him over, let alone speak to him."
"Grandma, don’t think like that," Lucien urged softly, crouching down so she would et his eyes. "Ronan isn’t used to love. He’s protecting himself the only way he knows how. He probably believes keeping his distance is what’s best for both of you right now. But you’re the elder, you have to be the one to reach for him."
Azalea’s lips trembled, but she said nothing.
Lucien checked the ti on his watch and straightened. "I’m getting late. Take care of yourself. Aunt and her kids will be arriving soon, so you won’t feel lonely."
She nodded faintly, offering only a hum as she watched him leave. Turning her head toward the window, Azalea let her gaze wander to the bright sumr sky.
’I am giving them a hard ti,’ she thought.
A sudden, soft knock broke her thoughts. She turned quickly, startled.
"Ronan!" Azalea exclaid, her breath catching when she saw her grandson standing there, a tray balanced carefully in his hands.
"Good morning, Grandma," Ronan greeted, stepping inside with the tray. "Leia’s caught up with so work, so she asked to bring you these fruits, and to make sure you actually eat."
Azalea’s heart gave a small, unexpected flutter at his words. She straightened a little against the pillows, her expression softening. "I can’t eat much. An apple will be enough. Just... cut that. Or perhaps, call a maid to do it," she suggested gently, not quite eting his eyes.
Ronan set the tray on the side table and pulled out the chair beside her bed. "Grandma, I know how to cut apples."
Her eyes flickered toward him, a faint tremor in her voice. "I thought you were still upset with ... after how I treated you all these years."
"You always called a jinx to this family," Ronan said, his gaze fixed on the apple in his hands rather than her eyes. "So I thought... maybe it was better to keep my distance. That way you wouldn’t feel uncomfortable because of ." His voice softened further, almost breaking. "I didn’t want to add to your stress."
Azalea’s chest tightened, her eyes welling at the raw honesty in his words. "Ronan..." Her voice trembled as tears gathered in her lashes. "Forgive . I was wrong." She stretched out a hand toward him. "Co here. Sit in front of ."
Ronan hesitated for a mont before lifting his head. Slowly, he rose and crossed to her side. Setting the tray carefully on the bedside table, he left the apple half-cut, his attention now fully on her.
Azalea clasped Ronan’s hands, her head bowing under the weight of guilt. "How can you be so warm to ?" she whispered, her voice breaking. "Shouldn’t you hate ... the sa way I always hated you?"
Ronan’s expression softened. "I don’t know how to hate you," he admitted. "And this isn’t the ti for all those things."
Gently, he pulled his hands back and reached for the tray again. With quiet focus, he finished cutting the apple and then lifted a slice, holding it out to her. His simple gesture carried more forgiveness than words ever could.
Azalea’s heart trembled as she accepted the bite, tears blurring her vision.
After a mont of silence, Ronan spoke again, his tone thoughtful. "I never used to believe in miracles, Grandma. But since Leia ca into my life, my views have changed. She made see things differently. And now... I think maybe with you, a miracle can happen too. Who knows? Maybe you’ll recover and be just fine."
Azalea shook her head faintly, her voice heavy with resignation. "What would I do by living longer? This pain... this trial, it was written in my destiny. I was ant to undergo it."
Ronan didn’t speak further, only making sure she finished the last of the apple slices. When she was done, he gently dabbed the corners of her mouth with a napkin, his movents unhurried and tender.
"Do you want to go out in the evening?" he asked after a pause. "I won’t take you far—just sowhere inside the estate. Sowhere calm."
Azalea’s lips curved faintly. "Sure. But ask Leia to join us as well."
Ronan humd in agreent. "I will." His eyes lingered on her, still cautious. "Do you want to sleep for a while?"
"No," Azalea replied softly. "I’ll just rest here for now."
"Alright." He helped her recline, carefully tucking the duvet over her frail fra as though she were made of glass. "I’ll let you know when Aunt and the cousins arrive. And..." his voice dropped to a gentler tone, "just ring the bell if you need anything. I’ll be here."
Azalea closed her eyes, her hand brushing briefly over his as he adjusted the cover. That fleeting touch held a gratitude she couldn’t put into words.
~~~
Leia closed the laptop with a soft thud and hurried downstairs to check on Azalea. To her surprise, she found Ronan seated in the living room, a book resting in his hands.
"Why aren’t you in Grandma’s room?" Leia asked, her brows knitting in mild concern.
"She’s asleep," Ronan replied, lowering the book to his side. "She had an apple earlier, so she’s resting well."
Leia’s expression eased, and she gave a small nod. "That’s good to hear."
At that mont, the butler cleared his throat discreetly before speaking. "Second Young Master, there is a lady here requesting an audience with Alpha Lucien."
"A lady? Who is she?" Ronan asked, confusion flickering across his face.
"She refused to give her na," the butler replied. "But she is not of our pack. She insists she carries an urgent ssage for Alpha Lucien."
Ronan’s gaze hardened. "Very well. Bring her in."
Leia quietly lowered herself into the sofa chair opposite Ronan, folding her hands neatly in her lap. A few monts later, the butler returned, leading a woman into the room.
She appeared to be in her mid-forties. Both Ronan and Leia imdiately noticed the crimson bruises marring her hands. One of her eyes was swollen and discolored, the mark of a fresh wound.
"Thank you for granting this audience with the Alpha," the woman said, her voice wavering but polite.
Ronan shook his head slightly. "You misunderstand. I am not Alpha, but Lucien’s second brother. Still, please, sit. Tell us why you sought my brother so urgently."
The woman took a hesitant step forward. Her legs trembled, and Leia’s sharp eyes caught the way her body swayed as though she might collapse at any mont.
"Fetch the pack’s doctor," Leia instructed in a firm but gentle tone.
The butler inclined his head and quietly excused himself.
"I–I ran away from my pack," the woman confessed, her voice breaking as tears stread down her bruised face. "They... they wanted to kill , after killing my husband and children."
Her words shattered the silence like glass. Leia froze, shock flashing in her eyes at the sudden outbreak, then swiftly rose and knelt at the woman’s side.
"Please... save ," the woman sobbed, pressing her trembling hands together in a desperate plea. "I heard Alpha Lucien delivers justice. I–I beg you..."
Leia gently placed a hand on her back, her touch soft but steady, trying to soothe the woman’s shaking fra. "Shh... don’t cry. Take a breath first. You can tell us everything once you’ve gathered your strength."
A maid hurried in with a glass of water, her movents brisk. Leia accepted it with a grateful nod and guided it into the woman’s unsteady hands. "Here, drink. Slowly."
The woman clutched the glass as though it were a lifeline, her tears still falling, while Ronan watched in silence, his jaw tightening at every word the woman had just uttered.
Leia gently took the glass from the woman’s trembling hands and set it on the table.
"What exactly did your husband do?" Ronan’s tone was firm, though his eyes held a flicker of unease. "And why were your children punished with him? Tell , which pack do you belong to?"
"Moonlit Pack," the woman whispered, her voice strained with grief. She clasped her bruised hands tightly in her lap. "My husband... he was accused of poisoning the Beta’s son. But he didn’t do it. I swear on the Moon Goddess, he was innocent."
Her words faltered, her breathing ragged. "One of my children... he’s barely holding on, fighting for his life. They would not spare him either." Tears stread down her face again, and she fell forward, almost kneeling. "Please... please help . Only Alpha Lucien can deliver justice."
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