In the morning, Leia stepped out of the shower. She lifted her top slightly and studied her reflection in the mirror. The wound that had once been carved into her stomach was now closed, however, it had left a scar behind.
Exhaling, she let the fabric fall back into place. Pulling the towel from her head, she shook out her damp hair, letting it tumble over her shoulders in dark waves. She applied a little moisturizer over her face before leaving the room.
As the door clicked shut behind her, her eyes caught Lucien. He stepped out of his own room at the sa ti.
"When did you return?" Leia asked, walking toward him.
"This morning," Lucien replied, his gaze flickering briefly to her before softening. "I assu your wound has healed."
"It has," she said, her hand instinctively brushing her stomach. "But the scar is still there."
Lucien’s eyes lingered on her. "Scars fade with ti," he said. "And even if they don’t... it doesn’t matter. I don’t care whether your body carries scars or not."
"I know," Leia said, narrowing her eyes slightly. "But where did you disappear to so suddenly? And if you only returned this morning, shouldn’t you still be resting? It’s barely dawn. I doubt anyone else is even awake yet."
Lucien’s lips curved faintly. "I had a good rest last night," he replied. "And since the house is quiet, we have a chance for so privacy. I’ll make us coffee. Wait for in the garden, at the gazebo."
Leia tilted her head, studying him with suspicion. "You hardly ever go there. Why, out of nowhere, do you want to sit with in the gazebo?" She crossed her arms over her chest.
"I never had the ti to sit with you there," Lucien said simply as he brushed past her, his shoulder grazing hers before he started down the stairs.
Leia followed close behind, her steps light but insistent. Instead of going straight to the garden as he suggested, she veered toward the kitchen.
"What kind of work kept you away from the mansion last night?" she asked again, this ti she was a bit persistent to know his answer.
Lucien didn’t answer imdiately. He stood before the counter, asuring cocoa powder as if the silence itself might dissolve her questions. Leia leaned lightly against the counter, her eyes fixed on him, unwilling to let him escape so easily.
"Is it such a secret," she pressed, "that you can’t even share it with ?"
His hand stilled on the jar. For a second, he looked as though he might stay silent forever. Then, with a quiet sigh, he admitted, "It’s not a secret. I’ve been searching... for the one who attacked in Eboncrest."
"And how exactly did you do that?" Leia arched her brows, her voice edged with curiosity.
"I went to Eboncrest," Lucien replied without hesitation. "It was important for to understand why a hybrid would attack . They don’t cross into another’s territory without reason, especially the packs of pure-blooded wolves."
Leia studied him closely. "And? What did you discover?" She paused, then pressed more firmly. "Did you find anything at all?"
Lucien didn’t answer right away. His gaze had drifted to the glass as the coffee stread steadily into it.
Her lips parted in frustration. "Lucien," she said softly, "you can share anything with . You don’t have to carry this alone. And if it’s serious, then your brothers deserve to know too. A hybrid doesn’t attack without intent, he must have had sothing in mind."
Lucien switched off the coffee machine and carefully poured the dark liquid into two mugs. Without needing to ask, he added milk to one, just the way Leia liked it, while for himself, he left the brew black and strong.
"I’ll tell you," he said at last as he extended her mug. Their fingers brushed briefly, and then he moved past her toward the garden.
The white wooden chairs creaked softly beneath their weight as they sat across from each other.
Leia lifted her mug, the warmth seeping into her palms. She took a long sip, savoring the smooth blend, before a small smile curved her lips. "That feels... refreshing," she murmured, her gaze lingering on Lucien as though searching for answers he hadn’t yet spoken.
"Well, you know how my parents died," Lucien began. "They gave their lives to protect . Murdered by witches. That night... I lost control. I slaughtered every witch in that place. Every single one of them." He exhaled slowly, as if releasing a shard of the past with his breath.
Leia’s brows knit together, confusion shadowing her eyes. "And this hybrid? How is he connected to them?"
Lucien’s gaze darkened. "His na is Rurik. One of the witches I killed that night was his mother. That’s why he wants dead." He lifted the mug to his lips, sipping calmly as though his words hadn’t just carved open old wounds. "But there’s nothing to worry about. He can’t touch ."
Leia stared at him, her eyes wide, almost unblinking. The confession clung to her mind, heavy and raw. She could see how much pain lingered behind his calm mask, how deeply that night had scarred him in ways no wound could.
"Lucien," she murmured, her voice soft but steady, "young wolves don’t always control their abilities. You’d just lost your parents and you must have lost yourself that night. That wasn’t weakness, it was grief." She leaned forward slightly, her gaze unwavering. "Your parents were murdered. You suffered, too. Then why should Rurik bla you for sothing the witches started?"
"Because his mother died," Lucien said. His expression remained unreadable, though his voice carried the faintest trace of bitterness. "It doesn’t matter. I don’t care what he thinks of ."
Leia leaned forward, her brows furrowing. "And what then? Are you just going to let him attack you again? You know he must have inherited his mother’s abilities. That’s why you were injured that night. Most wolves can’t even touch you, but a hybrid did. Lucien, it’s obvious, he wants you dead. This isn’t sothing you can ignore. It needs to be handled properly." Her words ca out in a rush, her eyes blinking rapidly as worry seeped through her composure.
Lucien’s gaze softened for a fleeting second before hardening again. "Leia, I don’t want you involved in this. You’d only be risking your life. Leave it to . I’ll decide how to deal with him." He lifted the mug to his lips, drinking slowly.
Leia didn’t look away, her stare fixed firmly on him. Then, suddenly, she asked, "You want to be your Luna, don’t you?"
The question caught him off guard. His brows rose, his hand pausing mid-air. "What does that have to do with any of this?"
"It has everything to do with it," she replied, her voice low but unwavering. "I don’t want my mate to be hurt. And I don’t want others to misunderstand him. A Luna has the right to intervene in an Alpha’s decision," Leia said firmly.
"I know I’ve been naïve until now, but not anymore. People deserve to hear your side too. Even Sorin mocked you in that eting, as if your pain was nothing. If my parents had been murdered, I would’ve lost control as well. Any of us would have."
Lucien’s eyes softened at her words, though the tension in his jaw remained. "Thank you, Leia, for understanding . But... this isn’t so simple to resolve."
Leia leaned closer, her voice steady and insistent. "If you’re thinking of letting Rurik co to you so you can settle it in a fight, I don’t believe that should happen. I trust your strength. I know you can defeat him, but that won’t bring the real truth out. In everyone else’s eyes, the story will be sothing else. They’ll see only a hybrid challenging the Alpha and the Alpha responding with blood." She paused, searching his face. "Instead, speak with the Alpha King. Bring this to light. Hybrids born of witches need to understand the truth, and so does everyone else."
Lucien held her gaze, his eyes searching hers as if trying to read the resolve burning there. "And what good will it bring?" he asked.
Leia didn’t flinch. "It will bring the truth to light," she said firmly. "No one will be able to paint you in the wrong anymore. Those witches kidnapped you, Lucien. You had just co of age. You were barely learning to control your strength. None of it was your fault. So why should people continue to see you as the villain?" Her voice steadied even more, her determination shining through her gaze too.
"I want to clear your na. I want everyone to understand that you were the one who suffered injustice, not the one who caused it. Rurik and everyone who sees you as the wrong person first should know what damage they did to you."
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