Leia's POV:
I remained in bed the entire day, refusing even to touch the lunch that had been left for me. Kieran came by to check on me once, but I didn't open the door. I couldn't bring myself to see any of them.
'I'm sorry, Leia… My energy was draining while we kept running. I don't think we can escape until I fully recover,' Zei, my wolf, spoke softly in my mind.
'Don't apologize,' I replied, 'because I no longer plan to run away.'
'What? Why?' Zei sounded startled, even confused. 'Don't tell me you've given in that you'll let those three alphas have us.'
'No one can have me without my consent. That hasn't changed and never will,' I told her firmly. 'But let's face the truth. Escaping isn't possible anymore. Lucien… he's the most powerful among them. Even if we managed to get out, he'd track us down. I don't want to waste our strength on false hopes anymore.'
Zei didn't reply after that. Maybe she understood.
I finally dragged myself out of bed and headed into the washroom. I splashed cold water on my face and gently dabbed it dry with a towel.
Stepping out of the room, I hesitated for a moment before making my way downstairs. I paused when I saw a servant pass by.
"I'd like to see Kieran," I said softly. "Could you show me to his room?"
The servant nodded and quietly led the way. To my surprise, Kieran's room was downstairs as well, close to the garden. After thanking the servant, I knocked on the door.
A few moments later, it opened.
"Leia!" Kieran's expression lit up with visible relief and warmth.
"I'm sorry for not responding earlier," I said gently. "Can I come in?"
"Of course," he said, stepping aside.
As I walked in, my eyes swept over his room. It was so different from Lucien's. The space was open and bright, filled with natural light. The walls were painted white with soft, pleasant colors that gave the room a calm and comforting atmosphere.
I took a seat on the couch near the floor-to-ceiling window, folding my hands neatly in my lap.
"How are you feeling?" Kieran asked, sitting across from me.
"Much better," I replied, offering a faint smile. "It's just… I did not expect all of this to happen in one day."
"I understand," he said sincerely. "I'm sorry you had to go through all this so suddenly."
His humble apology warmed something inside me. He didn't try to excuse anything, just acknowledged my discomfort.
"Aren't you hungry, though?" he asked. "You skipped lunch. I was worried."
"I ate a lot this morning," I said. "Then I ended up sleeping most of the day. My wolf is still recovering, so I figured rest was the best thing."
He nodded in understanding before his voice lowered slightly. "Did you try to run away because of what Ronan said?"
I hesitated, but there was no point in lying. I nodded. "He made that comment about 'getting ready for the night,' and it made me feel extremely uncomfortable. If this were the place I lived formerly, I'd have filed a formal complaint."
I watched Kieran closely, wanting to see how he would react, if he would defend his brother or take a stand.
"Lucien already punished him," Kieran said, and it surprised me. "Ronan's forbidden from coming near you for a week. If he breaks that rule, Lucien plans to lock him in the dungeon."
I blinked. I hadn't expected that kind of response. "That's… good," I said quietly.
Kieran offered me a gentle smile. "Would you like to go out with me for a bit? There's somewhere I'd like to take you."
"Where?" I asked with curiosity.
"Just a walk," he said.
"I think I need that. I haven't seen anything in the Darkmoor Pack yet," I said.
"Yeah?" Kieran smiled. "Do you want to change first or just go like this? Though… this dress looks nice on you," he added, his compliment making my cheeks warm slightly.
"I think I'll stay in this," I replied with a small smile. "You can change if you want. I'll wait for you in the living room."
"Alright," he nodded, and I stood up quietly, walking out of the room.
As I reached the living room, I slowed my steps. Lucien was standing with his back to me, his phone pressed to his ear. His voice was low, but I caught the words.
"Is he dead?" he asked.
I froze.
My heart jumped into my throat. Was he… asking someone if they'd killed a man?
Before I could turn away or decide what to do, Lucien looked over his shoulder. His sharp gaze locked onto mine. I stiffened, my breath caught in my throat.
"How are you feeling?" he asked, lowering his phone and slipping it into his pocket.
"Good," I answered cautiously. My voice sounded thinner than I intended. Then, gathering my nerve, I asked, "Did you… did you kill someone?"
"The one who captured you has been sentenced to death," Lucien said, keeping his eyes fixed on me.
A gasp escaped my lips. "What? Why?"
Lucien moved toward the grand couch in the center of the room and sat down gracefully. He picked up a half-burnt cigarette from the crystal ashtray and brought it to his lips.
"Didn't he hurt you?" he asked, inhaling slowly before exhaling a stream of smoke. "He should kept you with a great care."
I stood rooted to the spot, struggling to process his words. The casual way he spoke about death… made my head spin.
"Leia, I'm ready. Let's go," Kieran's voice reached my ears.
"Where are you taking her?" Lucien asked, glancing at Kieran with skepticism.
"For a walk. We will be back before dinner," Kieran replied.
I hoped Lucien would not have any problem in it. But at the same time, I knew he would not let me go out of this place.
"Hmm. Go."
His response shocked me. I hoped for his resistance, but he didn't do it. What was Lucien exactly? So far, I was unable to understand him even a bit.