CHAPTER 120: NOT JUST A BROTHER

"What will you do if I do that?" Leia asked.

"This," Lucien murmured, leaning in.

His face nestled into the crook of her neck, and he pressed a soft kiss to her skin. Leia’s breath caught in her throat.

Her legs weakened, and she felt dizzy as if the world around her had momentarily melted away. The mate bond was at the root of it, pulling her into him with invisible threads she could no longer ignore.

Lucien straightened, his eyes searching hers. With a playful flick, he tapped the bridge of her nose.

"You’re not resisting me anymore," he said quietly. "Is it the mate bond... or do you actually feel something for me?"

It wasn’t just a tease, there was something vulnerable behind his words. He had asked before. He needed to hear it again. Her earlier words had planted seeds of doubt deep inside him, and he couldn’t shake them without her truth.

Leia met his gaze, her answer honest. "Both."

Relief flashed briefly across his face before she added, "I should check my phone, then we can resume... whatever this is."

He gave a small hum, stepping back and letting her go without protest.

Leia quickly turned and headed upstairs to the bedroom. Her pace quickened as if needing a moment to gather herself.

Once inside, she searched her sling bag and pulled out two phones, one was hers, the other was Lucien’s.

Lying on the mattress, Leia unlocked her phone and checked for any updates. But to her disappointment, there were no messages from either Kieran or Ronan.

’Am I the only one missing them?’ she wondered, frowning slightly.

With a sigh, she set her phone on the bedside table. Just then, Lucien’s phone screen lit up beside it. Her gaze shifted involuntarily, catching a glimpse of an incoming message.

She picked up the phone and walked downstairs.

"You got a message from Caleb," she informed, holding it out to Lucien.

He took the phone from her and read the message. "It’s nothing urgent. An unknown girl entered our territory, though she’s not a wolf."

Leia’s brows knit together. "Then... is she human?"

Lucien nodded as he typed a reply. "Yeah. According to what she told the doctor in charge, she’s been abused by her parents and ran away from home."

He finished typing and lowered the phone.

"But we’ll have to send her back to the human colony she came from," he added.

"Let me see that girl once we’re back," Leia said firmly. "I don’t think we should send her away without making sure her parents aren’t abusing her."

Lucien’s jaw tensed slightly. "I told you, Leia, I don’t like meddling in human affairs."

"I know," she said softly. "But we can’t just ignore this. We need to ensure the girl’s safety. Don’t worry, I won’t drag you into it. I’ll handle it myself. Just... help me if I ask for it."

Her hopeful expression softened his resistance. He sighed quietly and gave a nod.

"Sure," Lucien replied. Then a sly smile curved his lips. "Now, shall we pick up where we left off?"

Before she could respond, he gently took her hand and tugged her along toward the garden porch. The rain was still falling.

"There," he whispered, leading her to the wooden swing swaying gently in the breeze. He sat down first and pulled her into his lap without warning.

"We can enjoy the rain like this," he murmured, arms wrapping securely around her as the distant rumble of thunder far in the sky.

Leia tilted her head slightly as she studied his calm expression. "Do you feel better now?" she asked gently.

Lucien nodded, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "Yeah... I’ve even forgotten why I was upset in the first place."

His eyes drifted toward the rain beyond the porch, thoughtful. "I had this place built seven years ago," he said. "Just a little escape from everything. A few days each year, I come here to be alone. I don’t perform any duties at that time. Sometimes, when it gets too heavy, I run along the shoreline until it clears my head."

Leia listened in silence, surprised by how openly he was sharing this part of himself.

"I thought all you ever did was work day and night," Leia murmured, her eyes drifting toward the small rain-kissed garden.

Lucien chuckled softly.

"Even Ronan has a secret place," she added after a pause.

"The wooden cottage in the forest?" Lucien asked, glancing at her to confirm.

Leia turned her head sharply, eyes wide. "How do you know about that? He never told anyone."

"I know everything about both my brothers," Lucien said with certainty.

"Then why didn’t you ever mention it to Ronan?" she asked, brows furrowed in curiosity. "And have you been there? He might’ve sensed your presence."

Lucien leaned back slightly, his gaze thoughtful.

"Well, there are certain masks that can hide your scent," he said. "I used them back when Ronan used to run away from home for a few days. I’d sneak over just to make sure he was safe. Since it was his personal space, I never stepped in there or told him. Dad made him suffer... for no reason."

Leia looked at him, admiration softening her gaze. "You care a lot for them," she murmured.

"Of course I do," Lucien replied without hesitation. "They’re my family. We only have each other. I’ve told you before... if I don’t look out for them, things could fall apart. People would find the cracks and use them against us. That’s something I’ll never allow."

Leia said nothing, but her heart fluttered in admiration. In that moment, she saw beyond Lucien’s usual cold composure. He was not just a brother, but also a protector, who had always stood between his family and the world.

"I’ve seen Ronan getting trained in the forest alone. He always wanted to prove to Dad that he was no less than the others. But by the time he could do that, our parents had passed away. I wish that regretful night had never happened, Leia. Losing them is my biggest regret. My one mistake cost three of us a lot."