Marked By Destiny: Claimed By Three Alpha Brothers

Chapter 187: Protected her from shadows

Aaron couldn’t escape. The wolves had him surrounded, his wrists bound tightly in iron cuffs as they dragged him out of the forest. The night was pitch-black, but with their sharpened vision, every detail was visible to them as clearly as daylight.Grayson and Renzo shifted back into their human forms, their clothes materializing from the magic of their transformation.

Leia’s breath caught in her throat when her gaze fell on the broad-shouldered figure ahead.

Her father.

She hadn’t expected to face him like this. A few wolves from Lucien’s pack lingered nearby, including his beta, torches in hand.

At last, Grayson turned. His piercing blue eyes locked onto his daughter’s, and the years between them seemed to vanish in an instant. Slowly, almost hesitantly, he began walking toward her. Leia instinctively stepped back

"Let’s go back, Lucien," Leia whispered, her voice trembling as she turned away.

"Leia, listen to me," Grayson called after her.

But she didn’t stop. Her footsteps pressed on.

Lucien stepped in. "She’s upset. Give her time. My beta, Caleb, will escort you both home. For now, I’ll go ahead with Leia," he said.

Grayson nodded, watching them leave, though regret shadowed his features.

"Leia has every right to be upset with us," Renzo murmured, glancing sidelong at his brother.

Meanwhile, Leia walked quickly through the forest path, her breathing shallow, her emotions tangled in confusion and ache. Two wolves padded silently at her sides, guiding her through the darkness.

Suddenly, Lucien’s hand caught her wrist. Before she could react, he pulled her off balance and swept her effortlessly into his arms.

"Lucien!" Leia gasped, her hands instinctively clutching the back of his neck.

"Stay quiet," he said softly. "You were hurt earlier. I should have protected you better. If it weren’t for your father, things could have gone terribly wrong." His jaw tightened, frustration and guilt simmering in his eyes.

Leia rested her head against his shoulder, her voice barely a whisper. "I can’t believe he was right in front of my eyes..." Her heart ached strangely, and in that vulnerable moment, she felt the absence of her mother more than ever.

Lucien didn’t speak again. The only sound between them was the crunch of leaves under his boots as he carried her to the parked car. When they reached it, he lowered her gently onto her feet before pulling the door open.

"Let’s go back," Lucien said.

Leia hesitated, her fingers fidgeting with each other. "What about them? Will they come too? I... I have so much to say to him. But not now."

"Caleb is bringing them," Lucien assured her, his protective gaze steady. He gestured toward the car. "Take your time."

Leia slipped into the passenger seat while Lucien turned back to the wolves lingering behind them. "Come in the other car," he instructed, his voice firm. Only when they moved did he settle into the driver’s seat beside her.

As the engine rumbled to life, Leia caught sight of her father and uncle emerging slowly from the forest’s shadow. Her chest tightened again. She looked straight ahead, refusing to meet their eyes, her hands knotting together in her lap until her knuckles turned white.

Lucien pressed the accelerator, guiding the car down the dim forest road.

After a while, his voice broke through, "Do you want to drink water?"

"No," Leia replied softly, her gaze still fixed on the road ahead. After a pause, she added, her tone quieter, almost to herself, "He’s indeed powerful. I saw the way he struck the tree. I think everyone was saying the truth about him. He did take people’s lives in the past, which he should not have. But why did he appear suddenly? Why now? He has always been absent from my life. My mother must have missed him, but he wasn’t there." Leia’s voice cracked, the words tumbling out in frustration.

"Calm down," Lucien said softly, his eyes flicking briefly from the road to her face. "Now, your father is here. I think we will get every answer directly from him. Don’t dwell on what the others have told you. Only your father can tell you the truth."

He was right, though the ache in her chest didn’t ease. Leia lowered her head, releasing a long sigh. "I always missed him. I wish he had been there when I needed him the most... When my mother needed him."

Lucien didn’t interrupt. He let her spill her heart, knowing it was the only way to bleed out the hurt she had buried for years. His silence was patient, steady, until her words faded into quiet.

The dim light from the dashboard reflected in his eyes as he noticed the phone screen flash. His brothers were trying to reach him.

"Leia, call Kieran. They must want to know if everything is fine," Lucien said gently.

Leia gave a small hum of agreement, then reached into the car’s cabinet. Retrieving her phone, she quickly dialed Kieran’s number and set it on speaker.

"Leia, is everything okay? Did you catch who it was?" Kieran’s voice came urgently through the speaker.

"Yes, we have. We’ll tell you both everything once we arrive home," Leia answered.

"Sure."

The call ended a second later. Leia placed the phone carefully on her lap, staring at it as silence reclaimed the car.

~~~~~

Ronan paced restlessly across the living room while Kieran sat close to their grandmother on the couch, his hand resting lightly near hers.

"Grandma, you should go to bed. It’s already very late," Ronan suggested with concern.

"Yes, Grandma. Let’s go to your room," Kieran added, already half-rising to help her up.

But Azalea gently patted his hand, shaking her head. "The Southern Border isn’t far. Lucien and Leia may arrive anytime soon."

The brothers exchanged a glance. Ronan sighed and finally sank into the couch beside them, his gaze fixed on the front door.

"Caleb isn’t picking up either," Ronan muttered after a moment, frustration in his tone. "I think all of them are driving. That must be why."

"Yeah," Kieran murmured.

Then, suddenly, both of them straightened. The scent of Leia told them they had arrived. Both of them stood up as Azalea asked them what happened.

Then, Leia and Lucien emerged through the doorway, relief covering their faces. Both of them looked unharmed, though traces of exhaustion lingered in their eyes.

Ronan and Kieran immediately rushed toward Leia.

"Was it really a hunter?" Kieran asked quickly, his gaze darting toward his eldest brother for confirmation.

"Yes, it was Aaron Rudwig," Lucien confirmed with a firm nod. "He has been caught, so there’s nothing to worry about."

"I’m fine. Don’t be worried for me," Leia assured them, offering a small, reassuring smile. Her eyes then shifted to Azalea. "Why didn’t you sleep yet, Grandma? Sorry for again bringing... trouble."

"Don’t apologize when you did nothing," Azalea said warmly. "I wasn’t sleepy at all. Now that you’ve returned, I think I can go to bed without any worry."

"Of course, Grandma. Good night," Lucien said respectfully.

The maid stepped forward promptly and guided the elderly woman away to her room, leaving the others in the living room.

"Leia’s father saved her from getting shot," Lucien revealed.

"He’s alive!" Kieran exclaimed, shock flashing across his face. Both he and Ronan glanced at Leia, understanding now why she had seemed unsettled.

"Yes, my father is alive... And my uncle too," Leia said softly, her voice still tinged with disbelief. "Turns out I have a family I never even knew about." Her eyes glistened with unshed tears.

"Hey," Kieran said, pulling her gently into a side hug. "I know it’s hard to believe, but now... You can finally have all the answers."

"Take Leia upstairs. She needs rest," Lucien instructed.

Kieran nodded and guided Leia up the stairs to her room. Meanwhile, Ronan remained behind, watching Lucien intently. "What’s on your mind? And where are her father and uncle?"

"They’re on their way here," Lucien replied calmly, walking toward the couch. The maid placed a glass of water before him on the table. He took it gratefully, sipping slowly.

Finishing his sip, he lowered the glass onto the table with a soft clink.

"Leia doesn’t want to see or talk to them, I believe," Lucien said.

"Yes, that’s why she didn’t insist on waiting for them," he added thoughtfully. "Her father is very powerful, even at his age."

"Really?" Ronan asked, intrigued. "That’s remarkable! With age, wolves lose many of their enhanced traits."

"Yeah," Lucien replied, his expression growing darker. "But it’s not the case with Leia’s father. Something terrible happened in the past, something that drove him to abandon Leia and her mother." He paused, his voice softening. "I truly hope they can mend their relationship soon."

"Of course, they will. But how did Leia’s father and uncle enter our pack? Nobody noticed them or is our security not that great!?" Ronan muttered.

"Well, we will find out from them," Lucien answered. "But one thing is sure that Leia’s father always protected her from shadows. I felt that he intentionally stayed away from her. He did everything to keep her safe. Leia didn’t even greet him. It’s as if she is too broken."