Marked By Destiny: Claimed By Three Alpha Brothers

Chapter 190: Wanted to use you

Grayson guided Leia gently to the bed, while Renzo pulled out a chair and sat nearby, his presence steady but watchful."I met your mother, Anisha, at the height of my power," Grayson began, his voice softened by memory. "She was born an omega, that’s why you carry the same rank. But that doesn’t matter, Leia. What matters is that you’re alive. And you resemble her so much." A warm smile touched his lips, though his eyes told how much he missed his mate.

Leia lowered her gaze, then looked up with quiet insistence. "But my wolf’s eyes... They’re like yours."

Her tone faltered as she went on. "I had a nightmare a few days ago and even last night. In it, I heard people screaming... There were flames everywhere. My mother was holding me so tightly. It felt real like I had truly been there."

Renzo’s expression darkened. He shifted his gaze toward his brother. "Wasn’t that... the night our clan was attacked? Leia was only six months old then."

"So... it was real?" Leia whispered, lifting her gaze to meet her father’s eyes. "What happened to our pack? Why was Mother told to run away? And why... why did no one survive except you two?"

Grayson’s expression shadowed with sorrow. He drew a long breath before answering.

"Leia, our pack was known as the Moon’s Descendants. We were direct bloodline of the Moon Goddess herself, and because of that, we were called the Ancients. No pack could rival us, not even the strongest alphas in the territories. Our abilities were unmatched." His voice carried both pride and grief.

"For a long time, everything was peaceful. Until whispers began to spread, rumors that other packs were uniting against us. Wolves schemed with witches, weaving their treachery in the dark. It was a plan to wipe us out completely, to burn our name and our strength into ash." His hands clenched as regret flickered in his eyes.

"And they succeeded," he finished bitterly. "Look at what remains. Nothing. Nothing but the three of us."

"I heard... you’ve taken many lives," Leia said softly, her voice edged with uncertainty. "Maybe... maybe that’s why it happened."

Renzo chuckled quietly, and Leia instinctively turned her head toward him, her brows knitting in curiosity.

"Uncle, I’m serious," she said firmly. "The attacks on me... they happened because they found out I’m the daughter of—" She hesitated, her voice breaking slightly, before Renzo spoke over her gently but firmly.

"Leia," he said, leaning forward, "when you are a pack leader, when you bear the responsibility of a people’s safety, you’re forced to make choices. Choices between your own life and the lives of your people. My brother made the same choice. He punished the wrongdoers, the ones who tried to harm us."

Grayson’s gaze hardened. "Yes, Leia. I have never harmed the innocent. Perhaps my orders brought pain to those associated with wrongdoers... But my first duty has always been to protect my people. To save them, even if it meant making the hardest choices."

"Everyone thinks you’re dead," Leia said after a long pause. "Were you two hiding all this time? And how?"

Grayson inclined his head. "Yes. We were meant to remain hidden. All the while, we searched for you and your mother. But then... Word began to spread. Rumors about the last she-wolf. Within months, I learned everything. By then, I was too late." His voice faltered before softening. "But Anisha... she did well. She protected you, kept you hidden so no one could find you. Until..." His jaw clenched. "Lucien told me a witch’s daughter, your friend, betrayed you, selling your name to those who put you in that auction house."

Leia’s chest tightened. "Her name is Delia. She was my best friend." Her voice quivered on that word. "But her grandmother told her something that shattered us. She said you killed her mother. And because of that, Delia decided to bring chaos to the wolves."

Renzo’s mouth twisted with disdain. "These witches have always been cunning. You should never have trusted one."

"I didn’t know she was a witch!" Leia shot back. "And she never would have betrayed me if—if her mother were still alive. My friendship with her is ruined now... But Father," her eyes burned as they sought his, "you owe her an answer."

Grayson’s brows drew together, his head bowing under the weight of her words.

"Leia, if Delia were truly your friend, she never would have turned against you. Don’t lay her betrayal at your father’s feet. You’ve heard his reasons. Everything he did to save our people."

"Does that mean... Delia had the wrong idea about her mother? That her grandmother lied to her?" Leia asked.

"Of course," Renzo replied without hesitation. "Your father can face your friend and tell her the truth himself. The witches have always tried to breach our territory, scheming to steal one of our kind. Our blood, Leia, it is the purest and most magical among all wolves. To them, it is nothing more than a tool for their rituals." His tone sharpened with anger as he revealed a truth Leia had never known.

Grayson’s gaze hardened. "And because the lives of our people were at stake, I took action. I ended the witches who threatened us. But remember this, Leia, we never struck first. It was always them."

Leia sat in silence for several seconds, her thoughts swirling in her head.

"Don’t you believe me?" he asked softly.

"I do," Leia replied. "But... Why were you and Uncle hiding all these years?"

Grayson drew in a slow breath. "Because we don’t belong to any pack anymore. You could call us rogues. We had no one to stand with us, and we didn’t know who the true mastermind behind the massacre was. If we had revealed ourselves, the ones who schemed against us would have risen again to finish what they started. That is why we chose to remain hidden, until we could uncover the truth."

Leia’s brows furrowed. "So... did you find it?"

Grayson shook his head. "Not yet. But we have a suspicion." His gaze darkened, his voice lowering. "We believe it began with the Alpha King, the one who rules over hundreds of packs."

"That’s only a suspicion," Leia murmured.

Grayson studied her carefully. "Do you have more questions for me? Ask them."

Leia hesitated before speaking. "What... what did you tell Mom before she ran away that night?"

His shoulders stiffened, but he answered. "I told her to hide. Perhaps she was so upset with me that she decided to mask her scent... Even from me. I don’t know what was truly in her mind."

Leia frowned. "How could she even hide her scent?"

"Maybe a witch helped her," Renzo interjected grimly. "Only witches can do such a thing."

Grayson’s gaze snapped toward his brother, disbelief flashing in his eyes. "You think Anisha would have trusted a witch, after everything they did to us?"

"Why not?" Renzo countered, undeterred. "Desperation makes people reach for unlikely hands." Then he turned his attention to Leia. "How long had you known Delia?"

Leia’s voice softened, touched with sorrow. "We practically grew up together... From childhood."

"I think it was Delia’s grandmother who helped Anisha," Renzo said firmly. "We need to speak with Delia to uncover the truth. Your mother trusted them. I’m certain of it. Anisha was many things, but she was never foolish when it came to the witches."

Leia’s brows knit tighter. It was true, her mother had always kept close to Delia’s grandmother. Could it be that all those years of affection were nothing more than a mask? Pretending to love her mother, while in reality sowing the seeds of revenge, waiting for the day to unleash it through Delia’s hands?

She slid off the bed as she slipped into her slippers.

"Where are you going?" Grayson asked, rising slightly, confusion and a flicker of worry etched across his face.

"To meet Delia. She can tell us the remaining truth," Leia replied.

"I’ll come with you." Grayson stood up too.

"Wait here. I’ve to discuss everything with my mates first before meeting Delia," she told them.

"Your mates?" Grayson stopped blinking. "Do you’ve multiple mates?"

"Yes. All three Calandrino Brothers are my mates," Leia stated with a faint smile.

"How are you they all treating you? You do have a mark of one. I suppose it’s of Lucien’s. Why did the other two not mark you? Before that, why did Lucien buy you? For what purpose he wanted to use you?" Grayson’s fatherly instincts suddenly grew.

"That’s a long story," Leia replied, hesitant in telling the truth.

"Leia, you should answer me. I can’t let you fall in any danger," Grayson stated.

"Dad, they aren’t danger for me. Lucien wanted to sire heirs from me," Leia finally revealed. "But that was all in the past. The alphas from the other packs had the same thoughts towards me, but Lucien was the one who bought me first."