Leah's POV
I hadn't seen my father in a very long time. Growing up, we were never close. I spent most of my time with my eldest brother, Lucian, who became more of a father figure to me than our actual father ever was. To me, my father was merely a distant figure, a visiting duke when I was little, and a symbol of power as I grew older and understood his true identity. But the question lingered - did I really know who he was?
I had always avoided delving into the details of his life, keeping my distance. As werewolves, we live by strict hierarchies, and a daughter, especially the daughter of the Lycan King, has no place to judge her father. But now, as he lay dying and I had time to kill on my way to the Court, the memories and questions started flooding back in.
He had seized the throne at just 15 by killing his own brother. He condemned my mother to death shortly after my birth and left me in Lucian's care ever since. He exiled Leo because of his sexuality, yet supported his ruthless enforcement projects, including the establishment of a laboratory in Mediland. He allowed Alpha Dire and his son to lead a lavish, lawless life in the same region, causing widespread suffering.
I wasn't sure if he had approved the slave market directly, but I couldn't shake the feeling that Lycidas couldn't have created something so debauched on his own. And most painfully, when I decided to marry Lucas as a commoner, my father didn't even arrange a meeting to talk to me. Instead, he sent a single piece of advice via email: "Follow your heart." It was clear to me that he didn't really care about me.
The truth is, he didn't seem to care for anyone. He had killed all five of his wives. He never allowed any of his children to address him as "father"; we had to refer to him as "Your Majesty". When I was young, I asked Lucian why he maintained this special kind of distance. Lucian's answer was blunt: "He's not our father. He's the King. He can't trust anyone."
I couldn't understand why he couldn't embrace both identities. To me, being a king and a father weren't mutually exclusive roles. But why couldn't he even trust his own children?
Lucas, sitting next to me, remained silent throughout the ride. I knew he didn't want to talk and could tell he didn't even want to be near me. I owed him an apology, but it didn't feel like the right time or place to have that conversation. Suddenly, the car came to a halt.
I looked out the window. We were still in Mediland.
"We're not there yet. Why are we stopping?" I asked.
Jorah glanced back at me, his expression tense. "There's a checkpoint. Soldiers from the Rock Growlers have blocked the road."
A sharp rap on Jorah's window startled us. Peering in was Mick's ruthless lieutenant, Cole.
Mick's soldiers were really testing my patience.
Jorah rolled down the window and said, "This is the motorcade of the Lycan Princess and her husband. We're merely passing through your territory and are protected by diplomatic immunity."
Cole's scarred face twisted into a malicious grin. "In Mediland, we don't give a damn about your diplomatic immunity. Get out of the car slowly, and don't make me shoot you." He brandished his gun menacingly.
My blood boiled. My father was dying, and I didn't have time for this nonsense.
"Get out of my way," I commanded Cole with my Lycan voice. "Now."
Cole instinctively backed away, submitting.
At that moment, a familiar figure appeared in front of our car.
"Long time no see, Leah."
Jalin. Why was he here? I couldn't believe he had the audacity to show up after what he had done.
I clenched my fists, hidden behind the tinted windows, my anger simmering.
"Stay here," Lucas whispered, stepping out of the car.
"Farrow," Jalin hissed, eyes narrowing. "You really should have stayed out of this."
"What did you do to my wife in Redwood Mansion?" Lucas demanded as he approached Jalin.
"That's a secret between Leah and me. A secret you'll never uncover," Jalin smirked. "Let's just say our intimacy has reached another level."
Bile rose in my throat as I sat in the car, my insides churning with rage and disgust. The person I relied on most had betrayed me.
Lucas remained calm, shrugging off his jacket. I knew he was preparing for a fight. He had always wanted to punch Jalin in the face, and now it seemed inevitable.
Jalin taunted him with a smirk, taking off his glasses and putting them into his pocket. His hands remained in his pockets. "Farrow, let's be honest. We've never liked each other. But that doesn't mean we have to resort to violence..."
Before Jalin could finish, Lucas lunged at him, the ground quaking beneath his feet. Jalin braced himself, but the impact sent shockwaves through the air. Jalin swung a massive fist at Lucas, who deftly dodged and countered with an uppercut to Jalin's jaw. The strike landed solidly, but Jalin barely flinched.
He grabbed Lucas by the waist and lifted him off the ground, slamming him down with earth-shattering force. But Lucas rolled away quickly, springing to his feet with beast-like agility.
He whipped around and launched himself at Jalin, driving him backwards into a nearby tree, the trunk splintering from the impact.
"What have you done to my wife?!" Lucas roared.
"Are you sure she's your wife?" Jalin taunted. "You've never loved her. You don't deserve her."
I knew immediately Jalin was stalling. He didn't want me to return to the Court and see my father.
What was happening at the Court? What were they doing to my father?
Suddenly, the words of the Moon Goddess echoed in my mind. "Save your father. Save the Kingdom."
My father was in danger.
I trembled as the realization hit me.
I had to do something to get out of here as soon as possible and save my father.