Leah's POV
"His Highness, Alpha Lucian, is waiting for you in his study," Mr. Carson, my father's loyal butler, announced as I stepped into the grand entrance of my father's palace.
"I need to see my father first," I insisted.
"Your brother is in a state - he needs you immediately," Carson added quietly, taking my coat with gentle hands. "Plus, His Majesty is asleep right now."
Lucas moved to accompany me into the living room, but Mr. Carson intervened. "Alpha Lucas, I believe Alpha Lucian prefers to speak with Miss Leah alone."
Lucas's eyes locked onto mine, filled with concern. "I'll be back soon," I reassured him.
Though his disapproval was evident, he relented, turning to the bar to pour himself a silent drink.
"Don't worry. I’ll watch over him," Jorah whispered as he passed by me, his voice a promise of vigilance.
I ascended the stairs and entered Lucian's study, immediately overwhelmed by the pungent scent of alcohol and smoke. I walked to the windows and threw them open, inviting a breath of fresh air into the suffocating room. Moonlight spilled across the floor, casting ethereal highlights on the polished wooden surface and illuminating my brother's forlorn silhouette against the darkness.
Lucian was slumped at his desk, a half-empty bottle clutched in his hand. I'd never seen him so disheveled: his usually pristine hair was in wild disarray, dark locks falling over his forehead, a testament to his anxious, tired hands. His chiseled features were shadowed with torment, the stubble on his jawline giving him a rugged, yet vulnerable allure.
His broad chest rose and fell with shallow breaths, his muscular frame evident even beneath his thin, straining shirt. Blood smeared the edges of his sleeves, though I couldn't tell if it was his or others'.
"Leah..." His eyes, glassy with the haze of alcohol, finally focused on me. He attempted to stand but failed, collapsing back into the chair. My heart ached for him.
I pulled a chair next to him and sat down. "You... I... worried..." he murmured incoherently.
I leaned forward, taking his hand in mine. "I'm here now, brother. I’m with you."
Tears welled up in Lucian's eyes, clinging to his lashes, reluctant to fall. "Father... he's dying," he confessed, his voice breaking.
"I know," I replied, my voice steady and full of compassion. Now was not the time for my own vulnerability.
Lucian lowered his head, fingers threading through his ruffled hair, tugging in a futile attempt to steady himself. "What am I doing? What am I doing?" he muttered. "Father's dying. Jalin's gone. You were gone... I don't know what to do..."
I wrapped my arms around him, the bottle slipping from his grasp, forgotten as his sorrow overwhelmed him. He buried his face in my shoulder, his body shaking with each sob that tore from his soul.
"I'm not ready to be king," he whispered between sobs. "There are too many unresolved issues... So many lessons Father never taught me. I can't do this..."
"Brother," I said softly, "I'm sorry I walked away. I promise I’ll never leave you again. We’ll face everything together."
"No... You don’t understand..." Lucian shook his head vehemently. "I can't handle this... Jalin shattered my heart. He was the brother I never had, and now he wants me dead..." Suddenly, his grip tightened on my arms, desperation in his eyes. "They're coming, Leah. They’re coming for us..."
"Who? Who's coming?" I demanded, frowning in confusion.
"All of them..." Lucian replied, covering his face. After a moment, he lowered his hands, sounding more coherent. "All the Alphas in the kingdom are with Mick Toussaint now. His father, Alpha Dire, laid the path for this betrayal long before his death. He betrayed Father. He betrayed our king."
Lucian's emotions mounted, his distress palpable.
I gripped his arms firmly, meeting his eyes. "I know, Lucian. I already know."
Lucian's eyes widened in disbelief. "What do you mean? When did you find out?" he demanded.
"I saw Alpha Dire at my wedding ceremony," I explained. "He was conspiring with the other Alphas. I couldn’t comprehend their intentions then, but now it all falls into place."
"Why would he do that? Father trusted him implicitly! He was Father’s most loyal friend and Beta! He was supposed to protect Father until his dying breath! Father even entrusted him with all of Mediland, and still, it wasn’t enough for him! Why, Leah, why?" Lucian buried his head in his arms, his voice breaking with frustration.
"A father would go to any lengths to protect his children," I said calmly. "Even if it means betraying a Lycan King and defying the Moon Goddess’s will."
Lucian’s gaze snapped back to me, as though seeing me for the first time.
"Remember, Darren’s elder brother, Lester, was meant to be my Beta. But his father, Alpha Derek, chose to sacrifice his second son to shield his firstborn. Love drives people to commit unthinkable acts, Lucian. That's the bitter truth."
Lucian pierced me with a searching gaze. "And you, Leah? Will you harm me in the name of love?"
I was stunned. I couldn't believe what I had just heard.
"Brother, why would you say something like that to me?" I covered my mouth in shock.
"I'm shattered, Leah," Lucian said with trembling lips. "I'm set to become the Lycan King, and now I have no one around me…"
I took a few steps back, standing at the edge of the room, watching in disbelief as my brother crumbled. He sat slumped in a chair, staring blankly at the wall.
Lucian had always been my pillar of strength, a father figure who carried his pride like a cloak. But today, that pride was gone, replaced by a wound laid bare by the harsh betrayal of his best friend.
For a moment, I was paralyzed. Lucian had been the rock of our family, the unyielding support we all leaned on. Now, faced with his brokenness, I was overwhelmed by a wave of uncertainty and fear.
"I'm not ready for this," I thought, a knot of anxiety tightening in my stomach. "Jalin's betrayal has crushed him, and he trusts no one now."
I knew my brother needed to hear something that could bridge the chasm between his pain and our bond, but what could I possibly say? Most importantly, how could I persuade my own brother that I would never betray or hurt him?