Leah's POV
The air in the basement hit me hard - hick with the stink of chemicals, sharp and sour, and the low, throbbing hum of machines that buzzed through my bones. Dim light bled from a flickering bulb, spilling shadows that twisted the equipment into hulking, jagged shapes, like beasts crouched and waiting.
At the far end, Leo hunched over his workbench, all sharp angles and focus, his hands moving precise and ruthless over whatever experiment he was tearing apart. Beside him, Gean's holographic projection shimmered, a ghost stitched from light and memory, his edges fraying in the gloom. My gut twisted seeing him - Leo's crutch, his echo of a brother we'd lost, flickering there like a wound he wouldn't let scab over.
I stepped closer, my boots scuffing the concrete, and Gean's head snapped toward me first. His hologram flickered harder, and he let out a cough - deliberate, dry, a sound that scraped the silence and bounced off the walls. Leo's head jerked up, his eyes locking onto mine, dark and narrow, like I'd just clawed my way into his den uninvited.
"Leah," he spat, voice tight as a wire. "Don't come near me anymore. I don't want to talk to you."
The words stung, but I swallowed it down, my chest hammering. "Leo, I need your help."
He turned back to his workbench, burying his face in the mess of wires and vials, his hands moving slow now, deliberate, like he was punishing me with every measured twist. "I don't want to talk to you," he said, cold as a blade, "which means I don't want to help you."
I flicked my gaze to Gean, desperate for an ally in this pit. The hologram shrugged, his shoulders slumping, his face all pity and no power. "I've been coaxing him for days," he said, voice tinny through the projection. "He's still mad. I give up. I can't do anything about it."
Leo snorted, a low growl rumbling from his throat. "I'm not very angry. I'm just calmly angry. There's a difference."
A laugh slipped out of me - small, jagged, sad - and I couldn't stop myself. I closed the gap between us, wrapping my arms around him from behind, pressing my scarred cheek hard against his back. His shirt smelled of sweat and metal, and I clung there, feeling the heat of him, the stubborn stiffness. "Leo," I murmured, my voice cracking just enough to let the ache spill out, "I know you're worried about me. But now that Darren's gone, I don't have anyone by my side. I can't lose you again."
He went rigid, then jabbed a finger up at the camera bolted above his head, not even turning to look at me. "You still have that little rascal."
The lens whirred, shifting side to side, zeroing in on me with a mechanical hiss - Seth's eyes in steel form, squinting like they did when he was pissed. I sighed, the weight of it all sinking into my ribs. "I just came back from Genus X," I said, forcing the words out. "Met an amazing scientist, Ryan Sawyer. His team resurrected direwolves - agents of memory, ancient bloodlines. They told me a strange oracle…"
Leo cut me off, his voice a snarl. "Leah, direwolves are dangerous. They'll lie to keep their bloodline alive."
"I know," I shot back, steadying myself against the tremor in my gut. "That's why I need your help now. What exactly did you find out in the library at Redwood Mansion?"
He spun around, his stare drilling into me, dark and heavy, like I'd just dragged a corpse into the room. "I didn't see anything," he said, flat and final. "I didn't find anything."
I pushed harder, my voice rising despite the ache in my throat. "What is the game of Gods?"
His face twisted, fear flashing through his eyes like a blade catching moonlight. "I don't know what you're talking about," he said, too fast, too loud. "Leah, Finn's feeding you nonsense to control you. He did it to me. I didn't give a fuck. He's a lunatic - don't swallow his shit. What you need is to birth that child safely and get the hell out of this cursed place with me. I'm working on a drug to make it smooth, just a little more to finish it. Miami's too hot, too humid - it's fucking with your head."
Anger flared in me, hot and wild, clawing up my spine. "If you won't tell me," I growled, "I'll go to Redwood Mansion myself."
He lunged, grabbing my arm, his grip bruising. "You're walking into a trap!" he snapped, voice cracking with panic. "You're pregnant, which means that you're weaker than ever. Lycidas and Finn want you dead. Can you stop fucking around?"
I lost it then. My hands shot up, snatching his collar, yanking him close enough to feel his breath on my face. "I need to know why this is happening!" I roared, my voice raw, splitting the air. "Did Lucian and Lucas really want to kill me? What curse chokes the Lycan family? How did Darren fall to Lester? What does the oracle of the Dire wolves mean? You're my brother - if you know the truth, you tell me!"
He crumpled, collapsing into the chair like his strings had been cut, his head dropping low. "Leah, you just don't understand," he whispered, voice hollow, "I shouldn't be the one to tell you because I can't be the reason for your death! I have to live with the fact that I couldn't save Gean and now I can't live with being the cause of your death! If you keep chasing this, I can't save you. You can't protect that cub in your belly. Think about him, for fuck's sake! It's not just werewolves that you're dealing with - it's bigger and eviler. It's a battle that you can't win. Please, forget about it, I beg you..."
Tears spilled down his face, and he buried it in his hands, shoulders shaking. Gean's hologram flickered, his expression crumpling, one ghostly hand jabbing at the tissue box beside him, begging me to fix this.
My chest ached, a dull, gnawing pain. I snatched the box, shoved it into his lap. "I'm sorry, Leo," I said, softer now, the fight draining out of me. "I shouldn't have yelled at you. I know you're protecting me. But I've got my own path, my own claws to dig in. I used to dream of a quiet life, someone to love, someone who'd love me back - but every try crashed and burned. This isn't the life I picked. If my father and my mate are in danger - if my Batair can claw his way back, if the Lycan family can break their curse - I can't sit aside. I've got to do something. I've been leashed, shielded, saved my whole damn life. Now I have to take the reins. Even if it kills me, I'll go down choking fate's throat."
I turned, boots scuffing toward the door, my heart a bruised mess. "I have to do this, Leo," I said over my shoulder. "With or without you."
Silence hung heavy, then his voice rasped out, low and broken. "Okay, Leah. If this is your call, I'll help. I can't spill the library's secrets - you need to see it yourself. I'll fake a kidnapping, take you back to Redwood Mansion, and prove my loyalty to Lycidas."
Gean's projection jolted, voice spiking. "Leo, no! It's too dangerous - you can't go back there!"
Leo's eyes flicked to him, hard and resolute. "Thanks for sticking around these days to keep me sane, Gean. But my sister needs me, and you should rest in my memory. " His hand slammed the power button, and Gean blinked out, gone.
Seth barreled in then, slamming his body against the doorframe, wild-eyed. "Boss, you can't go back! I don't trust this guy, brother or not!"
I faced him, my voice steady despite the cracks in my chest. "Seth, you've been my shadow in this human world. I promised you forever once, but I'm breaking that now."
He choked, tears spilling fast. "No! You can't! Take me with you - I'll go with you!"
"Seth, forgive me," I said, soft but firm. "Where I'm headed, humans don't survive. You've done more than enough. Stay here, watch Sharbo, this house, and your life. Find that blonde from the dry cleaner - she seemed legit."
He lunged, wrapping me in a desperate hug, sobbing into my shoulder. "No! I can't lose you!"
I ran my fingers through his hair, soothing him like a kid. "Seth, be good."
"Then promise me that you'll come back!" he begged, voice breaking. "When it's done, come back to me!"
I shook my head, gentle but honest. "You know I can't make such promise."
He sobbed harder, clutching me. "Lie to me again! Please, Boss - I'll believe it, I swear! I believe in everything you say!"
I lifted my hand, knocked him out with a quick, soft blow, catching him as he sagged. I eased him onto the chair, wiped the tears streaking his face. He looked so damn young, fragile as glass.
I bent down, pressed a kiss to his cheek, then straightened, turning to Leo. "Let's go home."