Chapter 5: Business 

"You have a boyfriend?" Lucien raised a brow.

"Is that really the part you focused on?" Leah raises an eyebrow.

"How long?"

"About two years." She shrugs.

"...Has he touched you?" Lucien's wolf growls, his jaw tightens.

"What?" Leah blinks.

“Has he touched you?”

He repeats the question.

"Dude." She folds her arms. "I'm twenty-three… Not thirteen." A brief silence follows, then she narrows her eyes.

"Why are you so interested in my relationship?" You've known me for, what... an hour?" She points toward the door. "And that beautiful woman outside? Let her know she has absolutely nothing to worry about."

"I'm not interested in you. We're doing business. That's all." Lucien says nothing as Leah continues. "I don't care who you really are. I mean I dbut… idon't want to know." She smiled.

"You pay me. I treat you and when you're better… I'm gone."

"You need the money." Lucien studies her quietly.

"The orphanage where I grew up is being sold." Leah hesitates. "If I don't buy it..." She sighs. "...those kids lose the only home they've ever known."

For the first time… Lucien sees something beyond the stubborn nurse.

He sees a woman carrying responsibilities that aren't even hers.

Without another word, he leaves the room.

"...Weirdo.” Leah watches the door close.

****

Lucien pushed open the office door without another word.

"You're late." Adrian looked up first.

"I was busy." Lucien removed his bloodstained jacket and tossed it onto the sofa.

"Judging from the blood, I'd say that's an understatement." Marcus, the captain of the royal guards, frowned.

"Report." Lucien took his seat behind the desk.

"We searched the scene." Adrian exchanged glances with the others.

"There were eleven attackers… nine dead and two escaped."

"They were trained." Lucien rested his elbows on the desk.

"They weren't ordinary rogues." Marcus nodded. "They fought like soldiers."

"The ambush happened here." Another adviser, Ethan Cole, unfolded a map across the table.

"They chose the only route where reinforcements couldn't reach you quickly."

"They knew exactly where I'd be." Lucien studied the map.

"Someone leaked your movements." Adrian spoke and no one argued.

"Only seven people knew the Alpha King planned to leave today." Councilor Damien Wolfe frowned.

"The council, hs personal guards, the palace staff, and us." Marcus counted on his fingers.

"One of them is feeding information to Owen." Damien's expression darkened.

"Or someone close to us is." Adrian folded his arms.

"No accusations." The office became noticeably colder. Lucien's gaze swept across every face. "Not yet."

"If Owen knows your schedule..."

"...he'll know much more soon." Marcus clenched his jaw.

"There's another concern." Ethan hesitated before speaking. Lucien looked at him.

"The human." The room suddenly became silent again.

"You felt it too." Adrian rubbed the back of his neck.

"The mate bond." Ethan nodded.

"I never thought I'd live long enough to see the Alpha King's mate be human." Marcus exhaled slowly.

"Maybe she isn't." Damien frowned.

Everyone looked at him as he continued.

"What if she's hiding her aura?"

"A witch?" Marcus suggested.

"It's possible." Damien nodded.

"I stood beside her." Adrian shook his head. "I didn't sense magic, didn't sense wolf, nothing." Lucien finally spoke. "But my wolf recognized her." A wolf never mistook its mate.

"Then..." Ethan looked uncomfortable.

"...the prophecy has begun."

"Fifty days." Marcus lowered his voice.

"The High Moon Priest wasn't wrong." Damien looked directly at Lucien.

"If the sacrifice isn't made..."

"We're not discussing that." Adrian immediately interrupted.

"We have no choice."

"We always have a choice."

"The prophecy has never failed."

"And neither has Lucien."

The two men glared at each other before Lucien raised one hand and the argument ended instantly.

"Find Owen." His voice remained calm.

"I want every spy, every informant, every ally he still has."

"It'll be done." Marcus nodded.

"Come in." Another knock echoed through the office.

The door opened and Sophia entered wearing a confident smile.

"There you are." She ignored everyone else before walking straight toward Lucien.

Adrian exchanged a knowing glance with Marcus. Neither of them liked where this was going.

"I've been looking everywhere for you." Sophia rested one hand on Lucien's shoulder. Without asking permission, she leaned closer.

"Sophia." Lucien caught her wrist before her lips could reach his cheek.

"Don't." His voice was flat.

"It's only me." Her smile stiffened.

"It doesn't matter." He released her wrist and stood. "Keep your distance."

The room fell completely silent.

"So..." Sophia looked embarrassed for only a second before anger replaced it. "It's true… The human really is your mate."

“Haha.” When no one answered, she laughed. "Then why are we wasting time?"

She looked directly into Lucien's eyes. "Kill her.”

Marcus lowered his head and Damien looked away. Even Adrian's face hardened.

“Prophecies exists for a reason." Sophia continued. "You have fifty days. If she dies… you get to live."

Lucien slowly walked around his desk.

Every step echoed through the office before he stopped directly in front of her.

His silver eyes were colder than usual. "Leave."

"You'd risk your kingdom..." She refused to move. "...for a human?"

"I said leave."

"You'll regret this." She swallowed.

"My patience ends before my life does." Lucien's expression didn't changed.

Sophia stared at him for another moment before storming out and slamming the door behind her.

For a while no one spoke.

"What if she's right?" Finally Adrian broke the silence.

Lucien turned toward the window overlooking the guest wing where Leah was staying.

"No one decides my mate's fate..."

"...except me."