Kieran wasn't expecting it when Leia confessed how much she had missed him these past few days.
"If you're tired and need rest, I understand," she said, giving him a small smile. "You don't have to take me out just for my sake."
He looked at her for a moment, guilt tugging at his chest. She always tried to be considerate, even when he knew she longed for more time with him.
"I'll speak to my brother," he assured her gently, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "Just let me close my eyes for a bit, only a short nap, and then I'm all yours."
He saw how Leia's cheeks turned slightly red and couldn't help but pinch her cheeks. "You are adorable, Leia. I think you are considering being mine," he stated, grinning at her.
Leia placed both hands on her cheeks, taking a step back. "That term itself carries a heavy weight. I can't be yours with mere words. You need to prove them with actions."
He liked the straightforwardness Leia carried. If she didn't like something, she would say it.
"I will prove it to you then, Leia," he promised.
Leia gazed into his eyes, and he tried reading what hers held.
"Then, I'll go. I'll see you later," Leia said and turned around. But I saw her stopping in the middle. "Can I stay with you here?"
"You want to watch me sleep!?" Kieran mused at her.
"I will be bored at my room," Leia reasoned. "Nevermind. I will roam around the mansion," she asserted.
"You can stay here. The room is large and even the bed is large." Kieran brought his hand to the back of his head. "If you want, you can even sit on one side of the bed," he opined.
"Thank you," Leia excitedly rushed toward the bed and jumped over the mattress.
Kieran was quite astonished to see her reaction and shook his head. Walking to the cupboard, he took out a pair of clothes for him and went to the washroom to freshen up and change.
Leia bit her nails as she thought, 'Lucien, I wonder how you'll take me to the party. It will be fun to watch you fight with Kieran. I didn't mean to use Kieran, but to keep myself safe from you, I need to do it.'
'Leia, what if things get escalated?' Zei, her wolf, spoke in her mind.
'Well, we shouldn't worry about it. It's not like these men are my family. I consider the three of them as my enemies, who sees me as a breeder,' Leia told her wolf.
Suddenly, her eyes fell upon the photoframe on the night stand. I leaned forward and checked it. "So, these were the former Alpha and Luna," she murmured. "Lucien recieved his mother's eyes while Kieran looks a bit like their father. Ronan..." She paused as she was unable to find any similarity in him.
Placing it back, she rested her on the headboard. 'I wonder how their parents died. They both passed away at the same time. It must be a big accident,' she thought.
Her thoughts interrupted as she saw Kieran walking out of the washroom, dressed in comfortable loose attire. His face had some water droplets, showing he just washed his face.
Leia saw him getting on the bed from the other side and pulling up the soft blanket.
"I am not disturbing you, am I?" Leia lied down beside him.
"No, you aren't." Kieran moved the blanket toward her. "Are you sleepy too?"
"Hm... I think I'll also take a nap with you," Leia said, turning her head to look at him. "I think this mattress is much fluffier. Oops! I'm only speaking when I shouldn't. Let's close our eyes," she whispered and did the same.
Kieran smiled and shut his eyes, feeling the warmth of her pheromones, which she unknowingly released.
~~~~
Lucien wore the watch after cuffing his sleeves and put on a blazer. He slid the wallet in the inner pocket and walked out of his room to check on Leia.
"Leia, are you ready?" Lucien asked as he knocked on the door. He couldn't feel her presence and pushed the door open. Leia was not in the room. He stepped down the corridor to the hall through the staircase.
"Did you see Leia?" Lucien's stern voice abruptly stopped a maid.
"Miss Leia is with the third young master, Alpha," the maid humbly replied.
Lucien didn't bother asking more from her and made his way straight to Kieran's room.
"She has turned closer to Kieran," he murmured and pushed on the door. "Why is it locked?" Lucien frowned and knocked on it.
Kieran, who was in a deep slumber woke up hearing the sudden knock on the door. He glanced at Leia, who was asleep by his side. Getting down from the bed, he opened the door and saw Lucien.
"You look you just woke up from the sleep," Lucien remarked. "Ask Leia to come out," he said.
"Leia is asleep," Kieran answered. "Why don't you let her be here and go yourself to the party? I promised Leia that I would convince my brother not to take her to the party."
"Did she sleep with you? On the same bed?" Lucien asked, arching his brow.
"Yeah. I couldn't let her possibly sleep on the floor," Kieran remarked, sliding his hand into the pocket of his trousers. "We didn't do anything," he said.
"Wake her up. You have five minutes to send her out," Lucien instructed him and turned around.
"Leia doesn't want to come with you. Didn't you hear that?" Kieran pressed, his annoyance suddenly peaking.
"I heard you. Since you've also returned from the business trip, you should come to this party as well," Lucien stated. "I'm giving you five minutes," he added before walking away.
Kieran brought his hand to his hair before shaking his head. He couldn't defy the order of his brother, especially Lucien.
He walked over the bed and sat on the mattress. "Leia, wake up." Kieran gently nudge her shoulder.