Ronan stepped out of the car, his brow furrowed with immediate impatience. "Why are you two waiting for us here, just standing around in the cold?"

Lucien slid the car keys into his pocket, questioning as he walked toward them.

"Well, I was just... restless," Leia admitted, wrapping her arms tightly around herself, a sudden realization making her edgy. "I think I made a fundamentally wrong assumption about Delia’s past involvement. And what’s worse, she never corrected me; she just listened, nodding along as if I had the whole story right." Kieran stood beside her, giving a grim nod of agreement.

"Perhaps that was exactly the reaction she was aiming for," Ronan remarked, his tone skeptical and suspicious of Delia’s intentions.

"No. I don’t think she was playing me," Leia countered, shaking her head. "Delia only found out about my true identity, that I am an Omega, when I confided in her."

Lucien’s eyes narrowed as he processed the new information. "Are you implying that her grandmother did not actually hurt your mother?"

"Exactly," Leia pronounced. "I am certain it wasn’t her grandmother. The timeline makes no sense. I kept my identity a secret for so long. It simply doesn’t add up that her grandmother knew my father and the depth of the betrayal, yet chose to keep that information from Delia until after I decided to finally reveal who I was."

"Delia is on her way here," Lucien announced, glancing at his watch.

The four of them moved from the exposed exterior and walked inside the building’s private entrance. As they walked, Ronan queried. "Did you tell your father and uncle about this new development, about Delia’s grandmother?"

"Not yet," Leia stated, pausing at the threshold of a hallway. "But I will do it right now." She gave a brief, focused nod and excused herself, heading down a side corridor toward the guest room.

As the three men watched her walk away, Kieran observed with concern. "She was pretty upset earlier. The truth about her mother and the original deception shook her to the core." He sighed softly. "But her father’s presence seemed to anchor her. I haven’t seen Leia that low in any of the months I’ve known her."

Lucien murmured in agreement, a deep furrow forming between his brows. "Yeah. The truth about her clan and her pack was too shocking. All of them died in a deadly fire, a disaster that wiped out everything. Leia was just a small child, forced to flee with her mother when they lost absolutely everyone else."

~~~~

Grayson and Renzo exchanged stunned, horrified glances after Leia recounted everything she had missed, or incorrectly assumed, during her furious confrontation with Delia.

"Then... how did Ashina truly die?" Grayson muttered, his lips beginning to quiver.

"Maybe my mother was simply and truly sick," Leia whispered, the hopeful suggestion sounding utterly hollow even to her own ears.

"Ashina was a magnificent healer, Leia," Renzo stated firmly. "There is simply no way she would have succumbed to a basic illness. She could cure practically anything." He focused his sharp gaze on his niece. "Now that we are discussing it, tell us honestly: how are your own healing abilities?"

"Not good," Leia replied, the confession laced with deep disappointment. She lowered her voice, her shame evident. "I told Father that I am nowhere like my mother." She slumped onto the chair, her clasped hands resting on her lap.

"I inherited nothing from her," Leia whispered, her gaze full of self-pity. "Grandma is so sick. If I had even a fraction of my mother’s ability, I would have healed her by now. My three mates... they would have been happier." A profound sadness washed over her. "I am practically useless." The whisper hardened into a confession. "And because of me, only my mother died."

"Leia, don’t say that to yourself! I told you this before, too." Grayson immediately dropped to his knees before her, his large hands gently capturing both of hers. She looked into her father’s eyes, finding in them a reflection of her own pain mixed with fierce, protective love.

"You grew up entirely among humans," he explained, demanding her attention. "I am certain Ashina did everything in her power to conceal your origin, not just from the outside world, but from you as well. Your true abilities were never enhanced or worked on; they are likely just sealed deep inside you, waiting to be unlocked." He squeezed her hands. "But you must not, under any circumstances, blame yourself for Ashina’s demise. Your mother would hate hearing you say that. She sacrificed everything she had just to save and raise her only daughter."

He held her gaze, gently but firmly soothing her frayed nerves and offering her the only truth that mattered: her worth was not tied to her powers, but to her survival.

"My brother is absolutely right, niece," Renzo stated, his voice warm as he joined Grayson in offering reassurance. A gentle smile touched his lips. "We both firmly believe your power isn’t missing; it just needs to be worked on before you can actually access it. So, please, don’t feel low or useless."

Leia offered a genuine smile, the first she’d managed in a while, and sincerely thanked both her father and her uncle. 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

The mood, however, shattered abruptly.

"While we’re on the subject of mates," Renzo began suddenly, his tone turning clinical, "I’ve been wanting to ask you: why did you choose to get Lucien’s mark first?"

Leia stammered, caught completely off guard. "What do you mean? I—I love him."

"Renzo, don’t pry into my daughter’s private life!" Grayson roared, rising swiftly to his full height. He glared fiercely at his younger brother. "Lucien is one of her fated mates, so naturally, she would carry his mark. How many times must you be reminded of these basic facts?"

Renzo held up his hands in a gesture of defense, but his gaze remained locked on Leia. "Look, I am not Leia’s enemy. I simply want her to be in safe, protective arms." His voice softened, emphasizing his sincerity. "And as Leia’s uncle, it is absolutely my right to know if everything is well between them. She is a daughter to me as well."

"I get you. But I wanted his mark, so it happened," Leia stated.