Chapter 209: Tracing a slow path
Lucien slowly flipped through the pages of a research file, reviewing data on a new drug his pack’s medical team had developed to help young wolves manage the intensity of their ruts and heats.
The subtle shift in the air caught his attention first. He caught the distinct sweetness of Leia’s scent a second before a soft knock sounded at the door. The door creaked open slightly, and she peeked into the office.
"Can I come in?"
"You never usually ask," Lucien reminded her, a faint trace of amusement in his voice.
She bit her lip nervously and stepped inside, watching him close the file and set it squarely on the desk.
"Did my uncle say something to you earlier?" she inquired, shifting her weight.
"No. He was simply worried that Kieran might end up impregnating you during the haze," he answered smoothly. Then, moving with sudden, silent Alpha speed, he left his seat and appeared directly in front of her. He leaned in slightly, taking a deep breath of the air around her neck. "Kieran’s pheromones are all over you."
"Really? But I washed up before coming back," she murmured, taking a instinctive step back to create some distance.
Lucien didn’t let her go far. His hand slid effortlessly to her lower back, his grip firm as he reeled her right back against his chest. He bent his head, his nose nuzzling her cheek before tracing a slow path down her jawline, inching lower toward the sensitive skin of her neck.
"Did you two get too close?" he asked, his voice a low rumble against her skin.
"Why? Will you scold Kieran if we did?" Leia questioned, forcing her voice to remain steady despite the sudden spike in her pulse.
"No. I am glad you are finally accepting us," he murmured, his lips brushing against her earlobe. She let out a soft gasp as he added, "I’m glad you are opening up to the intimacy."
Leia gripped the fabric of his shirt, her fingers tightening as she felt the taut muscles shifting beneath the cloth. "Lucien, we should stop."
"But I haven’t even started. All I did was kiss your earlobe," he countered smoothly. He pulled back just enough to bring his face directly in front of hers, forcing her to look straight into his dark eyes.
A slow smirk touched his lips as he finally created a small pocket of space between their bodies. "Leia, you’re falling pretty badly for us, aren’t you?"
"What do you mean? Aren’t you falling for me?" She deflected, refusing to answer his question directly as she held his gaze with a pointed glare.
"Yes, I am crazy for you," Lucien muttered, his expression softening into an intense one. "You have no idea how difficult it is to spend my nights without you by my side."
"You do sleep with me," Leia pointed out.
"No. You don’t allow me to get close to you," he countered. "I have to drag myself back repeatedly to stop from crossing your boundaries, always reminding myself that I can’t force you into anything."
At his words, a tight lump formed in Leia’s throat, and she swallowed hard.
"I actually came to discuss something important with you. Can we focus on that?" she requested, trying to steer the conversation back to safety. "As for your longing to be close to me, I did fulfill it a couple of times. I even allowed you to mark me."
To prove her point, she tugged the collar of her dress aside, baring the skin of her neck to show him the distinct, healed mark she already carried from him.
Lucien smiled at the sight, his sharp teeth catching the dim light of the office.
Leia began to lower her hand, but before she could cover herself, Lucien caught her off guard by suddenly scooping her up into his arms.
"Lucien!" she gasped, her hands instinctively flying to his shoulders as he lifted her onto the edge of his large wooden desk.
"Hmm. Tell me what is so important," he murmured, stepping into the space between her knees. One of his hands rested firmly on her thigh, while the other gripped the edge of the desk behind her, trapping her against him.
Trying to ignore the heat of his palm through her skirt, Leia rushed out her explanation. "When Kieran and I went ice skating, we ran into a group of boys. One of them desperately needs medicine for his sick mother. I was wondering if we could provide some aid to them from our pack’s medical supplies."
"Of course. Tell me everything you know, and I will have my Beta dispatch immediate assistance," Lucien promised, his gaze softening as he looked at her.
A relieved smile broke across Leia’s face, and she quickly relayed all the details she had gathered about the boy and his mother’s condition.
"Reach back and hand me my phone," he instructed once she finished.
Leia turned her head, leaning back over the polished surface of the desk to grab the device from where he had left it, before turning back around and placing it directly into Lucien’s hand.
He quickly dialed Caleb’s number, instructing his Beta to dispatch immediate medical aid to the family Leia had described. Once the call was finished, he set the phone down on the desk.
"We regularly provide aid to families in need within our territory," Lucien explained, his tone sharpening slightly. "It seems this particular case was overlooked by one of the regional officials. I will launch an inquiry to find out why they failed to report it."
"Hmm. The boy is determined to win the prize money in his upcoming match, too," Leia added. "Let’s go watch him play next week."
"Sure, we can do that."
"Now, I should get back to my room and leave you to your work," Leia said, shifting her weight to slide off the desk. "I won’t disturb you anymore."
She attempted to slide down, but his grip tightened on her thigh, preventing her from moving away.