Chapter 38 Chapter 38

Chapter 38 Chapter 38
Luceila's POV
The door flew open with such force that it stuck against the wall.
"Dad..."
Reis immediately straightened.
Alpha Dorian stood in the doorway, his broad shoulders blocking the view of the hallway. His amber gaze swept over the room, taking in everything without saying a word.
He stopped on me.
I absently touched my burning cheek.
The scratches on my neck still stung from where Luciana's nails had raked against my skin, but I knew my face was probably even worse.
His expression darkened as he looked me over.
"What happened?"
A tense silence filled the room.
Reis crossed his arms over his chest.
"It was nothing."
Dorian gave him a long, slow look.
"Nothing?"
His tone was light, but there was a warning in it.
"It looked like shouting from the hallway."
Reis's jaw tightened.
"Luceila got into an argument with Luciana."
"I asked what happened."
"They fought."
Dorian frowned.
"They fought?"
Before Reis could say anything else, another voice spoke from the doorway.
"Luciana started it."
Silas.
He stood with his hands in his pockets, his usual easygoing expression replaced with something colder.
Behind him, Ruan kept his gaze lowered.
Silas gave another short sentence.
"I saw Luciana grab Luceila first."
Reis shot him a warning look, but Silas ignored it.
"She slapped her before Luceila defended herself."
Dorian turned to me.
"Is that true?"
I hesitated.
My instinct was to apologize.
As always.
"...Yes."
The alpha sighed.
"I see."
He gave me a long, measuring look before his gaze dropped to the bruises on my wrist.
"And these?"
I instinctively hid them behind my skirt.
"They're nothing."
"Luceila."
His voice softened.
"You don't have to hide them."
The gentleness in his tone made my eyes prickle.
No one had asked how I was in a long, long time.
"They're from earlier," I lied.
His eyebrows pulled together.
"Earlier?"
Before he could ask anything else, the sound of approaching footsteps echoed down the hallway.
Sisilya.
She entered the room with her usual poise, though her smile vanished as soon as she saw the group of us.
"There you all are," she said lightly. "I was wondering where you had gone."
Her gaze lingered on me for a fraction of a second too long before she smiled again.
Dorian didn't miss it.
"Sisilya."
She gave him a gracious smile.
"Yes?"Did you strike Luceila today?"
The room fell deathly silent.
She laughed.
"Of course not."
Dorian didn't react.
"Are you certain?"
"I merely corrected her behavior."
"By grabbing her arm?"
Sisilya's smile faltered.
"She embarrassed me."
"So you hurt her."
"I disciplined my daughter."
"No."
His voice was ice.
"You injured her."
Something like fury flickered across Sisilya's face.
"Since when do you question how I raise my child?"
"Since she became part of this family."
The room went utterly silent.
Even me.
Sisilya's eyes narrowed at me.
"You barely know the girl."
"I know enough."
"And what exactly do you know?"
"I know fear when I see it."
My breath caught in my throat.
Dorian was watching me closely.
"Every time you enter a room with your mother, you flinch before she even speaks to you."
Sisilya scoffed.
"She's overly sensitive."
"No."
His gaze was fixed on me.
"She's afraid."
No one said anything.
Not even Reis.
For the first time since getting here...
Someone had noticed.
Sisilya recovered quickly.
"You misunderstand."
"Do I?"
"You're allowing your emotions to cloud your judgment."
"My judgment has never been clearer."
The silence between them was unbearable.
Finally, Sisilya gave a tight smile.
"I think we're all being very dramatic."
She gave me a meaningful look.
"Luceila, apologize for causing trouble."
I lowered my head automatically.
"I'm-"
"No."
Dorian's voice stopped me.
I looked up in surprise.
"You have nothing to apologize for."
Sisilya's mask slipped for the briefest moment.
"Dorian-"
"I've heard enough."
His voice was steel.
"This conversation is over."
For a few long moments, neither of them said anything.
Then Sisilya gave a short, clipped nod.
"Very well."
She turned on her heel and gave me one last searching look before walking toward the door. The smile on her lips never reached her eyes.
I knew that look.
She wasn't done with me by a long shot.
When she finally disappeared down the hallway, the tension in the room dissipated.
Dorian rubbed his temples.
"I'll have someone bring you some medicine for your cheek."
"Thank you."
He gave me a small smile.
"And tomorrow morning..."
His smile softened.
"I'd like us to have breakfast together."
I blinked.
"Just us."
"...All right."
"I'll see you then."
He left soon after.
Silas lingered near the doorway.
"You okay?"
I gave him a tight smile.
"I think so."
"You don't have to pretend."
Before he could say anything else, Reis spoke.
"We're leaving."
Silas gave me one last look before he nodded.
"If you need anything..."
He trailed off meaningfully.
I knew what he meant.
One by one, the group filed out of the room.
Ruan paused near the doorway, his back stiff.
He still wouldn't look at me.
"...I'm glad you're not seriously hurt."
It was barely more than a whisper.
I opened my mouth to say something, but he was already gone.
Soon after, only Reis remained.
He looked at the scratches on my neck, then at my cheek.
His expression was unreadable.
"You shouldn't have fought her."
My shoulders slumped.
"I know."
"But..."
He hesitated.
"...She shouldn't have touched you either."
I stared at him.
Those words almost sounded...
Protective.
He immediately looked away, his expression dark.
"Just don't let it happen again."
Without another word, he left, shutting the door behind him.
I sat on the edge of my bed for a few minutes, staring blankly at the wall.
Everything hurt.
My cheek, my head, my heart.
The house was silent again.
But somehow, things had changed.
For the first time since getting here...
Someone had fought for me.
Not because of the strange bond, not because of some prophecy.
Just because they thought it was the right thing to do.
I didn't know whether to feel reassured...
Or frightened of what was to come.
Outside my window, the moon hung high over the Shadowmere estate, casting long shadows over the garden.
Far below, hidden among the trees near the old oak, a lone figure watched silently.
Their red eyes gleamed from beneath the hood of their cloak.
"The time is almost here," they murmured.
"They're already beginning to choose her."
The figure melted into the darkness, vanishing before anyone inside the house could see them.