Chapter 82 Steal a kiss

Chapter 82 Steal a kiss
Leia rose to her feet, staring at the man who had just walked in, disbelief written all over her face.

“What did you say?” She asked, taking a step forward.

“I came as fast as I could, Luna. Alpha has been found,” the man said, smiling widely.

Exhaling heavily, Leia fisted her hands into her gown, her gaze lowering before she raised them again and stormed out of the room.

“Luna! I have not checked up on you,” the doctor called after her, but she was already long gone, causing him to click his tongue and sigh.

“Bring her back as soon as you can. She needs to be treated too,” the doctor ordered, earning a nod from the man before he left the room.

…

As she ran, all Leia could think about was how she was going to hug him and tell him how much she missed him. They had only been separated for hours, yet it felt like they had been apart forever. She was grateful he survived. Grateful he didn’t die because of the only choice she could make. 

Leia suddenly halted, her chest heaving as she caught her breath, staring at something or rather, someone, standing in front of her.

Seeing him there, covered in a mix of dust, blood, and dirt, made her body tingle in ways she could not explain. He was right in front of her, and she knew she should run into his arms, but she found herself hesitating.

She had imagined this countless times, so why was it suddenly difficult to approach him? Was it because she was filled with guilt? Or because she didn’t truly love him the way she thought?

Slowly, she began walking toward him, her gaze never leaving his. When she reached his side, she exhaled and asked, “Are you okay?” Her eyes darted across his body. Her heart ached at the sight of his many cuts, and she slowly raised her hand, about to trace her fingers along them, when she suddenly remembered he was getting married to Violet. She withdrew her hand and took a step back before speaking again. “I am glad you are okay.”

“I survived a bombing just to receive the cold shoulder from my wife. I am hurt,” Casimir said, feigning pain.

Leia knew he was only pretending and replied, “You survived. That’s all that matters.”

Casimir took a step forward and wrapped his hand around her waist, pulling her closer.

“You…” she began, placing her hand on his chest, but she was silenced when he touched her face.

“You see… while I was with the negotiators, all I could think about was whether you were safe,” Casimir said, his hand slowly caressing her face.

“I swore I would kill everyone if I didn’t find you in one piece. Even at gunpoint, your image never left my sight,” he continued, his hand coming to rest just behind her neck.

Leia gasped, her heart skipping a beat at the intensity in his gaze. There was something deadly in his eyes, and she was shocked by how much she clearly mattered to him.

“Leia. You saved many lives by surviving, but I told you not to leave. Why did you leave?” He asked, his gaze fixed on her face.

Stuttering, she began, “I… Aria was in danger, and I couldn’t ignore her. I had no choice but to leave.”

“You could have waited until I came out,” he said, and she swallowed.

“I didn’t know when that would be, and I am not going to gamble with my best friend’s life. She’s the only family I have, and I wouldn’t hesitate to make the same decision again to save her,” she answered.

A groan escaped Casimir’s lips, one that made Leia tense. She couldn’t tell if it came from anger or worry, but she wasn’t about to let him intimidate her. Anyone would have done the same in her place.

“Even if it was a trap?” Ne breathed, resting his forehead against hers.

“Even if it was,” she replied softly, her chest heaving, not with fear, but with desire. Her gaze dropped to his lips without meaning to, and the feelings she had buried began to surface, threatening to take control. Damn her! She didn’t realize how badly her body ached for his touch until now. 

“Would you have done the same for me?” He asked.

Leia lifted her gaze to meet his, uncertainty flickering in her eyes. Would she? She knew she cared for him, but was she willing to risk her life for a man who wasn’t loyal to her?

“I don’t think I would need to,” she said. “You are capable of protecting yourself, and you are surrounded by many who would die for you.”

A deep chuckle left him, the sound sending a shiver through her spine as goosebumps rose on her skin.

“Would it be the same answer for Andrien?” He asked.

A frown settled on her face. She didn’t know why he always assumed she still felt something for Andrien, and she hated that he did. She hated Andrien more than she hated her family. Still, she didn’t want to explain herself. Why did he even care when he was getting married to another woman?

“I don’t know,” she said, averting her gaze.

His grip tightened on her waist, drawing a soft moan from her lips.

“You don’t know, or you don’t want to say?” He pressed, and she frowned, lifting her head.

“Shouldn’t you be more concerned about reporting this incident to the council? I need to get back to Aria,” she said.

He smiled, clearly enjoying her defiance.

“I am the Alpha of this pack. No one questions me,” he replied.

She scoffed. “There’s no doubt about that,” she said, glaring at him.

“Why do I feel like my wife is angry about something?” He teased.

Leia, not in the mood, began struggling against his hold. “Let me go and get yourself treated,” she said as she resisted.

“Let me steal a kiss,” he murmured, leaning in.

Before his lips could reach hers, Leia suddenly went limp, her body collapsing against him. A frown creased Casimir’s face.

At first, he thought she was pretending to escape the kiss, but when he looked closer, he realized something was wrong. Her skin had gone pale.

Without hesitation, he scooped her into his arms and walked away.