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As soon as he stepped off the plane, he immediately switched on his phone. It was no surprise to him that they had tracked down Leo's whereabouts.

After poring over the intel, he swiftly grabbed hold of Bella, who was walking ahead of him. "Bella, Leo is currently being housed in The First Hospital."

Bella spun around, an anxious expression upon her face. "How is he? Is he okay?"

"Relax. He's just rattled. The doctor said he's fine, and he'll be discharged after a few days of rest."

Bella breathed a sigh of relief. During the flight, she had been worried sick about Leo's safety. Though she knew that Elinor wouldn't lay a paw on him, the fact that Leo had been forcibly taken away must have scared him deeply. Alpha Xavier's words calmed her a little.

Observing that Bella had finally acquiesced to him, Alpha Xavier quickly spoke in a fawning tone, "My men are already waiting outside. Let's move straight to the hospital and see Leo."

Bella shot him an icy glare, and continued to stride forward.

Feeling relieved that Bella hadn't snubbed him, Alpha Xavier secretly rejoiced. He had been afraid that Bella would cut him out of her life because of his actions. This time around, he wouldn't dare to force her with a contract as before. If he pursued her that way, he would lose her forever and never be able to establish any connection with Leo.

Little did he know that Bella had only acceded to him due to her desire to see Leo as soon as possible. Furthermore, she feared that Elinor might decline her request to take Leo away. With Alpha Xavier at her side, she could persuade Elinor more easily. Truth be told, once she had taken Leo back from Elinor, she would cut all ties with Alpha Xavier for good.

They collected their belongings and exited the security checkpoint, when they heard someone bellowing Bella's name. Bella spotted Layla walking over with a smile, followed by a worried-looking Alpha Carl.

"Layla, Alpha Carl, what are you doing here?" Bella was moved upon seeing her two loyal friends.

Layla glared at Alpha Xavier, who was trailing behind Bella, and said, "We were concerned that you were being mistreated by those unscrupulous people, so we came to assist you."

"Yeah, Bella, who would have thought that someone could be so brazen as to travel all the way to America to harass you? Don't worry, we'll help you get Leo back," added Alpha Carl.

Alpha Carl went ahead to collect Bella's luggage. He stared daggers at Alpha Xavier and rebuked him, "Alpha Xavier, I gave you the benefit of the doubt, regardless of your terrible behavior. However, you have revealed your true character by stooping this low. How could you do such a thing?"

"Shut your trap. Before you open your mouth, get a grip on the situation first," Alpha Xavier spat. His mood had already soured when he realized Bella was being picked up by Alpha Carl. Now, he was annoyed further by the insults.

"I should keep silent?" Alpha Carl sneered. "Do you have the gumption to admit that you went to America to ruin Bella and Alpha Zachary's mating bond? Can you deny that kidnapping sick Leo was not your idea?"

Layla also added her piece, "That's right. How could you be so malicious? Back then, you dumped Bella because she was barren. And now that you've become aware of Leo's background, you want to snatch her son away. Who would have thought someone could be so contemptible?"

At that moment, Mark approached them. Seeing Alpha Xavier being lambasted by Alpha Carl and the others, he hurriedly made an attempt to defend him.

"You have it all wrong. Our Xavier would never try to compete with Miss Moonshadow for Leo. It was his mother's idea. Now that we've located Leo, let's head to the hospital as soon as possible. I'm sure Miss Moonshadow wants to be reunited with her son."

Alpha Carl snarled, "Humph. Regardless of the perpetrator, Leo is Bella's child. You'd better not go against her wishes and remove him from her. Alpha Xavier, let me caution you. You'd better make your mother let go, or we will cross paths again."

"Okay, Alpha Carl, let's hurry to find Leo!" Bella glanced back at Alpha Xavier, whose face had reddened with fury, before leading Alpha Carl to the entrance. She knew that Alpha Xavier would not be driving her to the hospital. For all her knowledge, she was aware that once she had taken Leo away from Elinor, she would shun Alpha Xavier for eternity.

Alpha Carl glowered at Alpha Xavier again before following Bella to the waiting area.

Alpha Xavier watched Bella's vanishing back, realizing that she would never take his car to the hospital. He muttered to Mark, "Let's proceed."

In the dark halls of The Royal Hospital of the Pack, Elinor's eyes blazed with fury as she gazed upon the spilled soup staining the cold floor. Her voice, laced with an underlying threat, cut through the tense silence. "Clean it up, Riya, and make it quick!"

This was not the first time Leo had caused a mess, toppling over the soup that Elinor had painstakingly prepared. Riya's gaze, filled with resentment, landed on Leo, who sat upon the bed, his innocent eyes reflecting confusion. With a resigned sigh, Riya lowered her head to clean up the mess.

Meanwhile, Elinor, together with Breanna's cooperation, cunningly whisked Leo away from the Zachary family, boarding a plane bound for the mysterious and treacherous Pack.

When Leo awoke, his mother was nowhere to be seen. Panic consumed him, his cries echoing through the hallways. Elinor, desperate to soothe her grandson, coaxed him with no avail. Worried for Leo's fragile health, she disembarked the plane and rushed him to the hospital.

After a thorough examination, the doctor found no physical ailments plaguing Leo's body. Relieved yet still concerned, Elinor decided to shower him with toys and shower him with her unwavering presence.

Though the toys momentarily distracted Leo, his eyes soon darted around, searching for his mother's comforting embrace. Elinor pleaded with Riya to cook chicken soup for him, but Leo defiantly refused, even throwing the soup at Elinor in a fit of rage.

At first, Elinor tolerated his tantrums and whispered gentle words of coaxing. But as Leo continued to reject her attempts to care for him, her anger grew and she unleashed her frustration upon Riya, blaming her for the perceived inadequacy of her cooking. Leo declared the chicken soup distasteful, demanding it to be remade and brought to him.

Riya knew that Leo's refusal to consume the soup stemmed from his anger, not any fault of her own cooking. However, fearful of Elinor's wrath, she kept her silence and retreated to the kitchen. She prepared another pot of fish soup, but Leo rejected it once again, causing Riya to spill it onto the floor. In desperation, she hurriedly cooked corn and pork ribs soup from Huai Mountain only to be met with the same outcome.

Elinor ceased berating Riya, realizing that no matter what she offered Leo, he wouldn't consume it. Witnessing her grandson's tear-stained eyes and pallid complexion, a pang of concern coursed through her. She picked up her phone and sought solace on the balcony, dialing Alpha Xavier's number.

Alpha Xavier, en route to the hospital, picked up Elinor's call and listened to her frantic pleas. His anger ignited, blaming his mother for meddling in his affairs. "Mother, look at the chaos you've caused. I specifically told you to stay out of it, but you couldn't resist getting involved. And now you're in a panic."

"It is your son we're talking about. How can I sit back and ignore it? The child is throwing a tantrum, and he won't listen to me. It's been over ten hours since he last ate. I fear he won't last much longer if this continues," Elinor retorted, her voice brimming with anxiety.

Alpha Xavier's heart trembled, his anger momentarily subsiding. "Alright, I'll be there soon. But don't provoke the child any further. Quickly ask Riya to prepare something delicious, and I will feed him myself."

Alpha Xavier knew deep down that even with his presence, persuading Leo to eat may prove difficult. Thankfully, Bella was on her way to the hospital, and her arrival would surely coax him into consuming sustenance. Alpha Xavier kept this knowledge hidden, knowing Elinor would undoubtedly take Leo away should she discover Bella's imminent arrival.

"Make sure the food, soup, and water are ready. I want her to heat them up immediately," Elinor exhaled a sigh of relief before stepping back into the room. She urged Riya to expedite the heating process.

Leo remained confined within the walls of the Royal Hospital, a place of both healing and torment. Riya, clutching the reheated food, made her way towards Leo's room. Elinor, keeping a watchful eye on her grandson, seized the opportunity to send a discreet message to Pamela, notifying her of Alpha Xavier's return from the United States and the possible presence of Bella.

As Riya entered the kitchen for a brief moment, the door to Leo's ward swung open with a burst of energy. Elinor's head snapped towards the commotion, frozen in astonishment.

"Leo!" Bella stood at the threshold, her eyes welling up with tears at the sight of her sobbing child. She rushed to his side, enveloping him in a tight embrace.

"Mom, you're finally here. I was so scared!" Leo's voice wavered, a mixture of relief and resentment. He clung to Bella, fearing that she would vanish into thin air once more.

Bella felt her heart ache as she held her trembling son. She comforted him with gentle pats on the back, her voice filled with love and reassurance. "Leo, don't be afraid. I'm here now, and I won't ever leave you again."

Elinor's gaze flickered between Bella and Leo, disbelief etched upon her features. She had expected Alpha Xavier to rush in, not Bella. Clearly, Bella had accompanied Alpha Xavier back from the United States, explaining her swift arrival. Elinor knew Bella would undoubtedly try to reclaim Leo.

Fear bubbled within Elinor, urging her to shield Leo from Bella's grasp. Stepping forward, she extended her arms towards Leo while sternly addressing Bella. "You can't take Leo away. He is my grandson."

Caught off guard, Bella gripped Leo's arm tightly as if afraid he would slip away. Her eyes seared into Elinor, filled with a mix of sadness and anger. "Let go of me. Can't you see how much he's crying?"

"It's your fault! Bringing my grandson back was far too easy. I won't let you take him away again!" Elinor fought back tears as she clung desperately to Leo.

Overwhelmed with Leo's relentless cries, Bella decided against a fight, not wanting to agitate her son further. She loosened her grip on Leo, allowing Elinor to snatch him away.

Elinor sneered triumphantly, her attention then falling upon Riya. "Riya, get rid of her!" she commanded.

Riya hesitated, her gaze shifting between Elinor and Bella. Fearful of the consequences, she dared not utter a word, only retreating back into the kitchen to fulfill Elinor's orders.

"Put Leo down immediately! You're scaring him!" Bella's voice trembled with anguish as she watched her son, tears streaming down both of their faces. Not willing to prolong the struggle, she released her grip, allowing Elinor to reclaim Leo.

Elinor's grip tightened, her nails digging into Leo's skin. The sound of footsteps resonated from the corridor, growing louder with each passing second. Layla and Alpha Carl burst into the room, witnessing the chaotic scene. Layla hurriedly intervened, grabbing hold of Elinor's hand and reprimanding her. "You've lost your mind! Let go of Leo at once!"

Caught off guard by Layla's unexpected intrusion, Elinor cried out in pain, relinquishing her hold on Leo. Bella swiftly gathered her son in her arms and rushed out of the room, opting for the stairs instead of waiting for the elevator. Elinor, not willing to let go, followed closely behind, cursing fervently.

Bella, concerned for Leo's safety, gave Elinor a forceful shove, causing her to stumble and tumble down the stairs. The echoes of Elinor's fall reverberated through the hospital walls, a testament to the chaos that ensued.