Goodbye, My Mate

Chapter 149

Gean's POV

My life is nothing short of tragic. I think that’s a fair assessment. Loving men is apparently a capital offense in our pack. They shunned me like I was a plague-ridden rat, disregarding every talent I had to offer.

But I’m a problem solver. I work with diverse clients, providing them expert solutions. To truly excel, you need a personal touch and influential connections. And what could be more influential than a prodigal son from a Lycan family?

I met Leo during his time in medical school. He was as queer as a three-dollar bill back then and convinced he had some mysterious ailment. He’d lock himself away in the lab for weeks, only to emerge with a new potion, claiming he’d discovered the cure. He’d down it and promptly pass out, only to wake up queerer than ever.

It took a lot of persuading to convince him that there was nothing wrong with us. I can be very persuasive, if you catch my drift. One morning, he woke up in my arms and said, “Gean, I think I’ve found my solution. It’s you.”

In that moment, everything in my life lined up perfectly. I realized I was born to be his solution. I love that man more than life itself. He knows me inside out, sometimes it feels like he created me.

Everything was perfect until His Highness Lucian darkened my doorway. He offered me a job, but the condition was I had to cut ties with Leo. I accepted without hesitation. It’s not something I’m proud of, but I’m a work-driven person.

Leo, predictably, didn’t take it well. He set fire to a lab, trying to end himself. His brother whisked him away abroad, and I lost all contact. Just as I thought that Chapter was closed, he called me one sunny afternoon.

"I'm back, Gean," he said, his voice bubbly as if nothing had happened. "And I need you to do something for me."

How could I deny him? I owed him that much. I’m an asshole, sure, but I still have a heart. I never bore a grudge against Leah. She was fair, sweet, and kind to me. But my love for Leo overshadowed everything else.

Her fatal mistake was trusting me, assuming she was inherently superior. That was her downfall. In her position, any mistake could spell disaster.

So I was stunned when I got the call from my staff.

"They're gone," he said.

"What do you mean?" I demanded.

"I've searched everywhere, Sir. The basement. The attic. Nowhere to be found. They must have slipped away!"

"That's impossible." I frowned. "We had the place surrounded. They can’t leave without a pass, especially with Lucas's curfew in effect."

"I know. But we did a thorough sweep. They’re nowhere."

My frustration surged. I ran a check on that forsaken shrine where Finn was born. There was no other ways out of that place at all.

"They can't just fly away like birds. Check every inch of that house again. I'll be there in a moment," I commanded before hanging up.

"What's that?" Leo asked, resting his head on my lap like a contented cat. "Did they lose them?"

I ran my fingers through his hair softly. "I'll find them, don't worry about it." With that, I stood up and began putting on my pants.

Leo flopped onto the floor, the chains on his ankles clinking. "They're gone, whether you're there or not," he said, with a tint of resignation. "Why not stay a while longer? When my father orders them to cut out my brain, I might not recognize you again."

My heart ached, but I said nothing and walked out of his cell. I will not let anyone harm Leo. Sure, his mind isn't wired quite right, but that doesn't give anyone the right to mutilate him. I need to find a solution.

I switched on the listening device in my ear. It was connected to a chip I had given Lucas Farrow earlier that day—a wiretap, letting me monitor his conversations. At that moment, he was speaking with Dr. Monk.

"How long does he have?" Lucas asked.

"No more than three weeks," the doctor replied.

"Does Lucian know?"

Dr. Monk's voice quivered, "Not really. Jafar didn't know how to tell His Majesty, so he consulted me."

This was news. I turned up the volume.

"You need to tell Lucian immediately. When His Majesty is gone, Lucian will become the next Lycan King."

"Are you sure, Alpha?" Dr. Monk's voice trembled with excitement.

"Dr. Aspen Monk, do you know what you're suggesting?"

"Yes, Alpha. This is something your father would have wanted. Basil would have advised you to do this if he were still alive."

Lucas was silent for a moment.

"If Lucian is gone, your wife becomes the Lycan Queen, and you'll be the Alpha of the Defiant Pack, ruling the entire Kingdom. Imagine the power you could wield."

"No. Absolutely not," Lucas's voice dripped with conviction and disdain.

"His Majesty the Lycan King took the throne in a similar way. Why shouldn't you?" Dr. Monk pressed.

"I can't do it because I could never forgive Leah for what she's done to me. The thought of her standing beside me is unbearable." Lucas's voice was venomous.

I turned back towards the cell immediately.

"Why are you back?" Leo asked, his eyes wide with surprise.

"You're right," I said, undressing again. "They're gone whether I go there or not. So I might as well stay here with you."

I slid my pants off. "Now, where were we?"

Leah's POV

"Why is there a tunnel under this shrine?" I asked Finn, glancing around at the enveloping darkness.

"During the Civil War, the people of Mediland used it to smuggle goods, weapons, and even people. That was ages ago, long before our time," Finn explained as he lit a torch. "No one knows the entrance was hidden beneath the statue. But we need to move quickly - the air in this tunnel is scarce, and we must reach the other end before the torch burns out."

I clung to Finn's arm, pressing myself against his chest. I wasn't scared, but the thought of suffocating to death terrified me.

"Don't worry. I'm here," Finn reassured me, squeezing my hand.

"When we get to Mediland, where are we going to stay?" I asked. "The Green Point bar isn't an option anymore."

"There's a place. It's safe," Finn replied, leading the way forward.

"Okay," I said.

"That's it? You don't want to ask where it is?" Finn tilted his head, giving me a curious look.

"I don't care. As long as I'm with you, I can go anywhere." I said, my voice filled with unwavering trust.