In the evening, after having dinner, Leia spent some time with the grandmother and left only after she fell asleep. She returned to her room and walked in, only to find her three mates, Lucien, Kieran and Ronan, all gathered inside.

"Why have you three gathered here at this moment?" she asked with a curious gaze.

"A lot happened within a short duration," Lucien began, stepping forward. "We were thinking if you might want to go somewhere to cool off your mind, just for a few days."

"There’s no time to go anywhere. Grandma is sick," Leia murmured, immediately rejecting the idea.

"Kieran and I will be staying here in the house, taking care of everything and keeping watch," Lucien spoke up. "You and Ronan will go for a short vacation."

"No, I’m not going anywhere," Leia refused again, clearly exhausted. She lowered herself onto the bed and lay flat on the mattress with her arms open.

The three brothers exchanged worried glances with each other.

"Kieran, did you read the book I gave you? Did you find out something useful?" Leia turned her head to look at him, hope flickering in her eyes.

"Yes, I’ve been reading it diligently," Kieran replied. "So far, I’ve found nothing that points to a cure."

"What kind of book are you two talking about?" Lucien asked, watching them in confusion.

"It’s a book of herbology and ancient healing techniques," Kieran answered, looking defeated. "I had hoped Grandma could be healed using some of these methods, but it seems impossible. Her condition is unlike anything described in the texts."

"She’s old, Leia," Ronan replied gently. "Just give her the best memories you can now, while you have the time," he affirmed, accepting the inevitable.

"Aunt has messaged that she will be taking Grandma with her for some days," Lucien informed them, looking at a message on his phone.

"But Grandma refused to go last time," Kieran pointed out, surprised.

"Yes, she did. But let our aunt take care of her," Lucien insisted, reasoning the decision out loud. "A lot is happening here, and more can happen in the future. I know I may sound heartless since I’m sending Grandma away, but maybe if she lives in an atmosphere that’s less stressful, she will feel at least better."

Lucien’s reasoning wasn’t wrong; removing her from the tension was a protective measure.

"You can commute any time you want," Ronan told Kieran, who nodded, reassured he could visit.

Leia had sat up, watching the three brothers carefully as they made decisions for her.

"Go for a vacation and clear your head," Lucien suggested to their mate again, his voice softening. "All of this has been too overwhelming for you. This wasn’t the world your mother wanted for you, but I dragged you here against your will, of course, for my own selfish motives."

"And because of that, I got to find my father and uncle," Leia countered, a soft smile forming. "Don’t forget I was always eager to know who my father was and what were my origins. And I wouldn’t have met the three of you if you hadn’t brought me here. Indeed, things didn’t work out between us in the beginning, but, eventually, they did."

A beautiful smile carved onto her lips as she looked at all three of her mates, Lucien, Ronan, and Kieran, with true admiration.

"Ronan’s birthday is near," Leia then opined, looking directly at Ronan. "So, let’s celebrate it here in the pack only. There are still many places for me to explore here with you all before we need a vacation." She was already mentally listing some places.

"You’re more excited for my birthday than me and the others," Ronan remarked, a genuine warmth filling his eyes as he accepted her decision to stay.

"Why won’t I be? I’m your mate. Your one and only mate," Leia answered with a playful tilt of her head. "Umm... Come, I’ll take you somewhere tonight if you’re not too tired."

He immediately left the chair and walked to her, pulling her close.

"But I’m tired tonight," she murmured, her head resting against his abdomen, the excitement of the day catching up to her. "I am just too tired." A soft yawn escaped her mouth.

Ronan placed his hand over head. "Let’s go to bed then."

Leia leaned back to look at Lucien and Kieran. "The bed is small, not all can fit here."

"I won’t be sleeping here," Lucien said, rising to his feet.

"Good night," he said to his mate, though his focus quickly shifted back to the work he had to finish. He had been feeling restless because of his approaching rut and needed to concentrate.

Kieran also took his leave, walking toward the door to close it gently. Meanwhile, Leia slid deeper inside the duvet. Her eyes were already closing when Kieran turned to look at her one last time. He quietly switched off the lights as Ronan slid in beside her, embracing the opportunity for closeness.

Leia instantly moved closer to his shoulder as he extended his arm out to embrace her. "Ronan, you’re so warm, you know," she murmured sleepily against his chest.

"The same goes for you," he remarked, tightening his hold, drawing immediate comfort from the presence of his mate.

"I found a strange peace in my heart," Leia admitted, a quiet contentment settling over her. "Earlier, I was so upset and restless. But now, as the day has passed and I’ve processed everything, I feel much better."

She shifted slightly to rest more comfortably against Ronan’s warmth. "If not for you, Lucien, and Kieran, it would have been so much more difficult for me. Thank you for being by my side, always."

Ronan didn’t utter any word, but returned the gesture by pressing a kiss on her forehead. He simply stared at her calm, sleeping face for a while before giving a peck on her lips. Leia slightly stirred in her sleep, and a tiny smile appeared on her lips as if she acknowledged the peck.