<h4>Chapter 684: Keep Acting</h4>


    Levi’s POV


    ?The dining hall felt too big that night. The chandelier above us gave off a cold light, making everything feel even colder. Usually, during dinner, I would spend my time trying: offering the girls the best pieces of meat, asking about their day, and trying to start conversations. Most times, they would answer with one word. Tonight, I didn’t even look at their side of the table.


    ?"So, Louis," I said calmly, leaning back in my chair while holding a ss of dark wine. "About the western border patrol. I want the boys to join the scouting team next month."


    ?"Father!" Lyra said quickly, her voice too bright, too eager. She was trying to interrupt the serious talk. "I drew a picture today. It’s a wolf. Do you want to—"


    ?"Pass the salt, Liam," I said smoothly. I didn’t blink. I didn’t turn my head. I didn’t look at her.


    ?Liam slid the salt across the table. His eyes flicked toward the twins, and there was a small, cold smirk on his face. Lana tried next; her voice was softer.


    ?"I... I missed you at lunch today, Father Levi. I saved you a sweet roll."


    ?I took a slow sip of my wine. "Lennox," I continued, ignoring Lanapletely, "did you hear that the southern pack wants a trade agreement? We should talk about the termster in the study after the boys finish their lessons."


    ?The silence that followed was painful. I could hear Lyra scraping her fork against her te again and again—a sharp, nervous sound. Then, a chair suddenly scraped loudly against the floor. Lana stood up, her eyes full of tears. Without saying anything, she ran out of the dining hall. Lyra followed a secondter, her drawing crushed tightly in her hand.


    ?My heart felt like someone was squeezing it hard.


    ?"Levi..." Olivia whispered, reaching for my hand. "That was... that was too much."


    ?"It’s working," Liam said quietly, his face serious and hard. "Don’t stop now."


    ?An hourter, the girls did exactly what the boys expected. They came looking for me. They thought I would be alone in my dark room, feeling sad. Instead, they found the study door slightly open. They looked through the small gap and saw me sitting on the floor with the three boys, arge map spread out between us. We wereughing—realughter.


    ?"And then," I said, chuckling as I ruffled Leon’s hair, "your Father Louis fell straight into the mud. Best day of the summer."


    ?"Tell us more about the Great War, Father," Liam said loudly—loud enough for the hallway to hear. "The parts the girls aren’t allowed to hear because they’re too... delicate."


    ?From outside the door, I heard a sharp gasp. They weren’t just being ignored anymore; they were being reced. I was giving the boys the stories, the history, and the secrets—the things the girls believed belonged to them.


    ?"They’re leaving," Leon whispered, his ears twitching. "They’re going to their room to cry."


    ?I felt bad... but the boys shook their heads.


    ?"Don’t feel bad, Father... if you don’t do this, they won’t learn. Trust us... we know them better than you do."


    ?I swallowed hard and nodded. I couldn’t believe I was following the directions of my little boys.


    ?The next morning, I sat on the porch, staring at the fog covering the woods. My cane rested beside me. Then, I heard soft footsteps.


    ?"Father Levi?" It was Lana. She was holding a book—the one with the worn leather cover I used to read before I fell into unconsciousness. I wondered how they knew about it and found it. Beside her stood Lyra. She was carrying a tray with a cup of tea, and her hands were shaking so much the cup rattled.


    ?"We... we brought you tea," Lyra said softly. Her usual attitude was gone; her voice was small. "And we wanted to read to you, since your eyes get tired sometimes."


    ?They stood there in front of me, two small girls looking up at me with hope. This was what I had wanted for days: for them toe to me, to want to sit with me, and to want my attention.


    ?I looked at the tea. I looked at the book. Then, I looked away toward the trees.


    ?"I’m going to the training pits with the boys," I said tly. "I don’t have time for stories today. Give the tea to the kitchen staff."


    ?"But we made it!" Lana cried, tears falling down her face. "We stayed upte to find your book! We’re sorry, Daddy! We’re sorry we were mean!"


    ?I stood up, gripping my cane, and walked past them without looking at them. I felt like a monster—a cold, heartless one. I took five steps, and then I heard the tray fall. Porcin shattered loudly against the stone floor.


    ?"Please!" Lyra screamed, her voice breaking. "Don’t hate us! We’ll be good! Just look at us! Please just look at us!"


    ?I stopped walking, but my back was still turned to them. Across the yard, Liam stood near the training grounds, watching everything. He gave me a slow, serious shake of his head, silently telling me not to soften.


    ?My wolf growled inside me, hating this idea, but I had to do it. I gripped my cane, the wood biting into my palm as I forced myself to walk away from the sound of Lyra’s sobbing. My wolf was pacing in my chest, snarling at me for hurting our pups, but Liam’s steady gaze held me to the path.


    ?"Eyes forward, Father," Liam murmured as I reached the pits.


    ?For the next two hours, I threw myself into the training. I pushed the boys hard, and in return, they pushed me. I demonstrated strikes that made my leg scream, but the physical pain was a wee distraction from the mental image of that shattered porcin. I was showing Leon how to roll out of a grapple when a heavy shadow fell across the dirt. I didn’t need to look up to recognize the scent of rain and mountain air.


    ?"Liam, Leon, Leo—go take five at the water barrel," Lennox’s voice boomed. It wasn’t a suggestion.


    ?The boys hesitated, looking at me. I nodded once, and they scurried off. I stood up slowly, wiping sweat from my forehead with the back of my hand, using my cane to steady my shaking frame.


    ?"Levi," Lennox began, his arms crossed over his massive chest. His face was full of annoyance. "What happened on the porch? I just walked past the foyer and found Olivia holding two hysterical little girls. They think you hate them. They think you don’t want them."


    ?"I’m teaching them," I said, my voice rasping. "Something you and Louis clearly forgot to do while I was asleep."


    ?Lennox took a step forward, his eyes shing Alpha gold. "You’re being cruel. They are children, Levi. They brought you a gift, an apology, and you stepped over it like it was trash. This ’Ghost’ nonsense you’re ying... it has to stop. Now."


    ?"It stops when they learn that I am not a toy they can put on a shelf and ignore until they’re bored," I snapped back, my own temper ring. "You’ve spoiled them, Lennox. You and Louis turned them into little queens who think they can do anything and get away with it. I am their father, and it is my duty to teach them... just a little discipline won’t kill them."


    ?"They are not just your daughters!" Lennox roared, his voice shaking the very air. "They are ours. In this house, in this Trinity, every child belongs to all of us. When you hurt them, you hurt me. You don’t get to break them just to ’fix’ them."


    ?My frown deepened. "Then maybe you should have taught your ’daughters’ respect," I said, my voice dropping to an angry, low growl. "You want them to stop crying? Teach them how to be daughters instead of brats. Until then, stay out of my way."


    ?I didn’t wait for his response. I turned my back and began the long, painful trek back toward the house.


    ?"Levi!" he called out, but I didn’t stop.


    ?I reached the hallway near the kitchen and paused. I could hear them. Lyra and Lana were in the sunroom with Olivia.


    ?"He doesn’t want the book," Lana was sobbing. "He doesn’t want us anymore. He likes the boys better because they’re strong."


    ?"He’s just tired, sweetie," Olivia’s voice was strained, clearly exhausted from the drama.


    ?I leaned against the wall, closing my eyes. I felt like a monster, just like I had on the porch. But then I remembered: this was for the best.


    ?