Chapter 272 The Castle and the River
Leslie’s POV
The helicopter idled on thewn, des whipping the damp air.
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Shane steadied Father as he boarded. Adler strode up with long, purposeful steps, while little Eren scrambled, huffing, onto the cabin floor.
Igged behind, tapping out a message to Liam. Looking up, I caught sight of Mch struggling to help Kirby into the cabin.
I frowned, quickened my pace, and caught Kirby’s hand myself. His eyes widened, then lit with unmistakable joy.
“Thank you,” he murmured once we’d taken our seats.
I arched a brow. “Mm. And you still insist on circling the globe like this? In a wheelchair? Quite the enthusiasm.”
What exactly was he nning–rolling his chair around the world?
Kirby only held my gaze, quiet, as if daring me to deny what I already knew: this whole spectacle was for me.
I turned away, choosing Father as my focus instead.
The helicopter jolted as it hit a patch of turbulence. I hadn’t fastened my belt; the sudden drop almost threw me off my seat.
Adler’s hand shot out, gripping mine firmly, steadying me.
I exhaled in relief. “Thank you, Alpha.”
He released me with a curt nod. “Don’t mention it.”
But then his arm extended across me, fingers brushing the buckle at my left hip. His sandalwood pheromones closed around me, calm yet intimate. My body stiffened, pulling back slightly.
His lips thinned. His voice was brief. “Seatbelt.”
I understood, drew the strap across, clicked it into ce, and gave him a quick smile. “Alpha, following us like this–doesn’t it disrupt your Pack’s affairs?<b>” </b>
His brows barely twitched. “Mm. I left the rest in your hands. Should I linger with n and
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Chapter 272 The Castle and the River
Cameron instead?”
:
The words struck, and guilt pricked my chest, like I’d been neglecting my duties.
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Drowsiness stole over me, and before I knew it, I’d slumped against his shoulder, lulled by the hum of rotors.
Hourster, a small voice pulled me back. Eren’s face loomed close, bright with excitement.
“Muse, look! A castle!”
Dusk had deepened outside. From the window I saw it–a vast estate on the mountainside, glowing with scattered lights, majestic and severe against the dark.
We touched down on the helipad.
Eren bolted down the steps, Father followed at a steady pace. Adler swept a nce over the grounds, then extended a hand to me, ever the gentleman.
Before I could take it, Mch appeared. “Leslie, could you… help push Alpha Kirby down?”
I froze, turning toward Kirby. His face was expressionless, gaze fixed on me, silently expectant.
Awkwardness hung heavy. Then Shane, silent as ever, moved forward. He set down his bag, took hold of the chair, and wheeled Kirby down with firm efficiency.
Kirby’s jaw tightened, frustration flickering in his eyes, though he held his tongue.
Shane retrieved the luggage afterward, his voice level. “If you need anything,mand me.”
I smiled. “Thank you. I will.”
Inside the castle, servants waited with refreshments arranged to our tastes.
When Kirby entered, they bowed low in unison. “Alpha.”
His answer was a curt, deep hum before he rolled forward, expression unreadable.
This was his territory.
Soon after, we were driven out again, stopping within minutes by the banks of a wide river.
The moon’s silver light spilled over the water, soft and shimmering, stirring a pang of memory.
“Seren River?” I whispered.
I hadn’t seen it in years. During my studies here, I’d walked this bank countless times, spilling
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Chapter 272 The Castle and the River
my secrets into its current–both joys and griefs.
“Leslie,” Kirby’s voice was low. “Push me down by the river. Walk with me.”
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9:07 Fri, Sep 19 B…
Burn in the Alpha Princess’s Wrath