For the past month, Sebastian had been keeping a watchful eye on Aurora and their quadruplets. However, their arrival in France had not gone unnoticed, and many of his foes had swiftly connected the dots, deducing that the children residing at the Dumonts' estate were indeed Aurora's, and consequently, his.
Unbeknownst to Aurora, Sebastian had been visiting the school regularly, bonding with the children, and getting familiar with them. He had also secured a promise from them to keep his visits hidden from their mother's knowledge.
Earlier that day, Sebastian received a troubling letter from one of his informants, its contents leaving him deeply concerned.
Lucien, though seemingly the most vulnerable of his brothers, concealed his true nature well, but was in reality he was the most menacing of the bunch.
The moment he entered the school building, a familiar scent wafted up, capturing his attention and curling his lips into a smile. "Ma méchante," he whispered.
Just then, his spy hurried towards him, her eyes wide with fear. It was clear she had encountered Aurora, or worse, La Mort.
"Alpha." she greeted, bowing her head submissively."
Sebastian had no intention of delaying. "I received your letter. Lead me to the headmaster's office."
The woman swiftly turned and hastened down the hall, Sebastian's long strides easily keeping pace with her.
The scent grew increasingly intense, making it clear that they were nearing the office.
Abruptly, he stopped in his tracks. "Your task is complete, you may depart."
The woman stopped in her tracks, turned to face him with her head still bowed, then quickly scurried away.
Sebastian's crimson lips pressed into a thin line, his silver eyes burning darkly as he arrived at the door.
Inside the office, Aurora implored the headmaster, "Please, let me handle this. Do not alert the media or the child's parents."
The headmaster, a middle-aged man with a bald head and spectacles perched on the bridge of his nose, shook his head solemnly. "I am afraid I cannot accommodate your request, Mademoiselle. Your children have been involved in numerous fights, and while we have been lenient thus far, we cannot overlook this latest incident."
Aurora's jaw clenched in frustration, her teeth grinding in exasperation.
Her attention shifted to her quadruplets, huddled in the corner of the office.
Lucien's arms were wrapped tightly around himself, his ocean-blue eyes welling up with tears as guilt consumed him. "I am sorry, Mama."
His brothers, Adrien, Alexandre, and Leon, offered comforting pats on his shoulders, trying to calm him down.
Aurora rubbed her forehead, not knowing what to do. She walked towards him, her expression softening as she squatted before him.
"Do not worry, baby, we will get through this together." she whispered, trying to sound convincing.
But her words felt hollow, even to herself. If her family discovered the truth, her children would face unimaginable danger. Yet, if they kept the secret, an innocent life would be lost.
A Lycan's bite, regardless of age or whether they had shifted or not, was lethal to humans.
She stood up, her hand gently ruffling Lucien's hair as she turned to face the headmaster. "Please, can you grant me some time to resolve this situation?"
The headmaster's expression turned stern. "Mademoiselle, you are not grasping the gravity of your situation."
Aurora's face darkened, her strides swift as she approached him, her hands slamming onto the table with a loud bang.
The headmaster recoiled, his eyes widening. "Wha..!"
Her frown deepened, her voice firm. "I am all too aware of my situation, which is precisely why I am asking for time to resolve it."
"What... what are you saying?!" the headmaster exclaimed, his voice shrill with disbelief.
Aurora's hands curled into fists as she struggled to restrain herself from lashing out at him. Her quadruplets were watching her like hawks!
While she felt cornered, unsure of what to do next or who to turn to for help. She was utterly alone.
Unfortunately for her, Sebastian was right outside the door. Sensing her frustration, he took a deep breath and pushed the door open, walking into the office.
The headmaster's face drained of color, his eyes wide with fear. "D... Duke..."
Meanwhile, Alexandre and Leon's faces lit up with excitement as they rushed to embrace Sebastian, crying out in unison, "Papa!"
Adrien and Lucien's faces lit up with enthusiasm, mirroring their brothers' excitement.
Sebastian's smile was warm and gentle, a big difference to Aurora's angry eyes.
She turned to face him, her fists clenched at her sides. "Why on earth are you here?"
Sensing the tension, Alexandre and Leon quickly returned to their seats, their earlier excitement replaced with caution.
Sebastian's voice was even and soothing, his expression serene. "I am here to help our children, Aurora. That is all."
"And do they need your help?" Aurora countered, heavily annoyed by his presence. "I have always managed just fine on my own, which means your help is unnecessary."
'Do it now!' La Mort suddenly screamed out piercingly in her head.
Her hands flew to her ears, and she stumbled, losing her balance.
Sebastian quickly caught her by her waist, steadying her body.
But she wrenched herself free, glaring at him murderously. "Stay away."
Then, she turned back to the headmaster, who was staring at Sebastian. He was awestruck.
He instantly bowed his head. "It is an honor, your Grace."
Sebastian's lips curled into a sneer, his eyes glinting with disdain. He took a step closer to the table, his voice dropping to a chilling tone. "If you know who I am, you should also know what I am."
Aurora's swallowed tensely. "Adrien, take your brothers outside." she ordered, her voice tight with tension.
"Yes, Mama." Adrien replied, carefully cradling Lucien as they all obediently filed out of the office, leaving the tense atmosphere behind.
Sebastian looked at Aurora, his eyebrows arching in surprise. "I hadn't intended to intimidate him in the children's presence."
She responded with a dismissive eye roll, striding away to lean against the wall.
Sebastian's eyes narrowed, a faint smirk twisting his lips. That hurt.
He turned his attention back to the headmaster, who now cowered in fear. "Now, where were we?"
"I.. I.. have heard rumors." The headmaster stuttered.
"Those rumors are nothing but the truth, human." Sebastian said nonchalantly.
The headmaster's eyes suddenly widened with realization. "Lu... Lucien Devereaux.. Those are your children?!"
Sebastian suppressed a smile. "If I provide the cure for the young human and settle all his expenses, will you ensure the media remains silent about this matter?" He asked.
"W..what about the parents?"
"I will compensate them under my children's mother's name. Is this a deal?"
The headmaster nodded quickly. "Yes, yes, absolutely!"
"Good." Sebastian turned away, looking at Aurora who didn't look in any way impressed. Instead, she looked like she was staring at her worst enemy.
"At least she is looking at me." He smiled at himself and mind linked Henri.
'Find the bitten child and transport them to one of our Apothecary's Halls immediately.'