Bound by the Mark of Lies (BL)

Claymore company lobby

He turned and walked Gabriel to the leather couch before exiting for a moment, leaving his son standing in the lobby, his heart heavy with questions he could not answer.

Gabriel let himself fall onto the couch and leaned his head against the back. In the center of the room, directly above his head, was a large crystal chandelier. He could hear the soft clicks of the pieces moved by their previous movement. The informants he has in the capital did not inform him of his family's movement. Something told him that this meeting was not planned. He chuckled bitterly, shaking his head at the irony of the situation.

A sudden vibration in his left pocket interrupted his train of thought. He reached his personal phone and scrolled through his notifications until he opened the recent message from an unknown number. 

'They are in Ashmont.' 

"Ha…" He let out a long sigh and taped Callahan's name into his agenda, and then he called him. He quickly placed the phone on his right ear, supported it with his shoulder, and rolled his black shirt in large, clean movements. 

The phone rang once, twice... Gabriel took a quick look at the closed door. 

"Gabriel," Callahan's voice came through clearly and steadily. "Annabelle informed me about your family's visit. You don't need to worry about today's meetings. Take all the time you need." There was no surprise that Callahan already knew what was happening. The company was his little kingdom. 

Gabriel's lips pressed into a thin line. "Director," he began, his tone firm, "we've had a deal. You and Claymore keep my family away and I will do my part."

There was a pause on the other end, Callahan's silence urging him to continue.

"I did my part, didn't I? And not only that, but you kept asking for more." Gabriel was mad. The only ones that could force him to return to the capital were going to enter the door any minute now. 

Callahan sighed before answering. "I received a report about their moves minutes ago. I was reading it before Annabelle called me. They know something."

"Not enough. Lucius claimed that they had discovered the alpha that had marked me. For the time being, I will go with them if they insist. But I still need you to complete your part of the deal."

For a moment, there was no response. Then, a faint sound of approval from Callahan. "Understood. I'll make the necessary arrangements. Good luck with your family."

The call ended with a soft click, leaving Gabriel staring at his phone for a moment before slipping it back into his pocket. The decision had been made.

The doors to the lobby swung open, and Gabriel looked up to see his father, Lucius von Jaunez, leading the way. His siblings followed in a tight formation, their presence filling the room with an air of authority and tension. He never felt like he belonged to the family. 

Lucius moved with the composed elegance. His graying hair was neatly combed, and his gold-framed glasses glinted under the lobby's warm lighting. Behind him, Theodore's broad shoulders and stern expression made him seem like a wall, his black shoulder-long hair framing his handsome face. Charles walked beside him, his sharp, calculating eyes scanning the room as though assessing every detail. Alexandra trailed just a step behind, her heels clicking sharply against the polished floor, her posture exuding confidence.

Gabriel straightened, his fingers drumming idly on the armrest of the couch. He didn't stand to greet them.

Lucius ignored his defiance, his piercing gaze settling on his son. "Gabriel, we need to talk."

Without waiting for a response, they moved toward the couch and armchairs surrounding a small table made of glass and gold. Theodore took the armchair nearest the window, leaning forward with his hands clasped together. Charles chose the seat opposite him; his posture relaxed, but his sharp gaze never left his younger brother. Alexandra sat in the corner of the couch, crossing one leg elegantly over the other and resting her arms casually on the armrest. She flung the strand of abony hair that caressed her cheeks. 

Gabriel tensed but forced a neutral expression. "What about?"

"You know exactly what," Theodore interjected, his voice deep and firm. "We've been patient long enough. We waited, hoping that one day you would reach us first." Gabriel could feel the disappointment in his brother's low voice. 

"I didn't ask for your patience," Gabriel replied, leaning his head on the couch's back. He looked up at the crystal chandelier that hung over the meeting room. He didn't want to look at any of his family members. 

Alexandra scoffed, crossing her arms. "Enough with the dramatics, Gabriel. We're not here to indulge your stubbornness. This is about Olivier and you."

Gabriel remained where he was, sprawled on the couch. He clenched his fists when he heard the infamous prince's name.

A server entered the room, breaking the suffocating silence. They placed a tray on the low table between them, laden with crystal glasses, a steaming pot of coffee, and refreshments. Without a word, the server retreated, leaving the family alone.

Lucius was the first to break the silence. "You've had five years, Gabriel. Five years of running, hiding, and avoiding us. This is about Olivier as much as it's about you."

Gabriel's stomach twisted. He goulped and replayed coldly, "And here I am believing that you found the alpha that marked me. A little stupid of me to assume that you care about it, isn't it?"

Lucius stepped forward, his voice calm but carrying the weight of authority. "You were the last person with Olivier before his arrest. We know you uncovered something during those missing days. Something you've kept hidden from us."

"The messages intended for us were tampered with. They are not complete. And you are the only one who knows what was written."

"I've told you everything you need to know," Gabriel said sharply.

"Yes," Alexandra countered. "You've told us everything you think we need to know. There's a difference. And we want the truth. Your truth." She was having none of her little brother's temper. 

Gabriel felt his temper flare. For a moment he thought about keeping his mood under control, but his mind made a decision. 'Fuck it. Fuck them.' He rose from the couch and, with measured steps, got to one of the windows. 

He turned on his heels and without a warning, claps started echoing into the room. 

"What a nice show!" Gabriel was smiling, but his eyes were cold. "Now, I don't know what you want to know about Olivier. He's dead; no, he's fucking paste. There is nothing to be done to help him or punish him. The Emperor took really good care of him." 

Gabriel's words sounded like a thunderclap, silencing the entire room. His siblings exchanged uneasy glances, and Lucius' composed demeanor faltered briefly.

Theodore narrowed his eyes, his jaw tightening as he studied his younger brother.

"That's enough, Gabriel," Lucius said firmly, his tone cutting through the tension like a blade. "We didn't come here to argue or relive old wounds. We came here to understand. To get answers."

"Answers to what, exactly?" Gabriel shot back, his voice dripping with venom. "You think I know something that will magically fix the mess Olivier left behind? Well, newsflash—there's nothing. You aren't here to talk about a dead prince."

"Watch your tone," Theodore said, his voice low and warning.

Gabriel's gaze snapped to his older brother, and he took a step forward, his smile twisting into a sneer. "Or what, Theo? What are you going to do? Drag me back to the capital? Will you continue to lecture me about loyalty? Will you ask me a thousand times about what happened that day?

Theodore stood, his imposing frame towering over Gabriel. His voice was calm, but there was steel beneath the surface. "This is not about capital, loyalty, or whatever resentment you have harbored for the past five years. This is about you. About what happened. And whether you like it or not, you're part of this family. You don't get to shut us out forever."

Gabriel's cold smile didn't waver, but his voice softened, taking on a dangerous edge. "You don't want to know what happened, Theo. Trust me. You think that if I talked about it, everything would be better. That maybe your younger brother will return to the person you knew."

"Better for who?" Alexandra interjected, her voice sharp. "For you? Because it's certainly not better for the rest of us. You've left us in the dark for years, Gabriel, and for what? To punish us? To protect us? Whatever it is, it's selfish."

"Selfish?" Gabriel laughed bitterly, his hands clenching into fists. "You have no idea what I've done. What I've had to do to survive. Don't stand there and lecture me about selfishness when all you've done is sit in your ivory tower, protected by your husband."