Mark of stars

Chapter forty-one

~flashback~
It was obvious that both the Chief Lion and (Y/n) were stressed out in that moment, he never understood these things too well and even as a grown man this was severely overwhelming him. So, the Chief Lion would do the best he could to explain it to her, he figured that he should put this question in terms that she would understand, "So if there are nine men in a room, and you shoot four of them, how many are left?"

"I've never shot anyone before." She said simply reading over the question once more still not totally understanding what they were asking.

The Chief Lion smiled a bit, she had just now started first grade and they were already asking someone as young as her to answer these type of questions, "Well, okay. I shot four of the nine men, how many are left."

The smallest ray of hope reached his face when she seemed to get a hint of realization on her face, "Oh, five." She stated before circling the answer on the sheet of paper, in that moment he felt like a proud father knowing full well that he most certainly was not even cut out to raise her.

Over time he quickly realized how fast she'd grown up and then her maturity followed, their relationship simply went from her asking him simple math questions to her asking him about earning a position in the Shishigumi. Quickly after she reached her late teenage years he knew exactly who she needed to be and how exactly he'd been raising her, even from her you g age (Y/n) showed various signs of leadership and best of all, every single lion who worked for him had a great deal of respect for her.

That's when he decided to talk with her little did he know it would have been the very last time he ever spoke with the girl he raised since the moment she could speak.

"(Y/n) I need to discuss something very important with you," he looked down at her even though she was now considered a young adult, he could not read her face all too well. He simply could not tell if she was stressed about the whole kidnapping animals thing or maybe the fact that she wasn't the one to do it, The Chief a lion disregarded those thoughts and continued to speak with her. "from the moment you could talk I realized what type of person you were going to be, and what you needed to pursue in life."

While he was saying these words she didn't know what to say or think hardly, they had only just gotten news about strangers breaching their guarded gates and now he wanted to bring up her past?

"What I'm saying is all my years of raising you, you've shown leadership, integrity, and most of all your selfless. When my time comes I want you to take my place as boss, this is what I've been meaning to raise you for but little did I know that you had all of those qualities on your own."

I couldn't process what exactly he was trying to prove in this instance, he wasn't even old and yet in this moment he still feared death more than anything, "You're not going to die-"

"I'd like to say the same, (y/n)." He smiled down at her and rested his right hand on her shoulder for a moment, "I won't always be here, (y/n). I need you to know that but even when I'm not here I know you'll do what's right." With that in unison they stayed in a hugging position all until several gunshots had been fired.

~end of flashback~

He didn't know what he was thinking then, why he asked in her causing such a sudden change in the mood. Of course he didn't mean for her to leave with him on New Year's eve but to simply stay wit him after that, the more the days drew closer the more he realized the deep feelings he's always had for her and how much he didn't want to stray away from that.

At first Louis found himself relating to her simply because he knew of their similar past, because they grew up in a facility that had children served as live meals. But those relations turned to love quickly and then he started to realize exactly why he loved her and why he felt the need to constantly be with her. It was odd through his eighteen years of life he'd never imagined that he would find himself dealing with emotions like this, Louis never saw himself falling head over heels for someone all for the right reasons.

Until he joined the Shishigumi he always saw himself becoming a Beastar and soon the CEO of the Horns Conglomerate then marrying someone he had no live for. But now he had fallen in love with a girl was a mafia bosses daughter. Louis fell in love with someone who looked as if they wanted to kill him from the moment they laid eyes on him, but of time that killing lion soon turned into a softened glare and then a loving gaze.

"What?" She asked quietly silently hoping that he was just very tired, but to her dismay when she looked over at him through little light she could see he was wide awake.

"Come with me, (y/n)." Louis looked over at her and she had already sat up now processing what he was now asking her.

(Y/n) looked over at Louis who was still looking straight up at the ceiling of her room, "You can't be serious." She said not knowing any other words to say if he insisted further more she would simply assume he was tired or maybe even drunk but that was unlikely.

He moved to let his left arm rest behind his head and continued to look up never averting his gaze to her, "I told you months ago that I had a reason to stay." She only nodded her head a bit recalling the memory, "I never told you why did I?"

She shook her head offering an answer, "No, you didn't."

Louis sighed a bit when he too recalled the memory, "It was you," he told her still afraid to look at her head on, "from the beginning it was always you." Louis couldn't see her reaction from his point of view but he hoped that in some instance she felt the same way. "Now I feel guilty leaving here when I told you I had reasons to stay, and that reason was you."

Her heart seemed to have melted in that instant but even though it was clear and he's proved it many times that he's loved her, she couldn't help but think that maybe he was only saying these theses things just so she'd come with him, "Louis, you know I can't do that." (Y/n) admitted quietly.

"I know it's a lot to ask of you, but I figured why not take you with me. Like I said I can't see myself loving a day without you there with me." He looked over at her now expecting the same expression that was already on her face.

She shifted herself to face him now reaching for his right hand and held it thoughtfully between her own, "Believe me if I could leave I would." (Y/n) looked into his eyes then seeing a lion that only held honesty beneath them.

"Why can't you." He asked her softly not wanting the question to come off as demanding.

She left her eyes fall to her hands wrapped around his right hand noticing the small details of them, "There's something I've never told you," even now coming close to informing Louis of her past nearly sickened her. It was something she would much rather never mention again let alone to him, she feared that she may blame himself but this was the only reason why she needed to stay. She cared deeply for him and Louis deserved an honest answer from her, "The Chief Lion was my father. He took me out of a facility that served live children as food, I was close to my death until one day he wanted to make a deal with the owner, but instead he waged the Shishigumis protection for my life."  (Y/n) remembered that day perfectly regarding the fact she was only a small, mindless child. She remembered of being terrified of the large lion constantly telling her it was alright once he'd finally come to his senses. "His first plan was to buy me and then eat me later on that day, but he couldn't do it, I don't know why but, he kept me and raised me as his daughter always considering me as such. Ever since then the Chief Lion and the others helped raise me even if most of them had no knowledge of me being called his daughter."

Louis could feel the loose hold on his hand grow the slightest but tighter as she rehashed all of these memories and the worst part, his death was simply because of him.

"At a young age he told me that whenever his time came to leave the Shishigumi and resign as boss that I would be the one to take his place," (Y/n) looked at him now the slightest bit of a glassy look covering her eyes now, "I can't leave not only because he raised me to be this person and take his place, I can't leave because of the love I had for him and for the love I now have for the lions." She loosened her grip on his hand, "Regardless, that doesn't mean I don't love you. I want you to know that no matter what I will do my best to see you."