Victoria
"So all this ti, you hated ," I said, my voice trembling with restrained fury. "Because in your twisted mind, my mother was to bla for your sister’s death."
Tears leaked from the corners of Enzo’s eyes. "Then Marcus... found when I started gambling. Offered money... but wanted information. About you."
My heart raced as pieces began falling into place. "What kind of information?"
"Your blood," Enzo mumbled, his grip on consciousness clearly slipping. "Said you were special... not just half-wolf. Said your mother was... sothing else."
I thought of the vines erupting through stone, responding to my desperation. "And when did you find out the truth about Aurora?" I asked, leaning closer. "That she was manipulating you?"
A bitter laugh escaped him, triggering a coughing fit that left specks of blood on his lips. "Too late," he managed once he’d caught his breath. "Found her communications with Marcus... planning everything. Using ."
"So you sold to Leo," I concluded, the final piece clicking into place. "Not just to clear your debts, but to keep away from Marcus."
Enzo’s eyes found mine, surprising clarity breaking through the drug-induced haze. "Only Alpha strong enough... to protect you. Better his bed than Marcus’s lab." His fingers tightened weakly around mine. "Still wrong. Still unforgivable. But thought... at least you’d survive."
The door opened behind , and Lilith entered hesitantly. Seeing Enzo awake, she rushed to his other side, tears flowing freely again as she took his free hand.
"You idiot," she whispered fervently.
A ghost of a smile touched Enzo’s lips as he looked at her. "My beautiful... mate," he murmured, making her sob harder.
I began to withdraw, feeling suddenly like an intruder, but Enzo’s grip on my hand tightened fractionally. "Victoria," he rasped. "I’m sorry. For everything. Don’t expect forgiveness... don’t deserve it. But needed you to know."
The conflicting emotions swirling through were almost overwhelming—anger, grief, confusion, and a strange, unwanted sympathy for the broken man before ."I don’t know if I’ll ever forgive you," I whispered, torn between rage and pity. "But for the first ti... I think I finally understand why."
Enzo softened his features. "I deserve punishnt... but I’ll make you see I can change. Let you and Alpha Leonard be the witnesses."
As if summoned by his words, Leo appeared in the doorway, his powerful presence filling the small room. His eyes t mine, a silent question in their depths. I nodded slightly, indicating I was okay.
"The doctors need to finish treating him," Leo said gently. "And you need rest, Victoria. It’s been a long night."
I carefully extracted my hand from Enzo’s weakening grip and stood, suddenly aware of how exhausted I truly was. Lilith remained bent over Enzo, whispering sothing too low for to hear, their foreheads touching in an intimate gesture that made look away.
Leo guided from the room with a protective hand at the small of my back. Once we were in the corridor, he pulled against his chest. "I’ve got you," he murmured into my hair. "You’re safe now."
Leo tilted my chin up, forcing to et his intense gaze. "As long as I breathe, you are safe," he vowed, his voice taking on the resonance of an Alpha’s oath. "Whatever Marcus wants from you, whatever these new abilities an—we’ll face it together."
I leaned into his strength, allowing myself this mont of vulnerability. "Enzo said he sold to you to protect ," I said quietly. "That you were the only Alpha strong enough to keep Marcus away."
A muscle ticked in Leo’s jaw. "His thods were unforgivable, but his assessnt wasn’t wrong." His thumb stroked my cheek gently. "Though I suspect neither of us anticipated what would happen next."
The tenderness in his touch made my heart ache. What had begun as a business transaction, a debt to be paid with my body, had evolved into sothing neither of us could have predicted.
"Stay with tonight," I pleaded softly, my chest tightening at the thought of facing the darkness alone. "Please... I don’t want to be alone with this."
"Always," he promised, leading toward his—our—chambers.
Leo closed the chamber door behind us, shutting out the weight of confessions and dying regrets. His hand never left my waist, steady and grounding.
Leo’s mouth crashed back onto mine, fierce and unyielding, until I was gasping into him. His hand slid up the inside of my thigh, fingers finding the heat between my legs, teasing until I bucked against his touch.
“Leo—” My voice broke into a plea I hadn’t ant to give him, but his growl of approval made my body thrum with need.
“You’re mine,” he rasped, pushing my dress higher, baring inch by inch. “Say it.”
“I’m yours,” I breathed, arching as he slid two fingers inside , stretching with delicious pressure. My nails dug into his shoulders, half from the intensity, half from the way he never broke eye contact as he worked open.
When he finally freed himself and pressed against , I was already trembling, desperate.
“Please,” I begged.
The world outside—Marcus, Enzo, betrayal—disappeared. There was only the two of us, tangled in sheets and destiny, every gasp and kiss binding us closer. When release tore through , it wasn’t just pleasure—it was surrender, a confession my lips finally spoke against his skin.
“I love you, Leo...”
He stilled above , his forehead pressed to mine, breath ragged. “Say it again.”
“I love you.”
His answering growl shook through both our bodies as he thrust harder, driving higher, his voice breaking with reverence and hunger. “My mate. My forever.”
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