Evelyn’s POV
Leon stood before , no longer the struggling college student I’d once known.
His tailored Tom Ford suit and the Bentley waiting with a uniford driver nearby showed how successful he’d beco. Yet there was sothing familiar in his eyes, that sa earnest intensity that had captivated ten years ago.
"Evelyn, are you still in love with ?" He looked at hopefully.
I couldn’t help but smile wryly. It had been almost ten years since we’d broken up. Ten years since I’d made the hardest decision of my life.
"It’s been a long ti since we were together, Leon," I said carefully, watching his expression. "Nearly a decade."
"Ten years is nothing," he replied, even though his neck was clearly tense. "I’ve loved you since university, Evelyn. That hasn’t changed."
A part of softened at his admission. When I’d first t Leon, he’d been working three jobs to pay for business school. Now he stood before as Alpha of the Brownfur Pack, commanding respect in wolf societies.
"You’ve changed," I said. "So have I. We can’t go back."
Leon’s lips curved into a smile. "My circumstances changed. My feelings for you never did."
I felt a small flutter in my chest that I quickly suppressed. After everything with Calvin, after the constant threats to my children, romance was the last thing on my mind.
"I appreciate your honesty," I said, making up my mind. "But my priority has to be my children. I don’t have room for anything else right now."
"I understand that," Leon stepped closer, his scent drifting between us. "But I want you to know that I’ll wait. I’ve already waited ten years. What’s a little longer?"
I shook my head. "That’s not fair to you."
"Let decide what’s fair to ," he countered. "You gave up what we had for your pack’s survival. I understand that now. Back then, I was nobody—no pack, no position, nothing to offer the daughter of an Alpha. But things are different now."
The mory of our painful breakup surfaced despite my attempts to keep it buried. I’d been young, grieving my parents’ sudden death and facing the collapse of the Norse Pack. Calvin’s father had offered salvation through an arranged mating that would unite our packs. I’d had no choice.
"Leon, that was a lifeti ago," I said softly.
"Was it?" His eyes locked with mine. "When I was lying in that hospital bed, poisoned and dying, you were the one who saved . Not just with your dical skills, but with your presence. I felt you there, Evelyn. Every day."
My throat tightened. During those weeks when Leon had been fighting for his life, poisoned by the sa toxin that had nearly killed my sons, I’d spent countless hours monitoring his treatnt, adjusting his dications, willing him to live.
"That was my job," I insisted. "I would have done the sa for any patient."
"Would you have held any patient’s hand when you thought they couldn’t feel it?" His voice was gentle but knowing. "Would you have cried when they finally opened their eyes?"
I felt heat rise to my cheeks. "You weren’t supposed to rember that."
Leon’s smile deepened. "I rember everything about you, Evelyn. Always have."
A sudden gust of wind made shiver, and Leon imdiately removed his suit jacket, placing it around my shoulders before I could protest.
"I’m not asking for an answer tonight," he said. "Just a chance. Let show you that we could build sothing real. Let prove that I can be there for you and your children."
Leon’s words hung in the air between us. For a mont, I almost wavered. But then I thought of everything that had happened today, the threats to my children, the chaos in our lives. Although the past was beautiful and full of regrets, I really didn’t want any more emotional complications right now. My rationality overca the small bit of fondness that remained in my heart.
I looked at him directly. "It’s an honor to be liked by soone like you, but I’m sorry. I’m not ready for this, Leon. My life is complicated enough as it is."
Hearing my rejection firsthand, Leon Robinson didn’t seem surprised at all.
"I know," he said.
His eyes stayed intense as he looked at . "But could you give a chance to pursue you?"
I had my three children with , and that was enough for .
"Leon, don’t waste your ti on romantic feelings with ."
Leon smiled bitterly. "You really are direct, aren’t you?"
I knew I was being too blunt, but this way would save us both a lot of unnecessary trouble.
I shrugged. "That’s just how I am. Can’t help it."
"If you ever need my help with anything, just ask. The kids are waiting for , so I should go."
I nodded at him and turned to walk away quickly.
As I drove away, I could see Leon in my rearview mirror, still standing where I’d left him. I forced myself not to look back again.
As soon as I got in my car, I received a video call from Rowan. The mont I answered, I saw three adorable smiling faces. All the tension from the day lted away, and my whole heart instantly cald down. This was what mattered. This was enough.
I didn’t get Liri’s public apology. Instead, what I got was sothing much worse. The cyberbullying got worse, and nasty rumors were spreading like crazy online.
Thankfully, I’d been ready for this. I’d asked Jackson to watch the internet closely. I told him to hack and delete any posts with photos of my kids right away. My children weren’t going to get hurt in this ss.
That night, I was sitting in my ho office looking over research data on the latest LDS stabilizer trials. My phone kept buzzing with notifications. I opened it and found several ssages from Jackson.
"They’re going nuclear," his text said, followed by a bunch of links.
I had a bad feeling as I clicked the first one. Tons of new accounts had popped up online at the sa ti, all posting photos from my five years married to Calvin. Those were the years when I was basically a hidden Luna, hardly ever acknowledged as his mate in public.
The caption under one post that was going viral said. "This woman is a serial howrecker! She was married before but got divorced after her husband caught her cheating!"
Reviews
All reviews (0)