Chapter 37: When Bonds Collide

Leo's POV 

Through the window, I saw Ivy. She was lying on a bed, her face bathed in soft moonlight, her expression serene—more peaceful than I had ever seen her. She had this slight smile on her lips, as though she was dreaming of something beautiful. My heart clenched painfully. She’s at peace? Here? In the same land that haunted her and gave her nightmares? 

Theo growled low in my mind, jealousy and anger rising at the thought of her finding solace here—without me. The urge to burst in, yank her away, and shatter whatever fragile peace she had dared find in this place surged within me. But beneath that storm of emotions, I felt something else. Sadness. Because deep down, I knew—I hadn’t been able to give her this.  

Ivy stirred, her body stretching languidly as though she had slept soundly for the first time in ages. As if sensing my presence, her eyes fluttered open, locking onto mine—golden, glowing wolf eyes peering through the window. She froze, confusion flickering across her features.  

“Leo?” she muttered sleepily, still half-lost in her dreams. Then, realization dawned. Her eyes widened in fear, and she screamed.  

Before I could react, he entered—the bastard who dared to claim her. Connor. Her first mate. He rushed to her side, wrapping his arms around her protectively, as though he could shield her from me.  

“She’s mine!” Theo roared, and before I could think, I crashed through the window, landing in the room with a snarl.  

My wolf towered over them, eyes locked on Connor’s hand gripping my mate. The sight made my blood boil. Ivy clung to him as though he was her lifeline, fear written all over her face. Of course, she didn’t recognize us in this form—she hadn’t seen us change before. She didn’t have a wolf of her own. To her, we must have looked monstrous.  

‘Calm down, Theo. She’s scared’. I wrestled with my wolf’s rage, forcing it down as I began to shift back. Bones snapped and realigned, fur receding as I returned to my human form. Naked and vulnerable, but unwilling to back down.  

“Ivy,” I breathed, my voice rough with emotion. She stared at me, eyes wide, lips parted in disbelief. Slowly, she stepped out of Connor’s hold, inching closer as though afraid I might vanish if she blinked.  

“Leo?” she whispered, her voice trembling. “I…I don’t know what happened. I just—”  

I didn’t let her finish. I crossed the distance between us in two strides and claimed her lips in a fierce, possessive kiss. She gasped against my mouth, but she didn’t pull away. My hands gripped her waist, holding her close, needing her to feel that she belonged to me and no one else.  

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Connor tense, his jaw clenched in barely restrained fury. Good. Let him see. Let him know. She’s mine. 

I pulled back, cupping her face as I gazed into her eyes. The warmth in them had shifted, replaced by something deeper—something ancient and wild. Her eyes flicked down to the talisman hanging around my neck, the faint green glow reflecting in her irises. How was that possible? She didn’t have a wolf. Yet the talisman was affecting her, just as Lena had said it might.  

Before I could dwell on it further, Connor grabbed her arm, attempting to pull her back into his grasp.  

“Let her go,” I growled, my voice deadly calm. The room seemed to vibrate with the force of my command. Even Ivy flinched.  

Connor hesitated for a moment too long. Ivy wrenched herself free and ran into my arms. My heart melted at the feel of her pressed against me, her scent enveloping me in a way that soothed both man and beast. Theo howled triumphantly, but my vampire side was less forgiving. The lingering scent of another male on her skin made my stomach churn. It took every ounce of restraint not to shove her away in disgust.  

Instead, I buried my face in her neck, inhaling deeply as I imprinted my scent on her, marking her as mine in the only way I could without breaking every law of the packs.  

Connor staggered backward, his face pale as though he’d seen something he didn’t understand. I didn’t care. My focus was solely on Ivy.  

“Leo…” she whispered again, her hands resting on my chest. “I don’t know what happened. I didn’t mean to—”  

“It doesn’t matter,” I interrupted, brushing a strand of hair from her face. I unclasped the talisman from my neck and gently placed it around hers. “Can you promise me something?”  

She nodded absentmindedly, her fingers tracing the intricate patterns on the talisman as though entranced.  

“Don’t take this off. No matter what happens.”  

Her eyes met mine, confusion flickering in their depths, but she nodded again. “I promise.”  

I exhaled, relief washing over me. For now, she was safe. For now.  

“Wait outside, Ivy,” I said softly. “I need to have a word with your former Alpha.”  

Her brows knitted in concern. “It’s not Connor’s fault,” she said quickly. “It was a coincidence. He didn’t do anything wrong.”  

“But he touched you,” I replied coldly, my gaze never leaving Connor’s. “Now go.”  

She hesitated for a moment before turning and walking toward the door, glancing back once as though uncertain. I waited until the door closed behind her before shifting my attention to the trembling pup before me.  

“You shouldn’t have touched her,” I said quietly, my voice laced with a calm that belied the storm brewing beneath the surface. “You shouldn't have laid a single finger on my woman.”

“I—She was mine first, Alpha,” Connor stammered, his bravado crumbling under my glare.  

“She’s always been mine,” I said, taking a deliberate step forward. “And if you ever lay a hand on her again, I won’t be so forgiving.”  

Connor swallowed hard, his eyes darting toward the door as though contemplating escape. But there was no escape from me.  

“Did you put her up to this?” I demanded, my voice low and menacing. “Who convinced her to come back here?”  

“I brought her here,” he admitted, fear evident in his voice. “My wolf felt that our mate needed us and she collapsed right into my arms when I saw her. So I brought her back to where she's meant to be.”

I stared him down, my wolf threatening to tear him apart. “Ivy is mine. She's meant to be by my side. Always. Don't make me say this again, Alpha,” I replied, thinking he would fire back. When he didn't, I turned away, my mind already racing with other possibilities.

To my surprise, as I opened the door to leave, Connor called out, his voice laced with smugness. “Maybe you should give up. She’ll always come back to me.” His words carried a weight that made my wolf bristle with rage, but he didn’t dare meet my eyes.

He doesn't know when to back down huh?

I stopped in my tracks, the door creaking as I let it close slowly behind me. Turning to face him, I kept my expression calm, though every muscle in my body screamed to rip him apart. “Are you dumb… or just tired of living?” I asked coldly.

Before he could respond, I moved faster than he could react, grabbing his neck and slamming him against the wall with a force that made the wood groan in protest. He gasped, choking as he clawed at my hand, but I held firm, my grip unrelenting.

“The moon goddess doesn’t make mistakes,” he wheezed between coughs. “She’s bound to me… whether you like it or not.”

“Bound to you?” I repeated, a low, dark chuckle escaping my lips. I leaned in closer, my eyes gleaming with the dangerous gold of my wolf’s fury. “You think a flimsy bond can keep her tied to you forever? You have no idea what a real bond feels like.”