Chapter 38: Old Flames

Leo's POV 

“You think a flimsy bond can keep her tied to you forever? You have no idea what real power feels like.”

Connor’s defiance faltered for a moment, but he quickly recovered. “She was mine first. The moon goddess marked her for me before you ever knew her name.”

His words only fueled my rage, but something deeper gnawed at me—a cold, calculated need to understand the full extent of this bond he claimed existed. I didn’t want to just break him. I wanted to crush any hope he had of ever reclaiming her.

“Aww she marked her for you?” I said, my voice dangerously low and mocking. “And yet, here she is… running to me. That mark of yours—weak. Fragile. A symbol of something already fading.” I leaned in even closer, until my mouth was near his ear. “Do you feel it, Connor? The bond weakening every time she touches me?”

His eyes widened, a flicker of fear and anger passing through them.

Good.

I loosened my grip just enough for him to catch his breath. He coughed violently, but his gaze never left mine. I could see the gears turning in his head, could see him trying to figure out whether I was bluffing.

“You’ll never have her fully,” he rasped. “Even if she stands beside you, a part of her will always belong to me because that is how it's always meant to be.”

I tilted my head, a slow smirk spreading across my face. “Let’s test that theory, shall we?”

Before he could react, I tightened my grip on his neck once more, feeling his pulse flutter beneath my fingers. “You may have been her past, but I am her present. And her future. The only thing you’ll be, is a bitter memory.”

With that, I released him, letting him slump to the floor, gasping for air. He looked up at me, anger and humiliation blazing in his eyes, but he knew better than to speak again.

I turned back toward the door, pausing just before stepping out. “She’s not bound to you anymore, Alpha. The only bond she has now is to me—and I’ll make sure you never forget it.”

Then I walked out, shutting the door behind me with a finality that echoed through the room. My wolf stirred, satisfied for now, but there was something else gnawing at me—a lingering sense of unease.

Connor’s words lingered, and though I wanted to dismiss them as desperate ramblings, a part of me couldn’t shake the feeling that he knew something I didn’t. What if he's right afterall? No! I banished the thought as soon as it came.

Out in the corridor, I found Ivy waiting where I had told her to. She looked up at me, her expression soft, unsure, and something inside me calmed. But the storm wasn’t over—far from it.

I placed a hand gently on her shoulder, guiding her toward the exit. “We’re leaving. Now.”

As we stepped outside, I glanced back at the building, Connor's parting words echoing in my mind once more.

‘She’ll always come back to me.’

No. She wouldn’t.

But something told me this wasn’t the end. There was more to this bond than either of us knew, and whatever it was, I intended to break it for good—even if it meant tearing apart the very fabric of fate itself.

This wasn’t over. Not by a long shot. And the next time Connor dared to challenge me, there wouldn’t be a wall left to catch his fall.

****

Ivy's POV

Is this what riding on his wolf feels like? I thought as I clung to Leo’s wolf form, my head resting against his thick fur. Despite the cool wind whipping around us, there was an odd comfort in being close to him—yet my mind was anything but at ease.

That morning, everything had felt off. No matter how much I tried to focus, the same haunting image replayed in my head: Leo turning into something monstrous, his eyes glowing with primal fury, his fangs piercing my neck. Even now, just thinking about it made my skin crawl, the hellish sting flaring on my neck as if it had just happened.

I threw myself into work, hoping it would be a distraction. Daniel had brought in a stream of clients, and the meetings were relentless, but even they couldn’t keep my thoughts at bay. 

Each time I closed my eyes, I was back in that moment, feeling the searing pain and the confusion that followed. More than once, I caught myself clutching my neck, the hellish ache refusing to fade.

I felt drained—exhausted in a way that sleep couldn’t fix. Restless. Uneasy as though something was draining my energy. Every instinct told me that something wasn’t right, and no matter how much I tried to rationalize it, I couldn’t shake the sense of impending doom.

And then there was Connor.

Leo was the man I loved, the one I had chosen despite everything. But Connor… he was the one the moon goddess had chosen for me. My mate. The rejection still stung, not just my pride but something deeper. Even though I hated admitting it, a part of me craved closure. I couldn’t rest until I saw him again—just once more.

But how would I even reach him? I didn’t have his number, and asking Lila was out of the question. Besides, would it really help? Or would seeing Connor again only deepen the turmoil in my heart?

I was still lost in thought when a sharp knock on my office door pulled me back to the present.

“Come in,” I called, my voice sounding more tired than I intended.

It was Eva, my personal assistant, carrying a tray. “It’s lunchtime,” she said, offering me a concerned smile. “Figured you could use a break.”

I blinked, realizing I hadn’t eaten all day. Maybe food would help. I closed my laptop, pushing aside my work, and stood.

“Thanks, Eva. You’re a lifesaver,” I murmured as I followed her to the small dining area, as going to the cafeteria is not an option for me right now.

We sat across from each other, Eva chatting about the upcoming meetings, but her words barely registered. The urge to throw up hit me suddenly as the image of Leo’s fangs sinking into my neck flashed through my mind again. My stomach twisted violently, and without a word, I bolted from the table and rushed to the bathroom down the corridor.

I barely made it in time, retching until there was nothing left. When I finally finished, I leaned against the sink, splashing cold water on my face. Staring at my reflection, I noticed how pale I looked, the shadows under my eyes more pronounced. What was happening to me?

Taking a deep breath, I straightened and walked out, determined to act as if nothing was wrong. But the moment I stepped out of the bathroom, I froze.

Standing there, waiting for me with an expression I couldn’t read, was him.

Connor.