Chapter 72: His Mate, His Fight

Leo

Why the fuck is she here? Isn't she the reason we're in this mess in the first place?

"Um, Mr. Ashton. I think you need to leave. You have a guest, and I would like to have a moment with my guest," I heard Ivy say as she took her seat, arranging the files closest to her on the desk.

A moment with Connor? Like hell am I supposed to let that happen?!

"Isabella, what are you doing here?" I demanded angrily, turning towards her.

Isabella is my friend, no mistaking. She was one of the people that knew I was the Alpha King before I revealed my face. She had been at her modeling academy, and I should be happy she's back after so long, but how could she think of spewing such nonsense to Ivy? 

This past week, I've been nothing but hard on her. She joined the manhunt and was deprived of proper rest as well. How could she dare to be all cozy when my mate is out there, possibly in danger?

"Leo? Did you hear what I just said?" She asked, tugging at my shirt. The action made my wolf flinch back immediately, and the hurt on her face told me she noticed it too.

Theo has been nothing but hard on her, although she's still my friend and one of the people I cherish. "What brought you here?" I asked again.

"I heard that she's back. So I decided to come here and clear the air myself and apologize for the trouble I..."

"There's no need to apologize," Ivy said, cutting her short as she stood up, her handbag clenched tightly in her hand. "If anything, I should be the one apologizing for daring to claim what wasn't mine to begin with," she said and passed me a little look I found very infuriating.

What is she on about? I'm hers!

"You're not listening, Ivy, she's just trying to—"

"Enough!" She almost yelled. "As you can see, I have an important meeting with someone. But you're welcome to stay here as much as you want," she added and turned to Connor, who was now looking at me with a victorious grin on his stupid face. "Let's go, Connor," she said and started marching out.

What does she take me for? Like I would stand still and watch her leave with her ex-mate? Like hell.

"Ivy, stop!" I growled and dragged her back into my arms.

"Let me go," she cried softly, struggling to wriggle herself out, but I would rather be dead than let her go. Even in death, I would still cling to her.

"He's not my mate! OK? I lied!" Isabella said almost immediately, and Ivy stopped moving, her head snapping to Isabella's direction.

"You don't have to lie or cover up anything. If he's—"

"Are you even listening to me, Ivy?" I whispered, my voice almost pleading. "Listen to me," I said, looking straight into her eyes.

I'm very sure it's because she doesn't have a wolf that she doesn’t know we are fated. 

Second-chance mates. Second chances at love. To her, I'm just her fiancé who she feels connected to. But she doesn’t understand what the connection is, and I want her to discover that herself. I don't want to tell her yet. Maybe later, but not now.

I took her free hand and placed it on my beating heart. "Remember what I told you, Ivy?" I whispered as I leaned close to her. The pull should get her settled. I made sure to maintain body contact as much as I could. Her body knows.

"Everything I am, whatever I become, I'm all yours, Ivy. Do you remember?"

She looked conflicted, broken even, and I didn't like that.

"Leo is my childhood friend. I was just messing around when I told you that he's my mate. I didn't know you were his fiancée. I'm sorry," Isabella added, and Ivy gasped, unshed tears clouding her vision.

"Is that the truth?" she whispered.

"You have my heart in your hands. What do you think?" I asked her, gently nibbling at her earlobe.

I felt her melting into me, her hands circling my head as she hugged me and broke out into a little sob.

"Ahem..." I heard Connor clear his throat, a low growl slipping from his throat.

I wanted to march toward him and demand he tell me why the hell he didn’t deem it fit to let me know he knew where she was. Why he decided to play the hero. Does he still have ideas of them getting back together?

But Ivy latched onto me like glue. "I'm sorry. I thought you've been playing me all along," I heard her mutter close to my ears.

I was about to respond when his voice broke the moment.

"Uum, Ivy, we need to go now," he said, his voice thick with barely restrained anger.

"Go where?" I demanded, but he didn’t reply. Instead, he started coming toward us.

"Aria? Ivy? Did you hear me? They are waiting," as if realization dawned on her, she peeled herself out of my hold. 

I felt a cold wind, a shiver running down my entire body at her sudden absence. I pulled her back in slightly, trying to keep as close contact with her as possible.

"What is it? Where are you going? Who's waiting?" I demanded all at once.

"It's nothing for you to be worried about. I'm sure you have other important matters to attend to," Connor replied and pulled Ivy to him.

A dark growl escaped my throat, but before I could react, Isabella had him pinned to the wall. "How dare you challenge the Alpha Ki—"

"That's enough, Isabella," I replied, stopping her from revealing my identity. I don't want Ivy finding out this way. It's one thing that I hid the fact that I was a werewolf when I first met her, but finding out I'm the Alpha King like this will make her doubt everything I say.

"Let him go," I heard Ivy say as she started making her way toward Connor, her hand slipping from mine.

Is this it? Is this how I lose her?

She went to him and crouched down, patting his back as he coughed.

"It's okay, Connor," she turned and glared at me. "You have no right to treat him this way. He saved me!" she said angrily, and my wolf flinched back in pain.

She yelled at us because of him?

Theo growled in frustration, imagining how Connor's wolf would be purring at the contact. 

This is just going perfect. I was lost for words.

"Leo, we're going to the police. They found a man and wanted me to come and see if he's one of the kidnappers," she said.

Blood rushed to my ears as I concentrated on her hands on Connor's back.

"I can take you there," I growled.

"They wanted me to come with Connor because he saved me, and they have questions for him as well," she added, but I wasn't hearing any of it.

I stormed to where she crouched next to him and pulled her up gently. "You're coming with me," I growled.

"But you look—"

“I know how I look. And that doesn't change anything,” I replied.

"Isabella?" I called, and she came to stand next to me. "Get the car ready. I'm taking my mate home with me."

“What do you think you're doing?” she protested as I pulled her out of the office.  

I wasn’t sure what hurt more—the fact that she kept stealing glances back at Connor or that she was resisting me. Either way, the sting cut deeper than I cared to admit.  

I clenched my jaw and kept walking, ignoring the weight pressing against my chest.  

“Leo, I need to get to the station this evening,” she insisted, her voice low, trying not to make a scene in front of her employees.  

I halted abruptly, turning to face her. “I know,” I said, my voice dark and unyielding. “That’s why I’m bringing the police station to you.”