Chapter 73: The Chains of Fate

Ivy

I had misunderstood Leo. That much was clear now, and guilt gnawed at my insides. But what choice did I have? I had been betrayed before, left to pick up the shattered pieces of my trust. So when the woman claimed to be his mate, when the world whispered doubts in my ears, I assumed the worst.  

And now? Now, as Leo held my hand, leading me toward the exit, I should have felt relief. Instead, unease crawled up my spine.  

The ding of the other elevator echoed behind us, and hurried footsteps approached from my left.  

“Connor?”

His name left my lips before I could stop it, my voice betraying an excitement I hadn't expected. Why was I so happy to see him?  

All of a sudden, Leo’s presence became suffocating. The warmth of his grip, once reassuring, now made my skin crawl. My mind screamed that this was Leo—the man I loved—but a deeper instinct recoiled, repulsed and... scared.  

I tried to pull away, but Leo’s grip tightened. He ignored Connor entirely, dragging me outside.  

At the car, he positioned me behind him like a shield as he turned to Connor.  

"I told you to stay away. Do you want to die that badly?" Leo growled, his voice laced with lethal coldness.  

"Leave him alone," I snapped before I could stop myself.  

Leo went still. The anger and hurt radiating from him was raw, his muscles taut with restraint. His eyes, nearly glowing, flickered to my neck—and just like that, the fire softened.  

He wrapped an arm around my waist, possessive and unwavering. “What do you want this time, pup?” His voice was calmer, but the threat remained.  

Connor met his glare without fear. “The police need to see me as well. They’ve asked for me to be there. So, can I tag along?” 

Leo exhaled sharply, then shoved me into the passenger seat, his hand never leaving mine. He shot Connor a final warning. “Get in. But after this, I never want to see you near her again.”

As we drove, Leo’s grip on my hand tightened, but the unease within me only grew.  

Why did his touch feel foreign?  

Why do I feel like I'll be safer with Connor?  

Was this... the mate bond?  

Leo must have sensed my tremble. He stroked my hand gently. “It’s going to be alright, Ivy. I’ll take care of everything.”

But his words did little to settle the restlessness clawing inside me.  

Connor suddenly stiffened in the front seat. “This isn’t the way to the station,” he growled.  

I looked up, realization dawning.  

We weren’t heading to the police.  

Leo’s voice was eerily calm. “I called the commissioner. They’re bringing the suspect to my mansion for questioning.”

Of course. Leo Ashton wasn’t just a man. He was a force and his influence ran deep.  

And here I am, trapped between him and a truth I wasn’t sure I wanted to uncover.

****

The drive back to Leo’s mansion was tense. Connor kept glancing back, Leo’s low growls filled the car, and I couldn’t stop trembling. 

Few minutes later, we neared the gates. Dread coiled in my stomach as I looked up at the looming estate.  

I didn’t want to be here.  

I didn’t want to be anywhere near Leo.  

And I didn’t understand why.  

A guard opened my door, and I stepped out, but Leo was right behind me. His hand found mine, lacing our fingers together as he tugged me inside.  

Up the stairs, through the west wing—Connor followed, but as soon as Leo crossed the threshold, it was as if an invisible force slammed shut. Connor halted, his eyes flashing in fury.  

He did mention that no one can come up except he allows it.

Leo grunted in satisfaction, pulling me deeper up the stairs and into his room. He made me sit on the bed, my legs clamped together, my body stiff.  

This is Leo.  

So why do I feel like I shouldn’t be here?  

He reached into a drawer and pulled something out. Then, kneeling before me, he revealed it.  

The necklace.  

“Oh my God,” I whispered. “I thought I lost it.”  

Leo fastened it around my neck. The moment it clicked into place, a wave of calm washed over me. The tension, the unease—it all melted away.  

Instinctively, my fingers traced the design. A memory surfaced—the first time he had given it to me.  

Why does it feel like this silences the voices in my head?  

How does Leo know?  

The thoughts slipped away as he crushed me into a bone-tight embrace.  

“Leo,” I breathed, the relief hitting me hard. “I’m so sorry I misunderstood you.”  

He didn’t answer. He just held me, like I was the only thing keeping him sane.  

“Never take it off,” he murmured. “Not until I find a permanent solution.”  

“Permanent solution for what?” I pulled back slightly.  

He only tightened his hold.  

A lighter moment broke the heaviness as I sniffed. “You stink.”  

Leo smirked, mischief flashing in his eyes. “You think so?”  

“You’ve even rubbed it off on me,” I complained.  

Without warning, he threw me over his shoulder.  

“Leo!” I shrieked, laughing as he carried me to the bathroom.  

The moment turned intimate. Heated.  

Water cascaded down our bodies, steam curling around us. He bathed me with slow, deliberate hands, searching my skin as if expecting to find hidden wounds.  

When his eyes finally met mine, they were filled with something deeper. Guilt.  

I cupped his face. “Hey. Look at me.”  

He hesitated, then lifted his gaze.  

“I’m fine, baby,” I whispered. “You didn’t lose me.”  

His expression crumpled, the weight of his failure pressing down on him. “I failed you, Ivy. I was supposed to protect you.”  

I kissed him then. Fiercely.  

I didn’t realize how much I had missed my Leo.  

When I pulled back, he was trembling, trying so hard to restrain himself.  

“I missed you, Ivy.” His wolf surfaced, his voice a deep growl. “If anything were to happen to you, I would—”  

“You won’t lose me,” I reassured him. “I’m here. I’m yours.”  

His eyes darkened, his wolf fully awakened, and he cupped my chin.  

Both of us were naked, lost in each other's embrace. Consumed by the ache of being apart.  

When we finally stepped out, he dried me gently. Wrapping a towel around myself, I moved toward his closet.  

Then, I hesitated.  

The last time I was here, another woman had been wearing his shirt.  

Jealousy burned in my chest.  

“What is it?” Leo asked, stepping behind me, his heat pressing into my back.  

“She was wearing your shirt,” I muttered, bitterness lacing my tone.  

“I burned it.”  

I turned to him, startled.  

His arms snaked around my waist. “Ah, my baby is jealous?”  

I wriggled free. “You’re naked, Leo.”  

He smirked, eyes dark with amusement. “You should be too.”  

Before I could react, he tore my towel away.  

A startled gasp escaped my lips.  

We hadn’t done it yet. I had promised my father I would remain pure until marriage.  

But staring at Leo now…  

Screw the promise.  

Just as he leaned in, he suddenly tensed.  

His jaw clenched.  

Mindlink.  

He groaned in frustration. “The police are waiting downstairs.”  

I sighed, grabbing a shirt and a short I left during my last visit from his closet.  

“Put a shirt on,” I said, eyeing his bare chest and low-hanging sweatpants.  

He leaned against the door, smug. “I’d rather have you staring at me all day.”  

I rolled my eyes, stepping closer. “Oh yeah?” I pressed my body against his, teasing.  

Leo inhaled sharply.  

I felt him harden, his grip tightening on my waist.  

He leaned down, capturing my lips—then suddenly pulled away, growling in frustration. “We need to go.”  

Downstairs, six officers waited.  

Connor sat in the corner, his expression dark. When his eyes landed on me, something inside me twisted uncomfortably.  

Leo refused to let me go. Not even for a second.  

“Good evening, Mr. Ashton,” one officer greeted, then turned to me with a polite smile. “Hello, Mrs. Ashton.”  

“She’s not his wife,” Connor growled, stepping forward. “And can we get to why you’re here?”  

Leo stiffened, but I squeezed his hand in warning.  

“Where’s the suspect?” Leo asked, pulling me into his lap as he sat down.  

A chill ran down my spine.  

Connor’s stare burned into me, making me uneasy.  

“Don’t you think this is improper?” I whispered, shifting.  

Leo smirked teasingly. “Would you rather sit on something else?”  

I pinched the bridge of my nose, exhaling in surrender.  

The officers returned, leading a man in cuffs.  

The air grew tense.  

“This man was caught snooping around the crime scene,” the officer said. “As soon as we had him in cuffs, he claimed he had nothing to do with the kidnapping.”  

Connor narrowed his eyes. “Then how did he know it was a kidnapping case?”  

“Exactly.” The officer nodded. “That’s why we think he’s our guy.”  

“Ivy?” Leo’s voice was gentle.  

I barely heard him. Because I knew this man.  

Not because he was one of the kidnappers. But someone who had made my life miserable.  

And judging by the smirk on his face—he knew that I remembered.