Leo
As Willow walks out, Chloe gazes at her, then shifts her attention back to me, takes Willow’s seat, and starts eating the crab left on the plate.
I raise my eyebrows, “I thought you were going to talk to her.”
“No, I’ll see her later,” she says dismissively. “Right now, I need to talk to you,” she sips the mojito mocktail that Willow left behind and she smiles, noticing my confusion.
“Talk to me about what? Do you want to order something?”
“Maybe a drink later. I want to talk about us, but before that, I want to talk about Willow’s kidnapping.” She says casually.
“I have handled it. What about it?” I ask defensively.
“You are pretty defensive for someone with scars. They need to pay for what they did to both of you. Do you know why they kidnapped her?”
“No,” I shake my head and immediately regret it. Wrong answer.
“I think I should hire a PI to find out, and I will find her a bodyguard. They can’t kidnap her without a reason. Unless you are hiding something from me.” She eyes me suspiciously.
“Willow will never agree to have a bodyguard.”
“You're right,” she nods. “But she won’t know about the PI, I just want to protect her.”
“You are pretty determined for someone who was hellbent on hurting her not so long ago.” I raise my eyebrows.
“It’s complicated. I can hurt her, but I can’t allow anyone else to hurt her.”
“I need you to trust me. I told you I would find her and I did. I’ll let you know once I find something.”
“Fine, I will trust you, but those people of yours better be fast.” She calls the server, who looks confused when she gets to our table.
“You saw me with the lady who was previously here, I’m not trying to eat your guests’ leftovers,” I look into her eyes, my lips slightly curled up in a polite smile.
“Of course,” she breaks eye contact, her cheeks turning crimson.
Chloe orders a mojito cocktail, and I order another non-alcohol beer.
“Wow! Way to put those good looks into use and that power you exude. I had no idea you could do that, poor girl. It was so hot thou.” She bites her lower lip, instantly making Asclepius howl with excitement.
“So, what’s another thing you want to talk to me about?” I ask impatiently.
“You don’t have to be so serious,” she crinkles her nose. “I told you, I want to talk about us.”
“Don’t you dare suggest adding more rules to the contract! I have been attending your runways as promised, and your sister seems hurt by our relationship. What more do you want?”
“I think this relationship is hurting me more than it is hurting her.”
“I thought this was the kind of relationship you wanted,” I raise an eyebrow.
“I thought so too, but I can’t continue. I have noticed how you are around Willow.”
“Where are you going with this?”
“I want to break up with you.”
“Are you sure?” I eye her suspiciously.
‘The mate bond is probably not that strong. Do you think you’ve lost your touch?’ Asclepius comments.
‘Our touch,' I remind him. 'And this is going to hurt you too.'
‘I’m used to it,’ he snarls.
“Yeah,” she sighs, snapping my attention back to her. “You and I are not that close, and this is not supposed to hurt me, but it does.”
“I’m sorry,” I try to sound sympathetic.
“It’s okay,” she shrugs. “So, that’s it, I’m breaking up with you.”
*Professor, I need something for the pain of my fourth rejection.* I text Professor Malino, and she instantly replies with *You found another mate?* and a laughing emoji. I retort with an emoji whereby I roll my eyes.
“Leo? Did you hear what I said?”
“Just say ‘Leo Asclepius Brown, I reject you as my mate’.”
She laughs, making me wince. Then her jaw drops. “Wait, you are serious?”
“What do you think?"
“Fine, this is one of the many reasons I can’t be with you, you are weird.” She rolls her eyes. “Like, you were so quiet around my friends. They were drooling thou, they think you are hot and mysterious, but I think it’s about time I look for something serious, not an eye candy.”
“You think I’m an eye candy?” My jaw clenches.
“I know you are smart and whatever,” she says dismissively. “But you were an eye candy to me and my friends.”
I exhale. “I’ve never felt so insulted in my life.”
She shrugs.
“Just reject me and get it over with.”
“Okay,” she sighs. “I think it’s weird, but I’ll go along with it.”
“Just say it!”
She rolls her eyes and says in a bored tone, “Leo Asclepius Brown,” a sigh and another eye roll. “I reject you as my mate.”
“Chloe Lana Gordon, I accept your rejection.”
“Ouch! I feel an intense pain here,” she points at her chest on the left side. “I think I might be having a heart attack.”
I leave money for the server on the table, and I carry Chloe to the car, gaining the attention of people who are looking at us inquisitively.
'You can't drive,' Asclepius suddenly whimpers, making me feel the pain that I’ve felt three times before, and I instantly regret not getting the potion before doing this rejection stuff.
I take deep breaths, with Chloe in my arms while I hail a cab outside the restaurant.
“I can’t die, I haven’t spoken to Willow yet. Imagine if I die when she hates me.” She says once we are seated in the cab with her head resting on my shoulder.
“You are going to be okay.” I wince as the pain hits my heart again.
“What is happening to me, then?”
“Driver, please hurry,” I say between breaths.
“Are you also in pain?” Chloe asks.
“No, I’m fine.” I try to keep a straight face.
“Do you think they poisoned us at the restaurant?”
“You are pretty talkative for someone who is having a heart attack.”
“I’m trying to stay awake.”
A small chuckle escapes my lips, and the driver finally stops outside the hospital.
I pay him, and I carry Chloe inside. “Please call Willow,” she whispers.
I nod before calling for help, and paramedics immediately take her and put her on a stretcher.
I place a hand on the left side of my chest, and I call Willow while I take slow steps to the hospital’s pharmacy to get pain medication.
I contemplate going to the test ward to see if Professor Malino is around, but I change my mind when I remember what I caught her doing last time.
‘Asclepius, help me.’
‘No,’ he whimpers. ‘I hope this was the last mate.’
“What happened?” Willow tries to catch her breath.
“She had chest pains.”
‘She was your mate?’ Liam sends me a mind link. I notice him for the first time with his arms folded behind Willow and I glare at him.
“What bout you? You don’t look well.” Willow points out.
“I’m more than okay, just tired. I had a long day. Remember?”
She nods. “It feels like it has been days. I’m going to see my sister. I will come back for you.”
She walks to Liam who gives her a hug and a kiss on a forehead, and a protective growl unintentionally escapes my throat.
Willow glances at me, her eyes widen with confusion or probably annoyance, and she walks away without saying a word.
Liam walks towards me with a wide grin, and I get an urge to slap it off his face. "I'm so happy, every time you reject a mate, you downgrade. I wonder what's next,” he chuckles. “The moon goddess is tired of you, and she finally decided to hit you in the face with a worthless weakling."
I clench my fists, fighting my need to take out my pain on him. “That’s what you call Willow?”
“Not to her face,” he smirks.
“Just break the mate bond. Let her go. She is not your pet.”
“Well...” He shrugs.
“Okay, I’m begging you, man.”
“I will never break the bond. Do you think I’m stupid? I know that you are in love with her and I enjoy getting those angry growls out of you." He imatates my growl before laughing like a maniac. "Unless you are willing to do something for me in return,” he says it as if the idea had just occurred to him.
“What you want?” I sigh.
“Reject the pack, break your bond, and walk away for good.”