263

263
After finishing the task at hand, the door slammed shut, the sound reverberating through the quiet night. Alpha Xavier let out a bitter smile, the pale moonlight casting an eerie glow across his features. The turmoil inside him was far too intense for Bella's usual calm demeanor to subdue. He knelt down, his body taut with tension, and began the painstaking task of picking up the items Leo had angrily thrown out. 

Suddenly, a mocking voice broke the stillness behind him, triggering Xavier's heightened instincts. "Well, well, isn't this a sight? Alpha Xavier, what are you doing outside my home?" 

Xavier turned, his sharp gaze meeting the cold, unyielding stare of Alpha Carl, leader of the rival pack. With his arms crossed and a smirk of derision plastered on his face, Carl radiated contempt. Xavier said nothing at first, methodically collecting the scattered items and placing them into a bag. Once finished, he stood and extended a hand toward Carl, his voice deliberately calm. "Carl, good evening."

"Spare me the pleasantries," Carl scoffed, refusing to shake his hand. His tone was thick with disdain. "Xavier, every time I see you, I lose a little more respect. Do you really think you can take Leo away from Bella? The boy is sick, and you’ve only added to his distress by forcing this revelation on him. How heartless can you be?"

Though Carl didn’t have the full picture, he had heard just enough from Layla to form his opinion. Layla had chosen not to tell Carl about Breanna’s meddling, wanting to avoid unnecessary conflict. Bella herself had also kept the details to herself, unwilling to create more strife within their already complicated lives.

"I never said I wanted to take Leo from Bella," Xavier replied, frustration flickering in his voice. "That was never my intention."

Carl’s mocking laugh cut through the air. "Save your excuses. If not you, then who? Are you going to blame your fragile mother? She’s hardly in any condition to scheme. Face it, Xavier—your actions speak louder than your words."

Xavier’s smile twisted with bitterness. "You’re wrong. It wasn’t my mother. It was your fiancée, Breanna, who decided to intervene."

Carl’s expression shifted into disbelief. "Breanna? That’s impossible."

Xavier’s tone grew sharper. "It’s the truth. Breanna paid a visit yesterday and told Leo everything."

Carl’s face darkened with anger, his jaw tightening. How could he have overlooked Breanna’s scheming nature? Her manipulative tendencies had caused trouble before. Carl, who had intended to enter the house, now turned on his heel and walked away, his mind set on confronting Breanna.

Xavier watched him leave but had no time to dwell on the confrontation. Breanna’s interference had caused chaos, her calculated actions designed to expose Leo’s parentage for her own gain. Her manipulation had thrown everything into disarray, and Xavier couldn’t afford to let things spiral further.

When Bella returned from grocery shopping, she found Xavier standing at the door with several bags at his feet. The bags contained toys and food, an obvious attempt to win Leo’s favor. Bella immediately saw through his intentions. "Leo’s upset right now," she said. "You need to give him space."

Xavier’s voice was quiet but resolute. "Bella, we need to talk. It’s important."

Her tone turned colder. "What’s left to discuss? Leo doesn’t want to see you, and frankly, neither do I. There’s nothing more to say."

Xavier’s expression softened, his eyes pleading. "Bella, I know I’ve made mistakes. I don’t want to keep repeating apologies, but we need to set things right—for Leo’s sake. Let’s reconcile and make it official with a mating bond certificate."

Bella raised her eyebrows, a trace of sarcasm in her voice. "Are you serious?"

"I’ve never been more serious," Xavier insisted. "Leo resents me because he believes I abandoned you. I want to change how he sees me."

Bella’s smile didn’t reach her eyes. "So, to fix your relationship with Leo, you want to use me as a tool? That’s not how it works, Xavier. He’s just a child. I’ll help him understand in time, but you don’t need to use me as a shortcut."

Frustration flared in Xavier’s voice. "You made a promise, Bella. You said you’d give me a chance with Leo, but you’ve gone back on your word."

Bella’s gaze turned steely. "And you’ve forgotten why I broke that promise. I was willing to try, but your lies made it impossible."

Xavier clenched his fists. "You think I don’t know why you left without a second thought? Tell me the real reason."

Bella’s eyes filled with a mixture of hurt and determination. "It’s not worth rehashing. Your lover, Kelsey, called me and made it clear you were with her. I had no reason to stay."

"That’s ridiculous," Xavier shot back. "I was never with Kelsey. That night, she invited me to dinner, but I declined. I had a few drinks and got a driver. On the way, Samantha’s car broke down, and I stopped to help…"

Bella’s expression shifted to surprise. "Samantha drove you home?"

"I don’t remember much," Xavier admitted. "When I woke up, my mother told me what happened. But I swear, Kelsey and I were never involved. Since you left, Bella, I haven’t been with anyone else. I swear it."

Bella hesitated. That night, when she had called Xavier, Elinor had answered and insisted Kelsey wasn’t there. Could it have all been a ploy by Kelsey to create misunderstandings? Shaking her head, Bella replied firmly, "The past is behind us, Xavier. My only focus now is Leo and his recovery. There’s no point in revisiting old wounds."

Xavier’s voice softened. "Bella, for Leo’s sake, we need to try again. He needs both of us. Together, we can create a safe, loving environment for him. Isn’t that what’s best for him?"

Bella’s smile was tinged with sadness. "Xavier, it’s not about wanting to give you a chance. I can’t. Your mother and I are locked in a battle. She won’t allow it, and I refuse to put Leo in the middle of that."

"I’ve spoken to my mother," Xavier protested. "She won’t interfere anymore."

Bella’s tone turned sharp. "Don’t be naive, Xavier. Your mother doesn’t back down. I don’t trust her, and neither should you."

Xavier tried to reassure her, but Bella cut him off. "Let’s focus on Leo for now. I’ll work on easing his anger toward you, but as for us, I think it’s best we take things slowly. There’s too much uncertainty to rush into anything."

Her words stung, but Xavier knew she was right. The road ahead would be long, and winning Bella’s trust—and Leo’s affection—would take time. For now, that was all he could focus on.

Meanwhile, Alpha Carl arrived at Breanna’s hotel, his fury barely contained. Her face lit up when she saw him. "Alpha Carl! What brings you here?"

His eyes narrowed. "Breanna, you’ve gone too far this time."

Breanna’s smile faltered. She knew immediately that Bella must have told him about her visit. Controlling her temper, she tried to feign innocence. "What did I do?"

"You told Leo about Xavier. Don’t deny it."

Breanna attempted to explain, but Carl cut her off. "Save it. I warned you not to interfere in my life, and you ignored me. This engagement is over."

Breanna’s protests fell on deaf ears as Carl walked away, leaving her seething. As he disappeared, she clenched her fists. "Bella, you’ve pushed me too far. Now it’s my turn to fight back."