Chapter 9
October 11th
Leo set me down on the bed before crouching down to my level with a stern expression.
“What?” I scoffed. “You remind me of my Dad used to do if I misbehaved,” I added looking at his
raised eyebrow.
“Oh yeah?” he replied a dirty grin creeping onto his face. “And what punishment did your Daddy
used to give you when you were naughty?”
I screwed my face up with a level of cringe that even my 7th-grade self couldn’t have managed, “Oh
my God please don’t say that.”
He grinned at my embarrassment before his face suddenly hardened again.
“What are you going to say now? “I’m not angry, I’m just disappointed?” I questioned
“Oh I am fucking angry,” he replied. “And all this bullshit ends now,” he added.
I stared into his eyes for a few moments before he suddenly grabbed my face, “Now,” he reiterated.
“Or what, Leonardo?” I asked, raising my eyebrow, “What are you going to do?”
The room filled with a deadly silence as I stared at him, examining his face. It was terrifying but if he
was going to hurt me, he would have already.
“Or what’ did you say?” he asked in a dark tone as he stood up, towering over me.
I looked up at him, “You aren’t going to hurt me.”
Squeezing my cheeks with his hand he shoved my head back a little before sauntering over to the
window.
He glanced out and sighed, “So ‘or what,” he began, “Well, let’s see. It’s quite a walk from here to
the border meaning that by my calculations, your brother will still be on my territory… with Luca.
And Luca is only one call a way…” he articulated.
I got to my feet, “You wouldn’t…”
He turned around to reveal an evil smile, “Oh I would,” he said with a slight laugh, “Don’t
underestimate the lengths I will go to to get what I want, Sweetheart.”
“You have a dark soul,” I replied with as much spite as I could muster.
He shrugged, “So what’s it gonna be? Lose the attitude or lose your brother.”
I stared at him for a few seconds just to be sure that he was 100% serious before closing my eyes,
“Don’t make me say it.”
“So long as we both know, I don’t care if you verbally admit it or not,” he said. “But come here.”
I dragged myself over to him.
“Not hard, is it?” he said putting his hands on either side of my face. “Submitting?”
I swallowed a lump of pride sitting in my throat and just let him look at me as I glanced out the
window. But when his hand slipped down to my ass, I immediately stepped back.
“What?” he said with a laugh, “You think you can just stand there wearing my underwear without
any kind of advance.”
My cheeks flushed. I’d completely forgotten I’d been wearing his boxer shorts this entire time.
He then grabbed my hands and pulled me back into his chest, resting one hand on my lower back
as he held my head firmly with the others.
His eyes were fixated on my lips and I couldn’t help but feel my stomach leap and flutter. Our chests
were pressed together, I could feel his warmth through his shirt and even his hand, as it crept slowly
down to my ass was given me shivers.
I closed my eyes, trying to shake him from my mind but being in his grasp was too intense and
when I felt him lean forward, his lips just millimetres from mine, my wolf howled in excitement.
His forehead rested on mine and there was a few more insanely tense moments before he finally
pushed our lips together.
It was the most amazing sensation I’d ever felt. His lips were so warm and soft but his kiss so
passionate and rough as he held my head tight in his hand, pushing close against his. There was no
escape but for the first time I didn’t mind. No amount of pride and moral conscience could resist
the instinct to just kiss him back.
But as soon as he had pulled away for a brief second, reality kicked in. I looked into his icy eyes and
my stomach churned.
Get a grip, Ella. Why would you let him do that? You just kissed a murderer.
Before he could encapsulate me in his kiss again and fog my judgement with bliss, I shoved his
chest hard.
“Don’t fucking kiss me,” I hissed.
He hardly moved despite how I put my entire body weight into the shove and instead just grabbed
me, spun me around and pushed me roughly against the wall, pressing his body against mine and
kissing me again before I had time to stop him.
He held my head with one, stopping me from moving and the other was on my hip, gripping tight
as he continued to kiss me
The sparks and electricity were back in full swing and my lips, almost on instinct, moved in sync with
his.
For a second he pulled back, leaving me lurching forward after his lips, letting out a slight whimper.
He grinned before trailing kisses down my neck to the spot I would one day bare his ark.
“Stop,” I whispered.
“You don’t want me to stop,” he replied.
As his lips finally reached the spot, my back arched and I grabbed his shoulders with my hands,
looking for anything to squeeze for the intensity.
I couldn’t hide the effect he had on me as I dragged my nails down his back. I was breathless as
stars started to appear in front of my eyes and my vision went blurry as his kiss delved deeper and
deeper.
And then all of a sudden he pulled away leaving me panting and feeling quite faint.
“Never try to escape again, or I will lock you up until you can’t remember your own name.
Understand?” he growled
Unable to speak, I just nodded.
“Good girl,” he said.
His eyes then fell back down to my bare neck before he seemed to have to drag them away, taking
his hands off my body and stepping back.
He then turned and left me without another word to slide down the wall to the floor.
I hated his presence but at the same time, I couldn’t help but crave for more. The way he could
make me feel was pure heavenly bliss but also a moral war that had already taken my pride and
dignity as casualties.
There was something about the way he kissed that spot on my neck that filled me with guilt too. It
made me want to just give in to him and..submit? And I vowed to my father that I would never let a
man control me. He taught me to have more respect for myself than this.
So I don’t think so Mr Italian.
You haven’t won.
I had a shower in an attempt to wash the sin away and when I came out of the shower, I noticed two
neat piles of clothes on top of the toilet. One was my dress and cardigan from the previous night
and the other was a clean t-shirt and pair of boxers that I guessed were for me to wear now.
The envelope! I checked the pocket of my cardigan where I had left it but it was gone. Where had it
gone?
Despite me having a place to live now, Logan kicking us off Cerridwen territory still mattered to
Connor. I had to find that envelope and do whatever I could to stop him.
I quickly changed into the clothes and opened the bathroom door. Leo was sat on the end of the
bed.
He looked up at me with a plastered smile.
“Have you seen a gold envelope?” I asked him.
It was then that I noticed what he was holding in his hand.
“This?” he asked holding up the shiny paper.
I nodded holding my hand out to take it as my heartbeat skyrocketed.
“What is it?” he questioned. I could see that the seal was still closed so he hadn’t opened it.
“A letter from the future Alpha of Cerridwen,” I told him. “He doesn’t like me and it’s about how he’s
going to kick me and my brother off his territory when he becomes Alpha.”
“Why doesn’t he like you?” he asked.
“Because I won’t sleep with him and I don’t respect him,” I replied truthfully. “Can I have it?”
“You don’t need it,” he said. “You live on my territory now.”
“My brother doesn’t,” I replied. “I have to talk to him.”
“You think I’m going to let you talk to someone that wants to sleep with you?” he asked almost with
a laugh, “Are you delusional?”
“Please, I need to see what he has written,” I begged.
“Tell me, Ella. Why is your heart beating with such speed and why do I get the impression that
you’re lying to me?”
“Leo,” I snapped. “Just give it to me. This is important.”
“Will you let me read it too?” he asked.
I paused, “No.”
“Then it can stay locked in this drawer until that changes,” he replied putting it in the nightstand
drawer, turning the key and putting it in his pocket.
“Now come here,” He said gesturing for me to come towards him
I slowly approached him and he pulled me between his legs before he began playing with my hair.
“I don’t want you to kiss me again,” I said.
He smiled, “Why not? Worried you’ll end up letting me do whatever I want to you?”
I felt my cheeks heat up once again.
I swallowed, “Because you’re a bad man and you’ve treated me like shit,” I said, “I don’t want you
anywhere near me.”
“Not the impression I was getting earlier…” he muttered.
He then reached for a lock of my hair and ran it through his fingers.
“You said yesterday that I could call my brother,” I reminded him.
“Then he dared to step onto my territory and I’ve changed my mind,” he replied.
“Leo-”
“Don’t argue with me,” he said deeply.
“Why shouldn’t 12” I asked.
He clenched his jaw before dropping the lock of my hair.
“I think I’ve already given you enough reasons not to test me.”
I glared at him before taken a deep breath in, “Listen here, Leonardo. Let me get a few things
straight,” I began, slapping his hand off my waist. “I don’t know much about you and how you were
brought up but I know a lot about me and how my Father taught me to value myself far more than
you clearly do. I am not some kinda object that you get to be in control of, I am not your property
and I am certainly not going to bow down to you. You have done nothing to earn my respect and
until you do, you shall not have it. I am a woman with pride, dignity and self-worth and above all, I
respect my self and will not settle for anyone that doesn’t.”
He smiled in an irritating condescending way as if he was laughing at me.
“You’re fierce,” he said, putting his hand back on my waist, “I like it.”
I growled and pushed him off me again, “Did you even listen?!”
“You’ve got nerve to raise your voice at me, Ella,” he said, “You’re the only person in this damn world
that would dare.”
I gave him a sarcastic smile, “Am I supposed to be impressed?”
He examined me closely, “Why don’t you fear me?”
“Should 1?” I asked pursing my lips.
“You know who I am,” he replied.
“And I know you haven’t hurt me yet,” I explained. “You said yesterday that you draw the line
somewhere. Hurting me, your own mate? That’s where, isn’t it?”
There was a brief pause.
“You’re smart, Ella,” he said. “But you haven’t got me figured out so don’t get too comfortable.”
He then kissed my cheek, stood up and left the bedroom.