As my gaze shot up, I locked eyes with a pair I knew too well. Lighter than Carlo’s, Leonardo’s grey eyes were almost white, like clouds heavy with the promise of rain. My heart pounded, but I kept my focus on his eyes, refusing to let my gaze wander. I knew that if I traced the angles of his face or the strands of his dark hair, I’d lose my resolve entirely. I had never resented the mate-bond more than in this moment. Even after everything he’d done, it still tugged at me, a force determined to close the gap between us. Grinding my teeth, I resisted the pull, my expression tightening as one of Leonardo’s dark eyebrows quirked upward.
“A stray kitten lost in my house,” he said, the corner of his maddeningly full lips twitching. His voice was just as I remembered-if not more captivating. Deep, gravelly, with a hint of allure and caution. It was the kind of voice that could undo me if he knew the right words to use.
“I’m not wandering your house; I’m going to the bathroom,” I shot back, feeling a rush of pride when my voice remained steady. I moved past him, feeling the brush of his arm against my shoulder, sparks skittering across my skin. I didn’t look back, though, as I added over my shoulder, “And I’m not a stray kitten.”
In the downstairs bathroom, I gripped the sink, struggling to regulate my breathing. I’d spent the entire trip here preparing myself, steeling my emotions for this encounter. But Leonardo’s unexpected presence in the hallway had rattled me. Once my breathing was even and my emotions under control, I finished and stepped back out, retracing my steps to the dining room.
I avoided looking at him as I entered, though I felt every pair of eyes shift in my direction. The table was laden with silver platters, the scent of food making my stomach growl despite the knots inside me. I sat next to Enrico, across from Chiara. Even from this distance, Leonardo’s presence was overwhelming, his scent both enticing and unsettling.
‘If you ask if I’m okay, I’ll throw the nearest heavy object at your head,’ I mind-linked them, keeping my face impassive as Enrico snickered softly.
‘I wasn’t going to ask that,’ Chiara replied, her lips twitching. ‘I was just going to say, give him hell, Ella.’
“Care to include us in the conversation, kitten?” Leonardo’s rough voice cut through my thoughts, and I went rigid. I couldn’t avoid him forever. If I couldn’t keep my emotions in check now, I’d never make it through my time here.
Leonardo didn’t seem to have changed much. His hair was still striking like midnight, cropped short at the sides and longer on top. His build was more imposing, his shoulders broader, his physique more solid. He looked like a powerhouse, built for strength rather than speed. His face was sharp, covered in a dusting of dark stubble. His pale eyes watched me, a silent challenge in their depths, the ghost of a smirk playing at his lips, stirring a fresh wave of irritation.
“No, not really,” I snapped, folding my arms and meeting the gaze that had haunted me for months. “And stop calling me kitten.”
Enrico let out a chuckle loud enough for everyone to hear, nudging me playfully in the ribs. Leonardo and Dante’s eyes zeroed in on the movement. Dante’s gaze was amused, while Leonardo’s expression had tightened with barely hidden annoyance. Serves him right, I thought with a smirk.
“Take it as a compliment. He’s calling you cute,” Enrico teased, grinning wickedly. “Cute, vicious, and deadly seems to sum you up pretty well.”
I rolled my eyes, snorting at his comment, while noticing how intently Leonardo and Dante were observing the banter. Enrico’s gaze shifted to Chiara, who scowled at him.
“Don’t even think about calling me cute,” Chiara warned, waving a steak knife at him. “I may not be as good as Ella, but I’ll land a few hits. And I know Ella would back me up.”
“She’s right. Sorry,” I said with a shrug, flashing Enrico a sheepish smile.
“Wouldn’t dream of it,” Enrico replied with a chuckle, raising his hands in surrender.
“Ella,” Leonardo’s voice pulled my attention back, his intense gaze settling on me. I felt warmth spread across my skin, though I held steady under his stare. “I still prefer kitten.”
“You don’t get to call me anything,” I retorted, my glare unwavering. “My name is Isabella.”
An uncomfortable silence settled over us as we started to eat. I shared a look with Chiara, who pulled a face, trying to make me laugh. Enrico kept sending me small, supportive smiles, clearly enjoying the tension as Dante and Leonardo watched with varying degrees of interest. Being here, so close to Leonardo, was unnerving, but Enrico and Chiara’s presence made it bearable.
“When I heard you were coming back to train my warriors, I thought it was a mistake,” Leonardo said, his cold eyes fixed on me. “The Isabella I remember wasn’t warrior material.” His face was impassive, revealing nothing but a trace of amusement. “You’ve certainly changed.”
“The Isabella you remember?” I echoed, my tone icy.
“Oh, this should be good,” Enrico muttered with a grin, glancing at Chiara. Even Dante seemed intrigued, his gaze sharpening.
Warrior training had revealed a lot about me. It had shown me who I was under pressure and pushed me to my limits. I’d discovered my strengths-speed, technique, the ability to read opponents-and my weaknesses, particularly the rage that sometimes clouded my vision. But that anger had also fueled me, given me power. And now, it was directed at Leonardo.
“Maybe you never knew me at all,” I said, my voice cold with conviction.
The way he looked at me, as if he still knew who I was, angered me. As kids, he’d never taken the time to understand me, always hanging with his tight-knit group while I remained the shy, overlooked girl. They had never really seen me. But I was no longer the timid child I used to be.
“Always ready for a fight, I see,” Leonardo commented, his lips curling into a smirk as his eyes flicked to my hands, clenched tightly around my fork. “No wonder your Alpha speaks so highly of you.” His mention of Carlo carried layers of meaning-I knew he was still bitter about being sent away when he’d come looking for me. I let the fork drop with a sharp clink against my plate. “A kitten with claws.”
“Careful, she’s the best warrior in our pack,” Enrico said suddenly, catching me off guard. He met Leonardo’s gaze with defiance, his smile teasing.
It hadn’t been officially announced, but Carlo had often joked that I was a better fighter than even he was. Besting an Alpha in combat was rare, and Leonardo knew it.
“Then you won’t mind if I join training tomorrow,” Leonardo said, a cold spark igniting in his eyes. He shifted his gaze from Enrico to me, that flicker of challenge resurfacing before he masked it once more.
“Not at all,” I replied calmly, suppressing the fury churning inside me. I met his eyes without flinching. “Just don’t get in my way; I won’t be responsible if you get hurt.”
“I’m counting on it,” he shot back, a cocky grin tugging at his lips.