“Not going to tell me what that was all about, are you?” Chiara’s voice cut through the silence, her chuckle dry, and her brow arched in my direction.
“Not right now, no.” I shook my head, avoiding her gaze.
Truth was, I hadn’t fully wrapped my head around it either. Francesca and Leonardo could’ve broken up-or maybe she found her mate and left him. That thought stirred something almost satisfying within me. Mates often settled down and started families early on, after all. But another, darker possibility hovered at the edge of my mind-that the child she carried might actually be Leonardo’s. I shoved that thought down, locking it away.
That night, I decided to call Carlo, giving him a rundown of the week. I could’ve asked Enrico to handle it, but lately, I felt Carlo and I were growing distant. Things had been strained ever since he lied to send Leonardo away, but I was slowly learning to let go of that resentment. I left out my run-in with Leonardo, instead mentioning Fabio’s challenge on the first day of training. When I finally hung up, a small weight lifted. Our friendship would always be complicated, but I was determined to preserve it.
The next day, Sofia called, her voice a lively rush of excitement. She wanted photos of everything Chiara had bought, down to the last pair of shoes. Carlo was already feeling the strain of her insistence on a quick visit next week-to shop, see us, and maintain her role as one of Carlo’s warriors. He hadn’t agreed yet, but Sofia was sure he’d come around.
With the party still hours away, the three of us went to the local diner, a place called Midnight Diner that had been around as long as I could remember. It was remodeled a couple of years ago, modern tables replacing the striped booths, but the food stayed just as good. Chiara, who’d fallen in love with their home made pizza, swore there wasn’t a place like it back in Carlo’s pack. As we waited for the check, my gaze drifted around the busy diner and landed on Dante and Livia Conti across the room, laughing over something Dante had said. It was the first time I’d seen Dante with his guard down-usually, his gaze held a calculated intensity that made you feel like he could see right through you. I looked away before either of them noticed, shaking the image from my mind.
Pushing the thoughts of Francesca and Dante aside, I readied myself for the evening. Chiara, it seemed, had taken our deal seriously, slipping on a short dress that exposed her back. I changed into jeans and a long-sleeved shirt, leaving leggings behind.
The party was held at the largest park in town, packed with people as if the entire town had shown up. The place was draped in twinkling lights and pulsing with music, tables scattered about, each adorned with rustic lanterns. Some people sat at tables, others on blankets across the grass, creating a vibrant scene under the stars. I felt that familiar pang of loss at the thought of my mom, but I pushed on, following Enrico and Chiara to the pavilion for a drink. The alcohol warmed me from the inside as Enrico ran back to the car to grab an extra blanket.
Chiara’s gaze roamed through the crowd until she found who she was looking for.
“You’re really sticking to our deal, aren’t you?” I muttered, watching her eyes settle on Leonardo across the park.
Leaning casually against one of the tables, he talked to Dante, his dark button-down sleeves rolled to his elbows, revealing the ink that snaked down his arm. His platinum hair was slightly tousled, a few strands brushing his forehead. My heart stumbled at the sight of him, and I grimaced.
“Of course. Aren’t you?” Chiara smirked, linking her arm with mine. “Give him hell, Ella.”
I sighed, watching her melt into the crowd. I wished she’d talk to more people-she’d have a better chance at finding her mate if she did. Ignoring the fluttering in my chest, I approached Leonardo and Dante, who stopped talking as I drew near. Dante’s glare suggested their conversation had been far from pleasant, but it was Leonardo’s intense gaze that pulled me in, leaving Dante’s presence as an afterthought.
“Can we talk?” My voice faltered but held steady.
Leonardo’s brow arched, his smirk curling as he sized me up.
“Is this before or after you apologize for attacking me?” he replied with a chuckle.
Dante’s brow lifted at Leonardo’s words but said nothing. My irritation simmered. That moment had been coming since I returned to the pack.
“I don’t owe you an apology,” I snapped. “You healed in an hour-the only thing I actually hurt was your ego.”
Leonardo’s laugh was slow, eyes narrowing with amusement. “So quick to violence, kitten.” He glanced at my clenched fists.
“Stop calling me that,” I rolled my eyes, but I could feel the familiar pull of the bond between us, that tie that always seemed to draw me back.
Dante, clearly annoyed, excused himself with a final glare at Leonardo, who waved him off as if it were nothing.
“What’s his problem?” I muttered once Dante was out of earshot.
“Ask him. Maybe he’ll tell you,” Leonardo replied, a knowing smile playing on his lips. But I doubted Dante would share even if I did ask.
“That’s not why you wanted to talk, is it?” he continued, his voice laced with amusement as he leaned toward me. I frowned, biting my lip in frustration. The words I’d come here to say hovered just at the edge, yet the bond urged me to keep them in. As I looked into his eyes, memories of his rejection flashed through me-the way the mate bond must have tugged at him then, just as it did now, turning his words to ash on his tongue.
Leonardo tilted his head, waiting. “It’s not like you to be at a loss for words.” His tone was light, but his eyes burned with an unfamiliar warmth, and for a brief second, I felt a flicker of hope.
Swallowing hard, I forced myself to remember the lonely nights I’d spent hoping he’d change his mind. But he’d made his choice, and now, so had I.
“I, Isabella-“