“Good morning, kitten.” Leonardo’s voice cut through the quiet room from where he stood, leaning against the wall with his muscular arms crossed. His intense, crystal-grey eyes locked onto me, unwavering and unyielding. “Now, are you going to tell me what the hell happened to you?”
For a brief moment, I hesitated. I wasn’t sure how to answer. The truth was, I barely knew what was happening to me. It felt like fragments of forgotten memories were clawing their way back, but none of it made any sense. My gaze wandered over Leonardo, noticing the dark circles shadowing his eyes. His hair was disheveled, stray dark strands standing up in a way that showed he hadn’t slept. His clothes looked wrinkled, and from the bright light streaming through the window, I realized I’d missed yet another day of training. His scent-thick, earthy, intoxicating-filled the room, and I froze as I realized I was lying in his bed. Leonardo had brought me here, placed me on his bed.
“Why am I in your bedroom?” I managed, clearing my throat to steady my voice.
“Don’t change the subject, Isabella.” Leonardo’s tone was sharp as he stepped forward, stopping at the end of the bed. His hands gripped the footboard, the muscles in his arms flexing under the pressure. His voice was raw, laced with a glint of unhinged concern. A flicker of fear and anger burned within his gaze, cold and intense, charging the room with a fierce energy. “You clutched your head and screamed. You acted like you couldn’t see me, like you couldn’t hear me. What happened?”
Under Leonardo’s full scrutiny, I felt myself growing small. He was all-consuming in every way, emotions burning fiercely with an intensity that would only deepen with love or loyalty. I pushed away the thought of what that would mean for us, what it would feel like to be cherished by someone so uncompromising. His presence was magnetic, like a storm that never truly calms.
Just as I opened my mouth, a knock interrupted, and I let out a small sigh of relief as Leonardo turned.
Chiara entered, giving Leonardo a pointed look before turning to me with a warm smile. She plopped down beside me on the bed, eyes brightening as she noticed I was awake.
“I’ll give you two a minute,” Leonardo muttered, raking a frustrated hand through his messy hair. With a grumble, he walked out, leaving the door to close behind him.
Chiara let out a low whistle. “Well, seems like lover boy actually cares about you,” she teased with a smirk.
“What makes you say that?” I grumbled, rubbing my temples where a dull ache lingered. At least the headache had faded, no longer the mind-numbing pain that had tormented me before.
“You were out for a couple of hours before he even told Enrico and me.” Chiara’s smile faded slightly. “And it was only after he had every doctor in the pack check you out.”
“He had the doctor come and look at me?” I asked, frowning in surprise. “What did they say?”
“Not just one doctor. Try every single one within a thirty-mile radius.” She laughed lightly. “Turns out, you’re a perfectly healthy she-wolf.”
“Great,” I chuckled, though I couldn’t ignore the warmth spreading in my chest.
“So, are you going to tell us what the hell happened?” Chiara asked, arching a brow. “Leonardo’s been up all night keeping an eye on you.”
“What if I told you I didn’t know?” I sighed.
Chiara shrugged, standing up. “I’d say you’re hiding something, but that’s just my opinion.” She set down a change of clothes on the bed. “Get cleaned up. You smell like you’ve run a marathon. We’ll be downstairs when you’re done.”
Once Chiara left, I let out a groan, sinking into the bed. Leonardo had carried me to his room, called nearly every doctor in town, and stayed up watching over me. It certainly seemed like he cared, but I couldn’t shake the hurt that had settled in over the past year. No matter how much the mate-bond tried to sway me, I couldn’t simply forget the pain that lingered.
Dragging myself out of his bed, I padded into the bathroom, taking in the sheer size of it. His shower looked like it could fit a small family, complete with jets on every side and a small pool at the end that I guessed was a tub. My mind strayed to the image of him sitting there, bubbles reaching his chest. The thought brought an unexpected warmth to my cheeks, and I quickly turned the water on, letting hot steam fill the room.
I grabbed his shampoo, inhaling the scent of tea tree and peppermint, and couldn’t help a small smile. It would have been easier to hate him if he didn’t smell so good. After rinsing the conditioner from my hair, I wrapped myself in one of his towels and slipped on the clothes Chiara had left.
I had just finished when Chiara poked her head into the room, grinning. “Good, you’re dressed. Come on, there’s a bit of a mess downstairs.”
“Did something happen?” I asked, wincing as I noticed the annoyance in her expression.
“Carlo showed up, and Leonardo didn’t tell him what happened until he was already here. It’s… not going well.” She grunted. “You’ve got about a minute to get down there before they start tearing into each other.”
With a sigh, I quickly followed her, the scent of tea tree and peppermint lingering in my senses as we walked down the hall. Voices drifted up from the main room, Carlo’s unmistakable anger clashing with Leonardo’s cold, taunting tone.
All eyes turned to us as we entered the room. Carlo broke into a hesitant grin when he saw me.
“Can’t seem to keep out of trouble, can you?” he chuckled, pulling me into a hug.