Chapter 119: Protecting Her, Losing Myself.

Leonardo’s POV

“I will be right there.” I said as I quickly got up to get dressed.

Mila was still fast asleep on the bed beside me, her face calm and relaxed, her breathing normal.

“What the hell did I do?”

I slapped my hand over my mouth to stop myself from gasping loudly.  

All the alcohol from last night had weared off and that included my confidence.

As memories of last night flashed through my mind: the dancing, the flirting, my hand on hers….

“Get it together. Just get out of here.”

Moving as slowly and quietly as possible, I slipped off the bed. The floor was cold under my bare feet, but I ignored it, quickly searching for my clothes.

They were scattered on the chair. I grabbed them, quickly pulling on yesterday’s outfit, which suddenly felt too wrinkled and too obvious.

I could not imagine waking up to face Mila. I was too embarrassed to see her.

“Please don’t wake up. Please don’t wake up.”

I tiptoed to the door, holding my breath as I turned the knob and slipped out into the hallway.

The second the door clicked shut behind me, I ran. My heart beating as I hurried through the corridor.

“What did I just do? Was this a mistake?”
I couldn’t stop the crazy thought. I barely remembered half of what happened. Was it just the alcohol? I shook my head, trying to shove the thoughts away.

I got out of the apartment and tried to get a cab back to the pack house.

Rafael had called earlier to inform me that Alpha John had decided to divorce April and so Aurora and her mother were no longer members of our pack.
I leaned my head against the cab window, my pulse still racing from the way I had bolted out of Mila’s apartment.
The cool glass did nothing to soothe the pounding in my skull or the chaos in my mind.
What the hell did I just do?
I ran a hand through my hair, frustration and guilt gnawing at me. I barely remembered half of last night.
I knew I had been drunk, I knew I had been heartbroken, but I didn’t know why I had let myself end up in bed with Mila.
Aurora.
Her name alone sent a wave of regret crashing through me.
The cab pulled up in front of the pack house, and I threw some cash at the driver before stepping out. My legs felt heavy, but I forced myself forward.
The moment I stepped inside, Rafael was already waiting for me, arms crossed, his expression unreadable.
“Where the hell have you been?” he asked, his voice low.
I let out a breath. “Out.”
Rafael scoffed. “Out drinking yourself stupid?”
I didn’t respond.
He sighed. “You really picked a great night to go missing, Leonardo.
Everything fell apart while you were busy drowning in whiskey.”
I frowned. “What do you mean?”
Rafael’s eyes darkened.
“Father made his decision last night to divoice April and take her to rehab and since they are no longer together, he said there no reason for Aurora to remain in our pack. So he wants her to leave the pack.”
His words hit me like a punch to the gut.
I stiffened. “What?”
“Yeah, Alessandro is in there talking to father about him allowing Aurora to stay since she has no where else to go, but father is insisting that she needs to leave the pack and I think it’s because of you, Leonardo.” Rafael said, a look of sadness on his face.
“If you hadn’t confronted dad about your feelings for Aurora and made things complicated for her, he might have allowed her to stay in the pack, but because you said you were ready to throw everything just to be with her, father is angry and wants to use this opportunity to kick her out.”
My chest tightened. The weight of Rafael’s words crashed over me, knocking the breath from my lungs.
This was my fault.
Aurora was being cast out because of me. Because I had been reckless with my feelings.
Because I had let my emotions get the best of me and confronted my father. I should have known better.
I swallowed hard. “Where is she now?”
Rafael sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Still in there with Alessandro and Father.
Alessandro is trying, but you know how stubborn he is.”
Without another word, I turned on my heel and strode toward my father’s office.
My heart kept beating as I reached the heavy wooden door, raising my fist to knock.
Before I could, the door swung open, revealing Alessandro’s tense face.
He stepped out, his jaw clenched, his dark eyes filled with frustration.
“He won’t budge,” he muttered.
“He says she leaves by nightfall.”
My throat tightened. “Where is she supposed to go?”
Alessandro shook his head.
“She has nowhere.”
I felt my fists clench at my sides. This wasn’t right. It wasn’t fair.
“Let me talk to him,” I said, pushing past Alessandro into the office.
My father sat behind his desk, his expression as unreadable as ever. He looked up at me, unimpressed.
“So, you’ve finally decided to show up.”
I ignored his remark. “You’re really throwing Aurora out?”
He folded his hands over his desk. “She is no longer my concern. My relationship with April is over.
That means Aurora no longer has a place in this pack.”
“It’s not her fault you and her mother didn’t work out,” I argued, my voice rising.
“Where is she suppose to go?”
“She is not my blood,” he said coldly. “And she is not your mate.”
I flinched at the words. He might as well have slapped me.
My father exhaled heavily. “I am doing what is best for this pack. You let your emotions cloud your judgment, Leonardo.
You spoke out of turn, and now you must live with the consequences.”
I shook my head, disbelief and anger swirling inside me.
“You’re punishing her for something she had no control over.”
“She is a distraction for you,” he said.
“And I will not allow my son the future Alpha to throw away everything for a girl who was never meant to be his.”
His words hit deep, but I refused to back down.
“If you force her out, I’ll go with her.”
Silence fell over the room.
Alessandro and Rafael both stiffened behind me. My father’s gaze darkened, but I didn’t waver.
“Don’t be foolish,” he said in a low voice. “You have a duty here.”
“I know my duty,” I snapped.
“But I won’t stand by while you rip her life apart.”
He studied me for a long moment, then leaned back in his chair.
“Then prove it. If you want her to stay, you’ll have to choose.
Your position, your pack, your future as Alpha or Aurora.”
The ultimatum hung heavy between us.
I felt my breath hitch, my heart beating in my chest.
Could I give up everything?
For her?
I sighed deeply and then spoke. “I choose the pack. Aurora and I are no longer together. We broke up, father.”
A look of surprise crossed his face, but it was gone in an instant, replaced by a look of approval.
“Good.” he said simply.
“Then she can stay, but if I find out that you are dating her secretly, I will not hesitate to banish her from the pack. You understand me?”
I nodded, my jaw clenched. “I understand.”
The tension in the room was thick, but my father seemed satisfied.
He turned back to his papers as if our conversation was over, as if he hadn’t just threatened to destroy the one person I cared about most.
I turned and walked out of the office, feeling a hollow emptiness settle in my chest.
Alessandro was waiting for me in the hallway, his brows furrowed in concern.
“What happened?”
“She can stay,” I said flatly, “as long as we’re not together.”
He exhaled sharply, rubbing the back of his neck.
“That’s… something, I guess. But are you okay with that?”
I shook my head. “No, I’m not okay with it. I’m throwing her away again, and it hurts. I’m choosing the pack over her again.”
Alessandro placed a firm hand on my shoulder. “No, you chose to protect her this time.
If you had chosen to be with her, Father wouldn’t have hesitated to banish her.”
I let out a heavy breath, my chest tightening. “I guess,” I muttered, though the pain inside me didn’t ease.
Alessandro gave me a small, understanding nod. “It doesn’t feel like it right now, but you did the right thing.”
I wanted to believe him. I wanted to believe that sacrificing my own happiness for Aurora’s safety was the right choice.
But as I stood there, feeling like I had lost a piece of myself, I wasn’t sure if I’d ever be able to accept it.