Chapter 130: Claimed.
Aurora’s POV
“Someone’s at the door.” I told Annie.
“Hmmm…maybe it’s Alessandro.”
“Maybe.”
“Well, don’t just stand there go see what he wants!
And call me later with all the details.”
I couldn’t help but smile.
“Okay, okay. I will.”
“Good. Now go!”
With that, I ended the call, taking a deep breath before making my way to the door.
My heart kept beating as I reached for the handle and pulled it open.
But instead of Alessandro, it was Leonardo standing in front of me.
I froze.
Leonardo.
Out of all the people I expected to see, he wasn’t one of them. My heart, which had been racing with anticipation, now beated for an entirely different reason.
He looked… rough. His jaw was tense, his dark eyes clouded with something I couldn’t quite place.
Guilt?
Anger?
Regret?
Maybe all three.
“Aurora,” he said, his voice low.
I swallowed, gripping the door handle a little tighter.
“What are you doing here?”
He let out a humorless chuckle, shaking his head.
“That’s it? That’s all you have to say to me?”
I exhaled, already exhausted.
“Leonardo, I don’t know what you expect.
A warm welcome? After everything?”
He clenched his fists at his sides.
“I just… I needed to see you. To talk to you. Alone.”
I hesitated. I didn’t know if I was ready for this conversation, whatever it was.
"Now isn't really a good time—"
"Please." His voice cracked slightly, and that stopped me.
Leonardo begged. He was standing in front of me, and he looked like a man who had lost everything.
I sighed, stepping aside.
"Fine. Five minutes."
He walked in slowly, his eyes searching my room as if searching for something or someone.
“Were you expecting my brother?” he asked, a bitter smirk on his lips.
I folded my arms.
“Leonardo—”
“Just answer the question,” he cut in.
I didn’t. Because we both knew the answer.
He let out a humorless laugh, rubbing a hand down his face.
“Damn… So it’s true, huh? You and Alessandro.”
I didn’t say anything. I didn’t owe him an explanation.
Leonardo took a step closer, his gaze intense.
“I know I messed up, Aurora. I know I hurt you in ways I can’t take back.” He swallowed hard.
“But I never stopped loving you.”
My chest tightened. Why is he doing this now?
“I should’ve fought for you,” he continued.
“I should’ve been better.
I should’ve—”
“You should have,” I interrupted, my voice sharper than I intended.
“But you didn’t and now that’s all in the past, Leonardo. We are no more together.”
His jaw tightened.
“Do you love him?”
I inhaled sharply.
“Leonardo…”
“Do you?”
I opened my mouth, but before I could say anything, another knock sounded at the door.
This time, I knew exactly who it was.
Alessandro.
Leonardo’s eyes darkened as I turned toward the door.
“Looks like our time’s up,” I murmured.
Just as I reached to open the door, Leonardo rushed at me and grabbed my hand, pulling me to himself and planted a kiss on my lips.
I gasped against his lips, my body going rigid.
Leonardo’s grip was firm, his desperation evident in the way he held me.
His lips moved against mine as if trying to remind me of what we once had, of what he thought still lingered between us.
But my mind was blank, my heart beating not with longing, but with shock.
I pushed against his chest, breaking free from the kiss just as the door swung open.
Alessandro stood there.
His dark eyes locked onto the scene in front of him Leonardo’s hands still gripping my arms, my breath unsteady, lips parted in shock.
His entire body tensed, his jaw clenching so tightly I swore I could hear his teeth grinding.
A dangerous silence filled the room.
Leonardo didn’t let go. Instead, he smirked, his gaze moving between me and Alessandro.
“Well, look who decided to join us.”
Alessandro clenched his fists. He took a deep breath, his nostrils flaring in anger.
“Let. Her. Go.”
Leonardo let his fingers linger for a moment longer, his smirk growing, before finally releasing me.
“Relax, brother,” he taunted.
“Just reminiscing.”
Alessandro moved so fast I barely had time to react.
One second, he was at the door.
The next, he had Leonardo by the collar, shoving him back against the wall.
“You son of a—”
“Alessandro, stop!”
I grabbed his arm, trying to pull him back.
Leonardo only chuckled.
“What’s wrong?
Afraid she still feels something for me?”
Alessandro’s fist connected with Leonardo’s jaw before I could stop him.
The impact was brutal Leonardo’s head snapped to the side, his lip splitting open.
He wiped the blood with the back of his hand, his smirk never faltering.
“That all you got?” he taunted.
Alessandro’s body vibrated with anger.
“You don’t get to touch her,” he growled.
“Not anymore.”
Leonardo's smirk vanished, and for a moment, a raw emotion flashed in his eyes. But it disappeared just as quickly. "Wow, I never knew you had it in you, brother," he sneered. "I always thought you were the one who craved control, who wanted Father to see you as worthy of becoming the Alpha. But Father never saw you as more than a substitute for me. He always wanted me to be the pack's Alpha, not you.
And now, you're trying to take the one thing that's mine - my woman.
You're pathetic!"
Alessandro’s jaw tightened, his breathing heavy. His fists were still clenched at his sides, but he didn’t move.
He just stared at Leonardo, his dark eyes burning with restrained fury.
“You think this is about proving something to Father?” Alessandro’s voice was low, dangerously calm.
“You think I care about his approval?”
Leonardo let out a bitter laugh, shaking his head.
“Of course, you do. You always have.
That’s why you try so hard to be the perfect son, the responsible one, the one who follows every damn rule.”
He took a step closer, eyes furrowing.
“But no matter how hard you try, you’ll always be second to me. Always.”
Alessandro didn’t flinch. He held his ground, his face difficult to read.
But his voice… his voice carried the weight of years of resentment, of battles fought in silence.
“You can have Father’s approval,” Alessandro said coldly.
“I don’t need it.” He glanced at me briefly before turning back to Leonardo.
“But Aurora? She was never yours to begin with.”
Leonardo’s smirk returned, but it didn’t reach his eyes.
“Keep telling yourself that, little brother.”
His gaze went to me, holding it for just a second too long before he turned toward the door.
“This isn’t over.”
And with that, he walked away.
Silence settled between Alessandro and me.
His chest rose and fell heavily, his knuckles still tight from the punch.
When his eyes finally met mine, it wasn’t just anger in his eyes it was hurt.
“Did you want that?” he asked, his voice low.
I swallowed hard.
“No.”
His shoulders relaxed just a fraction.
I stepped closer, placing a hand on his arm.
“Alessandro, I—”
But before I could say anything more, he cupped my face and kissed me.
This kiss wasn’t desperate like Leonardo’s it was possessive, fierce.
A silent claim. A reminder of who I belonged to now.
And I kissed him back.
Because, despite everything, I knew exactly where my heart was.
With him.
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