Chapter 157: The Enemy I Must Pretend to Be
Alessandro’s POV
I paced back and forth across the room, my fists clenched at my sides. My thoughts were racing, and my frustration was boiling over.
“So Uncle Raymond wants to take what he thinks is his,” I muttered, voice low and tense.
“But what I can’t wrap my head around is what does this have to do with Aurora?”
Leonardo sighed and leaned against the table, running a hand through his hair. He looked tired… worn down.
“You don’t get it, Alessandro,” he said quietly.
“Uncle Raymond and Father? They were just like us. Two brothers in love with the same woman… and now they were both fighting for the Alpha title too.”
He looked over at me, his eyes carrying guilt and something softer—regret, maybe.
“It’s like history is repeating itself,” he added.
“But this time, we have a chance to stop it. We don’t have to make the same mistakes they did.”
I stopped pacing and turned to face him, my heart pounding. Everything felt like it was falling apart, like we were running out of time.
“We’re not them,” Leonardo said.
“We don’t need to become enemies just to prove who’s stronger. We can fix this… together.
End Uncle Raymond’s madness before it ruins everything.”
I leaned back against the wall and dragged a hand down my face. I felt so tired mentally, physically, and everything.
“And how exactly do we do that?” I asked, my voice a little rough.
“We don’t even know where he’s hiding, Aurora. And every second we waste, she’s in more danger.”
There was a heavy silence for a moment.
Then Gabriel stepped out from the corner, his arms crossed, his face hard.
“Actually,” he said, his voice calm but serious, “I think we might have a way of finding Aurora.”
Leonardo and I both turned to Gabriel at the same time, our eyes locked on him.
“What are you talking about?” I asked, my voice tense, my heart already thudding harder in my chest.
Gabriel crossed his arms as he looked at us, a slight glint of strategy in his eyes.
“Think about it,” he said.
“Uncle Raymond doesn’t know you two are working together now. As far as he’s concerned, you still hate each other.
He probably believes you're still fighting for the Alpha title, just like he and our father did.”
Leonardo straightened, his eyes furrowing slightly.
“You’re saying we use that against him?”
Gabriel nodded.
“Exactly. We feed into what he already believes. We make him think his plan is working, that history is repeating itself.”
I crossed my arms, thinking it through, the pieces slowly fitting together in my mind.
“If he thinks we’re distracted, still busy tearing each other apart… he’ll let his guard down.”
“Right,” Gabriel said.
“And that gives us a shot at getting closer to finding Aurora.”
Leonardo glanced over at me, his expression serious now.
“We pull this off, and we might just have a real shot at ending this.”
I gave a small nod, a flicker of hope rising in my chest. For the first time in hours, it felt like we had something to work with.
“All right,” I said, my jaw tightening.
“Let’s do it. Let’s make him think we’re still enemies…”
“…And use that to bring Aurora home.” Leonardo finished for me.
We all stood there in silence for a moment, the weight of our shared purpose hanging heavy in the air.
Bring her back.
No matter what it takes.
Just then, Rafael’s voice broke through the stillness.
“Uh… guys?”
Rafael spoke up, his arms crossed as he leaned against the doorframe.
He’d been quiet the whole time, just observing. Now, his brows were slightly raised, and his tone was filled with concern and sarcasm.
“How exactly do you plan on doing that?”
We all turned to him.
“I mean…” he continued, pushing off the wall and walking toward us, “do you plan on continuing the challenge or what?
Are you going to fake-fight in front of the pack?
Get into another dramatic argument in the middle of the training field?”
Leonardo scratched the back of his neck awkwardly.
“Well… kind of.”
I sighed and rubbed my temples.
“It’s not like we have a solid script, Rafael. We just need to sell the story that Leo and I are still at each other’s throats.
If Raymond has spies in the pack, they’ll feed that back to him.”
Gabriel nodded. “It’s a risk, but a calculated one. We make it look like the tension between you two is boiling over again.
Maybe even stage a public fallout.”
Rafael folded his arms again, thinking.
“Okay. I get the idea… But you better not actually punch each other.
Last time, Leo had a black eye for two days.”
Leonardo smirked. “I’ll try to aim for the ribs this time.”
I rolled my eyes.
“Hilarious.”
Still, a part of me was already steeling itself. If this was what it took to bring Aurora back, then I’d do it. I’d play the enemy.
I’d become the villain in my own story… if it meant saving her from his twisted plans.
“Let’s get this plan in motion,” I said finally.
“The sooner he believes we’re falling apart, the sooner we get close to her.”
Rafael nodded, though worry still lingered in his eyes.
“Just… don’t lose yourself in the act, okay?”
I gave him a small, tight smile.
“Don’t worry,” I said, my voice low but firm.
“I know exactly who I’m doing this for.”
That night, sleep didn’t come easy.
I lay in bed staring at the ceiling, my arms resting behind my head as my thoughts spun in circles.
The room was quiet—too quiet. The kind of quiet that only made the ache worse. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw her face.
Aurora.
Was she cold? Was she scared?
Was she still fighting to hold on?
The thought of her tied up somewhere, surrounded by darkness and danger, made my chest tighten.
I hated this feeling, this helplessness. I was supposed to protect her.
I had promised her that nothing would happen to her… And now she was gone, and I didn’t even know where she was.
I sat up, resting my elbows on my knees, running a hand through my hair.
“Hang in there, Aurora,” I whispered into the silence.
“I’m coming for you. No matter what it takes.”
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