Chapter 219: Before the Vows
Alessandro’s POV
“Damn, brother!
I can’t believe you’re actually getting married!”
Rafael exclaimed, tugging at his sleeves as the tailor made final adjustments.
His grin stretched wide, mischief in his eyes.
“You know,” he continued,
“I remember how much you used to go on and on about how you hated Aurora for coming into the pack.
You swore she was a bug that needed to be squashed.”
I let out a short laugh, shaking my head.
“Hah.
Yeah, I remember.
God, I hated her back then. She was annoying, fiery… and the way
she was always around Leonardo made me want to strangle him sometimes.”
Rafael smirked. “Well, look who’s eating his own words now.”
I couldn’t help the smile that tugged at my lips.
“Now, when I look at her… I just want her in my life forever. I don’t know how to explain it, Raf.
It’s like every day without her doesn’t even make sense anymore.”
He straightened his tie in the mirror.
“Still don’t get why people get married.
I mean, what’s the big deal? Is it for the pleasure? Because I get that every day without needing to chain myself down.”
Rolling my eyes, I clapped his shoulder firmly.
“That, my brother, is what you’ll never understand until you fall in love.
Real love.
The kind that changes everything.”
Rafael arched a brow. “Love, huh?
You?
Falling in love?
If someone told me that two years ago, I would’ve bet my life against it.”
I laughed softly, adjusting my cufflinks.
“Would you have thought I’d be marrying the very girl I used to hate?”
“Nope.” Rafael smirked.
“Not in a million years.”
“Neither would I,” I admitted.
“But here I am. And honestly… I feel fulfilled.
Grateful.
Like the Moon Goddess finally gave me the strongest Luna I could ask for.
Aurora isn’t just my mate, she’s my destiny.”
Rafael gave a low whistle.
“And to think… she’s Alpha Tony’s daughter. One of the strongest packs in the country.
“That’s… wow,” Rafael said, shaking his head.
“Yeah,”
I smirked, fixing my cufflinks.
“So you might never know when love knocks on your own door, Rafael.”
He suddenly started laughing so hard that I frowned. His laugh was loud, obnoxious, echoing in the shop.
“What’s so funny, Raf?” I asked, narrowing my eyes.
He clutched his stomach, wiping an imaginary tear.
“It’s what you just said, brother.
Me?
Fall in love?
Hah!
Never gonna happen.”
“Why not?”
I pressed, crossing my arms.
He leaned lazily against the mirror, smirking.
“Because I’m not stupid.
Look at you, Alessandro.
You’re all serious and powerful, Alpha, strong as hell. And yet one little woman waltzed into your life and suddenly you’re spouting poetry about destiny and fate.
You look… soft.”
I scoffed.
“Soft?
Rafael, this isn’t weakness. Love isn’t weakness.”
“Sure it isn’t,” he said sarcastically.
“Tell that to half the Alphas who’ve lost wars because they were too busy protecting their precious mates.”
“That’s different.” I stepped closer, glaring at him.
“They weren’t protecting mates. They were protecting distractions.
Aurora is not a distraction.
She’s my partner, my Luna.
She gives me strength.”
Rafael tilted his head.
“Strength?
You actually believe that?”
“I don’t just believe it. I feel it,” I shot back.
“Every time I look at her, I know I can face anything.
You wouldn’t understand because you’ve never felt it.”
He rolled his eyes.
“Oh, please.
Don’t preach at me like I’m some lost soul. I’m happy with what I’ve got.
Beautiful women, every night if I want them. No strings, no headaches.
Why would I chain myself down to one?”
“Because one day,” I said firmly, “all those nights will feel empty.
And when that day comes, you’ll realize that you’ve wasted time chasing shadows while the real thing passed you by.”
Rafael stopped smirking, just for a second. His jaw tightened, and his eyes flickered away before he shrugged it off.
“Not me. I’m not like you, Alessandro.
I don’t want destiny. I want freedom.”
I exhaled, shaking my head.
“You sound like a boy, not a man.”
“And you,” he shot back, “sound like an old wolf ready to hang up his claws.
Don’t forget who you were before Aurora came along.
You hated her.
You thought she was a thorn in your side.
And now?
Look at you.
Tamed.”
I stepped right in front of him, lowering my voice.
“No.
Not tamed.
Completed.”
He raised a brow, studying me for a moment, then gave a short laugh.
“Completed, huh?
You really believe the Moon Goddess handpicked her for you?”
“Yes,” I answered without hesitation.
“And I’d rather die than let her go.”
Rafael shook his head, pushing off the mirror.
“Well, good luck with that. Because if it were me, brother, I’d never let anyone hold that kind of power over me.
Not even the Moon Goddess herself.”
I frowned, studying him.
“One day, Rafael… you’ll eat those words. And when that day comes, I’ll remind you of this moment.”
He smirked again, but his voice was quieter this time.
“We’ll see, Alessandro. We’ll see.”
Before I could respond, the door creaked open and Gabriel strolled in, eyes glued to his phone. He didn’t even glance up.
“Hey!” I barked. “Shouldn’t you be checking your suit, making sure there aren’t any last-minute issues?”
He didn’t answer right away. When he finally lifted his gaze, his expression was tight, uneasy. Then he turned to me, his voice grim.
“Alpha…”
The way he said it made my chest clench. “What is it, Gabriel?”
His jaw tightened. “It’s Leonardo. He just sent me a message… after your wedding, he’s leaving the pack.”
I froze. My blood went cold. “WHAT?!”
Without another thought, I ripped off the jacket, tugging the tie loose. The tailor shouted after me, but I didn’t care. I stormed out of the shop, my phone already in hand. My thumb jabbed Leonardo’s name.
He picked up after two rings.
“Where are you?” I growled.
“At the bar,” he said calmly. “The one I always go to.”
“I’ll be there in ten.”
\---
The bar smelled of old wood and faint whiskey. When I walked in, I found him at the counter, nursing a glass of something weak. Not his usual burn-your-throat-out liquor.
He spotted me instantly, standing to his feet. To my shock, he bowed.
“Alpha.”
I frowned, irritation sparking. “Why the hell are you bowing?”
“Respect,” he muttered, a small, tired smile tugging his lips. “You deserve it now.”
“Cut the crap,” I snapped, sliding onto the stool beside him. “What’s this nonsense about you leaving the pack?”
Leonardo sighed, swirling the drink in his glass. “What’s left for me here, Alessandro?”
“What do you mean, ‘what’s left’? This is your home. Your family. Your people.”
He chuckled bitterly. “Home? I’ve already lost the woman I should’ve been with. And now my younger brother is Alpha. What exactly am I supposed to do? Linger in your shadow, watching you have the life that might have been mine?”
I stared at him, stunned by his honesty. “Leonardo…”
He turned to me, his eyes tired but burning with unspoken emotion. “I need to find my own path, Alessandro. Maybe even find someone who’s truly fated for me. Staying here will only destroy me piece by piece.”
I clenched my jaw, anger mixing with guilt. “You don’t get to just walk away. Not without a fight.”
He gave me a sad smile. “Sometimes walking away *is* the fight.”
The silence between us stretched. Finally, he raised his glass. “To you and Aurora. May your reign be long and strong.”
I lifted mine, though reluctantly, and we clinked. The sound felt heavier than glass.
When he set his cup down, he straightened, meeting my eyes one last time. “But Alessandro…”
“Yes?”
“If you ever hurt her… if you ever make her cry the way I did… I will come back. And I will reclaim her. I swear it.”
My eyes narrowed, but I didn’t flinch. “That day will never come.”
His lips curved into a bittersweet smirk. “For your sake, I hope it doesn’t.”
Then, without another word, he turned and walked away, leaving me with the echo of his threat hanging in the air.
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