Chapter 38: Refusing to Back Down.

Aurora’s POV

As soon as the door opened, my breath caught in my throat. Alessandro stood there, his shirt half unbuttoned, revealing his toned chest and the defined lines of his muscles.

His skin glistened slightly in the soft morning light, accentuating the strength in his broad shoulders and sculpted torso.

There was an effortless power in the way he stood, his body lean yet powerful, drawing my gaze even though I tried to look away.

For a moment, I forgot why I was even there, my eyes tracing the shape of his chest, the firm muscles under his smooth, tanned skin.

My gaze moved up to his collarbone, then to his strong neck and sharp jaw. I swallowed, trying to pull my thoughts together.

"Focus, Aurora. You're not here to admire him," I reminded myself.

But there was no denying that Alessandro was… powerful. Not just in presence, but physically.

His anger was clear, but the strong, masculine energy he gave off made it hard to ignore the flutter in my stomach.

His dark eyes met mine, full of intensity, and for a moment, I wondered what it would be like to be caught up in that intensity.

I snapped myself out of it, shaking off the thought as quickly as it had appeared.

He was Alessandro, the man who hated me, the man who had done everything in his power to make my life difficult.

This was the same person who had humiliated me countless times. And yet…

The weight of his gaze anchored me to the spot, and for a heartbeat, I could barely breathe.

"What are you doing here, Aurora?" he repeated, his voice harsher, reminding me that I wasn’t here to get lost in his appearance.

I blinked, realizing I hadn’t said a word.

"I… I need to speak with you," I finally managed, the words feeling clumsy on my tongue as I forced myself to look away from his chest and meet his eyes.

Alessandro’s expression darkened as he stepped forward, his presence looming even larger now.

"Speak about what?" he asked coldly, clearly unimpressed with my sudden appearance.

I inhaled deeply, trying to steel myself against the intensity of his presence, but it was nearly impossible with him standing so close, his unbuttoned shirt exposing more of his skin than I was ready for.

This wasn’t the Alessandro I was used to during confrontations. There was something different about him now, something that unsettled me in ways I couldn’t quite explain.

“I... um… came to apologize for my mother’s attitude last night,” I started, my voice unsteady. “I know she can be a bit—”

“Annoying, selfish, and inconsiderate,” he cut me off sharply.

I nodded slowly. “Yeah...”

He scoffed, starting to button up his shirt. “So... she sent her little puppet to apologize, instead of doing it herself, huh?”

My stomach twisted at his words, the harshness of them cutting deep. I swallowed the frustration rising in my throat, trying to keep my composure.

"I’m not her puppet, Alessandro,” I said, my voice firmer this time, though I wasn’t sure if I fully believed it.

"I came because it’s the right thing to do. I don’t want things to get worse between us.”

He paused, his fingers still on the last button of his shirt, his dark eyes locking onto mine again, filled with that same cold intensity.

“Worse?” he repeated, his tone mocking. “Things are already bad, Aurora. You think an apology is going to fix that?”

I clenched my fists at my sides, trying to keep my voice steady. “I’m just trying to make peace.”

He let out a bitter laugh, shaking his head as he finished buttoning up. “Peace? You don’t even know what you’re asking for.”

The tension in the room was suffocating, the silence that followed his words heavy.

I could feel my heart racing, the urge to defend myself fighting against the need to just get out of there.

“Then tell me,” I finally said, my voice low, the tension between us almost unbearable.

“What do you want from me, Alessandro?”

His expression shifted in an instant, a smirk curling his lips. Something dark and unreadable flashed in his eyes, making my stomach flip.

“What I want, hmm?” he echoed, his voice teasing, but there was an edge to it that made my skin prickle.

I nodded, unsure of what I was inviting with that question but unwilling to back down.

My eyes stayed on him, wary and suspicious as he took slow, deliberate steps toward me.

His eyes never left mine, and every inch closer he came, the more aware I became of the space between us. Or rather, how little of it remained.

“Do you really want to know what I want?” he asked, his voice dropping to a low murmur as he stood just inches from me.

I swallowed hard, hesitating. His presence was suffocating, the intensity of his gaze too much to hold. My eyes darted away, breaking the connection.

“Yes,” I whispered, forcing myself to respond.

He scoffed, the sound bitter and full of disdain. He leaned down, his breath hot against my ear, and I felt a chill run down my spine.

“I want you to get lost, Aurora,” he whispered, his voice dripping with contempt.

“I want you and your annoying mother to leave this pack and never return. Can you do that?”

The words struck like a blow, cold and final. I took an involuntary step back, my chest tightening as I processed the weight of what he’d just said.

He didn’t just dislike me he wanted me gone, out of their life entirely.

I looked up at him, trying to muster the strength to respond, but all I felt was the sting of rejection.

The humiliation of knowing that he saw me, not as a threat or an equal, but as a nuisance.

“Is that what you really want?” I asked, my voice trembling slightly despite my effort to sound strong.

He straightened, that cruel smirk still lingering on his face. “Yes,” he said flatly, his tone leaving no room for misunderstanding.

“You and your mother are nothing but problems for this pack. For me.”

My heart beated in my chest as I fought to keep my emotions in check. I didn’t want him to see how much his words affected me, how much they hurt. But it was hard. Too hard.

“But my mother is your Luna, and the wife of your Alpha. She can’t leave,” I said, my voice firmer than I felt.

“So I’m sorry, Alessandro, but I can’t give you what you want.”

He scoffed, his eyes narrowing as a bitter smirk crossed his face. “See? I knew you’d say that.

You never had any intention of leaving this pack. You enjoy being a thorn in my side, don’t you?”

I flinched at the accusation but stood my ground. “Look, Alessandro, I don’t know why you hate me so much or why you want me gone, but whatever issue you have with me, leave my mother out of this.

She’s done nothing to you.”

His laugh was sharp, mocking, cutting through the tension in the room like a knife. It sent a fear down my spine.

“Hahaha,” he chuckled, his eyes filled with cruel amusement. “Leave your mother out of this?

You don’t get it, do you?”

I stared at him, confused and uncomfortable under his gaze, but before I could respond, he leaned in slightly, his smirk deepening.

“Then break up with my brother, Leonardo,” he said, his tone dark, almost daring me to challenge him.

The demand hit me like a punch to the gut, and I blinked in shock. Break up with Leonardo?

What did he mean by that? My mind raced as I tried to make sense of the sudden shift in the conversation.

“I—what?” I stammered, still processing what he had just said.

“You heard me,” Alessandro said, crossing his arms over his chest, his tone turning colder.

“If you want me to leave your mother out of this, then break up with Leonardo. End whatever it is you two have going on.”

“That’s ridiculous,” I snapped, finding my voice again. “My relationship with Leonardo has nothing to do with this!”

“Doesn’t it?” he countered, stepping closer, his eyes locking onto mine with a fierce intensity.

“Do you think I’m stupid, Aurora? Do you think I don’t see what’s happening?”

My pulse quickened, his proximity making it hard to think straight.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. Leonardo—”

“Leonardo has always been the favorite, hasn’t he?” Alessandro interrupted, his voice dripping with bitterness.

“The perfect son, the perfect Alpha-to-be. And now you’ve attached yourself to him, thinking you’ll have an easy ride to power. But I won’t let that happen.”

“That’s not true!” I shouted, my frustration boiling over.

“I’m not with Leonardo because of some power play! I care about him!”

He let out another harsh laugh, his eyes cold and unforgiving. “Care about him?

You think that matters? You’re just another pawn in the game, Aurora. And if you want to protect your mother, you’ll end it with him. Now.”

The ultimatum hung in the air, thick with tension. I stared at Alessandro, my heart beating in my chest. How had things come to this? How had his hatred for me spiraled into this demand?

“I won’t do that,” I said, my voice shaking but resolute. “I won’t end my relationship with Leonardo just to satisfy your twisted sense of control.”

His jaw tightened, and for a moment, I thought he might lash out. But instead, he stepped back, his expression darkening even further.

“Then you’ve made your choice,” he said coldly.

“But don’t say I didn’t warn you, Aurora. You’re playing a dangerous game, and in the end, it’s going to cost you more than you realize.”


Ensnared by My Stepbrothers' Realm
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