Chapter 54: The Blame Game.

Leonardo’s POV

I couldn’t look into Aurora’s eyes. It was obvious that she was disappointed in me. I didn’t believe her. I did but I…just didn’t know what happened.

I just couldn’t place it. After Alessandro led her away from the scene. I went to the cell where Marcus was held and ordered the guards to open the cell gate.

They hesitated for a moment but eventually opened the cell gate and I walked in.

I stood in front of Marcus, my fists clenched at my sides, the tension between us thick enough to cut with a blade.

The events of the night had left me raw, confused, and angrier than I’d been in years. I needed answers.

"You're going to tell me the truth, Marcus," I said, my voice low and dangerous. "Why did you do it? Who put you up to this?"

Marcus leaned back lazily against the wall, as though this was all a game to him.

"Why, Leonardo? Feeling a little guilty now that your precious Aurora has run off crying?

You didn’t believe her. You failed her. And I have to say, it was a beautiful thing to watch."

My jaw tightened, but I held myself back. "Answer the question, Marcus. Who gave you the order?"

Marcus chuckled darkly. "You think I’m just going to tell you? Let me give you a little freebie instead.

It doesn’t matter who ordered it because the damage is done. She’ll never come back to you.

Not after tonight. You think she’ll forgive you for taking my side? For standing there like a dumb puppy while she begged for you to believe her?"

The words hit their mark. My vision blurred with rage, and before I could think, my fist connected with Marcus’s jaw.

The force of the punch knocked Marcus sideways, and he spat blood onto the floor, laughing even harder.

"That’s it, Leonardo. Let it out," Marcus taunted, his voice thick with mockery.

"You’ve already lost her. My job here is done."

I grabbed Marcus by the collar, lifting him slightly off the ground. "Who gave the order?

Tell me, or I swear you won’t leave this cell alive."

But Marcus only smiled, his laughter turning eerie. "Figure it out yourself, Alpha-to-be.

Though if I were you, I’d be looking closer to home."

The cryptic statement stopped me cold. I dropped Marcus roughly, the man collapsing back onto the floor, still chuckling.

I knew I wasn’t going to get anything else out of him. But the words lingered like poison in my mind. Closer to home?

As I left the cell, a single thought consumed me. Could it have been Alessandro? It made an unsettling kind of sense.

Alessandro had stepped in to defend Aurora, had made himself her savior in the moment when I had faltered. If Alessandro wanted to turn her against me, this would be the perfect way.

My steps quickened as I headed for Alessandro’s room, my mind racing. Was this all part of a plan to drive a wedge between me and Aurora? To isolate her and make her believe Alessandro was the only one she could trust?

I reached Alessandro’s door and shoved it open without knocking. Alessandro was sitting at his desk, a calm expression on his face as he looked up from a stack of papers.

"Alessandro," I began, but I didn’t get the chance to finish. My fist connected with Alessandro’s jaw in one swift, unrelenting motion.

Alessandro staggered back, knocking over his chair as he caught himself against the wall.

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" Alessandro roared, holding his jaw as he straightened.

"What did you do, Alessandro?" I demanded, my voice sharp with accusation.

"Was this your plan? To turn Aurora against me? Did you order Marcus to—"

"Stop right there," Alessandro cut me off, his own anger now flaring. He shoved me back, his eyes blazing.

"You’re accusing me of this? After everything I’ve done to clean up your mess?"

My chest heaved with barely restrained fury. "You’re the only one who had anything to gain from this!

You’ve hated Aurora from the start, but then you step in like a hero? Convenient, don’t you think?"

Alessandro’s lips curled into a bitter smile. "You think I orchestrated this just to win Aurora’s favor?

That’s what you’re going with?"

"Who else would have done it?" I shot back, my fists still clenched. "Marcus practically admitted someone put him up to it, and you’re the only one who—"

"Enough!" Alessandro shouted, his voice echoing through the room.

"You’re so desperate to blame someone else for your failure that you’ll point the finger at your own brother? You think I’d stoop so low as to use her to get to you?”

I stared at him, my rage faltering for just a moment. Alessandro’s anger was genuine, his indignation cutting through the haze of suspicion.
“If I wanted to take you down, Leonardo, I’d do it the honorable way,” Alessandro said, his voice ice-cold.
“But this? Dragging Aurora into some twisted scheme? That’s not me. And if you weren’t so blinded by your guilt, you’d know that.”

“Don’t give that crap, Alessandro! I know it was you and so stop lying!” I shouted, my hand clenched into a fist ready to punch him again.

"Enough!" Alessandro shouted, his voice echoing through the room.

But I was beyond reason. I launched myself at Alessandro, fists flying. He met me head-on, and we crashed to the floor, punching and kicking.

Just as it seemed like we were going to kill each other, Rafael and Gabriel burst into the room, grabbing us and pulling us apart.

"Stop it, both of you!" Rafael yelled, his voice firm. "You're not going to solve anything by fighting."

Gabriel held me back, his grip like a vice. "Leonardo, calm down. Think about what you're doing."

I struggled against Gabriel's hold, but he wouldn't let me go. Finally, I managed to compose myself, my chest heaving with rage.

Rafael stepped forward, his eyes blazing with anger. "Leonardo, how could you do this to Aurora? Why would you believe a beta over your own woman?"

I tried to defend myself, but Rafael cut me off. "No, Leonardo. You need to listen. You failed Aurora tonight. You failed to protect her, to believe her. What the hell were you thinking?"

Alessandro laughed, a cold, mirthless sound. "You can't defend yourself, Leonardo.

No matter what you say, your actions speak louder than words. You showed Aurora that you don't completely believe in her. And that means she might never trust you again."

I felt a pang of fear at Alessandro's words. Could it be true? Had I really damaged my relationship with Aurora beyond repair?

Rafael's expression was grim. "You need to think about what you've done, Leonardo. And you need to think about how you're going to make it right."

I was beyond reasoning. "You guys don't get it, huh? Alessandro set this whole thing up to break me and Aurora up!"

Alessandro smiled and shook his head. "You really think I would order Marcus to enter Aurora's room and assault her just to break you two up?

You must be a damn fool to think I would do such a thing. You're just angry that when Aurora needed you the most, you weren't there, and I showed up to help our stepsister. You're angry and think I planned all of this."

Rafael stepped forward, his eyes blazing with anger. "Leonardo, that's enough. You're not going to stand here and accuse Alessandro of something like that without any proof."

I glared at Alessandro, but he just shook his head. "I'm done with this conversation, Leonardo. You need to take some time to think about what you've done and how you're going to make it right."

The room fell silent, the weight of Alessandro’s words hanging heavily between me.

For the first time, doubt crept into my mind. Could I have been wrong? If it wasn’t Alessandro...then who?