Chapter 70: Standing Tall.

Leonardo’s POV
My phone buzzed again in my hand, the screen lighting up like a harsh reminder of the world waiting for me outside this room. Lena’s message felt heavy, like a stone pressing down on my chest, making it hard to breathe.
Tomorrow.
The word echoed in my mind, drowning out everything else. It was the one question I couldn’t escape: What do I do now?
I looked down at Aurora, her face resting peacefully against my chest, her soft breaths steady and calm. She had no idea about the storm building inside me.
The soft glow of the morning sun peeked through the curtains, making her hair shine, and for just a moment, I let myself forget.
Forget about the pack counting on me to do my duty. Forget about the marriage to Lena a future I never wanted but was chosen for me long before I met Aurora. Forget that time was running out.
How can I let this go?
I couldn’t stop looking at her. In just a few weeks, she had brought me more happiness, more life, than I’d ever felt before.
She shifted slightly, moving closer to me, and a sharp wave of guilt hit me. How could I tell her that tomorrow might take everything away?
My hand gently cupped her face, brushing a thumb across her cheek as I whispered to myself,
“I don’t want to lose you, Aurora. I can’t lose you.”
I lay in bed for a long time, staring at the ceiling. My mind kept playing over Lena's message, my dad's expectations, and Aurora's peaceful face.
 I knew I had to make a difficult choice.I can’t do this anymore.
I couldn’t live a life dictated by others, a life bound to a loveless marriage. I refused to spend the rest of my days pretending to be someone I wasn’t, especially when I had found something real something worth fighting for with Aurora.
With a quiet resolve, I turned my head and looked at her sleeping form. Her face was relaxed, her breathing steady, completely unaware of the storm raging inside me. I didn’t want to wake her, didn’t want to explain myself not yet.
I needed to go now, while I still had the courage to stand up to my father and end this once and for all.
I sat up carefully, the bed creaking softly beneath me. My movements were deliberate, almost slow-motion, as I reached for my clothes.
I pulled on my shirt, buttoning it quickly, then slipped into my pants. I took my shoes in my hand, not wanting the sound to disturb her.
As I walked to the door, I paused and turned to look at her one last time. The sunlight peeked faintly through the curtains, casting a little light over her, highlighting the gentle rise and fall of her chest.
In that moment, I realized just how much she meant to me how much this woman had changed everything.
For you, I thought silently, my heart aching as I reached for the doorknob. For us, I’ll do this.
I turned the knob slowly, the door creaking faintly as it opened. I stepped out into the hallway, closing it behind me with care.
The click echoed softly, and I stood there for a moment, collecting myself before moving forward.
As I made my way down the hallway, the distant hum of the hotel came alive the muffled sounds of doors opening, people walking, and life continuing as usual. But inside me, everything felt different. I felt determined.
Arriving at the reception desk, the receptionist looked up and greeted me warmly with a professional yet friendly smile.
“Good morning, sir. How can I assist you?”
“I’d like to order breakfast to my room,” I said quietly, mindful of the quiet atmosphere around us.
“Could it be delivered by 8 a.m.?”
“Of course,” she replied with a nod, her fingers already moving across her keyboard.
“I’ll place the order immediately. Anything else you need?”
“No, that’ll be all. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” she said with another smile.
I offered a small nod of gratitude before walking out of the hotel. The lobby doors slid open with a quiet whoosh, and the crisp morning air hit me as I stepped outside.
The world seemed sharper somehow, as if the weight of my decision had cleared the haze clouding my vision.
I climbed into my car, gripping the steering wheel tightly for a moment before starting the engine.
The hum of the vehicle felt grounding, pulling me back to reality as I pulled out of the parking lot and headed toward the pack.
The drive was silent, save for the faint sound of the engine and the rhythmic beating of my heart.
My thoughts churned as I considered what I was about to do. I would stand before my father the Alpha and tell him the truth.
I would end the arranged marriage with Lena, no matter what it cost me.
Because I couldn’t live my life as a puppet, sacrificing love for duty.
For the first time in a long while, I felt like I was taking control of my life.
It’s time to end this.
******
When I arrived at the pack, I parked my car and sat there for a moment, gathering my thoughts.
This was going to be the first time I stood up to my father, but I had to do it for my own happiness.
Rafael once told me that I had it easy because I was the favorite son, but no one understood the weight of my responsibility.
I was being forced to marry a woman I didn’t love just to keep peace between two packs.
Now, they wanted Lena and me to become the Alpha and Luna of a newly united pack.
I couldn’t stand the thought of living one more day with Lena a woman who treated me like I belonged to her and believed I didn’t deserve happiness unless it was with her.
I finally got out of the car, pressed the button to lock it, and walked into the pack house.
Once inside, I went straight upstairs toward my father’s office. I was ready to tell him everything and make my decision clear.
When I reached the door, I lifted my hand to knock but paused when I heard voices coming from inside. I leaned closer and realized my father was talking to someone.
“If Leonardo and Lena don’t get married, Alpha Maverick will declare war on our pack,” I heard my father say.
“You know how dangerous he is—he doesn’t care about anything except his daughter. I just want to protect our people…”
I froze outside the door, my heart pounding in my chest. War? My father was afraid of a war with Lena’s father, Alpha Maverick.
I knew Maverick’s reputation, he was ruthless, a man who wouldn’t hesitate to destroy anyone who stood in his way, especially for his daughter’s sake.
I clenched my fists, feeling anger and frustration build up inside me. Was this really what my father wanted?
To sacrifice my happiness for the sake of peace? I understood the weight of the decision, but at what cost?
The voice inside the office continued.
“You know this marriage is the only way to avoid conflict,” my father said firmly.
“Leonardo will do what’s right for the pack. He knows his duty.”
His words stung. Duty. That word had been following me like a shadow my entire life. I couldn’t take it anymore.
Taking a deep breath, I knocked on the door loudly. The conversation stopped immediately.
“Come in,” my father’s voice boomed.
I pushed open the door and stepped inside. My father sat behind his large wooden desk, looking as imposing as ever.
Across from him sat Beta Philip, his trusted advisor. Both of them turned their eyes to me as I entered.
“Leonardo,” my father said, his tone neutral but firm. “You’re here earlier than I expected.
Is something wrong?”
I stepped forward and met his gaze. “Yes, there is something wrong,” I said, my voice steady despite the storm raging inside me.
“We need to talk.”
My father’s brow furrowed. “About what?”
I took a deep breath. “About the wedding. About Lena. About everything.”
My father exchanged a glance with Philip before leaning back in his chair.
“Sit down,” he said, his tone calm but edged with authority.
“I’d rather stand,” I replied, not backing down.
He studied me for a moment before sighing. “Go on, then. What’s this about?”
I didn’t hesitate. “I can’t marry Lena, Father. I won’t.”
Silence filled the room. For a moment, it felt as if time had stopped. My father’s expression hardened, his eyes furrowed as he stared at me.
“What did you just say?” he asked slowly, his voice low and dangerous.
“I said I can’t marry Lena,” I repeated firmly.
“I don’t love her. I won’t spend the rest of my life tied to someone I don’t care about.”
My father slammed his hand on the desk, making me flinch slightly.
“This is not about love, Leonardo!” he barked.
“This is about your responsibility as my son. As the future Alpha!”
“No,” I said, my voice rising.
“This is about your decision. Not mine. You’re asking me to sacrifice my life for a woman I don’t love, for a bond I don’t want.”
“Do you think this is a game?” my father snapped, standing up from his chair.
“Alpha Maverick will not sit back and let this marriage fall apart. He will go to war.
He will come for us, for our pack. Are you prepared for that?”
I clenched my jaw, holding his intense gaze. “I’m prepared to fight for what’s right.
I’m prepared to fight for my happiness. I won’t let you force me into this.”
My father’s face turned red with anger. “You’re being selfish, Leonardo!”
“Selfish?” I scoffed. “You think it’s selfish to want to love the person I spend my life with?
To want a choice?
You’re asking me to give up everything my future, my happiness for the sake of keeping Alpha Maverick happy. That’s not fair, Father.”
My father shook his head, looking at me as though I were a disappointment.
“You’re thinking like a boy, not an Alpha. You have no idea what’s at stake here.”
“I know exactly what’s at stake,” I shot back.
“But I’m not a puppet. I refuse to live a lie just to keep the peace. There has to be another way to avoid war.”
“Another way?” he said bitterly. “And what if there isn’t?
What if rejecting Lena destroys everything we’ve built?”
I hesitated for a moment, his words hitting me hard. I knew the risk. I knew that walking away from Lena might bring chaos to the pack.
But I also knew I couldn’t go through with the marriage.
“I’ll find a way,” I said quietly but firmly. “I’ll figure this out. But I won’t marry Lena.”
My father stared at me for a long time, his expression unreadable. Finally, he sank back into his chair, looking tired and defeated.
“You’re making a mistake,” he muttered.
“No,” I said, standing tall. “I’m doing what’s right for me.”
I turned and walked out of the office, my heart beating in my chest. I knew this wasn’t over.
My father wouldn’t let this go easily, and Alpha Maverick would be furious.