Chapter 75: A Loveless Union.

Leonardo’s POV
The door closed behind Aurora, and I stood there, unable to move. The room felt too quiet, the kind of silence that makes you feel heavier.
I let out a shaky breath and ran my hands over my face, trying to steady myself.
But I couldn’t.
I sat down on the edge of the desk, my hands clenched into fists. My words to her kept playing over and over in my head.
"It was a mistake. You were a mistake."
The memory of her eyes full of pain burned into my mind. I told myself this was the right thing to do. For the pack. For my family. But nothing about it felt right.
I got up and walked to the window, staring outside, but I wasn’t really looking at anything.
Instead, I saw her face in my mind, the way she smiled, the way she made me feel like I could be more than what was expected of me.
I slammed my fist against the window frame, anger and regret boiling inside me.
“Why does it have to be like this?” I muttered under my breath.
This wasn’t what I wanted. It never was. But duty it’s always about duty. The weight of expectations is crushing, and I had to put them first.
Didn’t I?
I paced the room, trying to drown out the guilt that was clawing at me. I thought of Lena, the woman I was supposed to marry.
She’s everything the pack wants for me. She’s strong, practical, and perfect on paper.
But she’s not Aurora. She’ll never be Aurora.
The tightness in my chest grew stronger. For a moment, I thought about running after her, stopping her before she left.
Telling her the truth that I love her, that letting her go is killing me.
But I stopped myself.
I can’t do that. It would be selfish.
I went back to the desk and sat down again, staring at the papers in front of me.
The words blurred together. My phone buzzed, and I glanced at it. A message from Lena.
“Everything is ready for the meeting tomorrow. Let me know if you need anything.”
I stared at the message for a long time before typing a quick reply.
“Thanks.”
That was it. One word. I set the phone down and leaned back in the chair, closing my eyes.
Her voice echoed in my head.
"You’ll regret this, Leonardo. One day, you’ll realize what you’ve lost."
She was right. I already felt it.
I stayed there, still and silent, as the ache in my chest grew. It was unbearable, but I told myself this was how it had to be.
Even though deep down, I knew I’d lost the one thing I truly cared about. And I wasn’t sure if I could ever forgive myself for it.
Bang!
The sound of my door flying open snapped me out of my thoughts. Rafael stormed into the room, his eyes blazing with anger as he marched straight toward me.
“What the hell were you thinking, Leonardo?!” he shouted.

“How could you do this to Aurora? How could you make her feel like you don’t love her when you do?”
Gabriel came in right behind him, trying to calm him down, but Rafael wasn’t having it.
I just sat there, unable to speak. No words came to defend what I’d done.
Rafael glared at me, his voice sharp and accusing.

“And now you’re marrying Lena?
You know this was all her plan, don’t you? She never loved you. All she cares about is power!”
Rafael’s words hit me like a punch to the gut, but I stayed silent.
“Say something!”
Rafael demanded, slamming his fist on the desk in front of me.
“Do you even care what you’re doing to Aurora? Or are you just going to sit there and pretend none of this matters?”
I clenched my fists on my lap, staring down at the floor. The weight of his words crushed me, but I couldn’t bring myself to respond.
Gabriel stepped in, his tone calmer but firm. “Rafael, give him a moment. Yelling at him won’t solve anything.”
“No, Gabriel!”
Rafael shot back. “He needs to hear this. He needs to understand that he’s not just breaking Aurora’s heart, he’s destroying himself too.”
Rafael turned back to me, his eyes filled with disappointment.
“You’re going to marry someone who doesn’t love you, Leonardo. Someone who’s manipulating you for her own gain. And for what?
To make your family happy? To protect your pack?”
I finally looked up, my voice low but steady. “It’s my responsibility.”
“Responsibility?”
Rafael laughed bitterly.
“What about your responsibility to your own happiness?
To Aurora’s happiness?
She loves you, Leo. She’s willing to fight for you, and you’re just throwing that away.”
I shook my head, trying to push down the ache in my chest. “It’s not that simple.”
“Then make it simple!” Rafael yelled.
“You love her. She loves you. That’s all that should matter!”
Gabriel placed a hand on Rafael’s shoulder, trying to pull him back.
“Enough, Rafael. He’s made his choice.”
Rafael shrugged him off, his voice quieter but filled with pain. “Yeah, he has. And it’s the wrong one.”
He stepped back, his anger fading into sadness. “You’re going to regret this, Leonardo.
Maybe not now, but one day, when it’s too late, you’ll realize what you’ve done.”
With that, Rafael turned and stormed out of the room, leaving me alone with Gabriel.
Gabriel sighed and sat down across from me.
“He’s right, you know,” he said softly.
“You’re not just hurting Aurora, you’re hurting yourself.”
I didn’t respond. I couldn’t. The silence between us stretched, heavy and suffocating.
Finally, Gabriel stood up, giving me one last look.
“You still have a chance to fix this, Leonardo. But if you wait too long… you might lose her forever.”
He walked out, leaving me alone in the room. I leaned back in my chair, closing my eyes as Rafael’s words echoed in my mind.
She loves you, Leo. She’s willing to fight for you, and you’re just throwing that away.
The guilt ate at me, but I shoved it down, locking it away with the rest of my emotions.
I told myself I was doing the right thing for her, for the pack and for my family.
But deep down, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was making the biggest mistake of my life.
*****

Later that evening, my father and Alpha Maverick called for a meeting with Lena and me before starting the wedding preparations.
Lena was already there waiting and had sent me a text to hurry up. After Gabriel and Rafael left my room, I made my way to my father’s office. I stopped outside, took a deep breath, and knocked before entering.
Alpha Maverick stood up with a wide smile and walked over to hug me.
“Ah, there he is my soon-to-be son-in-law and the future leader of our united pack,” he said.
I forced a smile, trying to hide how miserable I felt inside. This wasn’t what I wanted. It was just what everyone expected from me.
He stepped back, still grinning.
“You and my daughter are going to make such a happy couple. And,” he added, giving my shoulder a playful shove,
“I expect results right after the wedding. You know what I mean, right?”
Of course, I knew. He meant that Lena and I were supposed to have a child immediately after the wedding to provide an heir for the united pack.
I bit back the disgust rising in me. The very thought of spending the night with Lena made me sick, and now they were piling on another responsibility having a child with her.
I clenched my jaw, holding in my frustration. Inside, I felt trapped, but all I could do was nod and play along.
Alpha Maverick laughed and patted me on the back, clearly pleased with himself.
My father, sitting behind his desk, nodded in approval. He didn’t say much, but his expression said it all he fully supported this plan.
Lena, who had been sitting quietly in the corner, finally spoke up.
“Don’t worry, Father,” she said with a sweet smile, though I knew it was fake.
“Leonardo and I will make sure everything goes according to plan. We both want what’s best for the pack, don’t we, darling?”
She looked at me expectantly, and I felt my stomach twist. I nodded again, forcing another fake smile.
“Of course,” I said, my voice flat. “What’s best for the pack.”
My father leaned forward, his expression serious.
“Good.
Because this union isn’t just about you two it’s about the future of both packs. We’ve sacrificed a lot to make this happen, and now it’s your turn to do the same.”
The weight of his words settled heavily on my shoulders. I already knew all this, but hearing it again made it feel even more suffocating.
Alpha Maverick clapped his hands together, breaking the tension.
“Well then, let’s not waste any more time!
The wedding is in a few days, and there’s a lot to prepare. Lena, make sure everything is perfect. Leonardo, you’ll handle your duties as well. Understood?”
“Yes, Alpha,” I replied automatically, my voice devoid of emotion.
Lena stood up gracefully, smoothing out her dress.
“Shall we go, Leonardo? There’s so much to finalize,” she said, linking her arm with mine as if we were already the perfect couple.
I stiffened at her touch but didn’t pull away. Instead, I let her lead me out of the office, my mind racing with thoughts I couldn’t say out loud.
As soon as we were out of earshot, Lena leaned closer and whispered, “You better start acting more convincing, Leonardo.
People are watching, and we can’t afford any mistakes. This has to look real.”
I stopped walking and looked at her, my eyes hard. “Don’t tell me how to act, Lena,” I said in a low voice.
She raised an eyebrow, her fake smile returning. “Oh, I’m not. I’m just reminding you what’s at stake for both of us.”