Chapter 6: The Price of Power

Leo’s POV

I stood frozen, watching Lexy walk away, every step she took carving into my chest like a blade. My legs wouldn’t move. My mouth wouldn’t form the words to stop her. I was a coward, drowning in guilt and the unbearable pain of rejection.

The look in her eyes—gods, that look. Betrayal, hurt, disbelief. That agony would haunt me for the rest of my life. I had lost her—my Lexy. My soul. My fated mate. The one I was supposed to love, protect, and cherish until my last breath. Instead, I had crushed her.

I hated myself.

And even more, I hated the bitch who dragged me into this nightmare—Mirabel.

A firm hand landed on my shoulder, snapping me out of my spiral. My father.

“Easy, boy,” he hissed in a voice low enough only for me to hear. “You made your bed. Now lie in it. Deal with the consequences.”

I wanted to snarl at him, to tell him to leave me the hell alone, but I followed when he jerked his chin toward his study.

“I’ll just have a little talk with my son,” he told the others, his tone smooth and authoritative. “The Beta couple will stay in case you need anything,” he added to Alpha Caleb with his fake, polite smile. Then he ushered me inside and closed the door with a quiet click.

The silence inside his study felt suffocating. He poured two glasses of whiskey and handed me one like it was some kind of solution to my misery.

“Well, son,” he began, taking a long, slow sip, “I’m not going to lecture you. Mirabel was the best choice anyway. But I understand your… attachment to your fated mate.” His tone made the word ‘attachment’ sound like a curse.

“I loved your mother too,” he continued, his voice softening just a fraction, “but she died early—killed in a rogue attack. She was just an Omega. Weak. Too weak to fight back. She died and left me heartbroken, raising a boy alone, carrying both Alpha and Luna duties on my shoulders. I don’t want the same for you, Leo. I don’t want you tied to someone who can’t stand by your side when war comes.”

I swallowed hard, my throat burning, but the words burst out anyway. “But I love Lexy. I can’t just let her go. I want her—only her.” My voice cracked, raw with desperation.

“Again, you sound like a silly teenager, not an Alpha,” my father said, ice in his tone as he swirled his whiskey. “In a year, once Alpha Caleb retires and Mirabel gives you an heir, you can push for divorce and marry whoever you want. Until then, be smart. Be a good husband and Alpha. No cheating, no fights. Please her. Sweet words, gifts, good sex—make her believe she’s your world. Endure it until the right time comes. After that, you’ll have Lexy. No one will compete for the wolfless, penniless girl. You’ll win her back easily.”

He set down his glass with a sharp click. “Remember, Leo—not just your future, but the future of this entire pack depends on your behavior. Don’t screw it up again.”

My fists clenched so hard my nails cut into my palms. I wanted to roar, to smash something, to tear this whole room apart. I loved Lexy to the moon and back. I despised Mirabel with every breath I took, no matter how much she looked like a goddess in everyone else’s eyes. But damn it, my father’s words slithered into my mind like poison.

Power. Wealth. Lexy’s love.

If I played this game… I could have it all.

The next morning, I stood by the window like a ghost, watching Lexy climb into her SUV. My chest tightened until I couldn’t breathe. Orion, my wolf, clawed inside me, desperate to shift, to chase her, to beg her to stay.

But I couldn’t move.

I felt like my heart was being ripped out of my chest, piece by piece, as I watched her drive away. It was worse than rejection—worse than death.

But my father was right. I had to think of the bigger picture. The pack. Their future. Their benefits.

“Lexy, this isn’t the end,” I whispered, my voice breaking. “I’ll find a way. We’ll be together. I swear it.”