11

LEONARDO

I couldn’t take it.

That lady blocking me—I couldn’t take it.

Shall I call it pride or ego? I wasn’t sure, but I couldn’t let it slide. I had to pay her back. I had to snatch my power back from her.

She didn’t know it was me, yet it didn’t make a difference.

I tried to shake it off my mind several times, but I just couldn’t help it. I walked back to my room and grabbed the laptop.

I opened another account and used a different name.

This time, I was going to use artificial intelligence to help me with the right words since I was good at it.

It was the only way I could get her.

Yes, I was going to message the Maya that blocked me.

I would be the perfect gentleman—and then I would ghost her after some days. That way, I could take back my power.

I didn’t know why, but I felt a rush of energy.

The kind a little child feels when they are given a new toy.

Yes, I felt that. Which was weird.

It was so weird, I shrugged.

A knock came on the door, taking my attention for a few seconds. I turned and saw my stepbrother and beta walk in—Jethro. I turned back to the laptop, gradually checking if the woman had accepted my friend request.

“Leonardo, I think we might have news of the slut who ran with your baby,” he said.

I turned to him, unsure whether to believe him.

We had searched for six months, and I had begun to lose hope.

If this was true, then I could finally have an heir. But I didn’t want to keep my hopes high again.

“Jethro, I think it’s time we stop searching. It’s been six months. The slut doesn’t want to be found. Maybe this is the way the Moon Goddess wants to punish me for killing off an entire pack.”

He stiffened.

“Because the pack killed your mate. You did nothing wrong. They shouldn’t have subjected you to everlasting pain in the first place. I will keep searching with the men. You can count on me to never give up,” Jethro said, patting my shoulder.

Then his eyes met with my laptop screen—one I had almost forgotten.

“What is that?” he asked.

“Nothing.” I shut the laptop before he looked further. A shameful expression took over my face. I just couldn’t help it.

He raised his hands in the air, surrendering, before walking out of the room. I watched his retreating figure until he was out of sight. When I was sure, I opened the laptop again.

Plus, I needed something to take my mind off the situation.

Hence, speaking to the arrogant Maya wouldn’t be bad.

This time, I used artificial intelligence.

“Hello, how are you?” I began with a smooth conversation.

She replied this time—fast.

Then, we began to chat. Artificial intelligence did all the talking. Maya has twins. I told her that I was from another pack, on the outskirts of the state.

She was happy about that. She even sent a smiley emoji.

Artificial intelligence told me not to jump into what I wanted.

I needed to make her feel comfortable first.

The conversation went on and on. At some point, we began to joke—all artificial intelligence—but I was finding it interesting.

Days upon days, this went on.

The conversation soaked. It got better to the point that I didn’t have to use artificial intelligence anymore. I didn’t care about her. Hell no—I only ever cared about my dead mate, Bianca.

All I wanted was for Maya to feel the pain of getting rejected and blocked. To get my superiority back.

She would be amused.

Artificial intelligence mentioned that I should get her twins a gift—one that would resonate with her.

Hence, I had Grandma—from the orphanage—make them matching knitting sets. This way, I could garner her trust.

I was an Alpha, and no one should ever question my supremacy—whether they knew it was me or not.

Maya overstepped, and I was going to crush her right back—even harder this time.

“Twin set? For whom?” Grandma asked as she knitted the sweater.

It was a pink set for the female twin. She was done with the male’s wear, which was blue in color.

I was catching up on work when she popped the question.

I gently raised my head. “A pack member who just gave birth,” I said, looking back at my laptop.

“As the Alpha’s Gamma, he has asked me to make them for a pack member.”

I could only ever lie to them that I was the Alpha Gamma, as my aura was still overwhelming—even though I had dimmed it to the lowest.

Grandma smiled.

“Maybe that Alpha Leonardo is not as bad as people make him out to be, you know,” she said innocently.

Only if she knew it was me—the one she often referred to as ‘Uncle.’

No one knew my name. I never told them.

I introduced myself as ‘Uncle,’ and everyone got used to the name.

I looked away gently.

I wished people saw the pain I often felt too.

After destroying that pack, everyone feared me. Some loathed me.

I wonder if the kids feared and hated me too.

Finally, Grandma finished knitting the clothes and gave them to me.

She packaged them well, hence they were photo-worthy.

“Also, don’t forget about the cook you wanted to hire. Responsibilities have become even more, and I think I need an extra hand now,” Grandma said.

I nodded. It was in my plan.

But that restaurant lady wouldn’t even heed to all of my requests. I was hoping she would consider me, especially after sending those expensive gifts.

She returned them and said she wanted nothing to do with me.

Geez, she was still really pissed.

What was her name again?

I couldn’t recollect.

Well, I texted Maya as soon as I was back in my room.

I sent the photo of the knitted outfits to her—and as expected, she melted.

“Wow, this is so nice, Ardo,” she said.

I gave her the last four letters of my name.

“How about we meet? We have been talking for some time now, and I think that it is just great that we meet and talk better.”

Wow. Finally.

It was the perfect time to block her.

Yeah—this was until she sent her photo.

We didn’t exchange photos prior.

The moment I saw the photo, I recognized her.

I wasn’t sure, but she looked really familiar.

It was as if I had seen her face before.

Then it hit.

The slut.

It was the slut.

Her face—although I hadn’t seen her properly—looked exactly like the slut!