All Chapters of Goodbye, my mate: Chapter 271 - Chapter 279

Leah's POVI knew that look, that rhythm. I'd watched Lucas the same way once, peering through a door crack while I scrubbed floors, my hands raw and my heart bleeding for a man who'd never see me. The memory stung, sharp and relentless, a blade twisting in the soft parts I'd tried to kill off.I meant to drive off, to escape before he noticed, but his head snapped up, eyes pinning me through the windshield. Shit. I rolled up the window fast, tires crunching gravel as I swung into the parking lot. My door was halfway open when his hands yanked it wide, and there he was - too close, too real."Long time no see," he drawled, leaning in, white shirt half-buttoned and chest still bare enough to make my pulse jump. That rough edge hadn't dulled, billionaire or not.I climbed out, brushing past him. "Just here for some sardines. Feeding Sharbo. Then I'm gone."He stepped into my path, broad and unyielding, a smirk curling his lips. "How about dinner inst

Darren's POVThe sea stared up at me, a black, churning bastard, its waves clawing at the pier like they wanted to drag me under. I gripped the fishing rod, the splintered wood biting into my palms, and cast the line out, watching it sink into the abyss. Seth slouched beside me, his own rod dangling limp in his hands, his face a sullen mask under the bruised sky. The kid was a storm cloud, all gloom and thunder, and it gnawed at me, seeing him like that. I didn't know how to fix it - didn't know how to fix much of anything anymore. My gut twisted, heavy with the weight of his silence, but I kept my mouth shut, letting the wind howl between us.He'd been sulking all damn day, ever since Leah forgot his precious spring rolls and the sardines for that mangy mutt of his, Sharbo. I tried to muster something—some scrap of comfort, a grunt, a slap on the back—but it stuck in my throat like a bone. Seth just stared at the water, his jaw tight, his eyes hollowed out

Leah's POVThe moon light was spilling over the chaos that erupted the moment Leo and Seth burst through the door. My breath hitched, chest tight with a mix of relief and dread as Leo, all claws and menace, shoved Darren away from me with a force that rattled my bones. Darren hit the ground hard, rolling twice, his body twisting in ways that made my stomach lurch. Seth, my shadow in this human world, threw his arms around me, his voice a shaky whisper against my ear. "Boss, don't be afraid! I'm here!" he said, clinging to me like I was his lifeline. But I wasn't the one who needed saving - not yet.With a quick, hard slap, I knocked that kid out cold, his body slumping to the floor. Better unconscious than dead.Darren's lips peeled back, revealing a sinister grin, sharp teeth glinting in the dim light. His hands morphed into claws, jagged and cruel, and I froze, heart hammering against my scarred ribs. This couldn't be real. Darren had been disqualified by the

Finn's POVThe steam rose around me, thick and heavy, curling up from the scalding water that filled the vast bathtub. I'd never seen a place like this - marble floors shimmered beneath the flickering glow of golden sconces, their light dancing across walls covered in mosaics of wolves and crescent moons. A stained-glass window loomed high above, a snarling beast etched in hues of crimson and gold, its colors bleeding through the haze. The air choked with lavender, undercut by something feral and musky that clawed at my senses. It was extravagant, luxurious, elegant in a way that crushed me down, made me feel like a rat skulking through a Prince's hall. Lycidas' palace, reborn under his cruel hands, mirrored the Slave Market he'd forged - both dripping in opulence, both cages dressed up as treasures.I sank lower into the water, the heat biting at my scarred skin, but it couldn't melt the tension coiled in my gut. My fingers traced the edge of the tub, carved from a si

Finn's POVJalin's voice cut back in, sharp and impatient. "Listen, you fucking slut, I don't have time for your bullshit. What do you want?"I kept my smile, savoring the edge in his tone. "Just catching up, Sir. I've been thinking about you, about the time that you stepped on me in the basement and...""Cut the crap," he growled. "You've got ten seconds before I hang up.""Fine," I sighed, feigning boredom. "I've got a proposition for you. Something big.""Big?" He sounded skeptical, but I had his attention. "What could a mutt like you offer me?""Power," I said, letting the word hang heavy. "More than you've ever dreamed of."Silence again. I could picture him, all towering arrogance, his eyes narrowing as he weighed my words. Jalin was a greedy bastard - he always wanted more."Keep talking," he said at last."Not over the phone," I replied, voice smooth as velvet. "This needs a private chat. Old warehouse by the doc