Book 1 : Chapter 8 Attitude

October 11th

Leonardo set me down on the bed before crouching down to my level with a stern expression.

"What?" I scoffed. "You remind me of my Dad when I was a kid and misbehaved."

His raised eyebrow lowered and a dirty grin crept onto his lips.

"Oh yeah? And what punishment did your Daddy used to give you when you were naughty?"

I screwed my face up with a level of cringe that even my 7th-grade self couldn't have managed, "oh my God, please don't say that."

He mused at my embarrassment before his face hardened again.

"What are you going to say now? 'I'm not angry, I'm just disappointed'?" I questioned.

"Oh, I am fucking angry," he replied. "And all this bullshit ends now."

I stared into his eyes for a few moments before his hand shot forward and grabbed my face, "Now," he reiterated.

"Or what, Leonardo?" I asked, raising my eyebrow, "what are you going to do?"

The room filled with a deadly silence as I stared at him, examining his face. It was terrifying but if he was going to hurt me, he would have already.

"'Or what' did you say?" He asked in a dark tone as he stood up, towering over me.

I looked up at him, "you aren't going to hurt me."

Squeezing my cheeks with his hand he shoved my head back a little before sauntering over to the window.

He glanced out and sighed, "so 'or what'?" He began, "well, let's see. It's quite a walk from here to the border meaning that by my calculations, your brother will still be on my territory... with Luca. And Luca is only one call away..."

I got to my feet, "you wouldn't..."

He turned around to reveal an evil smile, "oh, I would," he said with a slight laugh, "don't underestimate the lengths I will go to get what I want, sweetheart."

"You have a dark soul," I replied with as much spite as I could muster.

He shrugged, "so what's it gonna be? Lose the attitude or lose your brother."

I stared at him for a few seconds just to be sure that he was 100% serious before closing my eyes, "don't make me say it."

"So long as we both know, I don't care if you verbally admit it or not," he said. "But come here."

I dragged myself over to him.

"Not hard, is it?" He said, putting his hands on either side of my face. "Submitting?"

I swallowed a lump of pride sitting in my throat and just let him look at me as I glanced out the window.

"Your wolf doesn't mind it," he replied, "she wants to please me. I can sense it."

His hand then slipped down to my ass and I immediately stepped back.

"What?" He said with a laugh, "you think you can just stand there wearing my underwear with no advance?"

My cheeks flushed. I'd completely forgotten I'd been wearing his boxer shorts this entire time.

He then grabbed my hands and pulled me back into his chest, resting one hand on my lower back as he braced my head with the other.

His eyes fixated on my lips and my stomach leapt and fluttered. Our chests pressed together, his warmth seeping through his shirt and even his hand, as it crept slowly back down to my ass, were giving me shivers.

I closed my eyes, trying to shake him from my mind but being in his grasp was too intense and when he leaned forward, his lips just millimeters from mine, my wolf howled in excitement.

His forehead rested on mine and after a few more insanely tense moments before, he finally pushed our lips together.

It was the most amazing sensation. His lips were so warm and soft but his kiss so passionate and rough as he held my head tight in his hand. There was no escape but for the first time, I didn't mind. No amount of pride and moral conscience could resist the instinct to just kiss him back.

But as soon as he had pulled away for a brief second, reality kicked in. I looked into his icy eyes and my stomach churned.

Get a grip, Ella. Why would you let him do that? You just kissed a murderer and the man who has dragged you away from everyone you love.

Before he could encapsulate me in his kiss again and fog my judgement with bliss, I shoved his chest hard.

"Don't fucking kiss me," I hissed.

He hardly moved despite how I put my entire body weight into the shove and instead just grabbed me, spun me around and pushed me roughly against the wall, pressing his body against mine and kissing me again before I had time to stop him.

He held my head with one, preventing me from moving and the other was on my hip, gripping tight as he continued to kiss me.

The sparks and electricity were back in full swing and my lips, almost on instinct, moved in sync with his.

For a second he pulled back, leaving me lurching forward after his lips, letting out a slight whimper.

He grinned before trailing kisses down my neck to the spot I should bear his mark.

"Stop," I whispered.

"You don't want me to stop," he replied.

As his lips finally reached the spot, my back arched and I grabbed his shoulders with my hands, looking for anything to squeeze for the intensity.

I couldn't hide the effect he had on me as I dragged my nails down his back. I was breathless as stars appeared in front of my eyes and my vision went blurry as his kiss delved deeper and deeper.

He pulled away.

My face was hot, and my pulse pounding as I swallowed and caught my breath, slowly lifting my eyes back to him.

"Never try to escape again, or I will lock you up until you can't remember your name. Understand?" He growled.

Unable to speak, I just nodded.

"Good girl," he said.

His eyes then fell back down to my bare neck before he had to drag them away, taking his hands off my body and stepping back.

He then turned and left me to slide down the wall to the floor.

I brought my fingers to my lips, gently pressing where he had pressed. I could still taste the moisture he had left. It was so sweet and silken, like the honey of a thousand bees.

But no matter how heavenly, it was still him.

I closed my eyes and held my breath for a moment, forcing my hand back down to my side. But in darkness, my mind just replayed the moment.

I watched for a while, enjoying every second once again. But the more I thought about it, the more drawn to him I was. The more likely I was to go downstairs in search of more.

Something about the way he kissed that spot on my neck made me want to give in to him and... submit? It made me want to stay with him forever and the thought of escaping a million miles away. Maybe that's what he meant by solidifying our bond.

But I vowed to my father and later to myself that I would never let a man control me. He taught me to have more respect for myself than this and that was something I lived by.

So I don't think so, Mr. Italian.

You haven't won.

I opened my eyes, instantly escaping the images and marched to the bathroom. After showering to wash away the sin, there were two neat piles of clothes on top of the toilet. One was my dress and cardigan from the previous night, and the other was a clean shirt and a pair of boxers that I guessed were for me to wear now.

The envelope.

I checked the pocket of my cardigan where I had left it, but it wasn't there. Where had it gone?

Whether or not I was happy with it, I had a place to live now. Connor didn't. I couldn't let Logan kick him off Cerridwen territory.

I quickly changed into the clothes and opened the bathroom door. Leonardo sat at the end of the bed.

He looked up at me with a plastered smile.

"Have you seen a gold envelope?" I asked him.

"This?" He asked, holding up the shiny paper.

I nodded, holding my hand out to take it as my heartbeat skyrocketed.

"What is it?" He questioned.

I could see that the seal was still closed. Thank the Goddesses.

"A letter from the future Alpha of Cerridwen," I told him. "He doesn't like me and it's about how he's going to kick me and my brother off his territory when he becomes Alpha."

"Why doesn't he like you?" He asked.

"Because I won't sleep with him and I don't respect him," I replied truthfully. "Can I have it?"

"You don't need it," he said. "You live on my territory now."

"But my brother doesn't," I replied. "I have to talk to him and get him to change his mind."

"You think I'm going to let you talk to someone that wants to sleep with you?" He asked almost with a laugh, "are you delusional?"

"Please, I need to see what he has written," I begged.

"Tell me, Ella. Why is your heart beating with such speed and why do I get the impression that you're hiding something?"

"Leonardo," I snapped. "Just give it to me. This is important."

"Will you let me read it too?" He asked.

I paused, "no."

I was sure Logan had written something in that letter that would provoke Leonardo and however much I despise him, I wouldn't want to give him Alpha Loren as an enemy. Not for the sake of the peaceful Cerridwen pack.

"Then it can stay locked in this drawer until that changes," he replied, putting it in the nightstand drawer, turning the key and putting it in his pocket.

"So I don't even get the privacy to read my own letters?" I asked.

"Come here," he said, gesturing for me to come towards him.

I slowly approached him and he pulled me between his legs and rested his hands on my hips.

"Your safety comes first," he said, "this letter is from another Alpha that I am not allied with. Alarm bells are instantly ringing. Then you tell me he is not only threatening you but he wants to sleep with you? As your mate, this matter is automatically my concern."

I pursed my lips. Irritatingly, he had a point.

"Okay," I said with a nod, "but I am not in any danger, Leonardo. He will not hurt me. Just let me sort this out alone."

"And I suppose I just take your word for it and let you risk getting yourself killed? Do you have any sense, Ella?"

I bit my lip and glanced out the window.

"You have a choice. Either you forget all about this and leave your brother to deal with it or you let me read the letter and I will deal with it," he said.

"... let's leave the Cerridwen people in peace," I mumbled.

"Excellent decision," he said, reaching up to my face and placing his fingers on my chin.

His eyes set on my lips but I turned away, "I don't want you to kiss me again."

He smiled, "why not? Worried you'll end up letting me do whatever I want to you?"

My cheeks flushed once again.

I swallowed, "because you're a wicked man and you've treated me like shit," I said, "I don't want you anywhere near me."

"Not the impression I was getting earlier..." He muttered.

He then reached for a lock of my hair and ran it through his fingers.

"I need to at least warn my brother that he may be forced out of Cerridwen territory. You said yesterday that I could call him."

"Then he dared to step onto my territory and I changed my mind," he replied, "I'm sure the Alpha of Cerridwen will tell him in due course."

"Leo-"

"Don't argue with me," he said deeply.

"Why shouldn't I?" I asked.

He clenched his jaw.

"I think I've already given you enough reasons not to test me."

I glared at him before taking a deep breath in, "listen here, Leonardo. Let me get a few things straight," I began, slapping his hand off my waist. "I don't know much about you and how you were brought up but I know a lot about me and how my Father taught me to value myself far more than you clearly do. I am not some kinda object that you get to be in control of, I am not your property and I am certainly not going to bow down to you. You have done nothing to earn my respect and until you do, you shall not have it. I am a woman with pride, dignity and self-worth and above all, I respect my self and will not settle for anyone that doesn't."

He smiled in an irritating condescending way as if he was laughing at me.

"You're fierce," he said, putting his hand back on my waist, "I like it."

I growled and pushed him off me again, "did you even listen?!"

"You've got nerve to raise your voice at me, Ella," he said, "you're the only person in this damn world that would dare."

I gave him a sarcastic smile, "am I supposed to be impressed?"

He examined me closely, "why don't you fear me?"

"Should I?" I asked, pursing my lips.

"You know who I am," he replied.

"And I know you haven't hurt me yet," I explained. "You said yesterday that you draw the line somewhere. Hurting me, your mate? That's where, isn't it?"

There was a brief pause.

"You're smart, Ella," he said. "But you haven't got me figured out so don't get too comfortable."

He then kissed my cheek and left the bedroom.