My fingers tighten around the phone 111

Bella’s POV
I sat at my table in the upscale restaurant, bored out of my mind as my date droned on about racing cars for the second
hour straight. Mother’s arranged dates were always such disappointments. This one, though admittedly handsome in his
tailored suit that screamed old Beta family money, hadn’t stopped talking about himself and his precious cars since we’d
been seated. I’d already downed two bottles of wine just to make his company tolerable.
“And then, during the third lap, I managed to overtake the leader with this incredible maneuver that—”
A familiar voice cut through his monotonous story, catching my attention. I turned my head slightly, just enough to spot
Leo sitting at a corner table. My breath caught in my throat when I realized who was sitting across from him—Aria.
I studied Leo from afar, appreciating his tall, muscular frame and that devastating smile that made women weak in the
knees. I knew who Leo was—wealthy, powerful, and socially connected. Exactly the type of man I wanted to marry. An
alliance between our two families would create an unstoppable power dynamic.
Aria’s voice rose, sharp with tension. They appeared to be arguing about something. My lips curled slightly in distaste,
revealing the tips of my canines. Of course it was Aria’s fault. That bitch.
“…requires a specific engine modification that most people don’t understand the complexity of—” my date continued,
oblivious to my complete lack of interest.
I cut him off mid-sentence with a wave of my manicured hand, not even bothering to hide my impatience. “Fascinating,” I
drawled, my voice dripping with sarcasm. “But I’ve just spotted my sister with a friend.” I flashed him a smile that didn’t
reach my eyes. “This dinner has been… educational, but I really must go say hello and then call it a night.”
His mouth opened in surprise at my abrupt dismissal, but I didn’t care enough to wait for his response. I stood with
deliberate elegance, enjoying the way his eyes followed the movement as I smoothed the silky fabric of my five-figure
designer dress. Let him look—it was probably the closest someone like him would ever get to a woman of my caliber
again.
I made my way across the restaurant with deliberate, unhurried steps, feeling the eyes of several men tracking my movement. The satisfaction of their attention warmed me as I approached Aria’s table, standing just behind her with a
sugary smile plastered across my face.
I sauntered closer to Leo, my hips swaying with practiced precision as I placed my perfectly manicured hand on his bicep,
feeling the hard muscle beneath my fingertips. I leaned in until I could smell his expensive cologne, my breath
deliberately warm against his ear.
“I haven’t eaten yet,” I purred, letting my voice drop to a husky whisper. “If you’re still hungry, I could keep you company
for some… delicacies.” I dragged out the last word, letting its meaning hang in the air between us.
Leo jerked away as if I’d burned him, his handsome face contorting with such revulsion it was almost comical. He shook
my hand off like it was something filthy.
“Are you seriously hitting on me right now?” His voice was sharp enough to cut glass.
I widened my eyes, batting my lashes with practiced innocence while my stomach twisted with humiliation. Nobody
rejected Bella—nobody.
“Of course not!” I gasped, pressing a hand to my chest in feigned shock. “I was just being polite since my sister so rudely
abandoned you here. Typical Aria behavior, wouldn’t you say?”
Leo’s jaw tightened, a muscle twitching beneath his skin. “Aria and I have been friends for years,” he replied, his voice
arctic cold as he yanked his wallet from his pocket. He tossed several hundred-dollar bills onto the table with casual
disdain. “And I know what you did. Aria told me everything a long time ago.”
My heart skipped a beat. What exactly had that bitch told him? I licked my suddenly dry lips, tasting the waxy residue of
my lipstick as panic flooded my system. This was my chance with Leo slipping through my fingers like water.
“Look,” I blurted out, desperation making me reckless, “I don’t know what Aria told you, but she was the one who slept
with that guy six years ago.” My voice rose slightly, drawing glances from nearby tables. “I just put a little something in
her drink to loosen her up, that’s all! She should thank me!”
“Wait—” Leo tried to interject, confusion clouding his features, but I was already barreling forward, words spilling out like
vomit.
“I mean, God, she was always so uptight!” I gave a shrill, nervous laugh that sounded unhinged even to my own ears.
“Never even had a man. Such a prude!” I rolled my eyes dramatically. “I was trying to help her out, so I slipped something
into her drink. A little party favor, you know?” I tugged manically at a strand of my perfectly highlighted hair, twisting it
around my finger. “How was I supposed to know she’d get knocked up and the guy would vanish by morning? Not my
fault she can’t handle her liquor or her men!”
Something dangerous flashed in Leo’s eyes. Before I could react, his hands clamped down on my shoulders, fingers
digging in painfully as he gave me a sharp shake that made my teeth clack together. The sudden display of dominance
sent an embarrassing thrill shooting through me despite the situation. Nobody had ever dared manhandle me this way.
He stared directly into my face, his gaze burning with an intensity that made my heart hammer against my ribs. I couldn’t
look away, caught like a rabbit in headlights. My breath came in short, shallow pants as I reached up to touch his chest,
feeling the solid wall of muscle beneath his crisp shirt.
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“It was just a one-night stand, wasn’t it?” I murmured, looking up at him through my lashes, desperately trying to salvage
the situation with the only currency I knew—seduction.
Leo’s grip on my shoulders tightened until I nearly winced. His expression was thunderous, dark with fury that seemed to
radiate heat. Then, unexpectedly, he let out a small, humorless laugh that chilled me to the bone. His face transformed,
emptying of emotion with frightening speed until it was calculatingly neutral—the face of a predator.
“When did Emma lose her virginity?” he asked abruptly.
The question was so unexpected, so completely out of left field, that I couldn’t hide my genuine confusion. I raised an
eyebrow, tilting my head with haughty disdain to mask my disorientation.
“That’s an odd question,” I scoffed, trying to reclaim some control of the conversation. What game was he playing?
“Answer it, Bella.” His voice dropped to a growl, impatience making it rough in a way that sent involuntary shivers
cascading down my spine. His fingers dug deeper, and for the first time, a flicker of fear replaced my excitement.
“We were around fourteen or fifteen, I think,” I answered, unnerved by his intensity. “She had a very passionate night with
a young wolf warrior at the summer solstice celebration.” A nostalgic smile tugged at my lips despite the tension. “I
helped her sneak him into our cabin. It was quite the scandal.”
Leo’s face shifted into an expression I couldn’t decipher—something between realization and disgust. Without another word, he released me and turned away, his broad back disappearing through the restaurant without a backward glance.