CHAPTER 126: CHAPTER 126 APOLOGIES

Victoria

I’d nearly packed my bags and walked out on my mate—my Alpha—over what? A glimpse of him with his ex in the market square? The shame of my impulsive reaction burned hot in my chest.

Our bond thrummed with tension as I slipped through the front door. Leo wasn’t in the living room or kitchen, though the lingering scent of whiskey told me he’d been drinking. I couldn’t blame him. My wolf, Ava, whimpered apologetically inside me, urging me to find him, to make things right.

I found him on the terrace, his powerful silhouette outlined by moonlight, muscles tense beneath his shirt as he gripped the railing.

"I’m sorry," I whispered, my voice still raw from crying. "I shouldn’t have jumped to conclusions."

Leo remained silent for several long moments, his jaw working as he stared out at the dark sea. When he finally turned, the intensity in his amber eyes made me shiver.

"Do you truly believe I would dishonor our bond that way?" he asked, his voice controlled but laced with hurt. "That I would take you as my Luna only to continue with another woman?"

I wrapped my arms around myself, suddenly cold despite the warm night air. "No," I admitted. "Not when I’m thinking clearly. But when I saw you with her..."

"You saw what your insecurities wanted you to see," he finished, taking a step toward me. "Not what was actually happening."

The truth of his words stung, but I couldn’t deny them. "My past—before you—I was never enough for anyone. Not for Enzo, not for the pack..." I swallowed hard. "Sometimes I still can’t believe someone like you would choose someone like me."

Leo’s expression softened marginally. He reached out, his fingers gently tilting my chin up. "Victoria," he said, his thumb brushing away a tear I hadn’t realized had fallen. "When will you understand that you are not something I settled for? You are everything I never dared hope for."

The sincerity in his eyes broke something in me. I leaned into his touch, desperate for connection after our fight. "I’m sorry," I repeated. "I should have trusted you."

He sighed, drawing me against his chest, his familiar scent of sandalwood and pine enveloping me. "Yes, you should have," he agreed, his voice rumbling against my ear. "But I understand why it’s difficult for you."

We stood like that for several minutes, the tension gradually melting between us as our bond hummed with reconnection. His arms around me felt like home—safe, secure, where I belonged.

"What was in the package?" I finally asked, my voice small against his chest.

His body tensed slightly before relaxing again. "You’ll find out tomorrow," he said, dropping a kiss on the top of my head. "Get some sleep. We have a busy day ahead."

That night, we slept with a careful distance between us—the fight not quite forgotten, but the worst of the storm had passed. Leo’s breathing eventually deepened into sleep, while I lay awake, staring at the ceiling, planning how I could make it up to him.

---

The next morning, I called Nicos as soon as the sun rose.

"I need the day off," I told him when he answered, his voice still groggy with sleep.

"Everything okay?" he asked, immediately concerned.

"Just some... mate stuff I need to fix," I admitted. "I messed up, and I want to make it right."

He chuckled knowingly. "Go on then, fix things with your husband."

After hanging up, I set about making Leo’s favorite breakfast—steak and eggs with sourdough toast. My cooking skills had improved dramatically under Rosa’s tutelage these past months, though I still occasionally set off the smoke alarm.

Leo appeared in the kitchen doorway just as I was plating the food, his hair damp from his morning shower. He wore dark jeans and a button-down shirt—more formal than his usual attire for a day at home.

"You cooked," he observed, surprise evident in his tone.

I nodded, suddenly shy. "I wanted to... apologize properly." I gestured to the table where I’d set out the food alongside a single rose I’d cut from the garden. "It’s not much, but—"

"It’s perfect," he interrupted, his eyes softening as he took in my efforts. He crossed to me in two long strides and pressed a gentle kiss to my forehead. "Thank you, little wolf."

The endearment made my heart flutter. He only called me that in our most intimate moments, a nod to my cleverness and the reddish tint in my brown hair that sometimes caught the sunlight.

We ate in companionable silence, the tension from yesterday gradually dissipating with each shared smile and brush of hands. When Leo finished his coffee, he checked his watch.

"Get dressed," he said, standing from the table. "Wear something nice. I’m taking you somewhere."

Curiosity piqued, I hurried to change, selecting a flowing sundress in soft blue that Leo had once said matched the color of the Aegean on a clear day. I left my hair loose, knowing he liked to run his fingers through the waves when we were alone.

Leo was waiting by the car when I emerged, his eyes darkening appreciatively as he took in my appearance. "Beautiful," he murmured, opening the passenger door.

As we drove along the coastal road, I tried to guess our destination. "Are we going to town? To the vineyard?" I asked, watching the stunning landscape roll by.

Leo merely smiled, one hand leaving the steering wheel to rest on my thigh. "Patience has never been your strong suit, has it?"

I huffed but settled back in my seat, content to enjoy the drive and the warm weight of his hand on my leg. After about twenty minutes, he turned onto a narrow path that wound down toward a secluded beach I’d never seen before.

"Where are we going?" I asked.

"You’ll see," was all he said, his expression unreadable in the gathering darkness.

We walked in silence, the sound of the waves growing louder as the path curved back toward the water. As we rounded the bend, I gasped at the sight before me.

The small, secluded cove I’d discovered during my first week on the island had been transformed. Hundreds of tiny lights twinkled among the rocks and sand, creating a magical wonderland under the stars. A white canopy had been erected near the water’s edge, billowing gently in the sea breeze. Beneath it stood a table set for two, surrounded by more lights and scattered rose petals.

But what truly stole my breath was the collection of my own paintings, arranged on easels around the perimeter of this enchanted space. Landscapes, seascapes, and portraits I’d created during our time on the island—including several that had never left my studio.

"Leo," I whispered, overwhelmed. "What is this?"

His arm slipped around my waist, drawing me against his solid warmth. "Our one-year mating anniversary."

Anniversary. The realization crashed over me like a wave. How could I have forgotten?

"The package you saw Samantha give me," Leo continued, his voice a low rumble against my ear, "contained this."

He reached into his pocket and withdrew a small velvet box. With deliberate movements, he opened it to reveal a stunning necklace—a wolf crafted in platinum and diamonds, suspended on a delicate chain.

"Bella is a master jeweler," he explained. "She designed and crafted it together with Samantha, for us."

Shame washed over me in a crushing wave. "Leo, I’m so sorry. I thought—"

"I know what you thought," he interrupted, his expression softening as he turned me to face him fully. "And while it hurts that you could believe I’d dishonor our bond that way, I understand why."

His hands cupped my face, thumbs gently wiping away tears I hadn’t realized were falling. "You’ve spent your life being betrayed by those who should have protected you. Trust doesn’t come easily to you—I’ve always known that."

"That’s no excuse," I whispered, leaning into his touch. "You’ve never given me reason to doubt you."

His eyes, those mesmerizing amber eyes that could shift from warm honey to molten gold when his emotions ran high, searched mine. "Then don’t start now," he said simply.

From behind the canopy, movement caught my attention. Samantha and Bella emerged. They both wore expressions of sympathy mixed with hope.

"Victoria," Samantha stepped forward, her usually confident demeanor tempered with genuine concern. "I need to apologize for yesterday. I never meant to cause trouble between you two."

Bella nodded emphatically. "We were sworn to secrecy about the surprise. When Leo called me last night after... everything, I felt terrible."

I felt my cheeks flush with embarrassment. "No, I’m the one who should apologize. I jumped to conclusions without—"

Leo’s arm tightened around me, cutting off my self-recrimination. "What matters is now," he said firmly. "Our bond is stronger than any misunderstanding."

Samantha and Bella exchanged glances, their relief palpable. "We’ll leave you two alone," Bella said with a warm smile. "But before we go..."

Together, they raised glasses I hadn’t noticed they were holding.

"To the Alpha and his Luna," Samantha toasted, her voice carrying over the sound of the waves. "May your bond grow stronger with each passing moon."

"And may your love be as endless as the sea that surrounds us," Bella added.

The sincerity in their voices brought fresh tears to my eyes—these women I had misjudged so completely were celebrating our love with genuine joy.

After they departed, leaving us alone in our illuminated paradise, Leo turned to me with an intensity that made my heart race. Without a word, he fastened the wolf necklace around my throat, his fingers lingering against my skin.

When his lips claimed mine, the kiss was both an absolution and a promise. I melted against him, our bond flaring bright and strong between us, mending what had been fractured by doubt.

From somewhere along the beach, cheers and whistles erupted—apparently, our reconciliation had not gone unnoticed by evening beachgoers. Leo growled against my mouth, a sound of amused frustration.

"Let them watch," I whispered daringly, sliding my hands into his hair to pull him down for another kiss. "Let everyone see that I belong to the Alpha."

His answering growl was pure possessive pleasure as he lifted me into his arms, my legs wrapping instinctively around his waist. "And that the Alpha belongs to you," he added against my lips, carrying me toward the private sanctuary he had created just for us.

Under the stars, with the endless sea as our witness, we reaffirmed the bond that no misunderstanding could ever truly break.