Twisting Her Fate -
Chapter 21
They dreaded the day that Lani's mate would swoop in and sweep Leilani off her feet and take her from them, but they can't bring themselves to be happy that she is mated to that monster. Madden stands up abruptly, slamming his hand down, Connor moves quickly, sliding Leilani towards him and moving the whole table out of Madden's range. That much glass would make such a mess, he liked the look of it and didn't really think through the consequences of such a material in such a space. He has had to hold himself back from doing the same thing on many occasions.
"I am going to f*cking skin him alive"
Levi holds Madden's arm down, but nods to agree.
"I thought he was a scumbag before, but now, what is he? How can I describe him...."
Lani laughs for the first time in twenty-four hours.
"Stop Levi, you are too nice of a guy to start delving into a description of Gabriel"
Leilani's calm voice brings Madden back from the brink of running all the way to the half moon pack to issue a challenge. Hudson looks at Leilani and asks the question that they all should have been asking.
"Lani, if you didn't know that Connor was Alpha Storm, why are you here?"
Lani's pale face instantly flames red with embarrassment. Connor watches, he actually forgot to ask her this question. He was so excited to see her that he forgot about the why. Her first words roll through his head. He opens his mouth and the words softly roll off his tongue.
"Ummm Alpha Storm. I have a proposition for you"
Six sets of eyes focus on Leilani and she uses her free hand to cover her face. There is no point hiding her original purpose.
"Promise you won't laugh at me"
Six heads nod, Arlo raises his eyebrows.
"This should be good"
Leilani doesn't lower her hand, like it is some fortress that will keep her safe from all the judgement.
"Well, in my messed up brain, I decided to teach Gabriel and Maggie a lesson at the same time, so I came here to get even and seduce Alpha Storm"
Laughter fills the air as they look at the woman who looks like a wreck.
"Who were you hoping to seduce, looking like you have been on the run?"
Connor lifts Leilani onto his lap and encircles her in his arms, pressing his lips against her forehead, whispering in her ear.
"Baby, you did a good job of seducing me"
But out loud to the others he says.
"I think she looks perfect"
The laughter stops as the five survey the man in front of them that is holding their girl like she is his treasure. Finlay eyes the empty chair beside Connor, the 'Luna chair' that Lani had just vacated. He scoffs. "Is that prepared for Maggie?"
Connor looks at the chair and tries to keep composure, but a slight blush betrays him.
"I actually purchased that six months ago on a whim after a certain night out at a club"
Five sets of eyes look him over, coming to the conclusion that he is not lying. But they still want to protect Leilani, just because it has been found that her mate is the worst doesn't mean she should rebound and the fact that she already had Connor on her mind is a recipe for disaster if he is not serious about the matter.
They are willing to strike hard to stop Leilani getting hurt.
"And why did you need us in the first place to try and get Maggie, to intervene in this matter?"
Connor presses Leilani's cheek into his chest, keeping it pinned there with his hand as his chin on the top of her head. He doesn't want to look in those stormy blue eyes and see betrayal, as that is what he feels like it is. He feels like he betrayed the connection that Leilani and he shared.
If he had known how much the act that he wasn't even sure about himself would feel that way, he would just have let it all go. Connor leans back in his chair, staring blankly at the back wall talking to no one in particular.
"My whole life I have done everything by the book. I have worked hard, trained hard, built the pack. That night with Leilani, after she left, I felt something missing, no amount of work or training could fill it. So I decided that I was missing that connection, that I needed a Luna, since the girl I wanted didn't leave her name or number, I couldn't chase her up"
Leilani tries to wriggle from his grip to look at him but he just holds her pinned against his body.
"That is when I went to the half moon pack and met my fated mate, she was interested until she heard which pack I was from and then kissed Gabriel in front of me, making my choice. I guess I should have been jealous and fought for her, but I didn't feel it, I just walked out" He sighs, wishing the story had just ended there, but then the elite squad wouldn't have come and then he wouldn't have had a chance to hold Leilani in his arms again.
"When I got home I was thinking about it. If everything in life is textbook, shouldn't I be with my fated mate? It seemed only logical. I had no feelings about it, I just did it. I know it sounds like a cop out, and you may think I am making random excuses, but it is the truth, werewolves are bought up to believe that a moon goddess' fated mate is what is best for us"
The boys can not argue with that. Should it be Connor's fault that he was fated to Maggie? His words ring true and the way he holds Leilani, it can be seen that there are feelings there. They have seen how the one night affected Leilani. Could it have gone both ways and Connor was just trying to make the best of a bad situation?
But if it is serious, this is a big ball of complicated with the fated mate situation and if Connor really tries to hold onto Leilani, won't they lose her?
"This is f*cked"
Seven heads nod at once. All eyes focus on Leilani.
"What do you want to do?"
She is the head strategist in most situations and this whole thing has gone from her observing as a hurt outsider to mixed, slap bang in the middle of it. Leilani sits up and looks at her brothers and then at Connor.
"I know it is probably petty of me and in no way is this a way to make him regret what he lost, because I don't care if he regrets it or not, he had his chance and he f*cked it up. I want to make him pay. I want to make her pay. It isn't as easy as just walking up and punching them both in the face. While that would be fun, I am looking for more than that"
Leilani sweeps her thumb under Connor's steel gray eye, looking directly into his eyes. She is rarely so vindictive or vengeful but it is not a simple situation, so it requires a little more complicated approach.
"I want to manipulate the bond to do it"
Connor's fingers tighten on Leilani as she continues, hanging on every word while enjoying the feeling of her being in his arms once again.
"I know you are a good man, I know you play by the book so this is something that may be well out of your comfort zone"
Connor has lived life on the safe side, yet he felt more alive in that one night than he has ever before, as he looks at Leilani's beautiful face, feeling her body under his hands, smelling that soft apricot scent, hearing her angelic voice.
She could suggest anything right now and he would probably say yes, hand over the pack? Sure, no worries. Kill Gabriel and Maggie and overthrow the half moon pack? Why not?
Conner knows that this is a dangerous situation but he is just going to go with his heart here and his heart is screaming Leilani.
Manipulating the mate bond isn't even bad compared to all the other things that he would be willing to do for her. Doesn't that mean doing to them what they just did? He would have to be insane to turn down such a thing. Any excuse to touch her, kiss her, f*ck her. He is all for it.
But there is a question looming that has to be asked. Conner runs his index finger along the soft skin on the line of her jaw.
"What does it mean for us after?"
He says it softly, but everyone in the room hears it. Leilani coughs slightly to cover up the awkwardness.
"You know what I am?"
"I do"
"You know what my job is?"
"I do"
"Do you think it is possible?"
"I think anything is possible if the participants are willing enough"
"But.."
Connor presses his finger to her lips. He doesn't want to hear her excuses. If they do whatever she has planned, doesn't it give him the perfect opportunity to talk her around, to show her he is worth the risk, to show her they are worth the struggle? "Run through your plan and we can talk about the other things later"
It is not something that needs an audience, he didn't care so much about his rejection by Maggie, he is not willing to fold so easily for Leilani, something so precious is worth fighting tooth and nail for.
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