Mated to My Intended's Enemy novel Chapter 75

Chapter 75: Chapter 75 Preparing for Battle

Leo

The war room had emptied hours ago, leaving only the echo of strategy discussions and the lingering scent of Victoria’s distress. I stood at the window of my private office at Devil’s Lair, staring out at the gathering dusk. Tonight would change everything—for better or worse.

My wolf, Ronan, paced restlessly beneath my skin. He hadn’t settled since Marcus’s threat. The thought of Victoria sacrificing herself for Enzo made my blood run cold. She was brave enough—foolish enough—to do it, despite my explicit orders against it.

My phone buzzed with an update from Tiny. Our scouts had confirmed Marcus’s location, and our strike teams were in position. We would move at midnight, using the cover of darkness and the element of surprise to extract Enzo before Marcus realized what was happening.

Victoria stood on the porch steps, directing the efforts with quiet authority. She wore simple jeans and a forest-green sweater, her hair loose around her shoulders. Even in casual clothes, she carried herself with the dignity of an Alpha now—shoulders straight, chin lifted, voice firm but kind.

My chest tightened at the sight of her.She spotted my car and excused herself from the conversation, walking toward me with that graceful stride that always made Ronan rumble with approval.

"You’re early," she said as I stepped out of the car.

"Plans changed." I glanced at the activity around us. "What’s all this?"

Victoria’s expression softened. "Last-minute preparations. If we’re really doing this tonight, I wanted to make sure everything was in order here first."

"You should be resting," I said, more gruffly than intended.

"So should you," she countered, raising an eyebrow. "But here we are."

I couldn’t argue with her logic. Instead, I offered my hand. "Walk with me?"

She slipped her smaller hand into mine, and the contact sent the familiar current of warmth through my body. Every touch between us reinforced the bond neither of us had officially acknowledged yet.

We walked in comfortable silence around the side of the manor, toward the gardens that had been Victoria’s sanctuary since childhood. The evening air carried the scent of late summer flowers and the earthy promise of coming rain.

"I need to know you won’t do anything reckless tonight," I said finally, stopping beneath an ancient oak tree.

Victoria tensed beside me. "Like what?"

"Like offering yourself to Marcus in exchange for Enzo."

Her eyes flashed. "You think I’d go behind your back after everything we’ve planned?"

"I think you’d do whatever you believed necessary to protect your family." I turned to face her fully. "Even if it meant sacrificing yourself."

"That’s not fair," she protested, pulling her hand away. "I’ve agreed to the plan. I’ll stick to it."

"Look me in the eye and promise," I demanded, stepping closer.

Victoria tilted her head back, her brown eyes meeting mine defiantly. "I promise I won’t trade myself for Enzo."

"Or do anything else that puts you directly in Marcus’s hands," I added.

A flicker of frustration crossed her face. "Leo—"

"Promise me, Victoria." My voice dropped lower, an edge of my Alpha command bleeding through despite my efforts to contain it. "I need to hear the words."

"Why? Don’t you trust me?"

"With my life," I answered without hesitation. "But not with yours."

Her expression softened slightly. "That’s not your decision to make."

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