Mated to My Intended's Enemy novel Chapter 86

Chapter 86: Chapter 86 Together Against Them All

Leo

I paced the length of my study, anxiety churning in my gut despite the outward calm I tried to project. The Council’s arrival was precisely the complication we didn’t need right now—not with Marcus still at large and a traitor possibly hiding among us.

When the door opened, my wolf surged forward. My tension eased only slightly when I saw her—Victoria. Even harried and worried, she was breathtaking, her chestnut hair falling in loose waves around her shoulders, her eyes bright with determination. My mate. My Luna. My everything.

“Leo,” she breathed, crossing the room quickly.

I pulled her into my arms before she could say another word, burying my face in her hair, inhaling her scent—wildflowers laced with the earthy sweetness of fresh rain. The bond between us thrummed, alive with shared anxiety but also with the strength we drew from each other.

“I came as soon as I heard,” I murmured, brushing a kiss against her temple. “Are you alright?”

Victoria leaned back just enough to meet my eyes. Her expression was resolute, but the pulse at her throat fluttered under my fingers. “I’m fine. But the Council—”

“I know,” I growled, irritation slipping through. “Their timing couldn’t be worse.”

She perched on the edge of my desk, crossing one leg over the other. The movement hiked her skirt just enough to catch my attention, and damn if she didn’t know it. “What do they want, exactly?”

“To stick their noses where they don’t belong,” I said tersely, forcing my eyes back to hers. “The Council’s always been wary of my power. They’ve been waiting for an excuse to crawl into Shadow Pack politics—like vultures circling a carcass.”

Her fingers drummed against the polished wood. “And now they have one. Me.”

I moved closer, catching her hands before she could pull into herself. “Listen to me, Victoria. We have to be strategic. The Council values bloodlines and tradition above all else. If they find out the truth about your abilities—” 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

“They’ll see me as a threat,” she finished quietly. Her lips pressed together. “Or worse, as a resource they can control.”

“Exactly.” My jaw tightened. “Marcus’s attack gives us some cover. We focus their inquiry on him, not on your heritage.”

Victoria bit her lip, a nervous gesture I found maddeningly erotic. “And if they push me to... perform?”

I leaned in, close enough that my lips brushed the shell of her ear. “Then we give them nothing. They may think they rule, but here? This is my territory. My rules.”

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify