Chapter 96: Chapter 96 Trust
Leo
By the time I arrived at the pack house, night had fallen, and most of the lights were out. I made my way quietly through the halls, following Victoria’s scent to what had once been her father’s master suite.
I knocked softly on the door. "Victoria? It’s me."
For a moment, there was only silence. Then I heard her voice, muffled and tired. "Come in."
I pushed open the door to find her sitting on the bed, still in her training clothes from earlier. Her eyes were red-rimmed, and she looked utterly exhausted. The sight of her distress hit me like a physical blow.
"You look terrible," she said with a weak attempt at humor.
"So do you," I replied, closing the door behind me. "And it’s my fault."
Victoria’s expression grew guarded. "Leo, if you’re here to apologize for protecting me—"
"I’m here to apologize for disrespecting you," I interrupted, moving slowly toward the bed. "For treating you like something fragile instead of the incredible Alpha you are. For making you feel like a possession instead of a partner."
She blinked, clearly surprised by my words.
I sat on the edge of the bed, careful to maintain some distance. "You were right about everything you said. I have been controlling. I have been possessive. And I’ve been doing it all while telling myself it was out of love."
"Leo—" she started, but I held up a hand.
"Please, let me finish." I took a shaky breath. "My father did the same thing to my mother. Controlled every aspect of her life because he was terrified of losing her. And eventually, that fear became the very thing that drove her away."
Victoria’s expression softened slightly. "What happened to her?"
"She left when I was twelve," I said, the old pain still sharp after all these years. "Just disappeared one night. I never saw her again."
"Oh, Leo." Victoria’s hand moved toward mine, then stopped, uncertainty flickering across her face.
"I swore I’d never be like him," I continued. "But somewhere along the way, I became exactly what I hated. And the worst part is, I was doing it to you—the person who means more to me than my own life."
"You’re not your father," Victoria said softly.
"Aren’t I?" I met her eyes. "Today I undermined your authority in front of your warriors. I reduced you to ’mine’ instead of recognizing you as the leader you’ve become. I treated you like a problem to be managed instead of a partner to be respected."
Victoria was quiet for a long moment, studying my face. "Why?" she asked finally. "Why does the thought of me being independent scare you so much?"
"Because I’ve never had anything worth losing before," I admitted. "Power, money, territory—those are just things. But you... you’re everything. And the thought of losing you makes me want to lock you away where nothing can ever hurt you."
"But that’s not love, Leo," Victoria said gently. "That’s fear. And I can’t build a life with someone who sees me as something to be protected rather than someone capable of standing beside him as an equal."
"I know," I said. "And I’m sorry. Not just for today, but for every time I’ve made you feel small. Every time I’ve made decisions for you without consulting you. Every time I’ve acted like your safety was more important than your autonomy."
Victoria’s eyes filled with tears. "I love you," she whispered. "But I need you to see me. Really see me. Not just as your mate, but as Victoria."
"I do see you," I said, reaching out tentatively to touch her face. When she didn’t pull away, I cupped her cheek in my palm. "I see an incredible woman who survived hell and came out stronger. "
A tear slipped down her cheek. "Then why do you keep trying to put me in a cage?"
"Because I’m terrified," I admitted. "Ronan screams at me to protect you, and sometimes I can’t tell the difference between protection and possession. Because I love you so much it physically hurts, and I don’t know how to handle that vulnerability."
Victoria leaned into my touch. "Love isn’t supposed to hurt, Leo. It’s supposed to make us stronger."
"Then teach me," I said desperately. "Teach me how to love you the way you deserve. How to support you without smothering you. How to be your partner instead of your captor."
Victoria was quiet for so long I thought she might ask me to leave. Then she moved closer, her hands coming up to frame my face.
"It starts with trust," she said softly. "Trusting that I can handle myself. Trusting that I won’t leave you just because I’m capable of independence. Trusting that our bond is strong enough to withstand me being my own person."
"I want to," I said. "God, Victoria, I want to be better for you."
"Then be better with me," she said, pressing her forehead against mine. "Not for me, but with me. As partners. As equals."
When her lips met mine, it was soft and tentative at first, then deeper as I poured all my regret and love and desperate hope into the kiss. She tasted like forgiveness and second chances, like everything I’d never dared to dream I could have.
"I love you," I whispered against her mouth. "Not because you’re mine, but because you’re you."
As we held each other in the quiet darkness of her room, I felt something shift inside me. The desperate, clawing fear that had been driving my possessiveness began to ease, replaced by something steadier. More mature.
Trust.
For the first time since Victoria had entered my life, I didn’t feel the need to control every variable, to manage every threat. She was strong enough to face whatever came, and our bond was strong enough to survive her strength.
Thank you, I sent up a silent prayer to whatever force had brought her into my life. Thank you for giving me someone worth becoming better for.