Chapter 19
Astrid's POV
My mind was reeling. Everything had happened so fast, I couldn't catch my breath. The fight, the capture, and now…Leon. Standing before me, telling me he had been waiting. It made no sense. What the fuck was happening?
"What do you mean by that?" I asked, my voice barely a whisper.
Leon laughed, a low, unsettling sound that sent shivers down my spine. He took a step closer, his gaze fixed on mine. "I've missed you, Astrid," he said, his voice thick with emotion.
I frowned, a disbelieving sound escaping my lips. "I don't understand," I said, shaking my head. "You rejected me. You don't want me."
He reached out, his fingers brushing against my cheek, and I flinched, recoiling from his touch. The move seemed to anger him, his eyes flashing with an intensity I've never seen before.
"Am I so vile to you now?" he asked, his voice laced with hurt. "Do you not want me anymore?"
I could not understand what was going on. Why did he sound so hurt? He did not have the right to feel hurt. That was something that was solely for me given the way I've been treated for the past hours.
"You're the one who rejected me, Leon," I said, my voice rising in anger. "You're the one who doesn't want me. You have a mate now."
Leon laughed again, dismissing my words with a wave of his hand. "Clara means nothing to me," he said, his eyes burning into mine. "It's you I want, Astrid. It's always been you."
"What the fuck?" I asked in surprise. "Are you okay?"
"I am."
He claimed my sister as his mate and now he was saying she didn't matter? Even if I still did not appreciate how I was being treated by her, I wasn't going to let this idiot treat her like she was nothing.
"You are to stay faithful to your fated mate." I said to him,
"Maybe this time fate is wrong. I've never felt anything for her. Big the way I feel towards you." He claimed.
I sighed. I was tired of hearing his words already. I could not believe that this was the same person I had almost sworn to stay with for the rest of my life.
He reached for me, his intention clear, but I pushed him away, my hands trembling. "Control yourself," I said, my voice shaking. "Why am I even here? Why am I in your room?"
He stepped closer, his presence overwhelming. "It's obvious, isn't it?" he said, his voice softening. "I missed you. I wanted you close."
I shook my head, confusion swirling within me. I didn't understand the person standing before me. This wasn't the Leon I had known, the Leon I had loved. This wasn't the man I had given my life to.
"Is sending six guards to capture me your way of telling me you missed me?" I asked, my voice dripping with sarcasm.
He chuckled, a dark, humorless sound. "I did it for your own good, Astrid," he said, his eyes gleaming. "I know how strong you are, how well you've trained. I knew that if I simply approached you, you wouldn't come willingly."
The fact that I trained with assassins after running away from my father's pack was something only Leon knew. And I also ran away from that life. Hell, I only stayed with them for six months before I found out that I was going to be sold out.
"I wouldn't go with you because you don't want me," I said, my voice cracking with emotion. "You made it obvious."
"No." He said as he shook his head frantically.
He grabbed my arms, holding me tightly, his grip bruising. "I want you, Astrid," he said, his voice rough. "I want you more than ever."
I yanked myself free, stumbling back towards the door. "Let me out, Leon," I said, my voice rising in panic. "Let me go."
My action seemed to snap something within him, his eyes blazing with anger. He lunged forward, grabbing me by the hair, his grip tight and painful.
"I'm trying to explain how I feel," he growled, his voice menacing. "But you're giving me an attitude. You're making this difficult."
I stomped on his foot, hard, and he cried out in pain, releasing my hair. I scrambled for the door, desperate to escape, but Leon grabbed me again, pulling me back towards him.
His anger was palpable, his control slipping. He ripped at my clothes, tearing the loose fabric, his eyes filled with a dark, possessive rage.
"It's because of him, isn't it?" he snarled, his voice filled with jealousy. "It's because you've found someone new. It's Kaeleen, isn't it? You've slept with him. You whore. I should have known."
Tears streamed down my face, my body trembling with fear and revulsion. I pushed against him, struggling to break free, but he was too strong.
"No," I cried, my voice hoarse with desperation. "Please, Leon, stop."
I begged as he trailed kisses down my neck. He rubbed himself against me, I could feel his erection and he was sniffing me like I was the best thing to ever happen to me. His close proximity to me made me nauseous.
I couldn't believe this was happening. This was the man I had loved, the man I had trusted. How could he do this? How could he be so cruel?
As Leon tried to force himself on me, I felt a surge of despair, a crushing sense of hopelessness. I almost gave up, almost let him have his way but I didn't. I wasn't going to let him have his way with me. It was time I stood up for myself.
With a growl, fueled by rage and desperation, I gathered all my strength and kicked Leon as hard as I could, aiming for his hard cock. I knew it would cause him pain and give me time to escape.
He doubled over in pain, clutching himself, his face contorted in agony. I didn't hesitate. I seized the opportunity and ran towards the door, my heart pounding in my chest.
But as I reached for the handle, I realized it was locked. I was trapped.
Panic surged through me, threatening to overwhelm me. I scanned the room, desperate for an escape route. My eyes landed on the window, wide open, the cool night air beckoning.
Without a second thought, I ran towards it, my bare feet pounding against the floor. I didn't know what was outside, what dangers awaited me, but anything was better than staying here, trapped with Leon.
I leaped through the window…