The helicopter touched down on the landing pad at the heart of a private island at dawn. of waves crashing against the reel remained.
the roar of the rotors faded, only the sound
Leopold carried Clarisse off the aircraft. The moment her feet hit the ground, she shoved him away with force.
“Is it the unlawful detention now?” she scoffed, her wedding gown billowing in the sea breeze. “When did Alpha Leopold stoop to this kind of filth?”
Leopold didn’t get angry. Instead, he chuckled lowly. “And what if I did?”
He reached out, brushing her cheek with cold fingertips, though his gaze burned hot enough to scald.
“Clary, you’re mine.”
“In this lifetime, don’t even think about marrying anyone else.”
Inside the wolf castle.
Leopold gave her a full tour of the island.
“Everything here is yours,” he said, pushing open the floor–to–ceiling windows. The ocean breeze swept in, salty and humid. “The garden, the pool, the library… even that stretch of sea.”
Clarisse remained unmoved. “I want to go back.”
“Clary, let’s just put the past behind us,” He wrapped his arms around her from behind, resting his chin lightly atop her head. His voice was hoarse. “Let’s start over.”
“Let’s pretend none of it ever happened.”
Clarisse slipped out of his embrace and turned to him with a cold smile. “Leopold, when did you become so good at lying to yourself?”
Leopold stiffened. It took a moment before he could speak again.
“Clary, I’ll bring you back to how things used to be.”
In the days that followed, Leopold treated her with an almost maddening intensity of care.
She strolled barefoot along the beach once, and the next day, the entire shoreline was covered with soft, white sand flown in from
Nordria.
She woke up from a nightmare one night to find him sitting by her bed, eyes bloodshot, clearly having stayed up all night to watch over
her.
She casually mentioned craving mangoes, and the very next day, an entire mango tree was flown in and planted in the garden.
Clarisse had never seen this version of Leopold before.
Now he was gentle, obsessive, indulgent beyond reason.
For a fleeting moment, she felt dazed.
If he had treated her like this from the start… how different would things have been?
But the next second, her clarity returned.
There was no going back.
A week later, Clarisse began a hunger strike.
“You’re not eating?” Leopold stood at the door with a fruit plate in hand, his eyes dark and unreadable. “Then I’ll feed you.”
He bit down on a cherry, then grabbed her chin and kissed her forcefully.
Chapter 22
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Clarisse struggled, the juice running down the corner of her mouth. He licked it away.
The kiss deepened, and twisted into something else.
Leopold’s breathing grew heavier as he slid his hand behind her neck, pulling her in close.
“Don’t…” Clarisse turned her head away. “Don’t touch me.”
Leopold froze, pain flashing in his eyes.
In the end, he only pressed his forehead against hers, voice hoarse with frustration. “Clary, what do you want me to do?”
Clarisse stared at him and suddenly smiled. “Let me go.”
Due to mounting work back at Auremere Pack, Leopold had no choice but to return and handle affairs personally.
It was already dusk on the private island.
On the third day after Leopold’s departure, Clarisse stood by the floor–to–ceiling window, watching the last sliver of sunlight sink
beneath the horizon.
A servant tiptoed into the room and quietly set down a glass of warm milk. “Luna Clarisse, please drink a little something.”
Clarisse didn’t move. Her voice was flat as she asked. “When is he coming back?”
“Leopold said once he’s done with the company-”
“Crash!”
The glass shattered against the wall, shards scattering across the floor, milk splashing everywhere.
“I’m no one’s Luna,” Clarisse smiled coldly. “Get out.”
The servant scurried out, terrified.
Clarisse bent down slowly and picked up the sharpest piece of glass from the floor.
Chapter 22
