I awoke to the radiant morning sun beaming onto my face, and as I stirred, I felt the comforting presence of an arm around my waist. Turning my head, I found a still-sleeping Leon lying beside me. His cute, slumbering expression, perfect jawline, and tousled hair made it difficult for me to look away, but I knew it was time to start the day.

I made several attempts to wake him, but he remained peacefully asleep. So, I decided to employ a more effective method. I poked his cheek, but even that didn't stir him. I could tell he was pretending, which prompted me to resort to my final strategy: startling him.

"Ahhhhh!" I suddenly shrieked at the top of my lungs. Instantly, he jolted upright, his face filled with concern.

"What's wrong? Are you hurt?" he asked, his voice laced with worry.

Suppressing a laugh at my successful prank, I reassured him that everything was fine. However, as I saw his frown deepen, I pretended to fear his anger, recalling the punishments Austin used to inflict on me for lying.

"I'm sorry, please don't hurt me," I pleaded as I scooted back to the far end of the bed, hugging my legs to my chest.

Leon, realizing that I had played a prank, sighed and extended an inviting hand. "No, I'm not mad. Come here," he said gently, his eyes softening.

He changed the subject, asking if I wanted to go to the beach with him and mentioning that he was taking a break from his alpha duties. Feeling uncertain, I nodded, still fearful of the consequences if I refused.

As we prepared to leave, Lily unexpectedly appeared and declared, "Where are you guys going? I want to come too! Or am I ruining something?" She smirked playfully.

Leon growled slightly at her teasing, while I happily agreed to let her join us. John, another member of the pack, was also coming, so the more, the merrier.

As we all piled into the car, I couldn't help but notice John staring at Lily with intent. Under his breath, he muttered, "Mate."

Lily appeared shocked by his declaration, but Leon continued driving, and she chose not to respond, instead looking out of the window. I knew I needed to have a private conversation with Lily later. Why was she avoiding John?

At the beach, we tried to have fun despite the awkward atmosphere between John and Lily, who barely spoke to each other. I could sense my concern about their situation, so Leon assured me, saying, "Don't worry. After this, I'll talk to John, and you can talk to Lily."

We attempted to enjoy ourselves while ignoring the tension between the two of them.

Later, I changed into my swimsuit and headed into the water for a refreshing swim. The cool water enveloped me as I ventured deeper. It was the perfect way to unwind.

Leon swam up to me, pulled me close, and leaned in for a passionate kiss. It was my first kiss ever, and I was unsure of how to respond. Sensing my hesitation, he stopped, a hurt expression in his eyes.

I assumed he now despised me for my inexperience and lack of reaction. Once again, I felt unlovable, like I was nothing more than a burden.

After returning to the pack house and showering, I couldn't find Leon anywhere. He was likely in his office, discussing the situation with John and Lily.

Descending the stairs, I spotted him outside the house, deep in conversation with John. They were talking about their mates, and I overheard Leon saying, "It's straightforward. Just give them what they want. For instance, Charlotte wants me to spend more time with her, so I do. Having a mate can be troublesome, but you have to make the first move. I needed a Luna for the pack, so I accepted it as a necessity. I can't let her leave; having her makes our pack stronger. It's not about love yet, because, you know, I didn't really want a mate..."

Tears welled up in my eyes, and I couldn't bear to hear any more of their conversation. I retreated, devastated by the realization that Leon was still the same indifferent alpha who only saw me as a means to strengthen the pack.

I had been naive to believe that he had genuinely changed and maybe even cared about me, even a little. The waves of doubt and sadness washed over me as I pondered the complexities of our situation.

A  little drama starting...
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