’Of course,’ Bryce thought bitterly. ’Of all people, it had to be Leah.’
Her mere presence was enough to weaken his legs.
The moment her eyes landed on him, her expression darkened instantly, disbelief flashing across her face before it was replaced by pure hostility.
"What is he doing here?" she demanded.
Her furious gaze shifted toward Vincent before returning to Bryce. "What exactly do you think you’re doing here? And who allowed you inside? Did they not even bother looking at you before deciding you were someone who could step foot in this place?"
"He’s here because he wants answers," Vincent said, but Leah interrupted him almost immediately.
"I’m not speaking to you, Vincent." She turned toward him sharply. "You left in such a hurry, claiming it was nothing, but this was the reason, wasn’t it? You left because of him?"
"I have nothing to do with him being here, in case you think I called him," Vincent replied, his expression impossible to read.
"But when you left your office, you already knew he was here. That was why you reacted like that." Her voice rose with accusation. "Which means you didn’t reject him. You lied to me."
"Lower your voice." Vincent remained composed. "Some things are not meant to be spoken openly when we’re here. You know that."
Leah ignored his warning completely.
"Are you planning to reject him at all, Vincent?" she demanded.
"Reject me for what?"
Bryce couldn’t stop himself from speaking, despite knowing this was the worst possible moment to interfere.
Leah’s eyes snapped toward him.
The fury in her expression made it seem as though she wanted nothing more than to tear him apart as she stepped closer.
Vincent moved as well, positioning himself nearer to Bryce.
"You’re here for answers?" Leah asked coldly. "Fine. Despite being nothing more than a pathetic little slut who slept with a married man, I’ll be nice and give you what you came here for. Once you have those answers, make sure you disappear so completely that I never have to see you again."
Her voice lowered, but the hostility within it only grew heavier.
"You can sleep with whoever you want after this, but never think about crossing me this way again. I’m willing to overlook this once."
The suffocating pressure in her words made Bryce struggle to breathe.
"Okay,.. if you need a pen to write everything down, feel free to get one," she added mockingly, not even allowing him time to react before continuing.
"You are not human. You are a pathetic omega werewolf who was clearly abandoned in the human world because you were unwanted in your own homeland. Don’t worry. I’ll explain everything."
Her eyes remained fixed on him.
"A werewolf is a creature capable of shifting between human and wolf forms. They possess abilities humans could never imagine. They can heal from injuries without relying on medicine, their senses are far sharper than humans’, their speed surpasses that of any ordinary animal, and their instincts are stronger. During certain cycles, they experience urges that humans would consider unnatural, especially the need to mate. Mating simply means having an intense desire for sex with your partner."
She paused briefly.
"You can kill without hesitation and without viewing it as something extraordinary. Especially during a full moon. On those nights, every werewolf is forced to shift and hunt. It’s part of our nature. The instinct calls to you, and controlling that primal desire becomes almost impossible. Now that your wolf has awakened, you should be careful. The last thing we need is for someone like you to lose control, hunt humans, and expose our existence. Find strong chains and lock yourself away from sunrise until the night ends."
Bryce remained motionless, staring at her as though his mind had stopped functioning.
"Werewolves have their own territories, places humans know nothing about. Even if they are aware those lands exist, they have no idea the people living there are shifters."
She folded her arms.
"I assume that part is clear. Now... omega."
Her lips curved slightly, but there was no warmth in it.
"An omega is the lowest rank in the werewolf hierarchy. You lack strength, you hold little value, and you are considered beneath others. That is what you are. An alpha, on the other hand, stands at the highest position, the strongest among all wolves and the ruler of a pack, similar to how a president governs humans."
She stepped closer.
"Now that we’re clear on that, let’s discuss the most important part."
"Every werewolf is bound by the Moon Goddess. She is the one who connects two people together, creating a bond unlike anything else. A bond filled with belonging, attachment, and possessiveness. When two people connected by her finally meet, they know immediately. They feel it. They know, this is my mate.
When mates accept each other, the bond is sealed through a mark. The mate bites the side of the other’s neck, a symbol that they belong to one another. They can sense each other’s scent, and that scent becomes irresistible. Sweet. Addictive. Even impossible to live without."
She looked directly at Bryce.
"You have felt that, haven’t you?"
Her voice turned colder.
"Only unfortunately, it happened with the wrong person."
"Just because Vincent has been drawn to you, just because he has entertained you, or even touched you, doesn’t mean he wants you. That foolish bond is forcing him to act against his own wishes. He isn’t attracted to men, and even if he were, I doubt he would choose someone like you."
She let out a quiet breath.
"Understand this as well. The bond between you might simply be a mistake. In our world, people of the same gender are not fated mates. It doesn’t happen."
She stepped closer.
"Any questions before I continue?"
Bryce remained completely still.
His breathing had become shallow, as though his own lungs had forgotten how to function.
"No?"
Leah continued without waiting.
"Then let’s proceed. If someone is destined to a mate they do not want, they can reject them. The bond will release them completely."
Her eyes moved toward Vincent briefly.
"And that was exactly what Vincent planned to do with you. This wasn’t a decision he made after seeing you. He had planned it for years."
She smiled faintly.
"Do you know why?"
She looked back at Bryce.
"Because Vincent and I share a bond stronger than that mate bond. Unfortunately, the Moon Goddess failed to choose us for each other. We have loved each other for years, but because we aren’t true mates, we cannot have a child together. That is a rule."
Her expression hardened.
"Vincent hated you even more when he discovered his true mate was a man. If you had been a woman, the only thing we wanted from you was your ova. We would have created an heir, and you would have disappeared from our lives as though you never existed."
Her eyes moved over him with disgust.
"But you are a man. Completely useless to us. So I don’t understand why you’re still standing here."
She turned away slightly.
"That said, I have given you answers no one else would have. The least you can do is thank me, and after Vincent severs the bond, disappear somewhere we will never have to see you again."
Her gaze sharpened. "And you will not tell anyone what you have learned unless you want to die."
With those final words, she turned toward Vincent, who had remained silent throughout everything, believing that this was the best outcome.
Leah would do what he couldn’t.
She would push Bryce away and free him from the bond he was struggling against.
But even so, Vincent couldn’t understand the emotions stirring within him after hearing everything Leah had said to Bryce.
"Go on, honey," Leah said, stepping closer to him. "End this once and for all."