A Deal

Chapter 3

Leon's POV

I stood at the edge of the banquet hall, my eyes scanning the sea of faces with a mix of disinterest and disdain. The music was too loud, the laughter too forced, and the clothes too extravagant. It was all just a facade, a thin veil hiding the true nature of our pack.

But then, everything changed.

Ryan, my wolf, whispered in my mind, his voice urgent and excited. "Leon, I've found her. Our Mate. She's here."

My heart skipped a beat as I searched the crowd, my gaze locking onto a figure that made my breath catch. Irene. She stood out like a star in a sky full of dull stars, her beauty and grace making the surrounding world seem dim in comparison.

I felt a surge of excitement mixed with disbelief. Could it be true? Could she really be the one?

I pushed through the crowd, my eyes fixed on Irene, my heart racing as she was walking towards my direction.

"What is she doing here, alone without her mate and why is she coming towards my direction?" I questioned myself.

She got to where I was and stood before me.

As Irene stood before me, her eyes locked onto mine, I felt the room around us melt away. The music, the laughter, the chatter - all of it faded into the background, leaving only the two of us, suspended in a sea of tension.

"Irene," I said, my voice barely above a whisper, my eyes searching hers for answers. "What are you doing here?"

She took a deep breath, her eyes filling with a mix of emotions - pain, anger, betrayal. "I came to seek your help, Leon," she said, her voice steady. "Matthew betrayed me. He used me, lied to me, and left me for dead."

My eyes narrowed, my heart racing with anger. "What do you mean?" I growled, my wolf rising to the surface.

Irene's eyes flashed with tears, but she held them back, her jaw set in. "He pretended to be my mate, but it was all a ruse, he dumped after all the sacrifices we made together and left me for my Stepsister."

As Irene finished speaking, a flicker of joy crossed my eyes, quickly replaced by a wave of anger. I was furious at Matthew's actions, and my heart went out to Irene for the pain she had endured. A strong urge to reach out and comfort her, to offer her protection, surged within me. I wanted to hold her close and promise her that she would never be hurt again.

But I restrained myself, not wanting to scare her off. Instead, I looked deeply into her eyes, my gaze burning with intensity. "I'm so sorry, Irene," I said, my voice low and husky. "No one deserves to be treated like that."

"And he also used me as a pawn in his game to fight against you to destroy your Pack." She confessed.

My eyes widened, my mind reeling with the implications. "And you have proof of this?" I asked, my voice laced with disbelief.

Irene nodded, her eyes locked onto mine. "I have proof of it and information that can destroy Matthew, but I need your help to fight against him. Will you help me, Leon?"

Irene's eyes welled up with tears, but she held them back. "I just want to see him pay for what he's done," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

I nodded, my anger burning brighter. "I'll help you," I said, my voice firm. "We'll take him down together."

I slowly extended my hand, my eyes locked onto hers. "May I?" I asked, my voice soft.

Irene nodded, her eyes never leaving mine. I took the USB drive from her.

"Thank you, I would be expecting your positive reply soon," She said, her voice filled with gratitude as she turned around to leave.

As Irene disappeared into the crowd, I felt a pang of frustration. I wanted to follow her, to ask her more questions, to know more about her. But before I could even take a step, Sophia returned to my side, chattering away about something trivial.

I tried to listen, I really did. But my mind was elsewhere, consumed by thoughts of Irene. Sophia's voice was like a distant hum, a annoyance that I couldn't shake off.

"Sophia, I'm tired," I said finally, my patience wearing thin. "I think it's time for me to head home."

Sophia pouted, her eyes flashing with disappointment. "But the night is still young, Leon," she protested. "And we haven't even danced yet."

I sighed, my mind already made up. "I'm not in the mood, Sophia. Maybe some other time."

As we drove to her apartment, the silence between us was palpable. Sophia sensed my coldness, but she didn't understand why. "You're not very romantic, Leon," she said, her voice laced with disappointment.

I shrugged, feeling a sense of indifference. "I'm just not in the mood, Sophia."

I pulled up to her apartment and nodded curtly. "Goodnight, Sophia."

As she got out of the car, Sophia looked at me like she was seeing me for the first time. "You're different, Leon," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "You're not the same person I thought I knew."

I didn't respond, just drove away, leaving her standing alone in the darkness.

As I drove away from Sophia's apartment, my mind wandered back to the past, to the memories that still haunted me. I closed my eyes, and the images flashed before me like a movie.

Our vast territory in the forest, the wooden house where I spent my childhood. The smell of trees, the sound of wolves howling in the distance. It was a life full of freedom, full of joy.

But then, Mathew's pack attacked, burning our homes to ashes, forcing us to flee to the human city. I remembered the shame, the humiliation, the feeling of losing everything we had.

My father's words echoed in my mind, his dying words. "Never forget, Leon. Never forget the shame of our destroyed territory. Never forget the pain of losing our land."

I opened my eyes, my heart heavy with emotions. I could feel the anger, the bitterness, the desire for revenge. It was a fire that burned deep within me, a fire that had been burning for years.

"I won't forget, Father," I whispered to myself. "I won't forget until I reclaim our land, until I restore our honor."

I stopped the car in a worn asphalt, I always come there anytime I needed to get my mind of things.

As I stepped out of the car and onto the worn asphalt, my wolf stirred within me, sensing my pain and anger. He nudged me, urging me to contact Irene. I took a deep drag on my cigar, the flame burning bright as I exhaled slowly. The cold glint in my eye intensified, my mind fixed on revenge.

"Call her," my wolf whispered, his voice a low growl in my mind. "Call Irene. She's the key to taking down Matthew."

I nodded, my heart racing. I pulled out my phone and dialed Irene's number.