​Scarlett’s POV

​The room was quiet, except for our heavy breathing and the sound of the shower still running in the bathroom. Leo didn’t move. He stayed deep inside me, his body a warm, solid weight that made me feel safe for the first time in years.

​He leaned down and kissed my shoulder but still didn’t pull out. He kept us closer, pulling my back against his chest and wrapping his arms around me. He held me like he was afraid I would disappear if he let go.

​"You’re real," he whispered, his voice shaking. "You’re actually here."

​I couldn’t even find the words to answer. My body was still tingly from the pleasure, and my heart was beating fast. I reached back, covering his hand where it was wrapped firmly around my waist.

For a few minutes, we just lay there in the messy sheets, lost in our own thoughts.

​But then, I felt his hand move.

​His warm fingers started to trace my skin, moving up from my hip to my ribs. I froze when he touched a thick, raised line on my side—a scar I got during a brutal training session a month ago.

​He stopped moving. I could feel him tense up behind me. He moved his hand again, finding a small mark on my shoulder and the faint lines on my lower back.

​"Scarlett..." he breathed, his voice full of pain.

​He pulled back just enough to look at me, though his cock was still buried inside me. He touched the scar on my ribs so gently it made my eyes sting. In the dim light, the marks from my months of training were easy to see.

​"What happened to you?" he asked, his eyes dark with worry and anger. "Who did this to you?"

​I looked away, my heart sinking. I had spent months pushing my body to the limit, learning how to fight and stay hidden. I had bled and bruised myself just to become strong enough to protect myself in case the need arises.

​"I had to learn how to fight, Leo," I whispered. "I couldn’t stay weak."

​"These are from training," he said, his grip on my hip getting tighter. "This wasn’t just practice. You were pushed so hard, Scar. You have marks all over you."

​He leaned in, resting his forehead against the top of my head. He looked at me, searching for the truth. It felt so strange to be this close to him while he looked at the marks on my body.

​"No one did this to me, Leo," I said, trying to calm him down as his fingers continued to roam over the scars. "They’re just marks from my training. They’ll fade soon, I promise."

​He didn’t look convinced. He leaned down, his face full of a sad kind of hunger, and began pressing soft, lingering kisses all over my skin—on my shoulder, along my ribs, and over every mark he could find. I felt my breath hitch. Even though we were just lying there, his cock was still buried deep inside me, and I could feel him getting hard again as he worshipped my body with his lips.

​A low moan escaped me, my head falling back against his chest. The pleasure was starting to build all over again, but I had to be strong. I had to remember the plan.

​"You have to leave now, Leo," I whispered, the words heavy on my lips. "Your mother’s memorial is tomorrow. You can’t miss that."

​Leo stopped mid-kiss. His body went still, but he didn’t pull away. "I’m not leaving," he said firmly, his voice vibrating against my skin. "The pack can handle the morning without me."

​I frowned, the guilt and worry finally giving me the strength to move. I pushed against his chest and pulled away, feeling his cock slide out of me. The sudden emptiness was cold, but I needed to look at him. I turned around on the bed to face him, my eyes wide.

​"What? Leo, you have to go. It’s your mother."

​"I want to spend as much time as I can with you," he said, reaching out to tuck a damp strand of hair behind my ear. His eyes were soft, glowing with an intensity that made my heart ache. "And besides, tomorrow is your birthday, Scar. Let’s spend it together. Just us."

​My heart stopped. My birthday. I had almost forgotten. The thought of spending the day in his arms was a dream I wanted so badly to say yes to, but it was too dangerous.

​"No," I said, shaking my head. "You have to honor your mom’s memorial. That’s more important. After that... after that, you can come back here."

​I hated lying to him. My plan was already set—the moment he walked out that door to head to the memorial, I was going to disappear. I was leaving the country. If I stayed, I would destroy his life, his marriage, and his brothers.

​Leo’s face darkened, a deep frown cutting across his forehead. He reached out and gripped my waist, pulling me back toward him until our knees touched.

​"I just got you back, Scarlett," he murmured, his voice full of a desperate kind of pain. "Don’t ask me to walk away from you already. I can’t breathe when I think about you not being where I can see you."

​I looked into his eyes, and for a second, I almost broke. I almost told him everything. But I knew I couldn’t. I had to make him leave, even if it meant breaking both of our hearts.

I reached out, cupping his face with both hands. I forced myself to smile, even though I felt like I was breaking inside.

​"Leo, listen to me," I said, my voice soft but firm. "It’s only for a few hours. Your mother deserves your respect, and the pack needs to see their Alpha there. If you stay here, they will start asking questions. Do you want them to find me like this?"

​He lowered his head, his jaw tight. "I don’t care what they think."

​"I do," I whispered, leaning in to press a soft kiss to his forehead. "Go to the memorial. Honor your late mother. And then... then you can come back. I’ll be waiting."

​The lie tasted bitter in my mouth. I hated that I was using his love for me to trick him, but it was the only way to get him out of this room so I could run.

​Leo let out a long, shaky breath. He leaned forward, burying his face in the crook of my neck, holding me so tight it was almost difficult to breathe. He stayed like that for a long time, just inhaling my fake scent, as if he was trying to memorize me one last time.

​"Promise me, Scar," he whispered against my skin. "Promise me you’ll be here when I get back."

​My heart broke into a million pieces. I couldn’t say the words. I couldn’t give him a promise I was about to break. Instead, I pulled back just enough to look him in the eyes and kissed him—a deep, desperate kiss that I hoped would tell him everything I couldn’t say.

​"Go, Leo," I breathed against his lips. "Just go."