Twisting Her Fate
Chapter 23

Connor can only nod at the words. For some reason, his wolf never feels agitated by the threats of violence coming from these five because they are about the protection of someone so precious.

If someone said something similar to him about anything or anyone else, he would be threatening them straight back, but his wolf doesn't even react, which even surprises him. It is like he understands the importance of Leilani so their threats are warranted "You have nothing to worry about with me. My intention is the same as it was back then. I have no desire to hurt her"

Connor pauses, stepping back slightly from Finlay and looking at all the boys.

"I was being serious when I said I just left Maggie with Gabriel without a fight. I didn't care, my wolf didn't even care because I had already had a glimpse of something better. Now that she has walked back into my life, hurting her is the last thing I want to do" Connor looks at Levi and nods as he walks toward his car. Levi follows and the others are left to ponder his words.

"Do you think we will lose her?"

"We won't ever lose her, but she may leave us. We cannot sway her decision for our own selfish gain. If anyone deserves a happy ending it is Leilani."

"But with Connor?"

"Just keep an eye on him, he seems genuine, but our main aim is to protect Lani"

Levi jumps into the passenger side of the truck as they drive past the trees and into the built-up area. There is one block of apartment buildings that towers over the rest. Connor guides his car into the parking space. He gestures at the building.

"This is Terrance's. It is amazing how much he can make out of the serum"

"It is disturbing"

"I agree"

Levi looks at Connor and asks the question that he has been wanting to ask since he found out about the serum.

"So are you a cheater?"

Connor laughs as he guides Levi into the building.

"I love how straight forward you all are. No, I am not a cheater, I hate this stuff and I never planned on ever using it in my life"

"What about if you are like your dad?"

"Dad still suffered from the guilt after it, it was all a ridiculous situation. My mates comfort comes before all else. If I wake up every morning having had wet dreams like I am a teenager again because I can't deal with myself, I will sleep on towels and in a nappy, whatever I need to do"

"Your dad?"

"Yes, my father was way too forthcoming about a lot of things"

"Where is he?"

"Both my parents and my younger brother and sister died when they were off the packlands, I was at home grounded"

Levi studies Connor, trying to imagine the big strong alpha being grounded. Connor presses the button after they after the lift to the top floor. "You were grounded?"

Connor laughs.

"Yes, I always thought making money in real estate was a good idea, so I made some investments and dad found out I had forged his signature, instead of being in trouble for impersonating him, he grounded me for trying to grow up too fast, told me I should enjoy being a kid" Conner looks at the numbers as they tick over.

"That idea was a joke anyway, as after they died I became alpha at fourteen and dabbling in real estate became the least of my responsibilities"

"I am sorry"

"It is fine, I assume you were sent to elite training too, so I can hardly complain about the hand I was dealt"

"She told you about that?"

"Just barely, but I can put the pieces together"

"I did, but truthfully it was a good thing, your life turned upside down at fourteen. Mine did too. It was in the best way possible though"

As they exit the lift, Levi looks at the ceiling.

"Why do I feel like we are not on the top floor?"

Connor raises his eyebrows.

"Good pick up, most people don't get that"

Connor doesn't explain further as he knocks on the door at the end of the hallway. The door swings open revealing a man with black hair that is just long enough to tuck behind his ears and violet eyes. He is lean and built well, but hardly comparable to the men in the doorway. He only wears a pair of gray sweat pants.

"Connor long time no see"

Just as Connor is about to open his mouth, a gruff growl sounds behind him.

"Mine"

Connor's eyebrows raise, but Terrance pushes Connor out of the way with a hint of excitement, placing his hand under his chin as he assesses Levi.

"Well, well, well Connor, it must have been all my hard work in putting up with your boring all-work, no play personality for so long, the moon goddess sure has blessed me"

Terrance gives an approving nod to Levi. Over Connor's life he has learned to roll with the punches, while he knows that Terrance dabbled. He did not expect Levi to be mated to a man. But he doesn't show surprise for long.

"Terrance, this is Levi, we were here for something else, but it seems that I joined a mated pair together in the process"

"Well, come in"

Back in the stormy pack, Leilani joins the others to sit on the grass and stare out into the trees. Connor has breakfast delivered to the group as they sit in silence. Arlo breaks the silence.

"Why didn't you tell us Lani? I can't believe your plan was to try and use your body to get back at Gabriel when we were right there. You can talk to us about anything, we could have worked out another way, there were better options" "I was just embarrassed"

"What is there to be embarrassed about?"

"That I got rejected in such a way, that I am so bad that my mate wants me dead"

"Lani, you have never been bad, from the first moment I saw you, you were special. If Gabriel is blind, that is his own problem, not yours. We were all not good enough for someone, but we have been through enough to know that it isn't true. What others think of us means nothing at all. Personally, I think he did you a favor. Imagine rotting away with him as a mate?" "But you haven't been rejected by your mate. It is different"

"And if I was you, you would say the same thing to me, to any of us. They do not matter, our family is what matters. If anyone else doesn't want us, it is their problem, not ours"

Leilani embraces Arlo and the others gather around to hug.

"I am sorry for the way I have acted. I thought I was healed. I don't think it was a wound that has been reopened, what happened yesterday was instead a tearing open of scar tissue. I slightly lost my mind. I am sorry I didn't confide in you guys" Madden adds.

"I am just glad it was Connor's office you walked into and not some dodgy a*s alpha. Shouldn't Maggie be mated to some deviant?"

"Well, I was surprised as you. As soon as I stepped over the border, I thought it was a bad idea. But I just kept moving because once I commit to something, I have to see it through"

They have a rest before they start to train. The group rarely have down time. Any spare second they spend bettering themselves and working out Leilani's feelings in the process.

The boys also need to get to a point where they are going to be able to face Gabriel. They thought they hated him before, but they now know it is just the tip of the iceberg, so acting casually without taking his worthless life will not be without its challenges. In the apartment, Terrance has finished showing Levi around. When they open the door of the apartment, it is just like any other basic apartment, but as soon as they open the door to the second bedroom, it opens into an apartment that takes up the entire floor. The doors in the hallway off the lift were just for decorative purposes, the whole floor is his workspace and laboratory, then he has a stair case that leads up to his actual apartment. As they sit on the luxurious sofa in the middle of the room, Levi sits close to Terrance, their thighs touch and their fingers intertwine as they hold hands. Levi says.

"What is with all the mysterious cloaked entry and false doors?"

Terrance looks at Connor.

"How much did you tell him?"

"The basics"

Terrance nods as his violet eyes find their way back to Levi's chocolate brown eyes.

"I don't want that good for nothing Coven coming to me when they know I have money. If I put on the act of being average, they won't ever bother me"

"What about the workers that built the place? They never talk?"

"It is nothing a little potion can't fix"

Connor looks at the clock on the wall. He doesn't want to disrupt the two, but time will disappear quickly. He explains the entire situation from start to finish and there is no one more excited than Terrance.

"You mean after all these years of boredom with you as my only friend, I not only find my handsome mate, I also get a front row seat to a weird love square"

"Love triangle?"

"No, four parties equals love square"

"Well, it is more two parallel lines that are battling each other. I have no interest in Maggie"

"No wonder, I can't wait to meet Leilani"

Terrance has lots of acquaintances but only one true friend. It is hard to know who to trust in a world full of deceit and self-interest, so the prospect of joining a group that has banded together because they were rejected and have a similar backstory is exciting to him.

"Are your family going to be weird about...."

Terrance gestures between the two of them.

"Not at all, I am actually Bi and they already know"

"Good, good, let me pack a bag and some potions and I am coming with you"

Levi looks at Terrance.

"Are you sure?"

It isn't exactly the same feeling for wolves and non-wolves with the mate bond, so for it to be so smooth considering Terrance is a warlock not a wolf is beyond his expectations. He didn't want to be separated and he didn't want to push anything, but he was expecting a long-fought battle.