"Leo please," I begged after we had finally got out of the castle through some back tunnel route and. We'd walked through the forest for a bit and then reached a single truck where Max had been waiting for us. He lifted me onto the passenger seat of then truck and crouched down to my level. "You can save him. I know that he tried to kill you but you tried to kill my Dad."

"How do you know about that?" he asked his eyes flickering with shock.

I suddenly had the impulse to slap him. So I did. Right across the cheek.

"He's alive," I said. "Why didn't you tell me what you did?"

He looked at me with a guilty expression with a strange underlying anger.

"Because I didn't know he was still alive until Max came back to the pack and by then it didn't seem right."

"So you would have let me go through life without knowing that my father was still alive? And if you hadn't fucking failed, I would have lived my entire life oblivious to the fact that the one I love the most killed my father," I said tears now streaming.

"Because it was long before we met and I knew it would upset you. There was nothing I could do to change it so why would I?" he replied. "I'm sorry."

"You're an ass, Leonardo," I spat.

"What can I do about it now?"

I thought for a moment before nodding. He had a point. Back then, my Dad was nothing more significant than the countless other troublesome rebels Leo had disposed of. But he still knew for four years that he was alive and didn't tell me.

Before I could point this out to him, he spoke, "I will do what I can to help your brother but my first priority is to win this war."

"Thank you," I said putting my hand on the cheek I had slapped.

"But if he's a little shit, I may change my mind," he added in a lighter tone.

I smiled and kissed him on the lips before he stood up and got something out of his pocket.

"Yours I believe," he said handing me the Praesidium Deae Astra. "I have to go. Be safe and stay with Max, okay?"

I nodded, kissed him one more time before hugging him so tightly my muscles hurt.

"I love you and thank you. For coming to help me," I whispered in his ear.

"I love you too," he replied hugging me back before Max reappeared from the side of the truck and I had to let go of Leo. I watched as he walked back towards the battle with a pit in my stomach.

"Well fuck," Max muttered interrupting my thoughts.

"Did you know about this?" I asked.

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