Miller

"Those two idiots probably think we don’t know they’re gone," I said, glancing back as Rhys and Kayden rode off toward the island.

Leo chuckled. "Let’s pretend we don’t know and leave them to their stupidity."

I said nothing, because I was gathering the things I needed to say—the things I had told Rhys, the things that should not have been left unsaid.

I didn’t care if I said them in the middle of the ocean.

"I’m sorry!" Leo and I said at the same time.

He turned to face me, and we both pointed at each other. "You first."

Leo groaned, then pointed back at me. "I would like to hear you first."

I gave him a questioning look, wondering if he understood what he was asking for.

"Go on, Miller. I’m all ears," he said, leaning down to scoop a handful of water into his palm.

I cleared my throat, watching as he playfully splashed the water over himself, then I began.

"I want to say that I’m sorry for not paying attention to what was happening to you. Trust me when I say I didn’t turn a blind eye. I didn’t pretend I didn’t know. It’s just... I wanted you to tell me yourself. I... I shouldn’t have reacted the way I did about your visit to Langose. I just wanted you to trust me enough to tell me what was going on, because that’s the only way our relationship works."

The jet ski bobbed gently on the dark water. The sun had fully set now, leaving only a deep navy sky above us and the soft glow of distant island lights far away. The ocean was calm, but every small wave still made the jet ski rock beneath us.

Leo’s back was warm against my chest, his life jacket pressing into mine.

I kept my arms around his waist—not tight, but not loose either. I didn’t want to let go.

Leo stayed quiet for a long moment. His hand was still dripping water from where he had splashed himself. He wiped it on his thigh, then let out a slow breath.

"I’m sorry too," he said finally. His voice was lower than usual, almost swallowed by the soft lapping of the water. "I should have told you about Langose. I should have told you everything that’s been happening to me. I just... I was scared."

He turned his head slightly so I could see the side of his face.

The moonlight caught on his wet hair and the droplets on his skin, and I could feel the tension in his shoulders under my hands.

"I didn’t want you to see me as weak," he continued. "Or as someone who’s losing control. My enigma side... it’s getting stronger every day. Every time we get close, every time you try to lead, something inside me pushes back hard. It’s like my body wants to dominate you, to make you submit, and I hate it. I hate that I can’t control it."

I felt his body shift, like he was fighting the urge to pull away. But he stayed. His hands tightened around the handlebars.

"I’ve been researching it nonstop," he said. "The hormonal surges, the pheromone aggression, the way my brain overrides everything when my dominance kicks in—it’s exhausting. And I was terrified that if I told you, you’d look at me differently. Like I was broken. Or like I was turning into my father. That man was a beast, and I don’t want to become him." He exhaled shakily. "I’m scared that I already am."

His voice cracked on the last word.

I tightened my arms around him without thinking. Not to restrain him, but to let him know I was here.

"You’re not your father, Leo," I said quietly against his shoulder. "Not even close."

He let out a shaky laugh. "You don’t know how it feels inside. Sometimes I look at you and all I can think about is marking you, making you bare your neck, proving I’m stronger. Then the next second, I feel sick because I don’t want that. I don’t want to take anything from you. I just want us to be... us."

I rested my chin on his shoulder, staring out at the dark ocean. The water was black now, reflecting the stars. Small waves rocked us gently, like the sea itself was listening.

"I get it," I said. "I’ve been pushing my own alpha side too hard. I thought if I took control, if I showed dominance, I could fix things. But that’s not what you need. And I’m sorry for making you feel like you had to fight me every time."

Leo turned his head more, until our faces were close. His eyes searched mine in the dim light. There was fear there—but also something softer. Relief, maybe.

"I don’t want to suppress you," he whispered. "And I don’t want you to suppress me either. I just... I want us to figure this out together. Without the fighting. Without the walls we built over the past few days."

I nodded slowly. My hand moved from his waist to rest over his on the handlebar. Our fingers brushed, then linked together without either of us planning it.

"I love you," I said. The words came out easier than I expected. "I love you even when your enigma is going crazy. I love you when you’re yelling at me. I love you when you shut me out. I just want you to let me in. Let me help carry whatever this is. These past few days have been hell, and I don’t want us to go back to that."

Leo’s breath hitched. He leaned back into me, his back pressing fully against my chest.

The jet ski rocked again as another small wave passed beneath us.

"I love you too," he said, his voice small but steady. "That’s why this scares me so much. I don’t want to hurt you. I don’t want my instincts to ruin what we have." 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

We stayed like that for a while—just water, breathing, and the occasional splash when one of us shifted.

"I went to Langose because of Kayden," Leo said after a long silence. "His situation with Rhys... I thought I could help. I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want you to worry. Or maybe I didn’t want you to stop me. That was wrong."

"I get why you did it," I replied. "But next time, tell me. Even if it’s messy. Even if I don’t like it. We’re supposed to be a team."

Leo nodded. His free hand came up to cover mine where it rested on his stomach. His fingers were cold from the water, but steady.

"I’m scared of what my enigma is becoming," he admitted. "The aggression, the need to dominate... it feels like it’s getting worse. What if one day I can’t hold it back?"

"Then we’ll deal with it," I said firmly. "Together. I’m not going anywhere, Leo. Alpha or not, enigma or not—you’re stuck with me."

He let out a small, tired laugh. "You’re too stubborn for your own good."

"Pot calling the kettle black," I shot back.

We both smiled. The tension in his shoulders eased. He leaned his head back against mine, and for the first time in days, it didn’t feel like we were fighting each other.

The jet ski bobbed gently. The stars were brighter now overhead.

"I think we should ask for help," I said after a while. "Not just research. I’m talking about real help. Someone who understands what you’re going through."

Leo turned his head slightly. "Like who?"

"Your cousin, Nico Park. You’ve told me he managed to deal with his enigma side. He might have advice that actually works. We don’t have to do this alone."

Leo was quiet for a few seconds, then nodded slowly. "You’re right. I’ll reach out to him. I’ll ask him."

The relief in his voice was clear. He squeezed my hand tighter, and I squeezed back.

We stayed like that for a while, foreheads nearly touching, arms wrapped around each other on the quiet jet ski in the middle of the dark ocean.

Leo turned fully toward me. His eyes lingered on mine for a long moment, searching—then he leaned in.

Our lips met in a slow, wet kiss. It started gentle but deepened quickly. His mouth was warm, tasting faintly of salt from the sea.

I could feel the careful way he moved against me, like he was memorizing every second.

Water dripped from his hair onto my cheek as he tilted his head. One of his hands came up to the back of my neck, fingers threading into my damp hair, pulling me closer.

The kiss grew slower, deeper, more desperate—our breaths mixing, the gentle rocking of the jet ski pressing us together. For a moment, it felt like the entire ocean had disappeared, leaving only us.

When we finally pulled apart, we both panted softly, foreheads resting together.

"I missed kissing you," he whispered.

"I wish we could continue," I said, brushing my thumb over his lower lip. "But we should head back to the island."

Leo nodded, still close enough that our noses brushed. "You’re right. Prolonged exposure in open water at night increases the risk of hypothermia and disorientation. We should head back."

I chuckled softly. "There’s my Leo."

He gave me one last soft kiss before turning forward on the jet ski. I wrapped my arms around him again as he started the engine.

We headed back toward the island lights together, the water rushing beneath us—but this time, it felt different.

We were okay.

We were going to be okay.