《Finding Forgiveness》 Chapter 1 ¡°Luca?¡± I asked when my phone call was finally picked up. I had left the house and I didn¡¯t exactly know what to do next other than wander aimlessly down the forest track in the dark and cold. I knew I didn¡¯t want to go back but I also knew that I didn¡¯t want to leave. So I did what anyone would do: called my best friend. ¡°Yeah?¡± he replied softly.This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. ¡°Can youe and pick me up? I¡¯m-¡± I began before bing suddenly overwhelmed with the urge to cry. ¡°Yes, of course,¡± he said not needing a coherent exnation. ¡°I¡¯ll be there as soon as possible.¡± I sat on the verge with my head in my hands until the glowing? headlights of his car came into view. As soon as the car had stopped, he was getting out and then sitting beside me on the slightly damp, leaf-littered floor. ¡°Hey,¡± he saidfortingly. ¡°Hi,¡± I replied leaning into him. ¡°You decided to leave?¡± I shrugged and just let him put his arm around me. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to do,¡± I said wiping my tears. ¡°I have an idea. How about we get off this wet floor before we start making any important decisions?¡± I nodded and he opened the door to his car. It was warm in there and strangely smelt like waffles. Those two thingsbined with Luca and thefort they brought me made my decision in an instant. ¡°Your n,¡± I said as he got in on the driver¡¯s? side. ¡°The one to just go somewhere far from here and away from him. I want to do it. But not alone.¡± His lips curled into a smile. ¡°Was that an invitation E Jones?¡± he asked with a glint in his eye. I nodded and he hugged me. ¡°I fucking love you,¡± he said excitedly. ¡°And this is gonna be fun. I promise.¡± He then put on his seatbelt and started the engine. ¡°But the Alpha is going to kill me for it,¡± he muttered. ¡°He let me go,¡± I replied. ¡°He¡­ just let you¡­ go?¡± It was hard to believe, I¡¯ll give him that. Just allowing his mate to go out into the ¡°big, scary¡± world alone was a very unLeo thing to do but even he couldn¡¯t have said no in this situation. He killed my brother for goodness sake. I nodded, ¡°Yeh just like that. Anyway, where are we going, Captain?¡± ¡°Somewhere warm and far away,¡± he replied. ¡°But you¡¯ll have to wait and see. It¡¯s a surprise.¡± ¡°Are we going to Mexico?¡± I asked. ¡°How the fuck did you guess?¡± He asked pping the steering wheel in frustration as we drove. ¡°There¡¯s a sombrero in the back,¡± I stated. ¡°Why is that necessary?¡± ¡°In case we need to fit in,¡± he replied. ¡°Oh, of course,¡± I remarked. ¡°Why didn¡¯t I think of that?¡± For the next day, we drove South down the West coast of the country. Byte afternoon, we had reached Sacramento and Luca needed gas. ¡°Why Mexico?¡± I asked as we drove around looking for a gas station. ¡°I just need to pick something up and then we can have a fun time wearing sombreros and drinking tequ,¡± he replied casually as he scanned the road ahead of us. I ignored thest half of his sentence and asked, ¡°to pick what up?¡± ¡°Something from these people I know¡­ don¡¯t worry about it¡± he replied quite vaguely before giving me an innocent smile that was clearly hiding something. ¡°I know that look,¡± I said a sinking feeling in my stomach. We had just pulled up at a gas station and Luca turned to me and smiled again, ¡°What look?¡± ¡°That smile that says ¡°I¡¯m just an innocent little baby and I¡¯ve never set a foot wrong in my life.¡± I know you¡¯re not Luca Romano. How do you know people in Mexico?¡± ¡°Ie sometimes. Once every month to be precise.¡± ¡°Why?¡± I asked. ¡°Just to bring something over the border,¡± he said. ¡°I said, don¡¯t worry about it.¡± ¡°Are you a drug dealer?!¡± I whispered shouted. ¡°Not exactly,¡± he said with a wink before getting out the car to fill it up. ¡°Luca!¡± I eximed but he shut the car door. I instantly got out and looked at him over the roof of the car from the other side of it. ¡°Are you going to borate?!¡± I asked. ¡°On what?¡± ¡°On the fact that you are a fucking drug dealer!¡± ¡°E, keep your voice down,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ll tell youter just get back in the car. The whole gas station doesn¡¯t need to know.¡± I sighed and got back in the car as he finished putting the gas in the car and then went to pay. He better have a good exnation for this. ¡°So?¡± I asked as he eventually came back and started the engine. ¡°Why the fuck are you dealing drugs?!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± he stated. Chapter 2 ¡°Don¡¯t be blunt with me,¡± I snapped. ¡°Dealing, trafficking, buying, selling, using? or whatever!¡± ¡°It is racist to assume that because I go to Mexico, I must be involved with drugs. It is a beautiful country with thousands of lovely people,¡± he replied calmly. ¡°I¡¯m sure it is but how do you know these lovely people in Mexico?¡± I asked. ¡°Oh, I work for them,¡± he replied. ¡°And what is their line of work?¡± ¡°Drug dealing.¡± ¡°For fuck¡¯s sake,¡± I mumbled. ¡°Could you not have just said that to start with? And why the fuck are you involved in drugs?¡± I asked. ¡°You have a job. Gamma of the Ste pack! You get paid loads!¡± ¡°Rx¡­¡± ¡°Rx? I am in the car with a drug dealer and we are on our way to Mexico to pick up drugs-¡± ¡°E,¡± he interrupted loudly. ¡°It is part of my job as Gamma. There is a gang of criminals in Mexico. Werewolf drug dealers, if you like, that are a threat to the pack. Leo sent me to get friendly with them, find shit out and report back to him.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re an undercover agent?¡± I asked letting out a deep breath. ¡°If that makes you feel better about it,¡± he replied. ¡°And I don¡¯t deal their drugs. I just bring them over the border like a trafficker. They pay me a lot which of course benefits the pack and they tell me all sorts of stuff that also benefits the pack.¡±T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°How is a gang of drug dealers a threat to the pack?¡± I asked. ¡°Leo doesn¡¯t want you involved in this. I¡¯m not supposed to tell you,¡± he replied. ¡°Yet here we are on our way to Mexico.¡± He groaned. ¡°Fine. I¡¯m dead meat anyway. Sure this cartel sells drugs but their main business is biological warfare. They grow weed, mix it with wolfsbane with the power to knock a grown wolf unconscious for days and sell it to whoever will buy pretty much. Sometimes it¡¯s a direct attack, sometimes they sell it as a weapon for someone else to use. My job is to keep it well away from the pack, in particr, Leo¡¯s army, and out of the hands of any of his enemies.¡± ¡°So they¡¯re using weedced with wolfsbane as a way of disarming packs?¡± I asked. ¡°Leaving them vulnerable to attack so that they can easily take every penny of money from them,¡± Luca replied. ¡°Oh¡­¡± ¡°These criminals are organised and clever. They n which pack to take down when and get me to send the wolfsbane weed to dealer¡¯s nearby ordingly,¡± he replied. ¡°These people sound dangerous,¡± I stated. ¡°What happens if they find out who you really are?¡± ¡°One of two things. They either back off because they don¡¯t want to get on the wrong side of Alpha Leonardo Loren or¡­ they kill me. Let¡¯s hope we never found out.¡± ¡°Luca,¡± I said. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t exactly how I imagined going to grieve my brother was going to be.¡± ¡°I only have to pick up the stuff, give it to who I need to give it to and then we can go wherever in the world you want,¡± he said simplistically. ¡°Paris!¡± I eximed. ¡°Let¡¯s go to Paris!¡± ¡°Paris it is,¡± he replied. ¡°And if anyone asks, I¡¯m an Italian rogue living in America and my name is Romano De¡¯Meritchi and you are um¡­ my cousin and your name is¡­ Eleonora De¡¯Meritchi.¡± ¡°Eleonora De¡¯Meritchi¡­ got it,¡± I repeated just before my phone started ringing. ¡°Leo¡¯s calling. Why would he be calling?¡± ¡°Are you going to answer it?¡± Luca asked looking down at the screen of my phone which showed the picture of us I had attached to his contact. It was taken by Mateo on new years evest year. Leo had an arm around my shoulder and I was hugging him tightly. A lot of champagne was drunk that night but I remember it crystal clear. How happy we were. ¡°It might be important,¡± I replied shaking the memory out of my head and swiping across. ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°Mommy, where are you?¡± A little voice said from down the line. ¡°Oh, sweetie. Why do you have Daddy¡¯s phone?¡± I asked my eldest son. ¡°He said that you¡¯ve gone away but not where or why,¡± Cato replied his voice sounding tearful ¡°I¡¯m going to Paris with Luca, Bambino. There¡¯s no need to worry, I¡¯m okay,¡± I replied. ¡°But why?¡± ¡°Do you remember yesterday that I said that when you are a big boy and old enough to understand I¡¯d tell you everything?¡± I asked. ¡°Yeah,¡± he said tearfully. ¡°But I am a big boy. I¡¯m the oldest.¡± ¡°I know, I know,¡± I replied. ¡°But you¡¯re still my little baby. I¡¯ll be back before you know it and I¡¯ll be sure to bring you and your siblings some nice french candy, okay?¡± ¡°Okay,¡± he said instantly sounding happier. ¡°And some smelly cheese.¡± ¡°Urgh, smelly cheese,¡± I joked. ¡°If you want smelly cheese, go and get some of Daddy¡¯s socks out the dirtyundry.¡± He giggled in his cute, childlike voice. ¡°Is Luca with you now?¡± he asked. ¡°He sure is,¡± I said. ¡°Say hi, he can hear you.¡± ¡°Hi Luca!¡± he squealed. ¡°Hey, Cato,¡± Luca replied. ¡°Okay, baby,¡± I said. ¡°My phone¡¯s low on battery so I¡¯ve gotta go but I¡¯ll see you soon and I¡¯ll call again tomorrow.¡± ¡°Bye Mommy,¡± he said before hanging up. ¡°If you wanna go home, we can go straight back after I get the shipment,¡± Luca suggested. ¡°No. It will be better for him and his siblings in the long run if I have the time I need to get over Connor, forgive Leo and move on. Cato noticed that something was wrong between us within minutes of getting home and I can¡¯t have the fact that their mother can barely look at their father impact their happiness,¡± I replied. ¡°Besides, I¡¯ve promised them candy from Paris now and he won¡¯t forget that. Believe me.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± he said. ¡°So the n is to grieve Connor, forgive Leo, go home and everything will be okay. What if it isn¡¯t? What if you can¡¯t forgive him?¡± ¡°Can we cross that hurdle when we get to it please?¡± I asked. ¡°Sure.¡± Before long, it was gettingte. The sky was growing darker again and the streaks of fiery red that had stretched out over thendscape as the sunset were beginning to fade again. I was exhausted just from sitting in a vegetive state and Luca had been driving since 2 am. Chapter 3 ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want me to drive?¡± I asked with a yawn after waking up from my tenth nap of the journey so far. ¡°No, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°We should stop somewhere. You need a break.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll arrive in less than 3 hours.¡± ¡°Even for a coffee, Luca? You look exhausted and if you fall asleep behind the wheel we might both die,¡± I said. ¡°And personally, I don¡¯t find the concept of that particrly attractive.¡± ¡°Fine. You can drive but if I fall asleep, follow signs to the border and wake me up like half an hour before we get there,¡± he said driving into ay-by. ¡°Promise me?¡±This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. ¡°Sure, whatever.¡± He was wearing a serious expression which considering Luca was the subject in question, unnerved me. ¡°No, not ¡®sure, whatever¡¯. You have to wake me up,¡± he said looking into my eyes. ¡°It¡¯s important.¡± I nodded and looked away from him. There was a few moments of silence before he opened the car door and got out. I did the same and was surprised when I was hit by an entourage of hot air. It clung ufortably to my skin and instantly made my throat dry. ¡°Where the fuck are we?¡± I asked. ¡°It¡¯s so warm.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t get out of Washington enough Els,¡± he replied. ¡°Remember how I recently got kidnapped and taken to Canada?¡± I asked looking up at the clear starry sky. There wasn¡¯t a light for miles around. Well, there wasn¡¯t anything for miles around. We looked to be in the middle of a barren desert with nothing but gritty sand and cacti forpany. ¡°Isn¡¯t the sky pretty?¡± I said letting out a deep sigh. ¡°I guess it is.¡± We stood for a few moments leaning against the car in total silence before Luca stood up straight. ¡°I need a piss,¡± He announced destroying the peace. ¡°Can¡¯t appreciate the beauty of nature for long with you around, can you?¡± I grumbled as he walked to the edge of the road. ¡°E?¡± Luca said as I tried my hardest not to listen to his urine hit the sand. ¡°Yes, my darling.¡± ¡°How do girls pee if there¡¯s no toilet to sit on?¡± he asked. ¡°With great difficulty,¡± I replied. ¡°What made you ask such an odd question? Except for the fact that you are Luca or course¡­¡± ¡°I saw these things on the inte¡­ I think it¡¯s called a femme-pee or something like that and it¡¯s basically a funnel that girls can pee down so it¡¯s like they have a dick,¡± Luca replied as he continued to urinate. ¡°The inte is a dark ce.¡± ¡°I¡¯m d I have a built-in straw to piss through,¡± he said. ¡°Thank you, Luca, for that slightly ufortable description of your penis,¡± I said with a grimace. ¡°And are you done? How much liquid can you possibly store in your dder. ¡°I had a lot to drink.¡± ¡°I can see- uh- hear that.¡± ¡°Okay done.¡± For the next two and a half hours I drove. Luca fell asleep instantly and didn¡¯t wake up until I shook him after seeing signs for the border saying only 5 miles away. ¡°We¡¯re five miles away,¡± I said as he slowly sat up and groaned. ¡°Five miles?!¡± He eximed. ¡°You were meant to wake me up way earlier than this. I told you, didn¡¯t I? I made it very clear.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I said a little confused. ¡°What¡¯s the problem?¡± ¡°Stop the car. We need to swap back,¡± he said. ¡°Now. Now. Now.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± The road waspletely clear so I ground the car to a halt and undid my seat belt. I was about to open the car door and walk around but Luca had other ideas. ¡°Just climb across,¡± he said pulling me back and climbing over to the driver¡¯s seat with hisrge body. ¡°Just??¡± I asked as he began to move to the other side of the car with as much elegance as a dying swan. ¡°Come on. We don¡¯t have time to fuck about!¡± he said ¡°There is not enough space for this,¡± I said trying to squeeze around him to the passenger¡¯s seat. ¡°Walking around would have been far easier,¡± I added. ¡°And your ass is in my face.¡± ¡°Your ass is in my face,¡± he said trying to get his incredibly long legs over. ¡°Not my fault that Daddy long legs over here is taking up all the room,¡± I said as I decided the best route would be to slither over the dashboard to the passenger seat. I finally got to it and began doing up my seatbelt before hearing an abruptugh from the driver¡¯s seat. ¡°What?¡± I asked. ¡°It¡¯s just¡­¡± he said with another giggle. ¡°You looked like a snakish seal as you slid over the dashboard.¡± ¡°And you looked like an obese giraffe,¡± I remarked. There was then an awkward pause for a few moments as Luca restarted the car. ¡°That was uncalled for,¡± he replied quietly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean it. You aren¡¯t obese you¡¯re just strong,¡± I answered pping his hard as rock chest. Ow, that hurt my hand. ¡°Luca what the fuck!¡± I screamed out of shock as he suddenly diverged off the road and downhill across the sand. ¡°Rx¡­ we¡¯re going the back way,¡± Luca replied. ¡°The fucking back way!?¡± I eximed. ¡°We¡¯re entering a country, not a party!¡± I added as the sight of the road faded away. ¡°This is illegal.¡± Chapter 4 ¡°Do I need to remind you that I¡¯m going to collect a shipment of weed to bring into the United States of America?¡± he asked. ¡°There¡¯s nothing legal about this operation.¡± A few minutester, the ground had ttened off and Luca brought the car to a stop. He then shed the headlights in a strange way and a group of figures emerged out of the darkness. ¡°Eleonora De¡¯Meritchi remember,¡± he reminded me. I nodded, my heart beating faster at the sight of the terrifying looking men. ¡°Do I get out?¡± I asked. ¡°Yes. They¡¯ll see you and want to know who you are,¡± he said before opening the car door. ¡°H,¡± Luca said in a surprisingly good Spanish ent once we were back out in the heat of the desert. ¡°Who¡¯s the bitch?¡± the man at the front of a group of five or six asked before even saying hello back. I wasn¡¯t a fan of the derogatory term but I also wasn¡¯t about to call him out on it. Here¡¯s why: he was a few years older than us, wore baggy trousers, a loose grubby t-shirt and a bandana. He had tanned skin and dark brown eyes and hair. The other men were all simr looking and all had their eyes on me with intense res. After considering the trade they were in and the menacing expressions they held, I didn¡¯t doubt for a second that they were all armed and willing to shoot at any moment. ¡°My cousin, Eleonora. I¡¯m teaching her the ways of this business,¡± Luca replied cing a hand on my shoulder. ¡°H, Eleonora,¡± the man said stepping closer to me. ¡°And why would a pretty girl like you want to be in the drug business?¡± he added still in a thick Hispanic ent as he ced a finger under my chin. ¡°You know it¡¯s not safe¡­ particrly for such a-¡± ¡°Guillermo, leave her alone. She has a mate,¡± Luca said pping his hand away from me. ¡°Watch out guys,¡± he jeered. ¡°She got a mate.¡± They allughed and sniggered as he stepped closer to me again. ¡°And what does he think about this?¡± ¡®Guillermo¡¯ asked pushing my hair off my shoulder. ¡°A nice mark you have there. You mated to an Alpha or what?¡± ¡°Just give me the shipment,¡± Luca ordered obviously getting nervous. ¡°Watch who you¡¯re telling what to do, Kid,¡± Guillermo said to Luca. ¡°And rx. We¡¯re just having a little fun with your lil cuzzie here,¡± he replied with a devious smirk. ¡°Got any children, baby?¡± ¡°No,¡± I lied. ¡°I didn¡¯t think so. That ass doesn¡¯t look like it¡¯s bared a child. It¡¯s far too sweet,¡± he replied running a finger along my hip. ¡°I have customers waiting,¡± Luca said. ¡°And I have a proposal. You want her to learn about the drug business but you ain¡¯t even a dealer. Give her to me. I¡¯ll teach her,¡± Guillermo said wrapping his hand around my waist. ¡°No,¡± Luca replied. ¡°She stays with me.¡± ¡°Come on, Romano,¡± he said. ¡°Do you not trust me to take good care of her?¡± ¡°She has a mate and he¡¯ll want her back.¡± ¡°I know. I know,¡± he replied putting his hands up. ¡°It¡¯s a shame but I respect that,¡± he added. ¡°Eleanora, get in the car,¡± Luca said nodding at me. I stepped towards the car d to get away from the scary man. He watched me for a few moments before reaching into the pack of trousers and withdrawing something even scarier: a gun. Fuck that escted quickly. He pointed it at Luca who instantly put his hands up before looking at two of his men and gesturing at me. They promptly approached me and grabbed my wrists as the gun continued to be pointed at Luca. Ordinarily, I would have put up a fight but considering that could be the difference between Luca living another minute or not, I thought better of it. ¡°Move and I¡¯ll shoot,¡± he growled. For a few agonising moments, there was total silence and no one moved before Guillermo stepped over to me, not taking his eyes or the gun off Luca, and revoltingly ced his lips on my cheek. I could do nothing but stand and take it. Nowhere to move to, nothing to hit him across the head with. ¡°Juan, Fabio. Get the shipment,¡± he barked at a different two men after withdrawing himself. They reached into the bush and pulled out three big duffel bags. ¡°Miami this time, Se? or,¡± he said. ¡°Do you gotst months money?¡± ¡°It¡¯s in the trunk,¡± he replied looking helplessly at me. ¡°Then what are you waiting for?¡± he asked impatiently. ¡°Fucking get it.¡± Luca scowled before marching to the trunk of his car and getting out a duffel bag all with the gun still pointed at him. He then brought it back to where Guillermo was waiting and held it out to him. He reached out his hand to take it and for a split second his eyes flicked down. Luca seized the opportunity and somehow, way to fast for my eyes to process, managed to render Guillermo motionless in his arms with his own gun to his head. Every single man in the circle withdrew their own gun and pointed it at Luca. ¡°You shoot me, I shoot him,¡± Luca said. ¡°Give me my cousin.¡± ¡°How about you shoot me, we shoot her,¡± Guillermo replied from Luca¡¯s grip as one of the men put their gun to my head. ¡°Well we really have a situation on our hands here, don¡¯t we boys?¡± Luca said with a smile. How is he smiling? ¡°Or you do at least. I¡¯m not the one on the fast track to losing my best trafficker.¡± ¡°We have other traffickers that do the job just as well,¡± Guillermo spat. ¡°But are they white? Do they have American ents? American citizenship?¡± Luca asked looking around the circle. ¡°No¡­ they¡¯re Mexican. And Mexican¡¯s don¡¯t glide through a border like a ¡®respectable¡¯ looking white man does. What can I say? The world is racist.¡± ¡°We have your white little bitch,¡± Guillermo replied. ¡°Nothing says innocent more than a white man other than a white woman. The world¡¯s sexist too.¡± I opened my mouth to protest but Luca shot me a look. He¡¯s right. Me and my mouth are infamous for making bad situations worse. ¡°She won¡¯t work for you if you kill her favourite cousin and kidnap her,¡± Luca pointed out. ¡°She don¡¯t have a choice in the matter. She my property now,¡± Guillermo said.N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. ¡°Says the man in a headlock,¡± I mumbled under my breath. The man holding me squeezed my arm tighter and pushed the gun harder against my skin. ¡°She got attitude,¡± Guillermo said with a smirk. ¡°I like a woman with a bita achorado.¡± With that, I grabbed the gun at my head, twisted it around and pushed it against the head of the man holding me. I¡¯m not sure what exactly gave me the ability to do that. A spur of both adrenaline and anger probably. ¡°How do you like that, Guillermo?¡± I asked. Chapter 5 ¡°You gonna let a chica beat you like that?¡± he asked the man practically shaking with the gun at his head. ¡°Don¡¯t be such as? pucha.¡± I haven¡¯t done Spanish since high school so I honestly had no idea what he said but Guillermo rolled his eyes. ¡°Hey bitch,¡± he said looking at me. ¡°Show us your tits and we¡¯ll let you go no trouble.¡± ¡°You aren¡¯t in a position to ask for shit like that right now, Guillermo,¡± I said looking from the gun at his head to the gun at his friend¡¯s head. ¡°You couldn¡¯t hurt a fly,¡± he replied with a smirk. ¡°Neither could Romano. You¡¯re both white as fuck.¡± With that, for a split second Luca moved the gun from Guillermo¡¯s head and pointed it at the foot of the man who had been holding me. The bang sounded and a loud cry was let out before Luca had the gun back on Guillermo¡¯s head. ¡°Will you take us seriously now or do we need to show you again?¡± I asked pushing the gun into the man¡¯s mouth as he whimpered. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t be the first man I¡¯ve killed. Might not be thest.¡± Guillermo remained quiet which I took as a no. ¡°Unload your guns,¡± I ordered the rest of them. Theyplied and dropped the contents of their weapons on the floor. ¡°Now chuck them as far as you can,¡± I said still holding the gun at their friend¡¯s head. ¡°You just gonna let a girl boss you around?¡± Guillermo said. I held the man tighter, causing him to whimper and they all threw their guns. I gave Guillermo a sardonic smile before releasing the man and walking to the car. ¡°This could have been so much easier,¡± I said as Luca released him from the headlock but kept pointing the gun at him as he made his way to the car too. ¡°See you next month, Guillermo,¡± he said before getting in the car and speeding away. ¡°You fucking showed them!¡± Luca eximed putting his hand on my shoulder. ¡°Badass mother fucker!¡± ¡°Yeah, and you almost got us killed,¡± I scolded. ¡°What the fuck was that? I thought you were ¡®friendly¡¯ with them?¡± ¡°I was. But they¡¯re like little kids. As soon as you say no to them they hate you,¡± he replied. ¡°And what the hell do? I do with this,¡± he asked waving the gun as he drove as fast as the car would go. ¡°Keep it,¡± I replied taking it out his hand and shoving it in the glove box. ¡°It might be useful.¡± A message for the real world: This book is merely for the purposes of entertainment, but I will say this: I understand that the supposed ¡®drug and violence¡¯ culture that is often associated with Latin America is, for the most part, a misguided stereotype of the peaceful people that live there. I by no means intend to offend anyone with the themes of this book and I am also aware that there is a lot of political controversy over this topic right now (Donald and the giant wall) and I certainly am not trying to reinforce prejudice opinions and stereotypes that have already been harmful to society. I love my readers and I want you to enjoy this book with light hearts, so if you find anything a more serious underlying issue that connects this story to your real world, it is important that you do let me know so that I can work to amend whatever it is you are concerned about. Thank you, Ehellie x ¡°You fucking shot him in the foot,¡± I said about half an hourter. ¡°He¡¯s not gonna be able to walk for months.¡± ¡°They weren¡¯t taking us seriously,¡± Luca replied. ¡°How do you even know how to use a gun?¡± I asked. ¡°I¡¯ve been doing this a long time, Ells,¡± he told me. ¡°Couldn¡¯t you have shot Guillermo?¡± I asked. ¡°He was clearly the leader.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t fuck around with Guillermo unless you want death.¡± ¡°Says the one that held him in a headlock with a gun to his head,¡± I muttered. ¡°That¡¯s justifiable. He had you.¡± ¡°So now what?¡± I asked looking out into the empty desert. ¡°We go to Miami. Drop of the shipment and then I¡¯ll take you to the airport,¡± he said. ¡°Are you noting with me?¡± I asked. ¡°I have to go back to Mexico,¡± he told me. ¡°Why? It¡¯s dangerous,¡± I said. ¡°We pissed Guillermo off and he¡¯s not just gonna let it go,¡± he exined. ¡± I can¡¯t go back to him after this unless I can get approval from the boss.¡± ¡°Luca-¡± I began disheartened that he wasn¡¯t going toe with me to Paris. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Els but duty calls. I¡¯ve got to do this for the pack and then I promise I¡¯ll meet you in Paris.¡± ¡°Why can¡¯t Ie with you?¡± I asked. ¡°Because if you thought Guillermo was bad, you do not want to meet the boss,¡± he said. ¡°And I can¡¯t risk your life again.¡± ¡°Luca-¡± I began again. ¡°It is not up for discussion. You¡¯re getting on a ne to Paris. And I¡¯m going to deal with this shit,¡± he said in a deeper tone to usual.N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. I leant back on my seat before pausing for a moment. ¡°It¡¯s my life Luca. I will decide whether I want to risk it or not,¡± I said. ¡°This sounds incredibly dangerous. But I could do with an adventure.¡± ¡°No, you need to go somewhere peaceful and grieve Connor.¡± ¡°I¡¯m starting to think that quiet and reflection is not what I need,¡± I replied. ¡°Time away from Leo? Yes. Time to be depressed and watch over and over the images in my mind? No.¡± Luca sighed, ¡°I forgot for a moment that you can¡¯t be told what to do.¡± I gave him a sweet smile and he sighed defeatedly. I looked down at my hands which I could just about see from abination of the glow from stars and the moon and lights of the dashboard. ¡°You know he left me a letter. Connor. Just in case he died. I found it in his room when I went to get his things and in it, he told me not to be sad for too long and to live my life. This is honouring his wishes. He also told me to forgive Leo. I can¡¯t do that just yet but I will one day,¡± I said twiddling my thumbs. ¡°Hold on. He died fighting against your mate and trying to kill him but his dying wish was for you to forgive him?¡± Luca questioned looking away from the road a second to give me an eyebrow raised look. ¡°He just wants me to be happy. He denied it but he knew that however bad of a man Leo can be, he is still my mate and I can¡¯t help loving him and I can¡¯t be happy without him.¡± Chapter 6 ¡°So if he seeded in killing him, he knew that he¡¯d be sentencing his own sister to a lifetime of misery?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I don¡¯t understand,¡± I replied with a sigh as I looked at the window into the dry desert. ¡°I don¡¯t get how he could have even considered doing that to me. Maybe he was considering all the others that Leo has hurt and all the others Leo will hurt but it still doesn¡¯t add up. He saw Leo as the evil, ruthless, murderous, merciless monster that tried to kill our father and ruined our childhood but never the good side. Not the side that is father to his eight nieces and nephews. Not the man that does everything he can to help and protect the people in his pack- including me. Not even as the man that no longer invade other packs and takes their people andnds but sends relief and aid when another pack has attacked them. Maybe he killed Connor out of fury but maybe it was because he was willing to give up the stability of our rtionship to protect his pack from Connor¡¯s threat. Because Connor wasn¡¯t innocent in this. I love my brother but what he was doing was wrong and was going to harm a lot of people.¡± There was a brief moment of quiet with just the sound of the engine and the wheels rolling on the road before Luca sighed. ¡°You aren¡¯t going to like this but it sounds to me like you need to talk to your mate.¡± ¡°No, no, no. Not yet,¡± I replied quickly. ¡°I should take you home. This is too dangerous anyway and you need to talk this out with Leo,¡± he said. ¡°As Gamma of the pack, I shouldn¡¯t be taken the Luna to get involved with such a life-threatening thing.¡± ¡°No, no, no. Don¡¯t you dare turn the car around,¡± I said as he began to slow. ¡°Luca no. I want to do this and I know how to survive. I¡¯m like a cockroach!¡± ¡°You¡¯re a cockroach and this is cockroach poison. I¡¯m sorry, Els. I should never have got you involved in this.¡± ¡°Leo let me go. You have no obligation to take me home!¡± ¡°I have an obligation to do what is best for the pack.¡± ¡°Then go find the boss!¡± ¡°I will once I know that you are safe.¡± Luca¡¯s face was rarely as stern as it was then and it unsettled me. His tone too was harsher and he held the steering wheel firmly, not showing any sign of changing his mind. ¡°Please, don¡¯t make me go back to him yet. He killed my brother. My fucking brother! I loved him and he killed him. He wasn¡¯t innocent but he was my brother!¡± I shouted. ¡°Luca, please.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll take you to the airport and put you on a ne to Paris,¡± he replied. ¡°I¡¯m not going to Paris.¡± ¡°Fine, Berlin, Barcelona, Rome, London. I don¡¯t care just somewhere away from this.¡± ¡°Nowhere is safe for me. Especially not in Italy or anywhere in Europe even because of the fact that I am at the top of the Mafia¡¯s wanted list.¡± I said. ¡°And no. I¡¯m staying here. With you. I¡¯ll keep youpany and you can keep mepany. Thest thing I want is to be alone.¡± ¡°No. Thest thing you want is to be dead,¡± he replied. ¡°This business isn¡¯t safe. Especially for a woman. These aren¡¯t good men-¡± ¡°I can protect myself, Luca,¡± I said. ¡°Guillermo was shaking.¡± ¡°Guillermo is an angelpared to the boss,¡± Luca replied. ¡°I¡¯m not taking you and that is final. I don¡¯t want a dead or harmed Luna to present to my Alpha who just so happens to be Leonardo fucking Loren. We¡¯ll both end up dead. Oh yeh and you¡¯re also my best friend and I love you more than I love cheese on toast and can¡¯t bear the thought of anything happening to you.¡± ¡°I thought you were more fun than this,¡± I said shaking my head. ¡°Max would let me-¡± ¡°Then maybe you should call Max,¡± he snapped. By this point, the car was at aplete standstill. ¡°Luca please-¡± He shook his head and turned to me, ¡°No.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t say no to me, I¡¯m your Luna. You only have authority over me if you¡¯re following the Alphas orders,¡± I pointed out. ¡°Do you want me to call the Alpha and ask him if he wants me to take his Luna to a violent gang of criminals?¡± Luca asked. ¡°Because I¡¯m pretty sure I know what the answer will be!¡± ¡°You need to calm down, untwist your panties and think rational thoughts,¡± I began. He scowled at me. ¡°I have survived the Italian mafia, a self-proimed king and his little army of people that hate me, a snowstorm on the side of a mountain in Russia, Luciano and hundreds of others trying to kill me. I am tough and incredibly good at persuading and talking. Frankly, I am offended that you aren¡¯t considering me as a valuable attribute to this task.¡± He looked at me and sighed. ¡°You¡¯re tempted, I can tell,¡± I said. ¡°You know I¡¯d help AND keep youpany?¡± He sighed again, mumbled something under his breath along the lines of ¡®I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m fucking doing this¡¯ and then started the car again. ¡°Leo is going to fucking kill me for dragging you into this,¡± he said as I let out a victorious squeal. ¡°You aren¡¯t even supposed to know.¡± ¡°Love ya, Luca,¡± I said pressing my head against his shoulder as he drove. ¡°Or should I say Romano. And I can deal with Leonardo Loren.¡± ¡°Not if you¡¯re dead you can¡¯t.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be so pessimistic.¡± Luca¡¯s POV ¡°Okay so quite obviously you don¡¯t want to get on the bad side of these people,¡± I said a dayter as we sat across from each other at a freeway diner somewhere in Texas on our way to Miami. ¡°Hopefully they will just see you as my sidekick or whatever but if they start to show a little too much interest like Guillermo did, you¡¯ve gotta learn to y the game.¡±T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I don¡¯t even know what the game is,¡± E replied taking a big slurp of some strange brightly coloured iced drink. ¡°Don¡¯t tell them you have a mate. y along with their messed-up, twisted flirting but don¡¯t let them get too close. If they think they have a chance of getting somewhere with you they won¡¯t force it and you have the control,¡± I exined. ¡°So you want me to flirt with them? Tease them? Kinda like ying hard to get?¡± she questioned with a grimace. Iughed at her expression and nodded. ¡°Just smile, hold your head high and use your wonderful Jones wit- within reason of course. Thest thing you want to do is look weak because they will attack you like the vultures they are. Oh and go for the boss. If you have him in your purse, none of the others cany a finger on you.¡± ¡°Got it,¡± she said. ¡°Look confident and flirt¡­ but not too much. One little problem though Luca.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I have a huge fucking mark on my neck and some of them already know I have a mate,¡± I said. I looked at the inch long mark Leo had left there years ago and sighed. She was right, that was gonna be an issue. ¡°Just say that he won¡¯t be a problem or he¡¯s dead or it¡¯s a battle scar. I don¡¯t know, think of something.¡± ¡°Do they know who Alpha Loren is?¡± she asked. ¡°Of course they do.¡± ¡°Then surely they¡¯ll work out who I am? I have both his scent and his mark,¡± she said. ¡°It¡¯s pretty obvious, isn¡¯t it?¡± Before I could answer, the door to the diner swung open. Three masked men ran in, all pointing guns. The guy at the front desk instantly put his hands up but it wasn¡¯t him they were after. Upon scanning the diner, they spotted us and the guns were turned in our direction. ¡°Shit,¡± I cursed. Chapter 7 ¡°I¡¯m guessing by your face that that gun is still in your glove box?¡± E asked. ¡°Yes,¡± I said although checking my pockets just in case. She rolled her eyes and sent me a look of frustration and despair. ¡°Fuck,¡± she said as the marching men neared us.N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. She then quickly grabbed a knife off the table and turned to them. But there was little a butter knife could do in a gun fight and there wasn¡¯t even an escape route either. They were blocking the way to the only exit and neither of us were about to risk getting shot. ¡°Hands up,¡± one of them barked pointing the gun directly at E as the other two pointed at me. We had no choice but to oblige and watch helplessly as one plucked the knife out of E¡¯s hand. I looked around the diner, it was fairly busy and this was Texas. Surely someone would have a gun on them? But no one wasing to our aid, they were all just sat terrified and watching. ¡°Come with us or we will shoot your cousin,¡± one told E as he and another grabbed her arm. I lurched forward but I was stopped by a gun, dangerously close to me, held by the third man. ¡°Don¡¯t move, gringo,¡± he growled. I put my hands up and slowly stepped back. Initially, E was fighting against the men trying to drag her out the diner but then the meaning of his words seemed to sink in and she saw the gun pointed at me and let them. I gave her a helpless look as I watched. There was nothing I could do and that made me angry. The third man stayed pointing the gun at me as E was dragged away from the diner. I could just about make out the license te of a white van that they were taking her to before the man with me thrust a piece of paper in my direction. ¡°From Guillermo,¡± he said. I reached forward to simply take the paper but the adrenaline rushing through my veins made me grab his wrist and pull him towards me. He fired the gun but I¡¯d twisted him so that it missed and hit a window. The ss shattered over some people but that was the least of my worries right now. I was much taller and stronger than him and was able to get him so that my arm was around his neck and my other hand was holding his gun against his head. With the freehand I unfolded the piece of paper and read the few words written on it. They read: We got to him first. ¡°Where are they taking her?!¡± I growled at the man upon looking out the window to see the white van gone. He struggled in my grip and whimpered. From a few mumbled some Spanish words, it dawned on me that he may not speak English beyond what he had been instructed to say. ¡°A el jefe,¡± he replied instantly. ¡­ To the boss. Luca¡¯s POV ¡°Alpha, I¡¯ve screwed up big time,¡± I said to Leo after he finally picked up his phone. I was in the process of dragging the man that had been pointing his gun at me to my car by the scruff of his cor. The more he resisted the more time he was wasting and the further away that white van was getting. This could be E¡¯s life in danger and I wasn¡¯t messing around. ¡°Get in my fucking car,¡± I growled at him, pausing to hold the gun to his head. After that, he went easily. ¡°Who are you talking to? Are you with E?¡± Leo asked. ¡°That¡¯s the thing,¡± I said opening the door to the passenger seat of my car and bundling the man in. ¡°I was but now I¡¯m not. Someone¡¯s taking her.¡± ¡°Someone?¡± he asked. ¡°Where are you?¡± ¡°It¡¯s where we were,¡± I told him as I got into the driver¡¯s seat and immediately started the engine and began driving the same direction as the white van did. ¡°For God¡¯s sake, Luca. Just spit it out. Who has taken my mate!?¡± he growled. ¡°Andrea Martinez,¡± I said, uttering the name of the man otherwise known as ¡®the boss¡¯. There was a pause on Leo¡¯s end of the line for over five seconds. ¡°How the fuck did Andrea Martinez get a hold on my mate?¡± he said slowly and deeply. ¡°I had to collect this month¡¯s shipment and things went tits up from then on,¡± I said. ¡°You don¡¯t want the details. What¡¯s important is that E is in danger.¡± ¡°Correct me if I¡¯m wrong Luca but didn¡¯t I tell you not to even mention a word of what you do in Mexico to her? And then you take her with you?!¡± he replied. ¡°Yes, I know. I am sorry and you can kill meter but for now, can we just focus on getting her back?¡± I asked. He didn¡¯t say anything which I took as a yes. ¡°I¡¯ve captured one of the men that ambushed us but apart from that nothing. All he has told me is that they are taking her to Martinez but I have no idea where he is based or where to even begin looking.¡± ¡°Then get the information out of him,¡± Leo growled. ¡°He doesn¡¯t speak English and my Spanish is limited to say the very least,¡± I replied. ¡°Put me on speaker,¡± he ordered. Leo proceeded to speak to the man in Spanish. Not only did he sound perfectly fluent but as he spoke, the man became more and more sweaty and anxious. It wasn¡¯t long until he was replying to everything Leo asked immediately without any sort of reluctance. ¡°Drive to Mexico and find a man named Pedro Hernandez. He¡¯s Martinez¡¯s driver and the only one other than himself that knows where he is located. I¡¯ll meet you there and that man with you can tell you nothing more. He¡¯s just a pawn,¡± Leo told me before hanging up. I brought the car to a halt and leant over the poor guy to open the door. I then ushered him out and drove away leaving him on the side of the road in a hot, quivering mess with nothing more than an adios. I could have taken my anger out on him but as Leo said, he¡¯s just a pawn and seemed to have got what he deserved from just having to face speaking to Alpha Loren himself. E¡¯s POV ¡°Mommy!¡± I heard a voice cry. ¡°Mama! Higher!¡± I was in a green, misty field with a singr swing and on it sat Lili. I¡¯d always thought Lili was the most simr to me. Although only four years old, she was already fiercely opinionated and was never afraid for her voice to be heard. Physically too. Leo and I were fairly simr in appearance, male and female aside, but she seemed to have still managed to adopt my traits more. A lighter tan unlike Leo¡¯s honey brown and light, close to white with blonde hair. ¡°Any higher and you¡¯ll fly!¡± I replied. ¡°I want to fly, Mama!¡± She said and for some reason, I began pushing her harder. I couldn¡¯t stop myself. She was going to fall and hurt herself but I couldn¡¯t stop. It was an impulse that I couldn¡¯t resist. Chapter 8 A few momentster, she appeared to jump off the wooden seat and wasunched across the in of green. I called out to her but my voice had little effect. Her tiny body soon disappeared into the distance leaving me alone and lonely by the swing and nothing else. I gazed out to where my daughter had disappeared to, unable to move my feet. She was gone and I had pushed her. Something then began to emerge out of the whisps of low lying cloud. It was big and it was holding something in its arms. Like a man and a small child. A weight lifted from my heart when they got close enough to be recognised. My mate and in his arms, Lili- perfectly happy and unharmed. I watched as he got closer to me and handed our daughter over to me. ¡°He¡¯ll always catch us, Mommy,¡± she said. ¡°No matter what.¡± I smiled at Leo and reached out to him but he didn¡¯t seem to be really there. Just a construction of the mind. Soon enough, Lili was too. And the swing and the in of green and the mist. My eyes soon began to focus on something else. A warehouse-like room filled with boxes with a thick musky smell and so much dust it itched my eyes.? The effects of whatever drug I had been given to get me here from the diner, a journey of which all was a blur, were beginning to wear off but I was still unable to kick against the ropes holding me to a small wooden chair. ¡°I thought you¡¯d never wake up,¡± a voice said from only a few metres in front of me. ¡°I was having a nice dream,¡± I grumbled as my eyes set on him: a young looking man in a smart ck suit and tie. He stood tall and broad with dark hair and even darker eyes that held a disconcerting stare. ¡°And who are you?¡± He stifled augh. ¡°I am the boss. I hear you¡¯ve been meddling with some of my guys?¡± he asked in perfect English yet still with a fairly strong ent. ¡°You¡¯re younger than I thought,¡± I said drowsily. ¡°And so are you. How old are you, nca?¡± He asked. nca? As in white? ¡°Older than you,¡± I replied. ¡°Can you loosen these ropes? They hurt.¡± He nodded to his men and they hesitated for a moment.This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. ¡°E no es una amenaza para nosotros. Haz lo que digo,¡± he replied in a deep voice, almost a growl. The men instantly rushed forwards and hastily loosened the ropes. ¡°My men are worried that you are a threat to us,¡± he replied after noticing my confused expression. I hardly spoke a word of spanish and Italian was not simr enough to understand. ¡°However, I don¡¯t believe that is so,¡± he added. I gave him a sarcastic smile. ¡°Now are you going to tell me how old you are or what?¡± ¡°Guess,¡± I said. ¡°My mother taught me better than to guess a woman¡¯s age.¡± ¡°Did she teach you to tie one up in a dirty warehouse too?¡± I asked. He narrowed his eyes and stood up stepping closer to me. ¡°You don¡¯t know how good you¡¯ve got it, nca,¡± he said running his finger down my cheek before bringing his lips to my ear. ¡°Twenty.¡± ¡°You lose,¡± I replied with my most gent smile. ¡°Can you give me a clue?¡± he asked tucking my hair behind my ear. ¡°Hmmm,¡± I hummed. ¡°It¡¯s a factor of 408.¡± ¡°Math, huh?¡± he said. ¡°Is that a problem?¡± ¡°Not at all,¡± he said stepping away from me. ¡°Twenty four.¡± I smiled. ¡°You¡¯re smarter than you look, amigo,¡± Imented. ¡°Watch it,¡± he warned. ¡°Yes. Now let me guess yours,¡± I said as he stood with an amused smile and his arms folded across his chest. ¡°Neen.¡± I saw his men, that were stood either side of him, exchange worried nces. ¡°How did you know?¡± he asked his expression changing. ¡°Lucky guess,¡± I said innocently. ¡°How?¡± he repeated in a deeper tone. ¡°Smooth, deep freshly broken voice of a teenager, light stubble that couldn¡¯t be described as a beard and perfectly straight teeth fresh out of braces,¡± I replied as an angered expression swept over his face. ¡°I am not a boy,¡± he stated deeply. ¡°However you have clearly been in your post-puberty body long enough to build a high amount of muscle, you know how to dress like a man and your phenomenal mathematical and English skills are that of someone who has inhabited this earth for longer than someone only just nearing their twenties.¡± ¡°Nicely recovered, nca,¡± he replied with an amused smirk. ¡°Now I have a few more questions for you before we get to the real reason you are here. The mark on your neck, who does it belong to?¡± ¡°My mate,¡± I stated. ¡°An Alpha?¡± he asked. ¡°No. We are rogues.¡± Chapter 9 ¡°A rogue doesn¡¯t have a bite that big, sweetheart. I may be young but we have already established that I¡¯m not stupid,¡± he replied. ¡°And I don¡¯t like to be lied to. Which pack?¡± ¡°I already told you, he is not an Alpha,¡± I said. ¡°Fine, how did you end up rogues?¡± he asked getting impatient. ¡°I was born into it and I don¡¯t know about my mate. He doesn¡¯t like to talk about it,¡± I replied. ¡°So he could have been an Alpha?¡± ¡°Unlikely.¡± ¡°Hmmm,¡± the man said narrowing his eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t believe you, nca. Any pups?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°How long have you know him?¡± ¡°A few years,¡± I replied vaguely. ¡°Why no children?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not with him anymore.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°He killed someone I love so I left him,¡± I said- technically not a lie. ¡°Who?¡± ¡°My brother.¡± ¡°What was his name?¡± ¡°Julius.¡± ¡°Why did he kill him?¡± ¡°Julius was nning to kill him.¡±T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°And what is your mate¡¯s name?¡± I took a deep breath, struggling to deal with the pace of his questions and answering with what would have to be wless lies. ¡°Alfonso.¡± ¡°And you just walked away?¡± He asked. ¡°From your mate?¡± ¡°Yes. I haven¡¯t seen him in months and I don¡¯t n to ever again.¡± ¡°If we brought your cousin, Romano, in, would he give us the same answers?¡± he asked. Thank God Luca and I had discussed this and decided on the details. ¡°Yes, of course.¡± ¡°If I find that I am being lied to, nca, there will be consequences,¡± he said stepping closer to me again. ¡°You don¡¯t fear me at the moment but you will by the end of this. I can assure you of that.¡± I looked up at him as he approached me, trying to refrain myself from saying anything. Spoiler: I failed. ¡°And what exactly is this?¡± I asked. ¡°Whatever I want it to be,¡± he said with a wide smile. ¡°Afterall, estoy el jefe.¡± He then ced a hand on my waist and leant towards me. I backed away but the captivity of the chair prevented me from getting far. He ced his lips on mine and kissed me for a few seconds before drawing away and dabbing his mouth. ¡°Bring Guillermo in,¡± he ordered his men. I felt a wrenching sensation in my stomach. That was the first kiss to my lips that wasn¡¯t from Leo since Logan years and years ago and it hurt deep down inside. There was nothing I could have done to have stopped it but I still felt an overwhelming sense of guilt. But like Luca had said, to get out of this alive, I had to y along. A momentter, the two men came back this time apanied by Guillermo. ¡°I presume we have the right girl¡­ or woman I suppose,¡± the boss said looking down at me. ¡°That¡¯s her,¡± Guillermo replied. ¡°Little puta caused me more problems than a woman ever should.¡± ¡°She¡¯ll pay for it, I can assure you,¡± the boss stated. ¡°Give her to me. I know how to punish a girl that has stepped out of her ce,¡± he said with an evil glint. ¡°No,¡± the boss answered. Guillermo opened his mouth to protest but his boss raised his eyebrow and he closed it again. ¡°If you can find him, which I¡¯m sure you can, you can have Romano. But keep him alive, he¡¯s a good exporter and I might need him,¡± The boss replied and Guillermo nodded. ¡°Yes, Sir.¡± ¡°Now leave me. All of you. I will ensure that she gets what she deserves,¡± The boss said before Guillermo and the two guards left. ¡°I don¡¯t really understand what I did wrong,¡± I said. ¡°Romano has been exporting for Guillermo for years. Youe along and it is ruined in a matter of minutes,¡± he replied. ¡°He wanted to take me and we said no¡­ things just escted from there,¡± I argued. ¡°He shouldn¡¯t have held a gun to my cousin¡¯s head and there wouldn¡¯t have been one held at his. He asked for it really.¡± The boss stifled augh. ¡°You are clearly new to this business, nca,¡± he said scornfully. ¡°And you are the bottom of the pecking order. If someone above you says jump, you say ¡®how high?¡¯. You don¡¯t say ¡®Why?¡¯ and you don¡¯t say ¡®No¡¯. I have known you but ten minutes but I can already see you are not used to following orders, am I right?¡± ¡°Why should I be?¡± I asked. ¡°I suppose you have a point. You are a rogue, you left your mate, you live by your own rules. But not anymore, nca. For now, you are here with me. You will do as you are told and you will not ask questions. Understood?¡± ¡°Can I at least know your name?¡± Chapter 10 ¡°Andrea.¡± ¡°Andrea¡­¡± I repeated. (pronounced Aun-drey-ah) ¡°I like the way you say that, nca. And fortunately for your safety, I like you too,¡± he said holding my chin between two of his long fingers. ¡°I¡¯ll see you around,¡± he added before leaving the warehouse a few moments before two guards came in and stood silently and motionlessly behind me. ¡°Do you guys have a toilet?¡± I asked the men stood silently behind me after about an hour. Andrea hadn¡¯t returned but he had sent a ss of water which had, of course, due to theck of food in my system, travelled straight through me. ¡°Suck it up,¡± one replied abruptly. I waited another half an hour before I was close to wetting myself. ¡°Seriously need the toilet now,¡± I said shaking my leg. ¡°Tough. Go in your panties.¡± ¡°Can you get your fucking boss?¡± ¡°He has more important things than taking putas to the toilet.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure he doesn¡¯t want my urine on the floor either. He certainly won¡¯t be clearing it up¡­¡± Just then Andrea marched into the warehouse. He was wearing an irritated expression and came straight in my direction. ¡°Se? or, e necesita el ba? o,¡± one of the men said. ¡°I know. All I can hear is her fucking whining,¡± he said gruffly. ¡°Untie her.¡± The guards instantly began fumbling with the ropes around me. When I was freed, he gripped my upper arm and dragged me to a door on the opposite end of the warehouse. I didn¡¯t mind the unnecessary roughness due to the fact that the sense of relief that I was finally going to the ¡®ba? o¡¯ was overwhelming all other emotions. On the other side of the door was more stacks of boxes as high as the ceiling all taped up but obviously filled. ¡°What is in all of this?¡± I asked. ¡°I thought I told you not to ask questions,¡± he said gruffly before we reached yet another door. ¡°Do your business quickly so that I can get on with mine,¡± he added opening it to reveal a small toilet and even smaller sink.N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. He pushed me in and closed the door. ¡°What exactly is your business? You¡¯re the boss but what do you actually do?¡± I asked from the toilet as I relieved myself. ¡°You have people to do all your dirty work. Exporting, dealing, guarding, kidnapping-¡± ¡°Shut the fuck up, nca, or I will kill you,¡± he said in growly? yet oddly light tone as if he was amused. ¡°Do I entertain you, Andrea?¡± I asked pulling my jeans back up and going to wash my hands. ¡°You are different,¡± he replied. ¡°Gee, thanks. I¡¯m ttered,¡± I said sarcastically trying to scrub the dirt from my hands. ¡°And your soap is shit.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know what soap was until I was eight,¡± he said before I gave up with the crappy attempt of hygiene and opened the door. ¡°So likest week then?¡± I asked with a smile. ¡°You pretty face will only let you get off with so much, nca. Take that as a warning,¡± he said, the humour in his voice fading. He then seized my arm again and lead me back to my veryfortable hard wooden chair. ¡°How long do you n to keep me here for?¡± I asked as he knelt down and began tying my ankles back to the chair. ¡°Hmm¡­ I don¡¯t know. Until Juan can walk again perhaps¡­ or maybe until the seconding¡­¡± ¡°That could be tonight for all we know,¡± I said. ¡°But suppose it isn¡¯t, you can¡¯t keep me tied up here forever.¡± ¡°You do not understand¡­ how do you say in English¡­. ugh¡­ you have the wrong end of the stick,¡± he said cing his hands on my knees. ¡°The day I let you go will be your death day. You stay with me until then.¡± He then stood up and walked around me to tie my hands behind my back. ¡°How far away is ¡®then¡¯? Only I¡¯m 24 and was hoping to live another 60 years at a minimum.¡± ¡°You have so many questions, nca.¡± ¡°Are you going to kill me or not?¡± I said wincing as he tightened the rope a little too much around my wrists. He then sauntered back around and crouched down so that we were face to face. ¡°Don¡¯t piss me off and I won¡¯t kill you.¡± ¡°So potentially I am going to live out my natural life tied to this chair?¡± I asked. He smirked before his eyes flickered down to my chest which due to the fact that my arms were pulled behind me, was sticking out rather a lot. ¡°Perhaps you¡¯d be a little more fun tied to my bed,¡± he said with a smirk before standing up and leaving the warehouse once again. I shuddered at the thought of being with another man. He wasn¡¯t ugly, quite the opposite actually, but he wasn¡¯t Leo and Leo was the only one I ever wanted to think of me like that. Leo¡¯s POV I arrived in Mexico less than 12 hours after Luca called me and it had been one of the worst half days in my life. I¡¯d been away from E before not knowing where she is but the difference this time was that there was no question or doubt about it. Her life was in danger. Nobody knew much about Andrea Martinez. He was a master at hiding and secrecy which only made him more dangerous and this situation more difficult. How do you find rescue your mate when she¡¯s with a man that can¡¯t be found? Most of his men only knew him as the boss and had never actually seen his face. Everything we knew about him in the Ste pack was through what Luca had learnt from Guillermo (one of his most trusted, yet surprisingly easily paid off employees) and even his knowledge of who he was working for was incredibly limited. And just to tick it all off, Mexico was a huge country and we didn¡¯t even know where to start. I stepped out of the airport into the bitter dry air and scanned for Luca¡¯s car. The sun was beating down onto the dusty road and radiating back up the most unpleasant way. Besides the odd? limp whisp of weed or scuttling beetle, there was hardly any life and when you looked out beyond the runways of the airport, there was only sand and desert for miles. ¡°I fucking hate the south,¡± I said to myself as I thought back to the deep green forests and glistening bluekes of my packnds in the North. A few momentster, a dusty grey car pulled up in front of me. ¡°Morning, Alpha,¡± Luca¡¯s voice said as he rolled down the window. I blocked the sun from my eyes with my hand and looked in at him, instantly noticed the dark circles under his eyes and his unbrushed hair. ¡°You look like shit,¡± I told him. ¡°And you look hot and sweaty. Get in, I have the AC on,¡± he replied. Chapter 11 Luckily for him? and his vital organs, since he informed me that he had got my mate involved in a drug gang, I had had a long flight to cool off. But that didn¡¯t mean he was safe to test me. ¡°Shut the fuck up,¡± I snapped before getting into his car. It was cool but there was a suffocating smell of musty corn and unchanged socks. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Alpha,¡± he said. ¡°For all of this.¡± ¡°Apology not epted,¡± I said bluntly rolling down the window as he began to drive, letting a breeze of fresh air in. ¡°Have you got anywhere with this Pedro Hernandez guy?¡± ¡°No, the guys either untraceable or that man? lied to you,¡± he replied. ¡°He wasn¡¯t lying,¡± I said confidently. ¡°This man exists and he will know where Martinez is keeping E.¡± ¡°I contacted the IT guys in the pack and all there¡¯s nothing on the database and they can¡¯t find anything about him on the inte. Nobody around here seems to recognise the name either. You¡¯ve got to give it to them, Alpha. They¡¯ve got everything covered.¡± ¡°Out of all the people you could have gotten my mate involved with?!¡± I growled. ¡°Andrea Martinez: the one man that I don¡¯t know how to defeat.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Alpha,¡± He said again. ¡°I really am because I care about her too. But we can defeat him. All we have to do is find him.¡± ¡°And therein lies the problem.¡± We sat for a moment in silence before the first idea in twelve hours harbouring any chance of sess came to me. ¡°What if we don¡¯t need to find him? Martinez has made a living out of destroying other Alphas,¡± I began. ¡°What better way to lure him out of hiding than with the chance of taking down Alpha Leonardo Loren? Then we can capture him and get him to tell us where E is and then kill him.¡± ¡°Alpha, that¡¯s too risky,¡± Luca said. ¡°What if he kills you instead? How is that going to help get E back?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not gonna let him kill me,¡± I replied. ¡°They have guns.¡± ¡°And I noticed you do too,¡± I said picking up the metal item I had spotted in the mug rack of his car. ¡°Alpha¡­¡± he said with a concerned look on his face. ¡°That thing only has one round in it and we¡¯re not exactly experienced with guns.¡± ¡°I am willing to risk it for my mate,¡± I replied. ¡°This isn¡¯t to say that I¡¯m letting you off the hook but I me myself for this too. She wouldn¡¯t have left at all if I didn¡¯t kill her brother.¡± Luca sighed, ¡°What if we lure the rat out, don¡¯t let him find the bate and then just watch where he scurries back to? No one risks dying that way but we still find out where he¡¯s keeping E. Then we can bring the army down here and get her out of there.¡± ¡°Nice analogy.¡± ¡°So?¡± Luca asked. ¡°Do you agree that is the safer option?¡± I leant back and sighed. Luca was right and his n was more feasible and I couldn¡¯t let my anger for Martinez get in the way of what was important here: saving E. ¡°Fine,¡± I agreed. ¡°But he¡¯s messed with my mate, the one I love the most, and I am going to kill him when this is over. Mark my words.¡± E¡¯s POV As the night crawled through the hours, I found myself unable to stop my mind from drifting back to Leo. I missed him more than anything which is weird considering how desperate I was to get away from him just hours ago. My mind could hardly handle the conflict of hating him and loving him at the same time and I could feel it slowly driving me insane. The dream was bothering me too. Why Lili and not any of my other children? Why the swing? The mist? Leo? I tried to make sense of it but my hunger from not eating in hours was clouding my thoughts and making everything seem weird and delusional. The two guards were ying cards. Richardo had so far lost his belt, his crucifix and the 200 pesos (11 dors) he had on him to Esteban. ¡°You cheat,¡± Richardo protested. They¡¯d been mostly speaking in Spanglish for my benefit. Neither spoke particrly good English but it was good enough to allow me to follow the conversation and not die of boredom. How considerate of them. ¡°You are a bad loser,¡± Esteban replied with augh. ¡°Now I want de picture of your mate from your wallet.¡± ¡°No, man. That is not cool,¡± Richardo said. ¡°She is my mate. Find your own.¡± ¡°She¡¯s sexy and I like something to imagine when I¡­ how do you say in English¡­?¡± ¡°Feel free to say it in Spanish. I don¡¯t wanna hear it,¡± I announced and they both turned to me. ¡°How about a new game?¡± Esteban suggested deviously before picking up an empty tequ ss from the table they were both sat at. ¡°You shoot de ss from her head, I give you back everything and you keep de photo. If you fail, then you give me it.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think the boss will like dat,¡± Richardo replied unsurely. ¡°I don¡¯t fucking like that. If he fails, he loses the photo and I lose my life!¡± ¡°Shut up, puta,¡± Esteban snapped before grabbing a spare piece of rope and fastening it around my mouth so that I could only make sounds that vaguely formted words. ¡°Are you a man, or what, Richardo?¡± ¡°If I win, you give me your watch and we have a deal,¡± Richardo said taking the gun from the back of his jeans. ¡°Agreed,¡± he replied cing the shot ss on my head and taking a few steps back. ¡°Stay very still, puta,¡± Richardo said closing one eye and aiming the gun just above my head. I closed both my eyes tightly and tried to stop myself shaking. I heard the trigger pull, then the bang, then the bullet shoot through the air and then a ss smash above my head. ¡°Ayyy,¡± Richardo cheered as I breathed a sigh of relief and thanks for my life. Richardo threw his arms up in the air as Esteban grumbled and took off his watch. Just before he was able to hand it to Richard, the door of the warehouse flung open. Andrea marched in, gun in hand, with an alert expression as he scanned the warehouse. He then saw the gun in Richardo¡¯s hand, the broken ss and the rope around my mouth and began hurling fast Spanish at the two men. They had gone pale with fear as they stuttered and spluttered trying to exin themselves. Pointing the gun directly at Richardo¡¯s head, Andrea stepped closer now with an enraged expression as they cowered back. ¡°She is not your ything,¡± he growled before pulling the trigger of the gun. My eyes widened as the bullet hit Richardo in the shoulder and blood began to pour. He whimpered with pain before sinking to his knees. ¡°Get him out of here,¡± Andrea barked at Esteban and he immediately nodded and began dragging the crying Richardo out, leaving a trail of blood behind them.N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. Andrea watched them intensely until they were out of sight before finally turning to me. He looked me up and down before marching over and pulling the gag off and untying my hands. ¡°Now I see why they all fear you,¡± I mumbled once my mouth was free. He crouched down and lifted my arm and examined it carefully. ¡°You just shot a man. He could die.¡± ¡°He¡¯ll survive but it will be painful enough to ensure he never defies me like this again,¡± he replied. ¡°Your arm has been cut,¡± he added. I looked down to see quite a nasty gash along the top of my lower arm that I hadn¡¯t noticed before. Chapter 12 He took a white cloth from the pocket of his suit and began dabbing the wound. I winced at the pressure. ¡°There¡¯s ss in there,¡± he said taking a closer look. ¡°Stay still.¡± I watched as he pulled a long shard of ss from my flesh, cast it aside and dabbed the wound again this time causing much less pain. He then stood up, walked to the table and grabbed the open bottle of tequ. ¡°This may sting a little,¡± he warned me before sshing some of the strong alcohol onto my arm. ¡°Motherfucker,¡± I hissed as a searing pain shot through my arm. ¡°Why the fuck did you do that?¡± ¡°Tequ serves as a brilliant disinfectant,¡± he replied looking at the bottle. ¡°45% alcohol. Nothing can survive that.¡± ¡°Including my flesh. Did you have no other option?¡± I asked. ¡°Just be d I am even bothering to treat your wound at all,¡± he said crouching down in front of me again. ¡°Apart from this, are you okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯m starving, longing to get out of these ropes and a few minutes ago, a man, who had just had four shots of tequ, shot a tiny ss off my head,¡± I replied. I looked down at the red marks around my ankles where the rough fibre had been rubbing. ¡°Us Mexicans have high tolerances and good aims, nca,¡± he replied taking the rope off my ankles. ¡°And good food,¡± he added. ¡°Where are we going?¡± I asked as he took my arm and began leading me out. ¡°To get something to eat,¡± he said as we reached the door. ¡°Consider it a date,¡± he added kissing my cheek. Just before we left the warehouse, he pulled me closer to him and covered my eyes with his hand. ¡°What-?¡± ¡°Top secret location, nca. I can¡¯t have you knowing where I pile my stock¡­ or where I keep my prisoners,¡± he interjected before we exited into the fresh air and warm sun rays. Before long, I heard a car door open and the voice of a man I didn¡¯t recognise talking to Andrea in Spanish. ¡°She is not my bitch, Pedro. Not yet anyway. I just think her pretty face might be useful to me someday so I n to keep her alive for now,¡± Andrea said to him in English. ¡°You said thatst time, Sir,¡± the other man replied as I felt Andrea lift me into the car. ¡°Thest one wasn¡¯t nearly as beautiful and she slept with one of my exporters. She had to go.¡± ¡°In my experience, if you want a job done properly, don¡¯t give it to a woman. She¡¯ll find a way to fuck it up,¡± the unknown man replied as the Andrea got in the car too and close the door behind him. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t hold such old-fashioned views, Pedro,¡± Andreaughed as we began to drive. ¡°A woman can be very useful.¡± Andrea then removed his hands finally from my eyes. We were in the back of pristine, ck SUV with Pedro, a middle-aged man wearing a suit simr to Andrea¡¯s, driving. Through the heavily tinted windows, I could only see desert and cactus. No warehouse, no people, no anything. ¡°Women are good for three things,¡± Pedro began. ¡°Entertaining a man, cooking for a man and raising his children.¡± ¡°You forgot cleaning,¡± I mumbled sarcastically. In the rearview mirror, I saw Pedro raise an eyebrow and exchanged a look with Andrea before Andrea pulled me over hisp and pinned my arms behind my back. He held them tightly at an awkward angle and I couldn¡¯t help but whimper with the pain. ¡°Don¡¯t speak out of turn, nca,¡± he growled in my ear before sitting me back up leaving me dishevelled and shaken. ¡°You can rough her up more than that, boss,¡± Pedro said with augh. I looked up at Andrea, who was staring straight forward with zero emotion and thought better of making a secondment. ¡°She can consider that a warning,¡± he replied deeply. ¡°The next time won¡¯t be so gentle.¡± The rest of the car journey was silent. We eventually entered some kind of town where Pedro stopped the car and Andrea practically dragged me out. ¡°You can speak now,¡± he announced as he took my arm and began walking through the streets filled with people doing their afternoon shopping. ¡°That hurt,¡± I said. He smiled in amusement before cing his hand on my waist and slowly slipping it a little further down to my hip. ¡°Perhaps I¡¯ll make it up to you tonight,¡± he said. I turned to him and forced myself to give him a flirty smile before I pushed his hand off me, ¡°Perhaps,¡± I said with a shrug. ¡°Perhaps not.¡± Luca¡¯s words rang in my head more than ever: make them think they have a chance and they won¡¯t force it. We passed a whole load of restaurants and cafes before Andrea finally stopped at one. The strong smell of food was driving me mad with hunger and I was prepared to eat anything. The ce was fairly small and dark but smelt probably the best in the entire street. There were two rickety fans on the ceiling and lots ofughter and noiseing from inside. A friendly looking man spotted us enter from behind the bar and approached us with a beaming smile.This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. ¡°Andrea!¡± he eximed beforeunching into Spanish to which Andrea responded to with as we walked further into the restaurant. Me and my blonde hair and blue eyes seemed to turn a lot of heads but so did Andrea. Maybe because he was well known or maybe because he was the only one not dressed for the sweltering heat outside. ¡°And who is this?¡± the man asked eventually. My focus snapped back at the sound of something in English to see the man looking at me. ¡°Her name is Eleonora,¡± Andrea began cing a hand on my shoulder. Oh, so he does know my ¡®name¡¯. So far to him, I had just been nca which I assumed to be a term for a white woman. ¡°American Italian. Not a word of Spanish,¡± he added. ¡°Nice to meet you, Senorita,¡± he said nodding to me. ¡°I will get you today¡¯s menus, Andrea. Please sit.¡± Andrea guided me to a table for two in the corner of the fairly busy restaurant shortly before the man returned with two menus. As soon as he was gone Andrea took the menu from my hand and ced it underneath his own. ¡°Hey!¡± I protested. ¡°I will choose for us both, nca,¡± he replied without looking up. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Uno, because it is written in Spanish and dos, simply because you are my prisoner and I said so,¡± he said. ¡°I want you to let me go,¡± I announced. ¡°I can¡¯t live under someone else¡¯s rule.¡± ¡°It is that or don¡¯t live at all,¡± he said. ¡°Why do you need me?¡± I asked. ¡°I am of no use to you and I haven¡¯t done anything wrong.¡± Chapter 13 ¡°All in good time, nca,¡± he said in a smooth tone as I felt his hand on my knee from under the table. ¡°Now be quiet and enjoy Mexico. Eduardo!¡± he called seconds before the man came scurrying back. ¡°Dos chquiles, por favor.¡± ¡°Si. A drink?¡± ¡°Two beers,¡± he replied and the man left again. It wasn¡¯t long until the food came and it was delicious. When I had finished that (which was pretty quickly), Andrea ordered me some utas and fajitas and an enchda and a burrito and a taco and some other stuff I didn¡¯t even know what was. The point is, by the end of it, my hunger was gone and I had a new appreciation for Mexican food. ¡°Can I get you any more drinks, Se? or?¡± Eduardo asked. ¡°Another tequlia for the American,¡± he said and Eduardo left. ¡°If I didn¡¯t know any better, I¡¯d think you¡¯re trying to get me drunk,¡± I said lifting up one of the empty shot sses on the table. He let out a shortugh and leant forward, ¡°You¡¯re bold, nca.¡± Eduardo then returned with the tequ. ¡°I¡¯ve encountered enough men to know what you¡¯re doing,¡± I said before knocking back the shot. ¡°But I¡¯m surprised it¡¯s a tactic that a man like you has to resort to.¡± ¡°A man like me?¡± he asked. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me that cute little face doesn¡¯t have the girls lining up,¡± I said running my finger along his smooth cheek. ¡°Maybe I don¡¯t want other girls,¡± he replied, his hand brushing against my leg under the table. ¡°And why would you bring me to a nice restaurant if your objective is to intoxicate me?¡± ¡°Maybe I¡¯m a gentleman. Or maybe I just think good food and a nice date will increase my chances,¡± he said with a shrug and a grin. I spent the next afternoon back in the warehouse. He didn¡¯t tie me up this time but he still sat watching me. After I uncovered his novice tequ n, he made no further advances on me, especially since I was doing a fairly good job of appearing sober. About an hourter, a man, practically a boy, came rushing through with a phone in his hand. ¡°Se? or, es importante,¡± he said holding out the phone to Andrea. ¡°Watch her,¡± he ordered gesturing to me as he took the phone and left the warehouse. The boy nodded and stood bolt upright and motionless. He looked tense and for whatever reason obviously desperate to? please Andrea. ¡°Who was on the phone?¡± I asked. I would guess that that meant something along the lines of ¡®I don¡¯t speak English¡¯. ¡°Yo no puedo decir,¡± he replied. I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion and he? brought his finger to his lips and then shook his head as if to say ¡®I can¡¯t say¡¯. Jesus Christ. What did Andrea do to deserve loyalty? Or maybe it wasn¡¯t loyalty, maybe it was just fear. Fifteen minutester, Andrea returned and strode towards. ¡°I have something, I¡¯d like you to do for me,¡± he said tying a blindfold over my eyes before he grabbed my arm and pulled me to my feet. ¡°Come with me.¡± We were soon back in the car with Pedro driving and far enough away from the warehouse for Andrea to remove my blindfold. After my eyes had adjusted to the light again, he lifted his suit jacket and withdrew a gun from his belt before pushing it across the back seat of the car towards me. I looked down at it with wide eyes and then up to Andrea. ¡°You¡¯re giving me a gun?¡± I asked. ¡°I thought I was your prisoner?¡± ¡°Sweetheart you are,¡± he said running the back of his forefinger along my cheek. ¡°Think of this as a test. If you pass, you will earn a little more freedom. If you fail, you will receive punishment.¡± ¡°What do you want me to do?¡± I asked. ¡°Where will I spend the night?¡± I asked wondering if it was going to be any better. ¡°I guess you¡¯ll just have to wait and find out,¡± he said before roughly pulling me onto hisp. I let out a tiny gasp with the surprise of his sudden movement and once again I felt the pain of being so close to a man that wasn¡¯t Leo. ¡°But I¡¯m sure you have a pretty good idea,¡± he said kissing my chest. ¡°Oh, and if you fail or try to escape from me, I will have you hunted down before killing you¡­ after getting what I want from you, of course. So let¡¯s do this the right way, yes?¡± ¡°And what if I don¡¯t like the sound of either option?¡± I asked with my most gent smile. I ran my fingers through his hair as his hands drifted from my waist to my hips. ¡°You drive me insane, nca,¡± he said kissing my neck. ¡°But you can¡¯t decline my offer.¡± ¡°So is it really an offer?¡± I asked brushing a thick strand of hair from his eyes. ¡°It was until you said no,¡± he answered as I felt his hand slip up my shorts. I pped it away and pulled my shorts back down. ¡°Hands off,¡± I snapped. ¡°You¡¯ll have to wait.¡±Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. With an amused expression, he took his hands off me and held them up with a grin stered across his face. ¡°Is it even loaded?¡± I asked picking up the gun from the seat beside us. ¡°Why would I give you an unloaded gun?¡± ¡°Why would you give me a loaded gun?¡± I countered. ¡°You don¡¯t trust me.¡± ¡°What gives you that impression?¡± He asked twiddling my hair as I remained straddling hisp. ¡°You cover my eyes and drag me around like a dog on a leash,¡± I replied. ¡°I could do anything with a loaded gun. Shoot you, for example,¡± I said holding the gun to his head. ¡°Well, you see, nca. That would only be suicidal,¡± he said allowing me to hold the gun there. ¡°I offer you protection whilst I¡¯m alive. As soon as I am dead, there is nothing stopping the vultures swooping in, Guillermo being the first.¡± ¡°Guess I won¡¯t kill you then¡­ yet,¡± I said. Chapter 14 I considered pulling the trigger anyway but I was 99% sure that there was no bullet in there and even if there was and I could kill Andrea, Pedro was still there and that would be almost certain death. ¡°Good girl,¡± he replied. ¡°But why send me and not one of your loyal workers?¡± I asked. ¡°As I said, it is a test.¡± ¡°Why are you testing me?¡± I asked. ¡°To see how you will handle it.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because I think, despite what Pedro thinks, you would make a good little worker,¡± he replied. ¡°The men in this business are dangerous but even they wouldn¡¯t kill a pretty girl like you¡­ not immediately anyway. So you may pose a use over my more dispensable male employees.¡± ¡°You want me to work for you?¡± I asked. ¡°You don¡¯t have a choice. You will do as I say,¡± he stated. ¡°¡­ Or what?¡± I questioned and he raised an eyebrow. ¡°If you be just a dead weight, I will have to get rid of you¡­ after having my fun of course,¡± he said bringing the gun to my head. ¡°Have I made myself clear?¡± ¡°Crystal,¡± I replied before he let me climb off him and we sat in quiet for the rest of the journey. Something was telling me there was more to this than he was letting on. Something to do to with that importante phone call. We eventually stopped on the edge of a different town. A strange looking town. ¡°This is as far as we can go,¡± he said reaching over me and opening the car door as he thrust the gun and the address into my hand. ¡°Adios,¡± I said in my best Spanish as I shuffled along towards the open door. ¡°And nca,¡± he said taking my hand and pulling me back into his lips before kissing me for a few moments. ¡°Just in case you don¡¯t make it out alive.¡± He then ushered me out, closed the door and drove off. I looked around at the desert around me and the gun in my hand. What the fuck had I gotten myself into? I began to make my way to the town. A few minutes of walkingter, I reached the phone box Andrea had mentioned on the edge of the road. I took a 360 turn and couldn¡¯t see a soul for miles. Everything was perfectly still and quiet. After considering for a grand total of about three seconds, I hastily pushed open the cracked, scratched door of the booth and picked up the phone, which was coated in peeling red paint. There was a rusty slit just below it where I shoved the money before I pressed each number of Leo¡¯s mobile number into the stiff keypad. He picked up after only a few seconds. ¡°It¡¯s me,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯ve really fucked up.¡± ¡°Luca said the exact same thing when he called me,¡± he replied. ¡°I¡¯m in Mexico and he filled me in. Where are you?¡± ¡°Is Luca okay?¡± I asked. ¡°Except for the fact that I¡¯ve almost murdered him many times, yes he¡¯s fine,¡± he said. ¡°But tell me where you are?¡± ¡°I¡¯m with a man called Andrea Martinez,¡± I told him. ¡°I know, I know, but where?!¡± he replied. ¡°I need a location.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, Leo!¡± I replied. ¡°The middle of fucking nowhere! All I can see is desert and cacti and this weird empty town with no signs!¡±Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. ¡°Do you have anything that could help me find you?¡± he asked. ¡°What does Martinez look like?¡± ¡°He¡¯s neen, looks kinda young but not weak, wears a suit, dark hair, dark eyes¡­¡± I listed. ¡°And he took me to eat in a town. I didn¡¯t get the name of it but it was full of other restaurants and people. There was a man that worked named Eduardo who worked in a bar-like cafe with ceiling fans and a big Mexican g outside. He might be able to tell you something. Or find Guillermo. Or a man called Richardo Garcia with a shot wound in his shoulder or another man called Esteban Roderique. ¡± ¡°Are you with him now?¡± he asked. ¡°No, he¡¯s sent me on some errand,¡± I replied. ¡°I don¡¯t know what or why but I¡¯m alone right now.¡± ¡°Does that mean you can get away from him?¡± he asked. ¡°Again, I¡¯m in the middle of the fucking desert, Leo! Believe it or not, I¡¯m better off staying Andrea.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know that, E. He¡¯s dangerous,¡± Leo warned. ¡°I can handle him,¡± I said before pausing. ¡°Trust me on this. He¡¯s young and I¡¯ve got him under control.¡± ¡°What does that mean?¡± he questioned his voice deepening. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. Just know that I¡¯m fine for now,¡± I said. ¡°Come and find me soon though, okay?¡± ¡°Yes of course. And I will kill that son of a bitch,¡± he growled. There was a pause before I spoke again, ¡°Leo?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I love you,¡± I whispered. ¡°I love you too,¡± he replied in a much softer tone. ¡°Do whatever you have to do, I understand and I just want you to stay alive. Understood?¡± I wiped a loose tear but before I could reply the money then ran out on the phone and it hung up. I gave myself a minute or two to pull myself together, straighten up and remember that I¡¯m a tough bitch before heading up the road into the eerie town. I stepped through the deserted street of the town kicking up dust from the road as I went. All the buildings were warehouses or sheds or trailers- nothing like the beautifully decorated old buildings of thest Mexican town I had visited. It wasn¡¯t particrly big but I was walking for a good two minutes before I heard any sign of human activity. From one of the warehouses, I heard the faint thud of Hispanic? music and the cheers and shouts or men. I took a deep breath before striding over to the warehouse and took another deep breath before pulling open the door. The air smelt like sweat, alcohol and smoke and as my eyes? adjusted from the bright day outside to the low light I began to see exactly what I had stepped into. ¡°Jesus Christ,¡± I muttered under my breath. Closest to me was a pool table with three men no longer ying pool but intently watching me. Behind that was what appeared to be a boxing ring with two men inside and around it another six or seven men all now watching me. At the back was a further four men seated around a small table drinking and ying cards. All staring at me. I stood motionless in the doorway for a few moments not entirely sure what to do. Somebody switched off the music and an awkward silence swept over the ce. ¡°Did someone call for me? Our Lord and saviour, Jesus Christ?¡± a voice said. Chapter 15 I scanned for where it wasing from before a man stepped out of the shadows. I stared at him with wide eyes. He was tall with dark hair and dark eyes, a lot like many men. But his face seemed peculiarly familiar but I couldn¡¯t quite grasp the droplet of memory in the ocean of knowledge that was my brain that could tell me why. ¡°Y-your..-¡± I stuttered. ¡°Handsome? Dashing? Gorgeous?¡± he asked with a shrug. ¡°But you¡¯re not here to meet a man, are you?¡± he said with a smile. ¡°I know you,¡± I said, confidently. ¡°You do?¡± he asked with a glint in his eye. ¡°Yes. I don¡¯t know why or when but I¡¯ve met you before,¡± I replied racking my brain. ¡°Funny, I don¡¯t recall,¡± he replied with a smile and hint of sarcasm. ¡°Is there any reason, you¡¯re here, gringa?¡± he added raising his eyebrow after a few more moments. ¡°Andrea sent me,¡± I replied shaking the thoughts out my head. ¡°Running errands for the boss, huh?¡± he replied. ¡°So¡­ that makes you his little bitch?¡± ¡°I¡¯m supposed to collect something,¡± I said looking around at all the eyes looking at me. ¡°Have you got the money?¡± he asked. ¡°Money? He didn¡¯t say anything about money,¡± I replied my heart beat raising. ¡°Oh¡­ guess I¡¯ll just go then¡­¡± I said backing towards the door. ¡°ay.. ay¡­ ay,¡± he said. ¡°Not so fast. I guess I could offer you a post-payment but it will cost you.¡± ¡°I told you, I don¡¯t have any money.¡± ¡°Not that kinda cost, babe,¡± he said with a smirk as hisrades jeered around us. ¡°Forget it,¡± I snapped. ¡°Do you really want to go back to your boss empty-handed, Gringa?¡± he taunted. ¡°I don¡¯t like to? think what he might do.¡± ¡°What do you want?¡± I asked with a sigh. He was right. I couldn¡¯t risk failing this test. ¡°Just stay for a bit,¡± he said cing an arm around my shoulder. ¡°Party with us.¡± ¡°You want me to party with you?¡± I asked. ¡°You got time?¡± he said as he chucked me a can. ¡°Beer?¡± I scowled at him. ¡°Here¡¯s the deal: entertain us and I give you Andrea¡¯s stuff. Fail and you go to him empty-handed,¡± he said. ¡°Everything is a test with you guys,¡± I said with a sigh taking a mouthful of the beer. He smirked and took the can from me. ¡°Now dance with me, Gringa,¡± he said gesturing to the man by the speaker. ¡°You know salsa?¡± he added as the music began to y. I looked around, everyone was still watching. ¡°Yeh, no,¡± I said with augh. ¡°I¡¯m not dancing.¡± ¡°Come on, beautiful. Don¡¯t mind them,¡± he said taking my hand. He then pulled me into his chest and brought his lips to my ear, ¡°Unless you want me to tell the Boss who you really are?¡± he whispered. I felt the colour leak out of my face. I knew I had recognised him from somewhere and he had recognised me too. I looked up at him and he gave me a cocky smile. He knew he had left me no choice. Andrea could under no circumstances find out who I am. ¡°Fine,¡± I said putting my hand on his waist. ¡°But I warn you, my dancing skills are nothing pretty.¡± ¡°I will be the judge of that,¡± he said. I then switched off all sense of embarrassment, pride and self-respect and began to dance. At longst, the song finally came to an end and I immediately pushed him away from me and straightened myself up. ¡°That was a nice dance, gringa,¡± he said drawing a stool up behind him and sitting with his legs spread widely and leant over staring intently at me. ¡°But I wanted to see a little more skin.¡± ¡°Take it off and the stuff is yours,¡± he replied tugging at my shirt.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. I narrowed my eyes before looking around the room. ¡°We made a deal. I danced with you, now give me it,¡± I said. ¡°I said you had to entertain us,¡± he replied. ¡°And I have,¡± I said looking around at the interested and amused expressions of everyone present. I was passed a heavy cube wrapped in tape and some kind of packaging. ¡°Hope to see you again soon, Gringa,¡± he said. ¡°Do you have any coins?¡± I asked. ¡°Coins? You were supposed to pay me,¡± he replied. ¡°For the phone box.¡± Chapter 16 He reached into his pocket and pulled out some loose change, ¡°maybe next time you¡¯ll do a little more than dance and I¡¯ll give you a little more.¡± I ignored hisment and focused on making sure there isn¡¯t a next time, ¡°may I speak to you in private?¡± ¡°Wow so soon? I like the sound of this,¡± he said with a smile. I rolled my eyes, ¡°I have to ask you something.¡± ¡°No,¡± he said his face suddenly bing more serious. ¡°I have nothing to tell you.¡± ¡°We both know that is not true,¡± I hissed. If he knew who I was then he knew who my mate was and if he knew who my mate was, he could (if he wanted to) help me. ¡°Adios, gringa,¡± he said deeply. But of course, he didn¡¯t want to. Maybe because he had something against me or Leo or the pack or maybe because like everyone else, he didn¡¯t want to get on Andrea¡¯s bad side. Either way, there was no point trying so I left with my well-earnt parcel whilst I still could. Well, that was until I saw the mob of angry men outside marching towards the building with guns in their hands. I backed straight back in and mmed the door. ¡°Angry.. men with g¡­ guns outside,¡± I stuttered. ¡°Get down!¡± he bellowed to me as everyone in the room withdrew a gun from their belts. I ducked under the pool table just before the door mmed opened and shots began to be exchanged. I fumbled for Andrea¡¯s gun and held it close to me. Shots and groans filled the air and I watched the feet of the men sweeping into the room from underneath the table. At one point, a man spotted me and began rapidly approaching. I tried to fire it but nothing happened. Damn you, Andrea! I knew it wasn¡¯t loaded. When he got close enough, I swung my arm and thrashed him across the head with the metal object as hard as I could, he fell to the floor bleeding before I made my fast getaway out of the door. The gun didn¡¯t shoot but it¡¯s still a heavy object. I made my way hastily back towards the phone box shaking from fear. It was beginning to get dark but there was still enough light for me to see the keypad and dial the number Andrea had given me. When I got back to the warehouse, Andrea was sat slouched at a table with his long legs stretched out and twirling a gun between the fingers of one hand and a smallptop to the side of him. I walked over to him and put the parcel on the table, along with the ¡®you owe me¡¯ note and the gun before sliding it across to me. ¡°You could have told me,¡± I stated. ¡°Told you what?¡± he asked looking up for the first time. ¡°That one, I needed 5, 000 dors and two, the gun isn¡¯t loaded,¡± I said. He didn¡¯t respond but instead gestured to the man who had driven me. He picked up the parcel from the table and left the warehouse again. It was at? that? point that I noticed the four smears of blood on the floor. ¡°Whose is that?¡± I asked quietly.T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Oh, the blood?¡± he asked casually before he pointed to the first smear. ¡°That one is Esteban. Then Richardo, Eduardo and Guillermo. They are all dead.¡± ¡°W¡­ what?¡± I stuttered although slightly relieved that Luca and Leo¡¯s names were not amongst them. ¡°You failed the test,¡± he stated. ¡°I brought you your? stuff, didn¡¯t I? Is that not what you wanted? And how is this anything to do with shooting four people?!¡± He reached forward and pressed a button on theptop and a muffled recording began to y. It took me a while to realise what it was but when I did, my heart sunk three miles into the ground. A tape of my conversation with Leo in the phone box. Andrea looked up to me, with a dark expression a cocked his head to the side as he stared me down before turning off the recording. There was an agonising moment of silence before he finally had the kindness to end it. ¡°I¡¯ve always had my suspicions that you were lying to me, nca, and then that phone call earlier was one of my men telling me that he couldn¡¯t trace the existence of an Eleonora De¡¯Meritchi fitting your description anywhere. So I had to put it to the test,¡± he exined. ¡°Now do you understand why they had to die? I can¡¯t have this ¡®Leo¡¯ finding you and you gave their names as leads for him.¡± I didn¡¯t reply? How could I? There was nothing I could say that would make anything better. ¡°Who is he anyway?¡± he said tapping the gun on the table. ¡°Your real mate? The owner of that huge mark?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± I said shakily. ¡°Would ¡®Leo¡¯ by any chance be shortened from Alpha Leonardo Antonio Loren?¡± he asked still staring intently. I looked up to the ceiling and took a short breath in. It just kept getting worse. ¡°And that makes you the Luna of the Ste pack¡­ yes?¡± he said deviously. ¡°E Jones Loren?¡± I nodded. There¡¯s no point trying to lie to him. ¡°You know I don¡¯t appreciate being fucked about with, E. I don¡¯t like being lied to either,¡± he said standing up from his chair slowly and with a sort of calmness that made me uneasy. ¡°I also hate hassle and you¡¯ve caused me a lot of that. And finally, I was fond of Eduardo and now he is lying dead out in the desert.¡± He neared me and began to gradually circle me, without taking his eyes away even for a second. If intimidation was his objective, he was certainly achieving. ¡°That gives me four reasons to be very fucking angry,¡± he growled in my ear. ¡°How is this my fault? Did I chose to get involved with you?¡± I spat. ¡°I was just minding my own business and you had me abducted! And what did you expect when you kidnap someone and give them money for a phone box?!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t make you kill your own men and if you wouldn¡¯t have to deal with my mate if you just left me alone in the first ce!¡± I growled. With that, he struck me across the face and hard. It stung like a bitch and made me feel far less inclined to open my mouth again. As a matter of principle, I didn¡¯t ever like to back down from an argument. I valued my own opinion and was always going to defend myself but I also wasn¡¯t stupid. Andrea could and was clearly willing to hurt me so provoking him would only be a foolish move here. ¡°You have a fierce temper,¡± he replied picking up a lock of my short hair and feeling it between his fingers.. He then took a deep breath out and dropped it down again. ¡°You know that I have to kill you now, right?¡± he asked. ¡°I like you but you¡¯ve be a liability,¡± he said. Once again, I had nothing to reply with. ¡°But first I have one question? What was Leonardo Loren¡¯s mate doing in Mexico getting involved in trafficking?¡± ¡°I was with a friend and he had to get the shipment before we went on vacation,¡± I replied quietly. Chapter 17 ¡°Ah yes, ¡®Romano De¡¯Meritchi¡¯,¡± he said. ¡°Or Luca Romano as I have recently discovered to be his real name. We will have to find him and kill him too now that I know he works for Loren and my guess would be that he has been using his position in my cartel to the Ste pack¡¯s advantage. Did you get on well?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± I replied with confusion. Why would he care? ¡°Then I will have the good grace to bury you in the same whole out in the barren desert,¡± he said in a disconcertingly kind tone. ¡°What does it matter to you whether we live or not?¡± ¡°I have a reputation to maintain, nca,¡± he said. ¡°If I don¡¯t kill you, I will have let you walk all over me and I can¡¯t let my other employees see that in case they get any ideas.¡± ¡°In killing me, you are signing up to live in constant danger. Leonardo will not stop until you are dead,¡± I said. Andrea shrugged, ¡°If he¡¯s going to want me dead anyway, then it doesn¡¯t matter if I piss him off even more, does it? I might as well take this wonderful opportunity to put his mate to use tonight.¡± ¡°What?¡± I said, furrowing my eyebrows thinking about thest time he gave me a job to do. ¡°You don¡¯t trust me.¡± ¡°Yourck of loyalty makes you useless as an employee but it doesn¡¯t change how hot you are,¡± he said with a grin as ced his hand on my hip. ¡°And there¡¯s something weirdly exhrating about sleeping with another man¡¯s mate and the fact that the other man is Leonardo Loren only makes it even better.¡± My eyes widened. ¡°Andrea-¡± I began. He suddenly lurched forward and put his hand between my legs on my upper thigh. ¡°Do not call me that,¡± he said covering my mouth roughly. ¡°I am boss to you now. You lost all your priveledges and protection and safety the second you dialled that number. You are nothing to me.¡± I shook his hand off me, ¡°Let me speak.¡± ¡°What could you possibly have to say,¡± he growled. ¡°Go to hell.¡± Big mistake. Leo¡¯s POV My phone began to buzz in my pocket. When I pulled it out, it disyed an unknown number on the screen. ¡°Who¡¯s calling?¡± Luca, who was driving the car whilst I sat in the passenger seat, asked. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± I replied swiping to answer. ¡°Who is this?¡± I asked. ¡°Hello, Leonardo,¡± a deep voice said after a few rings. ¡°It¡¯s Andrea Martinez.¡± I instantly gestured for Luca to stop the car and sat up straight. ¡°I don¡¯t doubt that you have heard of me so I won¡¯t bother exining who I am in the same way you don¡¯t need to exin who you are. How brilliant it is to finally get the chance to speak to you, the most famous Alpha in the world,¡± he continued. ¡°Cut the shit,¡± I growled. ¡°Where is my mate?¡± ¡°Ooh, a temper just like your Luna,¡± heughed. ¡°And I¡¯m here with her right now in fact. You see, I know about your little phone call earlier and I¡¯m pissed-¡± ¡°What have you done to her?¡± I said beginning to feel the blood inside me boil. ¡°It isn¡¯t what I¡¯ve done that should worry you but what I¡¯m about to do. She¡¯s caused me a lot of trouble and now she has to pay,¡± Martinez replied. ¡°So I¡¯m going to fuck her and I¡¯m going to enjoy it.¡± I clenched my fist around my phone. I just about managed to stop myself from crushing it right there and then but I shook with fury all the same. Never had I felt so much anger towards another singr person. I heard a muffled crye from E. The pain and desperation in her voice was real and something you rarely heard from E Jones. ¡°You know who I am, Martinez-¡± ¡°I am well aware,¡± he replied. ¡°Leonardo Loren. The most ruthlessly terrifying man to ever live.¡± ¡°Then you¡¯ll be well aware of what I do to people that do things that anger me,¡± Leo said. ¡°And raping my Luna is top of that list.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve got nothing on me, Loren. Even if you do find me, you¡¯re alone, outnumbered and we have guns,¡± he said in an amused tone. ¡°And rx, I¡¯ll ensure that she has fun. After all, it is thest thing she¡¯ll do before death.¡± I then heard the ripping of some kinda of clothing. ¡°Get your hands off my mate,¡± I ordered. ¡°I know you¡¯re not used to being disobeyed but on this asion, you¡¯re just going to have to deal with it. I don¡¯t answer to you, Loren.¡± ¡°Leo, please go,¡± E said. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to hear this.¡± ¡°No,¡± he stated. ¡°50 thousand dors and you stop her immediately.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to have to go a bit higher than that, Alpha. I own a drug cartel, 50, 000 is but a drop in an ocean,¡± Martinez scoffed. ¡°100, 000.¡± ¡°150 and I let you say goodbye,¡± Andrea said. ¡°300 and you don¡¯t touch, kill or hurt her and you give her back to me,¡± I said. ¡°Your mate is worth far more than that in the sex trafficking business,¡± he said cing his hand on my hips. ¡°She¡¯s very pretty by the way.¡±N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. ¡°How much do you fucking want?¡± I growled. ¡°How about¡­ if you meet me in Hermosillo with 600 in cash tomorrow afternoon, I will ensure that she is delivered back to you alive. For an extra 200 thousand, you can have her untouched,¡± he replied. I nced at Luca. He was looking incredibly concerned because he knew as well as I did that getting 800 thousand dors in cash in less than 24 hours was going to be a huge problem. ¡°Yes or no, Loren? It is my final offer,¡± he said. ¡°Deal,¡± I replied finally. ¡°800 thousand dors.¡± What choice did I have? I couldn¡¯t let him hurt E and if nothing else it bought us time. ¡°2 o clock. Don¡¯t bete,¡± Andrea said before hanging up. ¡°Alpha-¡± Luca began. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± I interrupted saving him of even asking the question. ¡°I have the money but getting it here and in cash is almost impossible.¡± Chapter 18 I put my head in my hands, taking deep breaths to try and calm down and clear my mind to think logically about this. ¡°Do we even know that we can trust him to keep his word?¡± he asked. ¡°We need a n. And fast,¡± I replied. There were a few moments of silence before I spoke again. ¡°I know a few packs down here,¡± I said. ¡°They¡¯ve been fighting with Martinez¡¯s cartel for years. We should contact the Alphas. They might have some idea about where we should even start and if nothing else, lend us the money.¡± ¡°Good idea,¡± Luca agreed. ¡°There is no way he¡¯ll get 800 thousand in cash in less than 24 hours,¡± Andrea said to me an hourter. He¡¯d tied me to a chair and had been sat a few metres opposite with his feet up on the table, staring relentlessly. ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate him,¡± I warned. Andrea let out a shortugh, ¡°You¡¯ve got girlfriend goggles on. He¡¯s not all you think he is, sweetheart.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know him,¡± I spat. ¡°True but I know what I¡¯ve heard. And did he really kill your brother?¡± he asked with a raised eyebrow. I paused for a moment and swallowed, ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Oooh!¡± he eximed taking his feet off the table and sitting forward with a tantalising? expression. ¡°Awkward!¡± ¡°Must you torment me?¡± I asked wearily. I was just about through the pain of Connor¡¯s death. Thest thing I needed was for a psychotic Mexican drug dealer to drag it back up and smear it all over my face. ¡°I agreed not to touch you. Nobody said anything about emotional torture,¡± He replied. ¡°Now tell me, when, where, how and why?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t really want to talk about it,¡± I said. ¡°Do you have a choice?¡± he asked picking up the gun. ¡°Don¡¯t think that I won¡¯t shoot you because I don¡¯t always keep my promises. So let me break it down for you, when?¡± ¡°Just over a week ago,¡± I said quietly. ¡°Oooh, nice and fresh and double awkward. How?¡± Andrea replied as if this was the best entertainment he¡¯d had all year. I looked down trying not to remember the image of my brother¡¯s death. ¡°Please stop-¡± I began. ¡°Uh, uh, nca,¡± he said waggling the gun at me. ¡°You don¡¯t get to choose what we talk about. Now tell me, how did you mate kill your brother?¡± ¡°He snapped his neck,¡± I replied. ¡°Ehh, boring andcking creativity,¡± Andrea articted. ¡°If it were me, I would have made a game out of it¡­ or a show at the very least,¡± he added with a sadistic grin. ¡°Of course, the end result is the same but why not have some fun out of it?¡­ Did you know that I have a lion?¡± The guy is fucking insane. I¡¯m in thepany of an absolute nutcase. And a nutcase that sure knew how to pick at a person¡¯s weakness. ¡°Why did he do it?¡± he asked. ¡°Why would he bring such grief and sadness upon his own mate. Is it that he is no better than me? A cruel, ruthless creature?¡± ¡°He isn¡¯t cruel nor ruthless but vindictive, impulsive and protective over his pack. He and my brother never got along and there was antagony? between them since day one.¡± ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Not that it¡¯s any of your business but our families have a history of not getting along. Leonardo¡¯s father had mine exiled and when he gave his Alphaship? to his son, he tried, unsessfully, to kill my father,¡± I exined. ¡°So not only did your? mate kill your brother but he tried to kill your father too?¡± ¡°That was six years before we even knew we were mates,¡± I replied. ¡°Even still, how can you forgive him for that?¡± Andrea said. ¡°And for your brother. That was only a week ago.¡±This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. I stayed quiet. ¡°And what ticked him over? What made him finally do the deed after all these years?¡± ¡°My brother had me kidnapped and then used as bate to start a war against his pack,¡± I stated straightly. ¡°I heard about a war involving the oh so famous Ste pack but I didn¡¯t really care enough to find out the details but wow! Your brother waged war against your mate? I¡¯m not surprised he killed him. I would have done the same¡­ in a much less painless way of course but we don¡¯t need to get into that again,¡± Andrea said. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath and tried to settle my murderous thoughts. ¡°You poor baby. Constantly caught up in all this war and violence. I heard the Alpha of what was once the Ayas pack kidnapped you and held you hostage too, yes?¡± ¡°That was years ago,¡± I mumbled. ¡°And what about your encounter with the Italian Mafia?¡± he asked. ¡°I wonder how much they¡¯d pay for Luna E Loren¡­¡± ¡°How do you know so much about me?¡± I asked. ¡°I like to know a little about my enemies and your Alpha is pretty high up the list,¡± he said. ¡°I asked you how not why,¡± I replied fighting at the ropes around my wrists once again. Andrea lifted his arm and pulled the trigger on the gun. The bullet streaked past me and hit the box I was leant again just a few inches from my head. ¡°Stop trying to escape,¡± he hissed. ¡°It is futile and boring to watch.¡± I sat wide-eyed absolutely unable to move. Now I knew he wasn¡¯t fucking around at least. ¡°Anyway, back to your life. So you have eight kids: five boys, three girls. Eldest, Cato Leonardo Loren, is only seven years old, then the rest of their names and ages escape me. The heir is the only one really on my radar,¡± Andrea said as if he hadn¡¯t just almost shot me in the head. ¡°How does it feel to be the mother of the most wanted seven-year-old in the world?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t really had the chance to be his mother recently so I wouldn¡¯t know,¡± I replied quietly. ¡°Well if Leonardo turns up with $800, 000 in the next¡­¡± he began looking at his watch. ¡°21 and a half hours, you can go home. I highly doubt he will though. Getting that much in cash in such a short amount of time would be a struggle for me and I¡¯m the owner of a drug cartel that deals purely with cash.¡± ¡°What does a neen-year-old do with eight hundred thousand anyway?¡± ¡°What sort of baggage?¡± Chapter 19 ¡°I spend half my time killing his enemies. He has acquired a lot over his time in this business and isn¡¯t strong enough to fight them alone,¡± he replied leaning back and putting his feet on the table again. ¡°Would you not rather spend your money on a house? This warehouse isn¡¯t particrly cosy and home-like,¡± I replied looking at the grey corrted ceiling, cobwebs and stacks of boxes. ¡°I have a house and we were going to spend the night in there but then you used my 60 cents to call your Alpha so¡­¡± he said shrugging his shoulders. ¡°You would have loved the hot tub. I can imagine it now. You in a bikini¡­ no forget the bikini¡­ just you and me. Oh, how you would have moaned. I live alone, miles from another house. We could have had amazing sex and been as loud as we liked. I bet you don¡¯t get to do that with your eight kids. To scream with pleasure. Embrace the sensation. It could have been the best experience of your life but no¡­ you went and blew it for us both.¡± I shuddered, officially grossed out. ¡°That would never have happened,¡± I snapped. ¡°I have a mate and I hate you.¡±This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. ¡°Well true¡­ maybe it wouldn¡¯t have been consensual but pleasure is pleasure, sweetheart. I could pin you against these hard metal walls and pound you for ten minutes straight but you¡¯d still orgasm.¡± Again, gross. ¡°You have high opinions of yourself,¡± I replied. ¡°And are you ustomed to the word ¡®rape¡¯?¡± ¡°You may not have realised it yet but I am not a good man, nca,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ll do what I want regardless of anything else.¡± ¡°Why?¡± I asked. He looked confused, ¡°What do you mean why?¡± ¡°How can you just do things without even thinking about how it affects others?¡¯ ¡°Because I don¡¯t give a shit about anyone else unless a, they are useful to me or they have some kind of value. Not caring makes life so much easier, nca. You should try it sometimes. Look at what mess your feelings have got you into,¡± he said looking around at the warehouse. His lips then slowly curled into a smile and I snapped my eyes away from him, refusing to give him the satisfaction of my attention. A few secondster, the door to the warehouse opened. ¡°Ah yes,¡± Andrea said. ¡°I will find that for you now.¡± ¡°I thought she was your little errand girl?¡± he asked looking at the bruises on my face and then the ropes around my wrists. ¡°She was,¡± Andrea replied. ¡°But then she decided to be a bitch and lie to me.¡± I looked up at him, confused as to why he was showing so much interest and also because I was yet to figure out how I recognised him. ¡°About who she really is,¡± Andrea told him. ¡°And that would be?¡± ¡°Alpha Loren¡¯s Luna,¡± Andrea said. ¡°In fact, just watch her while I get the money,¡± Andrea said. ¡°I can¡¯t risk her slipping out of my grasp.¡± ¡°So he found out,¡± he said after a few seconds of silence. ¡°Yeh¡­¡± I replied. ¡°Suprised he hasn¡¯t killed you yet.¡± I let out a stifledugh, ¡°He¡¯s having too much fun.¡± ¡°As evil as ever I see,¡± he replied. ¡°You¡¯ve really got yourself in a situation, haven¡¯t you?¡± ¡°If my mate brings 800 thousand dors in cash to Hermosillo by 2 o clock tomorrow afternoon, he¡¯ll let me go.¡± ¡°Do you think he can?¡± he asked. I looked up, expecting a sadistic expression or at the least bit amused by my misery but instead, he seemed genuinely concerned. For a split second anyway, before he blinked and switched back to the same stony look he had had in my? previous encounter with him. I shrugged, ¡°He certainly has 800 thousand dors but since this is 2019, he doesn¡¯t store it in cash and even if he did, it would still be 2000 miles away. So I don¡¯t know. I¡¯m not getting my hopes up.¡± ¡°Well I wish you the best of luck,¡± he said with a nod before the warehouse returned to silence. ¡°Since I¡¯m going to die, you might as well tell me how I recognise you and how you knew my name,¡± I said a few momentster. The longer I stared at his familiar face, the more my curiosity ate me up inside. ¡°I knew your father,¡± he said. ¡°As you know, he was a drug addict. I was his dealer and over the years we became good friends. When your mate tried to kill him and he had to disappear, he made me promise to watch over his family. Obviously, I didn¡¯t do a very good job because his mate ended up living a destitute rogue, one child is dead and the other is screwing and has eight children with the very man that tried to kill him.¡± Just like finally remembering what that important thing you went upstairs to do after ten minutes of racking your brain, the memories flooded back to me in all the satisfying glory. It may have been years ago, but I can picture him visiting my Dad in our home when I was little and I believe he may have even babysat Connor and I a couple of times whilst our parents were out. He stood out like a saw thumb with his thick ent and Hispanic appearance. How could I forget him? ¡°Yes well, I used my more white middle name when I was living and dealing in the US. Your country is super racist by the way,¡± he replied. ¡°If you made a promise to my Dad, why aren¡¯t you keeping it?¡± I asked. ¡°I gave up long ago trying to help a family so resolute on self-destruct. And when I made that promise, you were a kid. I¡¯m not going to suddenly start risking my life and job for you now. You aren¡¯t my responsibility and I have no interest in helping you.¡± ¡°You know,¡± I began. ¡°Andrea just told me that he¡¯s nning on buying fertilends in the South to grow his own wolfbanes. He says youe with too much baggage. If you ask me, that sounds like you¡¯re gonna lose them both anyway.¡± ¡°He said that?¡± I nodded. ¡°But if you helped me, I can ensure you that you are rewarded so well that it doesn¡¯t matter.¡± ¡°All you have to do is find my mate and tell him where I am and he will do the rest,¡± I whispered seconds before Andrea reappeared. Chapter 20 ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Alpha Loren,¡± the Alpha of arge pack in the North of Mexico began as we sat around a table in his office. ¡°You know that I support you and would do anything to help but I can do nothing but offer you my men, guns and cash. We have no information on Martinez. The man is a criminal mastermind.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been battling him for years and you have nothing?¡± Leo asked mming my fist onto his desk. ¡°Nothing at all?¡± This was the sixth pack we¡¯d visited with zero sess and I could tell Leo was getting more and more frustrated. ¡°His signals are untraceable, his men are loyal and he operates in top secrecy. Everything is covered. All I can do for my pack is focus on defending my own territory and people from him. We don¡¯t even bother trying to defeat the Martinez cartel. It¡¯s futile.¡± ¡°He has my Luna,¡± Leo said, a look of desperation on his face. ¡°I don¡¯t have a choice but to go against him.¡± ¡°And I will do everything I can to assist,¡± the Mexican Alpha replied, bowing his head. Leo then stood up and straightened himself up before taking a deep breath. ¡°Thank you, Alpha Garcia,¡± he said with a nod. ¡°I will be sure to keep you updated and I appreciate your loyalty.¡± Leo then marched out of the office, leaving me to give the slightly frightened looking Alpha a reassuring nod and smile. When I got back out to the car, I found Leo with bleeding knuckles stood by a very shaken looking tree surrounded by a bed of prematurely lost leaves, some of which were still floating to the floor. These days, he mostly had his emotions under control. But when it came to E and her safety¡­ that was another story. ¡°The men and the guns are useless without having any idea where to find him,¡± he growled. ¡°And the money will lead us into what is most likely a trap and end in all three of our deaths. What the fuck are we supposed to do?!¡± I sighed and leant against the car, folding my arms in front of me. ¡°I have no idea.¡± ¡°Any word from Max?¡± he asked me. ¡°He¡¯s on his way.¡± ¡°And the kids are-¡± ¡°Fine. Everything at home is fine. ir and your parents have the pack and your family under control. Just put all your thought into E.¡± Leo let out a short breath and pinched the bridge of his nose. ¡°If heys another finger on her, I swear to every Goddess above us that I am going to crush him,¡± he growled with teeth clenched so hard I thought they were going to turn to dust. ¡°Nobody messes with my girl.¡± ¡°She¡¯ll be okay, Leo,¡± I tried to reassure. ¡°She¡¯s made of strong stuff, remember?¡± He nodded, ¡°I know. But she¡¯s been through a lot recently and everybody has a breaking point. I don¡¯t know how much more of this bullshit she can take.¡± ¡°Then we better find her,¡± I said. ¡°Stop thinking about how much you want to kill him and let¡¯s go and kill him.¡± ¡°How?!¡± He said raising his voice and staring me dead in the eye. ¡°Fucking how, Luca?! If you know, please FUCKING enlighten me!¡± Just then his phone began to ring in his pocket. He suddenly snapped out of his rage and as he reached for his phone his eyes returned to to blue from the darkened shade they were just a few seconds ago. I let out a breath I wasn¡¯t really aware I had been holding and stepped back feeling d that I wasn¡¯t one of his enemies. ¡°Hello?¡± he said after answering. He shot me a confused look telling me that he knew as little as I did about who was calling. ¡°Am I speaking to Alpha Leonardo Loren?¡± a thick-ented voice asked. ¡°Yes.¡± There was a pause on the other side of the line for a few seconds before the man spoke again. ¡°I know where your Luna is.¡± E¡¯s POV ¡°Three, two, one and¡­ he¡¯ste,¡± Andrea said looking at his watch after what had been an agonising 24 hours. ¡°It¡¯s 2 o clock and Pedro hasn¡¯t texted me to say he¡¯s got the money. In other words, your Alpha has failed you and now you get to pay the consequences.¡± ¡°Stay away from me,¡± I hissed as he began to walk closer to where I was still sat in the warehouse. Heughed and crouched down to my level. ¡°How do you like it, nca?¡± he asked holding my face in his hand with an ufortable degree of force. I didn¡¯t answer and instead red into his eyes. ¡°Rough and hard? Or gentle and slow?¡± he questioned. ¡°Go to hell,¡± I spat. He suddenly lurched forward and grabbed my shoulders. I fought against him and managed to break a hand free and punch him in the face. The sound of impact was loud and he paused for a short second, his grip loosening on me as he brought one hand up to his nose. I stared in utter terror and tried to shuffle back as his face transformed into an expression of pure murder. ¡°That hurt, nca,¡± he said as a drop of blood fell from his nose onto his hand. ¡°But if you wanna y rough, I can y fucking rough.¡± He then grabbed my legs and hauled me across the flow so that I was underneath him before gripping his hand around my neck and mming my back onto the hard floor whilst his other hand went for the zipper on my pants. The more I fought, the tighter he squeezed my neck and the less I could breathe until finally, I had no choice but to give up asck of oxygen was making me begin to ck out. My vision was going stary and colourful and I heard the fateful sound of the zip undoing. But before he could get any further, he suddenly stopped and looked up to the door of the warehouse. ¡°Get the fuck off her,¡± a deep voice growled. I moved my head as much as possible to the side to see Leonardo stood tall with ckened eyes and arge duffle bag in his hand. I could see his absolute fury at what he was seeing in front of him and he shook and growled. I¡¯d never seen him like this before and he was certainly only one step away from losing the ability to control his wolf. Since we met, he¡¯d always protective over me and got pissed off if another man so much as looked at me in the wrong way so for him this? This was something else. I then cast my eyes to Andrea. He was just as shocked as me to see him and his hold on my windpipe had decreased so that I could breathe just enough to stay conscious.? He soonposed himself though and turned to Leo, smiling. ¡°You failed to understand basic instructions, Loren,¡± he said with a shrug. ¡°I said 2 o clock in Hermosillo. So as the agreement goes, now I get to fuck her.¡± He then looked Leo dead in the eye and leant down to kiss me once more as he ran his hand down my leg, ¡°And you can watch every second.¡±Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Before his lips could even reach my skin and before he had enough time to even think about withdrawing his gun, Leo had thrown him off me and across the room. Andreanded with a thud and a grown as Leo stood in front of me, blocking me from his sight. I sat at up and gasped for air, not only because Andrea had almost strangled me to death but because the fight that was so clearly on the horizon involving my mate was making my heart pound. ¡°Are you alright?¡± Leo asked quickly. I nodded and swallowed, ¡°Kill him, Leo,¡± I said with spite. ¡°Oh don¡¯t worry,¡± he replied. ¡°That I will do.¡± Chapter 21 ¡°I¡¯m gonna make you regret that, Loren,¡± Andrea growled as he rolled over and got back to his feet. Pain? from hisnding was evident in his voice and the first few steps he made back in our direction were more of a stagger than a walk. Both of their scents reeked of adrenaline and anger and testosterone and it was the most suffocating and fear-inducing smell I¡¯ve ever known. ¡°E, get out of here,¡± Leo ordered me. ¡°Now.¡± ¡°E, don¡¯t you dare,¡± Andrea countered as he pulled his gun from his belt. As if it was a reflex action, Leo snapped forward before Andrea could aim and in a matter of milliseconds, they were wrestling each other on the floor¡­. with a gun. I shuffled back even further and looked around to find any resource I could to help out my mate. But my hands were tied and the warehouse was barren. There was nothing I could do but stay out their way. As I watched the two men roll around on the floor with each other, I felt my heart creep up into my throat. Andrea¡¯s strength took both Leo and I by surprise. He wasn¡¯t even an Alpha yet he was the only person I¡¯d ever seen to even stand a chance against Leo and that alone was terrifying,? regardless of his murderous expression or the gun which Leo was fighting so hard to keep away from me and himself. At one point, Leo pinned Andrea¡¯s wrist the floor but before he could get the gun from his hand, Andrea pushed him off and freed himself once again. I managed to move behind a pile of boxes, which provided me rtive safety, in the hope of giving my mate one less thing to stop Andrea from shooting. Just as the fight got out of my sight, I felt another body draw up behind me and grab my wrists. ¡°Sssh. It¡¯s me,¡± a man¡¯s voice whispered as I felt cutting and loosening of the ropes. ¡°Don¡¯t make a sound.¡± I recognised the voice immediately. My eldest cousin: Max. When my hands were free, he began slowly leading us towards the back of the warehouse where a door hung bent with a freshly broken lock. Secondster, we were in the open desert and Max was leading me in the direction of a parked car about 50 metres away. ¡°Andrea has a gun,¡± I said pausing. ¡°How can Leo defeat him unarmed?¡± ¡°Do not worry about him. You just need to get away from here safely,¡± Max replied tugging me. ¡°No, no, no. He is my mate. I can¡¯t let him be killed,¡± I stated pulling my hand out of his. ¡°Andrea is stronger than you¡¯d expect.¡± Max let out a short sigh before reaching forward and taking my hand again, this time more forcefully. ¡°Max, what the fuck?-¡± I began. ¡°We have to go. Now,¡± he replied. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, E,¡± he added now marching to the car and dragging me behind. ¡°I made a promise to Leo that I¡¯d get you away from here alive no matter what you say or how much you fight me. That man wants to hurt you and Leo wants your life to be put above his. He says it is the least he could do.¡± ¡°No,¡± I said trying to pry his hand off my wrist. ¡°No! If he dies, I will never forgive you.¡± ¡°And I will never forgive myself but at least you will be okay and that is all that matters to him. He is willing to die so long as you live and I am willing to let him sacrifice himself,¡± Max replied. ¡°And why don¡¯t I get a say in this?¡± I snapped kicking him in the shin.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. I felt a little guilty because he was just following Leo¡¯s orders but Leo¡¯s orders were suicidal and I needed to do something. ¡°Let go of me, Max!¡± I cried as he wrapped his arms around my waist and lifted me from the ground as we continued to near the car. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he said quietly. ¡°I really am.¡± ¡°Max,¡± I begged. ¡°Please! I can¡¯t let him die! Please!¡± After that, Max stopped replying. Ordinarily, I think I could have escaped his grasp but I hadn¡¯t eaten or drunk properly in days and I had no strength left in me. That didn¡¯t mean I didn¡¯t try though. I kicked and screamed and iled and wriggled but my cousin wasn¡¯t letting go. ¡°Leo and I are mates! We are a team! I can¡¯t just leave him!¡± I cried. ¡°Yes you are a team and he is the Alpha of it so stop being a disobedient little bitch and fucking do as he says.¡± I stopped fighting him and paused to give him a re of absolute betrayal. ¡°Because you know all about obeying the Alpha,¡± I replied. ¡± He stared back at me coldly but before he could do anything more to get me to the car,? it sounded. The fateful gunshot. My heart was leapt into my mouth or maybe deep into my stomach or maybe it had shattered¡­ I don¡¯t know. Nothing could describe the pure dread I was feeling. I tried to speak but my lips couldn¡¯t form words and nor could I produce a single sound. If it weren¡¯t for Max still holding me tightly, I felt as though I would have sunk to the ground right there and then. For about thirty agonising seconds there wasplete silence. The sound of the shot? still rung through my ears but no movement wasing from the warehouse. No singr man emerging, neither Leo nor Andrea. I listening to Max¡¯s heart thud, his breath shorten and the sweat on his palms form. I was just the same but a thousand? times worse. ¡°E, I need you to get in the car,¡± Max said after a few more seconds. ¡°I will go and investigate but if Andrea is still alive, he will be after you.¡± I still couldn¡¯t speak. ¡°E,¡± he repeated shaking me gently. After I was unable to respond the second time, he began to lift me up. Just as he opened the car door, a figure began to emerge from the warehouse. He had a gun in hand but no suit. No devilish eyes, no sadistic grin, and his hair was dark blonde and his eyes vibrant blue. I let out a deep breath, a shaking smile of relief formed on my face as Max put me down and I ran forward. There was only about fifty metres between us and I covered it in less than five seconds before throwing myself into his arms and holding him tighter than I ever had. He dropped the gun and wrapped me in hisforting embrace too. ¡°You told Max not to let me help you? Why?¡± I sobbed refusing to let him go. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he replied sounding emotional too. ¡°Your life was all that mattered. I had to ensure you were safe.¡± ¡°Even if it meant you weren¡¯t?¡± ¡°Of course, E,¡± he replied looking down at me with his big blue eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I took so long but I¡¯ll always be here to catch you when you fall. No matter what.¡± In that moment, the swing dream made sense. It made perfect sense. I smiled before taking his face in my hands and kissing him gently. ¡°Thank you,¡± I whispered before he leant back in and kissed me back, this time more passionately. ¡°Easy, tiger,¡± I said a few secondster, ¡°We have an audience,¡± I added looking up to Max who was stood awkwardly, looking anywhere but in our direction. Leoughed before he just pulled me into his arms and kissed my forehead. Chapter 22 ¡°You don¡¯t know how happy I am to see you,¡± he said. I clung to him once again for a few moments as my emotions calmed a little and I was able to think a little clearer. ¡°Max I¡¯m sorry,¡± I said holding my hand out to him. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to snap.¡± ¡°Well I think I got as good as I gave,¡± he replied with a smile as he took my hand. ¡°You two managed to have an argument within a minute of being reunited?¡± Leo asked. ¡°We¡¯re good at arguing,¡± I said pulling Max into a hug. ¡°I¡¯m d to see that you¡¯re okay, cuz,¡± he said kissing my cheek. ¡°Never call me a bitch again, got it?¡± I said prodding a finger into his chest as heughed. ¡°You called my mate a bitch?¡± Leo asked in a light tone as he raised an eyebrow. ¡°I know I told you to do whatever you have to do but you know that she¡¯s your Luna, right?¡± ¡°I lost my temper and I didn¡¯t mean what I said. I¡¯m sorry, E,¡± he said. ¡°Good¡­ you bitch,¡± I replied before hugging him again and then Leo again. ¡°Is he dead?¡± I asked. ¡°Shot in the heart with his own gun,¡± Leo replied. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that motherfucker anymore.¡± ¡°Thank you for saving me¡­ again. I don¡¯t know what I¡¯d do if I didn¡¯t have you,¡± I said. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t find yourself in 99% of these situations if it weren¡¯t for me, Ells,¡± he replied. ¡°Being my mate is dangerous business. I¡¯ve told you that since the day we met.¡± ¡°I know,¡± I said with a nod. ¡°But it¡¯s worth it. And how did you find me?¡± I smiled and hugged him again, ¡°We need to ensure that he is rewarded.¡± ¡°Of course. If it hadn¡¯t have been for that call, we would never have found you and I dread to think what that fucking teenager would have done,¡± he said. I then looked around. From the car to Max and then back to Leo, ¡°Um¡­ where¡¯s Luca? I would have thought that he¡¯d be here.¡± Leo swallowed and clenched his jaw. ¡°He isn¡¯t answering his phone?¡± I said hoarsely as my face probably turned the colour of snow. ¡°Leo when did youst hear from him?¡± ¡°Two hours ago,¡± he replied. ¡°We both agreed that if anything happened to either of us, our priority was finding you. Now that that is done. We can focus on finding him. Soe on, let¡¯s go.¡± He then threw Max a set of car keys and guided me to the back seat door of the car.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. ¡°Just as I thought we could go home. Life¡¯s never easy is it?¡± I asked with a sigh. ¡°Who told you it would be easy?¡± I sat huddled to Leo in the back seat as Max drove. Luca had sent us a half readable text possibly about how he is in Hermosillo but who knows? We were just d he was alive and kind of functioning. ¡°You still look a little pale, Els,¡± Leo said brushing a strand of dishevelled hair behind my ear. ¡°I¡¯m still shaking too,¡± I replied lifting my hand. ¡°Because of Andrea did or because you thought the gunshot could have been his?¡± ¡°Both,¡± I answered quietly. ¡°After we made the agreement he didn¡¯t¡­ touch you, did he?¡± Leo asked in a strained tone. ¡°He kissed me once and shot a bullet next to my head.¡± ¡°Fucking twat,¡± he grumbled. ¡°Not that I kept my side of the deal either but what a fucking twat! What sort of man treats a woman like that?¡± ¡°There was a lot wrong with him. He killed his friends without a hint of emotion too. No grief, no guilt, no regret. He had no emotions,¡± I answered. ¡°He reminded me a lot of Luciano.¡± ¡°Now that is someone I don¡¯t miss,¡± Max said from the front. ¡°He was deranged from day one.¡± I let out a shortugh. ¡°Do we not remember Max seven years ago?¡± Leo teased. ¡°Yes, yes. We don¡¯t need to drag up the past,¡± Max protested. ¡°I¡¯m sorry and all that.¡± ¡°You kidnapped my mate and gave her to my enemy who wanted her dead,¡± Leo replied. ¡°Not sure I can forgive you for another couple of years at least. We¡¯ve only just reached the stage that I am willing to leave you with my children.¡± Max let out a disgruntled sigh as I giggled. ¡°Excuse you, Alpha, but I helped you save that same mate today andst week AND I prevented her death multiple times in both Italy and Russia!¡± he argued. ¡°Ahh, but would she have been in Italy and Russia if you hadn¡¯t lured her away from my lovely, perfectly safe pack?¡± Leo asked. ¡°You ought to be thanking me. If it weren¡¯t for us going to great lengths to get that amulet, Milly may have torn your pack apart by now.¡± ¡°Thanks for almost causing the death of my mate.¡± ¡°Fuck you, Alpha,¡± Max snapped. ¡°You would have killed me if I didn¡¯t escape your dingy little prison during the war.¡± ¡°Boys, this was years ago now,¡± I interjected. ¡°You don¡¯t have to forgive each other but how about we just put the? past behind us?¡± ¡°Fine,¡± Max stated. ¡°Leo?¡± ¡°Fine,¡± he grumbled. He then opened his mouth to speak again but I brought my finger to his mouth. ¡°Hey!¡± I said nudging him. ¡°As I say to our sons, you don¡¯t need to have thest word.¡± He rolled his eyes and paused for a moment. ¡°Fuck you too,¡± he blurted after a few seconds. Chapter 23 ¡°Max, be the bigger man,¡± I said as Leo¡¯s phone began to ring. ¡°Hello,¡± he said. ¡°Luca?¡± ¡°Yeh, it¡¯s me. Basically, do you still need those guns? Because I got ambushed by Guillermo, someone fucking shot me and my car has broken down so I might be a while,¡± he replied. ¡°Firstly, no because I¡¯ve already got E. Secondly, thanks for nothing and finally, you probably deserved to get shot,¡± Leo said. ¡°Yeh, guess I probably did. Any chance of a lift? Guillermo took my wallet.¡± ¡°Fucking hell,¡± Leo grumbled. ¡°Where are you?¡± ¡°Just outside of Hermosillo,¡± ¡°How the fuck did you end up there. And where did you get shot?¡± ¡°Just outside tacobell-¡± ¡°I meant where on your body dipshit,¡± Leo said rolling his eyes. ¡°Oh, the shoulder.¡± ¡°Am I going to have to take you to the hospital?¡± ¡°Maybe. It happened two hours ago, it isn¡¯t healing and it hurts like shit. Knowing Guillermo, it was probably a bulletced with wolfsbane,¡± he exined. ¡°For fuck¡¯s sake, Luca,¡± Leo grumbled. ¡°Sorry, Alpha,¡± he replied. ¡°Stay where you are. We¡¯lle and get you.¡± Leo then hung up. ¡°Don¡¯t me him for all this,¡± I said nuzzling my head into his chest a ¡°I don¡¯t. I me myself almost entirely and I understand that he was trying to be a good friend to you but you can always rely on Luca to find trouble and fuck something up,¡± Leo replied. I pushed my fingers between his and squeezed his hand before resting my head on his shoulder. I desperately wanted to find it in me to forgive him for what he didn¡¯t to Connor because more than anything I just wanted to go back to what it was like before.? To move on and go back to normal. But I couldn¡¯t. The wound was still too fresh and I couldn¡¯t just bottle up the pain and pretend like it never happened. ¡°I don¡¯t want to forget what happened with Connor but when we get home, we have to try to make as life as normal as possible. For the kids mostly but also for the pack,¡± I said. He nodded but didn¡¯t speak. ¡°I love you,? Leo,¡± I said putting my hand up to his face and forcing him to look at me. ¡°And I understand why you did what you did. He was a threat to you, our family and our pack and that threat was only ever going to die with him. But I can¡¯t forgive you yet.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want you to,¡± He said. ¡°This is the worst thing and I have ever done by far and if you were to forgive me, it would be letting me off too easily. I deserve to live with the guilt.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll get there one day,¡± I promised. We found Luca an hour or soter, close to falling unconscious. ¡°Oh Jesus Christ,¡± Leo cursed as we looked upon the paled, weak man in the front seat of his broken down car with blood still oozing out of his shoulder. ¡°E,¡± he croaked, looking up with dozy eyes. ¡°You¡¯re okay.¡± ¡°Yeh and you¡¯re not,¡± I replied as Leo lifted him like a huge baby out of the car. ¡°You need to go to the hospital.¡± ¡°We have to get out of Mexico,¡± he mumbled. ¡°Guillermo wants to kill me.¡±T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°He¡¯s right Alpha,¡± Max said looking cautiously around. ¡°And when Andrea¡¯s men find out their boss is dead, they¡¯ll do one of two things: piss straight off ore after us.¡± ¡°Luca, do you think you can manage to stay alive for two hours whilst we drive to the border?¡± Leo asked carrying him to the functioning one of the two cars. ¡°Sure thing dude,¡± he said throwing a peace sign up before his head lolled back. Leo rolled his eyes andy him down in the back the seat. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of him,¡± I said getting into the car beside him. ¡°You two just focus on getting us back to the US.¡± Leo and Max then got into the front seat and the began driving the car fast whilst I ripped Luca¡¯s shirt off him and used it as a bandage in an attempt to stop the bleeding on his shoulder. It seemed to be working as he came around a little and a bit of colour returned to his face but it was still a huge relief when we arrived in the hospital of the closest pack to the border we could find. When he regained consciousness he was very apologetic about this entire thing but all the same, Leo looked like he could have murdered him for what he got me into. ¡°Out of all the ces you could have taken her!¡± I heard him say to Luca as he stilly in the hospital bed. Max and I had gone to get coffee and left the too alone. ¡°To pick up the drug export from Mexico from a gang of fucking thugs! Are you insane? She¡¯s not even supposed to know about that? And what did you think they were going to do? Turn a blind eye to the attractive young woman that you brought with you?¡± Max and I exchanged looks and decided it would be better to leave them to it and wait outside the room. ¡°I thought we¡¯d already done this days ago, Alpha?¡± he asked. ¡°And if she was ugly, would you be less mad?¡± I rolled my eyes. He really is incapable of taking anything seriously. ¡°Sometimes I wish, for her own safety, that she was. Every man seems to want her for her beauty which puts her in so much danger. Which is why from now on, she¡¯s staying on pack territory unless she is apanied by me. In fact, I don¡¯t want her even going to Halimede or anywhere else like that on her own. This CAN¡¯T happen again. Do you understand?¡± Leo said deeply. I raised my? eyebrow at Max and he knew exactly what I was thinking. ¡°Alpha, you¡¯re overreacting. She won¡¯t like that and besides, she¡¯s usually safe with me.¡± ¡°USUALLY is not good enough,¡± he growled. ¡°You know that he almost raped her, right? Do you not see how bad that would have been. She¡¯d be traumatised forever.¡± ¡°Okay, okay,¡± Luca replied. ¡°I understand, Alpha. I won¡¯t take any more risks with her. I promise.¡± ¡°Good,¡± he said shortly. When Luca had recovered enough for the journey, we drove home with me sat beside him, closely monitoring as Leo and Max took it in turns to drive. Things were tense in the car for a number of reasons. Here they are: 1. Leo killed my brother 2. Max and I trapped in a small car together for a long time could never not lead to arguments 3. Leo was still fuming with Luca 4. Everybody was tired and groggy Chapter 24 5. Leo was just generally in a foul mood after what Andrea did and it wasn¡¯t making anything better So unless Max and I were arguing or Leo was snapping at Luca, the car was dead silent. It was a long journey but nowhere near as long as it felt. Needless to say, arriving home was a blessing. ¡°Mama!¡± A voice shouted the second the door opened. ¡°Papa!¡± It was Lili¡¯s. She ran forward and jumped into my arms. ¡°Hello!¡± I replied hugging her tightly shortly before a small army of children entered the hallway followed by their captain, Rosa Loren. There was a chorus of greetings and the whole house was filled with the squeals and excitement of our offspring. ¡°Did you get the candy, Mama?¡± Cato asked. Shit. ¡°Um-¡± I began before Leo cut me off. ¡°It¡¯s right here,¡± Leo said presented a bag of candy with French words on the packaging. Cato took it delightedly as I mouthed a ¡®how?¡¯ to Leo. He smiled and shrugged as we watched Cato dish out the little pink sweets between his siblings. ¡°Mommy,¡± Francesca said tugging on my hand. ¡°Are you going away again?¡± ¡°No, sweetheart,¡± I said crouching down to her level as Leo took Stefano and Zacharias from his Mother. ¡°I¡¯m not leaving anytime soon.¡± She smiled and hugged me before epting the piece of candy Cato was holding out to her and rejoining her usual position twin sister. That evening, after the kids were all cuddled out and fast asleep in bed I sat on the sofa wrapped in my favourite fluffy nket. Leo sat beside me and handed me a mug of hot cocoa. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re okay?¡± He asked. ¡°There¡¯s nothing else I can get you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine, Leo. Stop worrying. Andrea is dead and we¡¯re both still alive.¡± I then leant onto his chest and allowed him to stroke my hair. ¡°You aren¡¯t yourself,¡± he observed. I shrugged, ¡°I just need a good night sleep.¡± He leant forward and put his head in his hands. ¡°Do you want me to sleep somewhere else tonight?¡± he asked. ¡°No, no, no,¡± I replied, putting my hand on his shoulder. ¡°That is thest thing I want.¡± ¡°E, I killed your brother! How are you okay with that?!¡± he shouted. The volume of his voice and his frustration made me jump a little and I sat quietly not quite sure what to say. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he said leaning back. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have shouted after everything that¡¯s happened.¡± ¡°Firstly, we agreed we¡¯d go back to normal,¡± I said. ¡°And secondly, I just want you around me, okay?!¡± ¡°But why?¡± he questioned adamantly. ¡°Because Andrea scared the shit out of me and you are my mate and the only person that can every trulyfort me no matter what you do or what happens,¡± I replied taking his hands in mine. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare try to distance yourself from me. Last time we tried distance, things went horribly wrong, remember? It¡¯s best if we stick together and work through this as a pair.¡± He nodded and pulled me into his chest. ¡°Tell me if you ever need space,¡± he said. ¡°I don¡¯t want to suffocate you.¡± I smiled and kissed him gently on the lips, ¡°Of course.¡±Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. END OF PART 1 Hint: it¡¯s far from over yet¡­ PART 2 One weekter, ¡°Cato where are your shoes?¡± Leo called from the hallway. The chaos of the school run had begun and Leo and I had the unwieldy task of getting eight kids fed, dressed and ready to leave the house. ¡°Cato!¡± Leo repeated. Of course, Cato was far too busy tackling Mathias on the living room floor to reply. ¡°Where are his fucking shoes?¡± I heard Leo mumble to himself. ¡°Jesus Christ.¡± I stifled augh before realising that those were shouts of pain rather than squeals ofughtering from Mathias. ¡°Cato, get off your brother. You¡¯re hurting him,¡± I said as I tried to juggle Zacharias and his bottle in one hand and cutting Lili¡¯s toast in half with the other. ¡°Sorry,¡± Cato said hugging Mathias. ¡°Are you alright, sweetie?¡± I asked as Cato wiped his tears. ¡°Look, Mathy,¡± Cato said realising his attempts tofort him weren¡¯t working. ¡°You can borrow my dinosaur for the WHOLE week!¡± He held out his favourite toy dinosaur to Mathias who¡¯s face instantly lit up. Crisis averted. ¡°Mommy, I don¡¯t want to go to school today,¡± Ssined as he appeared sullen faced in the kitchen. ¡°You have to go to school, Si,¡± Leo replied. ¡°We¡¯ve had this discussion many times in thest few months.¡± ¡°I thought you loved school,¡± I said rubbing his shoulder. ¡°Not anymore, Mama,¡± he groaned climbing up onto the table and lying on it face down. ¡°I hate it. There are so many rules!¡± ¡°There are rules here too,¡± I said. ¡°And one of them is no climbing on the kitchen table. Come on, find your bag and we¡¯ll talk about thister.¡± Chapter 25 He dragged himself away to find his bag. Despite being a fairly trivial matter, it saddened me that I hadn¡¯t been around to be there for him if this had been going on for months. I had beenpletely unaware of it. I didn¡¯t have much time to dwell on the subject though before the twins appeared in the doorway. ¡°Oh girls,¡± I said noticing what they were wearing. ¡°They¡¯re Mommy and Daddy¡¯s clothes, aren¡¯t they? You can¡¯t go to school like that.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Marie asked. ¡°Because you¡¯ll trip on that skirt,¡± I said looking at the skirt which dragged along the floor behind her. ¡°And Frannie you can¡¯t even see with that hood,¡± I adding looking at the hoody of Leo¡¯s she was wearing that covered her from head to toe. At that point Leo came back into the kitchen, looking exasperated from trying to find Cato¡¯s shoes and set his eyes on the twins. He smiled and rolled his eyes. ¡°Come on you two,¡± he said picking them up, one in each arm. ¡°It¡¯s not fancy dress day.¡± Theyughed and giggled as their Dad picked them up into the air and as far as I could hear they didn¡¯t object to changing. What made Leo such a great father was his ability to make anything fun which always led to far fewer tantrums and arguments. Ten minutester, six children were lined up in the hall. One didn¡¯t have any shoes on, one had peanut butter all over her face, another had a stic dinosaur toy in his hand, another was brooding and frowning and the final two were already on their second outfit of the day. ¡°Cato where are your shoes?¡± I asked in desperation as I strapped the youngest two Lorens into the stroller. ¡°I don¡¯t know mama,¡± he replied. ¡°Where did you take them off?¡± Leo asked. ¡°Oh yeh! I remember!¡± he shouted before running out of the front door. I exchanged looks with Leo and sighed. It rainedst night. Another ten minutester and we were finally ready. Cato¡¯s shoes left by the heater to dry and on his feet, his only other pair of shoes: his sandals which due to the fact that it was cold outside, he wore with socks. ¡°Looking good, bambino,¡± Leo said as we left. ¡°Grazie, Papa,¡± he replied with delight.T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Oh shit,¡± I cursed as Zacharias projectile vomited all over himself from the pram and promptly began to screech. ¡°We¡¯re going to bete.¡± I lifted Zacharias out and began rushing upstairs. ¡°Leo, you¡¯ll have to take them. I¡¯ll stay here with Lili, Zach and Stefano,¡± I said. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯ll be alright?¡± he asked. I nodded, ¡°Come on Lils, you¡¯re staying with Mama.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be back in twenty minutes,¡± he said before herding the eldest five of the flock out and closing the door. Since I returned, Leo hadn¡¯t been working much to stay at home with me and make sure I wasn¡¯t having to ever struggle with all the kids alone. We spent more time as a family than we ever had before too including numerous trips to the park, movie nights and baking. The kids were happy again and fortunately didn¡¯t seem too damaged by the fact that I disappeared for months and then when they thought they had me back, I went again. Everything was back to normal and life was good. That evening as we had dinner as a family and watched the kids y afterwards, I didn¡¯t find myself thinking about Andrea once. Well, that was until there was a thud-like knock on the door and everything came gushing back up to the surface. ¡°I¡¯ll get it,¡± Leo said putting Zacharias¡¯s bottle down and venturing to the front door with him still in hand. I heard thetch click and the door open. ¡°Leonardo Loren, this is Washington State Police. You are under arrest on suspicion of attempted murder, abduction and involvement with a Mexican drug trafficking operation. Please hand the child to my colleague and put your hands up,¡± the voice said. ¡°Anything you say can and will be held against you.¡± My heart began to pound and I immediately marched from the sofa to the hallway. In the doorway were three cops, both of which with guns and behind them five or six more with bulletproof vests. Zacharias clung to Leo and began to make whimpery noises as Cato, Mathias and Ss appeared in the hallway too. ¡°Sir, I will ask you again-¡± The officer began. ¡°I¡¯m not giving you my son,¡± Leo stated. ¡°And what? Attempted murder? Abduction? Who the fuck have I abducted?¡± ¡°Everything will be exined at the station. Just hand over the child and put your hands up. Do not make me say it again,¡± he said holding the gun closer to Leo. ¡°Leo, hand him to me,¡± I interjected anxious to get my son away from the gun. He handed Zacharias to me and four men immediately lurched forward and tackled Leo to the floor. ¡°Cooperate, Sir and this will be much easier,¡± one cop demanded. I didn¡¯t doubt for a second that Leo could fight all of these humans off but he didn¡¯t and allowed them to handcuff him. They then dragged him out the door and I immediately followed. ¡°E,? call ir, now,¡± Leo said to me as he was pushed into a car. ¡°Why are you letting them take you?¡± I asked quietly so that only he could hear. ¡°Because if I don¡¯t, next it will be the swat team and then the army in. The kids don¡¯t need to see that,¡± he replied with a sigh. ¡°Miss, please step away from the vehicle,¡± one of the officers said touching my arm. I pped his hand away. ¡°May I have a moment with my wife, Officer?¡± Leo asked from the car. He opened his mouth to say ¡®no¡¯ but closed it when he saw Leo¡¯s stern re and nodded with a gulp before scurrying away. ¡°Do you think they have evidence?¡± I asked when he was far enough away. ¡°I can¡¯t think of a way that they possibly could,¡± he said looking around to check no one was listening. ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean they don¡¯t.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you know the sheriff from when your? Dad used to get him to release you when you were arrested as a kid, right?¡± I asked. He screwed his eyes up and threw his head back. ¡°For graffiti and minor theft, E, not drug trafficking, abduction and attempted murder. And this will be a federal investigation anyway.¡± ¡°Oh fuck. You¡¯re really in deep shit this time, Leo,¡± I groaned watching all the armed and armoured men in the front drive of my house. ¡°Stay with the kids, remember to let ir know and I¡¯ll see youter,¡± he replied. ¡°I love you.¡± Chapter 26 I leant down and kissed his cheek, ¡°I love you too.¡± He was then driven away along with all of the other cars except one. I headed back up to the front door and herded my children, who had all been watching the whole ordeal, back into the house as I kept my peripheral vision on one of the remaining officers who slowly approached. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Miss for this disturbance,¡± he said in a tone that couldn¡¯t have meant it less. ¡°This must be hard for you.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need your pity,¡± I snapped. ¡°My husband is innocent.¡± ¡°Regarding that,¡± he began. ¡°As his wife, I need to ask you a few questions. May Ie in?¡± I looked around the drive. There was nothing but the cop car and the three men that apanied it. Apart from them I was alone with eight children and wasn¡¯t particrly keen on the idea of letting a stranger in my house. Especially this man. He was not particrly tall but stocky and stood with his chest out and a straight back. He had a grey stubbly beard, harsh eyes and a face as expressionless as cardboard. I shook my head, ¡°No.¡± ¡°Miss, we suspect that the allegation made against your husband may be false but we need your help to prove it,¡± he exined. I didn¡¯t reply. ¡°If he is not proven innocent, he will go to jail for a long time. What do you think would happen to you and your family without him?¡± he added. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t like to think how you¡¯d manage-¡± ¡°Fine,¡± I interrupted. ¡°But for the record, we¡¯d be fine.¡± I felt Lili wrap her arms around my leg as I moved to the side slightly and let the cop entered as all of my children red at him. ¡°Quite a handsome brood you have here,¡± he pointed out. ¡°Are they all yours?¡± I nodded again. ¡°Where are you taking my Daddy?¡± Cato asked. ¡°We¡¯ll talk about hister,¡± I said crouching down to their level. ¡°But for now would you all go upstairs and y?¡± They all eyed the cop one more time before following each other up the stairs just as I had instructed. ¡°And Cato, will you use the phone in the office and call ir. Tell him toe over as soon as he can,¡± I added.T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. I then lead the cop into the kitchen as Cato went into his father¡¯s office and the others all went upstairs. The officer ced some kind of recording device on the table. I put Zacharias down in his crib next to Stefano in the corner making my way back to the table ¡°First of all, I am the Cheif Investigator at WSP, Detective rke,¡± he began pulling a badge from his pocket and showing me the Washington patrol star logo. ¡°Is your name E Jones?¡± ¡°E Loren actually,¡± I replied sitting down at the table. ¡°Is Leonardo Loren your legal husband?¡± he asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Not strictly true. We never officially married in the human way. ¡°Is your maiden name Jones?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Do you have any evidence of your marriage?¡± He asked. ¡°No,¡± I replied. ¡°Why are you concerned about my marriage?¡± ¡°Earlier today we had a call from the Mexican police concerning your husband. A man has reported him for trying to kill him and kidnapping his girlfriend, whose name is supposedly E Jones.¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid you have the wrong people,¡± I replied my heart beating faster. Andrea? How is this possible ¡°What makes you so sure?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been married to Leonardo for thest seven years. We have eight kids,¡± I exined trying to calm my nerves as the detective watched me intently. ¡°Have you separated at any point in your rtionship?¡± he asked. ¡°As in have you broken up or had time apart?¡± ¡°No,¡± I said. ¡°And I certainly don¡¯t have a Mexican boyfriend.¡± ¡°Have you travelled to Mexico in thest week?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°What was the purpose of your trip?¡± he asked. ¡°A vacation.¡± ¡°You aren¡¯t on the border records. Did you enter legally?¡± he asked raising an eyebrow. ¡°Not exactly.¡± ¡°How exactly did you enter?¡± he questioned raising an eyebrow. ¡°Some back road. I don¡¯t know exactly,¡± I replied vaguely. ¡°If Leonardo did kidnap you, any threat he may be holding against you is void. He is in police custody,¡± the officer replied. ¡°He didn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± he questioned. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sure! Why have you arrested him on ount of such a wild usation with no evidence when you suspect it to be bullshit?¡± I asked. ¡°I am here of my own free will.¡± ¡°I am just doing my job.¡± The officer then reached into his jacket pocket and withdrew a folded piece of paper. ¡°This man,¡± he began pushing it now unfolded across the table. ¡°Do you know him?¡± Of course, I recognised Andrea immediately but I feigned a slow reaction with narrowed eyes and a tilt of the head. ¡°Who is he?¡± ¡°This man was found close to death by a friend with a bullet near his heart. It is a miracle he survived. When he was recovered enough to speak, he stated his concerns about a girl named E Jones and imed that a man named Leonardo Loren kidnapped her after shooting him.¡± I must have gone ghostly white in that moment. Andrea was alive. How was he still alive? Chapter 27 ¡°Miss, do you know him?¡± he repeated. ¡°Never seen him in my life,¡± I said meekly. The officer then reached into his jacket once more and pulled out another photo. ¡°And him?¡± he asked. ¡°Do you know this man?¡± It was two pictures of Luca. One of him just driving obviously taken by some roadside camera and another of him caught by some CCTV walking through an empty looking town with a trail of blood from his shoulder.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. ¡°Goes by the name Romano D¡¯Meritchi but we have reason to believe that his real name could be Luca. Second name remains unknown. Do you know him?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± I stated. ¡°How?¡± ¡°He¡¯s a good friend of Leo and I,¡± I replied as the doorbell rang. ¡°Just a second,¡± I said to the investigator. Expecting it to be ir, I opened the door only to be faced by Luca. ¡°Go. You need to go now,¡± I said in Italian so that the investigator couldn¡¯t understand. ¡°Why? Cato called saying ir didn¡¯t answer his phone and that I shoulde straight away because Leo¡¯s been taken away and there¡¯s a strange man in the house,¡± he replied also in Italian. He wore a concerned looked as he sniffed the air and stepped forward. ¡°Luca,¡± I began. ¡°It¡¯s the police. Andrea is still alive and has called the police on Leo. They know you are involved. Leave before he or those two recognise you,¡± I added looking at the two officers lingering in the drive. ¡°I¡¯m not leaving, E,¡± he stated. ¡°They have no evidence and the Alpha wouldn¡¯t want his Luna in a house with a random man.¡± He then walked past me into the house and straight into the kitchen where the Inspector remained. Detective rke looked down to the photo and then back up to Luca before smiling. ¡°Luca, I presume?¡± he asked. ¡°What is going on?¡± Luca asked with a twinge of aggression. ¡°Do you know this man?¡± the inspector asked pushing the photo of Andrea forward. Luca studied it for a few moments before shaking his head. ¡°Never seen him,¡± he replied and for Luca that wasn¡¯t even a lie. ¡°Okay, and on your left shoulder. Is there a wound?¡± ¡°Yes. When we went to Mexicost week, I got in the crossfire of a shooting in the street and a bullet hit my shoulder,¡± Luca replied. ¡°The vacation didn¡¯t exactly go to n,¡± I said discretely nudging Luca. We were on vacation. Nothing suspicious here. ¡°So on this vacation, there was your self, your husband and Luca¡­.¡± he said to me. ¡°Luca Romano,¡± he finished. ¡°Correct.¡± ¡°And my cousin,¡± I added knowing that he was probably already onto Max. ¡°I¡¯m going to need to get your cousin¡¯s name,¡± he replied lifting up his pen. ¡°Maximus Megestanis. Goes by Max.¡± ¡°And Luca. Does the name Romano D¡¯Meretchi mean anything to you?¡± ¡°¡­ um¡­ is he a pop star?¡± ¡°No not quite,¡± the officer said eying him suspiciously. The fact that Luca has used his real second name as his fake first name made it blindingly obvious. Good job, mate. ¡°Look, Detective. I understand that you are just doing your job and that it is your duty to fully investigate an allegation but this is absurd. We simply took a vacation to Mexico and Luca was just in the wrong ce at the wrong time. My husband is innocent,¡± I said. ¡°Please, please just let him go.¡± ¡°If what you have said is true and matches what all involved say, there is no reason why he will not be released in the next 24 hours. We just need some time to piece evidence together and ensure the stories add up. Perhaps to speed up the process it would help if the two of you came down to the station. We may have more questions and that way we wouldn¡¯t have to keep travelling,¡± he exined. I exchanged looks with Luca and he shrugged his shoulders. ¡°I need to look after my children,¡± I replied. ¡°In order to ensure their safety and wellbeing, we will need to put them under the care of a social worker for the course of the investigation. I hope you can understand why,¡± he said. ¡°No, no, no,¡± I said shaking my head. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Miss, your husband has been used of murder, involvement with drug trafficking and abduction. If the allegations turn out to be true-¡± ¡°They aren¡¯t true,¡± I stated in a deep voice. ¡°We have to be sure.¡± ¡°You have no right to take my children,¡± I said in a raised voice. A few momentster, Ss appeared in the doorway to the kitchen. ¡°Mummy, what is going on?¡± he asked. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, bambino. This man was just leaving,¡± I said as Luca lifted him into his arms. I then looked to the detective and gestured towards the door. ¡°A social worker will be here in an hour to discuss your children. Have a good afternoon,¡± he said picking up his recording device and leaving promptly. The second the door had mmed I strode towards the stairs. ¡°Kids, pack a bag. We¡¯re going to Granny¡¯s!¡± I called and there was a chorus of high pitched cheers. ¡°Luca, could you please get Stefano and Zach ready to go as soon as possible?¡± I asked to Luca who had followed me up the stairs still carrying Ss. ¡°Are you sure about this?¡± he asked putting Ss down. Chapter 28 ¡°Something is not right here and if Andrea is involved, I want to ensure they are safe,¡± I replied. ¡°And I trust that they will be with Antonio and Rosa.¡± Luca nodded before going downstairs to get the littlest Lorens as Ss went up the next flight of stairs to where the children¡¯s bedrooms were to pack his bag. I went into Leo and my¡¯s shared bathroom, where they all liked to brush their teeth and grabbed the toothbrushes and a pack of diapers. I then helped various children find their pyjamas, their underwear and their favourite cuddly toy before marching them all out of the house fifteen minutester. Another five minutes and everyone was strapped into my veryrge, bus-like car and we began our journey to granny and grandad¡¯s. ¡°You probably won¡¯t see me or Daddy until tomorrow,¡± I began as I drove. ¡°Be good for Granny and Grandad and Cato, Mathias and Ss, look out for your younger siblings, okay?¡± My eldest three in the back seat nodded and I saw Cato wrap his arm around Francesca. ¡°Where are you going?¡± Mathias asked. ¡°To the police station. Daddy¡¯s been arrested,¡± I said honestly. ¡°Daddy¡¯s been arrested!?¡± Ss eximed. ¡°Cool!¡± ¡°No, honey. It¡¯s not cool. It¡¯s very serious,¡± I replied.N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. ¡°What did he do?¡± Cato asked. ¡°Nothing at all. A dangerous man named Andrea has used him of some things he hasn¡¯t done. They¡¯ll let him go when they realise he is innocent,¡± I said although that wasn¡¯t exactly true. Leo did try to kill Andrea. When soon pulled up on Rosa and Antonio¡¯s long drive. Rosa came out of the house and greeted her excited grandchildren with delight. ¡°E!¡± she said as I lifted Zacharias out of his travel seat and Luca did the same with Stefano. ¡°We weren¡¯t expecting you.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sorry to spring this upon you,¡± I began. ¡°But something has happened. Is it alright if the kids stay for a night? Maybe two?¡± Cato, Mathias and Ss bombarded Antonio, who had just joined his mate on the drive as,? Rosa took Zacharias from me. ¡°Of course but what has happened?¡± she asked a concerned look. ¡°Where¡¯s Leo?¡± ¡°Bambinos, why don¡¯t you take your stuff upstairs?¡± I suggested. They all nodded and ran up the stairs to the rooms on the first floor that they usually stayed in. ¡°Leo¡¯s been arrested,¡± I began. Both of their faces dropped three miles. ¡°Arrested? What? Why?¡± Antonio questioned. ¡°Andrea Martinez is alive,¡± I stated. Their faces dropped three more miles. ¡°But Leo shot him-¡± Rosa said. ¡°Somehow the bastard survived,¡± I replied. ¡°And now he¡¯s used Leo of attempted murder, abduction and involvement in drug trafficking and who knows what he¡¯ll do next.¡± ¡°Oh fuck,¡± Antonio said. ¡°E,?e in,¡± Rosa said cing aforting hand on my shoulder. ¡°I¡¯ll get a pot of coffee on.¡± When the coffee was made, the three of us sat around the table trying to decide what to do while Luca entertained the kids. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have left your mate,¡± Antonio stated after minutes of silent thinking. ¡°Antonio!¡± Rosa eximed. ¡°None of this would have happened. Have you not noticed by now that when you are away from him, things turn to shit?¡± he said mming his hand onto the table. ¡°Now is not the time,¡± Rosa said putting her hand on his. ¡°Things turn to shit whatever I do. My own mate fucking killed my brother,¡± I argued. Antonio didn¡¯t like being argued with. No one did it except me which is why he had never been too fond of me. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what happened in the past. We just need to concentrate on getting Leo out of there and dealing with this Andrea man, okay?¡± Rosa said as Luca came into the kitchen with Cato, Ss, Mathias, Francesca and Marie. ¡°Ells, is it alright if I take them out to y in the woods?¡± he asked. I nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t let them go too far,¡± I said putting my head in my hands. When I heard the door shut I looked up at Rosa and Antonio and sighed. ¡°I¡¯ve bailed him out before. I¡¯m sure I can do it again,¡± Antonio stated. ¡°When he was sixteen and arrested for stupid things like vandalism. Not attempted murder, abduction and involvement in drug trafficking!¡± Rosa replied. ¡°That¡¯s exactly what he said,¡± I replied. ¡°He also pointed out that it¡¯s a federal investigation just to add salt to injury.¡± ¡°At least he¡¯s not guilty of one of those things,¡± Rosa said as the front door opened. ¡°E you left your phone in the car and it¡¯s ringing,¡± Luca¡¯s voice called. ¡°There¡¯s no caller ID but maybe it¡¯s Leo from the police station,¡± he added appearing in the kitchen. He passed it to me as it continued to buzz. ¡°Hello?¡± There was a few moments pause before a voice came through the line that filled me with pure dread. ¡°H, nca,¡± Andrea¡¯s devilish voice slurred. ¡°I thought you¡¯d be a little lonely without your Alpha. You know I have mening for you? Now that Leonardo Loren is out of the picture, they shouldn¡¯t have any trouble getting you either.¡± ¡°How are you still alive?¡± I asked after a nervous gulp. ¡°See nca, your mate may be the most feared man in the world, an excellent fighter, strong, powerful, smart, yadada¡­ but he doesn¡¯t know much about guns. Pretty good for a beginner but my heart and my brain are still just about intact. He missed. And you are going to pay for that.¡± I gripped the phone in my hand and exchanged looks with Antonio. ¡°Let me speak to him,¡± Antonio said, imperatively. Chapter 29 I handed him the phone as Rosa took my hand. ¡°Martinez, this is Antonio Loren,¡± he began. ¡°You should know that you are well out of your depth. This pack and my son are not things that anyone with any sense should fuck around with. Take your men and go home before someone gets killed.¡± ¡°Toote for that,¡± Andrea replied. ¡°You see, I called the Alpha just a few minutes ago and he gave me his mate¡¯s number.¡± ¡°Why would he do that?¡± Antonio demanded. ¡°He wanted me to give you a warning just in case six of his children were out ying alone in the woods or something.¡± My eyes snapped up and within seconds I was on my feet, adrenaline surging through my veins. My head spun and the sounds of the sounds of the kids¡¯ughter from the woods echoed in my mind. Luca and Antonio both followed me, probably sharing the same churning sensation in their stomachs. I sprinting out the door, to the end of the drive and entered the woods. Despite the fading light, I spotted them amongst to tall trees immediately. 1, 2, 3¡­ 4¡­ 5. ¡°Where¡¯s Cato!?¡± I screamed. ¡°Ss, Mathias! Where is he?!¡± ¡°We were ying hide and seek but we haven¡¯t found him yet,¡± Ss replied, innocent of the danger they were in. Antonio and Rosa had now joined us. ¡°Children,e back inside with me,¡± Rosa said lifting Lili up. ¡°Now.¡± I raced further into the forest calling and calling for Cato. Praying and praying that he¡¯s just good at hide and seek. Just as Rosa reached the edge of the forest, we heard a scream. A childlike, high pitched wail. And then the sound of a car engine. ¡°Cato!¡± I howled sprinting in the direction of the sounds. I soon reached another road. The leaves blown by the vehicle had not yet settled and the growl of the engine was still deafening. A few secondster, another car zoomed past. My car with Luca in it. My heart thudded against my ribcage as I fumbled with my phone, desperately looking for ir¡¯s number. ¡°Close the borders,¡± I ordered the second he picked up. ¡°What? why?¡± he questioned. ¡°Leo¡¯s been arrested and Cato¡¯s been kidnapped. Whoever has him, can¡¯t be allowed off territory,¡± I exined quickly. ¡°I¡¯ll exin everythingter but please just make sure it is done. And as fast as you can.¡± ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll prepare the army too,¡± he replied in a typically ir calm tone, before hanging up. How the fuck is he calm? A few secondster, Antonio was stood beside me. ¡°They have my son,¡± I whispered. ¡°My baby. He¡¯s only seven years old. How could they be so cruel?¡± Antonio didn¡¯t say anything.This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. ¡°Why am I just standing here?¡± I asked myself taking a step in the direction of the cars. ¡°Are you insane?¡± Antonio said finally speaking up as he grabbed my wrist. ¡°This man wants you, yes?¡± I nodded. ¡°Then don¡¯t fall into their trap and go somewhere safe. Luca, ir and I will deal with this,¡± he replied. ¡°Thest thing we need is a kidnapped Luna¡­ again.¡± ¡°Antonio, they have my son,¡± I said choking on my tears. ¡°My son.¡± ¡°And we will get him back,¡± he replied. ¡°You know that Leo wouldn¡¯t want you in any more danger.¡± ¡°And you know that is not a good enough reason to stand back whilst my son gets kidnapped,¡± I snapped.? ¡°I¡¯m not just going to let the ¡®men¡¯ deal with it!¡± ¡°Fine,¡± he said with a sigh, knowing he wasn¡¯t going to win this. ¡°Go to the police station and report it to the officers and then tell Leo.¡± I nodded, ¡°Okay.¡± That I will do. Since Luca was in mine, I took Rosa¡¯s car up to the town and marched into the police station and straight to the front desk. ¡°My son has been kidnapped,¡± I announced to the bored looking police officer at the desk. She suddenly sat up straight and alert. ¡°What is his name? Age? Description?¡± she asked typing something on theputer. ¡°Cato Loren. He¡¯s seven years old, blue eyes, blonde scruffy hair, he¡¯s wearing a red t-shirt and denim shorts¡­ umm white, kinda muddy, trainers¡­¡± I replied frantically as she typed. ¡°And what makes you think he was kidnapped?¡± ¡°He was ying in the woods and I heard a scream and then the engine of a car drive fast away,¡± I said. ¡°I also had a phone call.¡± ¡°Which direction did the car go?¡± she asked. ¡°South. Possibly to Mexico.¡± She looked up at me with a confused look. ¡°Cops are already being deployed but what makes you think they are going to Mexico? Do you know who has taken him, Miss? And who was the phone call from?¡± ¡°You are currently holding my husband because he¡¯s been used of abducting me, involvement in drug trafficking and attempting to murder a man called, Andrea Martinez. I believe it is him or someone working for him.¡± ¡°Okay¡­¡± she said typing some more. ¡°We will alert Mexican border control and Canadian border control just in case. Do you have any more details? Did you see the car? Anyone in it?¡± ¡°No. Can I speak to my husband?¡± I asked tapping my fingers on the desk. ¡°Just hold one second,¡± she said picking up the phone and dialling a number. ¡°Leonardo Loren¡¯s wife is here wanting to speak to him concerning a possible abduction of their son,¡± she said down the line before. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve sent out officers.¡± She then put the phone down and pointed to a door. ¡°Go through there, third door on your right,¡± she said. ¡°We wouldn¡¯t normally allow visitors considering the severity of his allegations but under these circumstances, the sheriff has been kind.¡± Chapter 30 ¡°Thank you so much.¡± I entered the dingy, dark corridor and I counted four doors on my right. There was a guard that unlocked the door for me and then just Leo, a table, some kind of recording device, a camera and a small, weak bulb. ¡°E!¡± he eximed standing up and breaking the handcuffs holding his hands behind his back and pulling me into a tight hug. ¡°Please tell me the kids are safe.¡± I shook my head as a tear ran down my cheek. ¡°They have Cato,¡± I whispered. His jaw clenched as he looked at me. ¡°Cato,¡± he repeated almost inaudibly. ¡°Has ir closed the borders? Sent out men? What about Luca? What is he doing? And my Dad?¡± ¡°ir is doing everything he can andst time I saw Luca, he was driving full speed after the car that took him. Antonio¡¯s helping too and the police are on it too.¡± ¡°This was their n. Get me out the picture and then strike,¡± he replied putting his head in his hands. ¡°I need to get the fuck out of this ce,¡± he hissed kicking the table so that it fell over and the recording thing smashed onto the floor. At that point, my phone began to ring. It was the no caller ID again. Leo suddenly looked up and took my phone out of my hand. ¡°Is this Andrea?¡± ¡°Probably,¡± I said as he moved his thumb to swipe across. ¡°Wait. Let me answer it,¡± I interjected. Leo nodded and handed my phone back to me. He was practically shaking with fury so I took his hand and held it in mine as an attempt to calm him down. ¡°So by now, you should have somehow realised that my men have your precious son,¡± Andrea¡¯s voice said. ¡°The heir I believe?¡± ¡°Where are you taking him?¡± I growled. ¡°Oh rx, will you?¡± he said in a sadistic kind of tone. ¡°If you do exactly as I say, I won¡¯ty a finger on him.¡± I exchanged nervous looks with Leo. ¡°I¡¯ll do anything. Just do not hurt him,¡± I begged. ¡°Please.¡±T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Brilliant. Pop down to Mexico alone and we¡¯ll deliver him straight back,¡± he replied in a cheerful tone. ¡°How do I know you¡¯ll do it?¡± ¡°What choice do you have but to trust me? And if you try anything smart, nca. I¡¯ll kill him without hesitation. You know that I ain¡¯t fucking around here. I want you and only you. I¡¯m not gonna settle for anything else.¡± He then hung up leaving me rushing with anger, desperation and fear. ¡°I have to go,¡± I said looking up to Leo who had heard every word. ¡°No fucking way,¡± he replied grabbing my wrist. ¡°Then what do you suggest?¡± I asked looking down at his fingers wrapped tightly around my wrist. Not gonna lie, it kind of hurt. ¡°They have our son, Leo. We are in no position to do anything but what he says.¡± ¡°There has to be another way,¡± he stated adamantly as he looked down at me with his big blue eyes.?¡±I am not going to allow you to sacrifice yourself when I have an entire army at my disposal.¡± ¡°You heard what he said. Trying could risk Cato¡¯s life and that is not something I am willing to gamble with,¡± I said trying to break out of his grip. ¡°And your life is not something I¡¯m just going to let slip away either,¡± he replied in a deeper tone. ¡°Leo,¡± I uttered. ¡°Let me go or I will fight you.¡± ¡°So I¡¯m supposed to just sit and watch my mate go off to her death? What makes you think they¡¯ll give our son back anyway?¡± he asked. ¡°Martinez cannot be trusted.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have a choice, Leo. I¡¯d rather die than let Cato get hurt,¡± I hissed trying to break free again. ¡°You can do everything you like to save me but only when Cato is safe.¡± ¡°There will be a better way,¡± he repeated. I shook my head. ¡°No,¡± I whispered. ¡°You have to let go of me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, E, but I won¡¯t do that,¡± he said? pulling me closer. ¡°I can¡¯t.¡± ¡°Can I remind you which one of us is currently in custody. You can¡¯t stop me.¡± He suddenly lurched forward and snatched my phone from my hand. ¡°Leo!¡± He dialled a number and it only rang once before someone picked up. ¡°Dad, it¡¯s Leo. Come to the police station, pick up E and do not let her out of your sight no matter what she says. That is an order,¡± he said before hanging up and handing my phone back to me. ¡°You are not going to Mexico alone. Understand? We are not giving in to them that easily,¡± he said in his Alpha tone. I narrowed my eyes, refusing to break the stare first. When I thought he wouldn¡¯t be expecting it, Iunched a kick towards his groin. He blocked it, grabbed my arms, twisted me around and pinned me to the table front down within milliseconds. ¡°You know that you can¡¯t beat me, E. We¡¯ve been through this so many times,¡± he said holding my wrists against my back. ¡°And I¡¯m sorry, okay? I¡¯m sorry that I couldn¡¯t be there to protect him but at least let me be here to protect you. We will find another way, I promise.¡± ¡°Leo,¡± I growled. ¡°I can¡¯t let him get hurt.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t trust Andrea. Throwing yourself in there too is only going to make things worse. I will get myself out of here and then we can get through this together.¡± I took a deep breath in before letting out the loudest scream I could. Leo¡¯s hand smacked over my mouth but it was toote, the footsteps of a guard were already heading for the door. Leo pulled me to my feet and held my hand instead of my wrist moments before an officer burst into the room. ¡°What is the problem?¡± he asked gun in hand. ¡°Are you okay, Miss?¡± ¡°He made me jump, sorry officer. It was all in good nature,¡± I said. ¡°But I need to go now anyway,¡± I added. ¡°No,¡± Leo interrupted. ¡°No, you don¡¯t. Not yet. Honey, yoga was cancelled tonight, remember?¡± The guard narrowed his eyes and looked between us. ¡°Yes but I¡¯m meeting your mother for coffee,¡± I replied. Leo squeezed my hand tightly and I could sense his rage rising again. Chapter 31 ¡°No, that¡¯s tomorrow. She doesn¡¯t need to go yet. Could you leave us for a minute, please?¡± ¡°Miss, do you want me to go?¡± the guard asked. ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. I¡¯m leaving,¡± I replied trying to get out of Leo¡¯s grip. ¡°Antonio¡¯s picking you up. He won¡¯t be here for another five minutes at least. You might as well stay here,¡± Leo said quickly. ¡°I have an errand to run,¡± I said pulling at his grip again. He roughly pulled me closer to him with my arm which the guard immediately saw. ¡°Sir,? I¡¯m going to have to ask you to put your hands up,¡± he ordered Leo pointing his gun and pressing a red button on the wall. Secondster, another three officers appeared in the doorway, all armed with guns. Leo slowly let go of my wrists and let me move away. ¡°Put your hands up!¡± another officer bellowed. I looked up into Leo¡¯s dark, furious eyes and mouthed a ¡®sorry¡¯ before stepping towards the door. The officers then began tackling him to the floor and recuffing his wrists. I took the opportunity to flee down the hallway and out onto the parking lot. I could hear Leo fighting the officers as I raced to my car. Keys. Keys. Fucking keys. Where did I put the fucking keys?! And then it dawned on me, Leo must have taken them out of my pocket without me noticing. Smart ass mother fucker. He was always one step ahead. Guess I¡¯ll have to get the bus to Mexico then. I ran out of the parking lot and down the road towards the bus stop. The police station was weirdly a mile out of town but it was only a short run along the forest track to get there. Minutester,? I could hear a caring up behind me. I moved aside to let it past before realising exactly whose car it was and why it was slowing down as it neared me. I quickly turned into the forest, where I knew a car couldn¡¯t follow me and sprinted as fast as I could. I heard the door open and footstepsing towards me before a pair of arms seized my waist and lifted my feet from the air. ¡°Stop fighting me,¡± Antonio¡¯s voice growled as he hauled me to his car. Unfortunately, only a decade and a bit ago he had been Alpha and consequently had strength only marginally less than Leo. ¡°You don¡¯t understand,¡± I argued kicking and wriggling even more. ¡°You have to let me go.¡± ¡°I am just doing what Leo ordered,¡± he replied gruffly. ¡°So if you like to stop being difficult and let me get on with it, that¡¯d be fucking great,¡± he added throwing me in the backseat before mming the door and getting in the front. I noticed that he also put the child lock on so that in case I felt like throwing myself out of a fast moving vehicle, I couldn¡¯t open the door. ¡°So what exactly is going on?¡± he asked. ¡°Leo¡¯s phone call was rather brief.¡± ¡°Andrea said that he¡¯d let Cato go unharmed if I hand myself over to him. He also said that if we try anything else, he won¡¯t hesitate to kill him. Of course, I am willing to sacrifice myself for my son but Leo won¡¯t let me,¡± I exined. A tear escaped my eye and raced down my cheek. I hastily wiped it off and took a deep breath in. ¡°Please Antonio, you have to let me do this. It is my choice.¡± ¡°No fucking way,¡± he said as he drove in the direction of home. ¡°And it is not your choice. It is Leo¡¯s choice. You just need to do as your told and let the Alpha deal with this.¡± ¡°The Alpha that is currently in jail!¡± I argued. ¡°And you expect me to let him make that decision over our son?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have a choice,¡± Antonio replied bluntly in a deeper tone. ¡°Leo clearly wants you out of this for your own safety. He is the Alpha, he gives the orders and you follow them. I don¡¯t know why in seven years you haven¡¯t learnt that yet but the sooner you get that in your head the better.¡± ¡°Antonio! My son! My fucking son!¡± I eximed a tear running down my cheek that I quickly wiped off. ¡°Imagine if someone took Leo when he was a kid and told you to stay out of it.¡± ¡°E, I can only imagine how you feel but he¡¯s just trying to protect his Luna and his pack,¡± Antonio said in a much softer tone. ¡°That¡¯s what Alphas do, yes?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± I agreed. ¡°But he¡¯s putting Cato¡¯s life at risk.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been with him long enough to know that he always has a n and that it is usually a good one. You will get Cato back, E. Telling you not to worry would be futile but at least try and have a little faith in your mate,¡± he replied. I nodded and leant my head against the window. The tears were still streaming and only increased with every thought of Cato and how scared he must be. We returned to Antonio and Rosa¡¯s house. Antonio didn¡¯t move much further than a metre away from me, as if he was concerned that I might disappear if he so much as blinked an eye. Rosa made me a cup of hot chocte as I clung to my remaining children. ¡°Can we go and y with big Luca again, Mommy?¡± Lili asked. She was too young to really understand what was going on. They all were. ¡°No, sweetie. None of us can leave the house, okay?¡± I replied stroking her hair. At that point, the phone in the office began ringing. ¡°This could be important,¡± Antonio said before leaving to answer it. Meanwhile, Rosa was busy with bottles of milk for Stefano and Zach and I was unattended. I quickly kissed my remaining seven children on the head, grabbed my phone and marched to the door. I felt kinda guilty because none of this was Rosa and Antonio¡¯s fault and I was causing them more trouble than they deserved but on the other hand my maternal instincts were kicking me hard. Whether Leo has a n or not, Cato¡¯s life could be in danger if I don¡¯t meet Andrea in Mexico and I¡¯m not risking it. I opened the front door and mmed it behind me. Before I could even begin sprinting down the drive towards the forest, I noticed Rosa¡¯s car in the drive. The one I had left at the police station. Secondster, the door opened and my mate got out of it. Oh shit. ¡°E, get the hell back in the house. I¡¯m not fucking around,¡± he growled striding towards the front door.N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. ¡°This is my choice,¡± I insisted. ¡°And you don¡¯t you dare try to stop me. How are you even here?¡± I saw his jaw clench as he continued to near me and his eyes sh ck. ¡°Now is not the time to defy me,¡± he replied in his Alpha tone. He then grabbed my arm and pulled me over his shoulder before bursting into the house and up the stairs leaving Rosa and Antonio dumbstruck. He carried me into one of the spare rooms, put me down, left and locked the door behind him. I stood motionless for a few seconds before going to investigate the windows. They were both locked but one of them looked pretty weak. There was still a huge drop to the floor but also a tree that if I jumped far enough, I could get to and climb down. Usually, when Leo and I had disagreements these days we didn¡¯t fight. We sat down and talked about it. But I could just tell that there was 0% chance of him changing his mind here so drastic times called for drastic measures. Just as I began rattling the already weakened lock, Leo marched back into the room with what looked like a pair of handcuffs in his hand. Chapter 32 ¡°No.. noo¡­ no,¡± I said stepping away from him. ¡°No. I¡¯m not a fucking animal.¡± ¡°I am trying to focus on getting Cato back. To do that, I need you in a position where I know that I don¡¯t have to worry about you doing something stupid,¡± he replied grabbing my wrist and fastening it into the metal cuffs. ¡°And what about me worrying about you doing something stupid!? You heard what Andrea said!¡± I replied trying to get my hand out of his grip only making him hold me tighter. ¡°Do not raise your voice at me,¡± he snapped dragging me roughly to the floor and attaching the handcuff to the other side to the bedpost. ¡°I am Alpha and I will decide how to handle this.¡± In that moment, I was probably the angriest with him as I had ever been. Even more so than when he murdered Connor. What we were ¡®handling¡¯ was the abduction of our? son and he¡¯s just gonna cut me out of it? ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he said crouching down and cing his hand on my cheek. ¡°Fuck you,¡± I spat swatting his hand away. ¡°If Cato ends up getting hurt, I will never forgive you for taking this choice away from me.¡±Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. He took a deep breath in and out before kissing my forehead, standing up and leaving the room. I listened to his footsteps downstairs and this his conversation with Antonio. ¡°They just dropped the charges?¡± Antonio questioned as I listened to their conversation through the ceiling. ¡°Just like that?¡± ¡°Martinez¡¯s bullet wound has obviously healed faster than any human doctor could ever imagine leaving no evidence that I actually shot him and they have concluded I didn¡¯t kidnap E. And surprise surprise he decided not to take the drug thing any further with the police. Especially as all he needed was me out of the way from an hour,¡± he exined as I heard him open the front door. ¡°Is there anything I can do?¡± Antonio asked. ¡°Keep an eye on E. She¡¯s handcuffed to the bed and I need her to stay that way,¡± he exined. He¡¯s treating me like I am the enemy here? Like I¡¯m one more thing he doesn¡¯t need to deal with. ¡°Of course,¡± Antonio replied before the front door closed and Leo¡¯s footsteps disappeared down the drive. Antonio didn¡¯t sound like he wasing upstairs so I began searching the room for something to pick the lock with. I¡¯d done it before, I could do again. If only I actually bothered to put a pin or something in my hair the morning¡­ A few momentster, the door opened a crack and a small blonde child slipped into the room. ¡°Mommy, why are you attached to the bed?¡± Lili asked with a confused expression. ¡°And when is Cato getting back? I want him to y with me.¡± ¡°Very soon, sweetheart,¡± I said gesturing for her toe over. ¡°And I¡¯m attached to the bed because Daddy wants to make sure I stay here because here is always safe, yes?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± she agreed,? wrapping her arms around me. ¡°But why are your eyes red, Mama? Have you been cwrying?¡± ¡°Because just like you, I want Cato toe back too,¡± I replied stroking her hair as I held even more tears back. She was only four. I didn¡¯t know what better way to phrase it. ¡°Did Daddy do your hair this morning, Lili,¡± I asked noticing two tiny butterfly bobby pins. ¡°Yepp,¡± she said smiling turning her head to show off Leo¡¯s skill. For a man that had had short hair his whole life, he was remarkably good at doing our daughters¡¯ hair in the morning. ¡°Very pretty,¡± I said. ¡°Do you mind if I borrow one of those clips?¡± ¡°We can match, Mommy,¡± she said excitedly taking one out and cing it in my palm. ¡°Grazie, Bambina,¡± I replied as my phone began to ring. It was the no caller ID again. Andrea. ¡°Why don¡¯t you go and y with your other brothers and sisters? Cato will be back soon,¡± I said kissing her forehead. She nodded, hugged me and then left the room. ¡°Are you on your way, nca? Time is ticking¡­¡± he taunted. ¡°I¡¯m a little tied up right now,¡± I replied. ¡°I can¡¯t-¡± ¡°Let me guess¡­ Mr Alpha won¡¯t let his Luna sacrifice herself?¡± he asked. I could almost see the smirk he was almost definitely wearing. ¡°¡­ drama¡­¡± ¡°He¡¯s handcuffed me to the bed. I can¡¯t get out of this room let alone the pack.¡± ¡°Oooh, kinky,¡± he mused. ¡°Andrea, please. Give us another option,¡± I begged. ¡°I can¡¯t stand the thought of you hurting him,¡± I added in a sob as the tears began streaming again. ¡°He¡¯s seven years old, how evil can you get?!¡± ¡°You found a way to slip out of my grasp, now slip out of his¡­ or your son dies¡­¡± he replied before hanging up. I let out a cry of exasperation andunched my phone across the room in anger before erupting into a mess of tears and sobs. A few momentster, the door opened yet again this time with the arrival of Antonio. ¡°If you are here to rebuke me, I don¡¯t need it right now,¡± I snapped wiping my tears. ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± he said softly. ¡°I heard you crying and I wanted to ask if there¡¯s anything I can do¡­ obviously nothing that Leo wouldn¡¯t agree to.¡± ¡°Can I ask you a question?¡± I said after a short pause. He nodded. ¡°Do you think he¡¯s doing the right thing?¡± I asked. ¡°It¡¯s hard to imagine what he¡¯s going through, E,¡± he said sitting down on the bed. ¡°He cares about you. I don¡¯t think you should me him for this.¡± ¡°But what about Cato? Does he not care about our son too?¡± ¡°Of course he does. You know that. But Andrea Martinez can¡¯t be trusted and even if he could, what kind of Alpha would he be to allow his Luna to go to her death without a second thought? When all other options have been exhausted, then he may consider it but not before,¡± Antonio exined. ¡°You haven¡¯t even given him a chance yet.¡± I suppose he was right. The only option I had considered was me handing myself over. What if Leo could find another way? ¡°What would you have done if someone took one of your kids?¡± I asked. ¡°Well firstly, I wouldn¡¯t have had this issue,¡± he replied gesturing to me. ¡°Because Rosa isn¡¯t a disobedient little pain in the ass,¡± he joked. I stifled augh and wiped another escaping tear. ¡°But apart from that, I¡¯d be doing the exact same as Leo. Everything in my power. And Leo has far more power than I ever did so if I were you, I¡¯d have faith in him to bring your son back before the end of the night. There¡¯s no way that car is getting off territory,¡± he replied. ¡°But I do understand your desire to give yourself over.¡± ¡°You do?¡± I asked looking up at him. ¡°Although I do still think you could show the Alpha a little more respect and obedience, you¡¯re still a mother. How could you not want to do anything for your children?¡± he questioned. ¡°But you have to remember that working against Leo isn¡¯t going to help.¡± Chapter 33 ¡°He¡¯s not exactly allowing me to work with him,¡± I replied lifting my handcuffed hand. ¡°Because you haven¡¯t given him a reason to trust you.¡± ¡°So what am I supposed to do?¡± I questioned. ¡°Exactly what her orders,¡± Antonio answered. I wrinkled up my nose and scowled. ¡°Fuck that,¡± I mumbled. He let out a shortugh. ¡°You¡¯re definitely a Jones,¡± he stated. ¡°Can never be told what to do.¡± ¡°If he asked me to take the kids to school or pass him his shoes or make dinner then yes. I¡¯d do it. Telling me to sit back and stay out of his way when our son has been kidnapped? That is another matter,¡± I replied. ¡°The fact that he is Alpha is irrelevant when my kid is in danger.¡± ¡°Which is precisely why he has to resort to handcuffing you to a bed. I would have done the same.¡± ¡°It¡¯s like I¡¯m the enemy or something. And I get that he is just trying to keep me safe but it¡¯s my choice. Who gave him the right to take it away from me?¡± I asked. ¡°His Alphaship. He can do what he likes,¡± Antonio replied standing up. ¡°But just try to remember, neither of you is the other¡¯s enemy. You both want your son back and I will be greatly surprised if Leo doesn¡¯t seed¡­ and then you¡¯ll be d that he handcuffed you to the bed,¡± he added before leaving the room. Maybe he was right¡­ hopefully he was right. But my son¡¯s life wasn¡¯t something I was willing to gamble with. Unable to really do much else, I sat for a while thinking about what Antonio said. My thoughts were going backwards and forwards like a yoyo ¨C one spun by a member of the small group in the poption of earth that can actually make a yoyo go up and down more than twice too. Andrea can¡¯t do anything to Cato if he never leaves the territory and Leo¡¯s army is the best in the world. I¡¯ve seen them train. His warriors are insane. So maybe I should wait a little while longer. But on the other hand, I have learnt not to underestimate what Andrea is capable of either. Morality clearly doesn¡¯t stand in his way and after all, he is a high ss, millionaire drug lord. The question that remains, which do I trust to manage to do what they said they would more? Leo or Andrea? Antonio said to have faith in my mate but where was that going to get us? At that point my phone, that remarkably still works considering how hard I threw it, pinged on the other side of the room. I stretched my foot out as far as I could and was just about able to reach and it and drag it back to me. And so my question was answered. A text presumably from Andrea, although with the usualck of ID, reading: sorry about your border guards. Send my condolences to the families. I threw my head back in grief. How had this happened?This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. I quickly dialled Leo¡¯s number and it rang only once before he picked up. ¡°They¡¯ve got off territory,¡± I said hastily. ¡°I know,¡± he replied gravely. ¡°Nine of my men are dead.¡± ¡°And we are losing our son!¡± ¡°I am doing everything I can, E,¡± he said in what sounded like a forced calm tone. ¡°Tell Antonio to let me go. It is the only way,¡± I stated. ¡°Please, Leo. How will you live with yourself if something happens?¡± ¡°I have made my decision. Give it up, E,¡± he said deeply. ¡°It isn¡¯t even up for discussion and if I hear from Antonio that you even attempted to get out of those handcuffs, I will have him watch you until all of this is over. Understand?¡± ¡°Just focus on bringing him home,¡± I whispered. ¡°Please.¡± I then hung up the phone and began trying to pick the lock on the handcuffs with Lili¡¯s hairclip. Five frustrating minutester, Mathias, Ss, Marie, Francesca and Lili came into the room. ¡°Granny told us to give you this,¡± Mathias said handing me a ss of water and a sandwich on a te. ¡°Thank you, honey,¡± I replied taking a sip of the water. ¡°Mama, what are you doing with my hairclip?¡± Lili asked curiously. ¡°I¡¯m going to tell you a secret but you can¡¯t tell anyone okay?¡± I whispered beckoning them forward. ¡°And then I need your help but we have to use our quietest voices, si?¡± They all nodded and stepped closer to me and into a tight circle. ¡°Mommy knows how to bring Cato home but nobody can know. Not even Granny and Granddad,¡± I began. ¡°Why?¡± Ss whispered. ¡°Because they might try to stop me and if they do, we might not be able to save Cato,¡± I answered. ¡°It¡¯s a top-secret team mission, okay? So can you help me get out of the house without them knowing?¡± They all nodded excitedly. ¡°Francesca and Marie, you¡¯re task is to distract Granny. Ask if she can help you make another cake. You like cooking with Granny, yes?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± Marie squealed before mming her hand over her mouth. ¡°Yeah,¡± she added now in a whisper. ¡°Okay good,¡± I said with a smiled before pulling them both into my arms. ¡°I love you both very much,¡± I added kissing them each on the forehead before watching them leave the room knowing it could be thest time I see my twins. ¡°Lili, you¡¯re on Granddad,¡± I said my voice breaking a little bit as I spoke. ¡°He¡¯s in his office right now, make sure he doesn¡¯t leave. You¡¯re very good at asking questions, right? I¡¯m sure there are hours worth of things to ask about,¡± I said pulling her into my arms too. ¡°And thank you again for the pretty hair clip.¡± She nodded, kissed me on the cheek before leaving the room too. ¡°Ss, I need you to get my rucksack out of the room at the end of the corridor,¡± I said knowing that I¡¯m gonna need my passport and credit card if I want to stand any chance of getting to Mexico. ¡°But you have to be as quiet as a mouse,¡± I added picking thest bit of the lock on the handcuffs and freeing my wrist. ¡°Just like when we y spies.¡± He then hurried out of the room too, leaving just me and Mathias. ¡°What about me, Mommy?¡± he asked. ¡°You have the most important job of all, Mathias,¡± I said cing my hands on his shoulders. ¡°You are the eldest for now. I want you to look out for your siblings, and your father too. Until Cato gets back, you are in charge. Make sure Stefano and Zachy grow up knowing that their Mommy loves them and tell them all about me. Make sure Frannie and Marie get their bedtime story and that Daddy-¡± A cry then broke my speech as I tried to hold the tears back. ¡°Ensure that Daddy doesn¡¯t miss me too much,¡± I whispered. ¡°Are youing back, Mama?¡± he questioned. Chapter 34 ¡°Maybe, maybe not. But wherever I am, I love you all so much,¡± I said hugging him so tightly. ¡°Make sure everybody knows that.¡± Ss then returned with my rucksack and by the sounds of things, Rosa and Antonio were well-distracted downstairs. Everything was ready. Mathias had a tear in his eye too and even Ss seemed to have worked out that something wasn¡¯t right. They were both only six years old, I couldn¡¯t possibly expect them to understand. I pulled Ss into the hug too and for a moment thought that I couldn¡¯t let go. I was close to ducking out and not going, but deep down I knew that the easiest thing to do isn¡¯t always the right thing to do. I eventually pulled my self away, kissed them on the forehead, effortlessly broke the weakened lock on the window and began scrambling my way onto the window ledge. ¡°I love you,¡± I said to them as they watched. Ss waved but Mathias just stared, his eyes now full of water. I blew a kiss before disappeared out of the window. Goodbye, my loves. Leo¡¯s POV I was at the base in the pack headquarters with people rushing around all over the ce at mymand all working to bring my son back. I had men heading out in every direction in hope of stopping the car before it crossed the border and the? intelligence department doing everything they could to find even the tiniest nugget of information that could help up. But so far, there was nothing. ¡°Alpha,¡± Luca said as he marched into my office whilst I was discussing my next move with ir and a few other military advisers. ¡°What is it, Luca?¡± I asked in a harsh tone. In hindsight, I shouldn¡¯t have snapped at him but this had all resurfaced my? buried anger for him for co-starting all this with me. ¡°E¡¯s gone,¡± he said gravely. ¡°Antonio just called.¡± ¡°Gone?¡± I asked deeply. ¡°You mean he let her escape?!¡± Luca swallowed and nodded. I took a sharp breath in and clenched my fist before bringing it down hard on the table. ¡°ir, close off the borders again. Tell the guards to check every vehicle that drives through and to have the woods covered too,¡± I ordered. ¡°Luca, tell IT to shut her credit card down and try and locate any signals from her phone.¡± ¡°Yes, Alpha,¡± they said before leaving the room. ¡°We¡¯ll continue thister,¡± I said to the men remaining in my office. ¡°Keep me updated but right now I need to deal with my disobedient Luna.¡± They nodded and left as I began to dial E¡¯s number. No surprise she didn¡¯t pick up. She was smart enough to know that if she did, I¡¯d be able to track her down. ¡°Fucking hell,¡± I cursed after calling her multiple times. ¡°Max!¡± A few secondster, he appeared in the office. ¡°E has somehow escaped and I¡¯m putting you in charge of stopping her from going anywhere near Mexico. You¡¯ve been on the run with her before so you should know how she will think? and what she will do,¡± I said. ¡°Do you think you can find her?¡± ¡°She¡¯s smart Alpha and she won¡¯t be acting predictably,¡± Max replied unusually quietly without looking me in the eye. ¡°But I¡¯ll try.¡± He then turned for the door. ¡°Max, wait,¡± I said stopping him. ¡°What aren¡¯t you telling me?¡± He hesitated for a moment and turned back around with a sigh. ¡°She¡¯s 24 years old, Alpha. Not a kid anymore but a woman. She¡¯s also Cato¡¯s parent too. Don¡¯t you think that this is her decision?¡± he asked. I stared at him for a few seconds but pushing his words out of my head, ¡°Max, put your personal feelings aside and just follow my orders.¡± He nodded, ¡°Yes, Alpha. Of course.¡± E¡¯s POV Two hourster, I was on a bus. I figured that getting off territory anyway other than by aerone would only lead to my capture so I bought a ne ticket to Mexico online before Leo had the chance to cancel my credit card or anything like that and I headed for Seattle airport. I watched the trees whiz by outside and tried to get my head around everything that had happened in thest four hours. Unable to decide whether I was doing the right thing or not either so I just tried to not thinking about it. I was just gonna trust my gut and do it. When we reached the border between the North section of Ste territory and the South, I ducked my head out of sight of the window hoping that Leo¡¯s men wouldn¡¯t stop a human bus. My heart sank as the bus ground to a halt and the doors opened. I tucked even further under the seat as a tall, definitely werewolf man stepped onto the bus wearing the Ste army uniform. Leo must have clocked that I¡¯m missing and put all his men on high alert. I switched on my phone to see ten missed calls from Leo, 6 from Luca and 4 from Max confirming my suspicions. I watched through a crack in the seat as he sniffed the air before doing a hand gesture into the forest and turning to the bus driver. ¡°Two tickets to Seattle please,¡± he said with a seriousness in his tone as another soldier joined him on the bus. Fuck. I hastily fumbled with the zips on my bag before finding and spraying my deodorant in an attempt to mask my scent. I then pulled up my hood and tucked in my hair.This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. I listened to the men walk down the aisle of the bus, their heavy boots clonking against the metal floor. There were plenty of empty seats so when one of them sat beside me, I knew that my attempts to hide myself had been futile. ¡°Can I persuade you to get off at the next stop and we cut the journey?¡± he asked quietly with that slight Italian ent that all native Stes had. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Sir, I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about,¡± I lied tuning my face away from him. ¡°Do I know you?¡± ¡°You may not know exactly who I am but I am pretty sure you know who I work for and that I know who you are, Luna,¡± he replied in a calm tone. ¡°If you cooperate with us, there won¡¯t be any trouble.¡± ¡°Threatening your Luna¡­ nice,¡± I remarked. ¡°And I won¡¯t be getting off at the next stop. I¡¯ll be getting off at Seattle before getting on a ne to Mexico to rescue my son.¡± After that, he didn¡¯t say anything and neither did the other one sat towards the front of the bus. He only sighed, leant back into the ufortable bus chair and prepared for another hour journey. A few minutester, he pulled out his phone and dialled a number. Trantion: good evening Alpha. This is South-North border control point 96. ¡°Abbiamo trovato tua Luna su un autobus umano per Seattle,¡± he added. Trantion: we have found your Luna on a human bus to Seattle. ¡°Ma lei si rifiuta di scendere dall¡¯autobus senza tante storie.¡± Trantion:? but she refuses to get off the bus without a fuss. ¡°You have my permission to do whatever you have to do,¡± Leo replied. ¡°Under no circumstances must she be allowed to get on a ne to Mexico.¡± ¡°Si, Alpha,¡± he said before hanging up. Chapter 35 ¡°Luna, there¡¯s a stop in five minutes,¡± he said. ¡°Come on.¡± ¡°No,¡± I snapped pulling my arm out of his hand. ¡°Luna, I don¡¯t want to force you-¡± he replied taking my wrist again. ¡°You can¡¯t do shit,¡± I said looking around the half-full bus. ¡°There are too many people and I¡¯m good at making a scene.¡± He let out a short breath before sitting back in his seat and letting go of my wrist. He knew I was right. When we reached Seattle and only had the drag through traffic to the airport to go I grabbed my bag and stood up. I thought that if I could move to the front of the bus, I¡¯d be able to get off and into a crowded area before Leo¡¯s men could stop me. Easier said than done though. Of course, the soldier beside me refused to move out of my way. ¡°Excuse me, Sir,¡± I said loudly enough for the entire bus to hear. ¡°I need to get through.¡± ¡°But why? The next stop isn¡¯t until the airport?¡± he asked tugging my wrist to try and get me to sit down. ¡°I¡¯d like to move to the front of the bus so that I can get off quickly. I¡¯mte for my ne, you see,¡± I replied stepping forward. ¡°But there are no seats up there. You¡¯d be standing for half an hour,¡± he retaliated quickly. ¡°I can deal with that,¡± I remarked with a sarcastic smile as I stepped awkwardly over his long legs into the aisle. He discretely grabbed my wrist and just as the bus suddenly jerked forward as the traffic began to move again, everything shook and he took the opportunity to haul me back to my seat without anyone noticing his sudden roughness. ¡°In traffic like this, I think it¡¯d be best if you remained seated, miss,¡± he said still holding my wrist. Another gruelling half hourter, we arrived at the airport unfortunately in a pretty quiet parking lot. Instead of trying to get past the soldier beside me again, I freed my hand and scrambled over the empty seat in front of us and onto the aisle before legging it off the bus in front of everybody else. It was a short sprint to the elevator signposted for the main entrance. I only hoped I could get there and shut the doors before my two little friends could. Spoiler: I couldn¡¯t. I madly pressed the shut door button as they approached, just like in the movies but they got there and squeezed in so that I was trapped with them. ¡°Luna, are we going to do this the easy way or the hard way?¡± the one that had been sat next to me asked before pressing all the buttons on the elevator. ¡°Because the oue is the same.¡±Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. ¡°You are clearly very loyal to your Alpha but what about your future Alpha?¡± I asked. ¡°Cato will be Alpha in ten years if you let me save him. How old will the two of you be? In your thirties? Plenty of time to live with the Alpha¡¯s gratitude and rewards for allowing his mother to exchange her life for his.¡± ¡°Not really because the current Alpha will kill us the second he finds out,¡± the other replied bluntly. ¡°Don¡¯t be dramatic,¡± I said as the doors opened to another empty parking lot floor. ¡°¡­ Oh fuck¡­¡± I cursed grabbing the rail on the inside of the elevator as one of the men seized me around the waist and began trying to pluck me from the safety of the lift. I screamed as loudly as I could in the hope that I could attract somebody¡¯s attention. ¡°Cover her mouth,¡± the one holding the elevator door ordered. ¡°Shut her up.¡± ¡°Get the fuck off me,¡± I hissed fighting against him. ¡°I¡¯m just trying to save my son!¡± For once the excellent training of Leo¡¯s soldiers was not ying to my advantage. He pushed me against the elevator wall, twisted my arms behind my back so that I was immobilised and covered my mouth all in one slick movement. ¡°We are going to get back in a taxi and go straight back to Alpha. You are not going to cause us any trouble or make a scene, understand?¡± he said authoritatively in my ear. I nodded. My arm was kind of hurting in that position and I could see no way out of it. He then pulled me off the wall and stepped towards the elevator door where the other soldier was stood with his foot stopping the doors from closing. Just as we reached the exit I heard a set of footstepse into the empty parking lot floor. I let out a muffled scream and the footsteps paused for a moment whilst the two soldiers red at me intensely. The footsteps then began to walk hurriedly towards us and the one at the door had no option but to get back into the elevator and press the first button he could reach. The doors closed before the owner of the footsteps reached us and the soldier finally loosened his grip on me. ¡°I feel like you two should introduce yourselves now that we are well acquainted,¡± I said as he uncovered my mouth allowing me to straighten myself up. ¡°You don¡¯t need to know who were are,¡± the other replied. ¡°Just that we are your Alpha¡¯s men and we are under strict orders to bring you back to him at all costs.¡± ¡°If you are going to manhandle me and we are going to spend the next hour at least together, I would like to know your names. That is an order from your Luna,¡± I answered as they positioned themselves either side of me in the elevator. ¡°I¡¯m Alessio,¡± the one that had both sat next to me on the bus and just pinned me against the wall said. ¡°And this is Xanthus.¡± The elevator then pinged and the doors opened revealing a very busy terminal. ¡°Well, Alessio, Xanthus. This has been fun,¡± I said a grin of relief forming. ¡°Good luck with facing the Alpha. I¡¯m sorry for putting this on you but this my priority is my son.¡± I then stepped freely out of the elevator into the airport and began scanning for a check in sign. They followed me of course but there¡¯s nothing they can do with so many humans around. ¡°We should have just disposed of that one person back there,¡± I heard Xanthus say. ¡°Now what?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll make a distraction, you get her out of here,¡± Xanthus whispered before dropping back a little. Alessio nodded and I began to fast walk away from the pair. A few secondster, an rm sounded and there was a series of screams and hysterics from the people around us. Alessio grabbed my hand and began hauling me towards the door. I obviously fought against him and screamed but my screams were drowned by everybody else¡¯s. A matter of secondster, the rm silenced and a voice came through on the tanoy. ¡°Everybody remain calm. There is no threat nor fire. It was a false rm and we are sorry for the disturbance,¡± it said. The screams and shouts of the people around us stopped too and Alessio quickly hauled us both into the nearest door where he mmed his hand over my mouth once again. ¡°.. F. u.. ck¡­ y.. ou,¡± I mumbled through his hand seconds before Xanthus joined us in what appeared to be the men¡¯s restroom. ¡°Great fucking distraction,¡± Alessio remarked. ¡°Yeah, Xanthus,¡± I added as Alessio released my mouth again. ¡°Great fucking distraction.¡± ¡°At least she can¡¯t get on a ne from a toilet cubicle,¡± he grumbled, obviously ignoring me as he ushered all three of us into one of the moderately sized cubicles before anybody else came in. ¡°You have three seconds to let me go before I fucking kill you both,¡± I stated causing their heads to turn and stare nkly at me. ¡°Do not underestimate a mother protecting her child.¡± ¡°With all due respect Luna,¡± Alessio began. ¡°There are two of us and one of you.¡± ¡°We are also both double your size and highly trained soldiers so good luck with that,¡± Xanthus added in a much blunter, less respectful tone. I preferred Alessio over Xanthus. He seemed to be in charge and also understood that I was still his Luna. ¡°You now have 0. 5 seconds before I attack,¡± I replied narrowing my eyes at Xanthus. ¡°Hold that thought,¡± Alessio said taking his vibrating phone out of his pocket and answering it. I took the opportunity to karate kick his stomach. Unfortunately, his lightning-fast reflexes meant that he caught my leg and used it as leverage to pin me once again against the wall. Chapter 36 ¡°Have you got her?¡± Leo¡¯s voice asked down the phone line. ¡°Kind of,¡± Alessio replied a sense of nervousness in his tone as he looked down on me as I struggled against him. ¡°What do you mean kind of? There¡¯s two of you AND you are supposed to be some of my best soldiers! How can you only ¡®kind of¡¯ have a woman that hardly weighs a hundred pounds?¡± Leo questioned in a deep tone. ¡°She should be easy.¡± ¡°I¡¯m d to hear that you appreciate me, Leo,¡± I hissed True, since having eight children I had rxed a little on the training mrkey, but I¡¯m not weak. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Alpha but she is causing us some issues,¡± Alessio replied. ¡°There have been humans around us the whole time and she won¡¯t go quietly.¡± ¡°Where are you now?¡± ¡°The men¡¯s bathroom in Seattle airport,¡± Alessio said quietly. ¡°For fuck¡¯s sake,¡± Leo growled. ¡°Give the phone to her,¡± he ordered. Alessio then held the phone to my ear as he continued to hold me against the grimy wall. ¡°Could you tell your men to politely stop manhandling me so that I can go and save our son from certain death?¡± I hissed. ¡°I am currently unbelievably furious with you but I am willing to put that aside if you just cooperate with them and let me focus on getting our son back,¡± he said in a deep tone. ¡°No.¡± ¡°No?¡± he growled. ¡°Cato will be? halfway to Mexico by now and we both know the only way to get him back alive. This is my decision so let me make it,¡± I replied. ¡°I may suffer for the rest of my life if I make it, but at least Cato will be okay and that is all that matters to me.¡± ¡°It is not your decision because, as you clearly have forgotten at some point in thest couple of days, I am your Alpha and I choose what you do and don¡¯t do. It is not that difficult to understand,¡± he growled. I didn¡¯t reply, not exactly sure what to say. ¡°Now stop this tant disobedience and humiliation, do as you are told and get back in your ce. I have better things to worry about than an insubordinate Luna,¡± he added in his Alpha tone. I remained speechless. The way he spoke reminded me of how he was when we first met. It was like he had suddenly snapped and seven years of progress was gone with one defiant ¡®no¡¯. Alessio then brought the phone back to his ear. ¡°We¡¯ll have her back before midnight,¡± he said looking at his watch that read about 9:00 pm. ¡°If she still doesn¡¯t cooperate, drug her,¡± Leo added bluntly. ¡°Drug me?! Leo you better hope they don¡¯t bring me home because when I see you we are gonna have a serious talk about my human rights-¡± I began before he hung up. ¡°Okay, Luna,¡± he said to me ushering me towards the door of the cubicle where Xanthus stood. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± He ced his hand gently on my back and lead me out of the cubicle into the sink area. I let him urge forward, trying not to allow Leo¡¯s words to impact me as much as they were. For some reason, I feltpelled to follow his orders. Just as we reached the door the speaker¡¯s of the tannoy crackled and squeaked before a voice came through again. ¡°This is a security announcement. Two suspicious looking men, mid-twenties, dressed in all ck and both over six feet tall have been spotted by our CCTV with a young girl around the same age with blonde hair and a blue rucksack. Please report any sightings of these people to the security desk along with any suspicious behaviour or unattended baggage. Thank you,¡± the voice said. ¡°Oh fuck,¡± Xanthus cursed. I let out a shortugh before covering my mouth. I felt bad for them because they were only trying to follow Leo¡¯s orders but it certainly wasn¡¯t their day. ¡°We have to change our clothes,¡± Alessio stated. ¡°Do you have any spare T-shirts in your bag, Luna?¡± ¡°None that will fit you. That¡¯s for sure,¡± I replied looking up about a foot and a half to his face. At that point, the bathroom door opened and a green T-shirted, middle-aged man walked in. He looked from Xanthus to Alessio and then to me and his face paled. Like the rest of the airport, he had obviously heard the announcement and had now found himself in the unfortunate position of being located directly between the ¡®suspicious looking men¡¯. Xanthus and Alessio exchanged looks before they both shrugged and nodded as if they were having some kind of psychic conversation. I mouthed a ¡®run¡¯ to the man and with a panicked look on his face, he turned back to the restroom door. But it was toote for that. I caught a glimpse of Xanthus seizing the poor man and throwing him against the wall before Alessio bundled me back into the cubical. A few momentster, I saw him through the crack in the door, being dragged along the floor, ced and locked in another cubicle before Xanthus returned in a green T-shirt. The man was not particrly tall, but he was ratherrge so the t-shirt was a good fit on Xanthus despite his height. ¡°There is no need for that kind of violence!¡± I protested. ¡°Is he dead?¡± ¡°Nah, he¡¯ll be fine,¡± Xanthus replied dismissively. ¡°And where exactly did this get you?¡± I asked looking at Alessio who was still in the all ck Ste army uniform and then to my still bright blue rucksack. ¡°Tie your sweater around your rucksack. I will escort you out and Alessio, you join us a few minutester. If nobody makes a scene, there is no reason anybody will suspect a thing,¡± he said obviously directing his speech to me. Suddenly, I remembered what I was doing here in the first ce and an image of Cato all alone with only the Mexican thugs forpany? shed across my mind. ¡°I¡¯m noting with you,¡± I stated. ¡°You heard what the Alpha said,¡± Xanthus replied. ¡°He didn¡¯t give you a choice.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care what he said. He¡¯s not here, is he? And he can murder me when my son is safe,¡± I replied folding my arms. ¡°Luna, we don¡¯t want to have to resort to n B,¡± Alessio said. ¡°Come on. Just give up now and don¡¯t make us do it the hard way.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± I answered after a moment of thought before standing up and walking to the door of the cubicle. Xanthus narrowed his eyes. He could see right through me. My n was to get out into the busy terminal and start screaming or something. Then they wouldn¡¯t stand a chance of stopping me. ¡°Xanthus, I¡¯m not risking it,¡± Alessio said pulling me back. ¡°Get the drugs.¡± He nodded before leaving the restroom altogether. ¡°Where exactly do you get drugs from in an airport?¡± I questioned.N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. ¡°You¡¯d be surprised what you can learn to do with a few packets of drugstore, everyday pills,¡± Alessio replied locking the cubicle door after Xanthus. I sighed and stood up on the toilet seat before sitting on the back ledge. Chapter 37 ¡°If I die from being forced to take some dodgy concoction-¡± I began. ¡°Do you really think the Alpha would have told us to do it if he thought we might identally kill you? We¡¯ve been trained, Luna. We know what we are doing,¡± he said leaning against the cubicle door and folding his arms. There were a few minutes of silence while Alessio waited for the return of Xanthus and I nned my next escape n. ¡°Do you have pups, Alessio?¡± I asked. ¡°Three,¡± he replied his face softening. ¡°How old?¡± ¡°My daughter is five, she just started school. Then I have a son who is two and another son that was born just two weeks ago,¡± he replied. ¡°What are you doing here then?!¡± I asked. ¡°You should be at home with your mate!¡± ¡°I¡¯m a soldier, Luna. I can¡¯t have more a few days off in a row for any reason,¡± he said with a sigh. ¡°My loyalty is to the Alpha.¡± ¡°What bollocks,¡± I stated. ¡°How about you resign, go home to your kids, let me go and save my kid.¡± ¡°Nice try,¡± he said with a smile. ¡°It is for their sake that I can¡¯t let you get on that n. A father away from home is better than no father at all which is what I¡¯ll be when the Alpha is done with us if we lose you.¡± ¡°Is he really still that bad?¡± I asked through gritted teeth. ¡°I thought he¡¯d changed.¡± ¡°He has changed. But as soon as there is a matter concerning the safety of his Luna, he has no mercy on any of us,¡± he exined. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I apologised. ¡°Over the years, I must have caused a lot of problems for you and the other soldiers. Please spare me the details but I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not your fault. If one of my children was kidnapped, I¡¯d be doing the same thing. As for the time that you went to Italy and Russia, I guess in the end you turned out to have good intentions too and then all the times you¡¯ve been abducted, we can¡¯t really me you for either,¡± he exined. I smiled before the restroom door opened and Xanthus came in with a shopping bag. He unloaded it to reveal a blue T-shirt that he threw in Alessio¡¯s direction, five boxes of pills and a bottle of water. I didn¡¯t recognise any names of the medication. Beno.. something or other¡­ Phenilzenthai¡­. you get the picture. I watched as Xanthus crushed different quantities of the pills with a penknife he got out of his pocket and then dropped a little water on them to make it into a thick paste. He then pushed it into one of the moulds of an empty packet and squeezed out the excess water. ¡°We¡¯d normally inject it but surprise surprise, needles aren¡¯t avable in airports,¡± he said handing Alessio the pill. ¡°So please cooperate.¡± ¡°No, no, no,¡± I said shying back into the cubicle wall. I climbed up onto the ledge again and curled myself into the corner. ¡°You can¡¯t force me,¡± I added. ¡°You don¡¯t listen to him, do you?¡± Xanthus said grabbing my wrist. ¡°The Alpha told you to do as you¡¯re told. Why don¡¯t you listen?!¡± ¡°Xanthus,¡± Alessio warned deeply. ¡°She is still your Luna.¡± Judging by his grip on my wrist, he was beginning to lose patience with me. ¡°I¡¯m not fucking taking your stupid pill,¡± I growled pulling my hand out of his grip. ¡°How can I save my son with a million different chemicals in my system?¡± Alessio used his arm to push Xanthus away from me before he knelt down and put his hands on my shoulders. ¡°Luna,¡± he began .¡±As a parent myself, I can sympathise with what you are going through and Ipletely understand why you feel that you have to do this. However, as a mate, I can also sympathise with the Alpha and I see why under no circumstances should you be allowed on that ne. Both he, your other kids and the pack can¡¯t afford to lose you, especially to an avoidable, irrational, instinctual act. You haven¡¯t thought this through and you haven¡¯t even given the Alpha a chance to find another way either. He¡¯s the most powerful man in the world, have you forgotten that? It¡¯s okay to trust him, there is good reason to. And the harsh truth is Luna, we are here to bring you home whether you like it or not. We will stay here all week if we have to. But the longer we do, the longer the Alpha isn¡¯t 100% focussed on getting your little boy home too. So please, let us do our job.¡± He took a deep breath in and looked up at me with pleading, hopeful eyes. I paused in thought for a moment before nodding. I couldn¡¯t win this and he was right. He breathed heavily out and smiled before standing up, picking up the bottle of water and handing it to me with the pill. ¡°Xanthus go now, we can¡¯t all leave together in case we are recognised and someone needs to find a car. I don¡¯t think public transport with an unconscious girl is a good idea,¡± Alessio said. Xanthus nodded before disappearing out of the restroom. ¡°Do I have to take it?¡± I asked. ¡°What if I promise to juste out easily?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t risk it, Luna. There¡¯s a lot at stake if I lose you. Please understand that¡± he replied holding the pill closer to me. ¡°What¡¯s in it?¡± I questioned taking it out of his hand and looking a little closer. ¡°Benophalein, Phenilezenathen, Rynerol, Sominex and umm¡­ powdered Wolfsbane Cannabis,¡± he replied. ¡°Thatst one isn¡¯t avable in drugstores.¡± ¡°Wolfsbane?!¡± I questioned. ¡°Yeah, you may feel a bit shit for a few days but it¡¯s only a small dosage. I promise,¡± he said. ¡°Just take it.¡± Just as I brought it closer to my lips the door to the cubicle smashed open, the lock flying across the floor.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. I gasped and Alessio took the opportunity to force the pill into my mouth before covering it. ¡°Swallow,¡± he demanded before turning to whoever had just kicked open the door. ¡°Where¡¯s my shirt asshole?!¡± a middle-aged shirtless man bellowed with a gun pointed at Alessio. After a few moments, I realised who he was, the man Xanthus had knocked out and stolen the shirt of. I was also pretty concentrated on trying to stop the pill from dissolving in my mouth and getting Alessio¡¯s hand off me so that I could spit it out. ¡°You can have this one,¡± Alessio said kicking one of their ck uniform shirts on the floor towards him. ¡°And why the fuck do you have a gun in an airport?¡± ¡°Why the fuck do you have a woman in the men¡¯s bathroom?!¡± He asked pointing the gun closer to Alessio. ¡°Is she your girlfriend? Kidse in here you know and-¡± In one swift movement, Alessio had lurched forward and somehow ended up with the man¡¯s gun in his own hand. In the process, he had let go of me and of course, I had spat out the pill and was in the process of climbing over the side of the cubicle. Before he could notice, I was in the main restroom and just about reached the door back into the terminal before he could reach me. I legged towards the check-in point as Alessio was hot on my trail. Seconds before I reached the front desk, Xanthus appeared in front of me, blocking my path. He grabbed my upper arm and forcefully dragged me away as Alessio joined us. ¡°A taxi is on its way,¡± he said over my head to Alessio as they marched me through the terminal. ¡°I.. I.. d. on¡¯t feel so¡­ good,¡± I said bringing my hand to my head. ¡°I thin.. kk I¡¯m going to faint.¡± The room was suddenly spinning and my head felt light and fluffy. ¡°Did she have the pill?¡± Xanthus asked. Chapter 38 ¡°Enough of it,¡± Alessio replied as my phone began to ring. The two of them paused by a wall before Xanthus took the phone out of my pocket. Xanthus¡¯s grip on my arm tightened as I began to sway, feeling as though could copse any moment. I felt too weak to even scream. ¡°No caller ID. Is this the Mexican?¡± he asked. ¡°I have¡­ to answer that,¡± I said clumsily reaching for the phone. ¡°No¡­ no¡­¡± Xanthus replied. ¡°You don¡¯t have to do anything.¡± I noticed a woman holding the hand of a little girl, about Cato¡¯s age, watching the three of us with a concerned look. She caught eye contact with me as Alessio and Xanthus were distracted by the phone and she mouthed an ¡®are you okay?¡¯. I shook my head and she nodded before walking to one of the security guards, taking her little girl with her. She whispered something to the guard which I could only just hear. ¡°There¡¯s a woman over there with two men,¡± she said pointing discretely. ¡°One is gripping her arm and she looks like she¡¯s in trouble.¡± ¡°Thank you, Ma¡¯am,¡± the guard said with a nod. ¡°We¡¯ll investigate.¡± He and another security guard then began marching towards us talking into a walky-talky as he went. Alessio and Xanthus were still distracted by whatever was going on with my phone. ¡°Excuse me, Miss,¡± he said approaching us from Xanthus¡¯s side. ¡°Are you alright?¡± Xanthus looked up scanned the man before nodding. ¡°She¡¯s fine,¡± he said dismissively before looking back to the phone. ¡°Could you just let go of her a minute, please sir,¡± he said turning to Xanthus. ¡°She¡¯s not feeling well. I am only helping her,¡± he replied. ¡°Miss, do you know these men?¡± he questioned. Xanthus red down at me and gripped my arm tighter. I looked at the man and shook, disregarding Xanthus¡¯s bodynguage threats. What was he going to do anyway? ¡°Okay, Sir. I am going to have to ask you to let go of this woman and the two of you follow me. We have some questions to ask,¡± he said urging Xanthus in the opposite direction of the door. Shortly after, four more security guards appeared at the scene. Alessio and Xanthus exchanged nces before Alessio shook his head. ¡°We don¡¯t have a choice,¡± he said to Xanthus. ¡°There are too many people.¡± Xanthus reluctantly nodded before letting go of my arm and allowing the airport security to lead them away from me. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Alessio,¡± I whispered when they were a few metres away knowing only someone with werewolf hearing would hear. ¡°I¡¯ll call the Alpha and beg him to be merciful. I promise.¡± I didn¡¯t have long to feel bad before staggering as quickly as I could towards the sign in point before anyone coulde back and make me eventer for my flight by asking questions. I felt fainter and dizzier by the second and the room around me was spinning. I couldn¡¯t read the signs and I stood no chance of finding my way to my ne. Well, that was until I felt someone draw up next to me. ¡°Max?¡± I mumbled looking upon the familiar face of my cousin. ¡°No, no, please don¡¯t take me back-¡±N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. ¡°I¡¯m not going to,¡± he said quietly. ¡°I¡¯m here to help.¡± ¡°What?¡± I asked. ¡°It¡¯s your choice and I respect that whether I think you¡¯re being a dumb bitch or not,¡± he exined. ¡°And you look like shit.¡± ¡°They drugged me,¡± I slurred. ¡°But I don¡¯t have long until check-in closes.¡± ¡°And you don¡¯t have long until they get out of the security office either,¡± he said. ¡°The Alpha¡¯s got contacts with the Seattle police.¡± I nodded and he wrapped his arm around my waist and lead me to a desk where he bought a ticket on a random flight to anywhere and then we went through passport control and security together. ¡°Ells, are you sure you¡¯re okay to fly?¡± he asked after making me drink more water as we waited at the gate. ¡°You¡¯re pretty out of it.¡± ¡°Leo¡¯s going to murder you for this,¡± I said resting my head on his shoulder. ¡°With any luck, he won¡¯t find out,¡± he replied. ¡°And if he does, guess I¡¯ll just go into exile for another three years.¡± I let out augh before an announcement called my flight. ¡°Guess this is goodbye then,¡± I said hugging him tightly. ¡°See yater cuz,¡± he replied hugging me back. ¡°And you¡¯re sure you wanna do this?¡± I nodded, ¡°Thank you,¡± I said. ¡°For being the only person in the entire pack to understand.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t get soppy on me, sweetheart,¡± he said. ¡°Now get on that ne before you change your mind.¡± I hugged him one more time before making my way over to the passport and boarding pass check giving him one final wave. When I found my seat on the n, I fought the urge to pass out and dialled Leo¡¯s number as they did the safety speech. ¡°E,¡± he said after picking up. ¡°Where are you?¡± ¡°On the n and your men are with security. Turns out, two men dragging an almost unconscious girl through a busy terminal raises suspicion,¡± I replied a little spite in my tone. ¡°Is Max on the ne?¡± he asked. ¡°No,¡± I replied. ¡°Why would he-¡± ¡°Get off it immediately,¡± he growled in his Alpha tone. ¡°I¡¯m not fucking around E. I mean it.¡± I shook my head as a tear ran down my face. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Leo,¡± I sniffled. ¡°I¡¯m going to Mexico to get our son and there is nothing you can do to stop me. Alessio and Xanthus did everything they could and I am begging you to be merciful on them. Especially Alessio, he has a young family and-¡± ¡°If you want me to be merciful then I suggest you get your ass home now. Then I won¡¯t touch his fucking family,¡± Leo growled shortly after I heard him punch something solid. Hopefully an inanimate object. ¡°Don¡¯t be like this, please,¡± I pleaded. ¡°Juste home, Ells,¡± he said in a much softer tone. ¡°I was wrong to tie you up and cut you out of this soe home and we can work it out together. There is no reason for you to sacrifice yourself to a man highly unlikely to follow his part of the deal.¡± Chapter 39 ¡°You¡¯ve met Andrea. He¡¯s ruthless. He doesn¡¯t have a single hint of mercy. If he realises you are trying to outsmart him, he will kill Cato without hesitation,¡± I replied. ¡°I know that you aren¡¯t used to following other people¡¯s orders but this time, we don¡¯t have a choice.¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing I can say or do to stop you is there?¡± he asked with a sigh. ¡°No,¡± I replied quietly. ¡°When Cato is safe, I¡¯lle for you,¡± he said. ¡°And if you are already gone, Andrea will die. For real this time.¡± ¡°That¡¯s if I haven¡¯t killed him first,¡± I replied. ¡°Death seems to good for home,¡± Leo said. ¡°I¡¯d rather-¡± ¡°Leo,¡± I interrupted in a stern tone as I realised what he was insinuating. ¡°I didn¡¯t spend years trying to install morals in you for them to disappear the second I leave. Don¡¯t stoop to his level whether you think he deserves it or not. Doing more than is necessary to end his life is immoral. Remember that.¡± ¡°Nothing like a lecture about treating the literal devil with morality,¡± he said. ¡°You¡¯re too good for your own good, E.¡± ¡°Just promise me that if I¡¯m not there to keep you in shape, you won¡¯t slip back to your old self, Leo,¡± I said. ¡°Please.¡± ¡°I promise. But you areing back,¡± he replied. ¡°You¡¯re a cockroach, remember? No one can kill you.¡± ¡°Yeh, I¡¯m a survivor,¡± I agreed. Heughed a little before sniffing his own tears back. ¡°We¡¯re about to take off,¡± I said. ¡°I have to go.¡± ¡°Call me when yound, okay?¡± he said. ¡°I can¡¯t say goodbye yet.¡± ¡°But just in case, I love you, Leo,¡± I said more tears falling down my cheeks. ¡°I love you too,¡± he replied before I had to hang up. I couldn¡¯t deal with anymore for fear of running off the ne and straight back to him. I wiped the tears off away before leaning against the window as we were all told to turn out phones on aerone mode. Shortly after, we began moving along the runway. I noticed what looked like a security car speed up to the ne and a couple of security officers pile out. Leo must have had something to do with that but they? were toote, we were gone. With the relief of a sessful escape, I closed my eyes and le the powerful effects of the pill take over. Hourster, I awoke to the sound of the ne thudding on the runway. I bolted up right from the shock of the rude awakening and looked around me to see all the other passengers excitedly awaiting their vacation to Mexico, or getting ready for a boring business trip, or thrilled to be visiting their families. Not me. I wasn¡¯t in for nearly such a fun time. As soon as we were allowed to turn our phones off aerone mode, I called Leo. ¡°I¡¯vended,¡± I said as I followed the busy crowd off the ne. ¡°Am I going to have trouble with security here? I saw a car of officers try to stop the n which I don¡¯t doubt you were behind.¡± ¡°I tried but unfortunately it¡¯s difficult to pay off security already paid off by Andrea Martinez,¡± he replied with a sigh. ¡°You won¡¯t be stopped anywhere in Mexico by the police. So what¡¯s your n?¡± ¡°Andrea, texted me his number. I¡¯m going to call him,¡± I replied. ¡°So you¡¯re just going to go along with it?¡± ¡°I figured that that is best. I don¡¯t want to risk provoking him,¡± I exined. ¡°E Jones. I feel like I don¡¯t even know you anymore. Why couldn¡¯t you ever go along with what I said?¡± he questioned. Iughed before sitting on a bench just before passport control. ¡°Because you don¡¯t have a gun.¡± There was a breath moment of silence. ¡°Leo?¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Are you mad at me?¡± I asked. ¡°I was. Very. You ignored my orders and as a result, I may never have my mate again and my kids may never have their mother again but I can¡¯t be mad anymore. They threatened our kid and nothing is going to stop you saving him. I get that but fucking hell I¡¯ll miss you. I miss you when I leave the same room as you. I don¡¯t know how I would cope with forever,¡± he replied. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I whispered. ¡°Don¡¯t be sorry,¡± he replied. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do everything I can to stay alive. If I don¡¯t give him a reason to kill me, he¡¯d rather I was alive too, right?¡± I asked thinking back to how fond of me (my body in particr) he was. ¡°I can¡¯t bear the thought of that either, Ells,¡± he replied after a while in a broken voice. ¡°Him using you for that sort of thing.¡± ¡°But you¡¯d rather that than him killing me, yes?¡± I asked. ¡°Yes,¡± he stated. ¡°Promise me that you¡¯ll take care of the kids,¡± I said a tear running down my cheek. ¡°Of course, E. Of course, of course.¡± ¡°And yourself. Miss me for a little while and then move on okay? I don¡¯t want you to suffer forever. Find a way to be happy again. Whether that¡¯s with someone else or whatever. I don¡¯t care, just be happy. And make sure my Mom is okay too. She¡¯s already lost Connor, this will tear her apart,¡± I exined. ¡°You¡¯ll survive this, Ells. I know you will. Just like a cockroach,¡± he replied. ¡°And I¡¯lle for you. I promise.¡± ¡°Are you ready to say goodbye yet?¡± I asked watching as the queue for passport control quickly died down and I was the only one left in the waiting area. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll ever be.¡± ¡°What about a goodbye for now?¡± I questioned. ¡°We¡¯ll meet again, Leonardo. I¡¯m sure of it.¡± Tears were now streaming down my face. ¡°Well until then?¡± he said. I was sure he shared my tears. I could hear it in his voice. ¡°Until then,¡± I whispered. ¡°I love you.¡± ¡°I love you too,¡± he replied before he hung up and I was left all alone in the room. I clutched my phone to my chest and screwed up my face desperately trying to hold in a howl.This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Instead, it escaped in broken sobs and patchy cries as I gasped for oxygen. Why is it that you don¡¯t realise the extent of your love for someone until you don¡¯t have them anymore? I don¡¯t think I could have loved him anymore. Chapter 40 For a moment, I considered going straight back to Seattle. The next flight could only be a few hours away. But then I remembered why I was here. What I had to do. Save Cato. I took a few more moments topose myself. I let the tears dry into stains and the grief sink deep within before standing up and walking bravely to passport control. ¡°I saw you crying over there. Are you alright, Miss?¡± the woman asked as she checked my passport on herputer. ¡°Not really,¡± I replied. ¡°Is there anything I can do?¡± she asked with a kind smile. ¡°Not really. But thank you anyway,¡± I said taking my passport and heading into Mexico. I called Andrea. He was delighted to hear of my arrival and said there¡¯d be a car to pick me up within the hour. And there was. Twenty minutes, a ck, tinted window car rolled up in front of the airport where I had been sat miserably on the floor. A Mexican climbed out and quickly scanned the crowd. When his eyesnded on the only blonde woman in the entire ce, he marched forward and picked up my rucksack. ¡°Come with me,¡± he said dryly. I stood up and followed him back to his car where he hustled me into the back seat. We drove in silence through the desert for about twenty minutes before arriving at the same warehouse. I hadn¡¯t even been two weeks since I wasst here. Since I left and thought I¡¯d never have toe back again. The driver took my arm and led me into the building. I could hear voices? andughter inside that immediately ceased when the door opened. I froze as Iy my eyes on Andrea, sat on a chair in a circle of three other men. The driver pushed me further in and Andrea gestured for the other men to leave. He stared at me with an evil smirk stered across his lips before beckoning me with his finger. I hesitantly stepped a little closer as he continued to eye me out. I got to about two metres away before he opened his mouth to speak. ¡°nca, how wonderful it is to see you again,¡± he said in an amused tone. ¡°Where is my son?¡± I asked. ¡°We will get to that in a moment,¡± he said standing up and striding closer to me. He cupped my face in one hand and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear with the other. Then, before I could see iting, he struck me across the face causing my nose to immediately spout blood. ¡°That was for escaping me,¡± he whispered in my ear before pushing his lips against mine. The kiss only probablysted about 5 seconds but for me, it felt as though he was never going to stop. I could do nothing but stand motionless and let him do it without risking both Cato¡¯s and my own life. When he was done forcing himself upon me, he pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and dabbed the blood on my nose. So he¡¯s gonna hit me then clean up after himself? Psycho. Eventually, he let go of me and said something in Spanish to the driver. He left and a few short momentster returned holding the hand of a small, blonde, seven-year-old boy. I breathed a sigh of relief as I saw my son. He didn¡¯t look hurt or scared or even unhappy and the driver let go of his hand allowing him to run forward into my arms. ¡°Mommy!¡± he cried as I clung to him tightly. ¡°Cato,¡± I whispered stroking his hair as I lifted him into the air. ¡°Are you okay?¡± He nodded excitedly. ¡°Juan? is showing me how to y cards!¡± he replied. ¡°Who¡¯s Juan, sweetie?¡± I asked and he pointed to the driver. ¡°And can we have Mexican for dinner more often?!¡± I smiled and hugged him tighter. ¡°Of course,¡± I replied knowing that I may never make him dinner again. ¡°And Andrea is teaching me Spanish!¡± he added with pride in his voice. I looked over Cato¡¯s shoulder at Andrea, loathing him slightly less knowing that he treated Cato well. ¡°Are you noting home too, Mama?¡± he asked looking at me suddenly far less happy. I shook my head and squeezed him a little further. ¡°No, bambino. I have to stay here,¡± I replied. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°So that you can go home. Like a swap,¡± I exined. ¡°Will you be back?¡± he asked. ¡°Maybe, maybe not,¡± I said truthfully. He was only seven but he was old enough to understand. ¡°I¡¯ll miss you,¡± he said clinging tightly. ¡°I¡¯ll miss you too, Cato. But you have to promise that you¡¯ll look out for everybody. Papa, Ss, Mathias, Francesca,? Marie, Lili, Stefano, Zacharias, Granny Rosa, Grandad, Granny Mara, Luca. Everybody, okay?¡± He nodded. ¡°I promise,¡± he whispered burying? his face in my shoulder. ¡°Good boy,¡± I said kissing his head as the driver, who I now knew was called Juan, approached. ¡°I love you lots and lots.¡± ¡°I love you lots and lots more,¡± he replied. ¡°Come on, Cato,¡± Juan said cing his hand on his back. ¡°No!¡± he cried as he tried to prize him out of my arms. ¡°Mama, no!¡± He clutched me tightly and was soon wailing as he was ripped out of my hands. With floods of tears running down my cheeks, I watched as he was dragged out of the warehouse and then listened as he was put in the car and driven away. ¡°You have kept your side of the deal, now I will keep mine. He¡¯ll be in Seattle by nightfall,¡± Andrea said. ¡°That is unless your Alpha tries anything between then and now.¡±T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°He won¡¯t,¡± I replied wiping my eyes. ¡°That is good to hear,¡± he stated sitting down at the same chair he was on when I first came in. ¡°You¡¯re weren¡¯t trying to trick us?¡± I asked incredibly relieved. ¡°I have no interest in hurting a little boy even if he will grow up to be an Alpha,¡± Andrea exined. ¡°And besides, I¡¯ve got what I wanted,¡± he added with a smirk. Chapter 41 ¡°If you are going to kill me, can you get it over with?¡± I questioned. ¡°Oh, no, nca. You don¡¯t get that kind of privilege anymore,¡± he replied. ¡°Come here,¡± he added tapping hisp. I hesitated for a moment before slowly walking forwards and perching on his knees. ¡°You¡¯re going to be my little bitch. You¡¯re gonna do everything I say,¡± he whispered in his thick Mexican ent into my ear as he wrapped his arms around my waist. ¡°You¡¯re gonna work for me, entertain me, cook for me¡­ can you cook, nca?¡± ¡°A little,¡± I replied. ¡°Good. I wanna try some of your Italian shit. And in doing all of this, you can repay me for all this trouble you¡¯ve caused.¡± ¡°And if I don¡¯t?¡± I asked. ¡°Then I will kill you,¡± he deadpanned. ¡°In an utmost unpleasant, drawn-out manner. So which will it be, nca?¡± ¡°You leave me little choice,¡± I replied. ¡°Excellent,¡± he chirped before kissing my neck, right where Leo¡¯s mark was. ¡°Now let¡¯s get somewhere that Alpha of yours will never find you.¡± Half an hourter, we were back at the airport. Another one of Andrea¡¯s men had driven us and left us. I had no idea where he was taking me, of course, because why would I get to know details like that. The air in the terminal was thick and hot. Every breath I took of it filled me with an unpleasant warmth that clung to me and suffocated me. My stomach was sickened by the musk that lingered in my nose and when Andrea¡¯s fingers wrapped around my wrist, it lurched. ¡°Remember, your son is a phone call away before you consider making a scene,¡± he whispered as we reached the front of the line for the ticket counter. ¡°Don¡¯t think I wouldn¡¯t do it.¡± I nodded. ¡°I think a lot of things about you, Andrea but not once have I underestimated your intentions,¡± I replied, trying to ignore the nausea from my stomach and the dizziness in my head. ¡°You think a lot about me? All good I presume?¡± he said as we approached the woman at the desk. He turned to her, put on a friendly smile and ced our passports and his credit card on the counter and asked for two tickets to Venezu. They were speaking in Spanish and I, unfortunately, was unable to catch the airport name. Venezu was a huge country, I needed a more exact location if I ever manage to contact Leo again. After he had been given the tickets, Andrea held onto mine so I couldn¡¯t read it from there either. As we approached security, his phone began to ring. ¡°Que?¡± he grumbled. By the sounds of things and by the way his grip was ever tightening on my wrist, he wasn¡¯t particrly happy with whoever was on the receiving end. I scanned the airport, not for any particr reason. I wasn¡¯t looking to escape, I wasn¡¯t looking for salvation, I wasn¡¯t looking for a n B. Well not until Cato was safe anyway. I watched a family, two daughters and a son, rush through the wide hallway. The children skipped andughed as the parents desperately tried to hustle them to wherever they were going. I then noticed a couple, stood hand in hand looking like they were having the times of their lives. The woman, about my age, noticed me staring and I quickly took my gaze to the floor. A few momentster, Andrea was finished on the phone. He let out frustrated noises as he shoved his phone back into his pocket. ¡°Come on,¡± he growled, gripping my upper arm and dragging me closer to the bag and passport check. Just as we reached the end of the queue I heard footsteps approach us. ¡°Excuse me, Miss. Are you okay?¡± a kind voice asked. I looked up to see the woman from the couple I¡¯d been watching. From her ent, she was clearly American and her eyes were full of concern and agitation. I opened my mouth to speak but Andrea interrupted me. ¡°She¡¯s fine,¡± he said bluntly. ¡°The blood on her nose-¡± she began. ¡°I said she¡¯s fine,¡± Andrea repeated firmly. He then ced his hand on my back and turned me away from them. ¡°Go to the restroom and clean yourself thene straight back. I don¡¯t want you drawing any more attention to yourself, understand?¡± he said quietly in my ear. I nodded, stepping forward in the direction of the restroom. Before I got far he grabbed my wrist again and pulled me back in. ¡°And remember what is at stake if you do anything to piss me off,¡± he added in a deep menacing tone. I gulped and walked quickly to the restroom. It was empty so I took the opportunity to allow the tears I¡¯d been holding back to fall as I dabbed my nose with a tissue. When I had just about cleaned away all the blood, the door opened and the American woman walked in. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re okay, baby? Did that man do this to you?¡± she asked noticing my tears and rushing up to me. My eyes flickered to the door. Closed. The walls. Thick. The restroom. Empty. She ced a hand on my back and I hesitantly nodded, my heart rate rising. Could I bepromising my son¡¯s safety? ¡°How can I help? Call security? The police?¡± she questioned. ¡°No, no, no. Please. You can¡¯t tell anyone. Please don¡¯t tell anyone,¡± I begged.? ¡°Can I use your phone?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± she said fumbling with the buckle of her handbag and thrusting her phone into my hand. I quickly dialled Leo¡¯s number as she stepped away from me a little and gave me some privacy. ¡°Leo, it¡¯s me,¡± I said as soon as he picked up.T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°E? Are you okay?-¡± he began. ¡°I don¡¯t have much time. Cato is okay and he is on his way home,¡± I said. ¡°And Andrea is taking me to Venezu. I don¡¯t know whereabouts or why but he says he isn¡¯t going to kill me yet if I do everything he tells me to do.¡± ¡°¡®Yet¡¯? What do you mean by ¡®yet¡¯?¡± Leo questioned. ¡°Isn¡¯t going to kill you in the next week, month, year?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, Leo,¡± I replied in a sob. ¡°But please don¡¯te and look for me until Cato is safe. Promise me.¡± ¡°Okay, yes. I promise.¡± ¡°I have to go. He¡¯ll be wondering where I am,¡± I said after a little pause. ¡°This saying goodbye thing isn¡¯t getting any easier,¡± he answered. ¡°I love you,¡± I told him, which appeared to now be the routine. ¡°I love you too,¡± he replied before I hung up. I walked back across the restroom to the woman and handed her her phone. ¡°Did he see youe in?¡± I asked. ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± she said looking worried. ¡°Are you sure I can¡¯t help in any other way?¡± ¡°You already have. So very much. Now all you can do is make sure he doesn¡¯t find out that I used your phone and definitely don¡¯t call the police. He has connections with them and it will only put me in more danger,¡± I replied striding to the door. ¡°Thank you.¡± Chapter 42 I then left the restroom and rushed back to where Andrea was waiting in the line. ¡°What took you so long, nca? I didn¡¯t make you bleed that much,¡± he said in a growly tone in my ear. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Andrea,¡± I mumbled. ¡°I had to pee too.¡± ¡°Tell me next time,¡± he replied taking my hand. So I have to share my excretion needs with him now too? ¡°Can I ask where we are going?¡± I questioned. ¡°I have a house in Venezu. You don¡¯t need to know where exactly but it¡¯s big and nice.¡± ¡°Is your drug cartel business not here in Mexico?¡± I asked. He stifled augh. ¡°Oh, nca. You have no idea,¡± he said in an amused tone as he ran a finger along my cheek. ¡°I don¡¯t run no pussy Mexico-America business. It¡¯s a worldwide organisation. We have people everywhere.¡±Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. ¡°Everywhere?¡± I asked, longing to p that cocky smirk off his face. ¡°Everywhere,¡± he confirmed. ¡°How did it take you so long to realise that ¡®Eleonora D¡¯Meritchi¡¯ was actually E Loren then?¡± I asked with a raised eyebrow. His face dropped and he let out a short, low, pissed off breath. ¡°I had an inkling that she wasn¡¯t who she said she was, but I¡¯ll admit the truth was far greater than I could ever imagine. Leonardo Loren¡­ now his Luna wasn¡¯t someone I ever thought I¡¯d be able to kiss,¡± he said as his hand made it¡¯s way to my hip and he ced his lips on my cheek. He closed his eyes and let out a soft moan as he left the lingering kiss. I could only stand frozen and let him. ¡°What happens when you find your mate?¡±? I asked quietly. He took my hand again. ¡°You¡¯re worth a lot, nca. People will pay millions for Alpha Leonardo Loren¡¯s Luna,¡± he said as we got to the front of the queue. ¡°Or perhaps I¡¯ll just dispose of you. But don¡¯t you worry, I¡¯ll think of something.¡± I gulped and shuddered internally. How very reassuring. Although I guess in my experience, bad people don¡¯t tend to be blessed with mates. Luciano being a prime example. When we had, had our bags and passports checked, we entered the gate. Andrea led us to a bench that was coincidentally opposite the couple from earlier. The woman immediately spotted us and nudged the man. ¡°There¡¯s that poor girl from earlier,¡± she whispered to him. Of course, Andrea and I with our werewolf hearing knew exactly what they said. Andrea narrowed his eyes and sat up straighter. ¡°Is there a problem?¡± he asked assertively with a raised eyebrow. ¡°Andrea-¡± I began cing my hand on his arm. And I was the one drawing attention? He turned to me and brought his finger to his lips before ring back to the couple. I sat quietly on the edge of my seat and watched as they exchanged nervous looks, unsure of what to say. ¡°How do you know this woman?¡± The man asked eventually. ¡°She is my girlfriend. What is the problem?¡± Andrea replied quickly. ¡°She doesn¡¯t look too happy and we were just a little concerned,¡± he said thankfully not mentioning the phone call. ¡°I¡¯m okay, really,¡± I reassured. ¡°I just get nervous about flying.¡± ¡°The bloody nose?¡± ¡°She suffers from nosebleeds. It¡¯s the heat,¡± Andrea said deeply as in turn he stared them both hard in the eyes. I could tell by the way they shuffled on their seats, how uneasy they were feeling. Andrea had that effect on people. And they were only human, they couldn¡¯t even smell the authority leaching out of his every vent. Andrea refused to look away, relentlessly ring, until they finally stood up and moved to a different bench on the far side of the gate. ¡°They think that just because I¡¯m a Mexican man and you¡¯re a white woman that I must be abusing you. Stupid fucking American prejudice,¡± he grumbled. ¡°But you did hit me,¡± I pointed out. ¡°They don¡¯t know that,¡± he said. ¡°They are just assuming.¡± ¡°Assuming correctly,¡± I muttered under my breath. ¡°Dear Juan,¡± Andrea began, folding his arms over his chest and looking forward with a straight face. ¡°Please ensure that Cato doesn¡¯t make it home. Unfortunately, his mother is being a bitch.¡± I unfolded my arms and my face scowl dropped to a quivering lip. ¡°You better learn to control that mouth of yours. I don¡¯t know about your Alpha, but I¡¯m not going to tolerate it. You¡¯ve caused me enough trouble already,¡± he replied sternly. I nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t make me tell you again or I might really have to text Juan,¡± he threatened just before the boarding announcement came through on the tannoy. We were soon on the ne to Venezu. Caracas, to be precise. I sat by the window and savoured the view. I wasn¡¯t exactly sure what was going to happen next in my life so I wanted to ensure I¡¯d appreciated as much as I could. The couple were nowhere to be seen so I was able to rest assured that Andrea wasn¡¯t going to find out about the phone call. Although the effects of the pill had worn, waves of extreme exhaustion swept over me and I allowed my self to sleep. The flight? dragged on for hours; I was kind of thankful for that. I didn¡¯t know exactly where we were going but one thing is for sure: I didn¡¯t want to get there. Unfortunately, we did eventually get there. The nended with a shaking thud on the runway and Andrea was soon tightly holding my upper arm and marching through the airport. I practically had to run to keep up with his long strides, wondering why on earth he was in such a rush. Chapter 43 After only about half an hour, we were leaving the airport into the thick Venezun heat. I was beginning to feel a little weak from hunger and the humidity certainly didn¡¯t help. The city was loud too. Andrea dragged me through it at breakneck speed until we reached a ck truck parked down an alleyway. ¡°In,¡± he ordered opening the door. I slowly stepped into the cool, air-conditioned back seat before Andrea mmed the door and walked around to the passenger¡¯s seat. The driver eyed me through the rear mirror but didn¡¯t say a word and instead began driving out of the city. I silently watched the view, the glimmering blue sea, busy street vendors, kids ying. Under other circumstances, I would have thought Caracas would be a wonderful ce to visit. I¡¯m sure we can all understand why I couldn¡¯t really appreciate it alongside the devil himself. After we had left the city and had been driving down a jungly track for some hours, Andrea¡¯s phone began to ring. The voice of a man, sounding vaguely familiar, came through talking in fast-paced Spanish. It was the same voice from earlier, the one Andrea had been on the phone to in the Mexican airport and he looked even more displeased than he did then. He eventually hung up, after growling deep, angry Spanish incantations down the phone line. ¡°Stop the car,¡± he ordered and the driver brought the vehicle to a lurching halt. Andrea got out and marched round to my door. He opened the door and I shuffled away from his furious grasp. ¡°My patience is hanging on by a thread. Don¡¯t make me fucking lose it with you and your fucking Alpha,¡± he growled grabbing my leg and forcing me out of the car. ¡°Your fucking Alpha,¡± he repeated pinning me against the hot, ck paint of the car. He then struck me across the face once again, this time on the cheek. ¡°I want him dead. I want to slowly squeeze the life out of him after forcing him to watch me make love to his Luna and kill every one of his stupid fucking kids with their big blue eyes and yellow fucking hair,¡± he continued as my eyes watered from the pain. My stomach lurched at the thought of my eight children even within a hundred-mile radius of Andrea. ¡°Why are you so angry?¡± I asked. ¡°What has he done?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s see,¡± Andrea began sping my hair. ¡°His men have killed Juan, taken your son, killed five of my men in Mexico and somehow learnt that you are in Venezu.¡± I looked up at Andrea and smiled as a flood of relief swept over me. Cato was safe. ¡°You¡¯ve messed with his family, what did you expect?¡± I asked before the gripped his hands around my neck tightly. ¡°Tell me why I shouldn¡¯t end you right here and now?¡± he demanded. ¡°Cut the bother.¡± ¡°It¡¯s toote. He¡¯lle for you whether I¡¯m dead or alive,¡± I replied struggling for air. ¡°And I¡¯m worth more to you with a beating heart, right?¡± He knew I was right. But although his grip loosened around my neck, his eyes and face hardened. He struck me again, this time around the eye and with his fist. I whimpered and my vision blurred for a moment or two. ¡°Don¡¯t make me think you aren¡¯t worth it,¡± he hissed before lifting me up and throwing me back into the car. We drove for some hours more. Every now and then I brought my fingers to my tender eye to investigate the swelling. Spoiler: it was bad. On the plus side, my eye had caught the metallic shimmer of a de in the pocket of the driver. Andrea was busy brooding at the time and I was able to discretely reach for it and slip it from his pocket and into my own. I took no joy in hurting people but if I had the opportunity with Andrea, I would hesitate for a second. Eventually, the car came to a grinding stop at the edge of a muddy, fast-flowing river. ¡°This looks like the sort of ce you bring someone to discretely murder them,¡± I mumbled as Andrea hauled me out of the car by my my arm and dragging me onto an overgrown jetty where a singr boat bobbed on the brown water.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. ¡°Don¡¯t tempt me, nca,¡± he replied before reaching into his pocket and handing the silent driver a wad of cash. The car was soon speeding back down the track, kicking up dust as it went and leaving us alone on the derelict jetty that was so rotten we could fall through at any moment. Taking my arm once again, he began leading me to the tiny motorboat. I heard the high pitched buzz of a mosquito in the air. Itnded on his tanned skin and he lifted his other hand to p it off. I flinched and closed my eyes for a brief second. Of course, Andrea noticed and he looked down at me and his eyes fluttered across his face before he smirked and looked away. ¡°You¡¯re scared of me, nca,¡± he stated. I didn¡¯t respond. ¡°Tell me why,¡± he said. ¡°You know why,¡± I replied quietly. ¡°I want to hear you say it.¡± I hesitated for a few moments and took a deep breath, ¡°You¡¯re terrifying.¡± He gave me a sarcastic smile. ¡°Thank you,¡± he said in a light tone before his face hardened. ¡°Now get in the boat.¡± I looked down at the old wooden thing and the rtively fast flowing river. I then thought about where it was going to take me and felt a sudden urge to do anything in my power to not end up in it. I backed away shaking my head. ¡°No,¡± I refused. ¡°Now that your son is safe you think it¡¯s okay to be difficult?¡± he said grabbing my wrist. ¡°Get in the fucking boat and don¡¯t make me say it again.¡± ¡°Fuck you,¡± I hissed withdrawing the stolen knife and surging it towards him. His grip loosened on my wrist and I cowered away. He brought his fingers slowly up to his cheek and dapped the scratch I had left on him. Blood oozed onto his fingertips and a slight trickle dripped down his cheek to his jaw. He stared as the blood on his hands for a few seconds before lifting his eyes up to me. ¡°You better run, nca,¡± he growled as his face twitched with anger. ¡°Before I fucking kill you.¡± I heeded his advice and bolted into the jungle. It was dense and the vines whipped andshed as I fought through leaves and branches and roots. His footsteps thundered towards me. Every stride of his covering twice the distance of mine. In my panic, I lost my step and caught my foot on a protruding root which sent me onto the floor. I rolled onto my back to see Andrea above me, still with murder in his eyes. He leant down and grabbed my ankles, pulling me underneath me and seizing my face in his hand. Chapter 44 ¡°You fucking bitch, nca,¡± he snarled, his mouth so close to mine. My pulse throbbed in my ears as watery tears built in my eyes. His re was relentless and dark, and his ws dug into my cheeks. ¡°I was told that you knew how to fight but that was pathetic Sweetheart,¡± he said ripping the knife out of my hand. The cut clearly only stretched across the surface of his cheek and the blood had already stopped flowing. He slowly brought the knife to my throat and pressed the back of the de against my skin. ¡°I am going to make you pay for this,¡± he said slowly and clearly, every word deep and cutting. I then briefly saw his fist flying towards my face before everything went dark and silent. Leo¡¯s Point of View The second the truck rolled into the base, I was opening the door. In the front, there were two men: one driving and one clutching what looked like just a bundle of nkets. The bundle of nkets stirred and I was met with a pair of innocent, watery eyes. ¡°Papa,¡± it sobbed. Its lips quivered and its eyebrows furrowed before tears began to stream down its soft little cheeks. I instantly pulled it into my arms and held it tight. ¡°Cato,¡± I whispered, kissing his head time and time again. ¡°It¡¯s okay. You¡¯re safe now.¡± He wrapped his little arms around my neck and clung as he cried into my chest. ¡°Thank you,¡± I said to the soldiers that had brought him back to me. ¡°Your bravery will be rewarded.¡± They nodded. ¡°We¡¯re just sorry that it came to what it came to and that your son had to experience,¡± one said. ¡°You did what was necessary and with time, he will recover.¡± The course of Cato¡¯s return hadn¡¯t run smoothly. E handed herself to Andrea and he released Cato. Cato was driven as far as California but then being the lying cheat Andrea is, withdrew from his part of the deal iming that Cato would remain in his custody until he no longer needed the threat of his demise to control E. The time frame for that was unrified and I saw the rescuing of my seven-year-old son from the trauma of being kidnapped by a gang of thugs as far too urgent to wait so had my men intercept the vehicle just before they got back to the border. It resulted in Cato witnessing the deaths of his abductors which is something no parent would ever want their kid to see even if they were bad people. I held myself fully responsible for this. I¡¯d failed as a parent and to make it even worse, now I was a single parent. E and I always brought the kids up together and she was so naturally good at it and always there to provide a voice of reason but she was no longer here so now I had to do it alone. When I arrived home with Cato the house was dark bar onemp on the coffee table in the living room. At least I still had my own Mother, Rosa, to help out. She woke immediately from the sofa and rushed tofort Cato who was still in my arms. ¡°Oh, bambino. You¡¯re home,¡± she said kissing his cheek and taking his little cold hands into the soft warmth of hers. He produced a smile. It was small and feeble but it was there. ¡°You better get to bed, young man,¡± she added. ¡°It¡¯s awfully past your bedtime.¡± He smiled again and I slowly carried him upstairs. ¡°Can I sleep in your room tonight, Daddy?¡± he asked as we reached the top of the stairs. I nodded and made my way to the room I shared with E with great caution not to wake any of the others. He was asleep within minutes ofying his sweet head on my chest but held tightly to me the entire night. I wrapped my arm around him and closed my eyes, letting out a deep breath. Now all I had to worry about was E. All? I couldn¡¯t bear to imagine Andrea¡¯s reaction to the ambush and how he would have taken it out on her. But I knew that it¡¯s what she would have wanted me to do. Put our son first and do whatever it takes. The least I could do was honour her wishes. I next woke on a slightly damp, hard floor to the sound of a loud engine. I slowly opened my eyes, squinting from the bright sun, to see a pair of smart shoed feet. I then looked up higher to see Andrea, still wearing the same suit, and sat controlling the motor of the boat. He nced down for a split second before taking his eyes back to the river as if he hadn¡¯t noticed me. I pulled my self into a tight ball and stared passively at the floor of the boat. My head throbbed and ached with a dull undetermined sense as my situation tried to sink in. It didn¡¯t feel real, how could it? About an hourter, the boat came to a stop. I didn¡¯t move a muscle but Andrea took my already bruised wrist and hauled me onto a jetty. ¡°Wee home,¡± he announced as I looked up to see the huge mansion in front of us. I remained silent as I was lead up a set of stairs to the front door where another suited man awaited us with a huge rifle slung across his chest. ¡°Buenas tardes, Se? or,¡± he said to Andrea with a nod. ¡°Chico, this is my new prized possession. Leonardo Loren¡¯s Luna,¡± Andrea said pushing me forward and presenting me. He looked across to me expressionlessly and scanned my face. He eventually nodded to me too but said nothing. ¡°You¡¯re in charge of making sure she doesn¡¯t get out of this house without my permission,¡± Andrea said cing his grabbing my arms and shoving me into the house. ¡°Don¡¯t fail me,¡± he added in a darker tone. Andrea pushed me into therge foyer? with a grand staircase and huge tall doors. It was dead quiet and our footsteps echoed around the room. ¡°This is the first house I ever bought,¡± he said. ¡°My house in Mexico is nice andvish andfortable but this? This is home to me. Perfectly ced in the middle of nowhere, where no one can ever find us.¡± He shot me a grin and winked. ¡°It¡¯s nice,¡± I said quietly. ¡°Come. I will give you a tour,¡± he said taking my hand. He then showed me every room in the house. It was big and beautiful but at the same time, I hated it. Every mosaiced floor, every water-colour wall, every huge plump bed, every swanky bathroom. Even the pool, blue and refreshing, shook me. ¡°And this is the master bedroom,¡± he said opening the door to the final room. It was vast. The bed was the biggest yet, the balcony stretched out so far it could have space for its own pool and the closet was by right another room. ¡°What do you think of the view?¡± he asked wrapping his arms around me as I looked over the balcony into the array of jungle that stretched as far as the eye could see. ¡°It¡¯s refreshing,¡± I replied quietly.This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. The wild, untamed nature of the jungle also reminded me of all the freedom I didn¡¯t have but I wasn¡¯t going to bring that up now. ¡°Good,¡± he stated. ¡°Now, I have a few questions before I put you to good use.¡± Chapter 45 He then ced a hand on my back and ushered me to a chair. ¡°Firstly, is there any chance you could be pregnant?¡± he asked. ¡°No,¡± I replied after a short pause. I looked out at the setting sun over the horizon. Andrea¡¯s tall silhouette blocked most of the rays that? streaked like golden ribbons but some seeped past him into the room, lighting it up in an amber illumination. ¡°100% sure?¡± Andrea¡¯s deep voice asked snapping me back to reality. ¡°Yes,¡± I said through gritted teeth. His face curled into an amused smile. ¡°An entire week with your Alpha but he hasn¡¯t been inside you, huh?¡± he jeered. ¡°Why¡¯s that, nca?¡± ¡°You already know,¡± I said refusing to look him in my eye. ¡°He killed my brother.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re punishing him by depriving him from what¡¯s rightfully his? I¡¯m surprised Leonardo Loren stands for that,¡± he mused. ¡°He¡¯s a good man. He knows that he doesn¡¯t have the right to anything,¡± I snapped maybe with a little too much spite. ¡°Not anymore anyway,¡± Andrea replied crouching down in front of me. ¡°You¡¯re mine now. And if I want it, I will get it, understand?¡± He cupped my face in my hand. I had little choice but to nod and internally damn him to the fiery pits of hell. ¡°Next question, how good is your cooking?¡± he asked standing up again and folding his arms. ¡°Mediocre.¡± ¡°It better be more than mediocre because I have some associatesing for dinner tonight and you¡¯re going to cook for us,¡± he replied. ¡°And then tomorrow I have another job for you.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to help me kill someone,¡± he stated. ¡°I¡¯ve been trying to kill for the past year but tomorrow night there is a party and he will be there.¡± I opened my mouth to speak but found myself too overwhelmed. ¡°Rx babe,¡± he said wrapping his arms around me again. ¡°You only have to distract him, I¡¯ll do the rest.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to kill someone at a party?¡± I questioned. ¡°You¡¯re right¡­¡± he said in thought. ¡°I should definitely bring a spare change of clothes, especially if I get blood on my shirt or something¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re psychotic,¡± I said. ¡°You should be into that. Your Alpha is the most notorious pyscho? in history,¡± Andrea replied with a sly smile as he stepped forward and ran a finger down the side of my face.? ¡°And you let him do all sorts of things to you¡­¡± I clenched my jaw and pushed his chest hard, shoving him away from me. He let out a shortugh and approached me again. ¡°Take off your shirt,¡± he said. ¡°What?¡± I asked. ¡°Take it off,¡± he repeated. ¡°Now.¡± ¡°Andre- I-¡± I stuttered. ¡°You¡¯ve got some serious making up to do for this,¡± he said pointing to the scratch on his cheek. ¡°Do it or I¡¯ll find some more painful way to make you pay,¡± he added pulling the gun from his belt and tapping it with his index finger. I hesitated for a few moments as he stared at me waiting, and I reached for the top button of my shirt. As slowly as possible, I undid the buttons, Andrea¡¯s hungry eyes on me the entire time, until I could shrug it off my shoulders. He stepped forward and ced his hands on my waist, admiring my bare skin. ¡°You have a beautiful body, nca,¡± he said. ¡°Lie down.¡± I stared nkly. ¡°Get on the bed, nca,¡± he ordered as he ran his hands up my sides to my chest. I tried to push him off me but he caught my iling arms and threw me down onto the mattress pinning me there with my wrists. He straddled me, squeezing me tightly between his legs and brought his lips agonisingly slowly to my ear. I could do nothing but lie still in his unyielding grasp and stare wide-eyed at the ceiling. ¡°You¡¯ve fucked one psycho so why not another?¡± he whispered. I looked across and met his darkened eyes. He stared at me for a few short moments in utter motionless silence. His right eye then twitched just a tiny bit a split second before he delved his hand down the back of my shorts. I began to protest as he tugged at thece rim of my panties but he promptly mmed arge hand over my mouth. ¡°Unless it¡¯s a moan of pleasure, I don¡¯t want to fucking hear it,¡± he growled before undoing the button of my shorts and pushing his hand closer. He was so heavy and despite my training, unbudgeable. I wondered for a moment how he could be so strong. He wasn¡¯t an Alpha, nor a Beta, nor anything really. Just a neen-year-old rogue with a gun. I felt a tear drip from my eye as he stopped to take off his shirt. ¡°Andrea, please-¡± I begged.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. ¡°Shut up,¡± he growled throwing his belt to the ground. I closed my eyes tightly as his trousers were unbuttoned and he pressed himself against me. I finallyy still and quiet, my mind no longer able tomunicate with my body as fear and pain shut it down. ¡°There¡¯s a good girl,¡± he whispered. He ced one hand on my neck and the other continued to pin down my arms. ¡°There¡¯s nothing you can do. Just give in and enjoy it. It¡¯s okay, I won¡¯t tell the Alpha. I Promise.¡± Before he could reach to remove my shorts or my underwear, there was a knock at the door. Andrea looked up and clenched his jaw. ¡°Que?!¡± he barked. ¡°Se? or,¡± a voice said before saying something else in Spanish. Chapter 46 Andrea unstraddled me and reached for his shirt as he marched to the door. He opened it halfway to reveal Chico. I scrambled for my shirt to cover myself as Chico noticed me on the bed and paused for a slight second before turning to Andrea and continuing what he was saying. When he was finished, he bowed his head and Andrea looked momentarily back at me as I stood in the corner, with my shirt wrapped across my body. ¡°Make sure she doesn¡¯t escape,¡± Andrea grunted before marching out of the room. Chico nodded, looked at me once again before closing the door and leaving me to redress as I listened to his pacing footsteps on the other side of the door. I stilly in the bed hourster drawing imaginary circles and patterns on the sheets with the tip of my finger. It had been the worse day of my life from start to finish. I hadn¡¯t slept, eaten and besides one ss of water, I¡¯d had nothing to drink either. But I wasn¡¯t thinking about that anymore. I was numb to it. Andrea had returned two hours after he left but didn¡¯te upstairs which I was eternally grateful for. The thought of seeing him made me feel sick to the stomach and intensified the dull ache in my head. ¡°nca!¡± his voice called from the stairs as I heard his footstepse up. ¡°Get up, it¡¯s time to cook.¡± I internally groaned but didn¡¯t move an inch. He then reached the room which had grown dark and flicked on the light. He was in my visual field but I refused to look at him. ¡°You look like shit,¡± he said. ¡°Have a shower and find some clothes to change into. Or I¡¯ll do it for you.¡± I didn¡¯t respond or even move until he had left the room at which point I slowly sat up and ran my fingers through my knotty hair. The bathroom was bright and the dazzling light burnt my eyes but I forced myself into the shower where the hot water and steam brought at least somefort. Being clean of Andrea¡¯s touch was a relief too. I then wrapped myself in thergest towel possible and searched through the drawers looking for something to wear. I eventually found a drawer with woman¡¯s clothes in. They all seemed unworn and clean but also slightly obscene. I found the least revealing skirt there was and the loosest shirt but all the underwear was clearly designed to be seen. I sighed at all the redce and thongs and grabbed the first panties and first bra I saw, not caring if they matched. After buttoning the shirt all the way up and pulling the skirt as far down as possible so that my panties weren¡¯t on show, I headed downstairs. When I got downstairs, Andrea hadid out some spaghetti, tomatoes, herbs and other various ingredients you need to make spaghetti bolognese. He was fortunately nowhere to be seen so I got to work cutting onions and garlic. ¡°Finally doing as you are told, I see,¡± his voice said as he came into the kitchen. ¡°That didn¡¯t take long. Why did your Alpha have so much trouble with you?¡± Because he cares about me and would never hurt me. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± I replied quietly. I then felt him draw up behind me and put his hands under my armpits and towards my chest. I froze and stared down at the knife in my hand as he reached for the buttons on my shirt. ¡°That¡¯s better,¡± he said after he had undone the top four buttons and pulled my skirt up a little. ¡°I don¡¯t want you hiding your beautiful body¡­ especially from my business partners.¡± He then smacked my ass and disappeared out the kitchen leaving me still with the knife in my hand. That was the perfect opportunity to kill the bugger but I was¡­ scared. Twenty minutester, the doorbell rang and Andrea immediately left his office to open it. ¡°Andrea! H!¡± an unfamiliar voice greeted. ¡°Giovanni, Pablo, Rafael! It¡¯s good to see you again,¡± Andrea replied before three strangers appeared in the kitchen.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. ¡°And who¡¯s this?¡± one asked instantly seeing me behind the counter. He was clearly Hispanic? but obviously wanted me to understand what he was saying and could tell I was more likely to understand English. ¡°Ah!¡± Andrea said his eyes lighting up. ¡°This is my new bitch. E Jones, Luna of Alpha Leonardo Loren.¡± ¡°Loren¡¯s mate¡­¡± one said eyeing me. ¡°Good catch, Andrea. But I¡¯ve heard about her. Doesn¡¯t she give the Alpha a run for his money? Always running away, disobeying, talking back¡­ ect¡­¡± ¡°Eh,¡± Andrea said with a shrug. ¡°I managed to put her in her ce nice and quick. If you know what I mean.¡± They all nodded andughed between themselves. Haha, so funny. They sat around the table for the next twenty minutes as I cooked talking loudly and drinking beer.? Every now and then, Andrea would look up and eye me, giving me an approving nod that I was doing what I was supposed to be. ¡°Had you ever been with a man other than your Alpha, nca?¡± One of them asked as I tested the pasta to see if it was cooked. ¡°No,¡± I replied. ¡°Ahh, you saved your virginity for him then?¡± he asked. ¡°Yes,¡± I replied. ¡°How sweet,¡± Andrea jeered. ¡°Who¡¯d you think would be better in bed, Alpha Loren or Andrea?¡± the one I believed to be Pablo questioned. ¡°Answer wisely,¡± another warned. ¡°Andrea,¡± I replied after a long pause. Obviously, it was a lie and everybody at the table knew it. The truth was clear. ¡°That¡¯s my girl,¡± Andrea said, ¡°Now get us more beers.¡± ¡°She¡¯s hot. How much for a night?¡± one asked as I walked to the fridge. ¡°I¡¯m not sharing, Giovanni,¡± Andrea replied. ¡°She¡¯s mine.¡± ¡°Shame. What about a kiss?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ fifty thousand,¡± Andrea suggested as I got four beers out the fridge and brought them back to the table. ¡°Deal,¡± Giovanni replied.? Unfortunately, I was stood next to him as I handed out the beers meaning his hand could easily slide up the inside of my leg. For some reason, I looked at Andrea for help but he did nothing butugh. I felt a sudden wave of anger, why the hell was I letting them get away with this? I¡¯ll help my fucking self. ¡°Get off me,¡± I hissed grabbing Giovanni¡¯s hand and twisting it back behind his back before pushing his head into the table. He let out a whimper to which the other three around the tableughed at. ¡°You¡¯re gonna let a woman treat you like that, Giovanni?¡± Pablo asked. ¡°Look at the size of her. You¡¯re making yourself look weak.¡± He tried to get out of my grip but I held him tight, fueled by anger and adrenaline. ¡°nca, let him go,¡± Andrea ordered after I had been holding his arm awkwardly bent for ten or so seconds. ¡°E,¡± he repeated. Ipletely ignored Andrea which led? him to? promptly get out of his seat and effortlessly prize me off his friend. ¡°Fucking bitch,¡± Giovanni cursed as he stood up and straightened himself up. He then hit me hard across the face as Andrea held my arms down by my side. There were a few moments of absolute silence before he lurched forward and repulsively kissed me on the lips as he held my face in his dirty great hands and Andrea held me still. His breath reeked of beer and his skin smelt of cigarettes and tequ. ¡°Just a second,¡± Andrea said to his friends when he was quite done before hauling me out the kitchen and up the stairs into his room. ¡°You fucking deserved that. I would have done it harder myself,¡± he growled roughly wiping the blood off my nose with a tissue.? ¡°I don¡¯t like that man and he is worthless to me but if I tell you to do something, you do it, right?¡± Chapter 47 I nodded. ¡°So why didn¡¯t you let go of him when I told you to?¡± he asked bringing his face close to mine and shaking me by my shoulders. ¡°I don¡¯t want them thinking I can¡¯t control a fucking woman.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I said. ¡°Just please don¡¯t let him touch me again.¡± ¡°Depends how much he offers me, babe. I¡¯ve made fifty thousand off you already tonight. So, you¡¯re going toe back downstairs, serve our dinner, not speak unless spoken to and do everything I tell you to, got it?¡± I nodded again and he dragged me back downstairs. ¡°I thought you had her on a leash, Andrea?¡± Giovanni asked as we came back into the kitchen. ¡°Oh, I do. She¡¯d never dare to even try to do that to me,¡± he replied sitting back down as I got the pasta out the pan. ¡°See women are like animals chasing prey. If they think they can take you, they will. She obviously perceived you as weak.¡± I bit my tongue at his 19th-centuryparison and said everything I wanted to say to him in my head. ¡°Hmm,¡± Giovanni said with a forced smile before swigging half his beer. Five minutester, I was serving them their meals. Andrea insisted that I sat next to him and ate something too. Truthfully, I was now starving but the eyes of four disgusting men staring at you whilst you try to eat is off-putting ¨C to say the very least. ¡°What¡¯s up, nca?¡± Andrea asked halfway through the meal. His hand rested on my bare leg as he looked me in the eye. ¡°Your food is good. Why aren¡¯t you eating?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not hungry,¡± I replied,? wary of where his hand was and how tightly he was now gripping. ¡°Eat,¡± he said imperatively. I looked down and picked up my fork and he took his hand off. When the meal was over, I cleared up and Andrea made me sit with his friends for hours. They drank beer after beer and joked about sexist, racist and homophobic things that I didn¡¯t find in the slightest bit funny. They also made inappropriatements about Me and then Leo and then our Kids. ¡°So what do you want with Loren¡¯s mate anyway?¡± Giovanni asked. He¡¯d been staring at me for some time without a word and still seemed to be fuming from earlier. ¡°She seems more bother than she¡¯s worth.¡± ¡°Four reasons. One, she¡¯s hot and very fuckable. Two, she¡¯s a little trophy giving me the one up on the supposed most powerful man in the world. Three, Loren messed with me so I¡¯m going to mess with him. And finally, I want his pack and we all know stealing a man¡¯s mate is the best way to control him,¡± Andrea exined. My eyes widened at the final reason. Andrea wants the pack? ¡°So you¡¯re nning for world take over?¡± Pablo asked. ¡°Pretty much. And this little one, is going to help me,¡± he replied. ¡°But not yet. He¡¯s 29 right now and probably the strongest he¡¯s ever been. We¡¯ll leave him for five years with eight kids but no mate and see how he¡¯s doing then.¡± ¡°So you n to keep her for five years?¡± Giovanni asked. ¡°Surely you could spare one night.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think you can handle her,¡± Andrea said with augh. ¡°You might end up dead.¡± Giovanni narrowed his eyes, ¡°I¡¯d like to see what she does with a gun to her head.¡± Andrea paused for a moment before turning to me. ¡°nca, stand up,¡± he ordered. I reluctantly did and he pointed to the spot on the other side of the table next to Giovanni. I gingerly walked over there cursing them all to hell. ¡°Ordinarily I wouldn¡¯t allow this but to make up for what happened earlier, it feels right. nca, get down on your knees.¡± ¡°Why?¡± I questioned. ¡°Don¡¯t ask questions. Just do it,¡± he replied sternly. I stared nkly at Andrea but he only raised an eyebrow urging me to do it. So I slowly knelt on the floor and Giovanni grabbed my hair with a grin as he reached for his belt. ¡°How much is this going to cost me, Andrea?¡± He asked. ¡°Totally free,¡± he said. ¡°A gift.¡± Giovanni nodded. ¡°But you can¡¯t cum,¡± Andrea added. ¡°I don¡¯t want your jizz in my bitch¡¯s mouth.¡± He paused from unbuckling his trousers and let out a slightugh. ¡°I knew there¡¯d be a catch,¡± he said letting go of my hair and pushing me away. ¡°Fuck you, Andrea.¡± Andreaughed and beckoned for me toe back to his side. He took my shaking hand in his and kissed my forehead. ¡°She¡¯s mine,¡± Andrea said. ¡°None of you can have her. Especially not before me.¡± He then turned to me. ¡°You are excused, nca,¡± he said. ¡°Go upstairs. I¡¯ll be upter.¡± I nodded and dly left the kitchen.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Andrea came into the bedroom an hour or soter after the other men had left. He peeled off his shirt and copsed next to me on the bed. He reeked of beer and tequ and a shiny sweat was visible on his skin as he fumbled around in his belt for his gun which he then threw carelessly onto the nightstand. ¡°You¡¯ll feel like shit in the morning if you don¡¯t drink water now,¡± I said after a few moments. ¡°Even werewolves aren¡¯t immune to that amount of alcohol.¡± ¡°Then get me water,¡± he grumbled. I got up and fetched him arge ss of water from the bathroom which he proceeded to drink the whole of. He then rolled onto his back and gestured to his feet, ¡°Take my shoes off.¡± I knealt down by the side of the bed and untied hisces before pulling the first shoe off his foot. As I reached for the other, he put his hand on the back of my neck and pushed his fingers up through my hair. ¡°I want you right now, nca,¡± he replied. ¡°But I¡¯m too drunk.¡± I breathed a sigh of relief and continued to fumble with his shoe. ¡°You need to sleep,¡± I said after finally getting his shoe off and putting it neatly by the other one at the end of the bed. He beckoned for me toe closer to him with a hand gesture but his drunken clumsiness gave me the confidence to refuse. He red for a few moments before lurching forward, grabbed my wrist and pulled me towards him. I held my breath as he held my face inches away from his and stared in silence. The anticipation of his next move drove me mad, but then he just let me go, rested his head on the pillow and closed his eyes. ¡°Good night, nca,¡± he mumbled. I slowly stood up. He didn¡¯t stir. Keeping my eyes fixated on him, I crept forward and took his gun from the nightstand and then crept back towards the door which was only a couple of metres away and millimetre by millimetre silently turned the knob so that the door could be inched open. Once I had slipped into the hallway with the bedroom door securely shut, I allowed myself to breathe and press my back against the wall, trying to pull myself together. I looked down at the gun; it was only a shotgun and rtively small but my hand still shook as I held it. What the hell am I doing? How did I get myself into this? Chapter 48 But there was no going back now so I took a deep breath,posed myself and whilst keeping my eye out for Andreaing after me, ran on my tiptoes down the dark hall towards the spiral stairs that lead down to the foyer. Just as I reached the top of the stairs, I felt something grab my arm and pull me around the corner. ¡°What are you doing, gringa?¡± a voice asked. It was deep but less harsh than Andrea¡¯s and with a thicker ent. Although his face was mostly shadowed by the night, I could tell it was Chico, still wearing the same expressionless face. ¡°I-¡± ¡°Trying to get yourself killed?¡± he? said quickly pulling the gun out of my hand and flicking the safety cap on. ¡°No-I-,¡± I stuttered. ¡°You know what the boss would do if he found out about this, yes?¡± he questioned shaking my shoulders. ¡°Why would you try this?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± I whispered. ¡°I wasn¡¯t thinking.¡± He sighed and nced around the hall. ¡°You¡¯re going to tell him?¡± He looked me in the eye briefly before pushing the gun back into my hands, ¡°Take this and put it back exactly where you found it.¡± I nodded frantically and let out a shaky thanks as my lips quivered. ¡°Don¡¯t do anything stupid,¡± he warned before letting me go. As Chico had ordered, I went straight back to Andrea¡¯s room and reced the gun being sure not to wake him and then I just silentlyy down on the other side of the bed, my heart beating fast. The thuds of my pulse surged in my ears along with the fuzzy hum of a high pitched note. As time went by, it became less piercing and the surging slowed. My hands also stopped shaking and I felt myself rx. I stared out the balcony at the rising moon and twinkling stars. The jungle seemed still and the twittering birds had been reced by the clicking of hundreds of insects hidden in the undergrowth. I must have been staring out for hours before I could sleep. Andrea didn¡¯t move leaving me alone to think over everything that had happened and to dwell on my own misery. The onlyforting thought I could think was Cato now being safely at home, probably curled up in the warmth of Leo¡¯s arms as they both slept. I smiled to myself at the image of the pair but at the same time it wretched my stomach that I wasn¡¯t there to see it for myself. I also thought about Chico, how he had helped me, how he had risked the wrath of Andrea for my benefit. He hadn¡¯t been warm or friendly or even smiled but it was nice to know that not everyone was fully against me here. The next day, I woke to a prod in the back. I opened my eyes to be met with a gun. I let out a choked gasp as I tried to shuffle away but he onlyughed, withdrew the gun and turned away. ¡°Get up, nca,¡± he said. ¡°We have shit to do today.¡± I closed my eyes, once again trying to banish my fear. It was just his idea of a joke. I sat up and rubbed my eyes. I could feel my hair sticking up in all directions and the bags under my eyes but I had no energy to do anything about it so I just followed Andrea downstairs to the kitchen. ¡°Are you hungry?¡± he questioned. ¡°No,¡± I said in a hoarse tone. ¡°Then go and sit out in the garden,¡± he said pointing to the doors. ¡°I¡¯ll be out in a few minutes and we have much to discuss.¡± I say nothing and just stepped out onto the patio, a clingy warmth instantly hitting me. Chico was walking on patrol around the perimeter of thewn. He caught my eye and his stare lingered for a moment or two before he continued doing his job as if he¡¯d never seen me. The heat was unbearable so I made my way under the shade of a tree by the pool and pulled my knees against my chest. I watched the soft breeze ripple the water and slosh in against the ceramic edges. But despite its crystal blue colour and the fierce morning heat, I didn¡¯t feel invited by it in the slightest. I¡¯d rather hide in the shadows. Under the cover of the leafy tree, the temperature wasfortable and the air felt less thick and warm. I took a deep breath in and felt the closest to peace I had in days. But wait. Herees a condescending piece of shit to destroy that. Andrea stepped out of the house and scanned the yard for a few moments before his eyesnded on me. He strode across the neatwn until he reached a deckchair just beside the tree I was underneath. He leant back and closed his eyes letting the sun rays doze his brown skin. Considering his statest night, he did not look all that bad. His hair was unbrushed and he wasn¡¯t dressed in his usual smart attire but apart from that, there was little evidence of a hangover. ¡°Do you not like the sun, nca?¡± he asked. ¡°I live in Washington,¡± I replied bluntly after a moment or so. ¡°You¡¯ll get used to the heat soon enough,¡± he said. ¡°Anyway, we¡¯re going out.¡± ¡°Where?¡± I asked. ¡°Remember how you were my lil errand bitch before I found out you were lying to me?¡± he began. ¡°I don¡¯t normally give second chances but I¡¯m thinking you could still have a use. If you prove me right, maybe I won¡¯t kill you.¡± Howforting. ¡°As I told you yesterday, we¡¯re attending a party tonight and there will be a man there that you are going to help me kill,¡± he began. ¡°When we arrive, I will point him out to you and then you¡¯re on your own because he can not see my face. All you have to do is get him upstairs alone. Shouldn¡¯t be too difficult. I got you a pretty dress to wear,¡± he exined. ¡°You want me to¡­¡± I began. ¡°Rx¡­ you don¡¯t have to fuck him. Just act like you¡¯re going to. I¡¯lle up and kill the bastard before he gets that far,¡± he exined. ¡°How good is your acting?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t lie for shit,¡± I replied. ¡°What about for your life, eh?¡± he asked. ¡°If he finds out that you are working for me?¡± He thenughed and smirked, ¡°You will be dead, nca, and that¡¯s for sure.¡± I gulped. ¡°And make sure you get his gun off him. Understand?¡± I nodded.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. ¡°Ever seduced a man before?¡± he asked. ¡°I have a mate,¡± I said. ¡°As you are well aware.¡± ¡°Funny. I would have imagined that it¡¯s Loren that does the initiating,¡± Andrea replied. ¡°You¡¯re surprisingly obsessed with Alpha Loren¡¯s sex life,¡± I began. ¡°What else do you wanna know? How long it takes him to cum? His favourite position? If he¡¯s ever experimented with a man?¡± ¡°Watch it, nca,¡± Andrea hissed. ¡°You¡¯re treading on thin ice.¡± I grinned to myself, happy in the knowledge that I pissed him off. ¡°I ain¡¯t no motherfucking gay,¡± he replied. ¡°I can show you how straight I am tonight if you like, huh?¡± I looked down to the floor. Chapter 49 ¡°That¡¯s what I thought,¡± he grumbled. We sat in silence for a few minutes before he spoke again. Three hourster, I was sat in the back of an SUV with Andrea as Chico drove. Thankfully, we¡¯d avoided the sketchy boat trip and taken a jungle track away from the house instead but the journey was long and silent. Andrea had forced me into a tight ck dress with a deep cleavage and given me a new identity as a girl named Polly. ¡°Under no circumstances should you let him see your mark,¡± Andrea said positioning my hair over the scar. ¡°Remember what is at cost if he finds out who you are and that I am behind this. That party will turn into a shootout instantly and the blood will be on your hands.¡± I nodded. ¡°Who is this man?¡± I asked. ¡°I don¡¯t have secure ownership over the trading territory in Caracas. There is another cartel rivalling for it, fighting for it, refusing to give up. It¡¯s like a war and I lose men to it every single day. This man is the Kingpin to the other cartel, Richardo Gonzalez.¡± As he said the name,? his tongueshed with spite like it was poison to his lips. ¡°So he must die,¡± Andrea concluded. ¡°And then Caracas will be mine.¡± I nodded. ¡°You know it was a tough choice between nting a bomb and blowing the whole party and this less¡­ extravagant method. But I decided the bomb would be too kind. I want to kill the bastard with my own hands and watch him suffer,¡± Andrea said. ¡°Why have you waited thing long?¡± I asked. ¡°Because the bastard is impossible to find. Or was impossible to find. But then hisputer security system failed for 0. 002 seconds and that¡¯s all my tech guy needed to hack in. Then I could listen to every phone call, read every text and see every location. The man¡¯s as good as dead.¡± ¡°Se? or, we¡¯re almost there,¡± Chico spoke up. ¡°Ready, nca?¡± he questioned.T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. I nodded. ¡°When you get him alone, make sure you get his gun off him. I want him totally defenceless,¡± he said. ¡°And do whatever he takes to keep him in that room until I get there, understand?¡± I gave the slightest nod. ¡°Do you understand?¡± He asked again. ¡°I wanna hear you say it.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± I said quietly. ¡°I understand.¡± Chico stopped the car amongst a line of other expensive and fancy looking cars outside arge house. Pretty women in long dresses apanied by men in suits were stepping out of all the cars flocking for the front door of the house, which judging by the music and chatter, was the location of the party. At the front of the door, two big men stood who were clearly keeping guard, eyeing every guest to enter. ¡°Surely they will recognise your face?¡± I asked as Andrea took my hand and guided me down out of the car as I took care not to trip in my dress and heels. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that,¡± he replied with a wink. We then made our way to the front door, Andrea approached the security with confidence. Both of them nodded to him and let him through without so much as a word. ¡°As I said,¡± Andrea whispered in my ear. ¡°I have people everywhere.¡± Once we had entered the doors, we were greeted by champagne and canopies. Andrea took two sses from the closest waiter and handed one to me before leading me away from the door. He then scanned the lobby of therge house and let out a short sigh. ¡°Through here,¡± he said dragging me into the next room which was huge with many sofas, tables and arge window stretching up to floors that looked out to a bubbling blue pool. People mostly stood in small groups inside or around the pool but some couples sat on the sofas, leaning close to each other with their hands on the others legs and their arms around each other. ¡°Out there,¡± Andrea said pulling me into him and putting his hands on my hips so that my ear was close to his lips. ¡°Gonzalez is by the pool.¡± I slowly turned my head to look outside in the most discrete way possible. ¡°The one with the red tie and the moustache,¡± Andrea added still staring straight ahead. I followed his gaze and saw who he had described. A man around thirty perhaps with a light stubbly moustache and a bold red tie. He held a ss of champagne and around him stood two couples, hands entwined and two or three other men. ¡°He has no mate?¡± I asked. ¡°You¡¯ll have no trouble tempting him. Trust me,¡± he added nodding to a group of girls who had just entered. Their dresses were short and their make up fiercer than the other women at the party. ¡°He¡¯s known for his love for women,¡± he said. ¡°Those girls are all prostitutes.¡± ¡°Do I look like a prostitute to you?¡± I asked with a raised eyebrow. ¡°He¡¯ll love you,¡± Andrea slurred running his hand over my ass. ¡°Now, go.¡± After gulping, I headed for the door leading out to the decking around the pool. I turned back to Andrea briefly but he only gave me an encouraging nod before taking arge swig of champagne. As I neared the group, I walked around so that I came to Gonzalez from the back. With my heart beating fast, I cleared my throat and took a deep breath. ¡°Se? or Gonzalez?¡± I said. ¡°Si?¡± he said before turning around. His eyes scanned my face and then dropped to my chest before his face softened and his lips turned into a smile. ¡°Americana, eh?¡± he asked. I nodded with a confident smile. ¡°What brings you to Venezu, chica?¡± he asked. ¡°And to my party?¡± I simply smiled as tulently as possible and ran my hand down his arm. Gonzalez paused for a second, eyeing me once again. My heart beat so fast, the tension crushing me from the inside. But then he put a hand around my waist and pulled me closer to him and I let myself rx. I caught eye contact with Andrea who was watching from the same spot inside and he smiled in satisfaction and nodded once again. ¡°It is a wonderful party, Mr Gonzalez,¡± I replied. ¡°Gracias, my dear,¡± he said. ¡°I am celebrating my 30th birthday.¡± ¡°Well, congrattions,¡± I said before leaning closer to his ear. ¡°I¡¯ll give you your birthday gift upstairs.¡± He grinned and took a deep breath in before his hand shifted down to my ass. For the next ten minutes, he continued the conversation with the guests around him as he ran his hand all over my back and threw my hair. Every time his fingers brushed my neck I tensed, terrified that he¡¯d see my mark but each time I managed to escape narrowly. Chapter 50 His guests soon slowly excused themselves from the circle until it was just us. ¡°Is it time for my gift?¡± he asked before squeezing my ass. I smiled once again, took his hand and began leading him towards the house. Without much difficulty, I found therge staircase and opened the door to the first bedroom I found. ¡°Se? orita,¡± he said removing his jacket and tie. ¡°Can I interest you in a drink?¡± He then walked across the room to a tray of various spirits and began pouring a ss. He had turned around and since he had removed his jacket, his belt and gun were visible. ¡°No, thank you,¡± I replied as I the gun stuffed into his belt. He then faced me again and smiled, ¡°You look beautiful tonight.¡± I nodded before slowly approaching him and running my hands down his chest. He leant forward as if he was going to kiss me. ¡°Actually,¡± I said turning my head away. ¡°A drink would be nice.¡± He smiled and nodded, ¡°Very well.¡± Sweat umted in my palms and I couldn¡¯t help but hunch my shoulders and wrap my arms around myself. What I was more scared about was unclear. This man making advances on me or the fact that Andrea was about to kill him?This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. I took the drink dly and took arge mouthful. ¡°You like whiskey, huh?¡± he asked. It tasted like ass but I needed it. I just smiled and ced the drink down slowly on the side before stepping forward, closer to him. His arms reached out and wrapped around my waist pulling me closer to him before he ran a single finger down the side of my cheek. ¡°Your skin is soft,¡± he replied. ¡°And your body is beautiful.¡± ¡°Gracias,¡± I said before he leant slowly down to my neck. I took a deep breath in, praying he¡¯d avoid my mark. He did, but only narrowly and when he began trailing kisses further up, he got closer and closer. Without much thought, I reached behind his back and seized the gun from his belt, pushing him away from me and pointing it towards him. He nced down at his gun in my shaking hands before looking back up to me. I tried to hold a firm face and the gun as still as possible to convey the slightest bit of confidence but I was failing miserably. ¡°Se? orita, I¡¯m sorry. We can go slower,¡± he said stepping forward. I thrust the gun towards him, ¡°Stay back,¡± I hissed. He held his hands up and moved back to his original spot. The bedroom door was still shut and there were no footsteps in the hallway. For once, I was begging to see Andrea but for once, there was no sign of him. ¡°Did I scare you?¡± Gonzalez asked. ¡°I promise, I am no threat.¡± I said nothing but only stared back, keeping the eye contact. ¡°Se? orita, put the gun down,¡± he said after a couple of moments of silence. His tone dropped and his expression hardened. Andrea,e on. Come on,e on. ¡°Who are you working for?¡± he questioned. ¡°If you¡¯re an assassin, should you have killed me by now?¡± I still didn¡¯t reply. ¡°Come on then,¡± he spat. ¡°Do it.¡± There was still no sign of Andrea and I found my finger adjusting on the trigger. I¡¯d do it if I had to. But my hesitation caused a smile to creep back onto Gonzalez¡¯s face, ¡°That¡¯s what I thought-¡± he began lurching forward before the bedroom door finally flung open, cutting him short. Andrea strode in, holding his tie in his hands and without stopping came straight for Gonzalez. Before he could even turn around, Andrea had the tie around his neck from behind so tight that he was entirely immobilised. ¡°You think you can take Caracas from me, huh?¡± Andrea growled in his ear. ¡°Martinez¡­¡± he croacked, fumbling with the tie around his neck. His face had already turned bright red as he struggled but then it slowly began to turn purple. ¡°It will be mine,¡± Andrea continued tightening the tie around his windpipe his lips twitched and snarled. I stared dumbstruck, the gun still in hand. ¡°nca, out,¡± Andrea barked. ¡°Wait for me downstairs.¡± I obeyed without hesitation and hurried out of the room with a nauseating sickness in my stomach. After rushing down the hall and the stairs, I was back in amongst the party. Everybody around me was totally naive to what was happening upstairs which only increased my nervousness as I stood once again waiting for Andrea. He appeared a minute or soter, stepping quickly down the stairs and retying his tie as he went. He scanned the remaining people at the party before grabbing my hand. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± he said alking so fast to the door that I had to run to keep up. As we left the front door, he pulled out a walkie talkie and brought it to his mouth. ¡°Do it,¡± he said to whoever was on the receiving end before picking up his pace even more. ¡°Do what?¡± I asked. ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± Andrea¡¯s face was stone cold and he didn¡¯t seem to have any intention of replying. But my question was answered regardless. The first thing I heard was a bang and then only the ringing of my ears followed by muffled screaming and shouts. I looked behind me to the house we had left a few seconds before to see it burst into mes with parts entirely blown away. ¡°No,¡± I whispered as we reached the car Chico was still waiting for. ¡°Andrea, no. Why?¡± Chapter 51 Tears gathered in my eyes as I fixated my stare on the house which was now a roaring bonfire. There must have been over a hundred people in there but there¡¯s no way anyone could have survived that. ¡°Why?!¡± I questioned again pushing his chest as he encouraged me into the SUV. ¡°Because I don¡¯t fuck around when ites to my enemies,¡± he replied. ¡°They all had to die but I only felt the need to kill one myself.¡± He then shoved me into the car and sat beside me. My tears soon ran out and we were just sat in total silence for the rest of the journey. I couldn¡¯t help but think about the men and women I¡¯d met and seen briefly at the party who were all dead now or the bright hue of desperation on Gonzalez¡¯s face seconds before Andrea killed him. It sickened me that I had been a part of this. A cog in the murder machine. Of course, Andrea had been the fuel and operator but I helped and for that, I knew I¡¯d always feel guilty whether I had? chosen to or not. When we got back to the house, we were greeted by a whole group of men that had been previously just lurking around the house, carrying big guns and keeping an eye out. Most of them were tattooed and rough looking, others were younger and clearly new but they all wore huge smiles and let out leary cheers as Andrea got out the car. His lips curled into a smile, ¡°La victoria es nuestra! The victory is ours!¡± One man came up to Andrea and shook his hand, ¡°Felicidades, Se? or.¡± Andreaughed and pulled him into a hug, ¡°Ayy, gracias Paulo.¡± ¡°Someone get the tequ,¡± he ordered releasing the man from the hug. There was another huge cheer and the men began heading up the steps to the house. Andrea pped his hand around my shoulder and kissed my cheek before we followed the men inside, ¡°You like tequ, my love?¡± I shrugged and he led me up into the house and then into the kitchen where shot sses of tequ were already being poured. Andrea picked two up and handed one to me and waited a few moments until each of his men had one in hand. ¡°To Caracas,¡± Andrea announced holding his ss up. ¡°To Caracas,¡± they responded and all drank. I particrly feel like drinking to the deaths of a hundred people but not wanting to draw any attention to myself, I did. It was strong and burnt my throat but I forced myself to swallow it. ¡°You like it, nca?¡± Andrea asked. ¡°Huh?¡± He then reached forward and began pouring me another. ¡°Oh no-¡± I began. ¡°Humour me,¡± he said giving me the ss. I took it and knocked it back again but this time the strength soothed me. Andrea smiled in satisfaction. His eyes then drifted down to everything the dress didn¡¯t cover and shed with ck. ¡°Vuelve al Trabajo. Go back to work,¡± he said to his men and they all picked up their guns and filtered out in different directions. He watched them as they assumed their guard positions in various ces in the garden or at the front of the house before turning back to me. ¡°Vamos,¡± he said taking my hand. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± He led me towards the stairs. I knew his intention and it made my heart pound and my mind searched for an escape route. But the tequ already clouded my thoughts and created a blockade to reason. ¡°Andrea, celebrate more with your men,¡± I said. He turned to me and pressed his lips forcefully on mine, ¡°I wanna celebrate with you.¡± When he pulled away his smile was wide and unsettling. He lurched forward and kissed my cheek, making me flinch before taking my hand again and pulling me up the stair case. Chico was stood on a balcony stretching off the hallway upstairs, looking out over the garden, arge gun in his hand. He turned briefly as we passed, looking from Andrea to my pleading face and I caught his eye for a millisecond before he turned back out to the garden. I let out an exasperated sigh, my only shred of hope ripped away from me. I was on my own now.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. When we reached Andrea¡¯s room, he let go of my hand and I moved across away from him, to the window, trying to control my heavy breathing. For a few minutes, there was silence. I heard the metal clunk of him putting his gun down and then he justy on the bed on his back with his head resting on his hands. I tried to focus on the moon. It glowed, casting its bright white light over the jungle, in its almost spherical glory. A few more nights and it would be full, I could sense it. Andrea then stood up and I cast my eyes away from it, to a small beetle crawling across the railings of the balcony outside the ss panel doors. ¡°You did good today, nca,¡± Andrea whispered in my ear, standing behind me and putting his hands on my shoulders and slowly running them down the side of my arms. ¡°You did real good.¡± His fingers brushed along my back, sweeping my hair to the side. ¡°Let me get your zip,¡± he said reaching for the back of my dress. I heard the metallic sound of the zip sliding down and the fabric of the dress loosen its tight hold on my skin. Andrea slipped it off my shoulders and slipped his hand down the front of the dress. I refused to give him the satisfaction of my movement or even the slightest sound so instead, I just fixated on the beetle, scuttling around outside. ¡°There won¡¯t be any interruptions this time,¡± he said kissing my neck. I felt his lips on my mark and I flinched. ¡°Please, just not that spot,¡± I whispered. He looked up into my eyes, kissed it one more time before he stopped and instead, reached for my dress and pulled it further down. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to be thinking about your Alpha right now, nca,¡± he said. A tear ran down my cheek and dripped onto his hand which was on my chest. ¡°How can I not?¡± I choked. The beetle had now disappeared over the edge of the balcony so I turned to face Andrea. ¡°There are so many girls out there that would willingly sleep with you,¡± I said. ¡°Why must you have me?¡± He smiled and cupped my face with his hands. ¡°Because I want you,¡± he said. ¡°And I? always get what I want.¡± His hand then reached for my breast and as he pulled my dressed fully off so that I was only in my underwear. ¡°I helped you,¡± I protested. ¡°Caracas is yours now and I helped.¡± ¡°So far, your Alpha has killed eight of my men, located one of my stock warehouses with tonnes of products worth millions, nearly shot me dead, disrupted the runnings of my business and most importantly, you have both pissed me off. Whilst your help does not go underappreciated, it was not enough to make up for all the shit you and your mate have caused me. So if you want to live, you will let me fuck you. Understand?¡± I nodded and he ran his hand over my chest as he kissed my mark once again before leading me to the bed andying me down on the mattress. I was soon underneath him as he removed his tie and shirt. Chapter 52 As he reached for the buckle of his pants, a whimper bubbled at my throat and lurched out. He mmed a hand onto my throat so tight that I couldn¡¯t breathe before he went back to unzipped his pants. The tequ and an extremeck of oxygen made me feel dizzy and weak. I hardly even remember him removing my panties. Only the excruciating pain that followed. He finally let me breathe and I let out a choked sob as he spread my legs apart with his hands and forced himself inside. After letting out a deep moan, he positioned his hands on my hips as I through my head back already drowning in my own tears. I wanted nothing more than anything to be home. With Leo, with my children. Or just literally anywhere away from Andrea and away from this situation. The feeling of helplessness and powerlessness was overwhelming and I couldn¡¯t handle it. There was nothing I could say or do, it was already happening and nothing was going to change that. If this is what I have to do to stay alive, I think I¡¯d rather be dead. The next morning, the sky was thick with cloud and the air dank and clingy. Through an open window, the humid smell of the rainforest drifted in and settled in the bedroom. Andrea was gone. I didn¡¯t know where and frankly, I didn¡¯t care. It gave me the opportunity to get up and rid myself of him in a cold shower. I sat on the floor underneath the shower faucet and let the water fall onto my head and drip down my back. As I pulled my knees into my chest, I watched it disappeared in a neat stream down the drain in the corner of the shower. I stayed there until the coldness of the water chilled me to the bone at which point I turned off the water leaving me in the silence of the bathroom. A few more minutester, I brought myself to stand up and wrap a towel around my self. After wiping the steam from the mirror, I caught sight of my reflection. My hair was in a wet tangled mess, my eyes dark from hardly sleeping for thest few days and my face and arms covered in various bruises. I sighed and looked away, unable to bear looking at myself in such a state. It was two days before Andrea returned. I¡¯d spent most my time sitting in the garden, under the samerge tree staring out into the jungle or plucking the grass with my fingers. Chico always lurked around me but never said a single word. asionally, he¡¯d thrust some food in my direction that I¡¯d refuse to eat but most of the time we just coexisted together, both awaiting Andrea¡¯s return. He arrived at just before midday whilst I was still lying silently in the bed, unable to bring myself to move. After speaking in Spanish to Chico for a while, he came straight upstairs. The bedroom door opened and I rolled over to face away from him. I didn¡¯t want to see his face, not even for a second. ¡°I hear you haven¡¯t eaten,¡± he said. I didn¡¯t reply. ¡°E,¡± he replied deeply. ¡°Don¡¯t ignore me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not hungry,¡± I said eventually. ¡°Whatever,¡± he grumbled before I heard his footsteps near me. ¡°But this is for you.¡± I looked up to what he was handing me. It was a small box, the writing was in Spanish but inside were packets of pills. For the first time in two days, I looked up into his eyes and raised an eyebrow, ¡°Why are you giving me this?¡± ¡°Because I don¡¯t want no kid. Take one every morning and every night. Do not forget. Understand?¡± he replied. I looked back down to the box. It was birth control. He was giving me birth control. ¡°You can¡¯t force me to take birth control,¡± I spat. ¡°Oh yeah?¡± he replied. ¡°But I don¡¯t need to, nca. Do you want to get pregnant with my kid? What would your Alpha think about that? Huh?¡± ¡°Fuck you,¡± I said, throwing the box on the floor. I then got up and attempted to storm out of the room. But he caught my arm and pulled me back towards him. ¡°You are going to take those pills and you aren¡¯t going to question it,¡± he growled. I stared him in the eye before he finally let go and walked towards the bathroom. ¡°And go downstairs and eat something. You¡¯re getting skinny,¡± he called. The night he got so drunk he passed out I shouldn¡¯t have listened to Chico. I should have killed him when I had the chance. Wanting to be as far away from him as possible, I headed downstairs and towards the garden. But as I passed through the kitchen, the most amazing smell filled my nostrils. Chico was stood behind the stove stirring something on the hob. ¡°The boss wants tacos,¡± he said to me. ¡°I made enough for you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not-¡± ¡°Juste here,¡± he replied after looking at the doorway, presumably to check Andrea hadn¡¯t appeared. I sighed and joined him by the stove, ¡°There is little you can do about your situation,¡± he began picking up a taco shell, ¡°But you still need to take care of yourself.¡± He then filled it with whatever was in the pan and handed it to me. I looked down at the steaming beef inside and the soft floury shell and smelt the spices and vour in the air before I gave in and took a big bite. ¡°Good?¡± he asked.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! I nodded closing my eyes and enjoying the tase, ¡°So good.¡± He smiled, possibly for the first time ever, and handed me a te with three more. ¡°Enjoy,¡± he said before Andrea appeared in the kitchen, still wet from his shower and only wearing a pair of sweatpants and his face hardened again. Andrea sat opposite me eating his tacos. He kept looking up but didn¡¯t speak until he was finished. ¡°We¡¯re going to Colombia this evening,¡± he said eventually. ¡°Just you and I.¡± ¡°Why?¡± I asked. ¡°I gotta another job I want you to help me with,¡± he replied. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be involved in any more murder,¡± I said. ¡°Please-¡± ¡°Rx,¡± he said with augh. ¡°No one¡¯s gonna die if all goes to n. So pack a bag. We¡¯re going for three days.¡± The only clothes I had were the ones I arrived in, a few t-shirts Andrea had leant me and underwear from the weird draw ofdies lingeries that Andrea had for some reason. So I packed what I could and I soon found myself back in the SUV, this time with Andrea driving. ¡°We aren¡¯t following signs in the direction of Colombia,¡± I said once we got into Caracas. ¡°That¡¯s because we¡¯re making a stop first,¡± he replied. ¡°Where?¡± I asked. Chapter 53 ¡°Enough with the questions,¡± he snapped. ¡°You¡¯ll find out when we get there.¡± We were soon on a jungle track, rife with potholes. Unsurprisingly, Andrea was an incredibly reckless driver. Thatbined with the terrible state of the road and limbs of jungle sticking out, obscuring the road, meant that I felt my life was fairly at risk. At longst, he pulled up on the side of the road and I thanked the Goddesses for preserving my life. ¡°We¡¯re here,¡± he said as he finally stopped the car before opening the door and taking his gun off the dashboard and putting it in the back of his pants. I wasn¡¯t exactly sure where here was but I got out the car and followed him through the dense jungle. After a few metres, I could just about see a warehouse a hundred metres away. We walked down an overgrown path until we reached it and Andrea knocked loudly on the door.T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Andrea!¡± a jolly looking man said after the door opened. ¡°Patron!¡± ¡°Javier, my best exporter. It¡¯s good to see you again,¡± Andrea said in English. The man¡¯s eyes flickered down to me and he gave a knowing look. ¡°I see you have a gringa with you?¡± he responded also in English. ¡°E Loren,¡± Andrea said putting a firm hand on my shoulder. ¡°Was once Alpha Loren¡¯s but is now mine.¡± Javier smiled, ¡°She¡¯s a pretty thing. How¡¯d youe across Loren¡¯s mate?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a long and unpleasant story,¡± Andrea replied. ¡°But I have some more important things I want to discuss with you.¡± ¡°Please,¡± Javier said. ¡°Pleasee in.¡± He turned and began walking back into the warehouse at which point, Andrea withdrew his gun and without hesitation shot him in the back of the head. He fell forward onto his knees and then straight motionless onto the floor. My lips quivered and I brought a shaking hand up to my mouth. ¡°Why- why did you do that?¡± I asked. ¡°I thought you were friends?¡± Andrea stepped forward over him and prodding his body with his foot. ¡°We were,¡± he said with a shrug. ¡°But then he screwed me over.¡± I stepped back and pressed my back against the wall, closing my eyes and blocking the site of blood oozing from his head. ¡°What did he do?¡± I asked looking back to Andrea who was still staring down at the body, unphased by the gore. ¡°He gave information about my exports to my rival, Gustavo Escobar,¡± he replied in a deep tone. ¡°And I can¡¯t have a snitch working for me.¡± I looked around the warehouse and only then noticed how it was piled high to the roof with packets of what looked like cocaine, weed and heroin. ¡°I knew there was a mole in my operation because my export trucks kept getting hijacked even though we take unexpected routes at unexpected times that no one could guess without inside information. But when I realised his trucks were never touched, it became clear who that mole was,¡± Andrea exined crouching down to Javier¡¯s body and letting out a long sigh. ¡°It¡¯s a shame he chose to betray me. He really was my best exporter.¡± It was the first hint of remorse I had ever seen from him and it was mildly reassuring but then he shrugged and simply stood up. ¡°We¡¯re taking over the export today since Javier is¡­ otherwise engaged¡­ and this is where youe in. If you¡¯re driving, the border control will let a cute little blonde girl through easy and the drugs will get into Colombia without having to kill any state soldiers, which the government usually gets a bit pissed off at me for doing which leads to a whole host ofplications. We¡¯re on good terms right now, they let me get on with my business and I leave them to their¡¯s so I don¡¯t wanna ruin that.¡± ¡°Now you want me to help you smuggle drugs across countries?¡± I asked. ¡°I mean or I could just massacre the whole patrol guarding the border station. Your choice,¡± he replied. ¡°The first option,¡± I replied quietly. ¡°d we¡¯re on the same page,¡± he said with a sarcastic smile. ¡°Now, I will deal with the body. You go around the back and start unloading the boxesbelled Bogota from the truck behind the warehouse,¡± he ordered. I nodded, d to get away from the dead body and hurried around the back of the warehouse. There was, in fact, a pile of boxes in a truck but what Andrea didn¡¯t warn me of was the two teenagers, 16 at most, already doing what Andrea had ordered me to do. They both immediately turned around and stared at me nkly. ¡°Gringa?¡± one asked. I nodded. ¡°We no speak much English,¡± the other said. ¡°What you doing here?¡± ¡°I¡¯m here with Andrea.¡± ¡°Andrea Martinez? The boss?¡± I nodded. The exchanged nervous looks and froze. Guilt and fear were all over their faces. It was clear they had a reason to be concerned about Andrea¡¯s presence but despite being involved in drugs, they were young and seemed innocent. ¡°Listen. You need to get out of here. I¡¯ll try and hold him back,¡± I said without a second thought. They nodded, dropped their boxes and began to move fast towards the jungle. Just then we all heard the warehouse door open and footstepse towards us. ¡°Go!¡± I shouted. ¡°Now!¡± They bolted and secondster, Andrea marched out. He held up his arm straight and shot mercilessly into the forest after the boys until the gun ran out of bullets. After putting the gun back in his belt, he turned to me and wrapped one hand around my neck. ¡°You better stay right here,¡± he growled. I nodded frantically trying to prise his fingers off my throat to free my airway. He then dropped me onto the floor and sprinted into the jungle in the direction of the boys. I took a few seconds to catch my breath before fumbling back into the warehouse. Javier¡¯s body was still in a bloody mess on the floor and Andrea had only got as far as rolling him onto his back. I gasped at the site of his pale grey skin and wide open eyes before taking a deep breath and shakily looking in his pocket for a phone. Blood was still pouring out of his head and it got on my hands but all I could think about was calling Leo before Andrea could get back and find me. I eventually found his mobile, the screen was cracked, presumably from his fall and it only had one bar of service but I could still dial Leo¡¯s number. ¡°It¡¯s me,¡± I said as soon as someone picked up. ¡°E?¡± Leo¡¯s smooth voice replied. ¡°Gustavo Escobar,¡± I said quickly. ¡°He¡¯s Andrea¡¯s rival and you might be able to get more information from him.¡± ¡°Do you have anything else?¡± ¡°I have to go,¡± I whispered as I heard Andrea¡¯s footstepse out the jungle. I quickly hung up, shoved the phone back in Javier¡¯s pocket and wiped my hands as best I could on him. ¡°nca!¡± Andrea¡¯s voice shouted before the door to the warehouse opened I stood up straight and backed away as his eyes set on me next to Javier. His white shirt was saturated in red along with his hands and there were even stters on his face. ¡°I thought I told you not to move?¡± he questioned marching up to me. He then grabbed one of my hands and lifted it up to take a closer look. Chapter 54 ¡°What the fuck have you done?¡± he asked seizing my wrist tightly. ¡°I.. I-¡± I stuttered. ¡°Let me guess, you used Javier¡¯s phone to call your precious mate?¡± he said turning to Javier and delving his hand into his pocket. I stayed quiet as he held the phone up and turned to me. It had Javier¡¯s blood on it from my hands and he could check the recent calls list; there was no point trying to lie. I nodded meekly. ¡°Stupid fucking woman,¡± he sneered roughly putting one hand around my neck once again and mming me into the wall. With the other hand, he withdrew his gun and held it at my head. ¡°What did you tell him?!¡±Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. I stayed quiet. ¡°What did you fucking tell him?!¡± he repeated smashing my head against the wall. ¡°That I¡¯m in the Venezun jungle. That is all,¡± I lied in between gasps for air. ¡°Give me one reason why I shouldn¡¯t shoot you right now. It¡¯s reloaded and ready to go,¡± he demanded, pressing the gun harder against my skull. ¡°Why I shouldn¡¯t just cut the bother? I¡¯m Andrea Martinez, I don¡¯t tolerate shit like this.¡± ¡°You need me for the export,¡± I said. ¡°You could do it without me but that would risk getting yourself in more trouble than I could ever cause.¡± Andrea paused before letting go of me and allowing me to breathe. ¡°Fine,¡± he said. ¡°I will kill you after.¡± Better I suppose. ¡°Now¡­¡± he articted looking me up and down. ¡°No border guard is going to let a woman covered in blood through without question. Change your clothes, wash your hands and neck and I¡¯ll be dealing with this rotting corpse and loading the car with the drugs outside. Don¡¯t try anything, nca, or this time I really will shoot you.¡± I nodded and looked down at my clothes that had gone red from where Andrea¡¯s shirt had pressed against me. My neck was also covered in it from where his bloody hand had been too. I did as he said and found a bathroom with running water to clean myself with. I watched as watery blood washed down the sink and thought about who it belonged to. Those boys were so young and although I didn¡¯t know it for sure, Andrea had almost certainly killed them both. I then changed into clean clothes from the bag I¡¯d packed. When I came back from into the main warehouse, Javier¡¯s body had gone and only a thick pool of sticky blood remained so I went around the back to find Andrea. The boxes that were being unloaded were now gone and in their ce was a lc tiny car. Andrea was stood next to it with his blood covered shirt off by an outside tap washing his face and chest. ¡°What are you staring at, babe? My abs?¡± he asked. ¡°No¡­ your car actually,¡± I replied looking at the sickly shade of purple coloured thing. ¡°Not the sort of thing I¡¯d expect you to drive, Andrea.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not driving it,¡± he said throwing me a set of keys. ¡°You are. And you do know how to drive, right?¡± I nodded kind of d that I was going to have to sit in the passenger seat enduring his reckless driving anymore. A few momentster, Andrea was fully dressed again and I was trying to work out how to drive this car. ¡°Put the clutch down, nca,¡± Andrea said in a bored tone from the passenger seat. ¡°Now the elerator. It¡¯s just a normal car.¡± I did what he said and slowly rolled the car forward. ¡°Jesus Christ,¡± he muttered. I ignored him and took the sharp corner around the warehouse towards the road with great care ¨C especially since my entire body was still shaking from the events of thest ten minutes. ¡°Speed up,¡± he said. ¡°There¡¯s no limit on this road and if there was, it probably wouldn¡¯t be 10 mph.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just getting used to the car,¡± I replied. ¡°I drive an automatic at home. Be patient.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me what to do, woman,¡± he snapped. ¡°If it¡¯s threatening your masculinity that much, you can drive,¡± I replied ¡°Watch it, nca,¡± he warned with a smirk. ¡°Remember how I almost killed you five minutes ago.¡± It was only twenty minutes before Andrea climbed into the back seat of the car and ducked into the footwell. He also pulled out his gun and held it ready which concerned me a little, to say the least. ¡°The border is just around here. Smile, tell them you¡¯re here on vacation and flirt if you have to. If you prove to be useful, I might consider keeping you alive. We¡¯ll see.¡± Might consider¡­ sounds promising¡­ I drove on and minutester we were approaching a bridge with a barrier across it and half a dozen or so men in military uniform standing guard. They were all werewolves and held big guns and eyed the car as we neared. ¡°Oh shit,¡± Andrea cursed. ¡°Those ain¡¯t no state police.¡± ¡°Who are they?¡± I asked. ¡°Gustavo¡¯s men¡­¡± he whispered. ¡°He must have taken over the border.¡± ¡°Should I turn around?¡± I asked, my heart rating raising. ¡°It¡¯s toote. They¡¯ve seen the car,¡± he replied. ¡°Fuck.¡± He then reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a walkie talkie. ¡°I¡¯m gonna need back up,¡± he said into it and a voice replied confirming. ¡°I have men not too far from here,¡± he told me. ¡°You¡¯ve just gotta fool them long enough.¡± I nodded as we got close and Andrea ducked further into the footwell. One of the guards approached the car and I wound down. ¡°You speak Spanish, Miss?¡± he asked. ¡°No, Se? or,¡± I replied in my best Spanish as I gripped the steering wheel and not looking him in the eye. He sniffed the air, obviously detecting my scent and eyed me closer. ¡°Passport,¡± he demanded. I reached into my bag and found my passport before handing it to him. It was a good job the name on my passport was still E Jones and not Loren. ¡°American? Here for vacation or¡­?¡± he said looking from me to the photo on my passport. ¡°Vacation,¡± I said quickly. ¡°Alone?¡± he asked and I nodded. He then used the end of my passport to brush my hair off my neck, ¡°Where¡¯s your mate?¡± Chapter 55 ¡°At home with the kids,¡± I replied. He nodded and looked down at the passport once again. ¡°Just a second,¡± he said and then walked over to another two guards with my passport and began talking to them. ¡°You¡¯re acting suspicious, nca,¡± Andrea hissed. ¡°You need to buy time for the backup toe.¡± They talked for thirty seconds or before he stamped my passport and came back. ¡°We need to ask some questions and you¡¯ll be good to go,¡± he said to me. ¡°Sure,¡± I said with a smile. ¡°Firstly, that¡¯s a big mark you have. Who is your mate?¡± he asked. ¡°An Alpha?¡± I nodded. ¡°Alpha Thomas. We¡¯re from a small pack in Texas,¡± I replied trying my best to keep eye contact. ¡°Small?¡± he asked with a raised eyebrow. I nodded again. ¡°And where are you heading to tonight?¡± he asked. ¡°Bogota,¡± I said. ¡°That¡¯s a long way to travel alone. Your Alpha doesn¡¯t mind?¡± he replied. I shook my head, ¡°He trusts me.¡± ¡°Very well,¡± he said with a nod. ¡°But I will need to search you and your vehicle.¡± My heart dropped. ¡°Is that really necessary officer?¡± I asked. ¡°Please step out of the car, Se? ora,¡± he ordered. I did but as slowly as possible as I scanned around looking for my best escape option. The road had thick jungle either side, if¡­ I mean when¡­ the shooting begins, I could get myself there and find some rtive safety. I closed the car door finally and the guard gestured me to hold my arms out. I slowly lifted them up and let him pat me down. When he was sure I was clear and unarmed, he then gestured for more the guards to join him as he walked around to the trunk of the car. Inside the car, I saw Andrea loading up another gun so that he had two in his hands. The officer put his hand on the trunk handle and I took a deep breath. There was only a piece of metal between him and discovering boxes of hard drugs and only the pull of a trigger between me and a bullet. Before the guard could get as far as examining the boxes in the boot, Andrea had jumped out of the car and shot him dead before aiming at the other five guards who hade to inspect the car. Before the first could even hit the ground, they were all dead. ¡°Get down, nca,¡± he ordered and I ducked behind the car as a whole fleet of Gustavo¡¯s men over on the bridge flooded out of the border control buildings and opened fire on us. It was about thirty against one, and when Andrea stopped shooting momentarily to reload he barked something down his walkie talkie. I heard the whip of bullets flying through the air and the nk of them hitting the car or the chime of them bouncing off the tarmac. It could only be so long before Andrea ran out of bullets and we¡¯d be totally fucked. But just as he threw his second gun onto the floor,pletely rid of ammunition, and ducked behind the car next to me half a dozen or so trucks rolled in behind us. Andrea smiled to himself and then to me, as men jumped out and began shooting out towards Gustavo¡¯s mem. ¡°We¡¯re getting out of here, nca,¡± he said putting his hand on my knee. ¡°Stand up,¡± he added as one of the men threw him a new gun and a set of car keys. I slowly got to my feet as Andrea shot but kept my head down below the car. ¡°You see that truck with the shattered window?¡± he asked pointing to one a hundred or so metres away with one of the side windowspletely broken by a bullet. ¡°That¡¯s where we¡¯re going.¡± ¡°Juan,¡± he shouted to one of the men, ¡°Cover us!¡± The man nodded and Andrea turned to me. ¡°Run,¡± he ordered and I locked my eyes on the trucked and raced through the bullet shower, as fast as my legs would go. Juan stayed behind the cover over the lc car, targetting any guards aiming at us whilst Andrea shot too I could hear his footsteps running right behind me until suddenly about two-thirds of the way, I couldn¡¯t. I snapped my head around to see him on the floor clutching his leg in pain. The bullets were still raining down on us and I paused unable to run further from him. He looked up to me, right in the eye. His face suddenly seemed so young and helpless as the bullets hit the ground all around him but hey unable to move. His chances were already, but if I didn¡¯t do anything? Zero. I can¡¯t even begin to exin why I did what I did next. I turned on my heal and ran back to him before hauling him up to his feet and supporting him as we battled on to the car. He groaned in pain and I? groaned from his weight on me but we made it and I took the keys from him helped him into the car, got in the driver¡¯s seat as soon as I could turn the ignition on, we were away and fast. Faster than I¡¯ve ever driven before.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. After a few minutes, when we were safely away, he cast his eyes up to me as he breathed heavily and through his pained grimace, I saw a smirk creep onto his face, ¡°You just saved my life, nca.¡± I gripped the steering wheel and kept looking forward, no idea what to say. ¡°Why?¡± he asked. ¡°You had a chance to be free of me and you didn¡¯t take it¡­¡± ¡°I-¡± I began. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°You just can¡¯t stop yourself from doing the right thing, can you?¡± he replied. ¡°You couldn¡¯t just leave me there to die, could you?¡± ¡°You can thank me if you like,¡± was all I said. There was a pause. ¡°Thank you,¡± he replied in a genuine tone. I nodded and gave him a half smile. I drove for hours, Andrea telling me which way to go. The bleeding in his leg eventually stopped and when we pulled up in front of a house on the edge of Bogota, I helped him limp into it before a man stood guard at the door took over. When he was sat down on the sofa, I grabbed a first aid kit and knelt down on the floor and got a proper look at the damage done to his leg. He¡¯d already pulled the bullet out rather gruesomely in the car so I at least didn¡¯t have to deal with that. ¡°The good news is that the bullet wasn¡¯t wolfsbaned,¡± I began examining the wound on his thigh. ¡°It¡¯s already healing but it¡¯s deep and is gonna take a while.¡± ¡°How long is a while?¡± he asked as finished cleaning it with antiseptic. ¡°I got stuff to do.¡± Chapter 56 I shrugged, ¡°Healing is different for everyone. For you, I¡¯d guess it would be fast so long as you get rest and eat and drink well. So no beer or smoking and you¡¯ve gotta give yourself a break.¡± ¡°How do you know so much about this?¡± he asked running his fingers through my hair as I wrapped a bandage around the wound. ¡°I trained as a medic to help my mate¡¯s army. True I¡¯ve never nursed a bullet wound before but I¡¯ve done arrows and knives,¡± I exined. He looked down at me for a few seconds and grinned. His expression then dropped and he asked, ¡°Why do wolf packs still live in the 17th century? Why hasn¡¯t your Alpha thought to train his men to use guns?¡± ¡°Because it¡¯s not our way of life,¡± I replied fastening the bandage and looking up into his eyes. ¡°Guns are horrible violent things.¡± ¡°Well so long as you keep that view, I¡¯ll always have the upper hand,¡± he said with a condescending smirk. ¡°Can I remind you that you almost died today?¡± I asked. ¡°There¡¯s an artery right here,¡± I added pointing to his leg. ¡°Had the bullet been two inches to the left. You¡¯d have bled out before we even got to the car.¡± He grinned arrogantly, ¡°But it wasn¡¯t. So luckily for you, I get to live another day.¡± And for that I only had myself to me. Leo¡¯s POV ¡°Gustavo Escobar,¡± I said to ir and Luca as we stood by the car parked on the side of a road that went through Caracas, the capital city of Venezu that we¡¯d been searching through for days for any sign of E. ¡°She said that he is a rival to Martinez and that is all.¡± They looked at me nkly. ¡°I know it¡¯s not much but it¡¯s somewhere to start and somebody has to know something about him,¡± I continued. ¡°And if he hates Martinez even as half as much as I do, he will help us find him and in due course, my Luna.¡± ¡°I suppose he¡¯s gotta be pretty powerful if he¡¯s a rival to Martinez,¡± ir said. ¡°The police might have something.¡± ¡°The police are corrupt and this man will be paying them off. They aren¡¯t gonna tell us shit,¡± I replied running my hand through my hair. ¡°It¡¯s worth a try, Alpha,¡± Luca insisted. ¡°You don¡¯t usually have issues getting information out of people.¡± ir shrugged, ¡°We¡¯ve gotta try.¡± I nodded, ¡°Okay.¡± An hourter, we were in the head police station in Caracas.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! ¡°Donde esta tu jefe?¡± I asked striding up to the front desk. ¡°Where is your boss?¡± The man looked up at me from his low chair behind the desk and I stepped closer,? resting my arms over the desk, and raised my eyebrow. ¡°Donde esta tu jefe?!¡± I repeated. He meagrely pointed to a door that led into a hallway. ¡°Gracias,¡± I replied, already marching towards it, ir and Luca following me. ¡°Se? or!-¡± the man called as I walked through the door. There was a sign in Spanish tranting to ¡®authorised personnel only¡¯ but I held up my hand to the receptionist who was now frantically following us and immediately silenced him. It wasn¡¯t long until we found the police chief¡¯s office. He looked up at us as we came in and confusion spread over his face. He was a stony looking man with hard creases in his face and a square hair cut. ¡°What are you doing in my office, gringos?¡± he asked. ¡°You have to have permission.¡± ¡°I need information on a man named Gustavo Escobar,¡± I said ignoring him. ¡°And you are¡­?¡± he questioned with a raised eyebrow. ¡°The DEA?¡± ¡°Leonardo Loren,¡± I replied with a sarcastic smile before holding out my hand. His eyes shifted at the mention of my name and he straightened his tie. He was human but his reaction told me that he knew exactly who I was. ¡°So I assume from your question referring to the DEA, you know who Mr Escobar is?¡± I asked. ¡°I¡¯ve never heard the name,¡± he replied with a shrug. ¡°How much is he paying you to turn a blind eye?¡± I asked. ¡°You might like to take your questions elsewhere, Mr Loren,¡± he said. ¡°I know nothing.¡± I sighed and exchanged irritated looks with ir. I had a feeling this would happen. I gestured to Luca and he locked the door to the office and stood blocking the only exit. ¡°Mr¡­¡± I began. ¡°Perez,¡± he finished looking between the three of us nervously. ¡°Mr Perez,¡± I began again. ¡°You know who I am and you know what I am. You know that I can hear your every heartbeat and you know that I know you are lying to me. So let¡¯s skip the bullshit, what do you know about Gustavo Escobar?¡± He stayed silent as I red him down. I spotted his hand slowly inching towards the phone on his desk and mmed my hand onto it before he could reach it and crushed the dial pad. After ncing down at the bent and crumbled metal of the phone, he slowly looked back up to my eyes. ¡°Preferably before you piss me off,¡± I added taking a deep breath. He leant back in his chair, clearly feigning confidence and smiled. ¡°You are right, Alpha,¡± Mr Perez said. ¡°He is paying me to ¡®turn a blind eye¡¯¡­ to take no notice, to keep no files and to have no information.¡± ¡°And what if someone offered a higher price?¡± I asked. ¡°Does it magically materialise?¡± ¡°¡­ depends how much you¡¯re offering?¡± he said. My face hardened. I was done ying nice. I seized him by the cor of his shirt and dragged him across the desk. ¡°Where do you keep it?¡± I growled. I then noticed a pair of keys on the desk and threw them to ir. ¡°Check the filing cab,¡± I ordered. ¡°You won¡¯t find it there,¡± he replied struggling to breathe from how tightly I was gripping his shirt around his neck. ¡°Then where?¡± I snarled. Chapter 57 ¡°He¡¯ll hunt me down and kill me for telling you.¡± ¡°And I will kill you right here and now if you don¡¯t,¡± I hissed. ¡°And do you want to know why I need this information? Not because I want to challenge him or kill him but because Andrea Martinez has my Luna and is threatening to murder and do terrible things to her. His biggest rival, Gustavo Escobar, is my best shot of getting her back alive and I will not let anything stand in my way.¡± Still gasping for air he finally agreed,? ¡°I¡¯ll show you.¡± I released him and wiped the sweat off my brow. ¡°Now would be great,¡± I said as he rearranged his clothing and stopped to catch his breath. He nodded frantically and picked up a different set of keys from his drawer and headed to the door that Luca was still guarding. ¡°Follow me,¡± he said approaching Luca who reluctantly moved aside and let him out in response to a reassuring nod from me. ¡°Make sure no one follows us,¡± I whispered in his ear as we passed and he nodded. ir and I followed Mr Perez down to a basement as Luca stayed back at the top of the stairs, once again guarding the entrance. After he unlocked a few doors, we were soon in a tiny filing room with many boxes. ¡°The box at the top on the left,¡± he said pointing to the highest shelf which only I stood a chance of reaching. The light was dim and I could only just make out that it wasbelled with the name Gustavo Escobar. ¡°You don¡¯t happen to have anything on Martinez whilst we¡¯re here? We¡¯ve tried before but never got this far,¡± ir said. ¡°No one has information on Martinez,¡± Mr Perez said gravely. This time he wasn¡¯t lying. ¡°But you are right in thinking Escobar is your best shot in getting some,¡± he added as I looked inside the box to find envelopes of photos, sheets of coordinates, legal papers and a whole host of other files on him. ¡°The most recent location we were able to track him to was a house in Peru,¡± Mr Perez said pointing to one of the coordinates. ¡°That wasst week.¡± ¡°Gracias,¡± I said taking out a pen and circling it. ¡°And sorry for¡­ nearly strangling you.¡± ¡°Werewolves care about their mates. I get it,¡± he replied. ¡°Now go. Find her.¡± ¡°Adios,¡± I said and ir nodded before we marched out of the police station with the box, picking up Luca along the way. A dayter, Andrea¡¯s leg was healing fast. He was still limping but when I redressed the wound in the early afternoon, it had reduced in size, new skin had grown and he was in far less pain than the day before. It had been a rtively untorturous twenty-four hours for me too. After saving his life, Andrea had the decency to leave me alone for the evening and I sat out on the balcony watching over Bogota for hours as the pink chalk sunset was reced by the bright lights of the city. I¡¯d always wanted toe to South America. This wasn¡¯t exactly how I envisioned it happening but just for a short moment, as I took a deep breath of the fume polluted air and watched people on the street having fun, everything was sort of okay. Apart from using me as a nurse to his wound, it wasn¡¯t until the following evening that he bothered me for anything else. ¡°I¡¯m attending a party in the city tonight and you¡¯reing,¡± he said to me as he sat beside me out on the balcony. I nodded, ¡°Is it going to be like thest party?¡± ¡°No one is gonna die,¡± he replied. ¡°You¡¯ve said that before,¡± I muttered. ¡°I don¡¯t keep my promises,¡± he said with a grin. ¡°You may have realised that by now. But if someone ends up with a bullet in their head tonight, I can assure you I didn¡¯t n it. We¡¯re meeting my respectable business friends.¡± By ¡®respectable friends¡¯ he actually means ¡®dirty murdering fellow drug lords¡¯. ¡°Go shower and, there¡¯s a dressid out on the bed,¡± he said. I nodded, already looking forward to a cold shower to rid myself of the mugginess of Bogota. As expected, the dress would never be ¡°Leo approved¡± but it at least had a certain level of ss to it. I dried my hair and slipped into it before looking at my reflection in the mirror of the bedroom. My bruises were gone and after sleeping properly for the first time in a while the night before, I was looking considerably less like a corpse. Already dressed in a shirt and ck trousers, Andrea drew up behind me. ¡°You look stunning,¡± he said as he looked over my shoulder into the mirror. He ran his hands down the dark red velvet of the dress and then traced the deep V-neck with the tips of his fingers. ¡°But there is something missing,¡± he said after a pause. He then opened a drawer and lifted out a ne. It was made of diamonds for sure and when he put it around my neck, I felt its weight on my chest. ¡°It¡¯s pretty,¡± I said touching it with my fingertips. ¡°I¡¯m going to propose to you tonight at the party,¡± he said after kissing my cheek. ¡°And you¡¯re going to say yes.¡± I looked up to his eyes in the mirror and blinked whilst trying to make sense of what he had just said so casually. ¡°What?¡± I asked turning to face him. ¡°You are going to be my wife,¡± he stated looking down at me. ¡°What?¡± I repeated.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. ¡°What is so hard to fucking understand? You are going to marry me,¡± he said slowly. ¡°No,¡± I said. He cocked his head to the side, ¡°Funny¡­ I don¡¯t remember giving you the choice.¡± ¡°But-¡± ¡°Uh, uh, uh, uh, ¡± he tutted. ¡°Don¡¯t argue with me. I¡¯m not your Alpha.¡± I closed my mouth and turned back to the mirror. ¡°What happens if I say no?¡± I asked. ¡°I will ensure that you pay for it. Do I make my self clear?¡± As his temper rises, his ent thickens and he gets harder to hear what he is saying but I did entirely understand what he meant. I¡¯d learnt many times now. ¡°I said, do I make myself clear?¡± he repeated deeply after I hadn¡¯t replied for a few moments. Chapter 58 I looked him in the eye and nodded, ¡°Yes.¡± He then leant forward so that I could feel his warm breath on my cheek. His hand reached up for my face but I snapped my head away. ¡°Good,¡± he replied eventually. I refused to look up, unable to meet his cold eyes. ¡°But you won¡¯t say no. Don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°Marriage means nothing to werewolves,¡± I said after a moment or two. ¡°I bet it¡¯ll mean something to Leonardo Loren¡­¡± Andrea replied. ¡°So you¡¯re just doing this to get at my mate?¡± I asked. He smiled and grabbed my chin between his fingers, ¡°Amongst other reasons,¡± he said before kissing my lips softly and moaning. ¡°You drive me crazy, nca,¡± he said stepping back and closing his eyes. ¡°And I have one more thing to give you.¡± He then reached into a draw and pulled out a small wooden box. I opened it to find a pair of dangling earrings that matched the ne. He held them up to my ears and turning me so that I was looking at myself in the mirror again. ¡°Andrea, I don¡¯t have my ears pierced,¡± I said. ¡°What?¡± he replied looking at my ears. ¡°What 24-year-old woman doesn¡¯t have her ears pierced?¡± ¡°Me apparently.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll pierce them,¡± he said. ¡°I want you to wear these tonight.¡± ¡°No, no, no-¡± I protested. ¡°Trust me,¡± he interjected. ¡°Wait for me on the bed. I¡¯ll be back in a minute.¡± I sighed. This was probably going to cause a marginal amount of pain rtive to other things he¡¯d done to me and I¡¯d always sort of wanted my ears pierced I guess. A few minutester, he returned with a needle, a pot of ice, a lighter and a rag. I felt myself pale but I had little choice but to ept that this was going to happen. ¡°Okay,¡± he began as he pushed me down onto the bed and put a pillow under my head. ¡°Stay still,¡± he added as he straddled me. He then gave me a block of ice in each hand and told me to hold them on my ears as he sterilised the needle with the me from the lighter. He knew how to prevent infection at least. When the needle was nice and clean, he took the ice and shoved the rag in my mouth. ¡°Bite down on that. This is gonna hurt like a bitch.¡± The next thing I knew, there was a searing pain in my ear. The ice had done little to numb it and I had to clench my jaw around the rag to deal with the difort. Without hesitation, he moved onto the other and put the earrings straight in as I grimaced and winced. He then pulled me to my feet and stood me in front of the mirror once again. ¡°That wasn¡¯t too bad, was it?¡± he asked. I shook my head, the pain disappearing quickly. Slowly running his fingers over my shoulders, he brought his lips to my ear. ¡°Keep earning my respect like you did yesterday and I¡¯m gonna make you not just my wife but my Queen, E Loren,¡± he whispered. ¡°I already think you¡¯re too valuable to kill.¡± Unsure of whether to take that as a positive or a negative, I just forced a smile and let him kiss me. Find me, Leo. Please. Our tinted-windowed car pulled up in front of the entrance to arge hotel. The number of security guards was insane with every guest being checked and Identified before they were allowed through the doors. But they let Andrea straight through after taking one look at him. I followed after him but one of the bouncers stepped in front of me. ¡°She¡¯s with me,¡± Andrea said taking my hand. The man immediately stepped aside, ¡°Please forgive me, Se? orita.¡± ¡°Pretty nice party, right?¡± he said to me as we walked through the lobby with hundreds of people stood in little groups talking and drinking wine. A great chandelier hung down from the high ceiling made of hundreds of glimmering pieces of ss and two symmetricalrge staircases curved around from the top of the room on either side, each with a golden handrail and wide, marble steps. ¡°Let¡¯s go meet the hosts,¡± he added before leading me up one of them and as we passed, everybody seemed to stop and look at Andrea before quickly moving out of his way. He took no notice and only carried on walking. When we reached the top of the stairs, there was a mezzanine looking out over the lobby surrounded by a barrier and more security. Inside were four or so men all in ck suits gathered around drinking champagne and chatting. ¡°Martinez!¡± one eximed as we entered. ¡°Our wonderful boss.¡± ¡°And this must be Loren¡¯s Luna. E, yes?¡± another added looking to me. I nodded as a butler approached us with a tray of champagne and Andrea took two, handing one to me. ¡°E, meet my top men, those I owe the smooth runnings of my cartel to,¡± he said with a smile as he ced one hand on my shoulder.? ¡°Sebastian (head of production). He runs the farms, ensures both top notch quality and quantity and keeps the drugs running like water. Emiliano (head of export). Keeps the stream flowing across the borders to where they gotta be, controls the logistics, makes sure no questions are asked at the borders and that all product gets from A to B. Alvaro (head ountant), monitors all moneying in and out the business. He¡¯s in charge of spotting any unexpected changes in profit and sales and tracks anything suspicious to the source. No one in the business could steal even a dor from me without this man knowing. And finally, Sergio (head of security). Keeps theputer technicians and hackers in line, monitors threats, trains up my men, bargains with the police force and the government. We all have this man to thank for our lives every day.¡± I shook all of their hands. ¡°So what¡¯s your ce in the business, Se? orita?¡± Sebastian asked. ¡°Andrea¡¯stest whore no doubt,¡± Emiliano said with a grin. ¡°Ay,¡± Andrea protested. ¡°This woman saved my life yesterday.¡± They all raised an eyebrow and looked down at me. ¡°She may be small and weak but she¡¯s brave,¡± he added. ¡°When we were ambushed by Gustavo Escobar¡¯s men at the border, I was shot but she helped me to safety.¡± ¡°Good job, little one,¡± Sergio said to me before looking back up to Andrea. ¡°But please tell us you¡¯re sleeping with her too?¡±Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! ¡°Of course,¡± he replied and they allughed. ¡°Was there any need asking? He¡¯s young and still obsessed with sex,¡± Alvaro said. ¡°Will you ever pick one girl and stick with her?¡± The four men were all at least ten years older than Andrea if not twenty. Considering that Andrea was their boss, the age gap was surprising. How on earth did he end up the head of this entire organisation at only neen years old? ¡°Just you wait, mis amigos,¡± he said with a wink. ¡°Soon enough.¡± Chapter 59 ¡°Well, anyway,¡± Emiliano said. ¡°The people have been waiting for a speech from their boss.¡± Andrea grinned, drank the rest of his champagne and grabbed a spoon off the butler¡¯s tray before stepping out to the railing of the mezzanine that looked over the lobby below. The spoon chimed on the ss three times before silence fell in the room. His speech continued in Spanish for another few minutes before there was a huge apuse and Latino music began to y. Andrea turned to me, beaming and took my hand. ¡°Hasta luego!¡± he said to the four men we talked to earlier. ¡°See youter!¡± He then led me back towards the stairs. ¡°Who are all these people?¡± I asked looking down at all the dancing people below. ¡°They are my people,¡± he replied. ¡°My pack if you like. The families and friends of my associates. They live off the cartel.¡± ¡°You trust them all?¡± I asked. ¡°They have no reason to betray me and many reasons not to,¡± he replied. ¡°So yes. I do. But enough about business, do you know how to salsa?¡± ¡°No,¡± I said as we reached the bottom of the stairs. ¡°Then you better hope you¡¯re a fast learner,¡± he said suddenly pulling me into his chest. ¡°Follow my lead.¡± He then took both my hands and led me to the centre of the dance floor, ¡°You step like this okay?¡± he said demonstrating what looked like a fairly simple movement of the feet and hips as he pulling me in time with him. ¡°Move your hips, nca. Don¡¯t be shy.¡± He then twirled me around, caught me and dipped me back so that he was leaning over me, his chest against mine. The proximity was suffocating and I couldn¡¯t bear to look at him so I turned my face to the side until he finally pulled me back up. ¡°Easy huh?¡± he asked putting a hand on my back and pushing me against him as he continued to salsa. I was doing very little as he basically dragged me around but I nodded all the same. A few songs yed before he finally stopped. We then moved from group to group as Andrea greeted mostly in Spanish until he introduced me, always in English. ¡°I must teach you Espa? ol, nca,¡± he said. ¡°Especially if we are to marry.¡± I wasn¡¯t nning on sticking around long enough to learn an entire assnguage so I didn¡¯t reply and he led me back up to the mezzanine. ¡°I have an announcement,¡± Andrea said to the butler still stood up there. ¡°Cut the music.¡± He nodded and a few momentster the music silenced and every pair of eyes down in the lobby looked up to Andrea who was leaning over the railings. He then grabbed my wrist and pulled me beside him. ¡°As some of you already know, tonight I have the pleasure of being apanied by the beautiful, E Loren,¡± he began putting a hand on my back. ¡°Untilst week, she was Luna to Alpha Leonardo Loren of the powerful Ste pack. But now, she is by my side,¡± he looked out into the audience, a proud smile on his face and a dancing glint in his eye. ¡°And I n to keep her there. So E, will you seal ourpanionship and do the honour of marrying me?¡± He then pulled a box out from his pocket, got down onto one knee and opened the box to reveal a ring, with a dazzling diamond. ¡°The choice is yours,¡± he added, staring deeply into my eyes. Of course, the choice wasn¡¯t mine and the darkness of his expression and sternness of his stony lips showed it. There was a deathly quiet across the whole party and I could feel the stare of every guest on me, staring in anticipation. ¡°Yes,¡± I said in a hoarse tone. Andrea smiled in approval, slipped the ring onto my finger and kissed me as the guests apuded. ¡°Good choice,¡± he whispered in my ear before turning out to his people and holding up my ringed hand as they continued to p and cheer. ¡°Did you have doubts I¡¯d say yes?¡± I asked quietly as the cheers made it so that only Andrea could hear. ¡°Not for a second,¡± he replied. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t dare.¡± For the rest of the evening, Andrea made me dance with him and then talk to all of his friends and then dance with them until my feet burned from the ufortable heels and my throat was dry. Far beyond midnight, we finally left and got back into the car. I stared out into the streets of Bogota, watching the streetmps whizz by along with all the people living their lives in the light of them. ¡°Sign here,¡± Andrea ordered thrusting a piece of paper and pen into my hands. ¡°What is it?¡± I asked struggling to see in the darkness of the car. ¡°The marriage papers,¡± he replied. ¡°My top men already signed as witnesses. Sign your name on the line and you¡¯ll be Mrs Martinez.¡± ¡°Surely it can¡¯t be this easy?¡± I asked in shock. ¡°Depends who you are and who you know,¡± he replied with a wink. ¡°Stop wasting time and just sign it.¡± I nodded and slowly brought the pen to the paper before pausing again. What the hell am I doing? Just letting him boss me about like this?? I am E Jones. I don¡¯t let men do this to me. ¡°Just fucking do it,¡± he said. ¡°I thought marriage meant nothing to you?¡± He has a point. Maybe I shouldn¡¯t show him that I care and not let him ¡®win¡¯. ¡°It doesn¡¯t,¡± I hissed before scrawling my signature onto the paper before throwing it back at him. ¡°Are you fucking happy?¡± ¡°Oooh,¡± Andrea said his face lighting up, ¡°Calm down, babe.¡± ¡°Does this amuse you?¡± I asked as heughed. He leant forward, cing a hand on my inner upper thigh and holding my head so that I couldn¡¯t move as he kissed me, ¡°Smile, nca. It¡¯s our wedding night.¡± I pushed his chest hard, forcing him away from me. ¡°Are you sure you want to fight again?¡± he snarled grabbing my wrists. ¡°I don¡¯t want to have to ruin your pretty face¡­ again.¡± After that, he sat back in his seat and left me alone for the rest of the journey. ¡°I have a phone call to make,¡± he said to me as we entered the house. ¡°Wait for me upstairs.¡± I scowled but realising how desperate I was to take off these ridiculous shoes and squeezing dress, I went up to the room I¡¯d been staying in and changed into my pyjamas. I then went into the bathroom to brush my teeth and tie my hair up out of my face. I had every intention of going straight to bed and feeding my exhaustion with a long sleep but when I stepped out of the bathroom to find Andrea sat silently on the bed. Considering that he¡¯d been staying in a different room, this was not a good sign.T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 60 But what was worse? The fact that in his hands, he held the box of birth control pills. I stepped back towards the bathroom as he looked up at me with a raised eyebrow. He snapped his fingers and pointed to a space on the floor in front of him. ¡°Andrea, I-¡± I started, gingerly stepping forward. ¡°You haven¡¯t even opened the box,¡± he interrupted. ¡°Which is weird because I seem to remember quite clearly telling you to start taking them two days ago?¡± I swallowed and nodded, ¡°I know.¡± ¡°So why didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Because I-¡± I began. I stopped and he just stared at me waiting. ¡°Forgive me for not being eager to make it more convenient for you to rape me,¡± I hissed suddenly remembering that tonight I wasn¡¯t putting up with his shit. ¡°I see that mouth of yours is creeping back,¡± he said. ¡°And I find it entertaining but what I will not tolerate is disobedience. So fucking take the pills.¡± ¡°No,¡± I said. ¡°I won¡¯t.¡± He stepped forward and put his hands on either side of my face. ¡°You can¡¯t bare to submit can you?¡± he asked. ¡°You never did for your Alpha and now you think you won¡¯t for me, huh?¡± ¡°Why should I?¡± I questioned. ¡°Why should I give you the satisfaction?¡± ¡°Because the day you stop satisfying me is the day you die, nca,¡± he replied running a finger along my jaw. ¡°So open your mouth.¡± I stared up at him, not even opening it to reply as he got one of the pills out of the box. He let out a shortugh, ¡°Do you want me to make your life hell again?¡± he asked in a deep tone. ¡°Because we can go back to that if it¡¯s what you want.¡± Staring at the small pink pill in his fingers, I took a few moments to remember the wretched pain I had experienced over my first days with him and how it had eased the more I obeyed him. There was no sign of Leo and it looked like I was going to be here for a while. So if to make my situation bearable the only sacrifice I had to make was my autonomy, I was going to take it.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. And so I opened my mouth and when he put the pill in, I swallowed. ¡°I¡¯m d we could reach a mutually beneficial agreement,¡± he said with acent smile. The next morning, we drove back to Venezu and I soon found myself back in the first house, Andrea had taken me to. I shuddered as I entered the bedroom, the memories seizing me. The sheets had been changed and were fresh and neat, hiding evidence of my struggle but it was still alive and well in my mind. ¡°It won¡¯t be long before the effect of those pills have set in,¡± Andrea said, ¡°Then we will celebrate our marriage.¡± His words sickened my stomach. Four days had passed since hest forced himself upon me and I¡¯m not sure I could survive it again. ¡°Anyway,¡± he began taking his shirt off. ¡°I¡¯m going into Caracas to deal with thest of Richardo Gonzalez¡¯s cockroaches that avoided my little birthday gift to him. I will be backte this evening.¡± By ¡®birthday gift¡¯ of course, Andrea meant the bomb that blew up Gonzalez¡¯s entire house, all his friends? and his body which had been strangled only two minutes before. ¡°Chico will be here,¡± he added putting on a new shirt. ¡°And I have told him to make sure you take that pill this evening. Don¡¯t you dare cause any trouble, okay?¡± I nodded. ¡°Adios, Se? ora,¡± he said, kissing my cheek. ¡°Bye,¡± I replied quietly as he left the room, ¡°¡­ hope you get shot¡­¡± I added when I was sure he was out of earshot. When I heard the front door close, I instantly ripped the ring off my finger and threw it onto the nightstand unable to look at it for any longer. It felt good to be rid of it but I was still in this room which his scent overwhelmed so strongly. So I made my way down the hall in search of a fresh room to sit. One Andrea clearly hadn¡¯t spent much time in. My first thought was a library. He was clearly an intelligent man but he didn¡¯t strike me as much of a reader. But surely a man as rich as him would have a book or two? And he did. A whole room full. And in a room that was free of his scent. I ran my finger along the spines of the books, scanning for something to read. Sure enough, they were all in Spanish but there was also a Spanish-English dictionary and thatbined with my pre-existing Latin and Italian knowledge, I was able to sit down and slowly decipher a Latino thriller. Although continually having to pause and refer to the dictionary which somewhat destroyed the suspense, I found myself gettingpletely engrossed in the book. I also considered how much I hoped Andrea hadn¡¯t read it. The main character was a serial killer with some fairly creative habits and thest thing Andrea needed was any inspiration. At about 7 o clock in the evening, a knock on the door sounded. ¡°Yes?¡± I asked and the door opened to reveal Chico. A warm, spicy smell also floated in through the air. ¡°I made chilli con carne. You shoulde eat and take your pill,¡± he said. I nodded and followed him down to the kitchen. ¡°So you¡¯re bodyguard, driver, cook and babysitter now?¡± I asked as he handed me a te of food. ¡°I do anything the boss desires,¡± he replied. ¡°Tonight, that is making sure you swallow this,¡± he added handing me a te with just one of the singr pink pills on it and a ss of water. ¡°Anything? he desires?¡± I asked with a wink. He almost smiled before turning back to the pot of chili. ¡°Eat with me,¡± I said. ¡°No, gringa. I don¡¯t fraternise with the prisoners,¡± he replied. ¡°Please. And I¡¯m not his prisoner. I¡¯m his wife,¡± I said patting the table opposite him. ¡°Really?¡± he asked. ¡°I don¡¯t see no ring.¡± I smiled awkwardly and put my hand under the table. ¡°Fine,¡± he said. ¡°I will eat with you but you better put that ring back on before he gets home.¡± He then sat down opposite me and didn¡¯t say another word as we ate. Just as I had finished, a car pulled up outside, it¡¯s wheels screeching on the drive. The car door then promptly mmed and multiple sets of fast footsteps came to the door before if flung open and five or six men flooded in. Andrea was at the front with his arm around a man who¡¯s head hung low and was being dragged, his feet scraping on the floor by him and another man on the other side. The others followed quickly behind as blood poured onto the floor. Chapter 61 ¡°Shit,¡± I cursed. Andrea began barking orders to the men in fast, deep Spanish as they brought the casualty who I could now see has a gaping wound on his side to the kitchen table. Blood gushed out and had instantly covered the table the floor and I could see that Andrea¡¯s shirt was already entirely red. ¡°Move the tes, nca,¡± he said to me and I only had a few seconds to get mine and Chico¡¯s tes out of the way before the man wasid down on his back on the table. He let out a deep groan as people rushed around him. A bucket of water was brought over and a pile of rags which Andrea held on the wound in an attempt to stop the bleeding. I watched dumbstruck as his shirt was cut off him and his head lolled backwards. ¡°What happened?¡± I asked. ¡°He was shot,¡± Andrea replied lifting up the rag to look. ¡°Don¡¯t do that,¡± I said quickly. ¡°You need to keep the pressure on it or he¡¯ll bleed out in minutes.¡± He looked up at me briefly before nodding and putting the rags back down. ¡°Push down hard to stop the bleeding,¡± I said. ¡°But try not to crush the ribs because they¡¯re right there,¡± I added pointing to just above the wound. ¡°And that could cause internal bleeding.¡± He nodded again and did exactly what I said. ¡°The woman is in charge,¡± he told his men. ¡°La Mujer esta a cargo, si?¡± They all looked from Andrea to me hesitantly but nodded, knowing better than to question him. ¡°I need a clean cloth,¡± I added looking at the man¡¯s paled face. ¡°And somebody put some antiseptic or salt in that water.¡± Andrea repeated in Spanish and his men began scrambling around and soon enough I had a new cloth in my hand and the water was being sterilised. I brought my ear to his chest and listened to his heart and then his breathing. ¡°Fuck,¡± I cursed. His head was flopped to the side and his eyes half closed as he let out a hoarse croak. ¡°What?!¡± Andrea said. ¡°He¡¯s stopped breathing,¡± I replied tilted his head back. ¡°Then do something-¡± he began stepping forward. ¡°You just keep the pressure on the wound and let me deal with it, I know what to do,¡± I shouted. He immediately shut up and just held the rags on the man¡¯s side as I nced down his throat. As far as I could see, there was nothing so I brought my mouth to his and began to breathe for us both. Andrea watched as I inted his lungs three times before listening to his chest again and repeating. ¡°Is he conscious?¡± he asked. I shook my head, ¡°He¡¯s lost a lot of blood and has been starved of oxygen.¡± ¡°Will he live?¡± he questioned. ¡°I don¡¯t know yet,¡± I replied. The fourth time I gave him mouth to mouth, his chest finally contracted and he took a huge breath of air. I allowed my self to let out a sigh of relief for a few seconds but my work wasn¡¯t done yet. ¡°How much blood did he lose?¡± I asked. ¡°The back of the car is drowning in it, the kitchen looks like a massacre scene,¡± he replied. ¡°He¡¯s lost gallons.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve got to take him to a hospital,¡± I said. ¡°He¡¯s gonna need a transfusion and stitches.¡± ¡°And sentence him to the rest of his life in prison?!¡± Andrea asked. ¡°He stays here.¡± ¡°And dies on your kitchen table?¡± I asked. ¡°What¡¯s worse?!¡± ¡°Do everything you can to save him,¡± he replied. The next hour was terrible. I could practically feel this man¡¯s life fading in my hands. Only the faintest heartbeat and weakest breaths reassured me he was still alive as I worked tirelessly to keep him that way. He stilly entirely still but the wound had atleast begun to clot and when I ordered Andrea to slowly remove the pressure, we were met with only a slight oozing of blood. ¡°Chico, get the surgical thread and needle,¡± Andrea ordered Chico nodded and disappeared and opened a drawer in the kitchen and pulled a box out which he then handed to me, inside was a real of blue sterile tape and a needle still in its clinical wrapper. ¡°Did you steal this from a hospital?¡± I joked. Andrea looked at me nkly and then I remembered who he was and how obvious the answer was. I then dipped the cloth in the water and cleaned the wound. ¡°The bullet is still in there?¡± I asked. He nodded. I turned to the medical kit beside me and dug around for a pair of tweezers. ¡°There might be two,¡± Andrea added as I brought the tweezers to the wound. ¡°If he wakes up now, somebody knock him out, okay?¡± I said looking up to the men. ¡°I need himpletely still.¡± They all nodded and I began to search through the blood and tissue for the bullet. It wasn¡¯t long before I felt something that definitely wasn¡¯t human body and pulled it out revealing a huge metal bullet. Right next to it, was another. ¡°Will you thread the needle, please Chico,¡± I said. ¡°But disinfect your hands with the gel first.¡± He obeyed as I retrieved the final bullet before handing it to me.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! I took a deep breath and pulled the brightmp one of the men had set up on the table closer to the wound. ¡°Have you done this be-¡± Andrea began. Chapter 62 ¡°Ssh,¡± I snapped. He stopped and stayed quiet the whole time that I sewed the flesh of the man back together. I did a neat job and not a drop of blood escaped once I was done. I then wiped the entire area with the antiseptic and soaked up the blood from around him.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! ¡°That¡¯s all I can do,¡± I said to Andrea. ¡°Now we just wait.¡± He nodded and stepped away into the kitchen running a hand through his hair. He then flicked his wrist to his men. ¡°Go to your stations, I will keep you updated.¡± A few minutester, it was just Andrea and I in the kitchen¡­ well and the half-dead man. ¡°What¡¯s his name?¡± I asked. ¡°Jaime,¡± he replied. I looked at his face as hey there unconscious. He was young. Not a kid but his stubbly beard wasn¡¯t quiteplete enough to belong to a man. ¡°Will you care if he dies?¡± I asked. ¡°What sort of question is that?¡± he questioned. ¡°You didn¡¯t seem to have a problem killing your own men before,¡± I said thinking back to when he shot four of his men in the warehouse in Mexico after I gave their names to Leo. ¡°Did I shoot those bullets, nca?¡± he asked pointing to the two still in on the table that had been in Jaime. ¡°No. So I don¡¯t want him to die. If he does, that¡¯s life and I won¡¯t dwell on it.¡± I nodded and went to wash the blood off my hands in the sink. He then poured a ss of tequ and looked back to me, ¡°Where¡¯s your ring?¡± I looked down to my hand, realising that due to Andrea¡¯s abrupt and chaotic arrival, I had never put it back on as Chico had advised. ¡°Oh-¡± I began. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to get blood on it.¡± He nodded and took a swig of the tequ. ¡°Get some sleep, nca,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ll watch him and wake you if anything changes.¡± I nodded, ¡°We¡¯ll take it in turns,¡± I said sitting down on a nearby sofa. ¡°And good job,¡± he added. ¡°I was certain he¡¯d be dead within the hour.¡± I smiled briefly beforeying my head down on the sofa and falling dead asleep. I woke at 3 am and took over watch from Andrea but there was no movement until 5 am when Jaime slowly began to stir. At first, there was just a low groan and then the twitch of his hand. Soon enough he opened his eyes and looked around the room before a whole wave of confusion and panic began to set in. I quickly approached him and put my hands on his shoulders to try and stop him sitting up and disrupting the stitches, ¡°Stay still.¡± This only made him more restless and he pushed against. I didn¡¯t speak a word of Spanish, how was I supposed to reassure him? ¡°Andrea!¡± I shouted. He was asleep on the sofa but quickly woke up. ¡°Ughh¡­ Casa¡­ casa de Martinez,¡± I stuttered. He just looked at me even more confused. Fortunately, he was weak from his injuries and with every movement he winced in agony so my attempts to keep him downsted long enough for Andrea to take over. He put a single hand on Jaime¡¯s shoulder and looked into his eyes, causing him to instantly calm and stay still. ¡°Jaime, Jaime, Jaime,¡± he said putting a hand on his shoulder before speaking to him in Spanish. I watched as Andrea exined everything, pointing to the stitches, the removed bullets and then me. ¡°Gracias, Se? ora,¡± he said to me in a weak whisper. ¡°Thank you,¡± he added in his best English. I nodded and smiled before I helped Andrea move him upstairs to a spare bed where he spent what was left of the night. ¡°Your skills impressed me, nca,¡± Andrea said as wey in our bed, the light of dawn already filling the room. ¡°I¡¯ve had men with injuries nowhere near as bad as that die on me before.¡± ¡°Well, I had plenty of practice in my mate¡¯s army,¡± I replied. ¡°First patient I¡¯ve treated on a kitchen table though.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± he said. ¡°He¡¯s your responsibility until he is well enough to go home.¡± I nodded, ¡°Okay.¡± I suppose it gives me something to do. It wasn¡¯t until midday that Jaime woke up again. ¡°H,¡± I said. ¡°Do you speak English?¡± He was stillying on the bed on his back with no shirt so that I could fully see the wound. It looked to be healing perfectly and he didn¡¯t look quite as deathly white as he did the day before. He nodded, ¡°A little.¡± ¡°How do you feel?¡± I asked. ¡°Weak,¡± he replied with a frustrated groan. ¡°And heavy.¡± ¡°It will be days before your body has recovered from the blood loss. I¡¯m sure Andrea will let you rest here until then and I will keep an eye on the wound. The sanitation was far from desirablyst night and I need to make sure it doesn¡¯t get infected.¡± ¡°Why are you helping?¡± he asked suddenly turning to me. His eyes were an olive green and they stared directly into mine with a totally serious face. ¡°What?¡± I asked. His eyes nced to the doorway momentarily before looking back at me. ¡°You know that we are fighting against your mate, right?¡± he added in a hushed tone. ¡°Last night we weren¡¯t but the ultimate goal is to bring him down.¡± I felt my heart sink into my chest/ ¡°You would have died,¡± was all I could say. ¡°I can¡¯t let people just die.¡± Chapter 63 I then turned on my heel, feeling a tear fighting to escape. All I could think to do was march out to the garden but Andrea met me in the corridor and grabbed my shoulders. ¡°Where are you going?¡± he asked. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! ¡°Nothing,¡± I said. ¡°Just let me go.¡± ¡°And how¡¯s the patient?¡± he added. ¡°Fine,¡± I replied trying to get out of his grip. ¡°You need to employ a doctor or set up a hospital or something.¡± He furrowed his eyebrows, ¡°Why?¡± he asked turning my face to look at me. ¡°I have you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not doing it again,¡± I said firmly. ¡°What happenedst night isn¡¯t happening again.¡± ¡°Oh, sweetheart,¡± he said. ¡°Just because I let you be in chargest night doesn¡¯t mean you get to decide what happens now. You will do everything for me that I ask. So if I ever bring another man in need of help like that again, you won¡¯t hesitate to provide it, got it?¡± ¡°Your men are fighting against Leonardo, aren¡¯t they?¡± I replied quietly. ¡°If I help them, I am also fighting against him and I can¡¯t do that.¡± Andrea shrugged, ¡°Sounds like a personal problem to me. Deal with it.¡± I scowled and pushed him off me, ¡°He needs at least three days of rest,¡± I said quietly. ¡°Gracias,¡± he replied before kissing me hand and strolling away. ¡°And put that fucking ring back on!¡± I stood in the hallway for a few moments, watching him walk away. His gun, as always, was tucked into the back of his belt and the intolerable confidence in his stride. I felt the anger inside me begin to boil so before it bubbled over and I did something stupid, I rushed downstairs and out into the garden, as far away from Andrea as possible. That feeling of powerlessness flooded back in and as I stood out in the middle of thewn, absolutely lost for what to do. Because there was nothing I could do. My entire life I¡¯d lived for my independence and freedom so helpless filled me with so much despair, it made me shake with anger until I dropped to my knees in a trembling, heavy breathing mess. The worst part? Now I was being forced to work against my only hope: Leo. The thought of Jaime now being alive to kill or even hurt a Ste soldier, let alone Leo, added guilt to my evergrowing pot of sorrow and I let out a high pitched whimper. In my head, I damned Andrea fucking Martinez to the fiery pits of hell. It¡¯s not like I could even me him for messing up a perfect life; things were rough already and I wanted a break away from Leo. That¡¯s how I got into this nightmare. But now all I wanted was him back, Andrea to be out of my life and all this to be over. Max¡¯s POV After leaving ir and Luca searching in Caracas and keeping his men out all over South America, the Alpha recruited me on his hunt for Gustavo Escobar. After a long, torturous car journey to Colombia in a car with a frustrated and angry Alpha, we finally arrived at the house on the coordinates given to us by the Caracas head of police. ¡°I was joking when I said we should just ring the doorbell and ask politely, you know?¡± I said as we stood on the doorstep of the house. ¡°Got a better idea?¡± Leo snapped. ¡°And I don¡¯t think anyone¡¯s in.¡± ¡°Either that or we¡¯re about to get shot,¡± he mumbled. He ignored me and we stood there for a few minutes with no sound or movementing from within the house. ¡°Fucking hell,¡± I cursed. ¡°Now what-?¡± Before I could finish, he¡¯d kicked down the door. ¡°Exactly what E would have done,¡± I said. ¡°Do you two have some kind of breaking and entering kink?¡± ¡°No, we have a get shit done kink,¡± he replied, stepping into the house. It seemed empty, totally quiet and still, but the faint smell of freshly cooked food lingered in the air. He stepped cautiously into the house, towards the kitchen where the smell wasing from. ¡°They can¡¯t have been gone long-¡± I began looking at the freshly chopped vegetables on the side and pot on the hob. Leo held his finger up to silence me and we stood in total quiet for a few moments. ¡°Do you hear that?¡± he asked. ¡°Hear what?¡± I replied. He suddenly marched forward and around the kitchen counter before reaching down. I heard a high pitched whimper and a few secondster, he pulled a young girl up from behind the kitchen surfaces. She looked from him to me and then back to him, her lip shaking and a terrified expression on her face as Leo kept a tight grip on her arm. ¡°Do you work for Gustavo Escobar?¡± he asked. She nodded quickly, ¡°but he¡¯s not here.¡± ¡°When will he be back?¡± I asked. ¡°Tonight,¡± she said. ¡°Please, I am just the maid-¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to hurt you,¡± Leo told her, finally releasing her arm. ¡°I just need to speak to your boss.¡± She nodded and stepped back, clutching her self. He leant his elbows on the worktop for a few moments before taking a particrly red apple out of the fruit bowl and looking back up to her,? ¡°Mind if we wait here?¡± he asked taking a big bite from the apple. She nervously shook her head, ¡°There¡¯s a table on the patio. I will make you some coffee.¡± Leo nodded and headed for the doors that lead out into the garden, ¡°Max, help her with the coffee.¡± Once he was gone, she turned to a cupboard and opened it, her hands still shaking. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about him,¡± I said reaching over her getting the mugs out for her. ¡°He¡¯s just a man that cares for his mate.¡± ¡°Who are you people?¡± she asked. ¡°He¡¯s Alpha Loren and I¡¯m his Luna¡¯s cousin,¡± I replied. ¡°¡­ A-Alpha Loren? Leonardo Loren?¡± she questioned her voice turning hoarse. ¡°Again, don¡¯t worry about him,¡± I reassured. ¡°He won¡¯t hurt you and we¡¯re just here to speak to Gustavo. Where do you keep coffee?¡± ¡°Top shelf on the right,¡± she replied and I got it out. When I¡¯d made the coffee, I began taking it outside, ¡°When he arrives, tell him we¡¯re out here, okay?¡± Chapter 64 She nodded and I left her alone. ¡°You scared her, Alpha,¡± I said pouring him a cup of coffee. ¡°Not sure I care,¡± he replied with a sigh. ¡°E is my only priority right now.¡± ¡°Whatever,¡± I said, sitting down at the little patio table. ¡°Just saying what she would say if she was here.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t piss me off, Maximus,¡± he growled closing his eyes and tilting his head back into the evening sun. ¡°I¡¯ve been in the mood to kill someone for weeks and I don¡¯t want it to be you.¡± ¡°Killing someone got her in this mess,¡± I mumbled under my breath, referring to the murder of E¡¯s brother that triggered a whole chain of events leading to this. He snapped his head back up and he red, ¡°You¡¯re one to speak. Remember when you almost got her killed¡­ many times¡­ one of which was deliberate?¡± ¡°We¡¯re doing this again, are we?¡± I asked rolling my eyes. ¡°Looks like it,¡± he replied as he leant back into the chair. ¡°Then I should mention when I saved her life multiple times too,¡± I added. ¡°What about the time you lost our daughter at the park?¡± he questioned. ¡°She was hiding under the slide! Nothing bad happened,¡± I pointed out. ¡°But it took you an hour to find her,¡± he grumbled. ¡°Okay, but let¡¯s not forget who dropped Stefano¡¯s baby food on Zacharias¡¯s head and just scraped it off and gave it to him anyway,¡± I said. ¡°I bathed him the night before. His head was clean enough,¡± he replied with a shrug. ¡°How about when you identally took Cato, Mathias and Ss for a nice Daddy and Sons dinner out at a gay strip club?¡± I asked. He opened his mouth defensively ¡°Okay, but who wouldn¡¯t mistake a ce called ¡®The Speedy Weiner¡¯ for a sausage restaurant?!¡± he questioned with a scoff. ¡°They even had a fucking menu on the website!¡± ¡°Yeh, with the first item on it being ¡®the big and juicy¡¯ and the second being ¡®the small but powerful¡¯ with every portioning in a ¡®tight sulent bun¡¯ and served on a fucking pole,¡± I said. ¡°I thought it meant like a kebab sausage,¡± he mumbled. ¡°And that was almost as traumatic for me as it was for the boys. At least they were too young to either understand or remember. I¡¯ve been trying to block what I saw that night from my memory for the past two years.¡± I couldn¡¯t help butugh before another taunting point came into my mind. ¡°Or when you used a tampon to-¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you dare bring that up,¡± he interrupted. ¡°We had an agreement that in exchange for me never telling E how you nearly put Lili in with theundry, we would never mention that again, especially not to E. She can never know where herst tampon went, okay?¡± ¡°Truce?¡± I asked holding my hand out. He shook it and we sat quietly enjoying the coffee for a few moments. He seemed in a slightly lighter mood now than earlier but still stared straight ahead brooding. Half an hour or so and another pot of coffeeter, we heard the front door open from inside. The maid scurried straight to the door presumably to exin the situation because a few minutester, a man came out onto the patio. He was neither old nor young with the odd grey hair and wrinkle but otherwise in perfect health. He stood tall, dressed in a smart suit, no tie, top three buttons undone. His eyes set on us and he stood motionless for a few moments. ¡°Good afternoon, Gustavo,¡± Leo called looking over his shoulder. ¡°Please sit.¡± He slowly approached and hesitantly sat down at the table as Leo smiled but also held an intimidating level of eye contact. ¡°I can¡¯t say I was expecting to have Alpha Leonardo Loren on my patio when I arrived home,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ve heard a lot about you.¡± Leo smiled and nodded, ¡°All good, I presume?¡± ¡°Coffee?¡± I asked picking up the pot and a mug. He looked down at the coffee and eyed me suspiciously, ¡°I¡¯m okay, thank you.¡± ¡°We pose no threat,¡± Leo said. ¡°I am unarmed,¡± he added holding up his hands. ¡°We just have something important to discuss.¡± He leant back in his chair, his face rxing. ¡°I look up to you, I must say,¡± he then said, turning to Leo. ¡°But to what do I owe the pleasure of this abrupt visit?¡± ¡°Andrea Martinez,¡± Leo said. His face curled into a loathing frown. ¡°That name is poison to my ears,¡± he replied, disgust in his voice.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! ¡°You and me alike,¡± Leo answered. ¡°One day I will murder that kid,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ve lost too many men, too much money and too much sleep to him already.¡± ¡°He is holding my Luna hostage,¡± he said. ¡°Your Luna, huh?¡± he asked. ¡°I¡¯ve heard about this. Are you aware that he has recently taken your girl as his wife?¡± His little beady ck eyes seemed to enjoy watching us as we processed what he had just said. As I heard Leo¡¯s heart skip, his lips twitched up into a smile for a split second and as I raised an eyebrow, he let out a short scoff. ¡°What?¡± I asked after Leo had done nothing but sat as still and rigid as an iron rod for a few moments. ¡°E Loren is now E Martinez,¡± he confirmed. From the corner of my eye, I saw Leo¡¯s jaw clench before he sat forward, stared Gustavo directly in the eye and took a deep breath, ¡°He has married my mate?¡± His tone was still strong and deep but the battle he was fighting to keep calm was evident. ¡°It appears so,¡± Gustavo replied with a shrug. ¡°Why would he do that?!¡± I asked. ¡°Well, it certainly hasn¡¯t been kept a secret meaning he wants people to know. So probably to piss you off. He¡¯s childish like that. It¡¯s a side effect of being 19,¡± he told me. ¡°Well he has sessfully pissed me off,¡± Leo growled. ¡°Forgive me, Alpha,¡± Gustavo began. ¡°What has all this got to do with me.¡± ¡°My mate is in danger and I need to get her back,¡± he began. ¡°I have tried but I can¡¯t find her alone, not even with my pack backing me.¡± Chapter 65 Gustavoughed, ¡°What do you think I can do? I may be his biggest rival but I only know what he wants me to know, just like everyone else. I hate to admit it but that boy has a wless operation going.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s what people keep saying,¡± Leo replied with a twinge of frustration. ¡°But nothing is perfect and there¡¯s always a w.¡± Gustavo smiled and leant closer, ¡°I¡¯m interested. What are you proposing, Mr Alpha?¡± ¡°That we join forces to find that w,¡± I said. ¡°Together, I believe we have the capacity and that you know more than you are letting on.¡± Gustavo leant forward so that his face was close to Leo¡¯s, ¡°What¡¯s in it for me, Se? or?¡± ¡°Martinez¡¯s death and an alliance with the most powerful Alpha in the world,¡± he replied. ¡°Of course, Martinez¡¯s death also carries a whole host of benefits. South America would be yours. I have no interest in taking a cut.¡± Gustavo remained quiet and thought for a few moments, ¡°Okay. I¡¯m in.¡± ¡°Wonderful,¡± Leo said shaking his hand. ¡°How about we begin this by you telling me everything you know about this overachieving teenager?¡± E¡¯s POV Three weekster, I¡¯d slipped into life with Andrea. It was horrible and painful but I¡¯d learnt to tolerate it. Every day, I¡¯d get up, take my pill and make breakfast for us both. Sometimes Chico would help, sometimes he wouldn¡¯t. Then he¡¯d put me to use doing whatever job he had going whether that be tending to thetest bullet victim, cleaning, cooking or serving food and beer to him and whichever disrespectful, misogynistic friends he had over that evening. He liked to take me out of the house too, whether that be because he needed my assistance distracting or persuading someone or simply just to drag me along. I lost count of the number of times I watched him kill someone. At first, the coldness andplete emptiness in his eyes frightened me. I guess how easily he could just take a life without a second thought made me realise how dangerous he really was. But although with every death my heart sunk, the ringing in my ears from the shot of a bullet became normal and his utterck of emotion no longer phased me. When he wanted to sleep with me, which was three or four times a week, was by far the worst. Even though I knew there was nothing I could do to stop it, the guilt I felt was terrible. Everything else I became numb to overtime but with this, I felt the same excruciating pain every time no matter how much tequ he¡¯d given me beforehand. One evening afterwards, I sat with my knees against my chest against the headboard as he sat next to me,id outfortably as he put a cigarette in his mouth. ¡°Want one?¡± he offered. ¡°No,¡± I whispered almost inaudibly. ¡°Try it,¡± he urged. I could tell by his tone that it wasn¡¯t a choice so I took one out of the box he was holding out to me and held it in my fingers. He brought my hand to my mouth and rested it in my lips before lighting it and then lighting his own. It filled my lungs with the most revolting ash and smoke that burnt and itched. But I didn¡¯t cough or reach for water, I just stayed still and felt the sting scratch at my throat. It was a distraction if nothing else. ¡°You ever smoked pot, nca?¡± he asked. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Your Alpha didn¡¯t let you, huh?¡± he said with a slightugh. ¡°I have kids,¡± I replied. ¡°Shit yeh you do,¡± he said. ¡°A lot of fucking kids. But they aren¡¯t your problem anymore and you¡¯re with me now.¡± ¡°I¡¯d rather just sleep,¡± I told him, handing him my barely touched cigarette before scrambling under the covers. ¡°Another time,¡± he said. ¡°Sweet dreams.¡± I closed my eyes and listened until he finished his cigarette and had fallen asleep before rolling onto my back and staring up to the ceiling. It must have been hours until he moved and I felt his arm wrap around my waist. ¡°Do you ever sleep, nca?¡± he asked. ¡°When I run out of things to think about,¡± I replied quietly.T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Go to sleep or you¡¯ll look like I haven¡¯t been treating you right,¡± he said pulling me closer to him and closing his eyes again. He hadn¡¯t been treating me right though. The moonlight poured in therge window and onto the bed, lighting up Andrea¡¯s sleepy figure. Even in innocent rest, he looked evil. Even when his piercing, satanic eyes were covered, a low sense of danger hung around him. ¡°How did you get like this?¡± I asked suddenly. He opened his eyes again and looked at me disgruntledly. ¡°Like what?¡± he questioned with a sigh. ¡°Such a powerful man at only neen despite being born a rogue,¡± I borated treading carefully unsure of how he¡¯d react to the reminder of his past. ¡°Must we get into this at 1 am? It¡¯s a long story,¡± he slurred, his Mexican enting out strong as he closed his eyes again. ¡°It¡¯s been ying at my mind for a while and the curiosity is keeping me awake,¡± I said. His eyes opened again and he propped himself up on his elbows. ¡°My father was the future Alpha of a pack in Southern Mexico. My mother was his high school summer fling,¡± he began. ¡°She wasn¡¯t his mate so when she fell pregnant with me at sixteen, my Grandfather, who was Alpha at the time, exiled her from the pack and she raised me as a rogue alone. Heter found his mate and had more kids but I was his first son, first in line to the Alphaship.¡± ¡°So that is why you are so strong?¡± I asked. ¡°You¡¯re an Alpha?¡± ¡°Only by blood,¡± he replied. ¡°I didn¡¯t get no pack handed to me. I had to find my own way, building a criminal organisation and making billions a year from trafficking drugs.¡± ¡°Where¡¯s your mother now?¡± I questioned genuinely curious. He shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know. She found her mate when I was ten. Of course, as the son of another man, he hated me so naturally, abandoned me in the middle of the desert. From there, I found my way to a warehouse containing a gang of criminals that adopted me and taught me their ways. And here we are,¡± he finished. ¡°Oh,¡± I replied, kinda shocked. ¡°Maybe you should find her. Or him.¡± ¡°They won¡¯t want anything to do with me,¡± he said with augh. ¡°I¡¯m the kid they never wanted.¡± ¡°You had a fucked up childhood.¡± ¡°Yeah but I ended up better off. I have everything I want now,¡± he replied. ¡°Except love,¡± I said quietly. ¡°Love is bullshit.¡± ¡°You think that because you¡¯ve never felt it,¡± I replied. ¡°So you¡¯ve given up on it, right?¡± Chapter 66 He stared at me for a few seconds, ¡°To give up on it implies that I ever believed in it in the first ce.¡± ¡°Well shit,¡± I stated. ¡°No wonder you¡¯re how you are.¡± ¡°What is that supposed to mean, nca?¡± he asked raising an eyebrow as his tone hardened again. For a moment, I had seen another side to Andrea. More personable, softer¡­ perhaps even human. But he¡¯d gone with my idental slip of disrespect. ¡°Nothing,¡± I mumbled quietly as I rested my head back on the pillow and closed my eyes. I waited until I was sure he was asleep again before slowly sitting up and leaning against the headboard. Curiosity wasn¡¯t stopping me from sleeping. It was the thought of my children now having spent an entire month and a half without their mother and of how desperately I missed them and their father. The more I sat and thought as that intolerable man slept beside me, the more I began to choke on my own grief. Soon enough I was unable to contain my tears and shaking so I fumbled my way into the bathroom and leant against the wall trying to control my breathing. I let out broken sobs as the agony consumed my every muscle. Sliding down the wall so that I was positioned in a ball by the sink, I allowed the tears to flow. This wasn¡¯t a rare urrence. Almost every night in fact. It had been weeks and the most insufferable thing was that I was beginning to lose faith in Leo. The hope that he would find me was the only thing keeping me going but he hadn¡¯t yet and it felt as though he never would. ¡°If you are going to cry, can you at least do it quietly?¡± Andrea asked as he appeared in the doorway of the bathroom. I looked up at him in his single pair of shorts and nothing else before returning to my uncontroble sobs. He grunted before dragging himself into the bathroom and to the toilet on the other side of the room. He lifted the seat and for a short moment, the only sounds filling the room were his urine hitting the water and my snuffles. When he was done, he washed his hands and then crouched down so that his face was pretty much level with mine. ¡°I miss my home and my family,¡± I replied truthfully as I wiped my eyes. ¡°And my mate. I miss him so so so much.¡± His jaw clenched and he inhaled deeply. ¡°You¡¯ll get over it,¡± he said monotonously before standing up and leaving the bathroom. ¡°Can I phone him?¡± I asked hopefully. ¡°No. How is that supposed to help you get over it?¡± he asked from the bedroom. ¡°Nowe back to bed.¡± I pushed my head against the sink and allowed more tears to roll. ¡°I won¡¯t be able to sleep and I¡¯ll only keep you awake, Andrea,¡± I replied, willing to use any excuse not to get back in the same bed as him. I heard the draw of his nightstand open before his heavy, disgruntled footsteps marched back towards the bathroom. ¡°Open your mouth,¡± he ordered crouching down in front of me again. ¡°What are you-¡± I began before he grabbed my face in his hand and shoved a pill in my half-open mouth. ¡°This will help you sleep,¡± he said lifting me off the floor. A weird sense of tiredness engulfed me, one I hadn¡¯t felt in a long while. Suddenly, the prospect of sleep felt very appealing. The next morning I felt like literal death. My lips were so dry that as I slowly parted them to let fresh air into my stale mouth, the skin on my lips pulled and peeled. I tried to grasp for the ss of water by the bed but my entire body was too limp, but somehow also stiff, to even move. So with my corse throat itching to be soothed I justy like a corpse shrouded in the sheets of the bed, trapped in the coffin that was my life right now. Just like a morgue, the room was empty of any other life too which was the only real positive here. Andrea was gone and althoughpany is usually beneficial in times of despair, I¡¯d rather be on an isted desert ind than with him. Despite my severeck of motivation and will power, I was eventually able to sit up and chug the water which instantly brought me halfway back to life. Brushing my teeth and showing helped too and soon enough, I had enough strength to go to the library. The first book I picked up being the ¡®Drugs for Dummies¡¯ where I researched exactly what the fuck Andrea had forced into my system the previous night. ¡°The boss wants you in his office,¡± Chico said entering the library and hourter. I closed my book and leant back into the chair. ¡°Immediately.¡± ¡°Tell him I still have an unhealthy amount of¡­ benzod¡­ iazepines in my body,¡± I said looking back in the book at the section on what I believed to be the culprit of how shitty I felt. He looked at me with a confused expression for a short moment before brushing it aside, ¡°Don¡¯t make hime up and get you,¡± was all he said before disappearing again. Not wanting to be eager, I waited a minute or two before slowing going downstairs and towards Andrea¡¯s office. ¡°Good morning, E,¡± he said to me as I entered. ¡°How are you feeling?¡± ¡°Like utter shit.¡± ¡°But you slept like a baby?¡± he replied with a mischievous grin. I scowled and turned to the door. ¡°Hey, did I say you could leave?¡± he asked. ¡°Sit the fuck down, nca. I need to ask you some questions.¡± After a short sigh to make my dissatisfaction known, I sat down on the opposite side of his desk as he reached into a drawer.T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°So,¡± he began. ¡°My n to kill your mate and take over the Ste back and consequently the rest of North America has been brought forward.¡± I opened my mouth to speak but no words came out. ¡°He¡¯s causing me more issues than I anticipated so his death date has now been scheduled for ASAP,¡± he continued. ¡°Why are you telling me this?¡± I asked in a hoarse tone. ¡°Because¡­¡± he said pulling four pictures out of the drawer and putting them in front of me. ¡°You are going to help by giving me information on these men.¡± The four pictures were of ir, Luca, Max and strangely Luciano. Of course, I knew Luciano¡¯s picture was at least four years old considering Leo had killed him four years ago but judging by the chubby baby cheeks on Luca and innocent expression of Max¡¯s face, I would guess that they were all old photos. In ir¡¯s picture, he was stood by a car that he hadn¡¯t even had since the first year I was with Leo which was now seven years ago. ¡°These men are some of the most important leaders of the Ste pack, right? In order to even get close to the Alpha, I¡¯ve got to first target those he relies on most and to do that, I need information,¡± he said. ¡°As Luna, I presume you knew them pretty well?¡± I shrugged, ¡°My mate preferred to keep me out of pack affairs.¡± ¡°Hm. Of course,¡± he replied staring me straight in the eye. ¡°But I don¡¯t need to know pack affairs. I want personal details. Their full names, their mates, their children, their personalities, their weaknesses. Tell me everything.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t help you try to kill my mate and my friends,¡± I stated folding my arms. ¡°I don¡¯t care what you do, I will protect them.¡± Andrea sighed, ¡°I knew this would be a problem.¡± He then got up and came around to my side of the desk before sitting on it in front of me and resting his chin on his hands. ¡°You know that you don¡¯t have a choice, right?¡± he asked. ¡°And we both know the lengths I will go to get the information out of you if you refuse.¡± I red for a few moments before standing up, scraping the chair back along the floor as much as possible. ¡°I¡¯m not doing this,¡± I said. Chapter 67 As I took my first step towards the door, I felt him grab my wrist and haul me back in front of him. ¡°What do you know about these men?¡± he asked again, this time in a low growl. ¡°Nothing,¡± I hissed and his jaw tightened. I was terrified of him. I won¡¯t lie. But my love for Leo and the pack had a greater magnitude than any fear and I wasn¡¯t just going to give them up. He hit me hard across the face, the impact sounding throughout the house. But I didn¡¯t whimper or let him see any sign of pain, I just stared down at the floor, trying not to be crushed by the extraordinary tension now in the room. ¡°Talk,¡± he snarled gripped my face in one of his hands. His other hand, which was firmly around my wrist was excruciating but his re on me was worse. I searched my brain for any way of getting out of this situation until I came to the decision I¡¯d do exactly what he said. Talk. But without giving anything useful away. Only the trivial shit like how Luca showers sitting down or how Max only eats Chinese food on Tuesdays. I¡¯d always been good at talking. So let¡¯s put it to the test. ¡°I¡¯m waiting,¡± he said. ¡°These photos are old,¡± was all I said. ¡°What makes you say that?¡± he asked finally releasing my face from his hand. I hesitated for a moment, ¡°They all look so young,¡± I said without wanting to give away too much. ¡°Max now has one grey hair by his ear that isn¡¯t there in that photo and Luca¡¯s eyebrow-¡± ¡°Cut the shit,¡± he snapped. ¡°And this man, Luciano, isn¡¯t even alive,¡± I continued, ignoring him. I pointed to the photo of Luciano, where he was stood with the same darkened torment on his lips with that sadistic glint in his eye that I knew all too well. ¡°He¡¯s dead?¡± Andrea asked, suddenly sitting forward. ¡°Yes,¡± I confirmed. ¡°Interesting,¡± he muttered looking down at the photo. He rested his teeth on the end of his pen before looking back up to me. ¡°He just died of natural causes¡­ or?¡± I paused and closed my mouth before leaning back in the chair. ¡°Come on, babe. What am I going to do with information on a dead man?¡± he asked. ¡°Then why do you need to know?¡± ¡°Morbid curiosity,¡± he replied. ¡°Tell me.¡± He had a point, what use would information about Luciano be to his mission to kill Leo. And maybe if I told him this he¡¯d let me go without trying to get anything about Luca, Max or ir. ¡°Leo killed him,¡± I said eventually. ¡°Four years ago.¡± ¡°Why?¡± he asked. ¡°He was a pack member, no?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a long story.¡± ¡°And we have a long time,¡± he replied with a shrug. I sighed as he watched me, waiting for me to speak. ¡°He was Leo¡¯s good friend from a young age. They got along well in that they both had the same psychotic antics andck of immorality which made him the perfect partner in crime. But Leo had at least some level of morals even if very weak and a line he never stepped over but Luciano didn¡¯t.¡± ¡°How so?¡± ¡°Leo has a sense of justice. He lets the innocent be and tries to rule fairly. Of course, I¡¯ll be the first to admit he doesn¡¯t follow that perfectly but inparison to Luciano, he¡¯s an angel. Due to their longsting friendship, Leo was tolerant of Luciano doing things that no other pack member would get away with but when he repeatedly raped an innocent human woman after being explicitly told not to touch her, he exiled him.¡± ¡°Awe, I didn¡¯t know your mate was so soft,¡± Andrea cooed. ¡°Leo doesn¡¯t tolerate rape,¡± I replied. ¡°But murder and torture is absolutely fine?¡± he asked with a raised eyebrow. ¡°These morals of his are questionable but this is irrelevant. How did he end up dead?¡± ¡°Fast forward three years and I am in Italy without Leo when Ie across him. Since Leo didn¡¯t strictly allow me to go to Italy, Luciano took the opportunity to win back Leo¡¯s trust by returning me to him. Leo fooled for it and the next thing I know, Luciano is sexually assaulting me. Which is sickening in its own right but when you consider that Luciano is my second cousin, it is utterly nauseating. And of course,¡± I paused and looked him dead in the eye. ¡°The best way to piss off an Alpha is to touch his Luna, so when Leo found out, he killed him.¡± Andrea let out a shortugh and leant back in his chair. ¡°That is quite the story,¡± hemented. ¡°Your cousin, you say? And ex-best buddies with your Alpha?¡± I nodded. ¡°And he¡¯s definitely dead?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Andrea smiled to himself and there was silence for a few moments, ¡°You can go,¡± he said. ¡°We¡¯re done here.¡± I looked at him puzzled and when I didn¡¯t move his eyes shifted to me, ¡°Unless you want to share every detail of your precious Luca so that I can hunt down his family and brutally kill them all?¡± At that, I got up and immediately left.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! My n had been a sess but somehow I had an overwhelming unsettled sensation in my stomach. His reaction had been weird and I stood outside his office in confusion for a few moments before I tried to brush it aside and headed back to the library. For the rest of the day, Andrea was in a good mood. As usual, I still did my best to avoid him but when he came to find me in the garden in the early afternoon, the sinking sensation in my heart wasn¡¯t as extreme. Think expensive yacht rather than the Titanic. ¡°I¡¯m leaving for a few days,¡± he told me as he sat beside me on thewn and joined me in staring up at the golden rays of the afternoon sun. ¡°Am I going to?¡± I asked, curling my fingers around some des of grass and plucking them from the earth. ¡°Not this time, nca,¡± he replied. ¡°You¡¯ve already done your bit to help me with this.¡± I furrowed my eyebrows, ¡°What?¡± He turned to me with a glimmer in his eye, before he turned back to the sky. ¡°Don¡¯t you worry,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ll see you in two days.¡± As promised, two uneventful dayster he returned. Despite moving in the interim, I was in the exact spot in the garden that he left me,ying on thewn on my back staring up into the sky. I didn¡¯t look up at him or even move as he approached and he stood by me for a few moments before speaking. ¡°Come with me.¡± Chapter 68 ¡°Why?¡± I asked immediately. ¡°Don¡¯t question, juste,¡± he said grabbing my wrist and pulling me to my feet. He led me back into the house and when we reached the kitchen I suddenly froze. A sly smile slipped onto Andrea¡¯s face and he tugged me further. ¡°No,¡± I whispered after swallowing the shock lodged in my throat. ¡°Who¡¯s scent is that?¡± It drifted from his office, it¡¯s tentacles wrapping slowly around my chest. Squeezing, trapping, seizing. With every memory it triggered, the tighter it gripped and the less I could breathe until I find myself physically unable to. ¡°I think you know who,¡± he replied. ¡°Soe on. Let¡¯s go and have a family reunion.¡± As we neared the door to the office, I tried my best to free myself from Andrea.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! ¡°What, nca?¡± he asked. ¡°You¡¯re afraid of him?¡± ¡°Andrea please-¡± I began. ¡°Don¡¯t bother,¡± he said with a shortugh before opening the door and pushing me in. I had hoped I was going insane. But my eyes were met with exactly what I had dreaded. Maybe I¡¯m hallucinating now? ¡°It¡¯s not possible,¡± I whispered as I scanned his body. It seemed very real and extremely alive. ¡°You¡¯re dead.¡± The man stifled augh and turned the swivel chair he was satfortably in a few degrees to the left, ¡°Is that what your Alpha told you?¡± ¡°He killed you,¡± I said surely. ¡°Yet here I am,¡± he shrugged, a sly smile tugging at his lips. He then stood up and stepped forward slowly until he was a mere few centimetres from me. He examined me, and picked up a strand of my hair and felt it between his fingers before dropping it back down and his hand finding it¡¯s way to my chin. Using the tips of his fingers, he lifted my head so I had no choice to look him in the eye. ¡°Nice to see you again, my dear little cousin,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s been a while.¡± ¡°Luciano,¡± I said, his name filling me with more hatred and loathing than you could imagine. He smiled in that cold, emotionless way before turning my head to the side. ¡°Yikes,¡± he said running his finger along my cheek, which was still bruised from when Andrea hit me a couple of days prior. ¡°That¡¯s gotta hurt.¡± I couldn¡¯t bring myself to give him the satisfaction of a response so I just kept my mouth shut. ¡°I see Martinez is finally giving you the treatment you deserve,¡± he replied. ¡°Because Alpha dearest is out of the picture? I also hear you¡¯re not quite so brave without the threat of him around?¡± I scowled which only amused him more. ¡°How are you still alive?¡± I asked, my curiosity itching like a nasty rash. He sat back down and put his hands behind his neck, ¡°Do you want to tell her or should I?¡± he said to Andrea. ¡°The honour is yours,¡± Andrea said with a grin. ¡°Your Alpha lied to you, sweetheart,¡± Luciano said. ¡°He let me live.¡± ¡°After everything you did, why would he do that?¡± I asked, refusing to believe it. ¡°Looks like you aren¡¯t the only one Leonardo has a soft spot for,¡± Andrea replied. ¡°Even Alpha Leonardo Loren couldn¡¯t bring himself to murder his childhood bestie, so we came to an agreement,¡± Luciano replied picking up a pen from the desk and twizzling it in his thumb. ¡°He let me live so long as I went back to the Italian mafia, spied on them, fed information back to him and most importantly, stayed the fuck away from his Luna and family.¡± ¡°Then what are you doing here?¡± ¡°Because I don¡¯t keep my promises. You know that better than most,¡± he replied. ¡°So when Andrea Martinez showed up in the doorway to my house offering me a deal that interested me far more, what do you think I did?¡± ¡°You see, nca,¡± Andrea said.? ¡°All that information you gave me on ¡®a dead man¡¯ was all I needed to find the best weapon against your Alpha of all time.¡± I looked back to Luciano, panic taking hold. ¡°Leonardo is as good as dead,¡± Luciano said, his lips curling up at the sides. ¡°All I have to do is get him to trust me again and then lure him to his death like a puppy on a leash.¡± ¡°He will never trust you again,¡± I spat. ¡°Watch your tone, my love,¡± he warned. ¡°He¡¯s not here to protect you anymore.¡± ¡°He will not trust you,¡± I repeated, this time much quieter. ¡°Oh, he will. By now he¡¯s probably so desperate to get you back that he¡¯d recruit the devil himself for help and besides, let¡¯s not forget that time and time again he makes the mistake of thinking he can trust me. It¡¯s his fatal w.¡± ¡°I should have requested to kill you myself,¡± I hissed. At that I felt Andrea seize my arm, ¡°E, that¡¯s no way to speak to our guest,¡± he snarled in my ear. ¡°Apologise.¡± I stared into Luciano¡¯s eyes, longing to rip the smirk from his lips. When I didn¡¯t reply, Andrea wrapped his hand around my throat and repeated his order, ¡°Do it.¡± Despite being unable to breathe, my stubbornness didn¡¯t allow me to apologise to such a piece of shit. ¡°No,¡± I croaked. Andrea let out a short sigh and turned to Luciano, ¡°Would you please give us a moment?¡± ¡°Take all the time you need,¡± Luciano replied in an amused tone before Andrea dragged me out of the office. The first thing Andrea did was hit me¡­ again. ¡°Do as you are fucking told,¡± he hissed. ¡°He doesn¡¯t deserve an apology,¡± I replied trying to get my wrist out of his hand. ¡°I don¡¯t see him trying to say sorry for all the shit he¡¯s put me through. I have never done anything wrong to him. He hates me for no reason.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t give a shit about your little family feud,¡± Andrea replied. ¡°You will go in there and you will apologise for disrespecting him. Your Alpha is no longer in charge, I am and I will not tolerate this.¡± ¡°Fuck. You,¡± I replied pushing him away from me. ¡°Fuck me?¡± he asked with a sly smile, totally unphased by my efforts to hurt him. ¡°That can be arranged for tonight but first you are going to make up with your cousin.¡± I fought against him as he dragged me back to the office. His ability to manhandle was as good as ever but this time I had the fuel from a seven-year feud to fight with. Somehow, I was able to free my leg and kick him hard right where it hurts the most. Chapter 69 His knees buckled and he copsed to the floor grimacing in pain. In doing so, he lost his grip entirely on me and I was able to race back down the hall. I¡¯m not sure where I was going except for away from him. The kitchen was empty, Chico was nowhere to be seen and the back door was wide open leaving the vast jungle in my grasp. Without hesitation, I legged it out into the backyard and across the terrace. As I sprinted over the grass towards the jungle I heard Andrea thunder out of the house. I was sure that if I could get into the dense vegetation, I stood a chance of losing him. I was small and agile whilst he was fast but big and would certainly get tangled in the branches and vines. It was just a matter of getting there before he could stop me. My lungs burnt not really from exercise, thewn was only about 200m long, but from adrenaline and pure terror. Andrea¡¯s footsteps were nearing me quicker than the forest fringe was. I soon felt my feet wipe out from underneath me and my backe into contact with the solid ground. My entire body pounded as the fear shot through me in paralysing pulses. ¡°Thought you could escape me, huh?¡± Andrea growled pinning my arms to the ground as he straddled me. He was breathing heavily and shaking with fury. His fingers curled around my wrist were cutting the blood supply off and I struggled to breathe under his weight. ¡°Huh?¡± he questioned bringing his lips to my ear. ¡°No, but it was worth a try,¡± I replied. ¡°Anything is worth a try.¡± A smile crept onto his lips as he looked down on me struggling. ¡°Oh, nca,¡± he said maliciously stroking my hair. ¡°You have no idea. I wasn¡¯t even going to let him hurt you. Bing my wife earned you privileges,¡± he continued pulling me to my feet. ¡°Privileges that you just lost.¡± I closed my eyes preparing for him to hit me and I wasn¡¯t disappointed. I felt a searing pain across my cheek and a warm trickle from my nose. He then pulled me to my feet and began dragging me back to the house.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. ¡°You have disobeyed my orders, embarrassed me in earshot of our guest, tried to escape from me and killed my future children. You know that I don¡¯t tolerate disrespect, and frankly, this is humiliating. Ordinarily, I would kill a person for causing me so much trouble but unfortunately, I need you alive. However, I am not going to fucking let this slip, nca. I will not be shown up by a woman¡­¡± He then suddenly ground to a halt and pulled my ear to his mouth. ¡°So as your husband, I see it as my duty to show you the consequences of pulling stunts like this and ensure that you get in line. I can assure you that you will think twice next time,¡± he whispered sinisterly before continuing to drag me. I couldn¡¯t actually think of anything he could do that he hadn¡¯t already done so I just let him drag me expecting him to lead me into the office back to Luciano. But he didn¡¯t. He dragged me past and through the door that leads to the basement. He flicked on the light to reveal to figures. Chico, who I had been wondering the location of, was one. He was sat on a hard stool watching intently another figure that was sat tied to a chair with a sack over his head. I recognised the second¡¯s scent but I couldn¡¯t remember what from. It had been so long since I left this house and my nose was not in tune. ¡°Now, I believe you know this man,¡± Andrea said forcing me into the cold basement. ¡°Chico, remove the hood.¡± Chico stood up and briefly made eye contact with me before pulling the sack off the man¡¯s head. He squinted at the brightness of the light and his face was sad and drained but I could still recognise his kind eyes and gentle features. Alessio. His eyes looked me up and down. At the bruise on my cheek, the cut above my eye, the tears rolling down my cheeks. ¡°He is just one of many Ste soldiers in our captivity all of which are of no use to us. I don¡¯t like topliment him but your Alpha trains them well, they don¡¯t give up a single word¡­ not even the most gruesome of torture,¡± Andrea said gripping my arm. ¡°So in other words, they are very disposable and ideal for teaching disobedient little bitches a lesson.¡± ¡°Andrea no,¡± I protested looking at the solider with a pained expression as I tried to hold back the tears. ¡°Don¡¯t do this.¡± ¡°See, nca. You should have thought about this before you decided to anger me again. Beating you doesn¡¯t seem to do the trick anymore so you leave me very little choice.¡± The soldier looked back at me with eyes that remained sympathetic to me despite his own situation. I hadn¡¯t known him well but it was clear within minutes that he had empathy beyond most. ¡°I¡¯ll do anything, please,¡± I begged. ¡°Give me a good reason why I shouldn¡¯t,¡± Andrea ordered as Chico removed a knife from his pocket. ¡°He has a mate and young children,¡± I said quickly. ¡°A little boy born only a month or so ago.¡± Alessio smiled meekly at me and gave me a silent reassuring nod as if to say it was okay. As if to say that he was happy to have done his duty. Andrea stifled augh. ¡°Not good enough, Babes,¡± he said as Chico brought the knife to Alessio¡¯s throat. ¡°No!¡± I screeched, lurching forward only to be caught by Andrea¡¯s huge hands that brought me back to his side as heughed like he was deriving some kind of sadistic pleasure from this. ¡°Luna, please turn away,¡± Alessio said in a hoarse but courageous voice. ¡°I am so so sorry,¡± I sobbed before Andrea nodded and I watched as blood poured from his throat. I let out a howl of pain as I pressed my head into Andrea¡¯s side, the image still shing across my hand. ¡°Look at the consequences of your actions, nca,¡± Andrea said coldly as he seized my hair and lifted my head to look at Alessio¡¯s body. ¡°A young, healthy life wasted because you didn¡¯t feel like cooperating today. Don¡¯t think that I will not do this again and again until you learn because I will. Do you understand me?¡± I nodded as my eyes brimmed with water. ¡°So now you have a choice. You eithere with me easily to the office where you will apologise to Luciano¡­ or I kill another.¡± I looked up hoping to see even a glint of remorse but there was nothing. Just hard, cold, emotionless eyes. ¡°I¡¯lle,¡± I said quietly. ¡°Good decision,¡± he replied throwing me over his shoulder and carrying me out of the basement. I tried not to watch Chico drag Alessio¡¯s body across the floor and I tried not to heed the puddle of pooling blood but it was hard to avoid. He was dead because of me. His mate alone. His children fatherless. All because of me. I was soon back in the office in front of Luciano who grinned at my state. I could hardly stop my tears long enough to speak but I managed to choke out a sorry. ¡°Apology epted,¡± he said wiping my cheek with his thumb. ¡°Perhaps we can put our history behind us.¡± I looked up at him and saw that his face was even more insincere than expected. He smirked down at me and raised an eyebrow, ¡°So?¡± I nced over to Andrea who was stood with his arms folded with a pissed off expression still on his face before I nodded slowly. ¡°Brilliant,¡± Luciano chirped. ¡°Give me a hug, cuz.¡± His face looked so much like my other cousin Max¡¯s. The features were the same, his hair, the colour of his eyes. Even his height and body. But his temperament was dark and as he wrapped his arms around me, instead offort, I felt trapped. He rested his head in the crook of my neck and took in my scent before kissing my cheek and finally letting me go. ¡°Good girl,¡± Andrea said with an approving nod. ¡°Now go upstairs whilst I discuss the finer details of our partnership with your cousin. I will be up in the evening.¡± Relieved to get away from Luciano, I headed towards the door immediately. I felt Luciano¡¯s re on me until I was out of sight and only then did I allow myself to crumble. I ran upstairs, tears streaming again until I got to the bedroom where I slid down the wall into a crying heap on the floor. Life had once again thrown more hell at me, just when I thought it couldn¡¯t get any worse. Alessio was dead, Luciano was back in my life and Leo was in danger. What could possibly be next? A few minutester, there was a knock at the door. It was quiet and gentle but I quickly wiped my tears a few seconds before Chico appeared. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t be here,¡± he said. ¡°But I wanted to check on you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± I replied unable to look him in the eye. ¡°Just leave me alone.¡± I couldn¡¯t me him for Alessio¡¯s death. He was as much trapped in the situation as I was and if he had resisted Andrea¡¯s orders, they both probably would have ended up dead. Chapter 70 ¡°Everything is worse alone,¡± he said. I tilted my head back and screwed up my eyes as another wave of tears came my way. Without hesitation, Chico slipped next to me and put a gentle hand on my knee. I looked at him for a moment, taken aback by his action before I couldn¡¯t keep the tears away any longer and rested my head on his shoulder. He wrapped an arm around my shoulder and simply did what he does best and sat quietly with me. It providedfort. Comfort in a primitive form butfort all the same and I was grateful for at least any attempt. It was more than what anyone else was doing. Hourster, Luciano and Andrea finally left the office and Andrea showed him to the spare room. Chico slipped away knowing Andrea would be in soon and not wanting to lose his head. Andrea didn¡¯t disappoint and five minutester appeared in the bedroom. After ncing down at me for a split second he walked in like I wasn¡¯t even there and ignored my tear-stained cheeks and misery. I watched as he loosened his tie and stepped out onto the balcony. ¡°I hope you¡¯ve learnt something from today,¡± he said leaning over the railings. ¡°Don¡¯t fucking mess with me or bad things happen¡­¡± ¡°You can¡¯t trust Luciano,¡± I said. ¡°Oh yeah?¡± he asked turning to me. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°No one can. You heard him say it himself, he has no loyalty. What if Leo offers him a better deal? That man is bad news. Take it from me. I¡¯ve known him for seven years.¡± ¡°Loren can¡¯t beat my offer,¡± he said confidently. ¡°What makes you so sure?¡± I asked. ¡°He doesn¡¯t want money or eptance in the Ste pack or whatever else your mate could give him. He just wants you to suffer in the maximum way,¡± he replied. ¡°And as a good judge of character, I¡¯d say he¡¯s fairly fed up of living underneath Alpha Loren anyway. Just like me, he thinks it¡¯s about time the Loren reign ended.¡± ¡°They¡¯ve known each other a long time. Don¡¯t count on Luciano wanting him dead,¡± I said. Andrea onlyughed and leant back in his chair. ¡°You¡¯re a smart woman, nca. Why are you warning me if you think that¡¯s true? Surely you would be perfectly happy to let Luciano go running back to your mate and switch sides? I¡¯d be killed, you¡¯d go back to your family, all would be well? So the very fact that you are telling me shows that you don¡¯t even believe what you are saying. You know as well as I do that Luciano could kill his oldest friend in the blink of an eye and without a second thought. He¡¯s a total psychopath and you¡¯re just trying to protect your mate from him¡± I opened my mouth to speak but there were no words to say. ¡°Are we done here, nca?¡± he asked raising an eyebrow. ¡°Only I want you to go and make dinner.¡± I sighed, ¡°What would you like?¡± ¡°Something Italian. Let¡¯s make our guest feel at home.¡± Leo¡¯s POV Max looked around the empty cafe and then out the wide window onto the street, ¡°This doesn¡¯t feel right,¡± he said. Last night, we had received a call from the one and only Luciano who imed to be able to help us find E. After Max had dealt with the initial shock of finding out that I didn¡¯t kill him four years ago, we agreed to meet in this rather mundane Caracas coffee shop.N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. There was one girl working behind the counter and pretty much no customers leaving the only sound being the quiet buzz of an old speaker ying 1970s elevator music and the asional beep of a car horn on the street outside. ¡°We can¡¯t trust him, Alpha,¡± Max continued. ¡°If he can take me to my Luna, I don¡¯t care if I can trust him,¡± I replied. ¡°Gustavo isn¡¯t getting us anywhere. This could be our next best hope.¡± Momentster, the bell above the door chimed, indicating someone had entered and a few moments after, the seat in front of us was drawn back and sat in by a tall, slender man with jet ck hair. He looked from me to Max as a smirk grew on his lips and his dark eyes glistened. ¡°Leonardo,¡± he said. ¡°Long time no see, my friend.¡± ¡°I am not your friend,¡± I replied. He stifled augh before turning to Max, ¡°And my second favourite cousin, how wonderful it is to see you again.¡± He gave a smile so contrived it could have been painted by a three-year-old. ¡°We are only here for E¡¯s sake. So get on with it, what do you know?¡± Max said. ¡°You¡¯re not even going to order me a coffee first?¡± he asked with a raised eyebrow. I clenched my jaw and his eyes snapped to mine, ¡°Cut the shit, Luciano. How can you help me get my Luna?¡± ¡°Well,¡± he said beckoning the waitress over with his finger. ¡°Andrea Martinez has been in touch with me.¡± ¡°Why?¡± I asked. His lips curled up at the edges a little as he shrugged, ¡°He asked me to kill you.¡± At that point, the waitress appeared. The waitress nodded and then turned to me and Max taking one look at us before backing away back behind the counter. ¡°He asked you?¡± Max growled. I folded my arms across my chest before ring him down. Max, who probably hadn¡¯t scanned him for any kind of weapon on his way in, was far less rxed which seemed to amuse Luciano and he sadistically smiled to himself. ¡°But what he doesn¡¯t know is where my loyalty lies,¡± he said when he was done enjoying my Max¡¯s panic. I scoffed. ¡°You¡¯ve never been loyal to me,¡± I replied. ¡°No, but I¡¯m loyal to my family,¡± Luciano said. ¡°My cousins.¡± This time it was Max¡¯s turn to scoff, ¡°You¡¯ve always enjoyed inflicting pain on us. What¡¯s caused the sudden change of heart?¡± ¡°I saw E yesterday,¡± he said. ¡°And I know we never got on but seeing my cousin in that way-¡± ¡°What way?¡± I asked sitting forward. ¡°All beaten and bruised and miserable and having to live and sleep with a man like Martinez,¡± he said, remaining eye contact with me. I satpletely still, feeling the fury inside me rise. It was as if one single movement or word and I¡¯d lose control of it so I just fixated my eyes on Luciano. He nced over at me and then to Max who had leant back and ran his fingers through his hair as his right leg jittered. Underneath the false pretence, he seemed to be trying to hide his amusement but it was hard to decipher. Could he, for once in his life, be genuine? ¡°She needs rescuing as soon as possible,¡± he stated. ¡°And since I have already gained Martinez¡¯s trust, I¡¯d say I could be a pretty good help if you will let me.¡± Chapter 71 ¡°How do we know we can trust you?¡± Max asked. ¡°You can¡¯t. But right now, I¡¯m your best bet, Alpha,¡± he replied turning to me. ¡°If you already have his trust, surely you could just kill him?¡± I questioned. ¡°Why have youe to us?¡± My wolf was telling me to take his offer immediately and get our mate back but I had to bring some rationale into this. I can¡¯t make the mistake of being too quick to trust Luciano. Not again. I¡¯ve already endangered E too many times that way. ¡°And where¡¯s that ego of yours gone?¡± I asked. ¡°How have you brought yourself to ask for my help?¡± ¡°Did you know that he has Alpha blood?¡± was what he replied with. ¡°He was born the eldest son of an Alpha and exiled as his mother wasn¡¯t the Luna but he still got all the strength and power thates with being the true heir of an Alphaship. I can¡¯t take him alone.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll find a way. I¡¯m sure,¡± I replied with a forced smile. Luciano raised one thick eyebrow and shook his head with a slightugh. ¡°Don¡¯t you think that if it was easy, E would have saved herself by now? She¡¯s tougher than most and even she doesn¡¯t stand a chance,¡± he replied. He had a point. I¡¯d learnt not to underestimate my mate and after fighting against Andrea weeks ago, I knew there was more to him than just a rogue teen with a gun. ¡°Together we can do it,¡± Luciano reassured. I narrowed my eyes. ¡°Or you could just give me the address that you saw her in and leave me to deal with this. I have my army and a powerful rival to Andrea for support,¡± I replied.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! Luciano¡¯s eyes flickered and he bit his lips before taking a deep breath. ¡°Fine,¡± he grunted. ¡°If that¡¯s all you will let me do to help, I will be happy to do it.¡± I smiled sarcastically and thrust a napkin towards him and a pen from my pocket. He scribbled an address on it and handed it back. ¡°We¡¯ll be in touch,¡± I said standing up and heading towards the door, as I passed his chair I paused and brought my mouth to his ear. ¡°And if I find that you are working against me,¡± I added in a deep growl, ¡°I will not hesitate to do what I¡¯ve been meaning to do for years.¡± Luciano¡¯s POV ¡°You offered him your help?¡± Andrea asked. ¡°Yes,¡± I replied. ¡°And was he suspicious?¡± ¡°As expected,¡± I said with a nod. Andrea¡¯s face lit up, ¡°So you settled with just the address?¡± ¡°Exactly as nned.¡± ¡°Excellent,¡± he replied a wide smile on his face. ¡°I never would have guessed that Loren would be so predictable.¡± ¡°And I was sure to include details about the state of his Luna. You should have seen his reaction,¡± I added with a wink. ¡°Good job, Luciano,¡± he said shaking my hand. ¡°You have impressed me.¡± ¡°Oh, and there was something he told me that you might like to know,¡± I began. ¡°He¡¯s sided with a powerful ally of yours?¡± Andrea furrowed his eyebrows, ¡°Gustavo Escobar?¡± ¡°He didn¡¯t mention a name.¡± He leant back into his chair and stared ahead for a few moments in thought. ¡°Fetch my wife, will you?¡± he replied. ¡°I have just realised something that has made me exceedingly angry.¡± ¡°dly.¡± I hurried upstairs and marched into the library where I knew E would be. Where she usually seemed to be. She looked up from her book momentarily and scowled, ¡°Piss off, Luciano.¡± I grinned with the intention to unsettle her and easily seeded. Her eyes snapped back to me and her eyebrows creased as she closed her book. ¡°What?¡± she asked looking me up and down. ¡°Your Alpha is dead,¡± I teased. I watched as my words sunk deeper in and the shock faded to a choking, suffocating grief. Her lip quivered and the book she clutched in her hands dropped to the floor, the pages crinkling on impact. ¡°Fucking hell, E,¡± I said, grinning through my teeth. ¡°I¡¯m kidding. But you need to get a grip.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not funny,¡± was all she said before wiping the tears from her eyes and taking a deep shaky breath. ¡°Well you better get used to the idea because he will be soon,¡± I replied with a shrug as I leant my hand on the door frame. ¡°Anyway, Andrea wants you downstairs. He seems really pissed.¡± ¡°I¡¯m busy,¡± she said pulling her hands into the sleeves of her sweater. ¡°Not sure he really gives a shit,¡± I replied. ¡°Now move it.¡± She shook her head and cowered further into the armchair she was curled up in. ¡°Fear doesn¡¯t look good on you, hun,¡± I said. ¡°Chin up and get your ass downstairs. Don¡¯t make me drag you.¡± ¡°Fuck off, Luciano,¡± she hissed. ¡°Time is ticking babe,¡± I replied looking at my watch. ¡°And Martinez is only getting angrier.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t done anything,¡± she protested. ¡°Why is he mad?¡± ¡°Something about a Gustavo Escobar?¡± I said. Her face dropped, ¡°shit,¡± she mumbled under her breath. She then stood up and marched past me, down the stairs and towards Andrea¡¯s office. She opened her mouth to speak but Andrea interrupted. ¡°Let me guess,¡± he began standing up from behind his desk. ¡°Andrea, I can exin,¡± he mocked. ¡°Then fucking exin, nca,¡± he added mming his fist on the table, ¡°Why the fuck is your Alpha working with Gustavo Escobar?¡± Chapter 72 ¡°I-I don¡¯t know,¡± she stuttered. ¡°Don¡¯t fuck with me,¡± Andrea hissed. ¡°I told you about Escobar and then your Alpha sought him out? How so?¡± She paused for a moment clearly unsure of what to say. ¡°Escobar is a secretive man just like me. How would Loren know to go looking for him?¡± he asked. She swallowed but said nothing. Andrea¡¯s jaw tightened, ¡°Did you inform your Alpha about Escobar!?¡± His tone was a deep growl and E took a step back. I¡¯d never seen her this frightened before and frankly, it was exceedingly amusing. As she stepped even further back, I put my hand on her back and pushed her forward again. ¡°How the fuck does he know?!¡± Andrea repeated, grabbing her wrists. ¡°I want? the truth.¡± He pulled her closer to him and grabbed her face in his hand and stared her deeply. She closed her eyes and turned her head away to the floor, ¡°when I rung him¡­ in the jungle¡­ with the phone of that man you killed¡­ Javier¡­ that¡¯s what I really told him,¡± she replied. I couldn¡¯t help but smile as Andrea pped her across the face. Hard. She let out a faint whimper and for a brief second her despair filled blue eyes met mine, her misery thrilling me to the core. ¡°Sometimes I wonder if you¡¯re worth the bother,¡± he growled. ¡°Then let me go,¡± she replied. Andrea¡¯s eyes then snapped up to me, ¡°Take her away before I¡­¡± he paused. ¡°¡­ do something bad.¡± He then shoved her in my direction and sat back at his desk, brooding. I took her wrist and pulled her out of the office and into the kitchen. ¡°Ice?¡± I said opening the freezer. ¡°Try not to enjoy this too much,¡± she replied dabbing her red cheek as a tear rolled down her cheek. ¡°Enjoying seeing my favourite cousin in pain? The one that is the reason I got exiled from my home pack? Daughter of Nicolos Jones, my favourite uncle?¡± I then brought the ice from the freezer to her cheek and kissed her head. ¡°Fuck you,¡± she replied, ring up at me. ¡°Well¡­ I¡¯d probably have to get permission from husband first but I¡¯d be happy to-¡± ¡°You are so sick,¡± she replied, I grinned and sat beside her at the table cing my arm around her shoulder and picking up a strand of her hair, ¡°How¡¯s Max? I saw him today but I didn¡¯t really get the chance to catch up. Has he found his mate yet?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not doing this,¡± she said standing up. I snapped my fingers and pointed back to the chair, ¡°Sit. We are going to have a family heart to heart whether you like it or not.¡± She red, her eyes watery and a pout on her soft lips. ¡°Remember the big bad Alpha ain¡¯t here to stop me doing something painful, sweetheart,¡± I replied. ¡°Now sit.¡± Reluctantly, she did and I rested my arm back on her shoulders. ¡°I like you better like this,¡± I said, ¡°We never got along because your temper and attitude used to piss me off but now¡­ now things are different. Maybe we can be friends?¡± ¡°Before or after you try and kill my mate?¡± She raised an eyebrow and folded her arms. ¡°And the old you is back¡­¡± ¡°Not sure I am the issue in our rtionship,¡± she replied. ¡°You just don¡¯t like me because I took your precious best (and only) friend away from you and made him a half decent person.¡± I clenched my jaw, ¡°Watch your mouth babe. You don¡¯t wanna piss me off.¡± ¡°Truth hurts, doesn¡¯t it?¡± she replied ¡°You¡¯re still surprisingly brave considering your situation,¡± I said grabbing her arm. ¡°So unless you want me to do what I do best and make your life a living hell, I suggest you get back in your ce.¡± She looked up at me and I gave her time to respond but she didn¡¯t and I sat back, with a satisfied smile. ¡°How many kiddies do you have now?¡± I asked. ¡°Eight,¡± she replied shortly. ¡°Any of them named Luciano yet?¡± ¡°No,¡± she snapped. Iughed ruffling her blonde fluffy hair, ¡°And why¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Because you have done terrible things.¡± ¡°So has Leonardo¡­ yet I¡¯m pretty sure that¡¯s Cato¡¯s middle name?¡± I replied. ¡°Has he ever told you about the time we killed someone¡¯s Granddad? Well, I say we¡­ Leo actually finished him off in the end.¡± ¡°No,¡± she said quietly as she looked down at her hands. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s a great story,¡± I replied. ¡°We were like neen and this kid from another pack pissed your dear Leo off. We didn¡¯t n to murder this elderly man but we just got.. carried away-¡±This is from N?velDrama.Org. At that point, Andrea came into the kitchen. ¡°nca, we¡¯re going out,¡± he barked. She seemed fairly relieved for the abrupt end to my story but at the same time, she was not exactly excited about going anywhere near the still fuming Andrea. ¡°Where?¡± she asked. ¡°To make Escobar¡­ and your mate pay.¡± Half an hourter, I was sat on the wall outside Andrea¡¯s house. Chapter 73 The driveway had filled with trucks and dozens of men, walked back and forth all with machine guns strapped over their chests and a determined look in their eye. In between making orders, Andrea nced over to me and looked me up and down before thrusting the clipboard he was holding to the man next to him anding over to me. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± I asked as he sat beside me on the wall. ¡°You¡¯ll see,¡± he said. ¡°All in good time.¡± Of course, that was the answer. It usually was. ¡°Come,¡± he announced, standing up and holding out his hand. ¡°I want to show you something.¡± I looked up but didn¡¯t move. He raised an impatient eyebrow, maintaining eye cold contact and I eventually stood up. Instead of taking his hand, I walked passed him which of course only amused him. ¡°By all means, lead the way, nca,¡± he said. ¡°To the garden.¡± I walked through the house to the back garden with Andrea following me. Luciano was sat on the patio, sharpening a stick with a knife. He looked up at me and smiled before lifting the stick up to his face and examining the sharp point. There were three empty beer bottles on the table which Andrea then grabbed before bncing them on the wall at the edge of the patio. ¡°You ever shot a gun, nca?¡± he asked. ¡°No,¡± I said. He smiled before taking the gun that had been strapped around his chest off and holding it out. ¡°Take it,¡± he said. He held it in both hands, the ck metal gleaming in the sun and the weight of it tensing his forearms. After a little more encouragement, I finally took it from him and stood motionless,pletely unsure of what to do. ¡°This should be good¡­¡± Luciano remarked from behind us. He let out a shortugh before stepping behind me and reaching around to guide my hands to the correct position. ¡°If you¡¯re gonna be in this cartel, nca, you¡¯ve got to learn to shoot,¡± he said. ¡°You trust me?¡± I asked. ¡°What if I shoot you?¡± ¡°You won¡¯t,¡± he replied confidently as he kissed my neck. ¡°Now shut up and lemme show you what to do.¡± He brought one hand underneath, towards the front and the other to the trigger and kept both of his on top of mine. ¡°Got it?¡± he asked once I was steadily holding it. I nodded and keeping one hand still on top of mine on the gun, he brought the other to my waist and turned my body to the side. ¡°Keep both eyes on the middle bottle and pull the trigger,¡± he said. I did as he said but I was not greeted with the sound of breaking ss. Only the loud bang of a shot. ¡°Hold it steady, nca,¡± he said gripping my arms. ¡°Use your strength and try again.¡± This time I locked my eyes on the bottle and took a deep breath, keeping myself as still as possible. Andrea slowly let go of me and stepped to the side. The bottle was brown ss and small, probably only a pint. Thebel, although written in Spanish, I could tell read something about a tiger and it was 7% alcohol. I shot.N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. The ss shattered and crumbled to the floor in pieces. ¡°Good job, nca,¡± Andrea said pping a hand on my shoulder. ¡°Impressive.¡± He then walked over to the wall and crouched to pick up the broken ss. His back was turned, I still had the gun. Slowly, I raised it and focussed again. This time not on a ss bottle, but on Andrea¡¯s head. I momentarily nced over to Luciano, who had noticed my advancement. His eye glistened as if they were encouraging me, begging me for the drama whilst he sat rxed in his chair, making no movement towards stopping me. I could feel the courage bubbling inside. He was turned, there was still ss on the floor. This is it. My chance. My finger yed at the trigger, feeling the simple piece of metal with so much potential. Hands? Steady. Target? Close and stationary. Chance of missing? low. All I had to do was pull the trigger. My target then got to his feet and turned to face me. Unsurprised by my position (aiming a huge gun right at him), a gave a dark re. ¡°Go ahead, nca. I¡¯m unarmed. You have the control,¡± he urged holding his hands up in a rxed manner. I kept it pointing at him as he stepped closer, a menacing grin creeping onto his face. Do it, E. Do it now. I lowered the gun and heughed shortly. ¡°As I said, you won¡¯t shoot me,¡± he said. ¡°Now shoot thosest two bottles and don¡¯t miss.¡± An hourter, I found myself piled in the back of a truck with six or seven of Andrea¡¯s men and the light in my life, Luciano. Andrea still roamed the drive, going from truck to chuck and giving orders whilst we just sat patiently. I still had no idea what exactly we were waiting for or why I was involved but I suppose it was an entertaining break from day after day of existing solely in that house which was beginning to drive me insane. Luciano sat next to me, far too close tofort. Space was not abundant but there was no need for such extreme proximity. ¡°Are you a half-wit?¡± Luciano hissed in my ear. I was well ustomed to insults from Luciano but this one seemed toe from nowhere. ¡°Why the fuck didn¡¯t you shoot him?¡± he added in a low growl. I looked up at him and frowned, ¡°Who¡¯s side are you really on?¡± ¡°Just answer the fucking question,¡± he snapped. I looked down at my hands, ¡°I couldn¡¯t. I don¡¯t know why.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were capable of such weakness,¡± he scoffed. ¡°He¡¯s properly got you wrapped around his little finger.¡± Chapter 74 Of course, I didn¡¯t reply to this remark. He was right and I hated it. ¡°What¡¯s he doing differently? Why were you never afraid of Leo or Max or me?¡± he questioned.This is from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Leo would never hurt me and yours and Max¡¯s powers were limited with him around. Yours still is with Andrea. I can sense that he has authority,¡± I replied. A realisation then hit me. ¡°¡­ Which is why you wanted me to kill him¡­ you want him dead in the same way you want Leo dead. Otherwise, you¡¯ve just gone from living under the rule of one Alpha to another,¡± I said. He bit his cheek. ¡°My only regret is being born only the second cousin to a Megestanis,¡± he said. ¡°You¡¯re getting a bit old to be searching for power, surely?¡± I asked. ¡°You turn 30 this year, right?¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing holding me back.¡± ¡°Except the King of North America and the King of South America,¡± I mumbled. ¡°I n to let them kill each other,¡± he replied. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, cuz. I¡¯ve got it all figured out.¡± He then winked and a few secondster, Andrea climbed up into the truck. ¡°Family bonding, huh?¡± he asked. ¡°Cute.¡± After roughly ruffling my hair, he sat on the other side of me. ¡°Vamos!¡± he shouted and the wheels of the truck began to move. ¡°Andrea, please tell me where we¡¯re going,¡± I pleaded. ¡°Disney world,¡± he remarked. I let out a frustrated sigh. ¡°Stop asking questions, nca. It¡¯s fucking annoying,¡± he said. For the next hour, I sat quietly. The road was bumpy and I was squished between the broad shoulders of Luciano and Andrea. Venezu¡¯s weather was also excruciatingly hot and in the stuffy truck, the heat was intense. At one point, Andrea thrust me a bottle of water. He had already drunk half of it and the water was warm and thick but it somehow still refreshed me. Even when the truck came to a slow halt, I still had no idea what was going on. I nced around at the other men in the truck. Their faces were stern and serious but with an underlying tension that paired with the silence, left an ufortable apprehension. ¡°Posiciones,¡± Andrea said. ¡°Ahora!¡± The men, including Luciano, all gathered their guns and filed out of the truck. ¡°See yater, cuz,¡± Luciano said as he left. ¡°nca, you¡¯re with me,¡± Andrea said taking my wrist. ¡°Come.¡± The sunlight burnt my eyes at first as I tried to nce around. Before I had the chance to adjust, Andrea had pulled me into the thick vegetation and the trucks, which now were moving out, kicked up enough dust to cloud my vision anyway. We moved only a couple of metres through the jungle before he pulled me down to a crouch, facing out into a clearing, where the trucks had been. ¡°You stay with me no matter what, got it?¡± he said pulling me closer to his side. ¡°Why don¡¯t I get a gun?¡± I asked looking around at all his men that had slipped into the cover of the jungle, only visible if you knew what to search for, who all held big guns wit smaller ones in their belts and pickets. ¡°Something tells me you¡¯d be reluctant to shoot¡­¡± he said. For hours we sat in that bush. Even through torrential rain which soaked us to the skin. asionally, Andrea would produce a scrap of food from his pockets and had the decency to offer me some. ¡°It can¡¯t be long now,¡± he said at some point. We had exchanged very few words. He seemed to have no interest in talking to me and I certainly didn¡¯t want to speak to him so I just let him obsessively watch the clearing, gun in hand, his eyes fixated on what to me was just grass and emptiness. At longst, his walky-talky buzzed. Luciano¡¯s voice came through in a fuzzy hum, ¡°I¡¯ve spotted them only a mile away. It won¡¯t be long.¡± Andrea¡¯s lips curled into an excited grin. ¡°Do you see faces?¡± he asked. ¡°I see Max¡­ Luca¡­ ir, Mateo and of course, Leonardo,¡± he replied. ¡°There¡¯s a convoy of soldiers too.¡± My face dropped as Andrea¡¯s only brightened. ¡°Get the men ready,¡± he replied. ¡°No,¡± I whispered. ¡°I¡¯m afraid so,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s time your Alpha took hisst breath.¡± I felt my heart rate rocket until it pounded in my ears and the blood pulsed throughout me. This can¡¯t be happening. It was hard to think with the panic screaming inside my head. Thoughts flooded into my mind in their thousands, charging aimlessly around, blockading my reason, making it near impossible to think straight. Andrea was right there and in his hand the weapon that could potentially kill somebody I love. But I was frozen right beside him, paralysed by the fear. Pull yourself together E.? A little voice in my head hissed. She sounded a lot like me but a version of myself I had lost weeks ago. You¡¯re stronger than this. Don¡¯t you dare let a man make you feel weak. To hear the sharp, assured tone of her voice was refreshing. Somewhere, although deep inside, she was still there. And she was right. What had be of me? At that moment I felt the powerful effect of my own persuasion or maybe simply just a surge of adrenaline. Either way, it brought me to my feet and to turning to the forest. I wasn¡¯t weak but I couldn¡¯t beat Andrea. The fact was simple. But distract him? I could certainly do that. ¡°nca,¡± he growled. ¡°Get your arse back here.¡± He grabbed my wrist but for once I didn¡¯t listen to his order and I didn¡¯t let him drag me back. ¡°Get the hell off me,¡± I growled in the darkest tone I¡¯d ever heard my self use. Chapter 75 Even Andrea seemed taken aback for a second. He stared at me dumbstruck for half a second before his face hardened again. He pulled my wrist down hard so that I mmed forwards into his chest and was firmly in his grasp. ¡°Speak to me like that one more time, I dare you,¡± he said, squeezing my hands in an excruciating grip. I hesitated and he smirked before turning back out to watch the clearing and repositioning his gun. Distract him. ¡°Get. The. Hell. Off. Me,¡± I repeated this time even more intensely deep and clear. The surprise in Andrea¡¯s eyes satisfied me. I didn¡¯t so much enjoy the p in the face a few secondster but at least his hand was now on me not the trigger. My eyes began to water from the impact but I wasn¡¯t going to cry. I held a straight face and red up at him as he grabbed my cheeks in his hand and red at me with his dark eyes. There was a sheeryer of sweat across his forehead and he squinted his long eyshes a little as the sun poured through the branches above us but it didn¡¯t make him any more human. He was as cold and psychotic as ever. ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s given you this sudden burst of confidence but you better get rid of it. I¡¯m not gonna tolerate this,¡± he replied, every word shing across his lips. I pped his hand off me and pushed his chest as hard as I could, ¡°And I¡¯m not going to tolerate you treating me like shit anymore.¡± He raised an eyebrow but I¡¯m wasn¡¯t going to back down. ¡°You¡¯re challenging me, nca?¡± he asked. ¡°Again? Do you not remember what happenedst time you tried this?¡± Alessio was murdered. That¡¯s what happened. ¡°You n to murder my people anyway,¡± I hissed. ¡°That¡¯s why we are here. What difference does it make?¡± He let out a short frustrated breath, ¡°You¡¯re getting brave, huh?¡± I didn¡¯t break the eye contact. ¡°Is it because you know Mr Alpha is near and you think he might protect you?¡± he scorned. ¡°Because he won¡¯t. All he¡¯s going to do is fall to the ground with a bullet in his head, leaving you hopelessly with me forever. So unless you want the rest of your life to be hellish, I suggest you shut up and sit down.¡± He then began pulling me back to the ground but Iunched my knee into his stomach. He didn¡¯t even flinch and bar the slight exhale of air, was entirely unaffected. He hit me again but I only hit him back across the face. I went to kick him too but this time he caught my leg and pushed me to the ground, straddling me in the process. He brought his hand to his lip and dabbed it with his fingers. My p had somehow inflicted a cut across his bottom lip that oozed blood. He stared down at his now bloody fingers and his eyes snapped down to me. I was trapped underneath his weight, unable to move and my heart beat fast. Not with fear or anticipation anymore though. But instead with the pure fury that had unknowingly been building up in me for weeks to which I had now opened the lid to and was now all pouring out. ¡°You are so done for,¡± he growled. I didn¡¯t care. His hands were no longer on the gun and his eyes well distracted from the clearing. ¡°What are you going to do?¡± I hissed, trying my best to provoke him more. ¡°What if I¡¯m not scared of you anymore?¡± ¡°Then I¡¯d be concerned that you¡¯ve finally lost your mind,¡± he replied. ¡°You should be scared because you know what I¡¯m capable of.¡± ¡°You certainly have a lot of confidence,¡± I stated. ¡°You think that you and your army of rogues can beat Alpha Loren? You¡¯ve already lost to him in a challenge once, what makes you think you stand a chance, you arrogant twat!¡± He suddenly grabbed hold of his gun again and held it straight to my head, ¡°Don¡¯t say another word,¡± he snarled. ¡°Or what?¡± I spat in response. His finger snapped onto the trigger. I don¡¯t know if he would have pulled it. His anger was certainly high enough for murder and I wasn¡¯t taking any chances so I reached my hand up and shoved the barrel off my head, causing his finger to slip on the trigger in the process and to shoot the ground. The shot sound alone was tremendous even without the squawks of a million birds as they fled the forest. A few secondster, Luciano¡¯s voice came through on the walky talky, ¡°Andrea, they heard that shot. Looks like they¡¯reing in prepared. ¡°You¡¯ve blown our cover,¡± he hissed getting immediately to his feet and hauling me with him. He then shouted something out in Spanish and all the men fled their stations and into the forest. ¡°Abort!¡± he shouted into his walky talky and a few minutester the trucks were back. ¡°Congrattions,¡± Andrea said shoving me into one of the trucks. ¡°You won this time. But your Leonardo¡¯s time wille.¡± The next week was hellish. Andrea remained furious for days and of course, didn¡¯t hesitate to take it out on me. But no matter how much he hurt me, it didn¡¯t make me regret what I did. I¡¯d endure anything for Leo. Luciano still lurked around too, making snidements at every opportunity and throwing all of his nasty tactics and resources into provoking me. I had to try my best not to retaliate because Andrea would always take his side but when he mentioned how ¡®sexy¡¯ my four-year-old daughter, Lili, would be when she grew up, I couldn¡¯t resist any more and much to his amusement, Ipletely lost it. After throwing a ss tequ bottle at him and inflicting a minor cut on his forehead, Andrea intervened and beat me so hard I passed out until the next morning when I woke up with a thudding headache and Luciano sat on the armchair opposite the bed grinning from ear to ear.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. ¡°You are relentless,¡± I groaned, ¡°Please, can you just leave me alone?¡± ¡°It¡¯s good to spend time with family,¡± he said. ¡°What did I ever do to you?¡± I asked. ¡°I got you kicked out the pack¡­ twice, fair enough. But you hated me long before that.¡± ¡°I hate pretty much everyone,¡± he replied with a shrug. ¡°Don¡¯t take it personally.¡± ¡°Seriously, Luciano,¡± I said slowly sitting up. ¡°What did I do?¡± He paused for a few seconds furrowing his dark eyebrows as if he was having to try hard to remember. ¡°Your confidence annoys me,¡± he said finally. ¡°And it¡¯s entertaining to wind you up because you give a good reaction. Perfectly demonstratedst night.¡± ¡°So basically you¡¯re just a sadist?¡± I rified. ¡°We established that years ago,¡± he replied in a bored tone. ¡°Sadist, psychopath, sociopath, maniac¡­ whatever. I¡¯m not going to deny it.¡± Just then the bedroom door opened and Andrea marched in with a scowl on his face. ¡°She¡¯s awake,¡± he stated. ¡°Indeed she is,¡± Luciano replied a glint in his eye. ¡°nca, get up,¡± Andrea grunted pping his hands, ¡°It¡¯s my birthday today.¡± ¡°No wonder you¡¯re so happy,¡± I remarked under my breath. ¡°It¡¯s my 20th so I¡¯m having a party here tonight. I want the entire house swept and cleaned and you need to cook some food.¡± I didn¡¯t reply and instead just buried myself in the duvet. ¡°Ay!¡± he shouted. ¡°Guests arrive at 6 pm. If it¡¯s not done by then, there¡¯ll be consequences. And do something about that ck eye while you¡¯re at it.¡± Chapter 76 He then left the room leaving me to sigh and roll onto my back. ¡°Piss off, Luciano,¡± I said. ¡°I want to get dressed.¡± ¡°Go ahead, I don¡¯t mind,¡± he replied with a wink. ¡°You are sick,¡± I hissed. ¡°Do you need reminding that we are cousins?¡± ¡°Second cousins,¡± he corrected. ¡°We share the same great grandparents who are both still alive might I add,¡± I replied.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! ¡°Ah yes. Good old Rosina and Alfredo. How are they holding?¡± he asked. ¡°Fine but they¡¯d be slightly rmed if they found out their great-grandson wants to watch their great-granddaughter get changed,¡± I snapped. ¡°Okay, okay,¡± he replied putting his hands up. ¡°I¡¯m leaving.¡± When I finally had the room to myself I took a long shower. A lot of water and half a bottle of shampooter, and I found myself staring at my reflection in the mirror. Throughout my life, there have been times where it¡¯s been intolerable. When my Dad ¡®died¡¯ was one of the worst alongside watching my brother actually die. My first few days with Leo weren¡¯t exactly heaven either and then there was being held hostage with the mafia, nearly dying in a snowstorm up a Russian mountain and the miscarriage which weren¡¯t much better. And now this. The left side of my face was looking rough. A ck bruise nearly consumed my eye and my lip was cut and swollen. I sighed and once again I found myself reaching for the nearly empty bottle of concealer in the cupboard above the sink. But today was thest morning I would have like this. It was Andrea¡¯s 20th birthday and I was formting a n. Tonight, there¡¯d be loads of people here for the party and there¡¯d probably also be loads of alcohol. He¡¯d probably drink too much like he always does with his friends (a typical teenager really). That normally meant he¡¯d just get really handsy and horny with me but it also meant he was clumsy and careless. I¡¯d use his handicap to my advantage. I didn¡¯t know exactly how yet. Maybe he¡¯d be so distracted I could slip out into the jungle or so intoxicated he¡¯d let his guard down and I could knock him out or better, end the bugger once and for all. There was plenty of leeway for failure and it was a huge risk but it could be my only chance for years and I wasn¡¯t going to let it slip away. That little voice inside my head, the bossy brave one, wasn¡¯t going to let me either. I¡¯d had the opportunity to kill Andrea or at least let him die before and I hadn¡¯t taken it, but now he had pushed me past the point of anything as coherent as morals. I was losing my sanity and somehow, it was going to work in my favour. For the first time in weeks, I had hope and it felt pretty damn good. I got to work cleaning and baking just like Andrea had asked. He went out in thete afternoon, probably to do something illegal, and I took the opportunity to have another shower and clean the sweat of a hard days work off and then get dressed. I didn¡¯t like showering when he was home because he¡¯d taken the lock off the door and there was a high chance he woulde in and do something I really didn¡¯t want. I put on a navy dress, kind of short but not too short and not particrly tight either. I then put my hair up in a bun when it was dry. Just as I was putting Lili¡¯s clip in my hair, Andrea got home and came upstairs. ¡°You look hot. Give me a kiss,¡± he said once he was in the bedroom. I turned around to see him and my eyes widened. ¡°Oh God, there¡¯s blood,¡± I eximed turning back around after seeing a huge blotch of blood on his white shirt surrounded by stters. ¡°Rx, nca,¡± he reassured. ¡°It¡¯s dry.¡± That doesn¡¯t make it any better. He then came over to me and kissed my neck as I internally shuddered. I was certainly not rxed. He smelt my hair before reaching for something in it. ¡°Firstly, what have I told you about showering without me? And secondly, where did you get this?¡± he asked presenting Lili¡¯s clip. ¡°It¡¯s my daughter¡¯s,¡± I replied truthfully. ¡°It was in my hair when I got here.¡± ¡°How cute,¡± he deadpanned before thrusting it into my hand. I slid it back in and sighed. Thanks for cleaning the house, E. The food looks nice, E. ¡°People will be arriving in half an hour,¡± he said taking off his bloody shirt and throwing it in the trash can. ¡°You remember the rules, yes?¡± I nodded. Andrea had three golden rules when we were in public or with other people: 1. Never disclose any of his private business affairs to anyone 2. Never give anyone even the slightest hint that we are not a normal happily married couple. 3. Always act like a ¡®good wife¡¯ Rule number three covered a lot. ¡°Good,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m d you¡¯re got over whatever happened to you in the junglest week.¡± I forced a smile, biting my tongue. Just you wait, Andrea Martinez. When the guests began to arrive, the house soon got noisy with chatter and Hispanic music. They seemed to be liking the food and I even got a fewpliments¡­ not from Andrea though. But he was enjoying himself dancing on the table having had multiple shots of tequ. At some point, I found myself sat at the base of the chairs, sipping a ss of water watching the party. There must have been about a hundred people there because the house and garden were packed. ¡°Hey,¡± a woman said sitting beside me with a strong Hispanic ent. ¡°You must be Andrea¡¯s wife?¡± I nodded before looking over to Andrea. He was dancing salsa on the table with a few of the other important men in his cartel. They were all so drunk and it was sort of funny but it was still Andrea. ¡°I¡¯m Julia,¡± she said. ¡°I only know him through my mate.¡± ¡°I¡¯m E,¡± I said shaking her outstretched hand. She had a warm tone and just radiated friendliness as she smiled. ¡°Who is your mate?¡± I asked. ¡°You probably know him,¡± she began. ¡°Chico. One of Andrea¡¯s guards.¡± ¡°Oh, yes,¡± I said. ¡°He¡¯s kind to me.¡± ¡°He¡¯s a good man but he¡¯s on duty right now, as always, so I guess I¡¯m just here alone,¡± she replied. ¡°Two loners unite,¡± I sighed. She nodded and there was a silent pause. ¡°So¡­ how did you meet him?¡± she asked. Maybe she was just trying to make friendly conversation and it was the natural first question but it felt she was trying to probe something out. As if she was already suspicious. ¡°Andrea?¡± I questioned and she nodded. I hesitated for a moment. Chapter 77 ¡°In a club in Caracas,¡± I lied. She raised an eyebrow. ¡°Is that what he told you to say?¡± she questioned. I smiled nervously. ¡°I can¡¯t tell you,¡± I whispered looking around. ¡°I thought that might be the case,¡± she replied. ¡°Listen. I want you to know that you can talk to me about anything, okay? From what Chico tells me, it sounds like you need a friend around here.¡± I looked around and spotted Andrea watching us. ¡°I¡¯m okay but thank you for caring,¡± I said to her before forcing a smile in Andrea¡¯s direction. He looked me up and down and began marching over. With a deep inhtion, I smiled again as he approached and Julia looked between us suspiciously. ¡°Are you enjoying the party, babe?¡± he asked sitting beside me and tightly wrapping his arm around my waist. I nodded. ¡°And you?¡± he questioned Julia. She nodded too. Andrea looked her up and down before narrowing his eyes. ¡°Julia, si?¡± he said. ¡°Chico¡¯s mate?¡± ¡°Si,¡± she responded. He then put his hand on her leg before turning to me. ¡°You made a friend, huh?¡± he said. She looked down at the position of his hand and then up to me with wide eyes. ¡°We were just talking about how I met you,¡± I said. ¡°I see¡­¡± he said. ¡°Not giving too much away, I presume?¡± ¡°No,¡± I replied. ¡°Good,¡± he said before turning back to Julia. ¡°I was just about to take E upstairs, you¡¯re wee to join us.¡± His hand then slipped further up her leg and she gasped. ¡°I should go and find my mate,¡± she said. ¡°Okay,¡± Andrea said with a nod, ¡°Maybe another time, huh?¡± he added with a wink. She forced a smile before standing, ¡°I¡¯ll maybe see youter, E,¡± she said in a sympathetic tone. Andrea watched as she disappeared into the party. ¡°What has Chico told her?¡± he questioned. ¡°What does she know?¡± ¡°Nothing,¡± I replied. ¡°I told her we met in a club in Caracas. She had no reason to suspect otherwise.¡± ¡°Right¡­¡± Andrea said. ¡°Don¡¯t talk to her again.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± I asked. ¡°She was nice to me.¡± He turned to me and rolled his eyes, ¡°Whatever.? I¡¯ve had way too much tequ to care and she¡¯s a woman. What can she do?¡± He then leant forward, cing his hands on my hips began to kiss my neck.This is from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Do we have to do this now?¡± I asked. He was nowhere near drunk enough for my n to have any sess. ¡°Yes,¡± he snapped pulling my hands down to my side so that I couldn¡¯t push him away. ¡°How about we do some shots first?¡± I suggested. ¡°I haven¡¯t had a drink yet and-¡± ¡°Just shut up,¡± he hissed. ¡°For once.¡± He then lifted me to my feet and rested my back on the wall. He didn¡¯t say much after that, just fumbled with my dress and kissed me in the most drunken manner. I was beginning to feel unexinably nauseous and the thudding of music and bright shing lights weren¡¯t helping. ¡°I think I¡¯m going to throw up,¡± I said. He took no notice. ¡°Andrea.¡± He still took no notice. ¡°Andrea listen!¡± I protested trying to prize his head off my neck. ¡°What?¡± he murmured. ¡°I¡¯m going to be sick,¡± I said firmly. He rolled his eyes and picked me up before walking up the stairs. The way he squeezed my waist didn¡¯t exactly help and I only just made it to the toilet before vomiting. ¡°You better not be pregnant,¡± he warned watching from the doorway. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be my fault if I was,¡± I snapped before vomiting again. ¡°Have you been taking the pills?¡± he asked. ¡°Yes!¡± I replied. ¡°You watch me swallow them every single day.¡± The thought of the pills failing had never really crossed my mind before. I guess it was possible? But I couldn¡¯t be baring another man¡¯s child¡­ could I? And besides, I didn¡¯t feel pregnant and I of all people know what that feels like. ¡°But I¡¯m not pregnant,¡± I reassured him when I was finished. ¡°The party was just overwhelming me.¡± I flushed the loo and sat on it feeling drained and exhausted. This was frustrating. If illness prevented my grand escape, I might just have to die. ¡°Good because I do not want a fucking kid,¡± he said approaching me again. ¡°And I do not want a pregnant wife either¡­ I like you the way you are¡­¡± Chapter 78 Correction: he likes me the way I look His fingers ran up my thigh but I mmed my hand to stop them. ¡°I¡¯ve just been sick. You don¡¯t want to do that,¡± I said. ¡°I don¡¯t care,¡± he said grabbing the mouthwash from the sink and forcing my mouth open. ¡°See. It¡¯s like it never happened,¡± he added after messily sloshing some in. It mostly went down my front but what did reach my lips, burnt my mouth with a stale, sharp mintiness. ¡°You¡¯re drunk,¡± I protested as his hand travelled further up. ¡°Stop making excuses, nca,¡± he replied. ¡°I still know what I want.¡± A few momentster, I found myself with him over me on the bed. The scent of alcohol in his breath was strong and putrid and his hands were clumsy but still strong and rough. This wasn¡¯t meant to happen for another few hours when he was borderline paralytically intoxicated. In the state he was in now, I didn¡¯t stand a chance of slipping away unnoticed let along killing him. His hand began to tug at my panties and I couldn¡¯t stop him. It made me feel like I could vomit all over again as tears welled up in my eyes. At some point, I vaguely remember the bedroom door open. Andrea began turning around but shortly after there was a loud nking noise and his grip on me loosened. My mouth dropped wide open as I saw Julia standing over the bed with a frying pan in her hand, looking just as shocked as me. We watched as he wavered and then copsed onto the bed before I scrambled out from under him and she suddenly pulled herself together. ¡°Come on,¡± she said firmly as she took my hand. ¡°He won¡¯t be out for long.¡± She dropped the pan and dragged me towards the door. ¡°Wait, wait,¡± I said turning back around. I quickly rushed over to his unconscious body, looking for something. But it wasn¡¯t on him. It wasn¡¯t on the dresser either or in the bathroom. ¡°He could wake up any second. We¡¯ve gotta go,¡± Julia urged. ¡°Where¡¯s his gun?¡± I asked. ¡°We need to make sure he never wakes up.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not here,¡± she said. ¡°And we don¡¯t have time to look for it.¡± I nodded and followed her down the hall, pulling my dress back down as we went downstairs. The voice inside my head was telling me to go back and find a knife, a belt, a stic bag. Literally anything. She wanted him dead and so did I but Julia was right, he could wake up any second and we couldn¡¯t risk it. I could feel fear and adrenaline build up inside me but she kept a brave face as we marched into the crowd of the party, ¡°Wipe your tears, act normal,¡± she ordered. She was leading me towards the front door, where Chico stood. He saw Julia and smiled. But then he noticed me and the worrisome expressions on our faces and he instantly stood up straight and furrowed his eyebrows. ¡°I knocked your boss out,¡± Julia stated, getting straight to the point. His eyebrows raised, ¡°You did what?¡±This is from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I hit him over the head with a frying pan,¡± she rified. Chico paused for a moment as the words sunk in before he suddenly pulled himself together, ¡°Then we need to go,¡± was all he said before he headed straight for the front door, pulling a set of keys out of his pocket. ¡°All three of us,¡± he added, looking to me. My heart suddenly jumped. ¡°Come on,¡± he said putting a hand on my back. ¡°My car is just out here.¡± He ushered both me and Julia out of the house and into the back of his car before driving at full speed away. I always knew Chico felt for me and deep down he seemed to be a good man. But to risk his life to help me without any hesitation was something I could never expect from anyone. And Julia? She was simply just unimaginably brave and selfless. We drove for a good ten minutes before Julia finally spoke again. ¡°Where are we going, Chico?¡± ¡°Caracas. I don¡¯t know. Anywhere far away from here,¡± he replied, putting his foot down. ¡°How hard did you hit him?¡± ¡°Pretty damn hard,¡± she replied. ¡°He was out cold,¡± I added. ¡°And he didn¡¯t see my face and he¡¯s hardly sober enough to remember anyway,¡± Julia said. ¡°We will be fine, Chico.¡± I spotted a terrified glint in her eyes. Things were unlikely to be fine and she knew it. ¡°I can¡¯t thank you both enough,¡± I replied. ¡°Don¡¯t speak too soon,¡± Chico replied. ¡°We might still all die tonight.¡± ¡°You tried,¡± I said. ¡°That¡¯s more than anyone else was willing to do.¡± Julia took my hand and smiled, ¡°Andrea may have provided us with a house and enough money to livefortably and give our pups a happy childhood, but he¡¯s evil and his mistreatment of you is inhumane. I couldn¡¯t let you stay with him.¡± ¡°You have pups?¡± I asked. ¡°Four,¡± she said. ¡°Which is why I can sympathise with you. I can¡¯t imagine what it would be like to be separated from them for so long.¡± ¡°Bad news,¡± Chico said. ¡°We¡¯re running out of gas.¡± ¡°What?¡± I whispered. ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting you to knock out one of the most dangerous men on earth with a frying pan this even and have to make a quick getaway this evening,¡± he replied. We were in the middle of nowhere, there¡¯d be no gas stations for miles. ¡°Do you have enough to get back to the house?¡± I asked. ¡°We¡¯re not going back,¡± he replied. ¡°I¡¯m not but you two are,¡± I said firmly. ¡°Leave me here. Go back to the party. Act like you never saw me.¡± ¡°No, E-¡± Julia began. ¡°If he finds us on the side of the road with no gas, we are all screwed,¡± I said. ¡°You have helped me, now let me help you.¡± ¡°We can¡¯t just leave you,¡± Chico said. Just then the low gas alert sounded. Chapter 79 ¡°You don¡¯t have a choice,¡± I said. I then grabbed a pen and a piece of paper from the glove box and scribbled down Leo¡¯s number. ¡°Call my mate and tell him where I am,¡± I said. Julia exchanged unsure looks with Chico before finally nodding, ¡°Okay.¡± Chico brought the car to a stop, ¡°Thank you so much,¡± I said as Julia hugged me tightly. ¡°Just run,¡± she said looking into the jungle. ¡°As far away from here as possible. Don¡¯te back and don¡¯t worry about us.¡± I nodded. Of course, I was going to worry about them. Andrea wasn¡¯t just going to let me slide out of his grasp this easily and he¡¯ll know it wasn¡¯t me that knocked him out but I couldn¡¯t let that stop me. I had to leave. I put my hand on Chico¡¯s shoulder and thanked him too before getting out the car. ¡°Go,¡± she urged as I hesitated for a moment. I smiled once more, not knowing what else to say to express my gratitude before bolting straight into the darkness of the jungle. I battled my way through the jungle for hours. I could hear his voice. Leo¡¯s voice. He shouted my name over and over again but my senses were so overwhelmed by adrenaline and exhaustion I couldn¡¯t pinpoint where it wasing from. It echoed all around my mind as my head spun and my heart thudded. I let out a desperate frustrated cry before stopping between tworge trees to catch my breath. ¡°Why¡¯d you stop?¡± A voice asked. ¡°He¡¯s so close.¡± I jumped and snapped my head around. Luciano slowly emerged from the shadows, sporting once of his most malicious grins. ¡°How long have you been following me?¡± I asked. ¡°Eh, hours,¡± he said with a shrug as he examined the gun in his hand, polishing a smudge away with his sleeve. ¡°Kinda boring how you just go around and around in circles though.¡± ¡°Is this a game to you?¡± I questioned. ¡°It was until you just stopped and gave up,¡± he said. ¡°You make it top easy for me.¡± I could still hear Leo¡¯s calls. Perhaps if I couldn¡¯t find him, he couldn¡¯t find me. ¡°Leo!¡± I shouted. ¡°Leonardo!¡± Before I could call for a third time, Luciano had grabbed me and pped a hand over my mouth. ¡°Shut up,¡± he growled. ¡°Or one of these bullets might end up in your Alpha¡¯s skull.¡± ¡°Fuck you,¡± I hissed shoving him away from me. At that, he wrapped his arm around my neck, pulling me into his chest and held the gun to my head. ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate what I will do, E,¡± he said deeply. ¡°E!¡± Leo¡¯s voice called again. He was half a kilometre away now at the very most. I didn¡¯t doubt Luciano¡¯s words for a second. He was perfectly capable of killing me but I was more concerned about him killing Leo. I stood silently, praying that he wouldn¡¯t find us. It was the only way he¡¯d stay safe. Unfortunately, I was not so lucky. A few minutester, we were listening to a set of close footsteps battling through the dense vegetation and a few seconds after that, the light of the moon, filtering through the canopy, cast onto Leonardo¡¯s face. He was exhausted. And not just from running through the jungle tonight. The sort of long term exhaustion from weeks and months of sleepless nights and stress. The twinkle in his eye had diminished and his usual sturdiness of his presence had wilted into desperation.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. But the second we made eye contact, he seemed to revive. ¡°Leo,¡± I whispered as a tear rolled down my cheek. He scanned me, stopping at every bruise and cut on my body, before returning with a sad smile. He then looked up to Luciano, who still hold the gun to my head, and immediately turned cold and harsh. ¡°Let her go,¡± he growled. ¡°I don¡¯t take orders from you anymore,¡± Luciano replied with augh. Leo lurched forward but then Luciano only tightened his grip on me and pushed the gun harder against my head, ¡°Don¡¯t think I won¡¯t do it.¡± Leo froze and gave Luciano the most demonic re. Just then, we heard the not so distant calls of men. Andrea¡¯s men. Luciano turned and tuned his ear as I did the same. Andrea was among them. ¡°Where are you, Puta?¡± Andrea shouted. ¡°You can¡¯t hide from me forever.¡± Luciano then looked back to Leo for a split second and then down to me. He removed the gun from my head and shoved me towards Leo. I stumbled and gasped but without hesitation, Leo came forward and pulled me into his arms. One arm wrapped firmly around my back, the other hand settling at the base of my head, holding me close to his chest in a protective embrace. I rested my head on him and breathed in hisforting scent for the first time in months as I clutched his shirt in my hands. I felt him nod to Luciano who disappeared into the jungle, leaving me with Leo. A few secondster, he lifted my head so that my eyes met his, ¡°I¡¯ve never been so relieved to see you,¡± he said wiping my tears with his thumb. ¡°I love you.¡± In that moment, I felt our bond more powerfully than I ever had before and I was too choked with emotion to reply so instead I just gave him a genuine smile as more tears flooded out. ¡°We need to get out of here,¡± he said a few momentster as the voices of Andrea and his men got louder. I suddenly remembered our situation and the danger we were in. ¡°I tried to kill him,¡± I said, my heart rate already increasing. ¡°But-¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± he replied. ¡°We will get him one day. But for now, just let me get you somewhere safe.¡± I nodded and he took my hand in his tightly and we ran. Leo¡¯s POV Hourster and I¡¯d finally got E back to one of my camps. It was small and made up of only three or four tents strung up between the trees but it was hidden within the dense foliage of the forest and had a dozen or so of my men circling and patrolling. As we descended further into the night the constant chirp of crickets and asional cries of distant birds and animals emerged but the air was still as thick and hot as ever. E sat silently on a rock as I crouched below her tending to her wounds. There were bruises all over her body which I could do little about. Her lip was cut, her neck covered in Andrea¡¯s hickeys and her legs were all scratched and scraped from running through the jungle. Most notably, a nasty gash stretched across her knee. I rinsed away the blood and cleaned the cut with antiseptic. It can¡¯t have been particrlyfortable but she didn¡¯t even wince. It was as if she was numb to pain. Every now and then, I would look up to her but she just stared straight ahead into the jungle. Either she was so far into her own thoughts that she didn¡¯t notice or she couldn¡¯t bear the thought of a conversation and chose to ignore me. ¡°Do you know why Luciano helped us?¡± I asked finally as I pressed arge band-aid onto her knee. Chapter 80 She looked down and met my eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t trust him,¡± was all she said before she looked back up and continued to stare into vacant space. ¡°Why?¡± I asked. ¡°Who¡¯s side is he on?¡± She paused again, ¡°His own.¡± There was silence for another few minutes. I remained crouched in front of her,pletely lost for what to do. I had no idea how tofort her. I gently took my hands and pressed them against my lips, ¡°It won¡¯t feel like this forever.¡± She nodded meekly. ¡°Are we safe here?¡± she asked looking around. I hesitated, ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Why do I feel like that isn¡¯t true?¡± she replied, seeing right through me. ¡°We leave this Godforsaken country at first light,¡± I said, dodging the question. ¡°Then we¡¯ll get home and everything will be alright.¡± ¡°But he is still out there,¡± she pointed out. ¡°And he won¡¯t give up.¡± I nodded, ¡°I know.¡± I then squeezed her hands again, ¡°You should get some sleep.¡± Out of nowhere, a tear suddenly fell out of her eye andnded on my hand. She quickly wiped it away and turned away as if she didn¡¯t want me to see her cry. ¡°E,¡± I said. ¡°Look at me please.¡± She slowly turned back to me, her watery blue eyes beginning to flood. ¡°You¡¯re not alone anymore,¡± I said. ¡°I don¡¯t know what I can do to make you feel less pain but know that I would do anything.¡± ¡°Just stay with me¡­ please,¡± she replied. ¡°Of course,¡± I said, shuffling closer. ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere.¡± A slight smile twitched at her lips before she slipped off the rock and into myp. Iy down, wrapping my arms around her so that her head rested on my chest andy still. She felt skinny and frail in my arms. I could feel the sharp bones of her back through her shirt and she was so small and light that I could hardly feel her weight on me. Earlier, she had refused to eat and only reluctantly had a small sip of water at my request. Iy awake for hours. I didn¡¯t want to let myself sleep in case she woke and needed me so I just stared up at the tree branches, holding her close to me, cursing Andrea Martinez. ¡°Alpha-¡± a voice said. ¡°Sssh,¡± I hissed. ¡°She¡¯s sleeping.¡± It was Luca. He wasmanding at a camp a few miles away or that¡¯s what I¡¯d told him to do at least. I sat up, taking care not to disturb E and faced him. ¡°You¡¯re not supposed to be here,¡± I said. ¡°Who¡¯s in charge of Camp 47?¡± ¡°I had toe and see her,¡± he replied. I nodded. E and Luca were inseparable. I could understand why he wanted to see her after she¡¯d been gone for months. ¡°How is she?¡± he asked. ¡°Been better,¡± I replied brushing a strand of hair off her face. ¡°Physically she¡¯s weak and injured, mentally she¡¯s broken. And unfortunately, I don¡¯t think she has even realised the worst part yet.¡± ¡°The worst part?¡± Luca asked. I looked down to check so was still sound asleep. ¡°She¡¯s pregnant,¡± I said quietly as I looked up to him. ¡°I can sense it.¡± There was silence as the information sunk into his head. I¡¯d realised a few hours previously but seeing how much grief she was already experiencing, it felt like she wouldn¡¯t have coped with any more. It boiled my blood to know she was carrying his child but thest thing she needed to see was me angry. And so I withstood the fury as much as possible, cursing Andrea Martinez to the pits of hell from inside my head. Luca let out a short, furious breath, ¡°Have we decided who gets to kill that piece of shit yet? Because I want in.¡± ¡°I¡¯m starting to think death would be too merciful,¡± I muttered through gated teeth. ¡°Are you going to tell her?¡± he asked. ¡°No,¡± I said firmly. ¡°And you won¡¯t either. Understand?¡± Luca nodded, ¡°Yes, Alpha. But she should know, shouldn¡¯t she?¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t seen her eyes, Luca. The way she looks so empty and vacantly. It feels almost like I have her body back but she¡¯s no longer inhabiting it. One more thing and we could lose her forever.¡± I felt a tear run down my cheek which I just let sit for a few moments before I wiped it away. ¡°She can¡¯t know. Not yet.¡± He nodded again, ¡°Let her know I came by.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± I replied and he disappeared back into the jungle. At around 3 am, she woke in a sweating startled mess screaming and sobbing. ¡°I have to go back,¡± she said sitting up. ¡°I have to go back, I have to go back.¡± ¡°E, what¡¯s wrong? Go back where?¡± I questioned holding her as she tried to get to her feet. ¡°Back to Andrea,¡± she replied trying to get out of my hands. ¡°If I don¡¯t, he¡¯ll kill us all. I can¡¯t let him hurt you.¡± She was frantic and she fought as much as her weak body would allow. ¡°E, calm down,¡± I said. Her noise was beginning to wake the men in the camp and undoubtedly could be heard by anyone at least a few miles away.This is from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°You have to let me go!¡± she eximed. ¡°Please!¡± She then let out a howl and I was forced to m my hand over her mouth. Her eyes filled with panic at my force and I felt terrible for it but I couldn¡¯t risk being ambushed by Andrea¡¯s men. ¡°Ells,¡± I hushed kissing her head as I tried tofort her. Chapter 81 But she only continued to scream, this time muffled by my hand but still just as passionate and she wasn¡¯t showing any signs of calming down. ¡°Please,¡± I begged. ¡°You¡¯ve just had a bad dream and now you need to be quiet.¡± She shook her head, ¡°No. All I need to go back to Andrea. I need him to find me.¡± She then screamed again. ¡°Rico,¡± I said summoning one of the men that had just woken up and was stood nearby. ¡°Get a tranquiliser. Now.¡± ¡°Yes, Alpha,¡± he nodded and disappeared. E had heard mymand and only panicked more. All that meant was I had to hold her down more forcefully which distressed her even more and the cycle got more and more vicious. ¡°Leo, no,¡± she begged. ¡°Don¡¯t do that.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I said grabbing her wrists, stopping her from pushing me away. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Ells.¡± ¡°Then don¡¯t do it!¡± ¡°Rico, hurry up!¡± I shouted as E began to scream at the top of her lungs. A few secondster, Rico returned holding a syringe which he quickly passed to me. ¡°Help me keep her still,¡± I ordered and he crouched beside her, catching her iling arms. At the touch of a stranger and the sight of the syringe, she shrieked only more and it wrenched my heart that it had toe to this but as soon as I had tapped the air bubbles out, I didn¡¯t hesitate to inject her with the needle. I felt her rx in my arms and be limp and floppy almost instantly as all noise ceased. I let out a sigh and clenched my jaw as I just held her in my arms. She was quiet and still but far from at peace. ¡°Thank you,¡± I said to the soldier. ¡°Go now.¡± He nodded and left me alone with her. Her hands were freezing so I took off my jacket and wrapped it around her before holding her tight and kissing her forehead. Just one more thing she wasn¡¯t going to forgive me for. END OF PART 2 After that, E slipped into aa. The doctors said considering the dangerous weakness of her body, it was probably best, however, I couldn¡¯t help but feel responsible for inducing it. I managed to get her back onto my territory and into the hospital where the Doctor¡¯s immediately whisked her away. ¡°Alpha,¡± a doctor said to me after approaching me in the waiting room of the hospital. ¡°How is she?¡± I asked eagerly. ¡°She¡¯s severely malnourishment and weak. Her vitals are all over the ce and she¡¯s struggling,¡± she exined. ¡°And there¡¯s something else I need to discuss but you shoulde into the office,¡± she added looking around the waiting room that I shared with a few other pack members. I took a deep breath and ran my hand through my head before nodding and following her into the office. ¡°She¡¯s pregnant. I presume you know that?¡± she said. I nodded, ¡°Of course. I could sense that she was carrying that motherfucker¡¯s spawn almost immediately,¡± I said. ¡°She¡¯s only two weeks along and after ever everything she¡¯s been through, the child is unlikely to be healthy and is only adding to the stress on her body,¡± the Doctor said. I knew exactly what she was insinuating. ¡°All the more reason to get rid of it,¡± I said. ¡°I wanted it gone anyway.¡± ¡°Whatever you wish, Alpha, but? would the Luna not want a part in that decision?¡± ¡°She is not giving birth to another man¡¯s child, especially not fucking Andrea Martinez¡¯s and I am certainly not raising it alongside my own,¡± I growled.? ¡°And you said it yourself. The child is unlikely to be healthy anyway and thest thing she needs is a pregnancy.¡± ¡°Yes, Alpha,¡± she said nodding her head. ¡°It¡¯ll be done immediately.¡± I got up to leave but turned just before I reached the door. ¡°¡­ and put it down as a miscarriage. She doesn¡¯t need to know.¡± She swallowed and nodded again, ¡°Yes, Alpha.¡± It was weeks until she woke up. After the abortion and with time, she stabilised but I still couldn¡¯t bring myself to leave the hospital for long and I spent hours just sat by her as she slept. The kids didn¡¯t understand of course which only made it harder. Whilst I didn¡¯t want to keep them away from their Mother, confusing and upsetting them by bringing them to see her in this way didn¡¯t feel right either so I kept them away from the hospital mostly in the care of my Mom or Luca. They asked questions and missed her of course but seemed happy enough.N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. There was no progress in South America. Martinez had frustratingly slipped off the face of existence along with Luciano and everyone else associated. It was severely frustrating and instead of rxing in, it put everybody anxiously on edge. We knew we hadn¡¯t seen thest of him and that this was far from over yet and the anticipation of when, where and how he would rear his ugly head was agony. The pack tried to go on as usual but we couldn¡¯t ignore the shadow over us and with E still in the same condition, morale was low. It was a dark time for Ste The beeping of machines. That¡¯s all I could hear for ages. Then the murmurs of voices in rooms all around me got louder before the pulsing of my own heartbeat and the hoarseness of my breath joined. A clinical smell came through my nostrils. It was so sterile and inhuman and totally insufferable. I opened my eyes. At first it was fuzzy and blurry and I could only make out a bright white light above me. Slowly my vision focussed and the clean white ceiling, walls, floors and sheets came into view. All I wanted was to get out of there. To get somewhere real. I sat up. There were tubes and wires attached to me, imprisoning me to the buzzing and beeping machines but I began ripping them out. My ears were instantly pierced by a ring rm and I wasn¡¯t even free yet. With little control over my body, my fingers fumbled. I felt like I was physically still asleep but my mind was screaming, trapped inside this useless body. The panic of being so helpless began to set in and my thoughts moved instantly to the person I knew would always help me. ¡°Leo!¡± I started screaming. ¡°Leo!¡± He¡¯lle. He¡¯ll get me out of this godforsaken ce. A few secondster, a woman dressed in blue clothes scrubs ran in and began trying to calm me. ¡°Luna, you¡¯re in the hospital. You¡¯re perfectly safe,¡± she said taking my hand and trying to stop me from ripping out the tubes. ¡°The pack hospital.¡± ¡°The pack? Where¡¯s Leo?!¡± I asked her frantically as tears began to stream. ¡°I need him.¡± She nodded seconds before the door mmed open and my mate walked in. He seemed to sigh in relief upon seeing me before he came over and took my hand away from the arm with the tubes. ¡°Ells, no. You need to leave those alone.¡± ¡°I feel so trapped,¡± I said. ¡°Why is everything so white!?¡± ¡°I will have those walls painted whatever colour you like but for now please just lie down and leave those wires alone. They are there to help you.¡± I nodded and did as he said. Chapter 82 He picked up a nket from the bottom of the bed andy it over me before taking my hand and sitting beside me. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± I asked. ¡°Why am I here? Thest thing I remember is falling asleep in the jungle.¡± ¡°You were in aa,¡± he said. ¡°This thing is a life support machine. It¡¯s been keeping you alive.¡± ¡°Aa?¡± I asked. ¡°For how long?¡± I dreaded his answer. ¡°Only two and a half weeks,¡± he replied. Could be worse. ¡°The kids,¡± I whispered. ¡°When do I get to see them?¡± ¡°As soon as you are strong enough,¡± he replied taking my hand. ¡°You¡¯re in no state to see eight excited children right now but I will send them your love.¡± I nodded. ¡°What happened?¡± I asked. ¡°What did I miss?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± he began. ¡°You¡¯ve been through a lot. At one point we didn¡¯t know you¡¯d live. And part of you didn¡¯t. You were pregnant, E.¡± ¡°Pregnant?¡± I questioned in disbelief. ¡°Were?¡± ¡°You miscarried and after that, you improved,¡± he added. ¡°No,¡± I said. ¡°No. I had his child inside of me?¡± My heart rate began to raise again along with the beeping of a machine beside me. ¡°But you don¡¯t anymore. The trauma caused you to miscarriage,¡± he exined. I felt an unexinable deep sense of loss. It was almost as bad as when Leo and I lost a baby. But Andrea wasn¡¯t my mate and I despised him with everything I had so why was I upset to have miscarried his child? ¡°Oh, Leo,¡± I whispered beginning to sob. He leant down squeezed my hand tighter and wiped my eyes with his thumb. ¡°You¡¯re going to be okay,¡± he reassured. ¡°And what of Andrea?¡± I asked. ¡°We haven¡¯t heard from him,¡± Leo said. ¡°There¡¯s been no sign of him since we left South America.¡± Another tear slipped down my cheek. ¡°So it¡¯s not over?¡± I asked. He shook his head, ¡°Not yet.¡± I squeezed his hand and and forced a smile. ¡°Bring the kids here as soon as they say I¡¯m well enough. And Luca and Max and my Mom and your Mom and-¡± ¡°Alright alright,¡± he said with augh. ¡°All in good time. Just get some rest, okay?¡± ¡°As if I haven¡¯t been lying here for two and a half weeks,¡± I said. He smiled and kissed my hand. ¡°It¡¯s good to have you back.¡± Leo refused to leave. When I first woke up, it was clear I¡¯d had some memory loss because the longer I sat in that hospital bed, the more traumatic images began to flood back in and the more grateful I was to have him right next to me. ¡°Andrea forced me to watch Alessio be murdered,¡± I whispered after at least an hour of silence. ¡°And he ordered it because I refused to apologise for being disrespectful to Luciano and he wanted to teach me a lesson. His throat was slit and I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll ever get that image out of my mind. I close my eyes and it¡¯s there. And the worst part is it was my fault. I couldn¡¯t bring myself to submit and as a result, there are two kids out there without a Dad. Can you imagine the guilt I face for that?¡± ¡°You can not hold yourself ountable,¡± Leo said firmly. ¡°The only person responsible for Alessio¡¯s death is Andrea Martinez. He wants you to feel guilty to torture you psychologically. Don¡¯t let him get t you.¡± I shook my head as I began to cry. ¡°All he wanted me to do was say one simple sorry to Luciano and I wouldn¡¯t do it,¡± I replied. ¡°Why didn¡¯t I do it?¡±N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. ¡°There is no point dwelling on it,¡± Leo said. ¡°Nothing can be changed.¡± ¡°Out of all the things he did, that was by far the worst. The pain of all the times he hit, raped and beat me amounted together doesn¡¯t evene close to it.¡± By this point, the tears were streaming. ¡°Alessio¡¯s family are receiving all the support they need,¡± I reassured. ¡°And he is respected as a good, loyal soldier willing to sacrifice himself for his Luna and his pack. There were hundreds at his funeral.¡± ¡°But he¡¯s still dead.¡± Leo nodded and squeezed my hand. He clearly didn¡¯t know how else tofort me. ¡°Come here,¡± I said moving aside in the bed. ¡°I¡¯m cold and I miss your cuddles.¡± ¡°Are you sure, E?¡± he asked. ¡°I don¡¯t want to cross the line. Not with everything you¡¯ve been through.¡± I nodded, ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± He smiled and climbed into the bed next to me. His arm wrapped around me and I rested my head on his chest. ¡°You¡¯re freezing,¡± he said pulling me in tighter. ¡°I want to sleep. You¡¯ll stay, won¡¯t you?¡± I asked. ¡°Of course,¡± he replied. ¡°Promise me I won¡¯t wake up and you¡¯ll be gone,¡± I added looking up into his eyes. ¡°I promise.¡± I nodded andid my head back down. It was ages before I could actually sleep. With so many thoughts and memories, it¡¯s hard for your mind to slip into rest. Chapter 83 The Doctor had prescribed me some sleeping pills but I wasn¡¯t allowed to take them until my strength had improved. So I justy there until my dreadful thoughts became dreadful nightmares. I was running through the jungle, the branches and vines shing my skin, making me bleed all over my body. My hands and clothes were red with it but I just kept looking back. There was nobody there. Nobody behind me, nobody in sight, nobody to be heard. But still, I ran on, fighting through the dense jungle until I reached a clearing. The sky was blue and the warm sun seemed to soothe me. For a brief moment, everything seemed okay. So Iy down and let myself breathe as I watched the fluffy clouds pass over. But then a ck shadow leapt out of the trees. It bounded up to me and I tried to scramble away but it was toote. It had me and- ¡°E,¡± I heard Leo¡¯s voice say. ¡°E, wake up.¡± I opened my eyes and sat sharp upright. ¡°Are you okay?¡± he asked. ¡°Your heart rate went crazy for a second.¡± His eyes were wide and concerned. I swallowed and nodded. ¡°I was having a nightmare. They¡¯re relentless, Leo. Every time I try to sleep.¡± He brought me into a hug, ¡°It won¡¯t be like this forever. Remember that. What seems relentless won¡¯t be.¡± I clutched his shirt in my fingers and nodded again. The next day, Leo left for an hour or two to do the school run and see our kids and when he returned he had an armful of paint cans. ¡°What colour would you like the walls of this fine chamber, mydy?¡± he asked with a wide smile. ¡°I¡¯ve got forest green, fuschia, orchid purple or ocean blue.¡± ¡°They all sound equally pretentious so may I take all four, my Lord?¡± I asked. ¡°Whatever you wish, you shall have,¡± he replied with a low bow. For the entire morning, Leo stood painting all four walls and the ceiling of the hospital room. There were spots, zigzags, flowers, swirls and stripes. I smiled in delight at his artistry and also at the amount of paint in his hair and on his face. ¡°Do you like it?¡± he asked, stepping back to look at his work. ¡°I love it,¡± I replied. ¡°And anybody who uses this room after me will have no choice but to love it too.¡± At that point, a doctor walked in. ¡°Oh wow,¡± she said, immediately pausing as the colour met her eyes. ¡°It¡¯s so¡­ bright.¡± She then looked to Leo and then to the paintbrush in his hand. ¡°I had no idea you were so artistic Alpha,¡± she added. He rolled his eyes. ¡°I have many hidden talents,¡± he replied.N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. ¡°Well you ought to open a window,¡± she said, sternly, ¡°You don¡¯t want your Luna suffocating from paint fumes.¡± She was an older woman and she seemed to be scolding him. That, along with Leo¡¯s quickness to obey, made meugh. ¡°You¡¯re chipper this morning, Luna,¡± she said turning to me. ¡°Do you mind if I check your vitals?¡± I shook my head. She took my heart rate, blood pressure, lung capacity and temperature but scribbling something down on her clipboard. I noticed Leo peering over to see what she¡¯d written. ¡°You¡¯re still weak and need to stay in that bed,¡± she said. ¡°But there¡¯s more colour in your cheeks and life in your eyes. You¡¯ll be better before you know it.¡± ¡°And the sleeping pills?¡± Leo asked. ¡°When can she have them?¡± ¡°Not yet,¡± she said. ¡°A few more days perhaps. But for now, she can have these.¡± She reached into her pocket and pulled out a bottle full of pills which she handed to Leo. ¡°One in the morning, one at night,¡± she said. ¡°They¡¯ll keep your mind off it whilst your awake at least but you might not feel quite yourself. It¡¯s your choice to use them or not, Luna.¡± Leo nodded and she left. ¡°What are they?¡± I asked. ¡°Benzodiazepines,¡± he replied reading the bottle. ¡°Reduce feelings of severe distress by inducing emotional numbness. Then there¡¯s a long list of side effects¡­¡± I shook my head. ¡°No, I didn¡¯t get you to paint the walls so bright and loud just to numb myself with some pills. I need to feel in order to heal,¡± I replied. ¡°It¡¯ll be painful but I¡¯ll get through.¡± I then nodded confidentally and wiped away an escaping tear instantly. Leo nodded, ¡°I¡¯ll leave them here in case you change your mind and it gets to much,¡± he said putting them on the shelf. ¡°But I think you¡¯ve made the right choice.¡± I nodded, staring at the wall. The bottle was in the corner of my eye. Just a few of them and I could escape Andrea just for a few hours. ¡°E?¡± Leo asked. I looked up to him and forced a smile, ¡°Yes, I think so too. But shouldn¡¯t you be going?¡± I asked looking at the clock on the wall. ¡°School ends in an hour and sometimes Ss¡¯s ss gets let out early and Francesca and Marie like to wave to you as you wait so if you¡¯re not there, they won¡¯t-¡± ¡°Okay, okay,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m going.¡± I smiled and after kissing me on the head he left leaving me alone in the room with nothing but multicoloured walls, some beeping machines and a bottle of pills on the shelf. The pills were those capsule ones with the two different colours. They were in an orange-tinted stic jar and the lid was white with a child lock. The warningbel read ¡®highly addictive during prolonged use¡¯ exining why the jar could contain no more than about 20 pills. But I was more concerned about my desperation to get Andrea and everything rted to him out of my head. Leo had put them on the highest shelf. I¡¯d have to climb to reach them and right now, I could hardly even stand. So all I did was stare at them for over half an hour. The silence in the room was excruciating. My ears rang with the voices of Andrea and Luciano and Alessio and Julia and Chico and so many more and with every blink, I saw his face. Sometimes he was grinning orughing sometimes he was ring and growling.? Whatever it was, it made my heart wretch and my fear spike. I couldn¡¯t take it anymore. I stood up, my head spun and my legs buckled but I was already half a metre closer to the pills. Before I could reach for them, I felt myself fall andnd straight back onto the bed as I let out a frustrated sob. I couldn¡¯t carry my own weight and it was so infuriating. After crawling back under the covers, I let myself cry until I had to tears left at which point I justy silently. Another half an hourter, my vacant staring was interrupted. The door opened, a man marched in, mmed the door behind him and closed the blinds to the window looking out into the hallway. ¡°I¡¯m not supposed to be here,¡± he said. ¡°I climbed up a tree, along a ledge and through a window to get in and I can¡¯t stay long but I just had to see you.¡± Luca. Chapter 84 I smiled, ¡°I¡¯m happy you did.¡± His lips curled into a smile too, ¡°How are you?¡± he asked. I sighed, ¡°I¡¯ve been better.¡± My eyes were probably puffy and my cheeks tear-stained. He was only asking out of good manners. He sighed before he pushed forward a bunch of flowers in his hand. They were wilted and many of the stalks bent or broken. ¡°They didn¡¯t really survive the journey,¡± he said, with gritted teeth. ¡°But I thought you might like them.¡± ¡°They¡¯re perfect,¡± I said taking them and looking down at the wilted petals and browning colours. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°I was just gonna walk through reception and then up here to you but apparently there¡¯s strictly no visitors except the Alpha,¡± he replied. ¡°They say I¡¯m too weak,¡± I told him, drawing a circle with my finger on the sheet. ¡°They¡¯re probably right.¡± ¡°Nonsense,¡± he said. ¡°You¡¯re E Jones and your body may not be at it¡¯s best but in there,¡± he said pointing to my head, ¡°You¡¯re as wonderful as ever.¡± I forced a smile. ¡°If only.¡± ¡°Hey, E,¡± he said crouching beside me. ¡°What can I do?¡± I shrugged, ¡°Being alone is the worst sentence. Just stay here until Leo gets back at least.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± he said. ¡°And can you pass me those pills?¡± I asked pointing to the shelf. ¡°I¡¯m supposed to take them twice a day but I¡¯m too weak to reach them.¡± Luca got up and reached for the pot. He read thebel and I prayed he wouldn¡¯t question. ¡°Benzos?¡± he asked. ¡°Aren¡¯t they like¡­ really bad and addictive?¡± ¡°They¡¯re supposed to take my mind off¡­. everything,¡± I replied. ¡°The Doctor prescribed them.¡± He nodded and handed them to me and I immediately took one, swallowing it down my dry throat. I then smiled to Luca and put the pot beside my bed for next time. Leo returned an hourter. As we listened to hime down the hallway, I suggested the Luca made his quick escape but he refused. ¡°You¡¯re not supposed to be here,¡± Leo said upon seeing Luca. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to be alone,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Alpha.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m not mad. I¡¯ll tell reception that from now on you¡¯re allowed in,¡± he replied before noticing something in Luca¡¯s hair. ¡°And then you won¡¯t have to do whatever you did to get in again,¡± he added pulling out a twig from his locks. ¡°How are you, E?¡± he asked. I shrugged, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± he questioned. His eyebrows furrowed for a moment as he paused and stared right at me. Then his gaze went up to the shelf that the jar of pills had upied but was now vacant. He then saw them by my bed and sighed. ¡°I thought you decided not to take them, Ells?¡± he asked.This is from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I changed my mind. And I don¡¯t see him so often anymore.¡± I put on a smile and gestured for him to sit next to me. ¡°Do you feel numb like the bottle says?¡± he asked. I shrugged, ¡°I guess.¡± The chaotic memories of my trauma had been tamed. The despair and fear eased. It felt like I was in control again but at the same time, there was little to be controlled. ¡°I think I want to sleep now,¡± I stated. Leo nodded and Iy down. ¡°Sleep well, E,¡± Luca said, gently touching my hand. Leo then kissed my head and I closed my eyes, dropping into some blissful sleep. E stayed in the hospital for another week. She took the pills every day and as promised, they took away her negative emotions but also everything else too. She no longer needed my hugs or any kind offort and she lost interest entirely in talking to me or even seeing me. It seemed Luca could no longer entertain her and most of her time was spent either asleep or staring vacantly at the wall. Whilst there were no more tears or nightmares,? a smile rarely graced her lips either and even less often augh. When the Doctor¡¯s deemed her healthy enough for our children toe and see her, she seemed happy enough but she didn¡¯t hug them as tightly as she used to and she just smiled and nodded as they spoke to her. When Cato asked her how she was, she couldn¡¯t answer. When Lili presented her with a beautiful quilt she had knitted with her Grany, she told her it was pretty but her smile was meek and subdued. I tried to exin to them why their Mother was like this. Why they didn¡¯t really have her back yet. Even Cato, the eldest, didn¡¯t quite understand and each and every one of them was quieter and calmer when I put them to bed that night. I held her hand as we left the hospital but she only gripped as firmly as she needed to stay upright and when we got home, she just sat where I ced her on the bed, without saying a word until she eventually fell asleep. Every morning and night for another week I brought her a ss of water and handed her a pill. I felt a pang of guilt everytie I watched her swallow one. The medication just felt like a distraction rather than a solution. One day, she was going to have to feel the pain in all its intensity and the longer we put it off, the worse it was going to be. Selfishly, I also missed her. Of course, I didn¡¯t want her to have to suffer but at the same time, I wanted her back. Even though she was right there beside me, the pills took the real her away. It felt now, more than ever, like I was just with the shell of my mate. Her lively spirit was gone. So were her sharp wittiness and sense of humour. The twinkle in her eye had long since diminished and her once animated face was in a constant expression as cold and neutral as stone. I longed more than ever to see a genuine smile on her lips or hear her sweetugh or just any sign of consciousness. She hardly even looked at me and when I kissed her head before bed every night, she made no response. I tried not to take it to heart but losing the love of your mate in that way was never going to be easy. E¡¯s POV I was running through the jungle again. The branches and vines whipped me just as usual but this time, the pain was more excruciating. The fear too came in constant waves of intensity and the pounded of my pulse in my ears was louder. It was the same dream I had weeks ago in the hospital before the pills but ten times more real. The air was thicker and more humid than ever before. My legs burnt like I¡¯d been running for hours. I could even hear the screeching of birds in the sky above. I reached the clearing. Just as before the shadow emerged from the trees and came for me as I stood paralysed. But this time that wasn¡¯t the end. It grabbed my throat, mming me to the ground and still utterly unable to move I had no choice but to look up to its face. It was Andrea. Or a version of him at least. His face was twisted in the most horrendous way, his skin grey and leathery with sunken sockets housing the most dreadful eyes. They were so ck and dark I found my self staring back at the reflection of my own face. I was pale like a corpse, my expressionpletely still. But he was strangling me, I couldn¡¯t breathe, yet there wasn¡¯t even a flicker in my eye. I woke up sweaty and panting, my heartbeat still racing. The fear didn¡¯t leave me even as I sat awake. The house was silent but inside my head, the voices the back, the images were back. Everything was back and worse than before. I wanted to scream but I couldn¡¯t. There was no sound to be made. Chapter 85 It was suffocating and squeezing me and I just couldn¡¯t bear it. I took one look at Leo. He was still asleep. Then I opened my bedside drawer and grabbed the jar of pills. There were only fifteen or so left. That will be enough to? numb it all? and everything will be bearable again. Leo¡¯s POV I could feel myself drifting out of sleep. I don¡¯t know what brought me to. Whether she made a noise or if it was just pure instinct but thank the Goddesses I did. I opened my eyes to see E sat up in the bed with the empty pill bottle in one hand and at least a dozen pills in the other. ¡°What are you doing?¡± I asked. Her eyes snapped to me and I noticed the tear stains on her cheeks and how she shook. She hadn¡¯t cried in weeks. Not since she started taking the pills. ¡°It¡¯s alle flooding back,¡± she said. ¡°And I can¡¯t bear it.¡± Her eyes flicked back down to her hand with the pills. ¡°I need to be numb again,¡± she added in a whisper. Realisation came with a deep sinking feeling in my stomach. She opened her mouth and lifted her hand. ¡°No,¡± I said, grabbing her wrist and stopping her. ¡°You can¡¯t take that many, Ells. You¡¯ll kill yourself.¡±Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. My hand on her wrist must have triggered more terrible memories because I could sense her panic rising. She then began to fight against me, trying to bring the pills to her mouth. ¡°E,¡± I repeated. ¡°You don¡¯t understand,¡± she sobbed as I knocked the pills out of her hand and they scattered all over the bedsheet. I had to grab both her hands to stop her picking them up which only panicked her more so she began to kick and push me. She screamed and desperately cried and fought more and more and I ended up having to straddle her and pin her to the mattress. The fear in her eyes was torturous. I couldn¡¯t even imagine the pain I was inflicting but I could think of no other way to stop her from harming herself. ¡°E, please listen to me,¡± I said in a tone as calm as possible. ¡°You can not take that many pills.¡± She shook her head and screamed again. At that point, the bedroom door creaked open and a blonde little head popped in. ¡°Daddy?¡± Cato asked rubbing his sleepy eyes. ¡°What¡¯s happening. Is Mama alright?¡± ¡°She¡¯s fine, sweetheart,¡± I replied. ¡°Go back to bed.¡± He was a smart kid and I wasn¡¯t convincing him at all. He peered round to E who I still held down. ¡°Are you fighting?¡± he asked. ¡°Are you hurting her?¡± ¡°Cato, go back to your room,¡± I repeated as I tried to hide how hard E was struggling. ¡°We¡¯ll talk about this in the morning.¡± His lip quivered as his big blue eyes looked up fearfully. ¡°Cato,¡± I said sternly. ¡°Go.¡± He nodded and slowly stepped away, closing the door behind him. I reached for my phone by the bed and dialled Luca¡¯s number. ¡°I need you toe over. Now,¡± I said once he had picked up. ¡°Sure but why?¡± he questioned. ¡°Something¡¯s happened with E and I need you to keep the kids away while I help her. I don¡¯t want them to be any more involved than they already are,¡± I replied. ¡°Be as quick as you can.¡± I then hung up, put my phone down and after gathering the pills up in my hand and putting them securely back into the jar I loosened my grip on E. She immediately scrambled out from under me and sat paralysed against the headboard, breathing heavily. I reached forward for her hand but she flinched and I recoiled. She was pale but her forehead bore a thinyer of sweat. Her lips had a blue tinge and she shook all over as tears still streamed. I reached for my phone again but this time called the hospital. ¡°I need a Doctor sent to my house immediately,¡± I demanded. ¡°Of course, Alpha,¡± the man on the other end replied. ¡°I¡¯ve paged Doctor Amanda. What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°My Luna woke up about ten minutes ago ready to overdose on her medication. I stopped her but she¡¯s pale, blue, sweating and shaking,¡± I replied. ¡°I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s withdrawal from the meds or something else and I want her checked immediately.¡± ¡°Of course. She¡¯ll be there in ten minutes,¡± he said. I closed my eyes and sighed, ¡°Thank you.¡± I then hung up and sat back down opposite her. Just then the doorbell rang. ¡°That will be Luca,¡± I said. ¡°Will you be okay here while I let him in?¡± She made no response so I picked up the pill bottle and went downstairs. ¡°How is she?¡± was Luca¡¯s first question. I shook my head, ¡°Not good.¡± ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°She¡¯s been on those meds that numb her emotions for weeks and I guess she built up a tolerance or something because it all came flooding back tonight. I woke up to her about to take like 15 benzos pills and when I stopped her, she freaked out. Cato woke up and came into to me pinning her down as she screamed and struggled. How am I meant to exin that to a seven-year-old?¡± I replied. ¡°You focus on E,¡± he replied. ¡°I¡¯ll talk to Cato.¡± I nodded, ¡°They¡¯re probably all awake. I don¡¯t know how they could have slept through it.¡± Five minutester, Luca was sat in Cato¡¯s room with Ss, Mathias, Fran, Marie and Lili attempting to exin in the most child-friendly way what has been going on with their mother for thest few months. There¡¯s no use keeping it from them; they¡¯re going to find out one day and easing them into it was probably the best way. Besides, they knew something was up, there was no hiding that, so keeping them in the dark was probably doing my harm than good. Chapter 86 As we waited for Doctor Amanda, I sat with E, watching her carefully. ¡°What¡¯s happening to me, Leo?¡± she asked. ¡°I feel so ill and weak and all I want is my medication.¡± ¡°The Doctor is on her way,¡± I reassured. ¡°Everything¡¯s gonna be okay.¡± ¡°Will they let me have more pills?¡± I sighed, ¡°I don¡¯t know. They seem to be doing you more harm than good.¡± ¡°I need them,¡± she said. ¡°I can¡¯t cope without them. You¡¯re the Alpha, you can make them give them to me, right?¡± Unwilling to make any promises, ¡°we¡¯ll see,¡± was my only response. It had been two weeks since they since the nightmare that nearly led to me overdosing. Four days of that time had been spent in hospital being slowly and painfully withdrawn from the medication before the Doctor stopped giving it to me altogether. The rest of the time, I had spent wallowing at home in a whole lot of misery. I¡¯d moved on from the initial overwhelming flood of emotions and now everything felt sort of¡­ unreal. My mind was a fog of confusion filled with hallucinations and fear, the world some strange reflection of reality and my emotions anything from spiralling depression to nothing at all. The Doctor¡¯s said it was normal after withdrawal from benzos but that didn¡¯t help my desperation to just feel normal again. I was out in the forest,ying amongst the leaves on the forest floor, staring up through the branches at the folds of charcoal cloud, rolling across the sky in their thick fleets of grey. The air had turned to a bitter chill and the once gentle breeze had whipped up to the early blows of a gale. Even down on the sheltered ground, loose wisps of my hair danced at the edges of my face. The crows and ravens had left their roosting perches in the trees to patrol the skies, painting endless feathery circles in the darkest of inks. They croaked and screamed and cried and shrieked, usurping the final signs of peace from the forest. Soon enough, a single drop of rain fell onto my forehead and dripped down the bridge of my nose. I felt the smoothness of its movement and closed my eyes as another fell onto my cheek and then my hand and then my foot. ¡°E,¡± a voice said from a few metres away. I reopened my eyes to see Leo stood, his hair blowing in the wind and a soft expression on his lips. It¡¯d been nearly all day since I left the house for what was meant to be a short walk so I had no reason to be surprised that he¡¯de to find me now. ¡°There¡¯s a storming,¡± he told me. ¡°I know,¡± I sighed. ¡°Let me take you home,¡± he replied walking closer. ¡°No,¡± I said. ¡°I want to feel the rain. I want to feel something real.¡± I closed my eyes again and for a few moments, neither of us said a thing. When I heard his footsteps approach me, I opened my eyes expecting him to coerce me to my feet. But then he simply sat down and theny next to me. ¡°Then let me feel it with you,¡± he said. I smiled and my hand made my way to his as the droplets fell on us. We must haveid there for half an hour. The rain slowly got heavier until it was pelting down, at which point we decided to go in. We raced towards the house, hand in hand, the rainshing us. When we got through the door into the warm house I let out augh at the sight of Leo. He was totally drenched to the skin. He smiled, ¡°I don¡¯t know what yourughing at. You should see your hair.¡± He then headed living room, dripping as he went before returning with a nket. He wrapped it around me and brushed the wet strands of hair out of my eyes. ¡°Real enough for you?¡± he asked. I nodded. ¡°How about a nice warm fire?¡± ¡°That would be lovely.¡± Half an hourter, we had escaped our squelching clothes and snuggled in warm nkets in front of a crackling fire. ¡°I think things are finally getting better,¡± I said as Iy with my head rested on his chest as he gently yed with my hair. ¡°Oh yeah?¡± he asked. I nodded. ¡°Life is bearable again,¡± I replied. ¡°That¡¯s the best news I¡¯ve ever heard.¡±Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. I took his hand and squeezed, ¡°I don¡¯t know what I¡¯d do without you. I know this has been hard for you too but you¡¯ve been so understanding and patient. And you always say the right things and know how tofort me.¡± ¡°What else would I have done?¡± he asked. ¡°I¡¯m your mate. I was just doing whatever I could to help you.¡± ¡°I know. It¡¯s what you¡¯ve always done so thank you,¡± I said. ¡°I love you.¡± ¡°I love you too,¡± he replied kissing my head. I rested my head back onto his chest and watched the flickering mes on the hearth. They were so warming and rxing that I found myself slipping into a soft sleep in a matter of minutes. Two monthster¡­ It was a sunny Sunday morning. The sun shone into the library and there was a gentle breeze through the open windows as I sat on the carpet ying with Stefano and Zacharias. Leo was out working but Max sat on the other side of the room with the twins on hisp reading to them as we listening to the crashing of Cato, Mathias, Ss and Lili ying in one of their bedrooms. But even still it was peaceful. I felt like myself again and I was happy. I could be a mother to my children again and just simply enjoy life. The nightmares were fading and every day the hugs and cuddles with Leo grew longer as the memories of Andrea being touched could trigger became less painful. My progress and recovery was slowly and predominantly made up of the asionally little step but we¡¯d both agreed there was no need to rush it. Just then the doorbell rang. Max looked up and stopped reading. ¡°Don¡¯t stop the story,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯ll get it.¡± I left Max and the kids upstairs before heading down to answer the door. There was nobody stood on the doorstep, just a small white envelope. I picked it up to see my name written in an borate hand on the front. Except it wasn¡¯t my name. Not the name I went by anyway. E Martinez I looked up into the forest. Everything was as still as ever. I then ripped open the envelope and tipped out the contents. A silver ring fell out onto my palm with arge glistening diamond. It shone beautifully in the daylight yet I shuddered at the sight of it. It was a ring that had belonged to me that I had discarded into some Venezun jungle months ago, thinking I¡¯d never have to set my eyes on it again. Chapter 87 The apanying note read: We¡¯ll be back together soon enough, nca.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! My hands began to shake and I mmed the door, locked it and ran upstairs. ¡°Frannie, Marie, why don¡¯t you go and y in your room. Max will finish the storyter,¡± I said. He looked at me confused as there were a couple of disappointed wines from the twins but they soon left after a little encouragement and I thrust the letter towards Max. ¡°This was on the doorstep,¡± I said. ¡°E Martinez?¡± he questioned. ¡°Read inside,¡± I ordered. He did and his face dropped. ¡°And this was with it,¡± I added presenting the ring. ¡°It¡¯s the ring Andrea gave me when he proposed.¡± ¡°And it just showed up on the doorstep?¡± I nodded. He stood up and marched down to the front door where he looked out into the forest. There was still nothing. ¡°I should search the area. Whoever it was can¡¯t have gone far,¡± he began. ¡°But I can¡¯t leave you alone in case they really haven¡¯t gone far.¡± So instead, he phoned Leo who on hearing the news was a terrible mix of angry because somebody had managed to get so close to me and into the pack, concerned about the sudden reappearance of Andrea¡¯s threat and shocked at the news that he actually still does exist. ¡°Are you okay, Ells?¡± Max asked me as we sat in the living room, awaiting Leo¡¯s arrival home. I shook my head. ¡°No,¡± I replied. ¡°I was beginning to believe he was gone. I was beginning to move on. Now this has brought it all back and it feels like poison in my veins.¡± ¡°It could be nothing,¡± Max suggested. ¡°You don¡¯t know Andrea like I do,¡± I replied. ¡°He¡¯s got something nned and it will be the most wless, clever and wicked scheme in existence. This was just the warning.¡± Twenty minutester, Leo was home and staring motionlessly at the letter as he spun the ring in his fingers. ¡°I don¡¯t understand. How did he get it to our front doorstep without the border guards or anyone else noticing a thing?¡± he said. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Max replied. ¡°But at least he did. We wouldn¡¯t have had a warning otherwise.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. He¡¯s sacrificed covertness for grandiose,¡± Leo concluded. ¡°Now we will see himing. I need to go and prepare my army. Max, stay here until I get back. I¡¯ll send Luca too, just in case.¡± ¡°Leo, wait,¡± I said. ¡°Andrea wouldn¡¯t have just blown his cover without meaning to. You know what he wants you to know, remember? He clearly wants you to know he¡¯sing.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t see how that could ever be a disadvantage to us,¡± Leo replied. I sighed, ¡°Neither do I but just be wary. Try not to fall into any of his traps, okay?¡± He nodded and pulled me into a hug. ¡°I will protect you at all costs, E,¡± he said, kissing my head. ¡°I will not let him hurt you. Not again.¡± That night I hardly slept. I couldn¡¯t stop thinking about the ring and the letter and how it got to the doorstep. Leo was right next to me and had promised not to fall asleep until I did. But I felt terrible keeping him up, especially as he was so busy with being Alpha at the moment, so I had closed my eyes and pretended to be asleep until I heard his gentle sleeping breaths. Lying wide awake in bed was beginning to drive me mad so I got up and wandered down the moonlit hall. It was a clear starry night and I stopped by one of the long windows. The forest was perfectly still and peaceful but I couldn¡¯t bring myself to look for long before I shivered and had to shift my eye away. There was something unsettling about the darkness that the branches created. My throat was dry and I was craving a ss of icy water so I went downstairs. As I stepped across the threshold into the kitchen, I felt my stomach sink. There was a scent and I knew it immediately. Too afraid to even switch on the light, I stood silently, praying that at some point I had fallen asleep and this was just another nightmare. But then somebody else switched on the light and everything was nothing but real. ¡°Don¡¯t scream,¡± his ented voice said. ¡°Not unless you want Pablo here to shoot your little kids.¡± By the light switch was a burly man with a gun poised in his hand. His face was stony and harsh but I stared straight at him, unable to turn to face the other man in the kitchen. I heard his footsteps step around the table and slowly up to me until he rested his fingers under my chin and lifted my head so I had no choice but to look into his eyes. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you again, nca,¡± he said. He wore the same ck suit as always with the same pristine white shirt. His hair was asbed back in the same way it usually was and his eyes as menacing as ever. He lifted up my hand and inspected it. ¡°I¡¯m disappointed to see you¡¯re not wearing my ring,¡± he said. ¡°How did you get here?¡± I asked pulling my hand out of his. ¡°Your Alpha has control over the borders, the airport, the docks¡­ but there¡¯s a loophole,¡± Andrea said wandering over to the sink. ¡°What?¡± I asked. ¡°Why would I tell the Alpha¡¯s bitch, huh?¡± he said with a wink. He then filled a ss up with water and brought it over to me. I looked down at it. ¡°What? You came down for a ss of water I presume?¡± I narrowed my eyes, ¡°why are you here, Andrea? It¡¯s certainly not to bring me a ss of water,¡± I said. He grinned. ¡°I just wanted to see my wife. It¡¯s been months since I had the joy of setting my eyes on such a beautiful woman,¡± he replied, putting his hands on my waist. ¡°And where have you been?¡± I asked, pushing him off. He shrugged, ¡°Around.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± was all I had to say. ¡°You went to all of this effort just to see me?¡± Chapter 88 ¡°Oh, E don¡¯t be naive,¡± he said. ¡°Of course not. You are just a bonus.¡± ¡°Then what do you want?¡± I asked. ¡°All in good time, nca. All in good time,¡± he replied, a glint in his eye. ¡°But I best be off. People to meet, things to n.¡± He then leant forward and left a lingering, breathy kiss on my cheek, ¡°Sweetdreams,¡± he whispered in my ear before he and the gunman exited through the back door, letting in a cool breeze that brushed at my bare legs. The second I was sure Andrea and the gun were far enough away, I woke Leo up. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Ells?¡± he asked. ¡°You look like you¡¯ve seen a ghost. And why are you shaking?¡± ¡°A-Andrea,¡± I stuttered. ¡°You had a nightmare?¡± I shook my head and swallowed, ¡°he was in the kitchen.¡± He looked at me nkly. ¡°I went down to get water and he was there,¡± I said. ¡°It wasn¡¯t a dream.¡± With that he got up and left the room. The scent must have hit him halfway along the hall because it was then that he began to march. ¡°What did he want?¡± Leo demanded as I followed him into the kitchen and he relocked the back door. ¡°And how the fuck did he unlock the door?!¡± ¡°He said he just wanted to see me,¡± I replied. ¡°And he¡¯s a master lock picker.¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you call me?¡± he asked. ¡°Because there was a man with a gun. He said he¡¯d shoot the kids if I did.¡± If this was a cartoon, this is the part where steam would havee out Leo¡¯s ears. ¡°Who does he think he ising in my house and threatening my family?!¡± he growled. ¡°And who gave him the right to ¡®just¡¯ see my Luna?!¡± I felt a tear drop down my cheek, ¡°Please don¡¯t wake the kids up.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he said running his hand through his hair. He then sighed and held out his hand before saying in a much gentler tone, ¡°I¡¯ve got to call ir,e sit in my office with me.¡± For the next twenty minutes, Leo was on the phone. I sat in the armchair in the corner as he paced backwards and forwards talking to ir and then various armymanders and then his Dad, Luca and Max. When he finally put the phone down, I had long since retired to just staring straight down at the floor, trying my best not to process what had just happened. Leo crouched down in front of me and took my hands. ¡°Every man and woman in the entire fucking army is out there. The borders are locked, there is a unit on their way here to protect you and the kids and Max wille and stay with you all night.¡± ¡°You¡¯re leaving?¡± I asked, darting my eyes up. He sighed and squeezed my hands again, ¡°I have to E. The pack needs an Alpha tonight.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± I said, with a forced smile, ¡°You need to go.¡± He then kissed my cheek and left the office. He soon returned in his ck army uniform to find I hadn¡¯t moved. ¡°You should head upstairs,¡± he said. I shook my head and with the movement, a tear broke free. Of course, Leo saw it and crouched in front of me again. ¡°It¡¯s going to be okay,¡± he said. ¡°We don¡¯t know that, Leo,¡± I replied. ¡°And even if it is. Seeing him again and even the thought of.. of.. it¡¯s just¡­¡±Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! I then broke down into floods of tears. As he pulled me into his arms tofort me, there was a knock on the door. Leo smelt the air before turning his head towards the door, ¡°Max,e in!¡± he called. A few secondster, my cousin was stood in the doorway to the office. ¡°Shit,¡± he cursed, noticing my tear-stained cheeks. He came forward and took my other hand as Leo hugged me tightly. The embrace of them both instantly made me feel safer and helped immensely. ¡°Max isn¡¯t gonna let anything happen to anyone in this house,¡± Leo said plucking a wet strand of hair from my sodden cheek. ¡°And neither are the 40 men surrounding the house, stationed ready to stop anyoneing within a mile radius,¡± Max added. I smiled. ¡°But if that doesn¡¯t suffice,¡± Leo began. ¡°I can take you to a secret bunker. They aren¡¯t the most luxurious of ces but they¡¯re hidden, dry and stocked with plenty of food, water and nkets.¡± I shook my head, ¡°I don¡¯t want to scare the kids and passing through the woods to get to one isn¡¯t exactly safe.¡± Leo nodded, ¡°Okay,¡± he said. ¡°Can I hand you over to Max now? I¡¯ve got to go and hunt down that bastard.¡± ¡°Be safe please,¡± I said as he sat me up straight back on the armchair. He smiled and kissed me, ¡°I¡¯ll be back as soon as I can. I love you.¡± ¡°I love you too,¡± I replied and he was gone. ¡°Right,¡± Max said taking my hand. ¡°Enough staring at the floor. What you need is a ro.¡± ¡°You hate ros,¡± I pointed out. He sat me down on the sofa and reached for the remote control, ¡°Tonight, I¡¯m willing to make the sacrifice.¡± ¡°Thank you, Max,¡± I said. ¡°Notting Hill please.¡± He turned around and raised an eyebrow, ¡°I¡¯m already regretting this but fine.¡± ¡°Oh, and can you pass me the baby monitor,¡± I said pointing to the monitor on a coffee table he was stood right by. Chapter 89 It was the thing connected to every single one of my children¡¯s rooms, even the older ones since I had returned from Mexico. ¡°It¡¯s already on,¡± he said. ¡°I know, I just want it right next to me in case I don¡¯t hear it,¡± I replied. ¡°You¡¯re a werewolf, you will definitely hear the kids themselves from upstairs but if it will put your mind at ease, here you are my dear,¡± he said handing it to me. I smiled and a few minutester, Notting Hill was ying and everything was so calm and normal in the house, it was almost as only an hour ago, Andrea himself hadn¡¯t been stood only a few feet away. Leo¡¯s POV I marched into my office where I knew ir and my head armymander, Ollie, would be waiting. ¡°Thank you foring so early in the morning,¡± I said to them. ir forced a smile and nodded but Ollie just looked grave. He was a big guy, usually fearless so to see him so concerned was very unnerving. This was the effect Andrea had. ¡°Any word of Martinez?¡± I asked. ¡°Nothing at all,¡± ir said. ¡°We have no idea what he¡¯s doing, where he is or why. The usual deal.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t think he has left the territory but we can¡¯t be certain,¡± Ollie added. I nodded. ¡°Well, how are we supposed to work with that?!¡± I growled, throwing myself into my chair. ¡°Just sit and wait for him to do something terrible?¡± At that, the office phone began to ring. It was Eduardo Siciliano, one of my deputy armymanders. I furrowed my eyebrows, his mate had given birth the previous day and as a result, he wasn¡¯t on duty. Why would he be calling me? I answered the call and put it on speakerphone. ¡°Yes, Eduardo, what is the matter?¡± ¡°Alpha?¡± a woman¡¯s voice asked. Her voice was shaky and as she paused, I heard the heaviness of her breath. ¡°It¡¯s udia Siciliano, his mate,¡± she continued. ¡°I¡¯m calling because Andrea Martinez just came to our house. He¡¯s gone now but Eduardo is in a bad way.¡± I exchanged looks with Ollie and let out a low growl. ¡°Lock the doors and windows and stay where you are,¡± I ordered. ¡°I am on my way.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± she replied. ¡°Thank you, Alpha.¡± ir, Ollie and I then marched out of the office to my car and sped towards the Siciliano household. They lived just in triton but their house stood alone in the woods so unguarded by the patrols we¡¯d stationed to protect the viges. In the car we informed the nearby men that Andrea could still be close and brought in extra protection for the viges and houses around. Fortunately, Eduardo and udia lived in the opposite direction to my house, where E and my children still were which was the only thing giving mefort. ¡°udia it¡¯s the Alpha,¡± I called as I knocked on their front door. ¡°You can open the door.¡± Thirty secondster, she came to the door. In her arms was a tiny little baby, screaming and crying and on her face was paled and terrified. ¡°Where is he?¡± I asked. ¡°In the kitchen,¡± I said. She lead us through to where her mate sat slumped against the wall covered in blood and hardly conscious. udia had tried to wipe away the blood and bandage him up but he was still bleeding. ¡°Ollie, help me get him up onto the table,¡± I ordered and we lifted his floppy body up andy him on his back on the kitchen table as he groaned. ¡°Was he shot or¡­?¡± I asked. ¡°No. Martinez just punched him and kicked him and-¡± she said before sobbing. ¡°There was nothing any of us could do.¡± She tried to stop her tears and her baby only screamed more. I nodded to ir. ¡°udia can I?¡± he asked, gesturing to the baby. She nodded and handed him her daughter. After a few moments offort and soft whispers from ir she began to settle whilst her mother took her father¡¯s hand. ¡°Ollie, get some warm water, antiseptic and bandages,¡± I ordered. ¡°The wounds are not too deep and he will be fine but we ought to clean him up.¡±Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. A few minutester, we were busy tending to his cuts and bruises as he let out winced and mumbled. ¡°Can you exin what happened from start to finish?¡± I asked udia. ¡°I¡¯m not sure your mate has the strength.¡± ¡°Eduardo was in his office making calls and organising his squadrons. He was technically off duty but he couldn¡¯t ignore what was happening in the pack. I woke when there was a knock at the door and a voice with thick Hispanic ent. I came down to see two men, one holding a gun at mate¡¯s head. He was forced to let them inside and they began trying to bargain. Martinez wanted Eduardo to betray his Alpha in exchange for a huge amount of money and a position in his cartel. Eduardo refused so they began to threaten us. Martinez said he¡¯d kill until heplied, starting with the men in Eduardo¡¯s squadrons and then me and then our daughter. Eduardo still refused to give up his loyalty for you so Martinez beat him up and left saying he¡¯d give him some time to make the right decision.¡± Ollie and I both stared for a few seconds before I was the first to curse him to the fiery pits of hell, shortly followed by Ollie. ¡°Thank you both for your loyalty. Firstly for not giving in to his bribes and ckmail and secondly for having the courage to inform me,¡± I said once I was done. ¡°I know he is a terrifying man and telling me could havepromised your lives. But I will ensure you are protected.¡± ¡°Any of your people would do the same,¡± udia said. I nodded before my phone began to ring. ¡°That was Luca,¡± I said after hanging up. ¡°Paulo Salvatore has suffered an identical attack.¡± ¡°So this is his n,¡± Ollie said. ¡°Convert your men to his side by targetting mymanders with bribes, presumably to weaken the army before attacking.¡± ¡°Yes. But what he¡¯s failed to judge is the loyalty of my men,¡± I replied. ¡°But Martinez knows the reputation of your army,¡± ir pointed out from the corner of the room where he had been rocking the newborn child. ¡°He¡¯s tried torturing information out of them with no sess before. Why would he attempt this?¡± I narrowed my eyes in thought. ¡°Maybe he overestimated his own capabilities?¡± Ollie suggested. ¡°Martinez is an intelligent man and this is so clearly destined to fail and poorly nned. Something doesn¡¯t fit right,¡± ir said. ¡°You have a point,¡± I said. ¡°And it does seem a little indiscrete and obvious. Not usually his style, is it?¡± ¡°The motherfucker is sending us on a wild goose chase,¡± Ollie said thumping the table. Chapter 90 ¡°Then what¡¯s his actual n?¡± I asked gravely. I looked up at ir who wore a serious expression as he held the little baby close to his chest. ¡°I dread to think.¡± Leo¡¯s POV Two dayster Luca and I were stood in the streets of Seattle. Thest 48 hours had been enough to drive anyone off the edge. Five of mymanders had been attacked, one shot in the shoulder but none killed. Between attacks, no one had any idea where he was or what he was doing and we still weren¡¯t entirely what game he was ying but at longst he¡¯d been seen leaving the territory towards Seattle, presumably to head back to Mexico. Our objective now: stop the motherfucker ever leaving the country. I had men all over the city, all armed with guns. As far as we knew, there was only two of them: Andrea and the big gunman everybody unfortunate enough to recieve a home invasion had described. Taking him down shouldn¡¯t be difficult but finding him was an issue. He was a slimy thing with a habit of disappearing and in a city asrge and busy as Seattle, it was a nearly impossible task. ¡°How¡¯s E?¡± Luca asked me as we stood leant against a wall on a street that led to the docks, scanning every passer-by. ¡°She¡¯s been better,¡± I replied. ¡°And I¡¯m angry because I should be there tofort her but I¡¯m not because of this Mexicunt wreaking havoc on my pack.¡± ¡°Hey, enough with the racist slurs! My Grandmother was half Cuban,¡± Luca said. ¡°A cunt will suffice in future.¡± ¡°How is that at all relevant?¡± I asked. ¡°They speak Spanish there,¡± he replied. ¡°You know where else they speak Spanish? Mexico.¡± ¡°They speak English in Australia. Does that mean calling Australians ¡®kangaroo-fucking digeridoos¡¯ is offensive to the French grandson of an English man?¡± I asked. Luca paused in thought. ¡°I see your point, Alpha,¡± he said finally. ¡°Kangaroo-fucking digeridoos?¡± ¡°It was just an example.¡± ¡°Did you know that there are twice as many kangaroos in Australia as humans meaning that there are four times as many kangaroos as women meaning that you could either fuck four kangaroos or one woman,¡± Luca said. Before I even had chance to decide how on earth I was meant to respond to myself he¡¯d carried on with his own conversation. ¡°Although that¡¯s assuming you wouldn¡¯t mind fucking a male kangaroo which realistically if you¡¯re willing to fuck a kangaroo you¡¯re probably not gonna be concerned about its gender. Some believe homosexuality is a sin but if you¡¯re already gonnamit beastiality surely no one would worry about throwing in some dick on dick action.? And by no means do I have anything against LGBTQ+. Dick away for all I care. But the whole kangaroo thing? Not for me. Although I wonder whether you¡¯d get less STDs from a kangeroos anus than a human¡¯s-¡±This is from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Do you see that man over there?¡± I said, unfortunately, interrupting Luca. Across the street and a few buildings down walked a man. He was tall in a ck suit with ck hair and tanned skin. He wore sunsses but it was certainly him. ¡°Martinez,¡± Luca confirmed. ¡°For sure. He¡¯s inhumanely tall.¡± I pulled Luca down behind a parked car and pulled my radio to my lips. ¡°Spotted Martinez walking West along 28th Avenue towards the docks,¡± I said. ¡°Prepare to shoot. I want him dead. Do not let him get away.¡± I then shuffled to the edge of the car and positioned my gun, aiming at a spot on the street I knew Andrea would walk into any second now. ¡°Alpha, these streets are so busy. Start a shoot out and an innocent could get killed,¡± Luca pointed out. ¡°And if he survives my family and my pack members could get shot. I¡¯m willing to take the risk of losing a few humans. There¡¯s far too many of them anyway,¡± I replied. Luca nodded, ¡°Whatever you say, Alpha.¡± A few secondster, Martinez stepped into my aim and I shot. ¡°Fuck,¡± I cursed. The bullet had just missed him but obviously he had heard. He pulled out his gun and sent a shower of bullets our way, not taking as much care as I had to avoid the other users of the street. I shot back and the big man with him dropped straight to the floor gasping as blood gushed from his throat. Andrea looked down and examined the body with his dark eyes,pletely emotionlessly before taking one more look over to us and turning on his heel. ¡°Go, go, go,¡± I said to Luca and we both raced across the street after him. He was fast but the people on the streets were in his way. He growled and shoved them out the way but as Luca and I ran along the road where it was much less busy, we were quickly gaining distance on him. That was until he ducked into a side street and we had to bustle across the sidewalk to follow him. When we reached the street he was still in sight. He turned around, pulling two guns from his belt and shot at us, forcing us to take cover behind a parked van. ¡°Martinez is heading North down Barley street,¡± I barked into my radio. ¡°Unit 24, stay vignt and prepare to shoot.¡± I then peeked around the van to see that he had continued running and signalled to Luca for us to carry on. A few minutester, I heard the bullets of unit 24 as we reached the end of Barley street where they were stationed. ¡°Do you see him?¡± I asked Luca, taking a moment to pause and catch my breath as I reloaded my gun. ¡°No¡­¡± he said scanning the area. ¡°Fuck. Have we lost him?¡± ¡°How could he have survived the shots from 12 of my men?¡± I asked. ¡°That man is immortal I swear,¡± Luca replied. ¡°Alpha,¡± the voice of one of my men said on my radio. ¡°We see him. Heading straight for the docks.¡± ¡°Surround the perimeter. He can not be allowed to get on a boat,¡± I ordered. ¡°And I want a unit on every boat due to depart for the next hour in case the slimy thing slips through.¡± ¡°Yes, Alpha,¡± the voice replied before Luca and I turned around and headed to the docks ourselves. It was a ten minutes run but I could do it in five. I¡¯d have to leave Luca behind and sacrifice his cover but it was worth it for minimising Martinez¡¯s chance of escaping me¡­ again. So I raced through the streets and five minutester, I spotted him from across the docks. He was handing a worker in a boiler suit a wad of cash as he pointed to arge boat at the end of the harbour. I was far too far away for an urate shot. It would just be a waste of ammunition and before I could creep any closer, he looked up and saw me. His lips curled into a smile before he waved and began to run towards the boat the worker had pointed to. None of my men were here yet. It was just me against him. So I chased after him, shooting and shooting. But I¡¯d only been using guns for a few months and I had not perfected my shot. For me, hitting a moving target that far away as I ran too was practically impossible. But I was gaining on him. I was taller, older and as we had established in ourst fight, stronger too. Had the distance to the boat been longer and I would have caught him. But it wasn¡¯t. And the boat was already reversing out. The gap betweennd and the boat was ever-increasing. Martinez began to sprint even faster than before and he was still at least 100 metres ahead of me. He reached the edge of the harbour and leapt towards the boat over a good ten metres of space, narrowly avoiding the high drop down into the grey, rough water below. Considering he only made it by a couple of inches, by the time I reached the tform ten secondster, it was toote. Chapter 91 He hadnded on his front on the deck but quickly scrambled behind a crate on the boat. But it wasn¡¯t big enough topletely cover him so I shot once and missed. Then when I tried again having adjusted my grip, taken a moment to breath and aimed properly, no bang sounded. My gun was out of bullets and I didn¡¯t even have any more rounds to reload with. I angrily smashed the gun down onto the concrete floor and it cracked into three pieces before I looked up to the boat, still moving away to see him waving and smiling. ¡°See you soon, Loren!¡± he called. ¡°Tell your bitch I¡¯ming for her!¡± I let out a growl and just red back at him as heughed more. Half a minuteter, Luca caught up with me and immediately began shooting out to sea. ¡°There¡¯s no point,¡± I said. ¡°He¡¯s too far away. We lost him¡­ again.¡± Leo returned homete in the evening. The kids were in bed and it was just Max and I downstairs. I got up straight away to see him, the anticipation killing me. But as soon as I came into the hall and set my eyes on him as he stood by the door taking off his shoes, I knew the result of the mission in Seattle. I didn¡¯t even need him to gravely look up and shake his head. I sighed and my heart sunk as he came and hugged me. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he said. ¡°We were so close.¡± ¡°At least he didn¡¯t get you,¡± I said, trying to stay positive. ¡°So long as you are alive, I will be okay.¡± He smiled and kissed my head before looking up to Max. ¡°There¡¯s an emergency meeting lead by ir in the base tonight for all senior members of the pack,¡± Leo said. ¡°I won¡¯t be attending as I need to spend the evening with my mate but ir has my orders.¡± Max nodded and left as Leo continued to hold me. ¡°Are you okay?¡± he asked. I nodded. ¡°Are you really okay?¡± I shook my head. ¡°No,¡± I replied. He put his fingers under my chin and lifted my head so I was looking him in the eye. ¡°You look exhausted,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ve been worrying about you all day,¡± I replied. ¡°I know we want Andrea dead but not if it costs you your life.¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t something we can just abandon, E. It will not end until one of us wins. Until one of us dies,¡± he said. ¡°I have to work to ensure that it is not me.¡± I nodded, ¡°I know,¡± I said bringing my hand to his cheek, ¡°But it terrifies me. I hate it when you go away.¡± He sighed and hugged me tightly again. ¡°I¡¯m here right now. Let¡¯s make the most of it, okay?¡± he said. ¡°And let¡¯s try to forget about it just of the evening.¡± I nodded. Leo¡¯s Pov An hourter, we were lying on the sofa watching Brooklyn 99 on the sofa. I had E in my arms with her head on my rested on my chest and every time she let out a little giggle at the programme, I felt the muscles in her face move, which made me smile too. I was hardly even watching it. Instead, I took to ying with the silky strands of her hair and just enjoying thefort of having her safe and rtively happy in my arms. Today had been a massive, demoralising fail but seeing her had reminded me what I was fighting for. I was going to find him and destroy him. I had to for her. At one point, she lifted her head and looked up at me with furrowed eyebrows. I brought my hand to her cheek and smiled. ¡°What?¡± I asked, amused by the way she was contorting her face. ¡°Why didn¡¯t youugh at that part? That¡¯s your favourite part of like the whole series?¡± she questioned. I said nothing but smiled. ¡°The part where Jake says-¡± she continued, still confused. ¡°I know what he says. We¡¯ve watched it at least ten times,¡± I said softly. ¡°But I¡¯m far too busy appreciating you to appreciate it today.¡± She smiled and ced her hands on my chest before shuffling closer. She then tucked her hair behind her ears and leant forward. As she ced her lips on mine, I felt bliss radiate through me. It was the most rxing, mostforting, most mellow feeling. Better than any drug. Of course, her kisses had always been good but after months and months without one, it hit on a whole new scale.This is from N?velDrama.Org. I smiled and let out a deep breath and I opened my eyes again as she pulled away. ¡°You¡¯re right. Tonight is about us, notflix,¡± she said. I ced my hand on her neck, ¡°I love you,¡± I said. ¡°I love you too,¡± she replied before leaning closer again. ¡°Are you sure you are ready for this?¡± I asked, pausing her. ¡°With Andreaing back and everything is this really what you need?¡± ¡°This is exactly what I need,¡± she replied. ¡°I need that feeling we get when we kiss more than anything.¡± I smiled and let her kiss me again, this time for longer. Not wanting to overstep her boundaries, I let her lead as I justy with her on top of me, tasting her sweetness. When I was sure she¡¯d befortable, I brought my hand to her waist before pausing again. ¡°You¡¯ll tell me if it¡¯s too much, okay?¡± I said. She nodded and this time I kissed her. My other hand slipped down to her neck where her mark was. It had been a no go area since I got her back from Venezu but now I could finally run my fingers near it again. She then pulled away from my lips to bring her hand to mine and moved it further down her neck until my fingers satpletely on the mark. ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± she said, ¡°I don¡¯t want to look at it and think thest person to touch it was him anymore.¡± I smiled and ran my fingers along it. ¡°And thest person to kiss you wasn¡¯t him anymore either,¡± I added. ¡°We should have done this weeks ago,¡± she said as I brought my hands away from it and back to her waist. ¡°I feel so much better and cleansed now.¡± I shook my head, ¡°You weren¡¯t ready then. It would have been too much for you. We have to take this slow, okay? This was enough steps for one night.¡± Chapter 92 She nodded. ¡°You¡¯re a good man, Leonardo,¡± she said kissing my cheek once more. I smiled and pulled her back into my arms, just as we heard a small pair of footstepse down the stairs. ¡°Ss, is that you?¡± E asked. A few secondster, a small blond child appeared in front of us. Ss was only six years old and wore his little checkered pyjamas and clutched a teddy in his arms as he looked up at us with his big blue eyes. ¡°I woke up and wanted to see, Papa,¡± he said. I reached out and pulled him into my arms next to E. ¡°Have you missed me or something?¡± I asked, showering him with kisses as he giggled. He nodded before I hugged him tight and he wrapped his little arms around me. ¡°Mama said you went to the city with Luca,¡± Ss said. ¡°And, and next time me, Mathias and Cato want toe too.¡± ¡°Oh, Si,¡± I said with a slightugh, ¡°You don¡¯t want toe. I was doing boring Alpha stuff.¡± Ss looked disheartened and E smiled sadly and ran her hand along Ss¡¯s head. ¡°Maybe one day your Dad will take you boys to the city,¡± she said. ¡°But you know that can¡¯t happen at the moment, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Because of the bad man,¡± he said with a frown. E nodded, ¡°Yes but as soon as he is gone and the pack is safe and peaceful again, he can take you to see Seattle.¡± Ss nodded and smiled, ¡°Yeh!¡± I squeezed him again and kissed his cheek. The three of usy on the sofa for an hour more until both E and Ss were asleep. Unable to move without waking both of them, I epted that I was spending the night on the sofa and kissed both their heads before switching off the TV and then themp before closing my eyes too. This is how we used to spend our evenings before everything happened. We¡¯d fall alseep on this sofa or upstairs with one or more of the kids. Sometimes all of them if we were lucky. And once every blue moon E and I would get a second to ourselves which we savoured far more than we ever did before this house became overrun with little humans. But we didn¡¯t mind because we loved them so much and although it was hard at times, like during the tantrums and arguments or bumped heads and midnight screaming, we would never even dream of going back. Overall, the house was a happy one. For a moment, it felt like we were back to those times and oh how I wished for every moment to be like this. E¡¯s POV I woke the next morning practically being crushed by Leo. His leg had found it¡¯s way over my stomach and his arms were wrapped firmly around me. Ss had somehow wriggled between us and both of them were sleeping soundly. I would have left them to sleep peacefully but Leo¡¯s leg was basically just one huge chunk of muscle and consequently incredibly heavy. He was also holding me in a way that trapped my hand and the numbness was intense. ¡°Leo,¡± I said prodding his cheek. ¡°Leo.¡± He grimaced and then slowly opened his eyes. ¡°Can you free me?¡± I asked. ¡°Only I can¡¯t breathe and you¡¯re lying on my hand.¡± He smiled and rolled, cing his hand on Ss¡¯s back so that he moved onto his chest and stayedpletely dead to the world. I was then able to sit up and yawn. ¡°Fuck,¡± I said stretching my arms out, ¡°I forgot how much room there isn¡¯t on this sofa.¡± Leoughed, ¡°At least we only had Ss tonight.¡± ¡°It¡¯s 6 am. Cato will be up and demanding breakfast soon,¡± I said getting up and stumbling into the kitchen. ¡°That kid certainly has an appetite,¡± Leo replied. ¡°He¡¯s grown about an inch in thest month. That¡¯s probably why,¡± I said. ¡°I should get up too,¡± Leo said, ¡°I¡¯ve got to be at the base at 7 am.¡± I looked at him and furrowed my eyebrows, ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I realised in Seattle my men need more gun training,¡± he replied. ¡°We need to be as good as Martinez¡¯s men who have been using guns since before they could walk.¡± I sighed, ¡°Oh yes. The impending doom. How could I forget.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll need to be there all day so Max will be here but I mighte home at lunch,¡± he added.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. I nodded as he stood up, Ss still in his arms. ¡°Now¡­ what do I do with the sleeping child?¡± He said. Iughed, ¡°Put him in his bed. Cato will undoubtedly wake him up within half an hour but he looks too peaceful to wake now.¡± Leo kissed him on the head before carrying him up the stairs, leaving me to start making enough pancake mix to feed an army of hungry children and one hungry Alpha. Leo¡¯s POV At 7 am sharp, my men were lined up neatly and silently at the training camp in the base, awaiting my instruction. They had been given their guns weeks ago but today was going to involve intensive practise and they needed more ammunition. So ir, Luca, Ollie (the head armymander), a dozen othermanders and I walked along the lines of soldiers, handing out magazines and cartridges. ¡°Today is going to be different to your usual training,¡± I said as I reached into the box and handed a solider two magazines for his shotgun before moving onto the next, ¡°Usually I look for improvement. Today, I want perfection.¡± As I handed him his ammunition one of the soldiers looked up at me and I briefly made eye contact. I vaguely recognised him from enrollment out of the junior training programme and into the army a few weeks ago meaning he had only just turned 17. His face was youthful and his eyes nervous and jumpy. He was just a boy stood amongst all the other men. I reached into the box and handed him an extra round. ¡°With hard work and practice, you will get there,¡± I said to the army but looking him in the eye with a reassuring smile. I then continued along the line. ¡°There are five stations focussing on: long-distance targets, moving targets, defending yourself from a shooter, fast reloading and finally, shot-wound focussed first aid. You will spend two hours in each and at the end of the day will only be released if you have perfected all five,¡± I announced. ¡°Anyone who hasn¡¯t will stay until they have.¡± Some of my men were deployed around the territory guarding the borders and outer viges in case of an attack but that still left a thousand men here today. That meant 200 men at each station and the entire camp at maximum capacity. It was arge scale operation and within two minutes of ordering the men to the station, the ce was filled with the firing of guns. ¡°Do you really think we¡¯ll get them good enough in one day?¡± ir asked me as we watched over. ¡°They¡¯re all fit, young, intelligent and disciplined,¡± I replied. ¡°If we can be the best army in the world with knives and fists, we can do the same with guns.¡± ¡°But Martinez¡¯s men have years on us,¡± he replied. ¡°Years of using guns, true. But they are just a gang of thugs. They don¡¯t know teamwork and strategy and initiative. When the ammunition runs out, what will they do then? Who will have the upper hand?¡± Chapter 93 ir nodded, ¡°I hope you are right, Alpha.¡± Rule number 1 of being Alpha: don¡¯t show your fear. I smiled and put my hand on his shoulder, ¡°Now get back to training those men.¡± E¡¯s POV Half an hour after Leo left, Max came over. But this time he brought an extra visitor. ¡°Milly,¡± I said hugging his now almost adult sister as she came to the door, ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting you.¡± ¡°Max said you were in need of some cheering up,¡± she replied. ¡°And since he is self-aware and knows he is a miserable old git, he got me toe too.¡± Iughed as Max rolled his eyes, ¡°Remember when she was a sweet little girl, Ells?¡± ¡°And now look at you,¡± I said taking her hands, ¡°So grown up and tall.¡± She smiled down at me andughed.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! She was a few inches taller than me and had the most elegant figure, despite only being 17. Her eyes wererge, dark and round and her hair, thick long locks of chocte brown. She really was beautiful. ¡°Yeh and she has all the boys swooning over her,¡± Max grumbled. ¡°I¡¯m having to fight one in particr off the doorstep almost every day.¡± ¡°Oooh Milly,¡± I teased, ¡°Looks like you have a secret admirer.¡± ¡°His name is Otis and he¡¯s just a friend,¡± Milly responded, ¡°Or at least he would be if Max didn¡¯t scare him off every time. I haven¡¯t seen him since school ended for summer.¡± ¡°Maximus,¡± I scolded. ¡°I know the look in his eyes when he sees you,¡± Max replied, ¡°He wants to be more than friends.¡± ¡°And so what?¡± Milly replied, ¡°¡­ he¡¯s cute.¡± ¡°He¡¯s also not your mate,¡± Max replied. I smiled and rolled my eyes, ¡°Will you two stop bickering ande inside. The kids will be delighted to see you Milly.¡± I let Millye through the door at which point Lili, Marie and Francesca realised she was here and bombarded her with cuddles. I then stepped in front of Max, blocking his entry. ¡°You better get the fuck off her back,¡± I hissed. Heughed, ¡°Who are you to tell me what to do? Did you raise her? Are you her guardian until she¡¯s 18?¡± ¡°She¡¯s 17. If she wants to date, let her,¡± I added. ¡°Or what?¡± he asked, pushing past me and into the house, where Mathias jumped into his arms. I sighed and went through into the living room where my daughters were already iting Milly¡¯s hair. ¡°Oh, girls be careful with your cousin¡¯s hair. Don¡¯t pull too hard,¡± I said with augh as Milly winced. ¡°Can we try out our new hairstyle on you, Milly?¡± Marie asked, ¡°Mommy¡¯s hair isn¡¯t long enough.¡± ¡°Of course you can, Marie,¡± Milly replied. ¡°Just listen to your Mom and be gentle.¡± I smiled and then turned to Max who was already holding Mathias upside down as Cato and Ss attacked a leg each, chanting ¡®y the beast¡¯. They all screamed in delight as Max pretended to be overwhelmed and dropped to his knees before Cato quickly climbed onto his shoulders and screamed ¡°victory!¡±. ¡°Never,¡± Max roared before standing up, still holding Mathias and now with Cato on his shoulders. Cato could hardly contain his excitement as Max swooped down and hauled Ss into his arms too. ¡°I will not be defeated by three small humans!¡± he continued. Iughed and tried to bury my anxiety about the height Cato had ended up at. I trusted Max not to drop him but I couldn¡¯t help but wince when he put his little hands over Max¡¯s eyes. The trouble with Cato was he had absolutely no fear. Ten metres up a tree? Not a problem. Jumping off a high rock into a deepke? Not a problem. Sitting 6ft high on his cousin¡¯s shoulders, who is also holding two other squirming children and then covering his eyes in a house with many obstacles? Definitely not a problem. ¡®Careful Cato¡¯ was said by both me and Leo at least ten times a day each along with ¡®No Cato¡¯, ¡®Sit still Cato¡¯ and ¡®Stop Cato¡¯. Eventually, the ying the beast game came to an end and I took a deep breath before we managed to get all six of the older ones settled in front of Shrek and Stefano and Zacharias quietly down for a nap. Max sat buried by them on the sofa as Milly and I stood in the kitchen. ¡°So¡­¡± I began. ¡°Tell me about this Otis.¡± She smiled and looked over to Max who either was too engrossed in Shrek to listen or was pretending not to listen. ¡°He¡¯s just a boy that leaves in our vige and I sit next to him in Math ss,¡± she said. ¡°He¡¯s smart and I¡¯m not good at math because of all the school I missed before the amulet so he always helps me with the hard questions and we do our homework together at lunch.¡± ¡°Awwe,¡± I replied. ¡°I know he likes me and I like him too but I know there¡¯s no point because of Max,¡± she continued with a sigh, ¡°He¡¯s made it clear from the second I started school that I¡¯m not allowed to date.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± I asked. ¡°He says because I can¡¯t risk my secret getting out but also just because he¡¯s Max,¡± she said. ¡°Apparently, I will wait for my mate¡­¡± ¡°I see,¡± I replied. ¡°He loves you Milly and he has always done everything he can to protect you. If he thinks Otis is gonna cause you harm or break your heart or whatever, he¡¯s not gonna change his mind.¡± She nodded. ¡°Max never changes his mind,¡± She said. ¡°He¡¯s stubborn that¡¯s for sure. But he¡¯s not always right and I do think he should give Otis a chance. He seems like a nice boy. He helps you with your math, that¡¯s good right?¡± I replied. ¡°Two words: ulterior motives,¡± Max piped up from the sofa. ¡°Private conversation,¡± I snapped. ¡°About me? I¡¯m entitled to listen,¡± he replied. Milly rolled her eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, E. There¡¯s nothing you can do to help,¡± she said before raising her voice deliberately and turning to face Max. ¡°I¡¯ll just be miserable and lonely until I find my mate.¡± Just then the front door opened and Leo came in. Chapter 94 ¡°Hey,¡± he said shortly before going straight to the fridge, hardly acknowledging any of us. ¡°There¡¯s some pasta in there for you,¡± I said. He nodded, found the pasta, grabbed a fork and began eating it, not even sitting down. I exchanged confused looks with Milly. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± I asked. He looked up, ¡°Nothing.¡± ¡°Leonardo, do you take me for an idiot?¡± I asked. ¡°Is it the training?¡± ¡°No. The training is fine but¡­¡± he began before looking to Milly and Max. ¡°¡­ nevermind.¡± ¡°Out with it,¡± I said sternly. ¡°But what?¡± He sighed and put the pasta down, ¡°I¡¯m afraid it won¡¯t be enough. They may be elite and fast learners but to turn a thousand men that have hardly touched a gun into master shooters in one day? It¡¯s impossible.¡± Max and I exchanged nervous nces. ¡°And don¡¯t you dare tell ir. I have to keep morale up and if they find out their own Alpha doesn¡¯t believe in them, that would be disastrous,¡± he warned. ¡°You might have more than a day to get them up to scratch,¡± I pointed out. ¡°Or we could have less than a day. Martinez could attack any minute. We don¡¯t know where he is or what he¡¯s doing,¡± Leo replied. I went over to him and wrapped my arms around his waist. ¡°Okay, Andrea¡¯s men are better shooters than yours. But yours are better trained in every other aspect. They are also more loyal, more obedient and more intelligent,¡± I said. ¡°I lived with them for months remember? When was thest time you had to kill one of your own men for betraying you? Because Andrea was doing it almost every week.¡± ¡°And what value does loyalty, obedience and intelligence have against a bullet?¡± He asked. I sighed and leant my head on his chest as he put his hands on my waist and rested his head on mine before letting out a deep breath. ¡°Alpha, I¡¯m sorry if I¡¯m speaking out of turn but I think I could help,¡± Milly suddenly said. I let go of Leo and turned around to face her as Max shot her a re and got off the sofa. ¡°How?¡± Leo asked. ¡°My power has been growing,¡± she said. ¡°I can feel it. As promised when I first got the amulet, I only practise in my room at home but I know I can do so much more than move books and set candles alight.¡± Max marched over, ¡°Absolutely categorically no,¡± he said. ¡°You are not getting involved.¡± ¡°What do you think you can do?¡± I asked. ¡°I can move things¡­ big things¡­ and set fires and change the weather and who knows what else. I¡¯ve never had the chance to try,¡± she said. ¡°And the amulet lets you control it?¡± I asked. She nodded. I looked up to Leo, who had been quiet, to see him deep in thought. ¡°Alpha?¡± Max said. ¡°Please say you are not considering this?!¡±This is from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°The legends say that the other wolves with Hecate¡¯s powers could use them to defend their packs,¡± I pointed out. ¡°Yes apart from the ones that were killed by their own powers or by others who feared them,¡± Max snapped, ¡°There¡¯s a good reason we¡¯ve been hiding her abilities for four years. Why the fuck would we reveal them to the entire pack now?!¡± ¡°Because they could save this entire pack,¡± Leo said. ¡°And I want to see what you are capable of, Milly.¡± ¡°No,¡± Max said. ¡°You are not using my sister as a weapon.¡± ¡°I want to help my pack, Max,¡± Milly pleaded, ¡°I can¡¯t watch people suffer if I know I can help-¡± Max held his finger up to her and she instantly shut her mouth, ¡°You are still a kid. This is not your decision.¡± ¡°But I am the Alpha and it is mine,¡± Leo said. Max tightened his jaw before turning to me, ¡°E, you know everything there is to know about Milly¡¯s powers. Surely you can see how this is a terrible idea?!¡± ¡°She has the amulet and she is in control,¡± I said. ¡°When moving books and lighting candles,¡± Max replied, ¡°What about when the fear and stress of being in public let alone a warzone takes hold?! And what about when the people of the pack see she is one of Hecate¡¯s descendants? When they see she has the same power as the girl who killed all those people centuries ago? They all know the stories, E.¡± ¡°Do you really think they¡¯d turn on the girl that saved them?¡± I asked. ¡°And what if it goes wrong?¡± I sighed and stepped back, nothing more to say. Max then roughly took Milly¡¯s arm and tugged her towards the door. ¡°Maximus, stop,¡± Leo ordered. ¡°I want to see what your sister can do.¡± He clenched his jaw again and let go of Milly, ¡°Alpha-¡± ¡°We will go to a quiet spot in the forest and give her a chance to test the full potential of her abilities,¡± Leo interrupted. ¡°If I have the slightest suspicion that she is not ready, we will not go through with it when Martinez attacks.¡± Max let out a short sigh, ¡°I can¡¯t argue with you, Alpha, but I am not happy with this.¡± Leo nodded, ¡°You care about your little sister, I get it,¡± he said, ¡°But I care about my pack and my family and if this could save them, I¡¯m willing to try it.¡± Max gave a forced nod before ring once again at Milly and then me before taking a walk outside. ¡°I¡¯ll call Luca toe and watch the kids, then we¡¯ll go into the forest,¡± Leo said before leaving to go to his office. ¡°He¡¯s mad at me,¡± Milly said burying her face in her hands. ¡°I hate it when he¡¯s mad at me.¡± ¡°Oh, Mils,¡± I said putting my hand on her back. ¡°He¡¯ll get over it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s easy for you to say. You¡¯re used to it because he¡¯s mad at you like 90% of the time,¡± she replied with a sigh. ¡°Yeh and I think he¡¯s more mad at Leo and I right now and just worried about you,¡± I reassured, ¡± Once you show him you can do this, he¡¯ll be fine.¡± Leo came back into the kitchen, ¡°Luca will be here in ten minutes. Are you ready, Milly?¡± Chapter 95 She nodded, ¡°Yes.¡± E¡¯s POV An hourter, Max, Milly, Leo and I were stood amongst the tall pine trees of the forest by the edge of one of the pack¡¯s manyrgekes. We were a mile from the vige Milly and Max lived in and we¡¯d seen no one. ¡°We¡¯re alone,¡± Leo said after returning from taking a quick walk around our surroundings, checking no one was around. Max stood with his arms folded and a look of steel as Milly turned out towards theke. She took a deep breath and nced across the blue water, which reflected the sparkling rays of mid day sun. She then closed her eyes and brought her hand to the amulet. For a few moments, there was nothing. Justplete silence as Milly stood motionlessly, holding her eyes tightly shut. She was concentrating hard, I could tell. Then, the most amazing things began to happen. At first, the skies darkened as the clouds came rolling in. Then the gentle breeze whipped up to a gale, blowing the leaves on the forest floor into columns of spirals and shaking the branches of the trees above. I looked up to Leo who was watching the sky in awe. Then the water of theke began to bubble and ssh and cave up intorge waves, crashing at the surface. She then held her hand up and everything ceased. The skies drained back to blue, the water retreated and the air became still and calm again. Milly then opened her eyes and turned to us. Leo smiled and nodded. ¡°You are gifted, Milly,¡± he said. ¡°There¡¯s more. Do you want to see?¡± she asked. We nodded and she turned back to theke. Max still stood a few metres away, his eyes cold and fixated on Milly. There were another few moments of silence before the ground around us began to shake. To begin with just a little, and then progressively more. I had to take Leo¡¯s hand for support until it suddenly stopped. Only a few secondster, a spark struck a metre of so away from Milly¡¯s feet, it the blossomed into a me and grew into a perfect circle of flickering fire all around her. The mes brought a red glow to her face as she leant her head back and the grew into tall curling beacons moving at themand of her hand. It was then that we heard the snapping of a branch only ten or so metres away. Leo¡¯s eyes snapped to where it wasing from and Milly opened hers too. There was a boy, eleven years old at most, stood, half-hidden behind a tree with his mouth ajar. Milly¡¯s eyes suddenly became filled with panic as the boy stared at her. Leo stepped forward towards him but he turned on his heel and began to run in the direction of the vige. ¡°No!¡± Milly said lurching forward too and reaching out towards him. But as she did a powerful ball of fire shot from her hand, and ejected straight towards the kid. It didn¡¯t hit him, but it did scorch straight through the trunk of a great towering tree which then groaned and creaked before ascending straight towards the floor. The boy turned and looked up as the wooden shadow cast upon him, growing in size as he stood frozen to the spot. ¡°Move!¡± Leo shouted as he ran towards him. But there was no way even Leo could ever get there in time. The treended with a crash, shaking the floor nearly as much as Milly had, trapping the boy underneath.This is from N?velDrama.Org. Milly gasped and all the fire vanished as she dropped to her knees, bringing her hand to her mouth. By then Leo had reached the boy and was already hauling the tree up. Max and I were quick to help him and although Leo probably could have done it himself, between us the tree was off him in seconds. He howled in pain but he was alive. I breathed a sigh of relief as Leo ordered Max to get a doctor from the vige. Leo then ripped his shorts off his bleeding leg as I tried my best tofort him and stop the screaming. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± Leo asked. ¡°Anton,¡± he sobbed. ¡°Okay, Anton,¡± Leo said, ¡°It¡¯s me. Your Alpha, Leonardo. And this is your Luna, E. We need you to be really brave, okay?¡± He nodded and his screams turned to sobs as his face grimaced in pain. ¡°Good boy,¡± I said taking his hand, ¡°Everything will be okay.¡± ¡°I want my Mama,¡± he replied. ¡°Does she live in the vige?¡± Leo asked and Anton nodded. ¡°She¡¯ll be here soon and so will a doctor,¡± Leo continued. I looked down at his legs, they were broken for sure, crushed by the weight of the tree. It wasn¡¯t long before Max returned, a man with a briefcase in hand, two worried-looking women and a whole crowd a few yards behind them. Leo looked up and then back to Milly probably concerned about the number of people here to see the spectacle and phenomenon of a tree magically setting alight and falling on a kid. But right now, getting Anton the help he needed seemed more important and he turned back to the Doctor. ¡°The tree hasnded on his legs,¡± Leo said. The Doctor nodded before Leo and I stood up out of his way as he and the two women crouched beside him. One looked to be his mother, the other maybe an older sister but both were able tofort him as the crowd of people circled around, gasping and fretting. Some looked to the tree, the scorch marks and then to Leo and I, probably wondering what the Alpha and Luna were doing out here. It wasn¡¯t long before the question came up. ¡°How did this happen, Anton?¡± One man asked. He looked up his eyes setting on Milly. ¡°It was her,¡± he said through sobs. ¡°Who?¡± ¡°That girl,¡± he said pointing to Milly, ¡°She¡¯s a witch.¡± Max¡¯s eyes widened as all stares fell onto Milly who was still on her knees over by theke. ¡°I watched her make the skies grey and the wind blow and the ground shake and the water bubble and then burn this tree down on top of me,¡± the boy continued. Chapter 96 ¡°And look at what is around her neck,¡± Another man said. Milly brought her hand to cover the amulet but it was toote. ¡°Witch!¡± another woman screamed. ¡°There¡¯s a witch in the vige!¡± ¡°She is a danger to us all. Alpha, do something!¡± another man pleaded as a chorus of gasps and curses spread through the crowd. ¡°She has hurt my brother,¡± the younger of the two women by Anton added. ¡°No, please,¡± Milly said standing up, ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to. You have to believe me.¡± As the witch chants and usations continued, I noticed the sky begin to cloud over again and then wind pick up. Milly was staring down at her hands, breathing heavily, sping at the amulet, clearly trying her best to control it. But then her gaze fixated on one member of the crowd in particr. A boy, about her age, with short ck hair and bright blue eyes. He stared at her, a look of betrayal in his eyes. ¡°Otis,¡± she sobbed stepping forward. So that¡¯s Otis¡­ He backed away, which only brought enough exasperated sob out of Milly and darkened the skies even more. ¡°Stay away from us!¡± a woman shouted from the crowd. ¡°Alpha, banish her!¡± a man said before the rest of the crowd cheered and agreed. ¡°Deal with her or we will!¡± As the gale blew, Leo looked at Milly and then the rough waters of theke, and the tremors in the ground. Her hands shook, sparks lighting up around her as the tears streamed down her a face. ¡°Enough,¡± Leo bellowed to the crowd, silencing them immediately. He then paused as Max marched over to Milly and took her hands before guiding her gently away. The weather began to clear again and the surroundings returned to still. ¡°No harm wille to this young girl. That is an order,¡± he said, ¡°Anyone who disobeys it will be punished.¡± No one dared speak up. ¡°If you are here purely to spectate, go home. There is nothing more to see,¡± he added before marching away in the direction Milly had Max had gone as I followed him.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! With the temporary glimmer of hope Milly had provided gone, Leo had to return to n A, go back to the base and train his men as well as he possibly could. Max and I took Milly back to the Alpha house where she immediately dered she wanted to be alone and went upstairs to the library where she sat sobbing for hours. In the early evening, I decided to go looking for Max. I followed his scent up to the top floor and then through the hatch onto the roof. It was summertime but the air still had a slight chill to it. I felt the cool breeze on my face as I climbed through the hatch so I pulled my cardigan tighter around me before carefully wandering along the edge of the rooftop and sliding down to where Max sat perched just before the gutter. ¡°Who¡¯s watching the kids?¡± was all he said as he stared out over the forest. There were four stories to this house so we were above the treetops, with a clear view of the mountains andkes, despite the fading daylight. ¡°Luca came by to drop some groceries off and he¡¯s gonna stay for a bit,¡± I said. Max nodded but refused to look at me. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I said after a deep breath. He shrugged and reached into his pocket before pulling out a box of cigarettes and a lighter. He put one between his lips and lit it before taking a drag. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you smoked?¡± I said as he breathed out the smoke. ¡°I used to. A lot. Then I quit and now I only do it when I¡¯m angry, sad, stressed or depressed,¡± he replied taking another puff of his cigarette. ¡°Tonight it¡¯s all four. Congrats on driving me to insanity.¡± I sighed, ¡°Max-¡± ¡°Save it, E,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m pissed off that you didn¡¯t listen to me and there¡¯s nothing you could say to change that. I told you it was a bad idea and look what happened.¡± ¡°Leo has it under control,¡± I replied. Max scoffed, ¡°Leo can only control what people do, not what they think. They won¡¯t burn her at the stake because they¡¯re afraid of going against him but it doesn¡¯t mean they don¡¯t want to,¡± he said. ¡°We have sentenced her to a life of being treated as an outcast, a freak¡­ a danger by everyone in this pack.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t think this would happen,¡± I said. ¡°But you were willing to take the risk. I thought you cared about her more than this,¡± he replied. ¡°The pack is under threat along with all of its people. Our mates, our friends, our family. Including Milly. It was a risk but so is not doing anything,¡± I said. ¡°I thought we had a better chance at saving lives with her help. I was wrong but at least we won¡¯t watch good people die knowing your sister could have saved them.¡± ¡°So we were gonna risk a 17-year-olds life just so we can rest easy?¡± he asked. ¡°You know that¡¯s not what I meant,¡± I snapped. After that he was quiet and we just sat on the rooftop for a bit. He finished his cigarette before throwing the but off the roof with more force than necessary. ¡°I¡¯ve decided I¡¯m gonna take Milly away,¡± he said. ¡°Somewhere far from here where no one knows about her. And where she¡¯ll be safe from Martinez.¡± ¡°And I take it you¡¯ll be staying with her?¡± I asked. He nodded, ¡°I can¡¯t leave her on her own. She¡¯s too young.¡± I nodded, ¡°¡­ Then I¡¯ll miss you,¡± I said. He said nothing stood up and walked along the roof towards the hatch for a few metres before pausing. I had hoped that he¡¯d say it back. Or acknowledge it at least. But a few secondster he just slipped back into the house without a word, leaving me alone on the rooftop. Andrea¡¯s POV I drove at 90 mph through the Colombian countryside after my Vacation to Washington state. I¡¯d achieved all I set out to do and with all necessary preparations nted within Loren¡¯s territory, everything is ready. His men may be more disciplined and loyal than mine but my n is smart and unpredictable. The Alpha has no idea what I was really doing in his pack and it might just give me the edge. I¡¯d also seen his mate again. I couldn¡¯t deny how good it felt to hold her, feel her beautiful body in my hands and watch as she shudders and cowers away from me,pletely helpless. She used to be so fierce and confident but I turned her into a shivering wreck within seconds. It was satisfying to watch but nowhere near as good as it was going to be when I kill her¡­ when she is finally truly mine. The fear that will be in her eyes, the way she¡¯ll beg, the way she¡¯ll plead. Chapter 97 But she has to die first. Before her Alpha, before her kids, before her pack. It is Alpha Loren I will leave untilst and him who I want to suffer. She may have run from me but only because of him. We could have had a life together. We could have been happy. But because of her mate, we never could. For as long as she lives, she can never be mine because she will always love him. So she has to die because I have to have her. She has to be mine. I¡¯ll put my hands on her throat and watch as she struggles. For just a moment, I¡¯ll haveplete power over her. She won¡¯t be thinking about anything or anyone else. And then the life will drain away and thest thing she sees will be me. Thest things she feels will be me. Thest thought she has will be me. She¡¯ll be mine forever. No more opportunities to escape, no more second chances. I finally reached the drive to my new house. I stepped out the car and threw the keys straight at the closest man before marching inside. ¡°Se? or,¡± he said running to keep up with me. ¡°What?¡± I snapped. ¡°There¡¯s a man here to see you,¡± he replied, slightly out of breath. ¡°Who? I¡¯m not expecting any visitors,¡± I said, not bothering to slow down for his sake. ¡°Luciano Megestanis,¡± he replied. I suddenly stopped. He was able to catch up and I heard him breathe a sigh of relief which was immediately retracted as I turned to face him. ¡°And why is he not dead?¡± I asked with a raised eyebrow. He gulped and shifted his eyes to the floor, ¡°He says he has an offer.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t take offers from traitors. Where is he? I¡¯ll kill him myself,¡± I growled turning back towards the house. ¡°In your office,¡± the man called. I stepped into the house and went straight into my office. I opened the door to see him satfortably in my chair, reading one of my books from the shelf. I clenched my jaw as he looked up and his eyes glinted. ¡°Andrea!¡± he said. ¡°Long time no see.¡± ¡°You have guts toe here, Luciano,¡± I hissed. He shrugged, ¡°I¡¯ve done nothing wrong.¡± ¡°The night she escaped you returned with her scent all over you, suggesting you were with her¡­ yet she still got away. Exin that, Luciano,¡± I replied. ¡°You may believe what you like, Martinez,¡± he said. ¡°But I came here to offer my help.¡± I leant forward and smiled, ¡°Your help?¡± ¡°Against Alpha Loren.¡± ¡°And why would I trust you?¡± I spat. He shrugged, ¡°Because you need me.¡± ¡°I need you?¡± Iughed. ¡°I admire your confidence and you may have all these men and weapons and allies and ns¡­. but so does Loren and you know it. You are both powerful men and the win could go either way. Do you really wanna risk it?¡± he asked. I narrowed my eyes. He had a point. I wouldn¡¯t admit it but Leonardo Loren was not an easy target. ¡°And what do you have to offer?¡± He smiled and gestured for me to take a seat the seat opposite him. ¡°This is my office, I don¡¯t need you to tell me I can sit down,¡± I grumbled before begrudgingly sitting. He smiled, satisfied I¡¯d agreed to at least consider what he has to say. ¡°I used to be in that pack and I know Leo better than many. I know how he conducts his army, their strengths, their weakness, the loopholes. And it¡¯s a big pack withkes, mountains, gushing rivers and cliffs to get in the way but I know it like the back of my hand. Even having someone just to tell you the geography would be a huge help.¡± I narrowed my eyes, still not convinced. ¡°I¡¯m also already halfway to earning the Alpha¡¯s trust again,¡± I added. His eyes snapped up, ¡°So you did let him get her back,¡± he growled. He shrugged, ¡°And you could kill me for it but¡­¡± I lurched forward grabbed him around the cor before pulling him onto the desk. He only smiled in amusement, ¡°You aren¡¯t going to kill me.¡± With that, I pulled my gun from my belt and pressed the tip against his skull. ¡°Oh yeah?¡± I asked, ¡°You think because you know where a fewkes and rivers are I need you? Ever heard of google earth?¡± ¡°Did I forget to mention this?¡± he asked thrusting a crumpled piece of paper towards me. ¡°What the fuck is this?¡± I asked reading the numbers written on it. ¡°The exact coordinates of one of three underground vaults Leonardo will hide his Luna and his kids in when you attack,¡± he said. ¡°If you want the other two, I¡¯d keep those bullets in the gun.¡± I red at him for a few seconds more. ¡°I know you want more than the Alpha¡¯s death and his pack,¡± he continued. ¡°You want her. You can¡¯t rx until you have her.¡± I let out a low grumble before releasing him.This is from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Fine,¡± I said eventually. ¡°You¡¯re seriously fucked up, dude. Mommy issues?¡± he asked. I felt my lip twitch. ¡°Looks like I hit a nerve,¡± he teased. Chapter 98 ¡°You will help me. But under my conditions.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± he said, holding out his hand. I looked down at his hand, hesitated for a moment before reaching forward and firmly taking his hand. ¡°First condition: you will not ask me about my life. My Mother especially,¡± I growled. ¡°Your wish is mymand. Besides, what is there to ask¡­? She abandoned you years ago, right? Nothing more to it.¡± I clenched my jaw. ¡°How do you know that?¡± I hissed. ¡°My cousin told me of course. We¡¯re very close. She tells me everything,¡± Luciano replied. E was the first person I had ever told about my childhood. She had been missing home and trying desperately to seek some kind of humanity in me. So for just a few minutes, I¡¯d let her have the slightfort of finding it. I knew I¡¯d live to regret it and here we are. I stepped forward and looked Luciano right in the eye. He didn¡¯t look away or seem in any way affected by my re. ¡°Never mention this again,¡± I growled. He did nothing but stand up and walk towards the door. ¡°I¡¯ll be back this evening with the other coordinates,¡± he said before leaving my office and then the house. I hate him thoroughly and I hate letting people get away with disrespecting me. But unfortunately, he is right. When I attack, I have to find E before I find Loren and for that, I need to know where he will hide her. E¡¯s POVN?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Luca hade by the house for what was supposed to be a brief visit to drop off groceries but he had quickly be engrossed in a game of Mario kart with my sons and judging by the screams and shoutsing from the living room, it wasn¡¯t looking like he was going anywhere any time soon. So Max took the opportunity to leave us with him and take Milly home. He didn¡¯t say a word, or even look at me as he marched her out of the house and down the drive. She looked back helplessly and gave me a small, teary smile as I stood from the doorstep, full of guilt. I knew my intentions to protect the pack were good but that doesn¡¯t mean it was right. Milly gave us a drop of hope that we were all too quick to snatch at before we considered the consequences and we should have listened to Max. We shouldn¡¯t have used our power as Alpha and Luna to override his wishes regarding his own kid sister. After they¡¯d gone, I shut the front door and stared at the wooden panels on its back. I could hear my heart pounded in my ear and my chest was beginning to squeeze and constrict like someone had tied a belt around it. I clenched my fists and bit my cheek but I couldn¡¯t hold back my tears for long. My vision soon blurred with water I kept my eyes fixated on the wood of the door. Then the sobs came silently, seizing my throat as I fell to my knees, hardly able to breathe. I sped the floorboards with my nails as I clenched my eyes shut tight. The pressure built inside me. In my head especially. I needed to cry, to wail, to howl. My face contorted and creased but nothing coulde out. Nothing except floods of tears. ¡°E?¡± Luca¡¯s voice asked from the hall, ¡°What¡¯s wrong.¡± He dropped to the ground beside me but I couldn¡¯t speak or move to acknowledge him. ¡°E, you need to breathe,¡± he said rubbing my back, ¡°E.¡± I shook my head repeatedly as I sped my nails at my head, desperate to release the pressure in some way. But nothing was working and it only grew more immense until it totally consumed me. After that, I don¡¯t really know what happened. At some point I ended up on the sofa, staring vacantly down at the swirls and patterns of the rug. It slowly grew dark outside and the kids gradually began to tire. The squeals of joy as the yed Mario kart began to get quieter and eventually even Cato wasn¡¯t climbing all over Luca, sabotaging his attempt at ¡®rainbow¡¯ road. One by one, they began to drop off and Luca carried them upstairs as they slept in his arms. ¡°How are you?¡± Luca asked once they were all in bed. I shrugged. My mouth was dry and my cheeks stung with the salt of my tears. Inside, the turmoil continued. It was at bay but my panic attack was hardly unprovoked. Andrea was still out there and those six sleeping kids were still in danger. Milly still could never live peacefully in this pack again and Max still hated me. Just then, the wheels of a car rolled into the drive. ¡°It¡¯s Max,¡± Luca saiding back into the living room after looking through the window in the hall. ¡°Do you want to go or should I?¡± I got to my feet, ¡°I¡¯ll go,¡± I said. He nodded and I headed for the front door. Max was just getting out of his car as I stepped onto the porch, closing the door behind me. As he opened the door, the internal light flickered on, revealing Milly sat in the front passenger seat. Her cheeks were tear-stained and her face distraught. He left her and came up to the doorstep where I stood. He paused on the bottom step as I gave him a meek smile. ¡°I¡¯ve had some time to calm down,¡± he said after swallowing, ¡°I haven¡¯t forgiven you but I wanted to say goodbye because you¡¯re still my friend.¡± ¡°You¡¯re really going,¡± I said as my heart began to sink. He nodded and there was a silent pause as he just stood in the drive, his hands now delved deep into his pocket. ¡°She doesn¡¯t really wanna go. I feel awful for forcing her but¡­¡± he said before looking back to the car. ¡°I know it¡¯s best.¡± I nodded as I began to walk down the steps to where he stood at the bottom, ¡°She knows you care about her more than anyone else.¡± Max smiled, ¡°I care about you too. Far more than you damn deserve.¡± I let out a lightugh as I held back my tears, ¡°How long do you think you¡¯ll be gone for?¡± I asked trying to keep it together. ¡°I don¡¯t think Milly will ever be able to return. But me? Maybe when she finds her mate or is old enough to look after herself out there. I don¡¯t know but you haven¡¯t seen thest of me yet, E Jones.¡± I smiled before I felt the tears begin to fall. Not willing to stand there letting him watch me cry, I lurched forward and wrapped my arms around him, hugging him tightly. He hugged me back and rested his head on mine. ¡°Look after the Alpha, won¡¯t you?¡± he said. ¡°And call me if you ever wanna talk¡­ or argue or whatever the fuck we do.¡± Iughed, ¡°I will.¡± ¡°And I know this is the worst time I could possibly be leaving you but I¡¯ve got to look out for my little sister.¡± ¡°I¡¯m a grown-up now, Maxy,¡± I said. ¡°You know I¡¯ll be okay.¡± Chapter 99 He nodded, ¡°Of course you will.¡± ¡°I¡¯m guessing you haven¡¯t told Leo,¡± I said as I pulled away, wiping my eyes. He shook his head, ¡°He can¡¯t know until I¡¯m off the territory. Just let him knowter tonight, okay?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t have to if you don¡¯t hurry up and leave before he gets home,¡± I said. ¡°He texted me five minutester saying he was just about to leave the base.¡± ¡°Oh shit,¡± Max said before giving me onest squeeze, ¡°I¡¯ll call you soon, okay?¡± I nodded before he pulled away and headed back towards his car. I was just following him down the steps to say goodbye to Milly as Leo appeared at the end of the drive. He furrowed his eyebrow at the sight of Max¡¯s car with Milly in it but didn¡¯t question until he reached the doorstep and looked at my teary eyes. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Leo asked. Max scratched the back of his neck again and winced, ¡°I¡¯m leaving with my sister, Alpha.¡± ¡°Leaving? Where are you going?¡± he questioned, raising an eyebrow. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Max replied. ¡°Milly has always wanted to go to San Francisco so¡­¡± Leo let out a shortugh, ¡°Have you lost your mind, Maximus?¡± Max sighed and looked to the floor before taking a deep breath. ¡°I know I have duties in this pack but they are nothing my brother can not fulfill. Right now my sister is my priority,¡± Max replied. ¡°Why can¡¯t your brother take Milly to fucking San Francisco?¡± Leo asked, irritation rising in his voice. ¡°Because I don¡¯t trust Mason,¡± he said. ¡°But you¡¯d trust him to take over one of the most important roles in this pack whilst we¡¯re under attack by Martinez?¡± Leo snapped. ¡°I meant I don¡¯t trust him to take good care of Milly,¡± Max said, staring into the trees of the forest and not into Leo¡¯s ring eyes. ¡°She¡¯s already upset. Thest thing she needs is Mason.¡± I liked to avoid Mason at all costs. He was the eldest of Max¡¯s three younger brothers and although I struggled to like any of them, he was the one I could tolerate the least. ¡°You are not abandoning this pack,¡± Leo replied. ¡°Milly will be fine. She already has my protection.¡± Max didn¡¯t do anything but look back down to the floor silently. Leo still stared intently and I noticed through the window of Max¡¯s car, the concerned look on Milly¡¯s face. ¡°Leo,¡± I said tugging his hand. ¡°Come inside. You too Max. You both need to talk about this properly before any decision is made.¡± ¡°E¡¯s right,¡± Leo said. ¡°I can tell you are not yet seeing howpletely insane this is and I need to talk some sense into you before you do anything stupid.¡± Max clenched his jaw, ¡°Fine.¡± I could tell he had a lot to say to Leo, all bubbling and festering under the surface. But unfortunately for him, Leo¡¯s his Alpha.N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Once I had ushered them all inside, only Milly epted my offer to sit down at the kitchen table. Max and Leo opted to stand at opposite ends of the room of each other, Leo ring at Max with his arms folded across his chest as Max stood with his hand on Milly¡¯s shoulder. She watched Leo as he eyed her brother and held her hands tightly together as we all waited in an intense silence for someone to speak. ¡°So as I have made very clear,¡± Leo began, ¡°You are not leaving this pack. Not until Andrea Martinez is dead.¡± Max looked down at the table and clenched his jaw. ¡°Where do you n to protect the civilians when he attacks, Alpha?¡± Max asked, ¡°The base?¡± ¡°As always.¡± ¡°And that means that when I go to fight I will have to dump my sister amongst all of the wolves who just saw her nearly kill a boy with Hecate¡¯s powers, right?¡± Max replied. ¡°What happens if you are killed? Let¡¯s face it, it¡¯s not unlikely. And then what will be protecting Milly from their witch hunts? The orders of a dead man.¡± ¡°If you are concerned, she can apany E and my kids in one of the vaults,¡± he replied, ¡°It¡¯s safer there than the base anyway.¡± Max paused, ¡°And then the second he is dead, we are free to leave?¡± Leo nodded, ¡°You have my word.¡± ¡°Which vault?¡± he said. ¡°The one three miles North of the base by Lake Jada. The second you hear word of Martinez¡¯s attack, take her there and it will not be bolted up until she is inside. Once she is, I can guarantee her safety.¡± Max nodded, ¡°Okay. Deal.¡± I let out a sigh of relief. Crisis averted. xxxxxxxxxx Thanks for sticking with me ?? E¡¯s POV ¡°Luca told me you had a panic attack earlier,¡± Leo said resting his hand on my backter that night. I was sat brushing my hair in front of the dresser but at his words, I stopped and only clutched the handle of the brush as my mouth dried. I looked up at him and forced a smile, ¡°I¡¯m okay now.¡± ¡°Are you really?¡± he asked, looking at me through my reflection in the mirror. I shrugged, ¡°Everything¡¯s going to shit again,¡± I told him, ¡°And it overwhelmed me for a moment. I still have the incredible and constant level of fear that will not leave me until Andrea is dead but I¡¯m coping.¡± Leo nodded kissed the top of my head before he took the brush out of my hand and began gentlybing through my hair. ¡°I can¡¯t make you any promises,¡± he began softly, ¡°I can¡¯t guarantee you that we can defeat him and I can¡¯t say that life will ever go back to how it was. But I can promise you that this entire pack is working tirelessly to put its everything into making those things happen. We are doing everything we can and no matter what he throws at us, we will not give up. Allies all around the country are sending us supplies and men, the base is being fortified as we speak and the men train through the night. This pack is no stranger to war, Ells.¡± ¡°But you¡¯ve never fought a war against Andrea Martinez,¡± I said, ¡°Your men are used to battlefields and force against force war. Andrea does things differently.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± he asked. ¡°He doesn¡¯t y fair. Assassination, ambushes, machine guns, nting bombs-¡± I listed. ¡°nting bombs¡­¡± Leo repeated under his breath. ¡°He used to do it all the time. At parties, in cars, in people¡¯s homes-¡± ¡°Homes¡­¡± Leo repeated, suddenly freezing halfway through a stroke of the hairbrush. Chapter 100 I could hear his heart begin to pound as I looked up to his face. His eyes were flickering madly as he stared straight down. ¡°Fuck,¡± he said suddenly dropping the brush and grabbing his phone. ¡°What?¡± I asked. ¡°Themanders. Last week my head fivemanders were attacked in their homes. We thought Martinez was trying to convert them to his side but we knew he is smarter than that to think that would work. There was another reason for him to do it and I have a really bad feeling about what it is,¡± he said dialling a number. There was a split second of ignorant bliss before I realised what he was suggesting and my heart began to pound just as his was. ¡°You mean-¡± I began but before I could finish my sentence a crashing, booming bang sounded throughout the entire forest. The trees outside shuddered with its sheer force as I felt it¡¯s shock waves tremble through the brick walls of the house, shaking the lights and creaking the floorboards as it took hold. I brought a shaking hand over my mouth as I slowly got to my feet, unable to take my eyes off the hell that had been unleashed outside. As swirling towers of me rose up the forest became consumed and the sky aze with bright reds and yellows. But as the thick ck plumes of smoke billowed up too, it was masked in a thick haze of ash, creating a deep zing orange like a doomsday inferno. Leo¡¯s phone still rang. But there was no answer. ¡°He came to our house too,¡± he said in a deep, serious tone, as the phone went to the voicemail ofEduardo Siciliano, one of themanders who had been attacked by Andrea, ¡°We need to get you and the kids out of here. Now.¡± But the fire had me in a trance. I couldn¡¯t take my eyes off it as the reality tantly refused to sink in. ¡°E,¡± he said marching over and grabbing his hand. ¡°It¡¯s begun.¡± I shook my head in denial, ¡°No.¡± ¡°My headmanders are probably all dead, there could be a bomb in this house and we have six children still sleeping in their beds. I need you to shut off your emotions and help me get you all to safety,¡± he said shaking my shoulders, ¡°Come on. You¡¯re stronger than this.¡± With that, I snapped my eyes from the burning forest and nodded as his phone began to ring. ¡°Answer it,¡± I said, ¡°You focus on being Alpha. I¡¯ll get the kids out of bed.¡± He gave me a small encouraging smile before his face straightened again and het turned to answer his phone whilst I turned to the hallway, marching to the kids¡¯ bedrooms. It¡¯s begun. We don¡¯t have time to be scared. And I am stronger than this. The bombs were heard all over the territory. The fires were visible for miles and the fallen ash settled on the ground even in the most far fetched corners. The soldiers flocked to the army centre and now I was stood amongst a crowd of thousands of whispering men awaiting an exnation. I held my hand up, ordering a silence which instantly swept over the entire army. ¡°I¡¯m sure all of you heard the explosions. And before rumours spread and the truth is distorted, I better inform you of the truth,¡± I began, speaking loudly so all could hear, ¡°Tonight at quarter past midnight, bombs nted by Andrea Martinez were detonated in the homes of Commanders Eduardo Siciliano, Paulo Salvatore, Mario Rossi, Emiliano Fruili and Rafaello Carli. They and their families were all killed.¡± I had every single set of eyes on me as a deadly silence took hold. Only the crackling of the distant fires and cries of wild animals trapped in the mes could be heard. ¡°And whilst this is a huge tragedy for the Ste pack and those men will not be forgotten, we have no time to grieve. We have already lost too many lives at the hands of Andrea Martinez and for now the mourning and funerals will have to wait. We will honour the deaths in another way: by taking him down once. By protecting our civilians, our children, our mates, our elderly and our sick. There was a cheer of support throughout the army. ¡°Martinez has shown us tonight that he wants to y dirty,¡± I continued, ¡°So fine. We will do this his way. That means we will show no mercy, we will take no prisoners, there will be no rules and no tactics will be considered too brutal. This will be like no war we have ever fought before but we will carry the same Ste strength, bravery, resistance and resilience that has taken us to victory time and time and time again. We have never been defeated before and if Martinez thinks his bombs and machine guns can, he is gravely mistaken. That fucker is a dead man. He has been since he first set eyes on my Luna all those months ago and his inevitable fate is long overdue.¡± There was another cheer. This time louder and more passionate. ¡°We may have lost our headmanders,¡± I added, ¡°Five strong, skilled, intelligent, cunning warriors. But it¡¯s going to take far more than that to bring the Ste pack down and I¡¯m sure their deputies will do them proud in stepping up to fill their roles and lead our squadrons to victory. So arm up, soldiers and prepare for battle. Your seniors will deliver your first orders shortly.¡± With that, they all disbanded, withry shouts and apuse. But I couldn¡¯t bring myself to smile and cheer like they did. My speech had been a sess. I needed to keep up the morale if we are to stand a chance but with the sky still aglow with the ze of the explosions, the victory I talked of wasn¡¯t in sight. Not yet. Maybe not ever. I marched over to ir who stood briefing the five deputy headmanders, now just the headmanders. Their faces were all paled, probably the shock of losing their bosses or maybe the immense pressure they suddenly had on their soldiers. But ir and I had devised a n for each of the five divisions theymanded. All they needed to do was carry out my orders. ¡°So in summary,¡± ir began, ¡°Division one: border defence. Bombs on the roads, machine guns hidden in the trees, Patrols covering every single possible entrance. That includes Seattle and the airport. Division two: base defence. The fortification is nearlyplete. There are towers to position snipers and machine guns. Soldiers on patrolling the walls are to be unarmed with additional hand grenades. Scouts withmunication devices are to be position a mile around the base ready to feedback information and stop them before they get anywhere near the civilians. Division three: targetting Martinez. Your job is simple. Track the bastard down and kill him. But simple doesn¡¯t mean easy. He¡¯s sly and cunning. We know he¡¯s not easy to find. But the men in division three are the only soldiers permitted to dy the deaths of Martinez¡¯s men. Get information out of them. They are weak-willed, disloyal and will spill without much effort. That¡¯s Martinez¡¯s greatest weakness and you will exploit the fuck out of it. Some of them won¡¯t know a word of English but you have recording devices and a system to send files back to trantors. Use it. Division four: Second line of defence. You will be between the borders and the base hunting down and killing Martinez¡¯s soldiers by any means you can. Explosives, machine guns, snipers, hand grenades. You have free reign over the armoury.This is from N?velDrama.Org. Division five: For now you will join division four. But as the situation develops and we know more about Martinez¡¯s tactics, your role will be more apparent. You are crucial to the n to adapt to whatever Martinez hits us with. Remember we are going into this with very little information. We have no idea what to expect.¡± They all nodded. ¡°Anything to add Alpha?¡± ir asked turning to me. ¡°Division three. If you have the chance, make his death as slow and painful as possible,¡± I said, ¡°Make him suffer.¡± ¡°But I assume that means that an opportunity to kill him shouldn¡¯t be missed on the grounds of being too merciful,¡± ir said. ¡°No,¡± I said through gritted teeth, ¡°His heart stopping is your priority. If that means he doesn¡¯t suffer before it beats for thest time, I will at least take some satisfaction in knowing he will still suffer in hell.¡± Half an hourter, I was watching as the divisions disbanded to fulfil their allocated roles. ¡°Elena, Maria, Allison,¡± I said calling over my sisters and their best friend. Since the war against Haden¡¯s pack years ago, they¡¯d stayed members of the army and trained alongside our brothers. They were incredible soldiers, just like the other one hundred women that had been recruited in thest few years since the policy changed to allow any woman who can pass the physical tests to join. They were still a minority and E still considered the tests unfair on the female body but they are there to ensure a soldier is up to standard and ultimately to ensure their safety. I wasn¡¯t going to let anyone I didn¡¯t think was strong enough fight. Same goes for the men. And they are wee to train hard as they like in the civilian training centre until they can pass the tests. They responded to my call and approached me. Maria¡¯s bows and arrows had been reced by a sniper and bullets. Elena gripped a gun as long as her arm whilst Allison carried a box of explosives. ¡°I know you don¡¯t like being coddled or treated differently to any other soldiers on the grounds of being women or my sisters but¡­¡± I began, ¡°You know what happened to E. You know these men have no morals. Keep your guards up.¡± Elena nodded, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Leo. If you thought Maria was dangerous with that bow you should see her with a sniper.¡± I smiled, ¡°I know. I certainly wouldn¡¯t mess with you three. But just be careful and look out for each other,¡± I said. They nodded before Elena and Maria gave me a quick hug before continuing with their preparations. Chapter 101 I then spotted Max over by the armoury. ¡°E, Milly and the kids are in the vault I trust?¡± I asked as I stood next to him. ¡°Locked and bolted,¡± he confirmed. I nodded and sighed a slight sigh of relief, ¡°Were they okay?¡± I asked. ¡°There was some tears and worried faces from the kids. But E held it together,¡± he replied, ¡°She¡¯s amazing like that. No matter how hard things are for her, she¡¯ll do whatever she must for those little kids.¡± I smiled, ¡°She sure is amazing. And she has a huge heart too. She feels terrible about what happened with Milly. She¡¯d change it in an instant if she could.¡± Max nodded before he looked up to me, ¡°I know¡­ but she can¡¯t.¡± I sighed. ¡°And do you regret it?¡± he asked, ¡°Because we all know at the end of the day it didn¡¯t matter whether E supported it or not, it was your decision as Alpha to test Milly¡¯s powers. So do you regret it?¡± I paused for a second, ¡°No. I am sorry that it turned out this way but I am not sorry for sping at what could have been an opportunity to save this pack from certain doom.¡± I quickly bit my tongue and looked around. The soldiers were all still busy and I had fortunately not managed to turn any heads. ¡°Certain doom huh?¡± he asked, ¡°You think we¡¯re fucked?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not willing to underestimate Martinez for a piece of mind,¡± I replied. ¡°Now push your spite for me out of your mind and focus on at least trying to win this war. If by some miracle we seed, you can leave with your sister and never have to look at me again. And keep your mouth shut. I need morale to stay high.¡± I knew Max was entitled to be mad about Milly but he certainly had a way of pissing me off when I was already on edge. As I walked away from him, another man was approaching me. Haden. Just what I needed. ¡°Is it important?¡± I snapped as he began to follow me. ¡°Last time you had to lead anything of this scale on home turf it was against Ayas,¡± he said, ¡°It¡¯s an honour to fight alongside the great Alpha Loren rather than against you.¡± ¡°Fuck of Haden,¡± I replied, ¡°I don¡¯t have time for your pointless wittering.¡± ¡°I just wanted to let you know you have my full support,¡± he said. I stopped walking and turned to face him. Having once been a powerful Alpha, he was nearly as tall as me and still stood with the posture and nerve of the man he once was. In the years since the end of our official feud, Lia had forced us into many failed attempts to get along. Whilst he had no choice but toply to my orders, he had hardly ever been the submissive type and done everything with the most resent and reluctance possible. He irritated me beyond measure and much to Lia¡¯s dismay, any endeavours for civility and peaceful ¡®family time¡¯ only ever ended with arguments. So to hear him give me his ¡®full support¡¯ was something I never thought I¡¯d experience. ¡°I don¡¯t like you, Loren,¡± he said bluntly. ¡°But I don¡¯t like Martinez more. He kidnapped my nephew and he poses a threat to my own family too. So I will fight for you to take him down.¡± ¡°You are a member of my army and you don¡¯t have a choice¡­ but I appreciate it. Thank you, Haden,¡± I said with a half-smile, ¡°Now get back to your division before I am forced to discipline you.¡± He nodded and finally left me alone. I spent the next half an hour, watching over my men as they prepared. I helped them load up their trucks, buckle up their bulletproof vests, hand out helmets and package emergency first aid kits. There were apprehension, nerves and tensions but these men certainly didn¡¯tck courage. They were hardened, experienced soldiers. And they were ready toy down their lives to protect this fight and they certainly weren¡¯t scared of Andrea Martinez. ¡°Alpha,¡± ir said approaching me as I stood in the middle of the facility, ¡°Everything¡¯s ready. Shall we give go ahead?¡± I nodded and waved my hand to the drivers of the trucks and the patrols ready to file out, ¡°Let¡¯s do this.¡± ¡°Have you been down here before?¡± Milly asked, ncing around the bunker. We were sat almost in pitch ck. Only a small bulb hanging from the ceiling illuminated the room in a dull grey glow and being ten foot underground, there certainly wasn¡¯t any opportunity for the moonlight to shine in. ¡°No,¡± I said clutching Stefano in my arms. The rest of the kids were huddled by my feet, wrapped in the thick woollen nkets that Leo kept stashed down here. They held each other and my legs, not a single one asleep despite it being one in the morning. ¡°The night I met you I was supposed to be,¡± I said looking around at the concrete walls, concrete floors and thick reinforced doors, ¡°But Haden¡¯s men got to us before they could get me to safety so I ended up in the heart of the war. It was terrifying but this is hardly aforting alternative.¡± She nodded and continued her 10thp of the small confined room. We¡¯d been here twenty minutes and she was yet to sit down. We were all anxious and scared for the people above the ground that we loved but she seemed particrly uneasy. Agitated, skittish¡­ cooped up. After the explosions, Max had piled us all quickly into the back of a military truck, all eight kids still in their pyjamas, and driven through the smoke and burning to get here. The kids had only had a seconds each to say goodbye to their father and there had been no time to exin to them what was going on until Max had mmed the three-foot iron door shut and we¡¯d listened to the clunk of every single bolt echo around the concrete bunker. We¡¯d stood in silence for a few moments before I ushered them further in, found the switch to the unimpressive light and at least tried to settle the distress and confusion. They were already scared and exining to them was difficult, especially with Cato¡¯s probing questions. He was far more developed than his younger siblings and he knew there was more than I was letting on to. But all I could bring myself to tell him was that we had to stay down here until Daddy says it¡¯s safe and that he is up there doing everything he can to make that happen. I told them the fires were set by that bad man we talked about before but they couldn¡¯t burn forever. When the mes have died and the ash has settled, everything will be okay.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. But Milly was seventeen and she knew the full situation as much as I did. My soft words didn¡¯t stand a chance of settling her. ¡°Why don¡¯t you sit down, Milly?¡± I suggested, there¡¯s plenty of room. She shook her head, ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± she said clenching her fists, ¡°I just¡­¡± She tilted her head back and contorted her face in what looked like pain. ¡°Just what?¡± ¡°Somethings not right. I can sense it,¡± She replied, ¡°Those books we¡¯ve read about my magic and Hecate. They all talk about how I should be able to see the future. I¡¯ve never been able to hone that power. asionally I have visions but only in dreams and they¡¯re weird and hard to interpret. But there are feelings that I get. Like preemptive emotions for what¡¯s about toe¡­¡± She then turned to me. Her face was grave, her bottom lip quivered a little as she pressed her nails into the palms of her hand. ¡°¡­ and what emotions do you feel now?¡± I asked. ¡°Panic, suffering, chaos, anger, fear¡­,¡± she said, ¡°And then this one emotion that I could never have imagined. It¡¯s like nothing I¡¯ve felt before. It¡¯s cold and empty and dark and¡­¡± she nced down to my children in a split second before continuing in a hushed tone, ¡°¡­ It¡¯s like death, E.¡± Now my lip trembled too. ¡°Whose going to die Milly?¡± I asked. She clenched her fists even tighter as she just stared into my eyes, her face stered in pure dread. ¡°Us and everyone we hold dear.¡± Leo¡¯s POV ir and I leapt behind our truck, ducking low, as another round of machine-gun fire was sent our way. We breathed heavily pressing our backs against the armoured metal. The bombsid on the roads and around the border had all been detonated by the first fleet of Martinez¡¯s men meaning now there was a free passage for hundreds more to flood in, all trigger happy and ruthless. Chapter 102 We were struggling to hold them back and chaos had quickly gripped the entire territory as we lost countless good soldiers, including every man in my patrol except myself and ir. It was now just the two of us against a group of about a eight of Martinez¡¯s men and only a short distance away, we could hear the fire and shouts of other patrols as they fought just as we were. ¡°Any word of Martinez?¡± I asked ir as I looked over to him. He shook his head, ¡°No sign of him. But division three have some prisoners. They might find something.¡± ¡°Fuck,¡± I cursed, as the machine gun rain continued, ¡°We both know what Martinez is like with information. His men don¡¯t know shit.¡± ¡°So what do we do?¡± ir asked, ¡°This is already a blood bath.¡± ¡°All we can do is keep fighting,¡± I replied, ¡°And hope the bastard shows his face at some point.¡± Just then, the machine-gun fire finally stopped and I gripped my gun, ¡°Good luck,¡± I said to my Beta with a nod before marching out and firing ruthlessly to the enemy men desperately trying to reload the machine-gun. With abined effort, ir and I had them all dead in seconds. I nced around, checking for any more before lowering my gun and taking a deep breath. But just as I was rxing, thinking we¡¯d killed them all, I heard the pping of a pair of hands only metres from us. ¡°Bravo, Leonardo,¡± A voice said, ¡°You¡¯re good with a gun.¡± I snapped my eyes over to the voice to see a tall, dark-haired man carelessly stepping over the bodies of Martinez¡¯s men, prodding their lolling heads with his foot. ¡°What the fuck¡­¡± I muttered under my breath, ¡°Why is it always you, Luciano? Why do you always reappear unannounced?¡± He let out a shortugh before he looked at the death and destruction around us. ¡°So it looks like Andrea Martinez¡¯s obsession with your girl has developed to yet another extreme length¡­¡± he said in an almost amused tone, like the loss of all this life meant nothing to him. ¡°Are you just here to watch the show or¡­?¡± I asked. He paused for a second, ¡°No,¡± he said, ¡°I¡¯m here because I thought you might want to know something about Martinez¡¯s n. I¡¯ve been working with him you see.¡± I clenched my jaw and paused. I knew Luciano was twisted and maniptive but we were running pretty low on options here. Whatever he knew could be the difference between the saving and losing this pack. ¡°And who¡¯s side exactly are you on?¡± I questioned. ¡°Neither,¡± he said with a shrug before delving his hands into his pocket, ¡°I n to? ensure you and Martinez both kill each other so I can take everything you have without even breaking a sweat.¡± At least he¡¯s honest. ¡°¡­ But right now¡­ it¡¯s looking like Martinez is gonna take an easy win.¡± I narrowed my eyes. ¡°And does he know you¡¯re medalling on both sides?¡± Lucianoughed, ¡°He doesn¡¯t trust me. Not even a little,¡± he said before putting on a scornful smirk, ¡°The only person that¡¯s ever been dumb enough to trust me is you.¡± ¡°Then why would he have told you anything of use to me?¡± ¡°Oh, he didn¡¯t,¡± he replied, his eyes glinting, ¡°It¡¯s what I told him.¡± I exchanged looks with ir. ¡°And what the fuck did you tell him?¡± I asked. ¡°Has that gun still got bullets in it?¡± he questioned, the smile still on his lips as he nced down to the gun I gripped tightly in my hands. ¡°Tell me Luciano,¡± I hissed, ¡°Stop wasting my time.¡± ¡°I gave him the coordinates to the three bunkers,¡± he said. My stomach clenched and churned as I froze. ¡°¡­ and I¡¯m guessing by the look on your face¡­ you have indeed hidden your family in one of them,¡± he said, ¡°So predictable-¡± Before he could finish his sentence, I seized his throat and threw him into a tree. ¡°What?¡± he asked with augh, ¡°Did you forget I used to be one of your most trusted men?¡± I mmed his head into the tree and blood dripped down his neck. ¡°I can¡¯t decide if I should kill you now quickly or wait until I have time to make it slow and painful,¡± I growled in his ear. He only grinned more despite how weak and injured I had rendered him. ¡°You don¡¯t have time for revenge, Leonardo,¡± he said, ¡°Martinez could be finding your Luna and your little kids as we speak¡­ and what are you doing to help them? Beating up your oldest, most loyal friend¡­¡± Irritatingly, he was right. Fucking him up wasn¡¯t my priority right now. I had to get to E and our children before Martinez did. ¡°Do you hear that?¡± I whispered, snapping my eyes to Milly. It¡¯d been silent hours. The children thankfully had all gone to sleep and Milly and I were in too much anxiety to speak. But now the muffled nging of metal had crept up on us. ¡°It sounds like somebody trying to get into the vault,¡± Milly replied, her voice hushed and hoarse. The entrance to the vault was a small steel hatch shielded by rocks and vegetation. ¡°There¡¯s no way anybody would just stumble across us,¡± She said surely, ¡°Maybe it¡¯s the Alpha or my brother. Maybe everything is over.¡± I shook my head. There were about ten different locks, passcode and scans but Leo and Max both had ess to them all. They wouldn¡¯t be trying to break through the thick, sturdy metal. ¡°Just an animal, maybe?¡± she suggested. I forced a smile and held Stefano tighter in my arms, ¡°¡­ maybe.¡± We sat for ten minutes just nervously listening to the banging. As the time passed, it became apparent that whatever or whoever was out there, was incredibly determined to break through and with every single attempt they made, my heart jumped, praying they wouldn¡¯t seed. But eventually, it stopped.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! Chapter 103 I nced at Milly. Maybe they¡¯d given up. Maybe they¡¯d gone. A few more tense minutes passed with no sound and I began to rx again. The children still slept and we were still safe. That¡¯s about all we could be thankful for but at least it was something. I rested my head back on the wall and took a deep breath as I ran my fingers softly along Stefano¡¯s little tufts of silky blonde hair. His eyes were shut peacefully as his long ck eyshes flickered ever so slightly with every gentle breath he took. With his head rested on my chest and his little hands folded close to his face, I could cuddle him close, keeping him shielded from the harsh, cold darkness of the volt. He was not even a year old yet and he was lucky enough to stand no chance of remembering any of this. But that also meant he wouldn¡¯t remember anyone we lose tonight. His father, his siblings, Luca, Max, his Grandparents, me. He¡¯d never know them and that broke my heart. I ced my lips on his precious head and closed my eyes, holding in my tears. But just as I left the lingering kiss, I had to scrunch my eyes shut, my head suddenly filled with a high pitched, thudding, piercing ring.N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. I could feel the gritty floor under my knees and hands, as my body was suddenly ovee with the pain of impact and my eyes filled with dust. The already dim light bulb flickered off and apart from the wretched wail in my head, I waspletely deafened, leaving me almost senseless. All I could smell was powdery concrete and smoke as I staggered to my feet, clutching in the dark. ¡°Stefano,¡± I said. I couldn¡¯t even hear my own voice. ¡°Stefano!¡± I shouted, ¡°Kids! Milly!¡± ¡°E?¡± A croaky voice replied as I felt a pair of hands reach for me. The ring was quietening and being reced by the screams and cries of my children. ¡°Milly,¡± I repeated, clutching the hands. ¡°The vault,¡± she whispered, ¡°It¡¯s open. The door is broken.¡± I rubbed my eyes, wiping the dust as I nced around incredibly disorientated. But just by me, I could see a small slither of silver light slipping into the vault. Moonlight. ¡°Get everybody back,¡± I said, crawling away from the light, wildly waving my hands and ushering the children back. ¡°Are you all okay?¡± I asked, still unable to see as I felt their heads with my hand. I felt Cato¡¯s height and Mathias¡¯s curls. The bow I¡¯d tied in Marie¡¯s hair and an identically sized person beside her clutching her hand: Francesca. I heard Lili¡¯s voice as I discovered another little girl reach for my hand and Ss¡¯s cries came from somewhere in the vault too. ¡°Zach and Stefy,¡± I whispered, ¡°Where¡¯s Zacharias and Stefano?¡± ¡°Here,¡± Milly said, ¡°I¡¯ve got them. They¡¯re fine.¡± ¡°Everybody¡¯s okay,¡± I said taking a deep breath before I turned back to where the door to the vault was. The explosion had only broken through a crack of it but the distinctive ng of the shovels and digging was soon back, this time closer and louder. I felt my pulse in my throat as I stood in front of the children, listening to the echoes.. Milly stood next to me, shielding them too but as the metal of the door creaked and groaned and the shovels broke through, fear gripped me. Fear of not being able to protect them. A shlight shone in, blinding us with bright white light. I squinted and stepped back before whoever was holding it, began calling up to the surface in Spanish. ¡°Ellos estan aqui,¡± he called, ¡°They are here!¡± A few momentster, three pairs of footsteps flooded into the vault and I felt a man seize me. ¡°No,¡± I hissed, kicking and punching, ¡°My kids.¡± I nced around as he grabbed my hands and lifted me off the ground. One of the other men had ripped Stefano and Zach from Milly as another seized Lili as she screamed and cried. I managed to punch the guy who had hold up me hard in the nose, making him let go of me to stagger back, so that I couldunch myself at the one with his dirty hands all over my youngest daughter. I kicked him in the ribs with all my force and he leant over groaning so that I could pull Lili into my arms as she buried her head into my chest. ¡°Stay away from us,¡± I growled as the man holding Zach and Stefano cowered back, ¡°And give me my sons. Now.¡± The other two men who were still on the floor, rolling in pain so as I handed Lili to Milly and stepped confidently forward, anger and fury rushing through my veins as I gave him my hardest re. He nodded and put the boys down. But just as I was reaching for them, the first guy, whose nose was now bloody and already swollen, raised a ck metal object. I heard the click of the safetytch as he pointed it directly at Milly and my children. ¡°Our boss only wants cares about having you alive, woman,¡± he slurred in a thick Hispanic ent, ¡°Cooperate or I will kill them all¡± I swallowed before nodding. That wasn¡¯t a risk I was going to take. ¡°Okay,¡± I said lifting Stefano into my arms as Milly came to pick up Zacharias, ¡°Come children,¡± I added ushering them all forward, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Mama¡¯s here.¡± Lili clung to my hand and my eldest three: Cato, Mathias and Ss took care of their twin little sisters as we all were herded out of the vault, through the rubble and into the fresh air of the forest. ¡°Where are we going?¡± I asked as we were lead away from the vault. One of the guys was walking close behind Milly, continually prodding the back of her head with his gun and shoving her forward. In the distant, we could hear gunshots and bombs constantly sounding along with cries and shouts in both Italian and Spanish. ¡°Back to your husband of course,¡± the second replied. My stomach churned, ¡°He¡¯s here?¡± Chapter 104 ¡°And he¡¯s close,¡± he said with a grim, toothy grin. ¡°And Alpha Loren?¡± I asked, ¡°Where is he?¡± ¡°Papa,¡± Lili whispered. I put my hand on her shoulder and held her close. ¡°Far from here,¡± he replied. Whilst I was relieved to hear he was still alive, it would be great if he could just appear and rescue us right now. ¡°Papa is safe, Lili,¡± I whispered, ¡°And he¡¯s going to save us.¡± The manughed, ¡°Don¡¯t lie to your children.¡± Just then, the man walking behind Milly prodded her in the back with his gun, this time so hard she stumbled forward having to clutch Zach tight in her arms. ¡°Keep walking, bitch,¡± he said, ¡°I¡¯ll be right here¡­ the view is so good¡­¡± he added looking down at her butt. ¡°She¡¯s a child,¡± I hissed. ¡°She¡¯s woman enough for me,¡± he replied, reaching for her ass. With that, Milly spun around and shot him a re. I instantly noticed the wind pick up around us, making the trees groan and creek.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. The man took no heed and stepped towards her again, jeering andughing. The gust only grew until it was a gale, whipping Milly¡¯s hair as she just fixated her stare on him. His face began to drop its sneer as he nced around at the swaying trees and the clouds blowing over the moon, casting utter darkness on the forest. ¡°What the fuck?¡± the one behind me said, just before the ground began to tremble. ¡°It¡¯s her,¡± the one next to me hissed pointing at Milly, ¡°She¡¯s doing it.¡± The man closest to Milly had wide eyes and waspletely frozen to the spot as Milly stood, her eyes closed shut, focusing and concentrating hard. But it only took the other to hiss some Spanish at him before he pulled out his gun, aiming it at Milly¡¯s head. ¡°Milly!¡± I screamed. She snapped her eyes open and immediately spotted the gun, not even a secondter, a towering wall of mes, stripped through the forest, scorching the leaves and debris in it¡¯s path as it stretched on and on. We were now all illuminated in a yellow glow and through the flickers of fire I could see the scared faces of my children who hid behind Milly ¨C well seven of them at least. The eighth was still in my arms. On the other side of the wall. The same side as the three armed soldiers. I lurched forward but the fire had grown five feet tall. Milly¡¯s mouth was gaped open, her chest rising and falling in panic as she ran forward to stand opposite me. ¡°E,¡± she cried, ¡°No! I can¡¯t do anything. I don¡¯t have the control!¡± There was no chance of jumping it without burning. It burnt to fierce and high. But with the men quickly pushing the shock from the minds and processing what they had witnessed, there was only one thing I could do. ¡°Give Zach to Cato,¡± I ordered. She didn¡¯t question and passed the toddler down to his eldest brother. I couldn¡¯t cross to the other side but Stefano could. He weighed no more than 25 pounds. I wrapped his nket tight around him and nced behind me to the men who were now marching forward towards us. ¡°Catch him,¡± I said as I kissed him quickly on the forehead before I took a step back andunched him into the air. I didn¡¯t have time to dwell on the idea, nor could I afford to hesitate and overthink. Somehow I managed to just push all doubts away and switch off my panic to think rationally and know that this was his best chance. So I let go of my baby son, sending him flying over roaring fire into the arms of Milly. She caught him unscathed and I let out a choked sigh of relief. ¡°Go,¡± I shouted across the crackling and spitting of sparks and burning, ¡°Get the kids somewhere safe!¡± She was still reluctant, her dark eyes reflecting the orange and yellow glow in front of her. ¡°Milly, go,¡± Imanded and she eventually nodded, taking asting, sorrowful look at me before lifting Zach higher onto her hip, clutching Stefano in her other arm and ushering the rest with kind, reassuring words as they all nced over to me, on other side of the firey barrier with worried little faces. ¡°I love you,¡± I said just as I felt a callous pair of hands seize me, ¡°I love you all!¡± I was dragged away from the mes by two of the men, they squeezed me tight and held my wrists and ankles but there were no stakes anymore. My children were safe and I was unphased by their guns and threats. They weren¡¯t going to kill me. But Andrea would. So I had to put my all into escaping them before they could bring me to him. I fought with all my might against the three grown men but I had no sess in stopping them from dragging me and I only felt my feet on the ground again when they stopped half an hourter. My hair was dishevelled across my face, I breathed heavily and my eyes still stung with the dust from the explosion but a few metres away I could still see a figure in front of us. He wore a pristine ck suit and his dark ck hair was gelled neatly as an assertive smile sat on his lips. ¡°Bring her to me,¡± he said, his ent as slurred and thick as ever. The two men holding both my arms walked me forward and I couldn¡¯t even try to resist them, too frozen with fear. I was now only half a metre from him and after he¡¯d taken a slow step forward, only inches. As he used the tip of his finger to move the hair out of my face, I cast my eyes down to his polished ck shoes, somehow still clean despite the earth and leaves of the forest. I took a deep, shaky breath when I felt his touch run down my cheek to my chin where he sped my face and forced my eyes up to look at his. ¡°H, nca,¡± he said, ¡°My beautiful wife¡­ how wonderful it is every time our paths cross¡­¡± His eyes were full of scorn as he red mercilessly at me. My mouth was dry and my hands shook with the intense fear building inside of me. At longst, he spared me from the darkness of his eyes as he went to examine my body, his fingers following his gaze as it travelled across my chest. ¡°Whilst I was looking forward to some time alone, I was also rather hoping your children would be with you,¡± he said as he looked up to the men. ¡°Donde estan ellos?¡± he asked, raising a full ck eyebrow. Chapter 105 ¡°Ellos escaparon, Se? or,¡± one replied, ¡°They escaped.¡± The man swallowed, fear all over his face as Andrea seized his throat, ¡°Find the brats and bring them back to me,¡± he ordered, ¡°Or I will have you all killed.¡± The men then let go of me and cowered back. ¡°What the fuck are you waiting for?¡± Andrea hissed, ¡°Vamos.¡± ¡°They¡¯re with a witch,¡± one of them stuttered. ¡°A witch,¡± Andrea scorned, ¡°What bullshit. And what is a witch to a bullet, huh? Get out of my sight and do as I have ordered or I will send you straight to hell.¡± It could have been amusing to see such rough-looking men shudder and pale if it weren¡¯t for how furious their reluctance had made Andrea. He sent them one more hard stare before they turned and ran through the trees back in the direction of Milly¡¯s fires, leaving Andrea to seize my shoulders and pull me into him. ¡°You still have people doing your dirty work I see,¡± I said as I caught the strong scent of his cologne and his minty breath. He let out a twistedugh, ¡°How are yourmanders?¡± he asked, ¡°Blown to pieces by the bombs I nted, I presume?¡± I swallowed. ¡°How are the families of all the Ste soldiers I cut the throats of?¡± he continued, pulling me even closer to his face. I cast my eyes away from him as he brought his mouth to my ear, his breath heavy. ¡°You know I am more than capable of ¡®dirty¡¯ work,¡± he said, ¡°And I can promise you this, nca: tonight I will take great pleasure in murdering all of your dear children, your beloved mate and you with my own hands.¡± I scrunched my eyes shut as my face contorted with dread and he only let out anotherugh. ¡°Look at you,¡± he jeered, grabbing my arm with one hand and wrapping the other around my waist, ¡°You¡¯re so weak and feeble. It¡¯s pathetic.¡± I whimpered as he gripped me tighter. ¡°When we first met all those months ago you were so feisty and now¡­ totally helpless,¡± he said, ¡°Admit it, E Martinez. I ruined you.¡±This is from N?velDrama.Org. I said and did nothing. With his hold on me, I could hardly move and my mouth tantly refused to form words. ¡°I could crush you with my bare hands, nca,¡± he said taking his gun from his belt and casting it onto the floor beside us. ¡°And you are too afraid to even fight back.¡± His hand moved to my throat and he gripped tight. As he slowly increased the pressure, gradually blocking my airway, he pushed his lips against mine nting asting kiss. My vision was beginning to blur and my head felt light and dizzy. Confused, twisted thoughts infested my mind. The wretched screams of my children echoing around my skull along with their father¡¯s face, his cheeks wet with tears and a forlorn expression, riddled guilt. But just as I thought I couldn¡¯t resist the sumbing darkness any longer, my airway was suddenly released and fresh oxygen gushed into my starving lungs. ¡°Do you mind, Loren?¡± Andrea asked as he pulled my back into his chest, wrapping his arm around my neck, ¡°I¡¯m trying to kill your mate.¡± My vision cleared and I could see Leonardo stood tall and fuming only a few metres away. Thank the Goddesses. He found me. He was unarmed but his hands and arms were covered in blood that sttered up to his face, indicating he had managed to do some damage to our enemies regardless. ¡°And I can¡¯t let that happen,¡± Leo replied lurching forward as Andrea began to move towards his gun, which stilly where he had thrown it on the floor. Leo got to it first and kicked it far into the forest beforeing straight towards Andrea and me. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t do that,¡± Andrea warned, ¡°I can still snap her neck.¡± Leo paused and looked to Andrea¡¯s hands on my neck before his face hardened and he took a step back. ¡°Fine,¡± he said sharply, ¡°We¡¯re both unarmed. We¡¯re both adults¡­ well I am at least. Let¡¯s settle this properly.¡± Andrea scoffed. ¡°You against me. Alpha against Alpha. Man against man. Unless you¡¯re afraid I¡¯ll beat you¡­ again?¡± Leo asked raising an eyebrow. Andrea was still reluctant and Leo¡¯s lips curled into a smile. ¡°Tell me, Martinez¡­¡± he began, ¡°Do I threaten you?¡± With that Andrea unravelled his hand from my neck and kissed my cheek as he maintained fierce eye contact with Leo, who swallowed, the corner of his mouth twitching in anger as he exhaled heavily through his nose. Andrea then shoved me behind him. ¡°Fine,¡± he snapped, ¡°I had nned to kill youst but¡­ this works too.¡± Leo gave the first blow: a forceful punch that sent Andrea stumbling back and reeling in pain. The blood he spluttered from his mouth barely had a chance to seep through his brilliant white shirt before Leo came in ruthlessly with a second. But before Leo¡¯s fist could reach his cheek, Andrea had shot to the side, narrowly avoiding it before bringing his knee hard into Leo¡¯s exposed stomach. He doubled over, the air expelled from his lungs as Andrea didn¡¯t hesitate to knee him again causing him to choke out another residual breath. Just as Andrea wasing in for a third, he cast his weary eyes up and met mine. A split secondter, his face instantly hardened again as he stood up straight, his gritted teeth seething with rage. Andrea may have had Alpha Blood but it wasn¡¯t as strong as Leo¡¯s. He was just as tall but slender with youth. He was muscr and powerful but I¡¯d never seen a man more ripped than Leo and Andrea Martinez was no exception. With his strength quickly returning, Leo seized his cor and flung him to the ground, the impact causing him to groan as fresh ripples of pain spread through him. But as Leo pressed him to the ground, with a sudden surge of strength, Andrea managed to offset his bnce and roll on top of him as one of his hands delved deep into a pocket for a small object. With only a small click, a glint of moonlight reflecting off a metal de caught my eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t y fair, Loren,¡± Andrea growled as he began forcing the pocket knife towards Leo¡¯s throat, ¡°I don¡¯t believe in honour and nobility.¡± Leo had his hand around Andrea¡¯s wrist desperately holding the de off but since he was lying t on his back as Andrea could use his body weight and gravity to push the knife down, he was struggling. His arm shook as he gritted his teeth and groaned. Andrea just looked down at my mate, a wicked, victorious smile on his face. Chapter 106 My heart was pounding in my ears, my stomach had been bound and constricted by anxiety and dread and my hands mmy and trembling uncontrobly. But as I watched Leo¡¯s desperation and death get closer and closer to him, an instinct set in. The gun. Andrea¡¯s gun. Ity covered in leaves only a few metres from me. I sprinted to it and picked it up. He taught me how to use one like this months ago, the day I had been too weak to shoot him when his back was turned. Now I had another chance and my love for Leo was my strength. He always had been. I spent three hellish months enduring Andrea¡¯s torture but hope that Leo would one day find me got me through, even when Andrea eroded it away until there was only a fragment left. I clung on. Just about surviving by the dim light of a flicker of faith burning in my heart. Because I knew that Leonardo will always do whatever it takes to save me. Sometimes it hurts me, like when Connor got caught up in his fierce protection. Sometimes I suffer months of pain before he can rescue me. But he always does. No matter what. Now it was my turn to repay the favour. No matter my fear. I gripped the gun firmly in my hands and repeated Andrea¡¯s words inside my head: Both eyes on the target. Hold it steady. Use your strength. Pull the trigger. Leo pushed Andrea off him and he slumped down onto the floor, his eyes wide open at the night sky and his limbs as still as the air. He didn¡¯t blink. His chest didn¡¯t rise and fall in breath. There was no beating of a heart inside his ribcage. Leo stared at his body in disbelief before he looked up to me, his mouth slightly ajar as I just stood, gripping the gun as I felt the pumping adrenaline slowly fade away and the reality set in. Andrea¡¯s blood was sttered on Leo¡¯s face from the gunshot but it didn¡¯t stop me from dropping the weapon and sprinting forward, throwing myself into Leo¡¯s chest as he wrapped his arms around my back. I buried my head into his shoulder as he held me tight and began to sob. ¡°You did it,¡± Leo whispered, ¡°You saved us all.¡± I only hugged him tighter as we sat on the forest floor, next to the dead body of Andrea Martinez. And he was definitely dead this time. I¡¯d watched the bullet enter the back of his skull, shattering his brain and ending him instantly. A few minutester, Leo looked down to Andrea before reaching into his pocket and finding his phone. He then grimaced and picked up Andrea¡¯s still warm thumb to unlock it before searching the contacts. ¡°H,¡± he said cing his hand around my waist and pulling my head back onto his chest. He made a lot of phone calls to both Andrea¡¯s men and his own before he finally put the phones down. ¡°They¡¯re retreating,¡± he said with a smile as he kissed my head, ¡°It¡¯s over.¡± ¡°Finally,¡± I replied. ¡°Are my children safe?¡± he asked. ¡°They¡¯re with Milly. She was amazing, Leo,¡± I replied, ¡°She saved them all.¡±Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. ¡°With her¡­ powers?¡± Leo questioned hesitantly. I nodded, ¡°Andrea sent men after them but they don¡¯t stand a chance. Our kids are alive and safe because of her.¡± ¡°And we will ensure the entire pack knows that,¡± he said as he stood up, helping me to my feet too, ¡°She will be known as a hero and maybe Max will let her. stay¡± I smiled as he took my hand, ¡°Now let me get you safely home so I can go and clear all this shit up.¡± Everything seemed to be working out so well. But it almost seemed too easy. ¡°Have we lost anyone tonight Leo?¡± I asked. Leo¡¯s face dropped and he squeezed my hand, ¡°ir survived, as far as I know my brothers, sisters and Max are all fine too¡­ but¡­¡± ¡°Luca,¡± I choked. ¡°He¡¯s missing,¡± Leo replied, ¡°No one has seen him but that doesn¡¯t mean he¡¯s dead.¡± ¡°But it means he¡¯s at least injured,¡± I said, ¡°Badly.¡± Leo nodded, ¡°I have patrols searching for him but the territory is vast and he could be anywhere.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯m not going home until we find him,¡± I announced, stopping and looking around, ¡°Where was hest seen?¡± Leo sighed and ced his hand on my waist. For a moment I thought he was going to refuse my help but then he sighed, ¡°Just North of the base. That¡¯s where he was when I phoned him two hours ago.¡± I nodded, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± We ran the ten miles towards the area above the base. There were already men searching through the forest for both Luca and other wounded soldiers but there was no sign of him yet. ¡°Luca,¡± I called, ¡°Luca!¡± Soon enough every time I called his name, the coarse, dry skin in my throat ripped. But it was as I paused in a clearing hourster in total dispair, feeling so hopeless I could drop to my knees, that I finally heard a response. ¡°E,¡± a voice whispered. I snapped my head to where it wasing from. A ditch filled with leaves and debris but as I got closer, I could see the body of a man lying stretched out in agony. ¡°Leo!¡± I screamed as I dropped down to Luca¡¯s side. Chapter 107 Leo was soon there too. ¡°I¡¯ll get the Doctor,¡± he announced before sprinting off. ¡°No,¡± I whispered, my eyes frantically searching Luca¡¯s body for the source of his pain, ¡°Luca.¡± I pulled his shirt up to reveal a bullet wound in his stomach. Blood still gushed out and instantly my hands were covered in red. ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt,¡± he said, his voice hoarse. ¡°I can¡¯t feel a thing.¡± He then inched his hand to mine, his weak fingers slowly entwining around mine. His grip was loose but he squeezed a little and a slight smile appeared on his paled lips. ¡°Is Martinez dead?¡± he asked. I nodded, ¡°I shot him.¡± He breathed a sigh of relief and his body seemed to rx, ¡°The nightmare is finally over.¡± I looked down at his wound and struggled to agree. ¡°Leo will be back with the doctor soon,¡± I reassured. ¡°You¡¯ll be fine.¡± He slowly shook his head. ¡°No, you are not doing this,¡± I ordered, ¡°Don¡¯t you dare die on me, Luca Romano. Don¡¯t you dare.¡± He managed a sad smile, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Ells. They¡¯ll be other people to eat popsicles with at midnight and swap socks with. You¡¯ll find other friends.¡± ¡°No onepares to you, Luca,¡± I replied. ¡°I will never find a recement even half as worthy.¡± He gave my hand a little squeeze. ¡°You¡¯re my best friend,¡± I said as tears swept down my cheeks, ¡°You have been since the day we met. Please just hold on. A little longer.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need me, E Loren,¡± he said, ¡°You are brave and strong and courageous. You defeated Martinez. And you¡¯ll still have Leo and the kids and-¡± ¡°And that means you shouldn¡¯t live!¡± I eximed, ¡°Because you think I don¡¯t need you? You don¡¯t think you have worth in this world?!¡± ¡°I¡¯m slipping,¡± he said, his voice fading with weakness, ¡°There¡¯s nothing to grip.¡±This is from N?velDrama.Org. I lifted his other hand and held them both tightly. ¡°Grip to everything you have to live for. Your future mate, your future children, your future life. You¡¯ve been amazing to me and my family for seven years. But you¡¯ve got so much to live for yourself too. Hold on, Luca. I am begging you. There is too much to be lost.¡± But he was struggling to keep his eyes open, the colour draining from his skin fast. I soon felt someone lift me up by my waist and drag me away as three men with,rge briefcases and a stretcher swept in. They attached wires to his chest and performed CPR and shoved pipes down his throat but his eyes were now shut and he responded to nothing they said. ¡°No!¡± I screeched as Leo held me away. ¡°No!¡± ¡°The Doctors will do everything they can,¡± Leo said as he was loaded onto the stretcher, ¡°We have to let them do their jobs.¡± I was sobbing as I watched them lift his limp body up and carry him out of the ditch to a truck a few metres away. Leo hugged me tight before one of the doctor¡¯s jogged over to us. ¡°We¡¯re taking him straight to the ICU, Alpha,¡± he said, ¡°We¡¯ll keep you updated.¡± ¡°What are his chances?¡± Leo asked as I buried my head into his chest. The Doctor paused, ¡°The wound is deep and he¡¯s been bleeding out for some time. At this point, it could go either way.¡± Leo nodded before the Doctor ran off to the truck and they sped away as I just clutched Leo¡¯s shirt in my hands. I woke in the soft sheets of my bed, slowly opening my eyes to see Max and Milly sat at my feet. ¡°Hey,¡± Milly said softly, reaching for my hand. I furrowed my eyes in confusion and looked down at the pillow as I tried to make sense of everything. It was a few moments of blissful ignorance before I sat bolt upright. ¡°Luca,¡± I said, ¡°Where is he?¡± Max smiled and pushed me back down as I tried to stand up, ¡°He¡¯s still in the hospital but he¡¯s alive and rtively stable.¡± ¡°Rtive?¡± I asked. ¡°He¡¯s in aa. As you know, the wolf healing process doesn¡¯t trigger when unconscious so until he wakes up, we just have to hope that the human part of him is strong enough,¡± he replied, ¡°But they¡¯ve stitched him up, given him a blood transfusion, kept his heart beating and his lungs breathing. The Doctors didn¡¯t think he¡¯d get this far but now they say so long as he wakes soon, he¡¯ll be fine.¡± I nodded, ¡°So all we can do is pray to the Goddesses that he wakes up?¡± Milly squeezed my hands, ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°How did I get here?¡± I asked looking all around the room. Thest thing I remember was Leo carrying me through the forest as my head pounded with grief. ¡°You passed out. The Alpha brought you here and told us to leave you to sleep until you wake up,¡± Milly exined, ¡°He¡¯s gone out to clear up the territory and help with the search for injured and missing soldiers but the children are all sound asleep in bed.¡± I smiled, ¡°You were amazing,¡± I said to her, ¡°How did you do that?!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± she replied, ¡°It just felt right. To use it to protect the kids. I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t help you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± I said, ¡°What you did was more than I can ever thank you for. And plus, had I got away with you, I wouldn¡¯t have had the chance to finally shoot that motherfucker in the head like I should have months ago.¡± Max grinned, ¡°Proud of you, cuz,¡± he said, wrapping his arm around me, ¡°And you Mils,¡± he said pulling his sister into the hug, ¡°You two women saved this pack.¡± I grinned at Milly, ¡°Does that mean you¡¯re staying?¡± I asked excitedly. Max nodded and kissed us both on the head, ¡°I can¡¯t control Milly¡¯s life anymore. She¡¯s not a kid anymore and besides¡­ she¡¯ll smoke my ass easily.¡± Milly smiled. ¡°But I¡¯m still your brother and you said you¡¯d get some rest once E was awake,¡± he said sternly, ¡°Get to bed.¡± He then released her from the cuddle before shoving her towards the door as sheughed, ¡°Now.¡± After that, Milly headed to bed and Max and I were certainly not about to wake the eight noisy beasts from their sleep so it was just us sitting in the library. Chapter 108 I couldn¡¯t bring myself to read with the thoughts of all the suffering and grief still going on out there and Luca fighting for his life in the ICU. So I sat with a book syed out in myp, staring at the fire in the hearth. Max was pouring over some thriller. How he could read such a thing considering the circumstances I don¡¯t know, but it had been at least half an hour since hes looked up to check on me. He was engrossed. ¡°What are you reading?¡± I asked, dragging my stare from the flickering mes to Max. ¡°Zombie genocide,¡± he said without taking his eyes off the page, ¡°It¡¯s good.¡± I rolled my eyes, ¡°How can you read right now? Are your thoughts not too loud?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no point sitting there wallowing,¡± he replied, ¡°Distract yourself.¡± ¡°Were you injured?¡± I asked and he sighed before looking of from his book. ¡°Or don¡¯t¡­¡± he muttered, ¡°No. I was lucky to get off with a few scratches and bruises. It was a blood bath.¡±Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. ¡°So we¡¯ve lost a lot of men?¡± I questioned. He nodded, ¡°Hundreds.¡± I sighed and rested my head on my hand, ¡°There¡¯ll be a lot of work to rebuild the pack and help the families who lost soldiers.¡± ¡°Fortunately for us all, we have the best Alpha, Luna duo the world has ever seen to do that,¡± he said, ¡°We¡¯ll get back on our feet soon. Don¡¯t worry, Ells.¡± I blushed, ¡°I¡¯m gonna go and make some food to distract myself. Are you hungry?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll just finish this chapter and then I¡¯ll be down¡­¡± he said already fixating his eyes on the page once again, ¡°Hold on¡­¡± So I got up alone, wandered along the dark hall to the stairs and then down to the dark kitchen. The house was deathly quiet. With every step, the floorboards groaned and the clock on the wall in the kitchen ticked intensely against the silence. It was the stark contrast to the usual noise in the house that you can hardly hear yourself think over. As I opened the fridge, the quiet shattered with the ringing of the doorbell. I looked at my watch. It was the crack of dawn. Hardly a time to pop round with good news. My thoughts immediately went to Luca and how we¡¯d be one of the first to be told if something awful had happened. Panic already setting in, I rushed into the hall and tried to peer out the window to make out any shadows but there was nothing. The only thing suggesting I hadn¡¯t imagined it was Max appearing at the top of the stairs. ¡°Do not open it,¡± he ordered, ¡°I¡¯ll get my gun just to be sure.¡± He had a point. The war was over but some stragglers of Andrea¡¯s army could still be about. My dumbass was too concerned about Luca to even think about that. But the knocker hadn¡¯t bashed through the door and hurled any threatening words. Maybe it was a Doctor? Or a pack member seeking refuge? I crept closer, eager to get a better look out the window. Nothing was unusual except a trail of wet, sticky red across the porch and then the sound of heavy breaths and groans of one man on the other side of the door. Whoever it was was in a great deal of pain so I didn¡¯t hesitate to grab the key off the top of the door frame and open it. What I saw was nothing short of a shock. I took a quick step back and reached for the door to m it straight back shut. But a blood-smothered hand mmed onto the door. The action seemed to sap all the remaining energy out of the owner and he sunk to his knees, wiping red down the wood of the door. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he whispered. ¡°I didn¡¯t know where else to go.¡± He then lifted the other hand from his stomach to reveal a deep wound. ¡°Please,¡± he added as I just continued to stare down at him,pletely dumbstruck. Never did I think Luciano woulde begging for my help. I will admit, it brought me some pleasure to seem him so weak and helpless. There was no sly smile on his lips and even that evil glint in his eye had diminished. In its ce was the expression of desperation. ¡°You can¡¯t be here,¡± I said at longst. ¡°You have every right to be hesitant,¡± he replied, his voice getting hoarser. ¡°But I won¡¯t hurt you. I can¡¯t hurt you. I¡¯m dying.¡± I looked around at the forest. It was still and empty. I then looked back down to him. At his paled lips and ghostlyplexion. I bit my lip before crushing all my doubts and leaning down to put his arm over my shoulder and begin dragging him to his feet. ¡°Max is here,¡± I said shortly. ¡°He may not be so amodating.¡± Luciano made no reply but a deep groan as he rose from his knees. Before I could even get him over the threshold, Max appeared in the hallway, gun in hand. ¡°Luciano?¡± He said, in an angry but deeply confused tone. ¡°He¡¯s injured,¡± I said as I strained under his weight. ¡°Then leave him to die,¡± Max hissed. ¡°He doesn¡¯t deserve anyone¡¯s kindness, especially not yours.¡± ¡°Max, please,¡± I replied. ¡°Injured or not, family or not, he¡¯s caused you nothing but pain. Why would you even consider helping him?¡± ¡°Because evil or not he¡¯s still a person and I can¡¯t just let him die,¡± I replied. Luciano looked briefly up to Max, with a weary, pleading expression before I felt his knees buckle and suddenly I had all his weight on me. I couldn¡¯t take it and began stumbling as Luciano dropped to the floor. But before he impacted, undoubtedly hitting his head in the process, Max stepped forward and caught him. ¡°Are we really doing this?¡± He asked me, pausing as he held Luciano up. ¡°Yes,¡± I replied firmly. He nodded and pulled Luciano so that one arm was over his shoulder and he could be hauled into the kitchen. He was huge, taller than Max by about half a foot and judging by the amount of muscle, probably heavier too. Although not elegantly, Max seeded in moving him. His head lolled, the blood practically poured and his feet just dragged along the floor suggesting he was unconscious. But his groans and murmurs suggested otherwise. I cleared the kitchen table of various toys and kids¡¯ stationery that had been left in the flurry of evacuation before Max lifted him up andy him down on his back. ¡°Was it a bullet or a knife or-¡± I asked. ¡°Your mate¡¯s ws,¡± he replied breathlessly. As I lifted his shirt, I only confirmed what he had said. There were three long gashes from just below his armpit on one side right down to his hip on the other. They were too deep, wide-spread and long toe from anything other than an Alpha. Chapter 109 ¡°He was trying to kill you, I presume?¡± Max asked. Luciano nodded. Max sighed. I knew what he was thinking. Leo had clearly wanted him dead and interfering with it was interfering with the Alpha. He wasn¡¯t dead yet but he certainly would bleed out within the next hour if we just left him. ¡°Who did this doesn¡¯t change anything,¡± I said ripping Luciano¡¯s shirt out of the wound. ¡°We are helping you and that is final.¡± Although I addressed this to Luciano, it was entirely aimed at Max. ¡°Max, will you get me some towels, a basin of water and salt and the medicine kit,¡± I added. He followed mymand after only a short hesitation and soon I had a whole stack of towels and the box filled with all the first aid supplies. I couldn¡¯t take him to the hospital, although they would have been able to do a lot more, because unfortunately, Leo¡¯s people unsurprisingly have loyalty to him and news of Luciano¡¯s appearance would get back to him and Luciano¡¯s chance of survival would have been higher bleeding on the forest floor. So he¡¯d have to do with me. I¡¯d practised a lot the dying men Andrea used to drag back to the house in Venezu so he wasn¡¯tpletely without hope. The first thing I did wasyer two towels down on his chest and instruct Max to hold them down, applying as much pressure as possible. Whilst he did that, I prepared my sterilised needle and medical thread. Luciano had lost consciousness long before even the appearance of the needle so there was no bother worrying about his pain, not that I had much sympathy anyway. After a few minutes, Max removed the towels and I got straight to work. There was blood everywhere. On our hands, on our clothes, all over the kitchen floor. Every few stitches, I had to wash away some of it with the salty water so that I could see what I was doing but as I worked my way along the widest of the three shes, it began to stop oozing. Once that one was sealed, I did the other two. Eventually, all the bleeding had stopped. The kitchen looked like a crime scene and Luciano was white as paper but his heart still beat and his lungs still breathed. All that I could do now was wipe him with antiseptic and wait. I doused his wounds in an excessive amount of undiluted disinfectant. The concentration of it must have been intense because as it seeped into the stitching, it was enough to cause him to stir. He winced and then suddenly his hand was around my wrist. Max shot to his feet and pointed his gun at Luciano¡¯s head. ¡°You¡¯re supposed to be dead,¡± he whispered, ignoring the gun and looking straight at me. ¡°So are you,¡± I hissed, ¡°Seven years ago and six times over.¡± He gave a weak smile and the slightestugh which was more just an exhale of air, ¡°Yet you saved me.¡± I yanked my wrist out of his hand and red down at him. He opened his mouth to speak again before he just simply dropped out of consciousness again I looked up at Max and sunk into the kitchen chair. ¡°Leo is going to be furious,¡± I said. Max nodded, ¡°Yep. And he¡¯ll probably kill him and your efforts will be in vain.¡± I shook my head, ¡°Leo can¡¯t seem to bring himself to end him either. He wants to but he just can¡¯t. There¡¯s something about him.¡± Max raised an eyebrow, ¡°Something diabolical.¡± ¡°Yes, but how many times has Leo left him to die and never actually done it?¡± I asked. ¡°E,¡± Max said taking my hands, ¡°Luciano is the lowest piece of shit to ever walk the earth¡­ maybe Martinez was his one rival for that title. And he is never going to change. He is not right in the head and that will never be fixed. Got it?¡± I nodded. ¡°Good,¡± he said, ¡°Then we both agree. That man needs to die.¡± Just then, there were footstepsing down the drive. ¡°That¡¯s Leo,¡± I whispered recognising the distinct rhythm and weight of his stride. I tried my best to wipe my hands on my bloody shirt before going to the door. It would probably be best if I could try and exin before he saw Luciano unconscious on the kitchen table. I opened it a few seconds before he would have done and put on a big smile. ¡°You¡¯re home,¡± I said. Ipletely forgot the state of my clothes and went forward to hug him. He looked down at me, a concerned look in his eye before grabbing my shoulders and stopping me froming closer. ¡°And you¡¯re covered in blood,¡± he said, shaking me. ¡°Why? Are you hurt? Are the kids hurt? Max?¡± ¡°No, no, no,¡± I replied quickly. ¡°It¡¯s just-¡± Before I could continue, he had smelt the air and obviously detected Luciano¡¯s scent. He marched straight past me into the kitchen and of course, met the gruesome scene. Max stood awkwardly by Luciano, a cloth dripping with blood in one hand and Luciano¡¯s ripped shirt in the other. Before he said anything, Leo just let out a deep growl. But then his anger was ovee by confusion. ¡°Anyone going to exin what the fuck is going on or¡­?¡± he asked, snapping his re from Max to me. ¡°He came here badly injured,¡± I said. ¡°I couldn¡¯t let him die on our doorstep.¡± ¡°You helped Luciano Megestanis?¡± He asked. ¡°Wild huh?¡± Was my only response.This is from N?velDrama.Org. Wrong response. Leo grabbed my arm and pulled me into him. ¡°Why would you even let him in the house? Where our children are all sleeping? How did you know you could trust him?¡± ¡°He was on unarmed on death¡¯s door. He couldn¡¯t have hurt anyone,¡± I replied, defensively. ¡°Are you forgetting that this he is the slyest, lying, deceiving sneak to ever live?¡± He asked only pulling me closer. ¡°Well the gash you left across his chest was fairly convincing,¡± I snapped, shaking my arm out of his grip. Leo let out a short breath, ¡°He better hope he never wakes up.¡± Chapter 110 ¡°And if he does?¡± I asked. ¡°We¡¯ll kill him,¡± Max said, ¡°Right, Alpha?¡± Leo swallowed and nodded, ¡°Yes.¡± I watched as Leo slunk down in a chair next to where Lucianoy. He stared at him for a few seconds before resting his chin on his hand. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you make sure he was dead in the first ce?¡± I questioned, ¡°Save us the trouble?¡± ¡°The moment I did this was the same moment I learnt Martinez knew where the vault is,¡± he snapped, ¡°I was more concerned about you and the kids than bringing my self to finally kill someone who used to be a best friend to me. I hate him wholeheartedly and I know his evil has to be stopped. And he will be killed¡­ but I can¡¯t just do it like it means nothing, okay?¡± I sighed and stepped behind Leo, resting my hands on his shoulders. He seemed to release a deep breath as he rested his hand on top of mine. ¡°I understand,¡± I said, kissing his cheek. ¡°Max, would you take him to the pack prison? Make sure he¡¯s chained and guarded at all times,¡± Leo said, ¡°E and I will clean up this mess. Hopefully, before the kids wake up.¡± Max nodded and heaved Luciano off the table. Leo had to help him carry the huge mass of unconscious man to his car before he drove off, leaving us to scrub, mop, wipe and disinfect the entire kitchen. ¡°Are you okay, Leo?¡± I asked as he rinsed out the cloth for the final time after wiping up thest smear of Luciano¡¯s blood. He¡¯d been quiet for a while and seemed so exhausted and down. ¡°I saw hundreds of good men diest night,¡± he said, ¡°Luca is in the ICU and now all of this with Luciano. I know I should be happy that Martinez is finally dead but¡­¡± ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean you can¡¯t feel all the grief, loss and anxiety too, Leo,¡± I said, ¡°You may be an Alpha but you shouldn¡¯t feel guilty for your human half having feelings.¡± He rested his hands on my hips and took yet another deep breath, ¡°I¡¯ve learnt a lot about feelings recently,¡± he said, ¡°Sometimes I wish I was 100% wolf. Sometimes I feel like I¡¯d rather not have feelings. But then I remember how important it is to feel guilt¡­ and remorse¡­ because without it you don¡¯t take responsibility for your actions and make it your mission to learn from them.¡± I gave a half-smile, ¡°You¡¯re referring to what happened with Connor?¡± Since the day Leo killed Connor months ago, we hadn¡¯t talked much about it. It was too painful and with so much else going on, I couldn¡¯t take it. I took a sharp breath in and sped my hands together. ¡°We have to talk about this at some point,¡± he said, ¡°We can¡¯t just pretend it never happened.¡± ¡°We agreed to go back to normal,¡± I replied, ¡°Before Andrea reappeared, we had gone back to normal.¡± He shook his head, ¡°No we hadn¡¯t,¡± he said, ¡°Nothing was normal. Not whilst Andrea Martinez was still roaming around. But now he is dead and everything is over, we have the chance to go back to our lives. But we can¡¯t with this massive elephant in the room. If we just carry on like this it will always just loom over us, casting a shadow on our happiness¡­ so please¡­ I know it¡¯s been a long night but tell me how you feel.¡± Forgiveness: the act of releasing resentment and anger towards someone who has wronged you.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! Leo certainly wronged me by taking Connor from me. His reasons to protect me and his people may have been valid but that didn¡¯t mean I didn¡¯t feel an intense amount of resentment and anger towards him. But the longer I held onto those negative feelings, the longer they held me back from healing. I missed Connor dearly and I always will. And some part of me still denied that he was gone because with everything that had been going on, I¡¯d been able to distract myself and avoid epting the painful truth. But Leo was right. This was our chance. My chance to make peace with the pain he caused me, let it go and be happy again with the man I love. And I was so ready. So very ready. ¡°I forgive you, Leo,¡± I said, ¡°There¡¯ll be no shadow on our happiness. Nothing is going to stop us from living out the rest of our lives together peacefully and joyfully. After everything, we deserve it. And I deserve to let myself heal.¡± He smiled and wrapped his arms gently around me, guiding my head to his chest. ¡°I love you so much, E Jones,¡± he said, ¡°We won¡¯t ever forget Connor or what I did. But it¡¯s healing and happiness from now on. For both you and the pack.¡± I nodded and stood on my tiptoes to reach his lips, ¡°I love you too,¡± I whispered before I kissed him, cing my hand behind his neck and pulling him close to me. Just then, Leo¡¯s phone buzzed. ¡°It¡¯s ir,¡± he said, ¡°Oh thank the Goddesses,¡± he said as a relieved smile came onto his face, ¡°Luca¡¯s woken up and triggered the healing process. He¡¯s going to be fine.¡± I let out a deep sigh as I looked up and thanked whoever was up there. ¡°That little shit has caused me a lot of hassle through the years but I love him,¡± Leo continued, ¡°We¡¯ll go and visit himter, yes?¡± I nodded before a wide smile crept onto my face and I cupped his cheeks in my hands and kissed him again, this time for longer and deeper. Just as he ced his hands on my hips and pulled me closer to his chest, a small voice came from the hallway. ¡°Eww, Mama and Papa are kissing!¡± Cato eximed just as Ss appeared next to him. ¡°That¡¯s so gross,¡± Ss said, wrinkling his little nose. Leo and Iughed before our sons ran towards us and jumped into our arms. ¡°You¡¯re both home,¡± Cato said, hugging Leo, ¡°And Daddy smells sweaty but I¡¯m d he¡¯s okay,¡± he added looking to me, ¡°You smell quite sweaty too actually.¡± I rolled my eyes and tickled his tummy. ¡°I think we all need a bath afterst night,¡± I said, ¡°Even you, you little rascal.¡± He giggled and squirmed until I gave him mercy from my tickles to hug Ss tighter. ¡°And then once you¡¯re all clean and you¡¯ve had something to eat, I need to talk to you in my office, Cato,¡± Leo said, still holding his eldest son, ¡°You¡¯re growing up and we need to talk about what happenedst night. I can tell you have a lot of questions.¡± Cato nodded, ¡°It¡¯s our office now, Dad,¡± he said. Leo smiled, ¡°Fine. In our office.¡± A few hourster, Leo and I walked hand in hand through the hospital until we reached the roombelled ¡®Luca Romano¡¯. He grinned widely as he saw us through the window and started wiggling his legs like an excited child. Seeing the colour was back in his cheeks and his eyes with their sparkle again was such a huge relief. ¡°E!¡± He eximed, ¡°Alpha! I knew you two wouldn¡¯t be able to stay away for long.¡± ¡°I brought you these,¡± I said reaching into my bag and pulling out a bunch of bananas. His eyes lit up in glee, ¡°Are those Musa sapientum bananas?¡± I nodded, ¡°Only the best for you.¡± Chapter 111 ¡°Come here,¡± he said pulling me into a huge tight hug and dragging me beside him onto the bed. ¡°Careful of your stitches, Luca!¡± I eximed as he grimaced in pain, ¡°You aren¡¯t done healing yet!¡± Luca then peeled one of his bananas and took a huge bite of it before my hair started to get stuck to it and he was frantically trying to pluck it off. ¡°Alpha join in,¡± he said beckoning Leo, who was stood watching us in amusement as I tried to gather my hair behind my ears. Leo raised an eyebrow as he folded his arms. ¡°We¡¯ve all been through a lot,¡± Luca said, ¡°We owe ourselves an Alpha, Luna, Luca sandwich.¡± Leo was still reluctant. ¡°Leo,e on,¡± I said grabbing his hand and pulling him onto the bed, ¡°The man nearly died. Let him have a cuddle with his Alpha.¡± Leo rolled his eyes and slid onto the bed on the other side of Luca so that he was in the middle of us. ¡°I was already nning to name our next son after you,¡± Leo said. ¡°You still can,¡± Luca replied hopefully. ¡°Nah, it would be weird now,¡± Leo replied, scrunching his nose. Iughed as Luca nustled his head onto Leo¡¯s chest as I wrapped my arms around his shoulders. ¡°I¡¯ve been dreaming of this for years,¡± he said with a rxed sigh, ¡°A cuddle with my Mom and Dad.¡± Iughed and squeezed Luca¡¯s hand, ¡°We¡¯re so d you¡¯re okay.¡± ¡°I listened to what you said, Ells,¡± he replied, ¡°About my future mate and our kids and our life. And when I was in thea, it was all I could think about.¡± I smiled. ¡°And I saw her you know,¡± he replied. ¡°A woman?¡± I asked. He nodded, ¡°She has beautiful ck skin. It glowed in the sunlight and her hair. Wow her hair. It was so curly and artfully wild. And her eyes were so brown and perfect and¡­ I felt her. Someone was holding my hand just before I woke up and it has to have been her. There was this warmth and the sweetest scent I¡¯ve ever smelt.¡± My heart swelled to about three times the size as I smiled in excitement. ¡°Well, you better make sure you get healed so that you can get out of this hospital and find her,¡± Leo said, ¡°Have another banana.¡± We sat with Luca for hours. He and I chatted away endlessly as Leo asionally chipped in or passed Luca another banana until the entire bunch was gone. ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. We should probably go and save Milly from the kids,¡± Leo said looking at his watch, ¡°But we¡¯ll see you soon, Luca.¡± Leo then wrapped his arm around Luca and gave him a quick squeeze before I gave him a long, tight squeeze and we both left. As we walked back out of the hospital, I noticed a Doctor in a white coat stood by the vending machine, kicking it. ¡°For fuck¡¯s sake,¡± she grumbled before crouching down on her knees, rolling her sleeve up and delving it into the machine at a very awkward angle. ¡°Leo look,¡± I whispered nudging him, ¡°Look at that Doctor.¡± Her skin was dark and her hair grew in a thick afro. ¡°It could be her,¡± I said, ¡°She fits the description at least.¡± She grumbled and groaned as she pushed her arm further into the vending machine, reaching for a chocte bar on the bottom shelf. ¡°Motherfucker,¡± she said to herself. Leo and I slowly approached her and as she saw us, her eyes widened. ¡°Alpha, Luna,¡± she said as she tried to get her arm out, ¡°The machine wouldn¡¯t give me my chocte so I was just um¡­ well¡­ trying to get it myself.¡± She quickly stumbled to her feet and rearranged her uniform before putting on an innocent smile. Definitely Luca¡¯s mate. Luca let out a slightugh before grabbing the vending machine and shaking it. The Doctor watched in confusion as he crouched down and picked up the two chocte bars that had fallen. ¡°Do you know who is in room 108?¡± Leo asked. She immediately blushed, ¡°Luca Romano. I know he¡¯s not my patient but-¡± ¡°He¡¯s woken up and I¡¯d say he probably wants to see you,¡± Leo told her, putting the two chocte bars in her hand. She opened her mouth but only stuttered. ¡°Go,¡± he urged, ¡°I¡¯ll let the office know I¡¯ve ended your shift early.¡± She nodded and smiled before scurrying down the hall towards Luca¡¯s room I had a long phone call with Luca that evening about his mate, who¡¯s name was Amaani. He was so over the moon with her, telling me how perfect she is and how well they already get on. It wasn¡¯t long until Luca was out of the hospital and moved straight in with her. In a matter of weeks, they were practically inseparable but that didn¡¯t mean I didn¡¯t get to see Luca anymore. It just meant that I got two best friends for the price of one. Her spirit was just as bright and joyful as Luca¡¯s and my children absolutely loved her. They¡¯d only met her twice before they started calling her ¡®Aunty Amaani¡¯ and they spent nearly as much time tackling and yfighting with her as they did with ¡®Uncle Luca¡¯. With thebined effort of everybody in the pack, we were soon back on our feet and rebuilding Ste. Bereaved families were prioritised, funerals were held and the memory of their lost loved ones was celebrated and cherished in a memorial service held by Leo and me to thank them for everything they did for us. When the chaos had settled, Leo released my father from the prison where he had been living in afortable enough cell since the Battle against King Lenard months ago. Whilst neither of them were keen to see each other, Leo invited him round for dinner to meet his grandchildren to which he was happy to attend, especially as I had summoned my Mom from her rogue pack across the country to finally be reunited. Seeing the two of them hold each other again and the way my Mom¡¯s face finally held that beautiful genuine smile that I hadn¡¯t seen since she lost him, made me cry tears of joy. There was still tension between them and Leo but with eight grandchildren to cuddle and get to know, we all had a peaceful evening before they left together hand in hand to continue their lives, which were put to a sudden stop years ago. We¡¯d had word from Julia and Chico, the couple who worked for Andrea who risked their lives helping me. Now that Andrea was dead, they¡¯de out of hiding and were raising their kids in peace, with an honest ie and a violence-free life. I made sure Leo sent them a cheque and invited them to stay any time they wanted. Without them, I could still be with Andrea in Venezu and I knew I could never truly make it up to them but it was the least we could do. For now, Luciano remained in his cell, chained and wolfsbaned. Leo seemed to be putting off doing anything about him, always using the excuse of waiting until every other issue created by the war had been solved. I didn¡¯t pressure him. I knew how difficult it was for him and since even Luciano is incapable of harming anyone under so many locks and keys, it was fine to wait until Leo was ready.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! So for now, since we¡¯d had enough action and adventure for an entire lifetime, we just finally slipped back to the happiness of raising our children together and loving each other endlessly. Just the way mates should. The seven years we¡¯d had together so far had hardly been your conventional fairytale- from our turbulent ¡®once upon a time¡¯ to all the evil and wickedness we had encountered along the way that had been far from just ¡®make-belief¡¯. But there had been magic, love and heroes of all varieties. Good had triumphed bad and the viins had at longst been in. And now, maybe there¡¯d even be a happily ever after. The End The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!