Alpha Loren novel Chapter 76

November 27th

Later in the day, Leo took me to his parent's house so that he could go to the base to straighten things out with Blair, who still stricken with grief was struggling to understand why what happened happened and why he knew nothing about it. Blair was loyal to his Alpha but Leo still had a lot of explaining and admitting his mistakes to do. 

"I need to speak to you in Dad's office Mateo," Leo said to his eldest brother, the only one in the house when we arrived.

"Sure," Mateo said nodding before smiling at me.

I sat on the sofa and tried my hardest not to listen to their conversation. You'd think a house of werewolves would invest in soundproof doors for their office, wouldn't you?

"A girl was killed by a rogue this morning," Leo said sincerely.

"Who?"

"Amber Valintinetti," Leo answered.

"Your Beta's sister? Why?" Mateo questioned.

Leo sighed, "There is a lot of shit going on with the rogues out there. Until the war, we hadn't had much trouble with them for months. But now we're at our weakest, they've come back in full force. More than full force."

"And what's that got to do with Amber?" Mateo asked.

"There was a plot to murder my Luna," Leo said, "A thought out, well-organised plot. It could easily have worked if I didn't find out that Amber had recently found her mate, a rogue. He dragged her into it and threatened her into luring Ella away from me. She failed and he killed her."

There was silence for a few moments, "So...you knew?"

"I fucked up," Leo admitted, "And now I need to go to the base to clear up the shit. Watch Ella, if anything happens to her, I will probably kill you and when I get back, you should go and check on Allison. I know you two are...close."

I then heard his footsteps heading for the office door. The office door opened and Leo left the house after gently kissing me on the forehead.

"Something tells me he wasn't joking when he said he'd kill me," Mateo said, in the lightest tone possible considering the conversation he'd just had.

"I have the same feeling I replied."

"Why did you just say 'I replied'?" Mateo asked.

"I don't know."

It wasn't until eight hours later when Leo finally picked me up. We ate dinner with the rest of Leo's brothers, Bella, Lisa, Antonio and Rosa before going home. I was exhausted and desperately craved my bed. 

"Can you stop pacing?" I questioned as I sat on the mattress with my favourite fluffy socks.

He didn't seem to acknowledge me and continued to pace.

"Leo!" 

"What?" he asked in a frustrated tone.

"Sit down for God's sake. It's late," I replied.

He then kicked off his shoes, took off his shirt and jeans and lay on the bed, resting his head on my stomach as I ran my fingers through his thick hair. He sighed before kissing my stomach and breathing in my scent.

"I can't believe she is dead," I said.

"It sounds harsh but she didn't have much to look forward to with that man for a mate."

"Is Blair alright?" I asked.

"As good as you can be when your sister has just died," he replied. "I explained everything but he needs a few days to think it over."

"He's not alone, is he? I'd hate to imagine him on his own right now."

"He's with his parents," Leo reassured. 

He then shuffled further up the bed to my face where he kissed me gently on the lips.

"It's been a hellish day," he said.

"I betrayed your trust," I said.

"Because you didn't tell me you planned to go to the mall with Amber too?" he asked.

I nodded.

"I knew all along," he said wrapping his arm around me, "I just wanted to see what you'd do."

"You were testing me?" I asked.

He shrugged, "I guess. Why did you do it?"

I swallowed, "I can't just blindly follow what you say. If you had told me your reasons, I never would have gone against it."

"Why not?" he asked.

I took a deep breath. I should probably just tell him what's been in the back of my mind all week.

"It's just not me," I said, "This week has been nice and peaceful but I can't help but feel uneasy. I feel like I'm not being my self. You said I'd get used to and be happy but I've tried. And I don't know if you're right."

He rolled over to face me and ran the back of his finger along my cheek.

"Are you happy with us like this?" I asked, "Genuinely?"

"Not if you aren't," he replied, "I love you too much for that."

I smiled, "Is that empathy I see, Leonardo?"

He grinned, "So what do you propose?" he asked.

"No more secrets," I said, "I'm your Luna, I'm supposed to support you. But how am I even supposed to try to do that if you never tell me anything? So just talk to me. Let me help. You never know, we might make a good team."

"Us? A team?" he asked, almost laughing. "We don't agree on anything."

"But sometimes it's good to get a different opinion," I said, "And it's not like you have to listen to me. I can't make you do anything and you are still Alpha and make the final decision but even if we disagree, at least I will understand what you are thinking."

He nodded.

"Plus, you made a mistake today," I added, "But had you told me, there's a chance we could have avoided it."

He sighed, "You're right."

"I know," I said with a grin.

"So an Alpha, Luna duo, huh?" he said.

I nodded.

"The rules: I'm still in charge and don't you dare tell my Dad. He might go into cardiac arrest."

I laughed and moved his hand from my cheek to my lips before kissing it.

"Deal."

A genuine smile appeared on his lips before he leant forward and kissed my lips. When he pulled away, I felt the most comfortable I ever had in his presence.

I looked into the beauty of his eyes, a mellow sensation overcoming my body. We held our eye contact for a few seconds before he leant back in and kissed me again, this time deeper and for longer.

He slowly rolled me on top of him, placing both hands on my hips as our bodies pressed together.

But then before things got any further the doorbell rang.

He groaned, "What now?"

He then rolled back off me and sat up.

"Who would be here at this time?" I asked.

After smelling the air, he narrowed his eyes.

"Lia..." he said standing up and grabbing a pair of shorts from the chair. "Something tells me this day is about to get worse."

He put on the shorts so he wasn't quite so naked before I followed him out into the hall and down the stairs before waiting at the bottom of the stairs for him to answer the door.

"Leo..." a sobbing Lia whispered. "I have to tell you something..."

"What?" Leo asked.

She mumbled for a few seconds before bursting into more tears.

"Lia, tell me what's wrong," Leo ordered.

"I'm pregnant!" she cried and every single muscle in Leo's body tensed.

"Pregnant?" Leo questioned coldly and Lia nodded in confirmation. "It's Haden's?"

She nodded again.

"Oh Lia," I said going forward to hug her. 

She sobbed into my shoulder as Leo just watched silently.

The second I moved away from the hug to wipe the tears off her cheeks, Leo grabbed her hand and hauled her into the house, slammed the door and pulled her through into the kitchen.

"Give me one reason why I shouldn't murder that fucking bastard right now!" he roared after forcing her down into one of the kitchen chairs.

"Leo, calm down," I said placing my hand on his bare shoulder.

"When did it happen?!"

"Last week," she replied refusing to look at her brother.

"Who was meant to be supervising?!"

Lia paused for a minute and took a deep breath between sobs.

"No one. I went alone."

"You are lying to me," he growled with venom in his tone. "My prison guards are under strict orders not to let you in alone."

"...Carlos..." she whispered. "But he left us to be alone for a bit."

"And Haden forced you?" Leo questioned.

Lia shook her head.

"No. He didn't."

"How does he even have the strength. Was he not on wolfsbane?!" Leo asked.

"He was but he didn't need to move much-"

"I don't need the details," Leo interrupted.

He then paused and leant over the kitchen table, breathing heavily.

"Do you understand how this is going to make me look if word gets around the pack?!" he questioned as his fingers dug into the kitchen table. "How could you be so stupid?!"

"You don't need to raise your voice," I said to him. "Calm down."

"Mates are meant to mate, Leonardo," Lia said.

"Not if their Alpha forbades it, they aren't."

She looked down at the table and continued to sob.

"You are only 17, Lia," he growled, "You haven't even finished high school yet. Why the fuck would you not think this through?"

"Guess now you know how Ella's brother feels then," she said slowly looking up at him.

Before you could say hippopotamus Leo had flipped from angry to furious.

"Does Haden know that he's a father yet?"

He shook with rage as he uttered his name.

"Nobody does except for the two of you," she replied.

"Then we better go and tell him. Get in the car," Leo ordered his face stony and hard as he made a move towards the door.

Lia refused to move.

"I said get in the fucking car," he growled.

"What are you going to do?" she asked suddenly looking up at Leo with fear written all over his face.

"Nothing he doesn't deserve," he snapped. "Now don't make me say it again."

"Leo!" I exclaimed. 

He turned to me, his eyes still dark and cold.

"There is no point in acting now," I said placing my hand on his waist, "What has happened has happened and it's the middle of the night. Why don't you go to the prison in the morning when you have calmed down?" I suggested. 

He didn't move.

"For now, sit down and stop making things worse than they already are for your sister," I continued calmly,  "I'll make some coffee while one of you calls your parents."

He was still reluctant

"Leo please," Lia began. "I came to tell you before I told anyone else. Not Maria, not Elena, not Mom...you. Because when we were kids, I was closest to you and I always knew I could rely on you to help me with my problems. But I obviously forgot that you're different now that you're Alpha."

Leo stared at her and for a few tense moments, that was all he did. Half expecting him to snap, she stepped a few paces back but eventually, he simply sat down at the table and shifted his glare to me.

"Coffee would be great," was all he said.

Ten minutes later Lia was sat nervously at the table twiddling her fingers, Leo was still glaring at her and I was making five cups of coffee.

"Dad's gonna be pissed," Leo stated deeply.

"Please don't blame Carlos for this," Lia begged.

"I'm blaming all three of you."

"You shouldn't be blaming anyone, Leo. She's pregnant not a murderer," I replied.

"Pregnant with the child of a man who has tried to kill you more than once, Ella. And succeeded in causing the death of many of my pack members. " Leo growled just before the doorbell rang.

A few minutes later Lia, Rosa, Antonio, Leo and I were all sat around the kitchen table with coffee.

"So is anyone gonna tell us why we've been invited here so late?" Antonio asked after a few moments of utter silence. "I'm guessing it's not just for a nice family catch up over a mug of coffee."

"Lia?" Rosa said noticing the obvious tear stains on her cheeks and her red, puffy eyes. "Ma bambina?"

"I'm pregnant," she whispered looking at her mother with watery eyes.

At first, Antonio didn't say anything. He just stared at his daughter still processing those two words. Then he erupted with a whole load of Italian spoken so fast that I could hardly understand it. 

Rosa hugged Lia tightly as the tears began streaming again. It amazed me how she didn't retaliate to Antonio. I didn't feel like I had the power to comment on Antonio's reaction but as his mate, surely she could have?

"Does Haden know about this?" Antonio asked Leo.

"No, and he never will. And a child of that man is not being raised in this pack," Leo replied a strong sense of authority in his tone.

"Leonardo-" Rosa began quietly.

"I agree," Antonio interjected. "He can never know and neither can anyone from Ayas, especially if she is carrying his son."

"What are you suggesting?" Lia asked.

"We could have it adopted. Or you could move away from the pack, raise it somewhere else and Haden can stay here."

"Well, I think that's a shit idea," I interjected.

"Ella," Leo warned.

"Thinking he is never going to find out is ridiculous. He'd have to stay in that prison his whole life! I'd free him and let them happily raise their kid together," I continued.

"And what do you know about running a pack sweetheart?" Antonio questioned turning to me.

"Not much but I know pretty well what it's like to be pregnant at 17," I retaliated.

"Ella, that's enough," Leo said in his Alpha tone as Antonio glared.

"Still got that attitude then I see," he said like he was trying to provoke me as he glared down at me.

"Dad," Leo snapped.

I didn't respond but looked away from Antonio, unable to face those piercing eyes.

"This is not your place to speak, sweetheart," Antonio continued.

"Dad," Leo repeated this time in a much sharper, deeper tone, "Leave her alone."

Antonio dragged his glare from me and back down to Lia.

I wondered if at any point either of them was going to ask her what she wanted to do. But they didn't.

Leo just pulled back a chair and sunk down with a big sigh.

"We'll talk about this in the morning," he said to Antonio.

Rosa then took Lia's hand and began leading her out of the kitchen. Antonio lingered for a few more moments before following them.

After the door had slammed shut Leo turned to me.

"Never speak to my father like that ever again. Do you hear me?" Leo growled. "He's the ex-Alpha of this pack and you need to respect him just like you need to respect me."

I paused for a moment, "I only voiced my opinion."

His eyes snapped back to me, "I don't care if it was your opinion, a soliloquy or your grocery list. You were disrespectful and what's more, I told you to zip it and you ignored me."

"I'm sorry," I replied shortly, "But neither of you were thinking about Lia. You were just thinking about how much you hate Haden and the implications on the pack. But Lia is a person, she has feelings and this is her life you are talking about. You need to think about her too. So for a moment...just forget that you are Alpha and think about what you should do as her brother."

He looked up at me for a second and nodded, "You're so damn good with words, Ella."

I smiled and stood behind him, resting my hands on his chest and kissing his cheek.

"Do you want me to leave you to think?" I asked.

I rested his hands on mine, "There's time for that in the morning. I am sick to death of dealing with drama today."

He then reached back and pulled my head back down to his lips.

"Right now, all I want to do is finish what we started half an hour ago."

I nodded, "Okay."