Alpha Loren novel Chapter 97

December 25th

On Christmas morning I woke up bright and early. Leo and I had spent the night in a spare room whilst Cato slept in ours so when he started screaming at 6 am I had to step out into the cold hallway.

"Sssh, Cato," I hushed. "Daddy is still asleep."

I spent the next fifteen minutes feeding him before he fell back to sleep and I lay him back in his crib.

Afterwards, I still hadn't heard a sound from Leo, who, since Cato had been born and the sleepless nights begun, no longer naturally woke at stupid O'clock in the morning. I made my way downstairs with the plan to make him breakfast and a caffeinated coffee to bring up to him in bed.

"You smell...fresh..." I heard a voice say as I walked into the kitchen.

"Jesus shit!" I cursed as the life vacated my body.

I turned to face the uninvited intruder. Luciano.

"That's right. Happy birthday Jesus Christ," he said with a plastic smile, "God bless and shit."

I was still catching my breath and had no chance to reply before he just kept talking.

"The aroma of Leonardo on you is remarkably strong. Let me guess...you had-"

"Why are you here, Luciano?" I interjected.

"To wish you both a Merry Christmas. Duh," he said standing up. "Cup of tea?"

Despite the fact that I was occupying a very small area in the grand scheme of the kitchen, Luciano felt the need to walk incredibly close to me- as if he was being deliberately intimidating.

"Leonardo really ought to get into the habit of locking your back door by the way. Anyone could get in..."

I looked over to the back door. My boots lay sprawled on the step still damp with snow and beside them, the once glorious fire had died into a pile of smouldering ash.

"Where is Leonardo anyway?" Luciano asked from where he stood filling the kettle.

"Upstairs."

"Is he asleep?"

I opened my mouth but Luciano interrupted me before I had the chance to say anything.

"Yes, otherwise he would have been down here the second he heard my voice," he said answering his own question. "So be a lamb and go and get him for me."

I scowled at him.

"Or would you prefer some more quality bonding time with your second cousin?"

At that point, I heard footsteps coming down the stairs.

"Like waking the dead this morning, Leonardo. Exciting night?" Luciano asked as an exhausted, messy-haired, shirtless Leo staggered into the kitchen.

"Are you fucking kidding me, Luciano?" Leo groaned gesturing for me to move closer to him. "On Christmas day?"

I shuffled towards Leo and he resting his arm on my shoulder.

"And a very merry Christmas to you too," Luciano replied with a smug look as he watched me intensely.

"To what do I owe the pleasure?" Leo groaned.

"I thought I'd come and make you your morning tea," he said, "To spread the festive cheer."

"You've never spread cheer in your life," Leo hissed, "Why the fuck aren't you in the Southern territory with Connor Jones?"

"That's the thing... Connor Jones isn't in the Southern territory either."

"You let him escape?" Leo growled.

"To cut a long story short."

Leo clenched his jaw before mumbling 'for fuck's sake' under his breath.

"Search the territory," he ordered, "If he isn't on it, then let him go. I was going to exile him tomorrow anyway and we already have the names."

"You are going to make us search the entire territory on Christmas day?"

Leo shot Luciano a glare.

"Maybe you should have considered that before you let him escape," he said, "Stop wasting time, leave me and my Luna alone and get it done."

"Chill, Leonardo," Luciano said as he reached for the mug cupboard, "He's probably already half frozen to death in the snow anyway. He'll be dead soon."

"All the more reason to get looking for him."

Luciano let out a short laugh before looking up to Leo inquisitively, "But wouldn't it just be so handy if he were to die on his own accord?"

His eyes then cast down to me, where he smiled in pure sadistic amusement.

"We all know how much you want him dead. The only thing stopping you is her never forgiving you. So if it wasn't strictly your fault well...how convenient."

With that, Leo had had enough.

"Fuck off Luciano before I end up punching you for invading my house...again," he growled.

"Just call me Santa Claus," Luciano replied before promptly leaving out of the back door.

"Motherfucker," Leo cursed once the door was shut.

I watched as Leo locked the back door securely.

"So remind me why you're friends with him again?" I implored, "I see no redeeming quality."

"He's efficient and he gets shit done," Leo replied, "And that is literally it. But he's been like a brother to me. Every time I was arrested as a teenager, he was there. Every time I was suspended from high school, he was involved. Every time I took something I probably shouldn't have taken, he did too. Every time I need something down away from the public eye, he will do it."

"He sounds like nothing but trouble to me," I said.

"Hmm," Leo hummed, "And that's why I want him as far from you and Cato as possible. I know him well and consequently, I don't trust him. Especially now he has this weird obsession with you."

I nodded before looking out at the snow, "What sets you apart from him?"

Leo looked at me for a brief second before walking to the kitchen counter to finish the tea Luciano had started making.

"I'm your mate," he said, "I wouldn't dream of hurting you."

"...but is that it?" I asked, "Apart from that are you the same-"

"Ella please it's Christmas day. Can we not talk about something a little more cheerful than Luciano Megestanis?"

I sighed before getting up to go to the plug socket and flip the switch.

"That's better," I said as the entire room lit up with the Christmas lights Leo and I had hung a few days ago. 

There was also a gigantic Christmas tree that Leo had literally dragged in from the forest and displayed in the corner of the room. It was so tall that even Leo stood on a chair couldn't reach the top to put the star on.

"We should probably figure out how to get the star on the tree before people arrive," I suggested. 

"Are you scared of heights?" he questioned.

"No...why?" I asked.

A second later, he had seized my around the waist and lifted me up onto his shoulders before he picked up the star and climbed onto the chair by the tree.

He held had an iron grip on my legs as I sat on his shoulder's but I was nine feet off the ground and the way the chair wobbled slightly whenever he moved wasn't exactly reassuring.

He handed me the star and I slowly let go of his head, which I had been clutching for stability, to put the star on top.

"Perfect," I said with a smile once I was back on the safety of the gound.

For the rest of the morning, we peeled countless potatoes, carrots and parsnips after getting the turkey prepared and in the oven.

For lunch, we were hosting the entire Loren family plus Luca so an unimaginable amount of food was required.

I was incredibly jealous of Leo's family. There were so many of them and there was never a quiet moment but they loved and protected each other fiercely and I couldn't have asked for a better 'borrowed' family to spend Christmas day with.

Only a couple of hours later, the house was filled with people. Marco and Carlos's were blessing us with some terrible carol singing. Luca had a whole host of Christmas themed jokes which were possibly worse than the singing but still got laughs because he's well...Luca. Rosa had brought an apple and cinnamon pie which smelt simply divine and the girls were all dressed in beautiful festive dresses of red and green.

When it got to 4 o clock, it was time for gift giving. I had gone Christmas shopping with Allison earlier in the week and had managed to find a little something for every member of the family.

The girls were easy to shop for: some jewellery, a nice candle, a book to feed Lisa's serial reading habit, a cactus for Bella to add to her collection etc. Even Leo's brothers were fairly easy to please.

But Leo?

What does someone get a rich 23-year-old Alpha with few needs?

After crawling the shops and finding nothing meaningful and special, I resorted to trying to make him something.

At school I'd always had an eye for painting and brushed, paper and paints were the only things I could bring myself to spend what little spare money I had on. So I persuaded Allison to drive me back to my old house where she sat on my old bed and watched as I meticulously drew, painting and detailed a canvas.

"You painted this?" Leo asked in awe after he had removed the paper. "You never told me you could paint."

"I've been keeping it a secret," I replied kissing him on the cheek. "Do you like it?"

"I love it."

The painting was of Leo and me in wolf form at an unusually large tree we had stumbled across once during a late-night run. The trunk was wide and the roots were thick and strong enough to sit on. Surrounding it was smaller, narrower, evergreen trees and above was a clear star littered sky and a bright full moon.

"It's beautiful," Leo added as he kissed me gently. "Thank you so much."

"You are very welcome," I replied hugging him tightly.

"And now you have made my gift for you look terrible," he said handing me a box.

I removed the lid to see multiple little separately wrapped things inside.

I picked up the little one first and opened it to find a little jewellery box containing a bracelet with two engraved disc charms:

Ella & Leonardo 10/10/15 

Cato 12/19/15

"The idea is that every little one we add to our family gets a new plaque," Leo explained.

"That's so sweet, Leo. Thank you," I said as he put on my wrist.

The next one confused me a little at first.

"Is this a mixtape?" I asked excitement filling me. Was it a movie?

"It better not be a sex tape," Mateo said with a groan.

Leo rolled his eyes, "It's a mixtape of every song I've ever heard you sing in the shower," he added. "So that you can learn the words and not just repeat the same three lines over and over again of course."

"You listen to me singing in the shower?" I questioned not sure whether to be honoured or embarrassed. Either way, it was cute of him.

"I think the whole forest listens," He joked.

I grimaced, "Oh God."

One of the other presents was a new pair of INSANELY fluffy socks.

"You know me too well, Leo," I said putting them on immediately.

I opened the rest of the little gifts until I got to the last one which was what looked like a flyer for some club.

"Twelve sessions of fun-filled yoga for Mommy, Daddy and their brand new little one," I read out loud. "We're going to yoga again?!"

"Turns out that not only does Katerine do a pregnancy couples yoga class but a newborn one too," Leo said with a strained sense of enthusiasm. "And I thought that since you love it so much-"

"I can't wait!" I squealed. "Thank you! Thank you for all of this!" 

As the hours passed, people began to slowly leave to visit various mates and other family until it was just Marco, Carlos, Mateo, Leo and I in the house. It was considerably quieter now but the Loren brothers hadn't been holding back on the alcohol all day and the party was still on.

"Festive mulled wine anyone?" Marco announced from the kitchen as he withdrew a bottle from the fridge.

"Fuck," Carlos groaned, "Just in case we didn't all just drink way too much of Dad's wine."

They all obliged anyway and Marco sloppily poured the glasses before attempting to hand them around without spilling.

I'd pumped Cato's milk for tomorrow already but even still I was going easy on the alcohol. I was only tipsy and giggling making watching the brothers lol about drunkenly absolutely hilarious.

"That is beautiful," I stated as I first tasted the spiced warmth. "Thank you, Marco."

"Oh shit," Marco cursed as he sloshed half his glass onto a white pillow on the couch.

"For fuck's sake," Leo grumbled.

"What do we do?" Marco said jumping around hysterically with the red-stained pillow. 

He was flappy his arms around all over the place, his panic about the fairly minor spillage likely to cause a much larger one.

"Stand still," I ordered looking down to Carlos who was in great danger of being knocked by Carlos and dropping his glass all over the white rug.

Marco froze and let me take the pillow from his hand.

As I went to soak it in the sink, Leo rolled forwards towards the DVD player.

The fire still burnt warm but the snow fell heavily.

The perfect time for another movie.

"The Grinch?" Leo asked, looking to his brothers.

"Noooo," Mateo complained, "I watched that yesterday at Allison's-"

He suddenly shut his mouth and widened his eyes.

"Why were you at Allison's yesterday?" Carlos asked furrowing his eyebrows as he looked over to Marco.

Usually, Mateo was very good at coming up with some vaguely believable lie to cover up what was really going on between he and Allison but he'd drunk the best part of a whole bottle of wine and all he could do was mutter and mumble.

Leo turned to me and grinned before he sat up from where he lay in front of the DVD player, ready to watch the show.

"Mateo?" Marco asked.

"Okay so," Mateo began, "It's Christmas day...a time for joy and happiness and nice family time and-"

"Why the fuck were you at Allison's house yesterday?" Carlos asked.

Leo grinned even more as Marco looked from him to me.

"Why do I get the feeling that there's something that everybody in this room knows except me and Carlos?" 

"Go on Matty," Leo teased, "Tell 'em."

Mateo groaned and tilted his head back.

"Allison and I have been fucking for months," Mateo said, "Then yesterday...I asked her to be my girlfriend..."

I squealed in delight, "You did?!"

"You did?" Carlos asked in a much angrier tone.

"I did."

"And did she say yes?" Marco asked.

Mateo nodded.

"She did?!" I asked hardly able to contain my excitement.

"She did?" Carlos asked too in the same low tone.

There was a few tense seconds of Marco and Carlos just staring blankly at Mateo as he gulped, a look of pure terror in his eyes. But they didn't leave him in agony long before they both lurched forward.

Mateo yelped as his brothers attacked him, tackling him to the floor and smushing their hands into their face. He tried to wriggle out from underneath them but despite being older and bigger, it was still two against one and he didn't stand a chance. They pinned him down and leant over him, like they were about to beat the shit out of him. Leo watched in amusement, showing no plan to intervene even at the sight of Mateo's terror.

But then a few seconds of anticipation, both twins released him and rolled on the floor with tears of laughter.

Well, that took a turn.

"You should have seen your face," Marco said, clutching his stomach.

"Huh?" Mateo asked sitting up, amazed at how he was still in one piece.

"We knew you were hooking up ages ago," Carlos said, hardly able to breathe through his laughter.

"How?!" 

"The underwear embroidered 'Mateo' by Mom we saw in her bed was the main clue..." Marco said.

"Or maybe it was the fact that we got in her car to find a used condom and the scent of Mateo Loren still strong underneath all the perfume and air freshener she'd tried to cover it."

"Oh..."

"And we knew you'd end up dating," Marco added.

"What?" Mateo asked.

Carlos rolled his eyes, "Come on. You think you can look at her like she's some kind of Goddess and we wouldn't notice?" 

"We've been waiting for you to man up and tell us," Marco said, "Didn't know you were such a pussy, brother."

Mateo rolled his eyes and shoved Marco, "You two or such devils. Why would you not relieve me from the stress of hiding it from you and the anxiety about telling you?"

"Fucking hilarious, that's why," Carlos replied.

"I mean...I would have preferred a better fight," Leo grumbled, "No one even got in a punch!"

Mateo smiled and let out a great sigh of relief.

"So we're good? You're cool?" He asked.

They shrugged, "Until you break her heart. And then they'll be trouble," Marco warned.

For the rest of the evening, we gathered around the warm fireplace and watched a 'Home alone 2' as the snow continued to fall heavily outside. After the mulled wine was gone, Mateo cracked open yet another bottle of red wine and soon enough everybody was practically passing out on the sofas.

"Ew, will you two get a room?" Mateo said throwing a cushion at Leo and I as he kissed me on the lips.

"Yeah, sorry lovebirds. I didn't eat all that turkey for lunch just to vomit it back up," Marco added. 

"Should I go and check on Cato?" I questioned kind of out of the blue.

"I don't trust that you'll get up the stairs without falling, babe. I'll come with you," Leo replied. 

"Do we have a code red lightweight situation over here?" Mateo asked.

"We sure do. Two glasses are enough apparently," Leo concluded as he grabbed my waist and picked me up as I giggled.

"Leave her alone. She's only small," Carlos replied.

The rest of the evening was cosy, happy and peaceful. One by one, Leo's brother's began to pass out on the sofas, falling deeply asleep to the gentle Christmas music playing quietly on the stereo.

Eventually, I was the only one awake in the house. Cato was sound asleep in his crib and even Leo had collapsed in the arm chair by the hearth. 

Considering the piles of snow that had mounded in front of the door throughout the day, it didn't look like any of them were leaving tonight so as the fire died I collected blankets from around the house and wrapped them all up snuggly. I then wiped the sticky surfaces of apple pie crumbs and spilt drinks before blowing out the candles and settling down by Leo's feet.

It had been an odd kind of happiness today. 

I'd laughed and smiled more than I had on Christmas day for years but at the same time, my mind couldn't help but fester on Connor and my Mom and how I wish they could have been here too. The fact that they weren't was out of my control but it was still a stark reminder of how my life had changed in just a few months. I was happy with Leo and Cato and my new borrowed family but on this festive day, I was also filled with nostalgia for times gone.