Alpha Loren novel Chapter 53

November 10th

It was nearly a week later and Elena was out of the hospital and the pack had returned pretty much to normal.

Haden was still heavily dosed on wolfsbane in the base prison and Lia was still yet to visit him. She said she wanted him to pay for what he did and allowing her to see him would be giving him a small win in a sea of losses. Something like that anyway.

Maria and Elena had been planning their secret training camp for she-wolves. They'd sussed out an empty clearing in the woods and they and Allison were busy preparing to start a programme of secret classes for young girls they could trust not to feed back to Leo. Of course there weren't many of them but Maria suspected that where some went, others would follow.

Abi had been to visit me with Blair. I told her about my pup and she told me that her and Blair were going to wait a few years since her parents didn't know about the whole werewolf thing. Blair was much more relaxed than Leo about the whole thing, however, I did notice a fresh mark on Abi's neck presumably made by Blair in the last few days.

It was monday morning and I was lying on our bed at home with my hand on my stomach. I could feel nothing yet. Not even a bump but the fact that there was a real life pheotus in there was so surreal and I found myself just lying down think about it a lot. 

A knock on the door dragged me back to reality. Leo was in the shower so I went down to answer it.

"Hello, Ella," Antonio said as I opened the door. "Is Leo in?"

He seemed surprised to see me and I could feel the tension between us that stemmed from the night of the ball was still as strong as ever.

"He's in the shower but he'll be out soon? Do you want me to go and tell him you're here?" I replied.

"No," he said taking a deep breath, "It's you I wanted to talk to."

"Oh..." I replied. "Okay."

"I found out about the baby through Haden's broadcast. Then there was all the shit with Lia and then the war and I never got to properly congratulate you," he said.

Oh. 

"Thank you, Antonio," I replied with a nod.

"I know you and Leo have had an...interesting start but I'm happy to see that you're working things through as they should be," he added, his smile disappearing.

I forced a smile.

In other words: he's happy now I've 'fulfilled my role as Leo's Luna'.

Just then Leo came down the stairs.

"Hey, Dad," he said standing next to me and wrapping his arm around my waist.

"I was just saying to Ella, congratulations. I realised we never had the chance to really celebrate at the time," Antonio replied.

Leo smiled and pulled me closer before kissing my head, "Thanks, Dad."

"You could have your heir before the new year, Leo," Antonio said before his eyes shifted to me, "I was beginning to doubt it would happen this side of the millennium"

"Well you are a man of little faith Dad," Leo replied. "All we needed was a bit of time to sort things out."

"Yes. I have to keep reminding myself that Ella is not the same as your mother," he said.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked.

"Rosa rarely makes my life difficult. Whereas it seems to be the only thing you've done for Leo since you got here," Antonio replied.

I opened my mouth to argue back but Leo interrupted me.

"She's done far more than make my life difficult, Antonio. She is bringing me a child and for that, I will be eternally thankful. Do not disrespect my Luna and Ella, you do not need to retaliate."

His tone was deep and commanding and Antonio and I both nodded.

"I'll need to speak to you at the base later this afternoon, Leonardo," Antonio said. "Congratulations again to both of you," he added before turning and leaving.

Leo closed the door and sighed, "An improvement on the last time you spoke, I guess."

I thought back to the ball where he called me many unpleasant names as he shouted and came far too close to me for comfort.

"Yes but he still can't help himself making those little provocative comments," I replied. "He came to congratulate us. Why couldn't he just leave it at that?"

"Because he doesn't like you," Leo said bluntly. "And you don't exactly help the situation."

I sighed. I couldn't argue with that.

Leo then cooked some eggs and bacon for breakfast before we sat at the table to eat.

"You're spending the day with Mateo. I've gotta sort shit out at the base," Leo said.

"Which reminds me...the war is over now," I began, "And it's been weeks since I made that promise to your people on your behalf about returning their children to them. Is that the shit you're sorting out at the base?"

"No," he said. "That is the bottom of my priorities right now. Rebuilding my pack being the top."

"What better way to start than rebuilding the broken families?" I asked quietly. "And restoring your people's faith in you..."

"I'm not talking about this with you again, Ella," he said.

"You know I'm right. That's why you always shut down the conversation," I replied. "You need to give those boys back to their parents, just as you promised."

"And I will...one day," he said through gritted teeth.

"I don't see why you can't just do it now," I replied. 

"Because it's a complicated process that I don't have time for right now and isn't a matter of urgency," he snapped.

"How are hundreds of kids in inhumane conditions suffering maternal deprivation not a fucking crisis to you?" I hissed.

"Calm down," he said. 

"Sort it out, Leo. Or I will," I snapped getting up, scraping my chair back and leaving the kitchen.

"You don't have the power for that, sweetheart," he called and I had to desperately fight the temptation to go back and punch him.

Instead, I just turned around and walked back as calmly as possible.

"Give me the files and I will do it for you," I said, "All I need is the details of the which numbers came from which invasions and then I can find the wolves still alive from those packs and see if any parents or family member can take them. I'll locate them and contact them myself. I have nothing better to do and you can focus on what the fuck is more important."

He looked up at me, "There are no files, Ella."

My heart sunk.

"What?"

"I didn't start this thinking that my Luna would one day announce to the pack without my permission that I was ending it," he replied, "There are no files."

Then how will you ever know who to contact to return the children?"

"And therein lies the problem," Leo said. "Now you see how much trouble you caused me? It's not that easy and I will think about it when everything else is sorted, okay? Now go and get your shoes on. We leave in five minutes."

I let out a short frustrated sigh.

He was in no rush and I didn't entirely trust he'd ever 'get round to it'. He clearly still didn't care so I knew what I had to do.

But for now, I just had to bite my tongue, put my shoes on and say nothing more.

Half an hour later, I was in the Loren house with Lia, Mateo, Marco and Carlos. The other siblings were all out but Allison had come over. We all piled on the sofa watching an episode of keeping up with the Kardashian's on my request.

Mateo hated it and kept throwing popcorn at the screen whilst the rest of us shouted at him for wasting precious popcorn.

"Mateo?" Lia said after Mateo ceremonially switched off the TV as the end titles rolled.

"Sì," Mateo replied.

"Can we go and see Haden today?" she said.

"Haden?" Mateo asked and Lia nodded.

"Are you sure?" Carlos said and she nodded again.

"Yes," she replied, "I want to just talk to him. Clear some of the air."

"I don't know, Lia," Mateo said.

"Leo said I can see him as long as its supervised," she said.

"I just don't think it's a good idea yet," Mateo said still unsure.

"It was only a week ago Lia," Carlos said.

"A week ago that he marked you without consent," Mateo added.

"Please," Lia begged. "You guys don't know what it's like to have a mate, no matter how hard I try I can't hate him."

Mateo nodded, "Fine. I'll come with you."