Alpha Loren novel Chapter 98

December 27th

Leo's POV

The day after Christmas I woke in my living room with three of my brothers dead to the world on my sofas and my mate on a bed of cushions on the floor.

My mouth tasted of stale wine and my eyes were groggy with a hangover. As I pulled out my phone, I let out a low groan.

Texts from Luciano informing me Connor had been found just about alive.

I knew it would tear Ella apart but some dark side of me was hoping the snowstorm that lasted most of yesterday would have gotten the best of him. I was relieved that Ella wouldn't have to go through that grief but I still felt deprived the satisfaction of his life and his threat to the pack being stopped.

"Ella," I said gently shaking her.

She groaned before she opened her pretty blue eyes and squinted at the bright morning sunlight that reflected off the white snow and into the living room.

"Luciano found Connor alive," I told her.

She breathed a sigh of relief.

"So I'm going to the Southern territory now to take him off the pack and begin his exile," I continued.

"Can I come?" she asked.

"No," I said instantly, "You stay here with my brothers and Cato. Luciano is down there and my men are rounding up the rogues on the list. It's not safe."

She nodded before resting her head back down, "Tell Connor he's an idiot but I love him."

I then kissed her on the forehead, went upstairs to change Cato's diaper and feed him the pumped milk before I settled him back down to sleep and left the house only half an hour after dawn.

"I hope I didn't frighten your Luna too much yesterday," Luciano said as we walked down the corridor of the Southern Territory prison to where Connor had been put behind iron bolts and bars.

I gave him a sarcastic smile, "Bring her up one more time and I will fuck you up, Luciano."

He laughed, "Can I bring your sisters up again now or..."

I shot him a glare.

"Because I would still fuck Maria to the other end of the world," he continued, "She is gorgeous-"

"Luciano," I snapped, "Give it a break."

"You're so damn protective over the people you 'love'," he said, "It's no fun. 'Don't use any unnecessary violence on Connor Jones'. What kind of fuckery is that? He was plotting to kill you and you want to take mercy on him just because he's the brother of some girl?!"

"Some girl?" I hissed, "What don't you understand Luciano? We aren't teenagers any more. She's not just another fling. She's my Luna, she's the mother of my child and I care about her. Torturing Connor him just for our own amusement would do nothing but upset her. We got the names. That's all we needed."

Luciano let out a frustrated breath, "And what about the other rogues we captured? Can I do what I please with them?"

"Yes," I said, "I don't give a fuck about them."

Luciano smiled, "So it really is just a show for your Luna."

"Didn't I warn you not to keep bringing her up?" I asked.

At that point, we reached a cell and Luciano unlocked the door and pushed it open all with a sarcastic smile. 

Connor was chained to the wall looking weak, exhausted and above all freezing cold. 

"Guards," I said to the two men stood on duty outside the cell, "Get him a dry coat and a glass of water. When he's got a bit of strength back, have him escorted far off the territory. He already knows the terms of his exile."

I then left Connor's cell and continued down the hall.

"Where are you going?" Luciano asked, his footsteps following me.

"Hestia's cell," I said, "Wife of the late Achilles."

"Hestia?" 

"I take it she is still here?" I asked, turning to look at him.

He seemed reluctant to speak, something Luciano wasn't accustomed too.

"She's innocent and we don't need her anymore. So I'm freeing her," I continued.

"Her husband is dead and her kids have disappeared, probably taken by human social services. She has nothing to go home to," Luciano argued.

"So we just leave her in a cold, dark cell to rot because that's much better," I replied. 

When I reached the cell, Luciano folded his arms and watched me carefully as I unbolted the door and entered.

I laid my eyes on Hestia. She was sat hugging her knees with her hair covering her face. But I could see a rip across her shirt and her legs were bare, the pair of pyjama shorts she was wearing on the other side of the room.

The light pouring into the darkroom from the hallway stimulated no response. She just kept rocking back and forth over and over again.

I clenched my jaw and turned to Luciano, "Why am I not fucking surprised?" I growled, "Why did I know you were going to disobey me again?"

I didn't give him time to explain himself before I seized him by the collar of his shirt and threw him against the wall.

"I ordered you not to lay a hand on her," I hissed in his ear, "And I am your Alpha."

"Well, I may have bent that rule slightly. But she's still alive right?" Luciano replied.

"Did you rape her?" I hissed.