Chapter 75 Chapter 75

Ella'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 to

come too."

I laughed 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 and laughed.

She was a few inches taller than me and had the most elegant figure,

despite only being 17. Her eyes were large, dark and round and her

hair, thick long locks of chocolate brown. She really was beautiful

"Yeh and she has all the boys swooning over her,” Max grumbled. "I'm

having to fight one in particular 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 and come

inside. The kids will be delighted to see you Milly."

I let Milly come 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.

He laughed, "Who are you to tell me what to do? Did you raise her? Are

you her guardian until she's 182"

"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 plaiting Milly's hair.

"Oh, girls be careful with your cousin's hair. Don't pull too hard," I said

with a laugh 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 Silas attacked a leg each, chanting “slay 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 Silas into his arms too.

"I will not be defeated by three small humans!" he continued

I laughed 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 deep lake? 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 slaying 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 village and I sit next to him in Math

class,” 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, Ella. 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.

"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 glances

"And don't you dare tell Blair. 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 the last 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 glare

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?!"

"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, "Ella, 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,

Ella.”

"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 glaring once again at Milly and then me

before taking a walk outside.

"I'l call Luca to come 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?"

She nodded, "Yes."