Chapter 79 Chapter 79

Ella's POV

Luca had come by the house for what was supposed to be a brief visit

to drop off groceries but he had quickly become engrossed in a game

of Mario kart with my sons and judging by the screams and shouts

coming from the living room, it wasn't looking like he was going

anywhere any time soon.

So Max took the opportunity to leave us with him and take Milly home.

He didn't say a word, or even look at me as he marched her out of the

house and down the drive.

She looked back helplessly and gave me a small, teary smile as I stood

from the doorstep, full of guilt. I knew my intentions to protect the pack

were good but that doesn't mean it was right. Milly gave us a drop of

hope that we were all too quick to snatch at before we considered the

consequences and we should have listened to Max. We shouldn't have

used our power as Alpha and Luna to override his wishes regarding his

own kid sister.

After they'd gone, I shut the front door and stared at the wooden

panels on its back.

I could hear my heart pounded in my ear and my chest was beginning

to squeeze and constrict like someone had tied a belt around it. I

clenched my fists and bit my cheek but I couldn't hold back my tears

for long. My vision soon blurred with water I kept my eyes fixated on

the wood of the door.

Then the sobs came silently, seizing my throat as I fell to my knees,

hardly able to breathe.

I clasped the floorboards with my nails as I clenched my eyes shut tight.

The pressure built inside me. In my head especially. I needed to cry, to

wail, to howl. My face contorted and creased but nothing could come

out. Nothing except floods of tears.

"Ella?" Luca's voice asked from the hall, "What's wrong."

He dropped to the ground beside me but I couldn't speak or move to

acknowledge him

"Ella, you need to breathe,” he said rubbing my back, "Ella."

I shook my head repeatedly as I clasped my nails at my head, desperate

to release the pressure in some way. But nothing was working and it

only grew more immense until it totally consumed me.

After that, I don't really know what happened

At some point I ended up on the sofa, staring vacantly down at the

swirls and patterns of the rug.

It slowly grew dark outside and the kids gradually began to tire. The

squeals of joy as the played Mario kart began to get quieter and

eventually even Cato wasn't climbing all over Luca, sabotaging his

attempt at “rainbow’ road. One by one, they began to drop off and Luca

carried them upstairs as they slept in his arms.

"How are you?" Luca asked once they were all in bed.

I shrugged. My mouth was dry and my cheeks stung with the salt of my

tears. Inside, the turmoil continued. It was at bay but my panic attack

was hardly unprovoked. Andrea was still out there and those six

sleeping kids were still in danger. Milly still could never live peacefully

in this pack again and Max still hated me.

Just then, the wheels of a car rolled into the drive.

"It's Max," Luca said coming back into the living room after looking

through the window in the hall. "Do you want to go or should 1?"

I got to my feet, "I'll go," I said.

He nodded and I headed for the front door.

Max was just getting out of his car as I stepped onto the porch, closing

the door behind me.

As he opened the door, the internal light flickered on, revealing Milly

sat in the front passenger seat. Her cheeks were tear-stained and her

face distraught.

He left her and came up to the doorstep where I stood. He paused on

the bottom step as I gave him a meek smile.

"I've had some time to calm down," he said after swallowing, "I haven't

forgiven you but I wanted to say goodbye because you're still my

friend.”

"You're really going,” I said as my heart began to sink.

He nodded and there was a silent pause as he just stood in the drive,

his hands now delved deep into his pocket.

"She doesn't really wanna go. I feel awful for forcing her but..." he said

before looking back to the car. "I know it's best.”

I nodded as I began to walk down the steps to where he stood at the

bottom, "She knows you care about her more than anyone else.”

Max smiled, "I care about you too. Far more than you damn deserve."

I let out a light laugh as I held back my tears, "How long do you think

you'll be gone for?" I asked trying to keep it together.

"I don’t think Milly will ever be able to return. But me? Maybe when she

finds her mate or is old enough to look after herself out there. I don't

know but you haven't seen the last of me yet, Ella Jones.”

I smiled before I felt the tears begin to fall. Not willing to stand there

letting him watch me cry, I lurched forward and wrapped my arms

around him, hugging him tightly.

He hugged me back and rested his head on mine.

"Look after the Alpha, won't you?" he said. "And call me if you ever

wanna talk...or argue or whatever the fuck we do."

I laughed, "I will."

"And I know this is the worst time I could possibly be leaving you but

I've got to look out for my little sister.”

"I'm a grown-up now, Maxy," I said. "You know I'll be okay."

He nodded, "Of course you will."

"I'm guessing you haven't told Leo," I said as I pulled away, wiping my

eyes.

He shook his head, "He can't know until I'm off the territory. Just let him

know later tonight, okay?"

"I won't have to if you don't hurry up and leave before he gets home," I

said. "He texted me five minutes later saying he was just about to leave

the base.”

"Oh shit," Max said before giving me one last squeeze, "I'll call you

soon, okay?"

I nodded before he pulled away and headed back towards his car.

I was just following him down the steps to say goodbye to Milly as Leo

appeared at the end of the drive. He furrowed his eyebrow at the sight

of Max's car with Milly in it but didn't question until he reached the

doorstep and looked at my teary eyes.

"What's going on?" Leo asked.

Max scratched the back of his neck again and winced, "I'm leaving with

my sister, Alpha.”

"Leaving? Where are you going?" he questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"I don't know," Max replied. "Milly has always wanted to go to San

Francisco so..."

Leo let out a short laugh, "Have you lost your mind, Maximus?"

Max sighed and looked to the floor before taking a deep breath.

"I know I have duties in this pack but they are nothing my brother can

not fulfill. Right now my sister is my priority,” Max replied.

"Why can't your brother take Milly to fucking San Francisco?" Leo

asked, irritation rising in his voice.

"Because I don't trust Mason," he said

"But you'd trust him to take over one of the most important roles in this

pack whilst we're under attack by Martinez?" Leo snapped.

"I meant I don't trust him to take good care of Milly," Max said, staring

into the trees of the forest and not into Leo's glaring eyes. "She's

already upset. The last thing she needs is Mason.”

I liked to avoid Mason at all costs. He was the eldest of Max's three

younger brothers and although I struggled to like any of them, he was

the one I could tolerate the least.

"You are not abandoning this pack,” Leo replied. "Milly will be fine. She

already has my protection.”

Max didn't do anything but look back down to the floor silently. Leo

still stared intently and I noticed through the window of Max's car, the

concerned look on Milly's face.

"Leo," I said tugging his hand. "Come inside. You too Max. You both

need to talk about this properly before any decision is made.”

"Ella's right," Leo said. "I can tell you are not yet seeing how completely

insane this is and I need to talk some sense into you before you do

anything stupid.”

Max clenched his jaw, "Fine."

I could tell he had a lot to say to Leo, all bubbling and festering under

the surface. But unfortunately for him, Leo's his Alpha.

Once I had ushered them all inside, only Milly accepted my offer to sit

down at the kitchen table. Max and Leo opted to stand at opposite

ends of the room of each other, Leo glaring at Max with his arms folded

across his chest as Max stood with his hand on Milly's shoulder. She

watched Leo as he eyed her brother and held her hands tightly

together as we all waited in an intense silence for someone to speak.

"So as I have made very clear," Leo began, "You are not leaving this

pack. Not until Andrea Martinez is dead.”

Max looked down at the table and clenched his jaw.

"Where do you plan to protect the civilians when he attacks, Alpha?"

Max asked, "The base?"

"As always."

"And that means that when I go to fight I will have to dump my sister

amongst all of the wolves who just saw her nearly kill a boy with

Hecate's powers, right?" Max replied. "What happens if you are killed?

Let's face it, it's not unlikely. And then what will be protecting Milly

from their witch hunts? The orders of a dead man.”

"If you are concerned, she can accompany Ella and my kids in one of

the vaults,” he replied, "It's safer there than the base anyway."

Max paused, "And then the second he is dead, we are free to leave?"

Leo nodded, "You have my word."

"Which vault?" he said.

"The one three miles North of the base by Lake Jada. The second you

hear word of Martinez's attack, take her there and it will not be bolted

up until she is inside. Once she is, I can guarantee her safety.”

Max nodded, "Okay. Deal."

I let out a sigh of relief.

Crisis averted.

KXOKXKUKX

Thanks for sticking with me :)