Chapter 63

ELLA

With the temporary glimmer of hope Milly had provided gone, Leo had to return to plan A: go back to the base and train his men as well as he possibly could.

Max and I took Milly back to the alpha house where she immediately declared she wanted to be alone and went upstairs to the library where she sat sobbing for hours.

In the early evening, I decided to go looking for Max. I followed his scent up to the top floor and then through the hatch onto the roof.

It was summertime, but the air still had a slight chill to it.

I felt the cool breeze on my face as I climbed through the hatch, so I pulled my cardigan tighter around me before carefully wandering along the edge of the rooftop and sliding down to where Max sat perched just before the gutter.

“Who’s watching the kids?” was all he said as he stared out over the forest.

There were four stories to this house, so we were above the treetops with a clear view of the mountains and lakes, despite the fading daylight.

“Luca came by to drop some groceries off, and he’s gonna stay for a bit,” I said.

Max nodded but refused to look at me.

“I’m sorry,” I said after a deep breath.

He shrugged and reached into his pocket before pulling out a box of cigarettes and a lighter. He put one between his lips and lit it before taking a drag.

“I didn’t know you smoked?” I said as he breathed out the smoke.

“I used to. A lot. Then I quit, and now I only do it when I’m angry, sad, stressed, or depressed,” he replied, taking another puff of his cigarette. “Tonight it’s all four. Congrats on driving me to insanity.”

I sighed. “Max—”

“Save it, Ella,” he said. “I’m pissed off that you didn’t listen to me, and there’s nothing you could say to change that. I told you it was a bad idea and look what happened.”

“Leo has it under control,” I replied.

Max scoffed. “Leo can only control what people do, not what they think. They won’t burn her at the stake because they’re afraid of going against him, but it doesn’t mean they don’t want to,” he said.

“We have sentenced her to a life of being treated as an outcast, a freak…a danger by everyone in this pack.”

“I didn’t think this would happen,” I said.

“But you were willing to take the risk. I thought you cared about her more than this,” he replied.

“The pack is under threat along with all of its people. Our mates, our friends, our family. Including Milly. It was a risk, but so is not doing anything,” I said.

“I thought we had a better chance at saving lives with her help. I was wrong, but at least we won’t watch good people die knowing your sister could have saved them.”

“So we were gonna risk a seventeen-year-old’s life just so we can rest easy?” he asked.

“You know that’s not what I meant,” I snapped.

After that he was quiet, and we just sat on the rooftop for a bit. He finished his cigarette before throwing the butt off the roof with more force than necessary.

“I’ve decided I’m gonna take Milly away,” he said. “Somewhere far from here where no one knows about her. And where she’ll be safe from Martinez.”

“And I take it you’ll be staying with her?” I asked.

He nodded. “I can’t leave her on her own. She’s too young.”

I nodded. “Then I’ll miss you,” I said.

He said nothing, stood up, and walked along the roof toward the hatch for a few meters before pausing.

I had hoped that he’d say it back. Or acknowledge it at least.

But a few seconds later, he just slipped back into the house without a word, leaving me alone on the rooftop.

ANDREA

I drove at ninety miles per hour through the Colombian countryside after my vacation to Washington state.

I’d achieved all I set out to do, and with all necessary preparations planted within Loren’s territory, everything was ready.

His men might have been more disciplined and loyal than mine, but my plan was smart and unpredictable. The alpha had no idea what I was really doing in his pack, and it might just have given me the edge.

I’d also seen his mate again. I couldn’t deny how good it felt to hold her, feel her beautiful body in my hands and watch as she shuddered and cowered away from me, completely helpless.

She used to be so fierce and confident, but I turned her into a shivering wreck within seconds. It was satisfying to watch but nowhere near as good as it was going to be when I killed her…when she would be finally, truly mine.

The fear that would be in her eyes, the way she’d beg, the way she’d plead.

But she had to die first.

Before her alpha, before her kids, before her pack.

It would be Alpha Loren who I would leave until last and him who I wanted to suffer. She might have had to run from me but only because of him.

We could have had a life together. We could have been happy.

But because of her mate, we never could. For as long as she lived, she could never be mine because she would always love him. So she had to die because I had to have her. She had to be mine.

I’d put my hands on her throat and watch as she struggled. For just a moment, I’d have complete power over her. She wouldn’t be thinking about anything or anyone else.

And then the life would drain away, and the last thing she’d see would be me. The last thing she’d feel would be me. The last thought she’d have would be of me.

She’d be mine forever. No more opportunities to escape, no more second chances.

I finally reached the drive to my new house. I stepped out of the car and threw the keys straight at the closest man before marching inside.

“Señor,” he said, running to keep up with me.

“What?” I snapped.

“There’s a man here to see you,” he replied, slightly out of breath.

“Who? I’m not expecting any visitors,” I said, not bothering to slow down for his sake.

“Luciano Megestanis,” he replied.

I suddenly stopped.

He was able to catch up, and I heard him breathe a sigh of relief, which was immediately retracted as I turned to face him.

“And why is he not dead?” I asked with a raised eyebrow.

He gulped and shifted his eyes to the floor. “He says he has an offer.”

“I don’t take offers from traitors. Where is he? I’ll kill him myself.” I growled, turning back toward the house.

“In your office,” the man called.

I stepped into the house and went straight into my office.

I opened the door to see him sitting comfortably in my chair, reading one of my books from the shelf. I clenched my jaw as he looked up, and his eyes glinted.

“Andrea!” he said. “Long time no see.”

“You have guts to come here, Luciano,” I hissed.

He shrugged. “I’ve done nothing wrong.”

“The night she escaped you returned with her scent all over you, suggesting you were with her…yet she still got away. Explain that, Luciano,” I replied.

“You may believe what you like, Martinez,” he said. “But I came here to offer my help.”

I leaned forward and smiled. “Your help?”

“Against Alpha Loren.”

“And why would I trust you?” I spat.

He shrugged. “Because you need me.”

“I need you?” I laughed.

“I admire your confidence, and you may have all these men and weapons and allies and plans…but so does Loren, and you know it. You are both powerful men, and the win could go either way. Do you really wanna risk it?” he asked.

I narrowed my eyes. He had a point. I wouldn’t admit it, but Leonardo Loren was not an easy target.

“And what do you have to offer?”

He smiled and gestured for me to take the seat opposite him.

“This is my office, I don’t need you to tell me I can sit down,” I grumbled, before begrudgingly sitting.

He smiled, satisfied I’d agreed to at least consider what he had to say.

“I used to be in that pack, and I know Leo better than many. I know how he conducts his army, their strengths, their weaknesses, the loopholes.

“And it’s a big pack with lakes, mountains, gushing rivers, and cliffs to get in the way, but I know it like the back of my hand. Even having someone just to tell you the geography would be a huge help.”

I narrowed my eyes, still not convinced.

“I’m also already halfway to earning the alpha’s trust again,” I added.

His eyes snapped up. “So you did let him get her back.” He growled.

He shrugged. “And you could kill me for it, but…”

I lurched forward and grabbed him around the collar before pulling him onto the desk.

He only smiled in amusement. “You aren’t going to kill me.”

With that, I pulled my gun from my belt and pressed the tip against his skull.

“Oh yeah?” I asked. “You think because you know where a few lakes and rivers are I need you? Ever heard of Google Earth?”

“Did I forget to mention this?” he asked, thrusting a crumpled piece of paper toward me.

“What the fuck is this?” I asked, reading the numbers written on it.

“The exact coordinates of one of three underground vaults Leonardo will hide his luna and his kids in when you attack,” he said. “If you want the other two, I’d keep those bullets in the gun.”

I glared at him for a few seconds more.

“I know you want more than the alpha’s death and his pack,” he continued. “You want her. You can’t relax until you have her.”

I let out a low grumble before releasing him.

“Fine,” I said eventually.

“You’re seriously fucked up, dude. Mommy issues?” he asked.

I felt my lip twitch.

“Looks like I hit a nerve,” he teased.

“You will help me. But under my conditions.”

“Of course,” he said, holding out his hand.

I looked down at his hand, hesitated for a moment, before reaching forward and firmly taking his hand.

“First condition: you will not ask me about my life. My mother especially.” I growled.

“Your wish is my command. Besides, what is there to ask? She abandoned you years ago, right? Nothing more to it.”

I clenched my jaw.

“How do you know that?” I hissed.

“My cousin told me of course. We’re very close. She tells me everything,” Luciano replied.

Ella was the first person I had ever told about my childhood. She had been missing home and trying desperately to seek some kind of humanity in me. So for just a few minutes, I’d let her have the slight comfort of finding it.

I knew I’d live to regret it, and here we were.

I stepped forward and looked Luciano right in the eye. He didn’t look away or seem in any way affected by my glare.

“Never mention this again.” I growled.

He did nothing but stand up and walk toward the door.

“I’ll be back this evening with the other coordinates,” he said, before leaving my office and then the house.

I hated him thoroughly, and I hated letting people get away with disrespecting me.

But unfortunately, he was right.

When I attacked, I had to find Ella before I found Loren, and for that, I needed to know where he would hide her.