Alpha Loren

October 11th

Rosa made coffee and we enjoyed it with Leo's family. Antonio had spoken briefly to Leo in his office, due to Leo's crazy loud siblings I couldn't hear what they were talking about, but when they came out, Antonio constantly glanced at me and I could tell there was a lot of tension between he and Leo.

On the journey home, I looked out the window into the now dark forest. Through the towering trees, I could see the white moon reflecting on to the glistening lake and casting shadowy shapes onto the track. The stars were clearly shining in the cloud-free sky illuminating the road ahead of us. It was what some would call a perfect night.

"Were you killing people tonight?" I asked the curiosity devouring me.

He sighed

"You shouldn't ask questions that you know you won't like the answer to..."

"Were you?"

"Yes," He said bluntly.

"Did they even do anything to deserve it?" I quietly questioned my eyes welling up with tears as I tried to shuffle as far away as possible from him.

"When I left you in the car, I found a rogue. After some...persuasion, I learnt from him that there were ten more lurking in a group just a few miles in from the border. All male, all unmated,” He said stroking my leg in an attempt to calm me down. "They were a threat and you have to understand that I am Alpha and part of my job is to kill those that threaten the pack.”

"You didn't have to kill them," I replied tears streaming down my face as I pushed his hand off my leg. "How do you know they had bad intentions? How do you know they weren't just passing by!?" "Passing by'?! No rogue passes through pack land with no permission, without meaning to cause trouble,” he said in a deeper more growly tone.

"Well, they have to be on someone's land!" I shouted,

"Then why the fuck would they chose mine of all Alphas?!" he snapped. "They know who I am and they know what I am capable of. Nobody would come on my land unless they want trouble and I'm not risking that. I don't give out fucking warnings."

"So if when you found me, a rogue on my territory, and I wasn't your mate, would you have killed me?" I asked.

"Maybe," he replied, "Maybe not. You're a young, pretty girl and you were on your own. Hardly a threat. I probably would have fucked you and let you on your way."

I stared at him in disbelief.

"What?" he asked, "Would you rather I lied to you?"

I leant my head on the window and let out a short breath, "Whether you judge them to be a threat or not, it was still unjust.”

At that, he raised his fist and brought it down on the steering wheel hard. I flinched at first and then jumped a little at the impact.

"Stop questioning my actions. I am your Alpha and you are too innocent to understand that not everyone in this fucking world means well like you!" He replied his fury clearly boiling over.

I stayed silent and just stared out the window

He had already killed 11 people today. I didn't want to be the 12th.

The car pulled up the drive and the once clear night seemed to of clouded over and rain was beginning to fall.

Leo stormed out of the car and marched over to my side whilst I stayed seated.

"Get out," he ordered, opening the door.

The rain poured down, already soaking him to the skin.

I looked up at him and scowled. He clenched his jaw and grabbed my wrist, hauling me out of the car and dragging me to the front door.

I practically had to run to keep up with his quick long strides and it was only when we got inside, under the yellow glow of the hall light, that I could see just how angry he was and I moved immediately to the other end of the hall.

We stood silently. Our clothes and hair dripping on the wooden floor from the now torrential rain. A minute must of past and he still held the same angry icy glare. Eventually he moved to take off his soaked shirt off and flung it hard into the corner. It lay there in a soggy heap, water seeping out the edges and absorbing into the wood.

Another minute or two of total stare off passed before he let out a short sigh.

"You're going to get cold," He stated his voice softening ever so slightly as he looked down at my wet shorts and t-shirt. I didn't say anything.

"For the sake of the Goddesses, Ella. Just go and get changed I can't bear to stand here and watch you shiver!” He shouted.

"Then go upstairs and don't watch me," I said sharply.

He parted his lips slightly, his tongue pressing into his front teeth before he turned on his heel and strode into the bathroom off the hallway.

He came out with a towel and gave me no choice but to be wrapped in it. I clutched it tighter around as he stepped back again.

"I had my reasons for killing them," he said in a calm enough voice, "One day, you will understand that or at least learn to accept me for who I am.”

"Do you always have reasons?” I asked, "I know the stories, Leonardo. I know you've attacked innocent packs and killed everyone there.”

"Not everyone,” he replied.

"Oh yes that's right,” I said, "The great mystery of what Alpha Loren does with the little boys of those packs. They find the bodies of men, women, little girls. But male children? Never."

He gave me a tired look, "Do you ever lay off it?"

"No," I said, "I don't."

He sighed, "Fine. What do you want to know?"

"Where the fuck are those kids?" I spat.

"They're alive,” he said before pausing, "I spare them because they are of used to me in an institution in the base where they are trained to become my soldiers. They will grow up to be strong healthy young men. I'm offering them a better life than what they would have had in their feeble little packs.”

"Offering!? Did you give them the choice to be dragged away from their mothers at such young ages and brought to a strange unknown pack and be raised as brutal warriors?!! They may not remember their mothers when they are older but they still have to go through the traumatic experience and how do you think the mothers feel?!!" I shouted now in hysterical tears. "What if that was your child?!"

"It matters little to me and besides, most of the mothers are dead anyway," He deadpanned.

His face had transformed from utter fury to emotionless and icy in seconds. Somehow I felt like I would be less scared if he was screaming in my face and hitting me. The coldness of his stare put me on edge- and I mean like the edge of a cliff - a high crumbling one with jagged rocks and vicious sharks below.

He took a few slow steps towards me. As I cowered back he grinned in amusement.

"Am I scaring you, sweetheart?" he asked, placing a finger under my chin.

"You're mad for no reason,” I said, "I have only voiced my opinion.”

He then lifted my chin so my eyes locked on his.

"When we first met, I thought I'd be able to get that fierce personality out of you just like that," He continued snapping his fingers. "But since it has decided to take a more permanent residence than I originally thought, I think it's time to resort to more...serious measures. Don't you think?" He said as his finger trailed down from my chin along my neck.

I shivered from his touch and looked down to the floor.

He was stood too close for comfort and I could feel my heart beating in my chest. Physically, I wasn't trapped. But emotionally he suffocated me. I felt like there was no way out.

"As you know, you don't bare my mark yet..." he said pushing my hair off my neck and intensely slowly lowering his head.

I froze.

My breathing stopped as a sharp notion of panic and powerlessness seized my lungs.

If he wanted to, he could. There was no way I could stop him.

His fangs withdrew and I felt them brush the skin of my neck. The tension was excruciating as I could do nothing but stand still, praying he wouldn't do it.

His teeth lingered at the surface of my neck for a short while before he brought his head up and placed his finger under my chin once again.

I finally let myself breathe again as I slowly looked back up at him.

"Don’t make me do it, Ella," he said, his eyes still cold and harsh.

My relief was jarred. This was a warning.

And I'm fairly sure warnings from Leonardo Loren shouldn't be taken lightly.