“I don’t know, Daddy. I like Azura, and when she spends time with me, she doesn’t go on her phone or look bored. She’s happy to play with me and talk to me. Nikki was only happy when Daddy was there…” he mumbles.
My heart fucking clenches, and I can’t stop myself from moving closer to him, taking his face in my hands as I crouch in front of him. I feel fucking guilty. He may be young, but, like all kids, he has good intuition. He picks up on things that you would never think he would…
“I’m sorry Nikki made you feel like that. Why didn’t you ever tell me?”
“It’s okay, Daddy, she made you happy. I just… Azura is special and… I think Daddy likes Azura a whole wide world more than Daddy liked Nikki,” he says, stretching his arms wide as he smiles brightly. I smile slightly.
“Oh yeah?”
“Yes, Daddy. When you look at Azura you look happy…”
“I’m happy all the time.” He shakes his head.
“No, Daddy, I mean when you are with Azura, it’s the same happy like when we are alone. You are different.”
I don’t reply, wrapping my arms around him tightly as I pullhim down from his chair, his small arms wrapping around my waist. If I leave him… who will he have? And what about our unborn pup? I want to meet him or her, too… what will the pup look like? Azura? Me? Maybe a mix?
For them… do I ask Kiara? Who knows, maybe she can delay the process to buy me some time?
“Daddy, I love you the most,” he whispers.
“I love you the most, too, kid,” I reply quietly. For them… I fucking need to do something.
“But I am okay if Daddy also loves Azura, too.” Love… I chuckle, moving back and ruffling his hair.
“You really are something, kid.”
“I am Corrado Herrmann Rossi!”
Rossi… I frown slightly but say nothing. Many of my businesses are under Herrmann, but deep down, I still feel my name is Rossi, and as Alpha, being tied to the name you believe in is the only fucking thing that works, even if I fucking hate it. So, it fucking stuck, no matter how much I began to despise it…
“You sure are.” I stand up, giving him another faint smile. If he wants to be called Rossi, he sure as fuck can be. He is, and always will be, my son, regardless of anything else.
It is a while later, and I have dropped Corrado off at Marcel’s, telling him I’ll be popping down later once I have dealt with some shit. He had been happy to have him and clearly thrilled that I was going to pop down later, even going so far as to ask me to eat dinner there tonight. I had agreed, much to Corrado’s excitement before I left.
I am now making my way to Emmet’s cell. He is sitting there on the bed, unmoving; I observe him through the cameras for a bit before I turn and walk to one of the questioning rooms,ordering the guards to bring him out. I don’t even fucking know how this conversation is going to go. I have grown up alongside him, and the fact that he did that… just the memory of him kicking Azura makes my blood fucking boil.
He is brought in and pushed into the seat opposite me.
I can handle him. Wait outside, I tell the two men, my gaze on Emmet, who is simply staring at me. His eyes are heavy with emotion and probably the effect of the silver in the cell.
“You finally came to see me. I won’t say I’m not hurt… I thought we were brothers.”
“Are you really playing the sympathy card? You kicked a pregnant woman in the stomach when you knew she was carrying a pup,” I growl coldly, taking out a cigarette to keep my hands from strangling him. I light it as I watch him, trying to remain calm.
“An Elite, remember?” Emmet replies, his eyes watching me calculatingly. “So, she turned out to be your mate, but she’s still one of them.” My eyes flash as I slam the free one down on the table between us.
“What the actual fuck? Are you for fucking real? You tried to kill an unborn pup and obviously have no fucking remorse,” I spit venomously.
“That’s the mate bond talking, Leo, not you.” I stand up, my aura raging around me as I lean over the table and grab him by the collar of his shirt.
“No. Trust me, it’s not, because I’m doing my fucking best to try not to remember that it was my mate who you fucking hurt or the fact that that is my kid you tried to kill. Because if I go by that… I would have fucking killed you already,” I hiss, tightening my hold on him. He simply smirks and shakes his head.
“Nah, you wouldn’t… because of Jackie,” he replies cockily.
“I don’t even fucking know how we were friends,” I shoot back, coldly slamming him back in his seat. “Besides, Jackie admittedto the fact that you hurt her. You will be tried, Emmet, before the pack. And yeah, maybe I won’t fucking kill you, but you will live a life worse than death. A life in confinement.” He frowns, and I sit down again. “Tell me, Emmet. Aside from beating and abusing your mate, trying to harm a pregnant she-wolf, and assaulting your Alpha’s child and rightful Luna. Is there anything else you want to tell me?” I ask, my eyes locked with his. There is nothing there… just like when I first asked him about what Azura had said, he was smooth as could be. Who knows how many times he has lied to me?
“Alpha to be,” he says after a moment, a faint mocking smirk on his face. “Right?” Low blow, considering he’s the one person I ever expressed my feelings about that to. I smirk arrogantly, taking a long drag on my cigarette.
“The thing is, whether I hold that title or not, I’m still an Alpha. Not because of my position but because an Alpha’s duty is to protect, and that is what I’m doing. Title or not, I’m still the fucking Alpha.” With those words, I lean over, yanking him forward by the collar as I glare at him. Although I can’t do real damage, I can still hurt him to an extent where Jackie won’t feel the pain, just like a ruthless round of training. “Now tell me who you gave the formula of my 0395s. Only you knew about them. So, want to tell me exactly how I came across someone else with the exact same fucking bullets?” I ask coldly, my eyes locked with his. His heart rate changes.
Bingo.
It seems like he wasn’t prepared for that question. The confidence on his face falters before he looks away, running a hand through his hair.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he denies, his eyes flitting around the room before he looks back at me.
“Oh, you fucking do. So either you tell me, or you are forced to answer me,” I threaten dangerously.
“So, you’ll do what every other Rossi does and compel everyone to speak the truth?” He spits venomously.
“If I have to, I will.”
“You really are more like them than I thought.” His voice is filled with resentment, and I wonder if this is my fault. Did I instil this hatred in him? Nah… we both thought similarly enough.
“Then I guess I am, and there’s fuck all either of us can do about it. This is about what’s fucking right or wrong, and you, what you did, was worse than what Rayhan Rossi did,” I hiss.
“So, you will just forget the years of friendship and trust over a few mistakes?”
“Mistakes? What you did wasn’t a one-off, but we’re going off fucking topic. The thing is, I think you’re forgetting that I was able to cut off my own blood. What makes you think I won’t do the same to you? There’s a limit to forgiveness, Emmet, and you’re way past that. Now tell me, who did you give my formula to, knowing full fucking well the damage they can do in the wrong hands?” I ask, letting my command roll into my voice. Although I am not the official Alpha, my command is still strong enough. He frowns deeply, clenching his jaw. “I’ll count down from three… speak, or I’ll fucking make you speak,” I growl.
“There’s nothing to tell! I told no one!”
“Lie.” My eyes blaze as I stand up, tossing the cigarette aside and slamming my hands on the table. He flinches, his eyes flashing with irritation towards himself for letting his fear show. “We have been friends long enough. You should know that I don’t forgive. One last time. Who did you sell the make-up of those bullets to?” Under my command, he lowers his head. “Answer me!” I shout.
More Kickass Werewolf Reads
Dive into our collection of free werewolf romance novels—where fierce Alphas, daring heroines, and heart-stopping twists await. Every story burns with forbidden desire, loyalty, and destiny. Don’t wait—here’s a world where love bites hard and nothing is stronger than the call of the mate.
Leave a Reply