Page 45

Leo

“ S o, that’s him?” Song asks Azura quietly.

“Yup.”

“Okay, Azura, he’s so -”

“Don’t. I bet his big ears are listening in,” Azura mutters.

I am outside the hospital room whilst they talk inside quietly, but yeah, I can still hear and see them with the door slightly ajar. Azura is sitting next to her friend with her arms around her. We had gotten back pretty fast. I had Azura with me, and I knew instantly why she had felt that pain. In the fight, I had overexerted myself, and she had felt it… luckily, she had regained consciousness pretty quickly before we even got back to the pack grounds. Since then, she has been watching me intently, almost calculatingly… I have to fucking make sure that doesn’t happen again, for her sake…

But then what about overall? The bottom line is I’m fucking dying, and that pain will only increase as the days and weeks pass by.

The doctor has checked her over, and she is fine. As for her friend, she has been tended to and is in good care, although she’ll be hospitalised for a few days. My injections aren’t really ideal to use on a human… however, I recommended they give her a very diluted dose to see if it helps. If it doesn’t help, it doesn’t, but just trying the small amount holds no harm.

“So, what are you going to do now?” Jax asks, hands in his pocket as he stands across from me.

“Regarding?” I ask, walking away from the hospital room and down the corridor.

“Regarding our Luna and her friend?”

“Song Daquin is welcome to stay until she’s healed,” I reply shortly.

“And the Luna?”

“Stop calling her that,” I mutter.

“Until she joins the pack?” Jax persists. Why the fuck is he so pushy?

He is the only one I will be seen around the pack with. Not everyone knows how close I am to the six, and I prefer it that way. We’ll occasionally go for drinks on a night out, but lately, everything has just felt so fucking busy.

I don’t fucking know, I reply, ignoring the two nurses who are giggling and staring at us. Why are most women so fucking annoying?

Can I say for once Schurke Wolf doesn’t have the answer? Jax’s reply comes as we step out into the dark. I take out a cigarette and light it, not replying to him and instead taking a long drag.

Did you place the body where I asked? I ask the others through the link.

Yeah, treat it as if he’s alive, Ace’s voice answers.

I’m not going to take risks, I reply, frowning deeply. The link is open so all seven of us can converse.

What are you worried about? Jin asks quietly. I frown, my mind wandering back to the drive home as I stared at the stars in the sky…

I slowed down, feeling as if I was missing something as I turned a sharp corner. I didn’t feel at ease, and it wasn’t Azura…

Shane, Li Sheng, change of plan. Do not bring the body inside of the pack… keep him in the underground cells at location twelve.

Roger, Shane said instantly.

Understood… Li Sheng’s reply followed.

Why? Jin asked.

Just do it. I don’t want that… thing inside this pack. He isn’t a werewolf; I know that much. Besides, those bullets were made to kill werewolves instantly… he survived after multiple shots. I know he’s dead, but… just keep him the fuck locked up until I run his prints and do some tests. Then we’ll dispose of the body.

Seeing the way he moved, even after I shot him point blank with a bullet that should have killed him, didn’t go unnoticed. He was still able to move… so what’s the guarantee that the other bullets worked?

I looked over at Azura, who was asleep, her chest rising and falling, and ran my knuckles down her jaw. I’m not going to take any chances…

It was too easy… I’ve seen Azura fight Emmet. She’s good, yet she didn’t stand a chance against Judah. So how did he go down so easily?

Because Schurke Wolf beat his ass? Ace offers.

Isn’t Sera wanting you home? I counter.

Always, but she’ll be fine. She knows I’m working. Either way, I guess it’s better to be safe. Shall we just burn him and get that shit over with?

Burning isn’t always the answer, especially if Leo doesn’t think he’s a werewolf, Dan reminds him.

And the tests he wants to run, Shane adds.

We’ll figure out what he is. Dan, I want you to begin running some tests, but keep him bound, and I want at least four of you there with him, I order.

I think you are being too paranoid, Leo, Jax adds thoughtfully.

Nah… you can never fucking be too careful. Think smart. I frown.

Like you always do? Ace’s cocky voice asks. I know he means the entire situation with Azura, but that shit is totally different. I know I will have to talk to her sooner or later, and I can’t avoid her forever…

The way that bastard had talked to her had made my blood boil. I hated the bastard with everything I fucking had.

He’s under surveillance, and we have six men watching him. You can relax. If we see or think anything is out of the ordinary, I will alert you, Li Sheng says. Currently, he is watching him as I wanted one of the six to constantly be on alert. That location is close enough to be within linking range.

Good. I’ll come to check on him tonight if I get time. I need to go pay a visit to Emmet, too. Think we all need to get some rest for now. Jax, are the preparations for the drugs to be traded with the buyers ready?

Yes… regarding that, I meant to tell you that Web is one of the buyers. He went through another, but it’s definitely him. Do you want me to cancel it?

I frown. I had killed his son because he tried to double cross me… why would he do business with me, even if the drugs are sought after? He definitely has a reason, and I am certain that it is to get revenge.

No. Let him be. We’ll keep an eye on him, I reply.

Johann Weber, also known as the Web, is a forty-nine-year-old mobster, one who I hate fucking dealing with. That is the type I fucking want dead. His son, who I had killed, was worse than his old man if that is even fucking possible. A rapist and a sick bastard. Although I put his death down to Johann Weber trying to double-cross me, I got rid of him because he was sick. There are things I can look past, but someone like Harry Weber didn’t deserve to fucking live.

Did you send the money to the orphanages, I ask?

Yup, 50k donated to each orphanage in the county by an anonymous benefactor, Jax replies as he walks beside me.

Good.

You’re a good person, Leo, you just need to let it all go. Just ease up and remember you deserve some of that happiness, too. I get that you want others to be better off… but I mean, not everyone cares about humans as you do.

Human, werewolf, or whatever, those are still children. Even fifty thousand won’t make a dent in the support they need.

You’re doing enough, Leo.

Am I?

Turn in for the night. I’m going to -

“Leo!”

We both stop and I take a drag on my cigarette as I spot Azura running over, her breasts bouncing and looking damn fine…

“Excuse me…” Jax smirks slightly before walking off. So much for avoiding her…

She watches Jax walk off before her gaze returns to me. She is wearing the same outfit as earlier, although she had removed the bulletproof suit before the doctor had done her checks.

“Why didn’t you get checked?” She asks, almost accusingly.

“Because I’m fucking fine,” I reply, blowing out the smoke slowly. She frowns slightly, looking me over as if expecting to see an injury. She meets my gaze, observing me intently, but I remain emotionless until she shakes her head, looking uncertain.

“Good…”

“You should get some rest,” I tell her, glad she didn’t push it. I turn away, ready to leave. I know I can’t keep denying or ignoring the situation and that soon, I will need to figure this shit out for her, Corrado, and our unborn pup…

“Why are you avoiding me?” She asks, grabbing my arm.

“I’m not.” She raises an eyebrow.

“I’m not stupid, Leo,” she growls. “Is it because of what happened when we were making out?”

“No,” I lie coldly. It is partially… her memory… “Besides, it was a fucking mistake.”

“Yeah, everything when it comes to me is a fucking mistake for you, isn’t it?” She hisses coldly.

I know my words have hurt her, and although I didn’t fucking mean it in the way she’s taking it, I don’t have the fucking courage to tell her why it is a mistake. Maybe her hating me will work better for her. I am someone who is always fucking in control, but when it comes to her… I am a fucking mess.

“Think whatever the fuck you want. Regarding the deal I made with you… how do you want to do it? Let’s get it over and done with soon.” A flicker of hurt flashes in her eyes as she searches my cold ones.

“Then what?” She asks sharply. “Are you trying to get rid of me?”

“Why? Do you want to stay?” I shoot back coldly. Her eyes flash, and she glares at me.

“No, why would I want to stay with a dumb twat like you? Yeah, let’s get the deal over with then.” I know she is speaking in anger, but is it wrong that pissing her off is pretty amusing?

“I’d rather be dumb than look like a fish.”

“Excuse me?” Her eyes narrow dangerously.

“Have you seen the movie Shark Tale ? You look like Lola with those lips.” She pauses for a moment before her eyes flash silver.

“You love these lips,” she growls, glaring at me.

“Wrong,” I reply arrogantly. I love those lips.

“Fuck off, Leo. I don’t know why you’re being a dick but carry on. Thanks for dealing with Judah. Once we’ve both fulfilled our halves of the deal… we go our separate ways,” she says. I feel the flash of hurt and anger through the bond before she slams her walls up completely.

“Perfect,” I reply. My gaze dips to her lips before I look away. Maybe it is for the fucking best… I don’t want her getting attached…

We look at each other, and I guess there is one fucking thing we have in common. We are both stubborn-as-fuck. Her chest is heaving as she glares at me icily.

“I’ll speak to Marcel in the morning, and in the coming days, I’ll arrange for Alejandro to call that bastard to his pack, and I’ll do that shit. Whilst we’re there, you can talk to your brother.”

“You sure are in a rush to get rid of me,” she says bitterly. No, I just don’t have much time…

Our eyes meet, and it is fucking suffocating. All I want is to pull her close and fix this shit, but we can’t always have what we want…

“You are always welcome to this pack.” Even when I’m gone…

“Welcome to visit… thanks,” she says sarcastically, her eyes meeting mine. “You are a total dickface.”

She turns and is about to storm off when she stops. Turning back, she steps closer, grabbing hold of my jacket. Our eyes meet and her heart skips a beat, the intense pull making me struggle to control myself. Just when I thought she might yank me down and kiss me, she punches me in the stomach. Fucking hard. I clench my jaw, refusing to give her the satisfaction. She packs quite the fucking punch. I glare at her.

“You are so fucking violent,” I growl.

“I am going to find a staple gun before I leave,” she mutters before storming off, making me raise my eyebrow. I can’t help but smirk as I massage my stomach. It hurts more than it should have. Fuck, I am getting weaker.

Nice ass, I taunt.

Fuck off. I might just do that, whilst picturing you in my head.

The moment she enters the hospital, I look up at the sky. I know Jackie always pushed me to see Kiara. Parts of my body have already begun shutting down, and if it wasn’t for the medication and shit I am using, I would be long dead. I have left it too late, and now when there may be a part of me that wants to live on, even if it means putting aside my ego… deep down, I don’t think Kiara can heal me. She won’t be able to fix this, I know I am past that point. She is only able to heal something that is damaged, not completely gone, just as she can’t regenerate limbs.

I take my phone out, staring down at a number I’ve always had but never rang, but I don’t think even he can fix this shit. I just need to get everything I need doing, done before my time comes to an end. For everyone.