LEO
Shane and Jackie are both gone. I don’t want to fucking believe it.
I have failed them both... Kareena, Shane’s mate, too... her life is over, too. I can only imagine losing Azura. It would fucking destroy me, too.
I don’t fear anything save losing those that I love.
The last conversation between Jackie and me that took place before we left yesterday flashes before my eyes, and I wish I’d had a little more time with her. She was always worried about me. How she would have been fucking happy to know that I will be okay. How fucking happy she would have been that I will be healed. Little did we both know she’d die before me...
Fucking bastard. Anger flares through me, my eyes blazing as I drive as fast as possible, sending orders through the phone.
“...possible breach. There was an explosion on the far left of the pack. Nothing was seen but -”
“I want a code red. Fucking lockdown right now. Have everyone on high alert.”
“Alpha Marcel’s got everyone on duty,” Ace replies.
“Good. Get teams one, three, and seven ready to set out. Tell Raj I want the best scouts now. Ace, Li Sheng, Jin, you three are to follow. Dan, Jax, I want you both ready to tell me what the fuck went down.”
“I want to know, too,” Marcel’s voice comes.
“Got it,” the men reply.
I know Dad will have plenty of fucking questions, considering the Six aren’t those I hang with on pack premises, aside from Jax, yet they hold power and individual squads at their disposal.
Jackie...
I can’t think about it right now. I have a bastard to catch.
Azura reaches over, placing her hand on top of mine. I can hear her heart thumping and can feel the pain and guilt she is feeling.
This isn’t your fault, I say through the link, and I fucking mean it.
He was here because of me, she replies quietly. I glance at her beautiful face. She is wearing that blank expression she always does when her mind is in turmoil.
No, he should have been fully guarded, and I will fucking find out how Jackie even got there, I growl murderously. He wasn’t on pack grounds, so what the fuck happened?
She doesn’t reply, and I promise I will reassure her, but right now, there are a few things I need to make sure are done first. I am pissed at the boys. Why would they even let Jackie fucking go there?
“Don’t leave even an inch of the pack unscoured. If there was an explosion -” I hear a sharp hiss of pain and some sound.
“Dan here, Leo. He tried to break in but didn’t manage to, so he ran when we tried to capture him. He was far too fucking fast,” Dan’s breathless voice explains.
“Got it."
Frowning, I ponder over his words. So somehow, Judah knows exactly where the pack is... did he know beforehand? Why is he so fucking infatuated with Azura? I look up sharply, seeing the fire that is coming from the trees in the distance.
“Is anyone making sure that damage control is taken care of? If the humans question it, shit will get harder.”
“I'm on it,” Marcel replies.
“Daddy? What’s happening?” Corrado’s sleepy voice asks.
“Shush, baby, I'm here,” Azura soothes him, unbuckling herself.
“Careful,” I warn.
“I am.” She climbs into the back, and I hear the belt click as she comforts our son.
“Good, I’ll be there soon,” I say through the phone coldly, putting them on hold. I need to call Alejandro. Hitting the call button, I wait for him to pick up.
“Missing me already?” His cold, mocking voice comes. Furrowing my brow, I clench my jaw.
“No. We just dropped Song off at her house. However, the man who had her last time wasn’t dead... I’ll explain later, but can you make sure the Coven takes her under their wing? She isn’t safe out there, and watch your girls - although I don’t think he’ll make them his target.”
A low menacing growl leaves his lips. “Understood. I’ll contact the Coven and have Song removed. If you need help, Leo, we’re here.”
“I’ll be in touch.” Ending the call, I turn to Azura. “Call her. Fill her in on what’s happening.”
“Got it. Pass me my bag.” I grab it, pass it to her, and hear her rummaging in it before she rings her.
My eyes are fixed ahead on the fire that rises from the trees. I slow down as we near pack grounds.
-----
Two hours have passed, and I am finally satisfied that the pack is secure. Judah has managed to tamper with the electric barriers on the far side of the pack borders, but he has failed to breach.
The bodies of Shane and Jackie are taken to the morgue, and I force myself to command them to tie their bodies down. I still haven't seen them... and I know when I do, it will all feel so much more real. The blood of more lives is on my hands...
When we returned, I made sure a whole squad was watching Azura as well as Corrado, who is now with Winona, with heightened security. Azura refused to stay home and wanted to help. She decided to go to Kareena’s, who had felt her mate’s death... she is someone I will have to face, too, and I am grateful that Azura is with her. Sera is also with her, as well as the Beta female.
I have just filled Dad and Raj in regarding everything about Judah before the three of us head to the hospital. I now enter the hospital where Dan and Jax are being treated. Eric is walking towards us, his eyes bloodshot.
“Leo, you’re back.”
“Yeah, how is Emmet doing?” I ask quietly. He looks down, shaking his head.
“He’s in shock or... something.”
I nod, unable to say anything, and motion him to follow me to the ward. I open the door, and only one doctor is there. He is busy wrapping Jax’s chest up. My eyes flash as I try to control my anger.
“Why was Jackie there?” I ask quietly. Jax glances toward Dad as if uncertain of what he should mention, and I frown. “Continue. He knows about Judah.” Dad nods, his face serious. Dan sighs heavily, his eyes ridden with remorse, making us all turn to him.
“I was showing her some of the results that were really confusing me. I felt like I was having a breakthrough... I should have waited for you... I never should have asked her, but I did.” The pain in his voice is so strong I can feel it. It was a mistake; this isn’t his fault, though. He takes a deep breath before continuing, “After I showed her the reports, she was intrigued and wanted to see him, saying it was something she’s never seen before, and I agreed. Ace said not to... he fucking said not to!” He kicks the bed in frustration, his eyes blazing, and I see the blood spreading from his bandage. “It’s my fault she’s dead!” Lowering his head, he holds it in his hands, and I look away. A painful silence falls in the room.
There is no denying that he made a mistake, and, above all, I know he’ll feel it most. After all... he had been in love with Jackie before she found Emmet... they had dated for a while, too. I had hoped he was the one she would be mated to, but life had other plans. When she found her mate, they ended it. When I had mentioned Jackie would probably end it with Emmet, I saw the glimmer of hope in his eyes that he had tried to hide, but I know my friends well enough. He held hope, and once more, it was taken from him.
The doctor excuses himself, and Jax sits up and swings his legs off the bed that he is sitting on.
“I agreed to it, too. He’d been dead for a while... I didn’t think anything would go wrong,
and then... when Jackie went close, he instantly got up and held her hostage. She said not to care about her... and to kill him by any means.” He sighs heavily, running his hands through his hair irritably. “We tried to save her, but when we just about got her safe, she was already severely wounded. Shane bought us some time and died in the process. When he attacked, she said we couldn’t let him go. He was fast, and he vowed we were all dead, that he knew where the pack was. That’s when she tried to sedate him. She refused to sit back...” His voice cracks, and he refuses to continue.
The pain inside is far too intense... breathing feels hard, like I am drowning underwater, but still, I try to remain emotionless and strong. Dan turns to me.
“Her last words were, ‘I’m the Delta female, and I am not going to let him hurt anyone else.’ She prioritised this pack's safety and sacrificed her life.”
The painful silence that falls over the room is somehow deafening, and I turn away.
I need to see them. Stepping out of the hospital ward, I head to the morgue.
“Leo...”
Her voice makes me stop, my hand on the lift door to the lower floor. I want to tell her I will be fine, that I can handle this shit, but I need her. Our eyes meet, and she breaks into a run, closing the gap between us and locking her arms around me.
I sigh heavily, inhaling her hair deeply.
“How is she?” I murmur quietly.
“Devastated. She has been sedated so she can get some rest,” she whispers back, pain clear in her voice. “Where are you going?”
“To see them,” I reply when she looks up at me. “You don’t need to come.” Our eyes meet, both of us unable to hide our emotions, and she reaches up, cupping my face.
“So, I should just let you go alone? You don’t need to hide your feelings from me, Leo... we are one.”
One. We are one but two halves... and one could be lost. I never want to lose you.
I press my forehead to hers, wrapping my arms around her tightly. She tilts her head up and softly presses her lips against mine. I close my eyes, kissing her back deeply. The sizzling sparks rush through me, calming me and giving me the strength I didn’t know she had to give. I’ll never get enough of this ... of her. She is now my life.
We break apart, and, exhaling, I enter the code to let us in. We step into the large lift, designed to wheel down bodies, and I press the button to the only other floor it leads to. The morgue. The doors open, and I see several men standing to attention. These were my orders, too.
“This room - Alpha, Luna,” one says, motioning to the door he is guarding. He lowers his head, clearly knowing why we are here.
This time I have made sure to keep it in place, just in case something unexpected happens. After Judah came back from the dead, I’m not going to risk him changing Shane and Jackie into something. Until we know what he is, we can’t take risks.
They open the door, and I step in, seeing the two tables that hold the bodies, each covered with a white cloth. Metal chains bind them to the tables, outlining the two distinct body shapes. One male, one female. A man I considered my brother, and a woman I considered my sister...
Guilt rushes through me at my treatment of their bodies being bound, but until I am sure Judah doesn’t have a hold on them, I am going to have to keep them in place. Right now, I can’t afford to make any more mistakes than we already have.
The pain is crushing, my heart thundering as I slowly walk over to Shane’s body. I slowly move the sheet back, and Azura gasps, turning away. I realise that there is no need to bind him... he is missing limbs, and his entire chest is a gaping hole. How am I going to present this body to Kareena? I place my hand on his forehead, slowly caressing his hair. Shane - one of my closest friends.
Fuck, I'm sorry.
This shouldn’t have fucking happened. I look him over. Judah hadn’t held back; his entire body was ripped apart. It is obvious that this is all they have been able to salvage. I’m sorry, man. I owe you... I lift his arm, the only one that is left hanging from his shoulder. Bending down, I hold it to my forehead. How many more do I need to lose for it to be enough?
I feel Azura’s touch as she wraps her arms around me from behind.
I hope you’re in a better place. This isn’t just one death... I know Kareena will follow. In heaven, they will reunite.
Placing his hand down slowly, I pull the sheet over him before turning to the other table. The body is visibly smaller. Fuck.
“You don’t need to see her today,” she whispers softly.
“I can’t delay it.” My voice is hoarse as I walk over to the table.
These steps are as hard as it was when I had walked to my mother’s body. How I fucking wish this is just a prank. Maybe she’ll wake up. My heart is beating so violently it hurts, and I look at Azura, seeing the tears silently streaming down her cheeks. I caress her cheek before I take hold of the white sheet.
The moment I move the sheet back, it feels like time suddenly stops as I stare down at her. Her face is pale, her neck completely ripped to shreds, and it is clear he has torn out her jugular vein. There are dried tear stains down her cheeks, and the top of her head is sticky with blood. They truly are gone.
“Fuck!” I swear. He is fucking dead.
I quickly undo the chains, the sound of the metal clanging echoing in the empty room when they drop. My hands are shaking as I wrap the white sheet around her body gently and pull her close. Jackie...
For the first time in years, I am unable to stop myself from breaking down. I drop to my knees, holding her tight to my chest. My eyes sting. Burying my nose in her hair, her faint scent reaches my nose through the blood. A scent I will never smell again...
I had been like a big brother to her, but I hadn't done the one most important thing a brother should be able to do for his sister. Time and time again, I wasn’t able to protect her. I failed her.