LEO
"Meet me at headquarters," I say coldly. Despite the shock his words have caused me, my voice is in control.
There is no way those drugs are tainted. I had gotten the best of the fucking best. I checked them myself, as well as getting Shane to check it all. That shipment had been completely fucking fine.
I leave the office, swiftly heading downstairs, when I see Azura nibbling on a handful of freshly cooked, homemade chips. I can hear the oil sizzling in the kitchen, and the quiet hum tells me Rosaline is here. Dad did say he’d ask her to move in as Corrado loves her cooking. I wonder if he thinks this will be a permanent thing. I don’t fucking know what we are going to do yet, but I’ll deal with that when things aren’t so fucking hectic.
I take a moment to appreciate the view of my sexy little psycho. She is fucking fine…
"Thank you, Rosaline!" Azura calls before her attention falls on me. "I was hungry," she adds guiltily, walking over to me and popping one in my mouth. I bite into it, grabbing hold of her waist and drawing on the calm she offers.
"Eat away without guilt, beautiful." I kiss her lips softly as she munches on her chips, pecking me back. A frown creases her brow, and she cups my face with her free hand.
"What’s wrong?"
"Am I that obvious?" I ask, kissing her neck. She moves back slowly; my aim to distract her has failed.
"Leo, did the meeting go okay? I just saw Marcel looking lost in thought, too." I raise an eyebrow, pulling her close and kissing her lips.
"The meeting went fine; not sure what Dad’s issue is, but I have something I need to deal with. I'm going to fucking step out, alright?" She nods slowly, wrapping one arm around my neck.
"Is everything okay?"
"It will be. I’ll fill you in when I get back," I say quietly. She frowns.
"Why can’t I come?"
"Azura, it’s not the best of times for me to take you -" She cuts me off, pressing her lips to mine before giving that doe-eyed pout.
"Please? I’ll pay you back with something," she whispers, pressing her thigh against my crotch. "I could get a little dirty?"
No more secrets…
"Isn’t it pretty late? Aren’t you tired?"
"I napped, remember?" She counters.
"Fine." Her smile spreads, and she quickly pulls away.
"I’ll go grab my shoes!"
I frown as I wait for her. I can’t fucking think straight. How the fuck did this happen? She returns, looking concerned.
"I just realised Winona isn’t here. Corrado is asleep, but let me ask Marcel if he’ll keep an eye on him."
She is the perfect mother to our son. For her to keep him in mind... I am fucking proud of her. She peeks into the lounge, and I hear her asking Marcel, who willingly agrees, before she runs to the kitchen, only to return a few moments later, holding a square of newspaper that contains freshly salted chips.
"Okay, let’s go." I raise an eyebrow, gripping her chin for a second and running my thumb across her plump lips.
"Let’s go."
We head out, and I hold her waist as we make our way to the apartment block, down to my underground car park, and get into one of the cars.
"Are we leaving packgrounds?"
"Not exactly," I reply.
We get in, and I drive towards the exit that opens up, leading down the weaving tunnels which run beneath the back territory.
"How did the meeting go?" She asks, and I fill her in, leaving out her brother’s attitude. I run circles on her thigh, letting my fingers brush over the net tights.
"Do you think he somehow sensed your powers?" I ask after a moment, referring to Judah. She frowns, tilting her head as she slowly bites into another chip. For a second, I get distracted by those lips before she sighs,
"I don’t know. I don’t have an aura or something unless I activate that power, which, by the way, I'm working on - it isn’t always easy." Maybe I’m wrong…
"How exactly did you meet him?" She leans back, lost in thought, before exhaling heavily.
"I don’t really remember much, but… I was at a club. We spotted each other from across the room, and it kind of just started from there. He was… you know, the typical bad boy, standing there, smoking a joint, not giving two fucks that he shouldn’t be doing that inside the club…" Jealousy rears its ugly head at just the thought of him touching what is mine. She continues, and I do my fucking best to mask those emotions. "I headed to the dance floor, and he soon joined me. We didn’t even speak, but he wanted to see me again before the night was over, and I had to get back to the academy since I’d be screwed if they found I wasn't in my dorm. So, I gave him my number, intrigued by the mysterious stranger, and from there, it just went from one thing to another. He always made out like he understood me. I realise now that was just one big lie. No one got me, ever. No one but you." I look at her sharply, not expecting that, but she is staring at her lap.
"He was a bastard who saw a gorgeous girl and wanted her. It’s not your fucking mistake. We all make fucked up decisions, and you’ve got to remember you were only eighteen.” She smirks, looking up at me before slowly resting her head against my shoulder.
"I wish I met you sooner…" Me, too.
She sighs softly, and I don’t push her for more. It is obvious it is a topic she doesn’t like to discuss. We soon park up in the stone cave, and we get out as Azura looks around.
"We’re underground.
"Yeah, we’re still on pack territory," I say, noticing that the other three are already here by the cars. I walk to the far wall and press a niche on the wall. It slides open, and I place my hand on the tablet, letting it scan my hand before the wall rumbles slightly and it splits open.
"Damn," Azura murmurs, impressed, as I slide my hand around her waist and step into the underground headquarters of the most vital members of the Heimtückische Wölfe. There are a few entrances to this place, so everyone can make their way here undetected. All three pairs of eyes turn to us, clearly shocked to see Azura here. She is too busy looking around the completely aluminium-walled room to notice, observing the layout.
There is a table with a large screen behind it on the far side, a sofa area with a fireplace to the right, and a drink bar. A wall opposite holds many notes, maps, and pictures, and a shelf full of files is right next to it. There are a couple of tables to the side, and two doors that lead off, one that leads to a weapons room.
"Alpha… Luna…" Jin says as we walk over, and I take my seat at the head of the table, pulling Azura onto my lap, trying not to stare at her breasts.
"What happened?" I ask coldly, turning to the men.
This won’t be pleasant, I add through the link. She simply wraps her arm around my neck, making Jax smirk despite the gravity of the situation.
"Perfect couple." He winks before becoming serious. "There were some reports on the news about the rising level of drugs circulating and people ending up dead due to a new substance. Dan did some digging, and, well, it’s our shipment, Leo." Jin frowns.
"Are you fucking sure? I checked them when they came into the country," I question. "I have a small dose in my possession, and I'm certain it’s fine."
"Hundred percent sure. I checked one of the last few batches left, but I’ll also double-check the pack you’ve got," Dan adds, pushing a file over to me as he glances at Azura, who is frowning as she listens quietly. I take a cigarette out, lighting it before I flick the file open. My heart thuds when I see the substance that is added to the drugs.
"Something that’s the same fucking texture…" I murmur.
"Yeah…" Jax nods.
"Then it was done from within," I say, taking a drag on my cigarette and tossing the file onto the table with a resounding snap. Only a few of my men had access to that shipment…
"Impossible. There are only a few of us who…" Jax trails off as all three men look at me when I shake my head.
"It’s fucking possible." I frown, one name coming to mind and igniting an inferno of anger through me. I know if Azura wasn’t in my lap, I wouldn’t be fucking sitting here. The table falls silent, and I know they’ll click soon enough. After a moment, Jax looks up sharply.
"Emmet wasn’t in prison when we had the shipments arrive. In fact, he was the one who did one of the final checks of the final packing of the shipment..." he says, standing up and kicking the chair.
"Yeah," I say quietly, trying to control my anger, my eyes blazing. "That or he has help from within."
"That bastard has caused way fucking more shit than necessary! Why haven’t you killed him, Leo?" Jax growls.
"Jackie’s no longer around… I'm with Jax on this one. Kill him," Dan says roughly. He is usually one of the calmer ones, but I don’t blame him. He doesn’t look up, staring at the table as his heart is thudding, and I know he is still beating himself up over what happened to Jackie.
"Killing him won’t change his mistakes," I say quietly, kissing Azura’s neck. Her scent is pleasantly intoxicating and relaxing.
"No, it won’t. But it will be a befitting punishment for him," Jax growls. I shake my head slowly.
"He will be tried before the pack, and from there, his punishment will be decided. The question is, why? Why the fuck did he do that shit?" I frown coldly. Azura tilts her head as Jin shakes his head.
"To ruin your reputation?"
"Or he needed the money?" Azura adds. She has been silent for a while, and I nod as all eyes turn on her.
"That makes more sense, although it could be hitting two birds with one stone. If he fucks the drugs up, it means he has to remove a large quantity to replace it. After all, he probably needed the cash for the bullets he was selling on the side," I say quietly.
His betrayal will never really be something I’ll forget. We grew up together with this dream of creating a perfect world… then what did I do for him to hate me so much? Is it even worth talking to him once more?
"He’s a loser. One who is wasting oxygen by just living," Jax says, his eyes flashing.
"Calm the fuck down and think rationally. We’ll deal with Emmet; he’s in prison. Our focus should be on that dinner, which is becoming far more fucking vital than ever. As for the drugs, buy them all back for a higher price, even if it is through their dealers. Have there been any complaints?"
"Not yet. I don’t think people will care unless, of course, the law starts asking questions and tracking them down," Jin adds. Fuck, this shit is just not needed. This was meant to be my last fucking shipment… but it seems even if it is the last one, it isn’t going to fucking just let me step away completely fucking clean.
Azura’s hand runs up my chest.
You got this, she says through the link, her hand slipping into my shirt as she runs her hand up my neck before leaning in and kissing me softly. I kiss her back sensually before moving back.
"Everything will be taken care of at this dinner. As for Emmet, he will get what’s coming to him," I say, my eyes blazing dangerously as I stare at the open file on the table. You went one fucking step too far, Emmet, and even I am beginning to feel that you really do deserve a punishment worse than imprisonment. Speaking to him won’t give any answers, but there are a couple of ways to make him talk. "We need to find his hideout; he must be keeping the drugs where he was creating the bullets. We find that location, and I'm certain we will find far more. I will have Dad put him under the Alpha command, and then I’ll question him." It is something I never wanted to resort to… but time is running out, and things are getting far more fucked up than they ever should have. My Alpha command will not be as strong as Dad’s, and as long as he holds the title, Emmet is bound to him as his Alpha, not me.
"Got it… does that mean you will tell the Alpha the truth?" Jin asks quietly.
"I intended to anyway," I reply quietly, looking into Azura’s eyes. She gives a small nod.
He won’t judge you; you’ll see, she replies confidently through the link. We will see…
Nothing stays hidden forever… and just like that, we’ll find out everything we fucking need to.
"So, is our Luna also our new cartel queen?" Jax asks with a smirk.
Before I can even reply, Azura smirks, "Maybe. I think I’ll fit in perfectly. I'm really good with a staple gun."
I simply raise an eyebrow. That is not a world I want her in…
They carry on talking and joking lightly as I turn my thoughts to the upcoming dinner. Shit is going to fucking go down.