Alpha Loren
Chapter 225 Chapter 225

Leo's POV

I marched into my office where I knew Blair and my head army commander, Ollie, would be waiting."Thank you for coming so early in the morning,” I said to them.

Blair forced a smile and nodded but Ollie just looked grave. He was a big guy, usually fearless so tosee him so concerned was very unnerving. This was the effect Andrea had.

"Any word of Martinez?" I asked.

"Nothing at all,” Blair said. "We have no idea what he's doing, where he is or why. The usual deal.""We don't think he has left the territory but we can't be certain,” Ollie added.

I nodded.

"Well, how are we supposed to work with that?!" I growled, throwing myself into my chair. "Just sitand wait for him to do something terrible?"

At that, the office phone began to ring. It was Eduardo Siciliano, one of my deputy armycommanders. I furrowed my eyebrows, his mate had given birth the previous day and as a result, hewasn't on duty. Why would he be calling me?

I answered the call and put it on speakerphone.

"Yes, Eduardo, what is the matter?"

"Alpha?" a woman's voice asked.

Her voice was shaky and as she paused, I heard the heaviness of her breath.

"It's Claudia Siciliano, his mate,” she continued. "I'm calling because Andrea Martinez just came toour house. He's gone now but Eduardo is in a bad way."

I exchanged looks with Ollie and let out a low growl.

"Lock the doors and windows and stay where you are,” I ordered. “I am on my way."

"Okay," she replied. "Thank you, Alpha.”

Blair, Ollie and I then marched out of the office to my car and sped towards the Siciliano household.They lived just in triton but their house stood alone in the woods so unguarded by the patrols we'dstationed to protect the villages. In the car we informed the nearby men that Andrea could still beclose and brought in extra protection for the villages and houses around.

Fortunately, Eduardo and Claudia lived in the opposite direction to my house, where Ella and mychildren still were which was the only thing giving me comfort.

"Claudia it's the Alpha,” I called as I knocked on their front door. "You can open the door."

Thirty seconds later, she came to the door. In her arms was a tiny little baby, screaming and cryingand on her face was paled and terrified.

"Where is he?" I asked.

"In the kitchen," I said.

She lead us through to where her mate sat slumped against the wall covered in blood and hardlyconscious.

Claudia had tried to wipe away the blood and bandage him up but he was still bleeding.

"Ollie, help me get him up onto the table,” I ordered and we lifted his floppy body up and lay himon his back on the kitchen table as he groaned.

"Was he shot or...?" I asked.

"No. Martinez just punched him and kicked him and-" she said before sobbing. "There was nothingany of us could do.”

She tried to stop her tears and her baby only screamed more.

I nodded to Blair.

"Claudia can 1?" he asked, gesturing to the baby.

She nodded and handed him her daughter. After a few moments of comfort and soft whispers fromBlair she began to settle whilst her mother took her father's hand.

"Ollie, get some warm water, antiseptic and bandages,” I ordered. "The wounds are not too deepand he will be fine but we ought to clean him up.”

A few minutes later, we were busy tending to his cuts and bruises as he let out winced andmumbled.

"Can you explain what happened from start to finish?" I asked Claudia. "I'm not sure your mate hasthe strength.”

"Eduardo was in his office making calls and organising his squadrons. He was technically off dutybut he couldn't ignore what was happening in the pack. I woke when there was a knock at the doorand a voice with thick Hispanic accent. I came down to see two men, one holding a gun at mate'shead. He was forced to let them inside and they began trying to bargain. Martinez wanted Eduardoto betray his Alpha in exchange for a huge amount of money and a position in his cartel. Eduardorefused so they began to threaten us. Martinez said he'd kill until he complied, starting with themen in Eduardo’s squadrons and then me and then our daughter. Eduardo still refused to give uphis loyalty for you so Martinez beat him up and left saying he'd give him some time to make theright decision.”

Ollie and I both stared for a few seconds before I was the first to curse him to the fiery pits of hell,shortly followed by Ollie.

"Thank you both for your loyalty. Firstly for not giving in to his bribes and blackmail and secondlyfor having the courage to inform me,” I said once I was done. "I know he is a terrifying man andtelling me could have compromised your lives. But I will ensure you are protected.”

"Any of your people would do the same,” Claudia said.

I nodded before my phone began to ring.

"That was Luca,” I said after hanging up. "Paulo Salvatore has suffered an identical attack.”

"So this is his plan,” Ollie said. "Convert your men to his side by targetting my commanders withbribes, presumably to weaken the army before attacking.”

"Yes. But what he’s failed to judge is the loyalty of my men," I replied

"But Martinez knows the reputation of your army,” Blair pointed out from the corner of the roomwhere he had been rocking the newborn child. "He's tried torturing information out of them with nosuccess before. Why would he attempt this?"

I narrowed my eyes in thought.

"Maybe he overestimated his own capabilities?” Ollie suggested.

"Martinez is an intelligent man and this is so clearly destined to fail and poorly planned. Somethingdoesn't fit right,” Blair said.

"You have a point,” I said. "And it does seem a little indiscrete and obvious. Not usually his style, isit?"

"The motherfucker is sending us on a wild goose chase," Ollie said thumping the table.

"Then what's his actual plan?” I asked gravely.

I looked up at Blair who wore a serious expression as he held the little baby close to his chest.

"I dread to think."