Dead Luna
Chapter 45

Amelia's

POV

I was in such a frenzy the next morning to replace out why Leo was hiding anything about that night at the diner, that I left home without waiting for any sort of bodyguard. I was already halfway to the pack house before Jackson caught up with me to escort me the rest

of the way to breakfast.

We enter the dining room and I see Leo and his mom are already present. Leo was chatting with former Alpha Daniel, Derrick and Rick. I was a little concerned when I saw DeeDee was red eyed and sniffling, while hugging her sister Luna Francine, but decided it was none of my business. I say good morning to everyone, but I don't stop to inquire about anyone or anything. I just want to grab breakfast as quickly as possible and be on my way to the library.

First I grab a bagel and slather it with cream cheese, then add some lox and chopped red onion, wrapping it up neatly in a paper napkin. Then I grab a yogurt and a cup of coffee. And then I'm heading out of the door, with a quick mind link to Leo. Are you coming? He lets me know that he'll be there in less than a minute. I take the opportunity to sip my coffee down a bit, so that it's less likely to spill. It ends up being several minutes and I start to grow impatient, but just as I'm about to leave on my own, I'm finally joined by Leo.

"Sorry about the delay," Leo apologizes as we head towards the the pack library where I've been hosting all the appointments with Ambrosia. "Former Alpha Daniel had some really helpful advice for me."

I sit down in my usual chair and take a large bite of my bagel while Leo settles into the chair directly across from me. I wait a minute for him to begin, but he just sits there looking sheepish.

"Well?" I prompt, after I swallow my mouthful of bagel and lox. "Do I have to drag it out of you?"

"Well...it was kinda stupid."

"Stupid as in "I don't know how to do math" kind of stupid, or stupid as in "I'm trying to pull off some sort of half baked grand gesture" kind of stupid?" I ask, getting fed up with all this evasive nonsense. "Just spit it out, already!"

"You have to remember, this all happened just before the rogue attack!" He stood up and started to pace back and forth around the room, agitated. "This was before Ambrosia! Before my punishment! Back when I thought I had a chance to somehow win back your affections!"

"I wanted to show to you that I had moved up in the world. That I had money enough to give you the things I had promised you when I was still just a future Gamma. I wanted to go back inside that diner and let you know what I had done, and try to get you to come back to me. But the guys wouldn't let me." Leo slumped back down in the chair across from me. "Derrick even threatened to demote me to Omega status if I didn't get into the car, and promised to punish me severely if I didn't leave you alone!"

"Then after everything that happened to you, and the Moon goddess letting you choose your own mate from among a bunch of Alphas, I realized just how inadequate that money was going to be against temptations like that. And it was too late to take back the tip, not that I really wanted to or needed to. At that point I just didn't want you to replace out what I'd done, or figure out the reason why I did it. What would be the point?"

Why is this boy always hitting me so hard in the feels? Ambrosia asks inside my head, and I have to agree.

"Anyway, none of that really matters anymore." Leo continues, sounding depressed. "I've suddenly been made an alpha, with a ton of responsibilities heaped on me out of nowhere, and the top of my list of things to do is to replace a Luna to help me run the pack and to provide heirs and all that. My hopes and dreams don't matter anymore compared to the needs of the 500 pack members depending on me to get my s**t together and lead them."

"I know that without the mate bond, I'm nothing to you anymore. And I know you've always had a crush on Derrick, even as a little girl. My pride might have been less hurt if you chose Alpha Craig, but I just don't have the luxury of being selfish anymore. So I hope you'll have a long and happy life with Derrick. Ive known all along he's the one you'd always hoped would be your mate."

"And now I'm asking you to please, take pity on me," Leo says, tears running down his face unchecked. I go sit down next to him, take his hands in mine, and Ambrosia comes forward. "I don't really care who she is or what she looks like. I just need someone who can help me to lead Bull Run, as I just can't do this all alone. And I need someone who can help piece me back together again. Someone who won't be jealous that I'm still in love with you."

I gasp, and shake my head at that.

"Leo, once our mate bond is completely gone, you won't have these feelings for me anymore."

"You are wrong," He informs me, sounding absolutely devastated. "A week ago, that night we sat on the bench and looked at the stars in Iron Peak? Do you remember that night?" I nod.

"The sparks were gone. Completely gone. Moon goddess had taken pity on me and removed the mate bond completely by then. And yet I could still feel all the love I always had for you, as well as all the pain of losing you. I guess Selene felt I would punish myself enough, even without the mate bond."

"Now everything around me is reminding me of the good times we had together, especially seeing you wear that necklace I gave you for your birthday. Spooning with you while we slept, just like we used to do. Songs playing on the radio. Even my dreams these day are torture because they are all about you!"

"And if that weren't enough, as soon as I killed Jerome I suddenly became one of your potential mates!" Leo states, and I gasp in surprise. I had no idea. "The smell of Ambrosia filling me with such hope and longing. How messed up is that?"

I can't believe my ears as I listen to all this, and Ambrosia comes forward to give Leo a much needed hug, since I was too shocked to do it myself.

"Me and Amy will replace some way to make you whole again. We promise!" Ambrosia says in Leo's ear as she pats his back tenderly. "I'm gonna make sure Selene takes special care of you."

He starts crying even harder at that, and we just hold each other for several minutes. Eventually I hear a quiet "thanks" as Leo begins to calm down.

"Hey Leo?" Jackson says as he tentatively enters the small library. "Your mom and Ragu are waiting in the car for you."

"Yeah, OK." Leo says, wiping the tears from his eyes and trying to pull himself together. He looks at me uncertainly. "Is there anything else you need from me? Can I go?"

"Wait! Where are you going?" I ask, not sure I want to know the answer.

"I have to go back to Bull Run pack, to try to figure out how to be an Alpha," Leo states sadly. "I can't be your Gamma bodyguard anymore. So this is goodbye, I guess."

We hug again briefly and wish each other well, neither one of us happy as we separate. Then Leo leaves without even a backwards glance.

I sit down and attempt to eat my breakfast before my next appointment. My coffee is cold, but I drink it down. I finish off the rest of my bagel and lox. Then I pick up the container of peach yogurt and suddenly burst into tears. "What's wrong, Amy?" Jackson asks, concern evident as he looks around for whatever might be amiss.

"I forgot to bring a spoon for my yogurt!" I wail, and then Jackson has me wrapped in his warm embrace while I sob into his shoulder.

"I'm going to miss Leo, too." Jackson whispered in my ear. It would be our little secret.