Leo Rossi: The Rise of a True Alpha (The Rossi Legacies Book 2)
Precious Bonds Chapter 1

Takes place shortly after the epilogues of Alpha Leo and the Heart of Fire & The Lycan Princess and the Temptation of Sin.

I would recommend reading The Lycan Princess and the Temptation of Sin before this novella. However, if you don't, it won't ruin the story.

PRECIOUS BOND

The Untold Tales of the Alpha and Legacies Series

Chapter 1 Mates

KAREENA.

Mates.

For our kind, your mate is a part of you, not just a partner, but your life source. The very air you need to breathe, and the very touch and caress you need to keep going. Their caress, their voice, their promises; they become your life. But what happens when they are suddenly ripped from you with no warning?

What happens when they tell you they'll be there for that movie and dinner date tonight, only for their lifeless, mutilated body to be brought to you?

What happens when your entire world is ripped apart, and you're left wondering why me?

Mates are a beautiful thing, yet equally deadly as they are beautiful.

My life was perfect from the moment he stepped into it. Every day was filled with happiness and love until it was not.

In seconds, it became a living nightmare when he left me all alone... or so I thought.

Because even as he parted, he left me something to hold on to, as if knowing that without him I'll die. As if he knew I needed something that would make me try to live.

Something strong enough for me to try to surface the deep dark waters that were drowning me. They were meant to be my emotions, but they began to suffocate me until I began fighting for his parting gift...

But it wasn't easy... it's never easy...

Less than two years ago I lost my mate, my all...

My husband, Shane Dunn.

A sharp wind blows through my brown hair, and I brush my fingers through it as I look at my son, Shane, named after his father. He's fifteen months now and the spitting image of his father.

He has blond hair and grey eyes. His eyes might be a mix of both of ours as my own are a greyish blue, but otherwise, he is a mini version of his father.

He's currently kicking a ball around in the garden of our home, one which Shane and I lived in after we got married. There have been moments it's all felt overwhelming - that I want to leave it... but then, I can't bring myself to. It's all I have left of him. Sometimes I feel as if he'll open the door and come back. With some wild reason that he had to stay on the down low for a while for some crazy mission and it's why he faked his death, but he was fine all along. But who am I kidding? It never happens. I buried him. The creak of footsteps behind me makes me sit up straight, but I don't turn, even when his cinnamon and earthy scent hit me.

I know who it is. His footsteps have been around here so often that I can recognise them anywhere.

"You're back... weren't you on a job?" I ask, not taking my eyes off my little one.

He walks past me, and I glance up. He's in cargo pants, tan boots and a fitted black shirt that hugs his muscular physique and I realise he must have just gotten back.

"I just got back a while ago. Shane!" He says as he walks over to my little one, crouching down and spreading his arms for him.

Shane's eyes widen in happiness before he runs into his arms, laughing.

I can't help but feel happy seeing how happy my Shane is.

"You didn't need to rush over, you should have gotten some rest first," I say quietly to the auburn-haired man.

He turns and looks at me with his sharp andalusite green eyes that remind me of gemstones.

"I wanted to," he says.

I look away, crossing my arms. It's a little chilly. I should have grabbed a hoodie...

"You don't need to be so worried about us. I'm not suicidal." I say as I stand up and motion Shane over. Jax cocks a brow. A strand of his auburn hair falls over his forehead as he stands up.

"Oh yeah? Good to know, doesn't mean I trust you. You look like you want to kill something."

"You," I say, poking my eyes out at him. "I'm fine Jax, seriously. I'm actually off to train. I'm going to leave Shane with Mishiko."

"I'll join you. I could use a workout." He says. I stop in my tracks.

No, he really doesn't. The man is pure muscle.

He's always trying so hard... he doesn't need to though, he's done his part, and he should just carry on with his life. I'm waiting... waiting for that moment he rejects me... I was meant to once I was mentally coping better, but the more I see him, the harder it gets. Jax and I marked one another to break the bond between Shane and me and I know I have begun seeing him as someone who is always there, someone I know I can rely on and that isn't right.

"Do you want your ass kicked?" I say instead, as I scoop up Shane while he holds on tightly to the ball in his hands.

"You can try." He replies with a smirk, "I don't think those short legs of yours will reach."

"Oh please, I am not short, I'm average," I say as I walk towards the back door and head inside.

"Yup, still short in my books," he counters, making me give him another pointed look - one he returns with a wink.

-

True to his words, Jax follows me to the private training hall after I drop Shane off at Mishiko's. Mishiko is the wife and mate of one of Shane's closest friends.

Her little Aya is eleven months old now, and she is a happy baby who loves Shane's company.

I punch the bag hard, slamming it right back, and following up with a kick before I step back so the swinging bag doesn't hit me, only to slam into a wall of muscle.

"Fuck Jax!" I gasp as I almost trip over his feet and he grabs me by the waist.

"Clumsy..." He says with a smirk as I regain my balance.

"Why were you even standing so close?" I frown.

"I was standing here before you came knocking into me," he says cockily as I pull away, very aware of the tingles from the bond skiming along my hips.

We have marked one another and as much as it was not for romantic reasons, I can't help but admit that his touch makes me feel things I don't want to. His smirk fades as he looks me over and I look away.

I'm sweating like a pig, and I can feel it trickling down my stomach and neck. I look around but can't replace a towel. Well, who cares? I'm not here to look pretty.

"Aren't you here to work out? The machines are over there." I say with a jerk of my head towards the weights.

He's wearing a white T-shirt and black sweats and I'm not the only one sweating, although he's smart enough to keep a towel close.

"Already done my sets. Want to spar?" he asks, cocking a brow.

"No thank you," I say, pulling out my hair tie and letting my hair down, only to brush my fingers through it before I pull it back up into a messy bun.

His gaze dips lower, trailing over my stomach before he looks away and my own heart skips a beat.

"Scared?" he asks tauntingly, stepping closer.

"You wish." I counter with a mock shake of my head, turning back to the punch bag.

"Then show me what you got Peaches." He says and I glare at him over my shoulder.

That annoying nickname has stuck ever since he saw my ass in only underwear when I didn't realise he'd be stopping by. It's my own fault. It was when Shane was a few months old and he used to always pop in to check in on us and I had ended up giving him a key. "Fine, you really are so infuriating," I say as I walk over to the ring. This is the private training room that belongs to Leo, the Alpha of the pack and his Six... or his Five now...

I look at the far wall, where there's a huge mural of all seven of them. Leo is in the centre with his Six flanking him. My heart squeezes as my eyes replace my blond man.

Li-Sheng had spray painted this mural over one entire wall of the gym a few months after Shane's death and I had to admit it's beautiful...

He captured him so perfectly...

Shane...

Gone but never forgotten.

I named my son after his father... and although it hurts at times when I remember him every time I call our son, I'm glad I did. He will always be my light... "Kar..." Jax's husky voice pulls me from my thoughts, and I look at him. He's touching my arm.

"Sorry..."

"Don't be..." He replies, he steps closer, a frown on his face as if he wants to say something before he changes his mind and turns away slightly.

I tilt my head, looking back at the wall mural. Jax is right beside Shane, resting his elbow on his shoulder.

"Do you miss him?" I ask quietly, exhaling as I try to control my emotions.

"Every day." He replies, stepping up beside me as he looks at the far wall.

Then imagine what I feel...

I look over at him. His eyes have softened, as he leans on the edge of the ring looking up at Shane. The light hits his angled jaw and I look away, the drive to spar no longer within me.

"I'm going to head out. We'll spar another day." I say softly.

"Kar..." He grabs hold of my wrist, stopping me, and I look back at him.

"I'm fine."

He doesn't believe me as he searches my eyes, if only he realised when we marked one another and broke my connection to Shane that he helped me live... but the way he looks at me, it's obvious he's still scared I'll do something again... just like I tried long ago...