Leo Rossi: The Rise of a True Alpha (The Rossi Legacies Book 2)
Precious Bonds Chapter 10

JAX.

Three

nights.

We were away from the pack for three nights. It was fucking worse than we thought, up here in the Scottish Highlands.

There's no sign of an enemy but this one was possibly the biggest attack if you can call it that. Leaving so many homeless. We had managed to rehouse them and tried to secure the area, or at least hoped it was secured. With no proof or any sign of the enemy, it is hard to pinpoint who or what they are.

But something Leo said still stuck in my mind

It's looking for something or someone.

Leo had no proof of that, but if Leo says something, it is most likely true since he has a knack for these things.

Alejandro was true to his words, he's pushing Leo to handle things and I know that despite Leo wanting to remain as only the King in the Shadows, he doesn't really have a choice but to step out there and do what he needs to. But it also means a lot of responsibility for all of us.

Leo as the next King, means that the Sangue Pack will be brought into the light and there will be things we'll need to do within the pack. Heighten and change certain aspects of security. Build barriers and security to cordon off the pack family homes and the part that would have to be open for guests and business.

Who would have thought long ago the pack of rogues would one day be the ruling pack in England? Where we once ate food off the ground, fear and survival being the only things on our minds -

Leo has already been working alongside the council on training regimens, but he's also been working on something more.

Something that had its funding acquired from a match in which he participated for the Alpha Gen X games. Armour.

Yeah, fucking armour that he wants to be able to transform with us, something that could fit and protect us in wolf form too and then be able to transform back when we shift to our human form. 9 It's a damn cool concept, but how he'll do it I have no idea. I'm glad he has Royce, Dan, and a couple other big shots from the Arden corporations who might be able to help, but it's a lot of fucking work. But as Leo said, if it saves even one life, it's worth the time it takes to create them. With the war coming up, we need to do our best to prepare.

I wipe my face. My clothes are dirty and we're going to meet in a pub in this small human town, near the attacks, after we are done with our work. I'm done with my. part. I've just got to wait for the other three. Fuck, I'm tired.

The blood moon is glowing in the sky and although it's late into the night, I still want to see Kareena when I return. Since the other night, she's been on my mind almost every damn second of the day and night.

That kiss? That touch? Fuck, I know what I messed up, and I know what I need to do and say. I just need to see her face-to-face to do it.

She kissed me first, which has to mean something, drunk or not. She never touched anyone in her Heat, so this means something, I know that.

Or I'm just damn delusional.

I stop, spotting the Red Fox Pub and drop onto the bench on the other side of the cobbled street.

I'll wait until they arrive...

Fuck, we've been going on less sleep.

I'm enjoying the calmness for a few moments when suddenly an enticing scent fills my nose and my eyes snap open.

My wolf's presence suddenly feels strong in my mind and my heart thunders as I put two and two together.

No. Fuck no:

The first thing that comes to mind is to leave instantly, but... I can't .. if I did, this would always linger in my mind and the worry of what might happen.

I scan the darkness when I spot the source of the scent.

Mate.

My heart races wildly as I stand up. The woman hasn't turned. From the back of her head, I can see her dark blond hair and I break into a jog to reach her. My emotions are a mess, my mind in conflict as I reach her and at the last moment, I want to turn and leave. But I don't.

"Excuse me," I say.

*I wasn't expecting this...

She turns and I look into a pair of blue eyes. There's a curiosity in her eyes, but there's no reaction. She's pretty, with an oval face, plump lips and a button nose.

The bond with Kareena has weakened this one, but the main thing is she's not a werewolf, she'll feel it far less than I ever would.

She'll feel an attraction, but nothing more.

I'm glad... because what I'm about to do would only hurt more if she was.

"Can I help you, werewolf?" she asks me sharply.

"Yeah, could you do me a favour?" I ask quietly.

"What is it?"

"Can you say the following words? I, insert your name, reject you Jax Adams as my mate?" I say, cutting to the chase.

Her eyes widen, startled, before she looks me over and her heart races. "Mates..."

I pull back my jacket, showing her my mark. "I already love someone, we are mated, marked and we also have a son," I explain softly.

She hesitates for a moment. "Then, for your sake, it's good that I am a witch and not a werewolf because you are incredibly handsome.

I'm not sure I'd be able to reject you if I felt the pull that werewolf mates do." She smiles slightly.

I don't reply, glancing around. I don't want anyone to see this.

"Ok... I, Callista Dean, reject you, Jax Adams as my mate." She says. I feel that ripping pull zip through me, but it's not as intense as I expect it to be.

I bite back a little grunt as I feel as if I've just been on a battlefield for hours and feel more exhausted than anything else.

"I, Jax Adams, accept your rejection," I say quietly.

She looks confused for a moment, placing a hand on her chest and I close my eyes, lowering my head

I did it, and without hesitation... what more proof do I need?

We look at one another once more.

Once upon a time, I waited for my mate... but now... now that she's here, it only reinforces my mind that I did the right thing. I made a promise to a brother and friend and from that promise; I have fallen for the woman I promised to always stand by. I love her, fuck I love Kareena. I know there are plenty of times when we'll clash and we'll argue, but I want it all...

"Thank you," I say to the woman in front of me.

"No need to thank me," she says, holding up her left hand and I spot the sparkling diamond on it.

She's engaged.

"Congratulations."

"Thanks. Good luck with your life," she says, and with one final look at one another, we both turn away at the same time and although it has left a sombre feeling behind, I smile up at the Blood Moon.

I'm coming home, Kar. I'm coming home...

I didn't manage to face her that night. We got back around four in the morning, and I was too tired and not in the right head space.

The rejection left me feeling far more confused than I expected. My wolt was fine, but he had stepped back into a corner of my mind. But I know he loves Kar too because it was the thought of her that made him come forward again. Or I think anyway, maybe he just needed a bit of time to recover, too.

I need a bit of time myself to pull myself together because I don't want to go there and fuck this up any more than I already have.

Today we had a meeting in the morning before I ran some errands.

Leo's watching me. He's always damn observant... but after I had handled all that, I pop down to the shop to grab some treats and a toy for Shane and then head over to Kareena's at around five in the afternoon.

I ring the bell instead of just stepping inside. The smell of delicious food cooking fills my nose.

Hmm... she's cooking?

The door is opened by Kareena herself. There's something different about her today. She's glowing...

She looks gorgeous. Her high cheekbones and pouty lips, along with her gorgeous eyes that are surrounded by thick lashes, make me want to yank her close and kiss her.

Fuck, I'm staring.

I look down and the first thing I notice is she's wearing earrings. She pretty much stopped wearing jewellery aside from a few rare occasions since Shane died.

She's in an oversized hoodie and a pair of leggings, and she now cocks one of those arched brows.

"Are you just going to stare or come in?" She asks, ever her usual self, which I guess is fucking good

"I was just alarmed by that hoodie," I say, glancing at it again. "Blue really?"

She gives me a weird look and I almost want to hit myself, yeah that's weird. What's wrong with blue?

"Since you probably hit your head somewhere, I'll forgive you," she says, taking the box from me. "Pastries, I like these."

"Ok, are we expecting guests?" I ask following her to the kitchen and see she has a few things going.

"Mhmm, Leo and Azura wanted to pop down." She replies as she mixes the pot on the stove.

"Right..." Leo never mentioned that to me.

"And I didn't get an invite?"

"You always pop down, invited or not," she responds, flipping open the box and taking out a cream-filled pastry. 2

"Not sure if that's an insult or not," I reply with a smirk, watching her bite into it. Fuck, that's hot... "So when are they coming?" "In about an hour or so, I said to pop in around six, six thirty.

"Cool, and where's Shane?"

"He's playing in his ball pit in the garden." She says, glancing out of the window.

"Ah cool, well, I'll go see him," I reply.

"Sure, I'm going to go shower and get all this food smell off me, I won't take long. Will you watch him?" she asks, sniffing her hoodie.

Our eyes meet and the urge to kiss her flitters through me, and the

Image of her showering floods my mind.

Down, boy.

"Sure, I'll do just that."

She looks at me weirdly. I turn away first and leave the kitchen and head to the garden.

"Dada!" Shane's voice makes me turn and I grin.

"Hey there champ." I cross the garden, placing the toy I brought for him down near the ball pit, and pick him up, kissing him. "I missed you."

He chuckles in return, slapping my face with his little hands.

Damn, he's so cute.

We open the toy together, which is a robot with flashing lights, and when you press buttons it moves around. After about five minutes with his new toys, he points to the swing and so I carry him over.

I put him on, pushing him slowly when my gaze flits to the guest bedroom window...

Did she move there? And if so... if I plan to stay over, where would she let me sleep?

I see movement beyond the window and freeze when I spot her silhouette past the blinds. My throat turns dry as I realise that she's naked, I can't see her fully as she dries her body but fuck I can't look away, the outline enough to make me hard... She pauses, as if sensing she's being watched, and looks up sharply.

Our eyes meet and this time, I refuse to look away...