CHAPTER 46

46. Hitting Home LEO.

I had gotten a few hours of sleep in before going for a light run, making sure not to overexert myself, especially since I did not want Azura to feel my pain. I had returned home, showered and dressed before dealing with a little paperwork that I was falling behind on. It wasn‘t long after that Corrado had woken up, and I had stopped working to spend a little time with him.

We were now seated opposite one another, with a breakfast prepared by Rosaline in front of us.

Corrado ate silently, a deep frown on his face. The first thing he had done when he ran out of his bedroom was ask where Azura was... not hiding the fact that he had expected her to be here.

Seriously, this kid. He had then become serious, frowning and watching me like a father would their disobedient pup. “What did you do Daddy?” He asked suddenly, placing his spoon down. 8 I raised an eyebrow while drinking my coffee. “What did I do?” “Why isn‘t Azura here? Did you make her angry?” He asked, looking at me with concern and suspicion.

I sighed. “Maybe?” I said arrogantly. “Daddy! I thought when I woke up Azura would be here too, wearing your shirt!” 6 “Wearing my shirt?”

“Yes. It means you are going to share everything with her!” He looked at me questioningly, and I placed my mug down.1

Yeah... wherever this kid is getting his information is pretty questionable... I should have a word with Winona...

“Daddy! We can‘t lose Azura.” He said his eyes were now full of worry.

“Hey kiddo listen, things aren‘t always as easy.”

“So you will still try harder?” His hopeful look made me frown slightly. 2

I placed my mug down and looked at him seriously.

“Corrado, why do you like her? I was with Nikki for two years and you were never this attached, although she had been living with us for over a year as well. So why are you so attached to Azura?” I asked.

He shrugged, looking down at his plate.

“I don‘t know Daddy, I like Azura and when she spends time with me, she doesn‘t go on her phone or look bored... She‘s happy to play with me and talk to me. Nikki was only happy when Daddy was there...” He mumbled. 3

My heart fucking clenched, and I couldn‘t stop myself from moving closer to him, taking his face in my hands as I crouched in front of him. I felt fucking guilty...

He may be young, but like all kids, he had good intuition. He picked up on things that you would never think he would... “I‘m sorry Nikki made you feel like that. Why didn‘t you ever tell me?”

“It‘s ok Daddy, she made you happy. I just... Azura is special and... I think Daddy likes Azura a whole wide world more, than Daddy liked Nikki.” He said, stretching his arms wide as he smiled brightly. 3 I smiled slightly. “Oh yeah?” “Yes Daddy, when you look at Azura you look happy...” “I‘m happy all the time.” 1

He shook his head.

“No Daddy, I mean when you are with Azura, it‘s the same happy like when we are alone Daddy. You are different.” 2 I didn‘t reply, wrapping my arms around him tightly as I pulled him down from his chair, his small arms wrapping around my waist. If I left him... Who would he have? And what about our

unborn pup? I wanted to meet him or her too... What would the pup look like? Azura? Me? Maybe a mix? 5 For them... Do I ask Kiara? Who knows, maybe she could delay the process to buy me some time? 7

“Daddy, I love you the most.” He whispered. 2

“I love you the most too, kid.” I replied quietly.

For them... I fucking needed to do something. 3 “But I am ok if Daddy also loves Azura too.”

Love...

I chuckled, moving back and ruffling his hair.

“You really are something, kid.”

“I am Corrado Herrmann Rossi!” 3

Rossi...

I frowned slightly but said nothing. Many of my businesses were under Herrmann, but deep down I still felt my name was Rossi, and as Alpha, being tied to the name you believed in was the only fucking thing that worked, even if I fucking hated it. So, it fucking stuck, no matter how much I began to despise it... “You sure are.” I stood up, giving him another faint smile. If he wanted to be called Rossi, he sure as fuck could be. He was, and always would be my son regardless of anything else.

It was a while later and I had dropped Corrado off at Marcel‘s, telling him I’d be popping down later once I had dealt with some shit. He had been happy to have him, and clearly thrilled that I was going to pop down later, even going so far as to ask me to eat dinner there tonight. I had agreed, much to Corrado‘s excitement, before I left. 1

I was now making my way to Emmet‘s cell. 1

He was sitting there on the bed unmoving; I observed him through the cameras for a bit, before I turned and walked to one of the questioning rooms. Ordering the guards to bring him out.

I don‘t even fucking know how this conversation was going to go... I had grown up alongside him and the fact that he did that... Just the memory of him kicking Azura made my blood fucking boil.

He was brought in and pushed into the seat opposite me.

‘I can handle him. Wait outside.‘ I told the two men, my gaze on Emmet, who was simply staring at me. His eyes were heavy with emotion and probably the effect of the silver in the cell.

“You finally came to see me. I won‘t say I‘m not hurt... I thought we were brothers.”

I scoffed in disbelief.

“Are you really playing the sympathy card? You kicked a pregnant woman in the stomach when you knew she was carrying a pup.” I growled coldly, taking out a cigarette to keep my hands from strangling him. I lit it as I watched him, trying to remain calm.

“An Elite, remember?” Emmet replied, his eyes watching me calculatingly. “So, she turned out to be your mate, but she‘s still one of them.” My eyes flashed as I slammed the free one down on the table between us. “What the actual fuck? Are you for fucking real? You tried to kill an unborn pup and obviously have no fucking remorse.” I spat venomously. “That‘s the mate bond talking, Leo, not you.” 6

I stood up, my aura raging around me as I leaned over the table and grabbed him by the collar of his shirt.

“No. Trust me, it‘s not, because I‘m doing my fucking best to try not to remember that it was not my mate who you fucking hurt, or the fact that that is my kid you tried to kill. Because if I go by that... I

would have fucking killed you already.” I hissed, tightening my hold on him. 2 He simply smirked and shook his head.

“Na you won‘t... because of Jackie.” He replied cockily. 2 “I don‘t even fucking know how we were friends.” I shot back, coldly slamming him back in his seat. “Besides, Jackie admitted to the fact that you hurt her. You will be tried Emmet, before the pack. And yeah, maybe I won‘t fucking kill you, but you will live a life worse than death. A life in confinement.”

He frowned, and I sat down again.

“Tell me, Emmet, aside from beating and abusing your mate, trying to harm a pregnant she wolf, and assaulting your Alpha‘s child and rightful Luna. Is there anything else you want to tell me?” I asked, my eyes locked with his.

There was nothing there... Just like when I first asked him about what Azura had said... He was smooth as could be... Who knew how many times he had ljed to me...

“Alpha to be.” He said after a moment, a faint mocking smirk on his face. “Right?”

Low blow, considering he‘s the one person I ever expressed my feelings about that to.

I smirked arrogantly, taking a long drag on my cigarette.

“The thing is, whether I hold that title or not, I‘m still an Alpha. Not because of my position, but because an Alpha‘s duty is to protect, and that is what I‘m doing. Title or not, I‘m still the fucking Alpha.” With those words, I leaned over, yanking him forward by the collar as I glared at him. Although I couldn‘t do real damage, I could still hurt him to an extent where Jackie wouldn‘t feel the pain, just like a ruthless round of training.

“Now tell me, who did you give the formula to my 0395‘s, only you knew about them. So,want to tell me exactly how I came across someone else with the exact same fucking bullets?” I asked coldly, my eyes locked with his.

His heart rate changed. 2

Bingo. 1 It seems like he wasn‘t prepared for that question. The confidence on his face faltered before he looked away, running a hand through his hair. “I don‘t know what you‘re talking about.” He denied, his eyes flitting around the room before he looked back at me.

“Oh you fucking do, so either you tell me or you are forced to answer me.” I threatened dangerously. “So you‘ll do what every other Rossi does and compel everyone to speak the truth?” He spat venomously.

“If I have to, I will.”

“You really are more like them than I thought.”

His voice was filled with resentment, and I wondered if this was my fault. Did I instil this hatred in him? Na... We both thought similarly enough...

“Then I guess I am, and there‘s fuck all either of us can do about it. This is about what‘s fucking right or wrong, and you, what you did, was worse than what Rayhan Rossi did.” I hissed.

“So, you will just forget the years of friendship and trust over a few mistakes?” “Mistakes? What you did wasn‘t a one–off, but we‘re going off fucking topic. The thing is, I think you‘re forgetting that I was able to cut off my own blood. What makes you think I won‘t do the same to you? There‘s a limit to forgiveness, Emmet, and your way past that. Now tell me, who did you give my formula to? Knowing fucking well in the wrong hands, the damage they could do?” I asked, letting my command roll into my voice. Although I was not the official Alpha, my command was still strong enough. 2

He frowned deeply, clenching his jaw. “I‘ll count down from three... speak or I‘ll fucking make you speak.” I growled. “There‘s nothing to tell! I told no one!”

“Lie.”

My eyes blazed as I stood up, tossed the cigarette aside and slammed my hands on the table. He flinched, his eyes flashing with irritation towards himself for letting his fear show.

“We have been friends long enough. You should know that I don‘t forgive. One last time. Who did you sell the make–up of those bullets to?”

Under my command, he lowered his head.

“Answer me!” I shouted.

“I didn‘t give anyone it! I made them!” © - All rights reserved.

“Then who the fuck did you sell them to!”

“Web!” 1

We stared at one another, and to say I was fucking shocked was an understatement.

I didn‘t know what to think of all people... Someone like him with those bullets...

“Say what?”

His heart was thundering, and he knew he was done for.

“I needed the cash.” 1

“You had me, if you needed cash, I would have given anything you asked for! How many did you sell?” My heart was thundering with fear of the thought of those bullets out there in the hands of men who were far from good.

Fuck what have I done? 2

He stayed silent, my own heart racing.

Drugs and weapons were an entirely different situation. The world was full of them and if one supplier wasn‘t giving them, another would. Weapons and drugs existed, but those bullets… they should never have seen the light of fucking day.

“How. Many.” My voice was a menacing animalist growl, my heart thundering as I tried to control myself.

“Fifty thousand.” ,

Our eyes met, and all I could hear was the thumping of our hearts. Fifty thousand. “When?”

He refused to answer, and I let out a menacing growl.

In a flash, I was by his side. Lifting him from his seat, I threw him across the room with full force. He grunted when he hit the wall, crumbling to the floor before he got up quickly. I grabbed his shirt, slamming him into the wall. “One last fucking time. When?”

“Th the first batch of five hundred was about eighteen months ago… and then...” I tightened my hold around his neck, and he began turning purple. “The– the total number– it was a few months ago!” His face was full of anger, hating the fact that I used the Alpha command on him. I let go of him, my heart thundering. Fifty Thousand... shit... shit... shit!

I needed to talk to Web. I needed to get to the bottom of this and get them all back… If he was the one Judah was getting his supplies from...Then I needed to know what more he knew. This also meant there could be supernatural beings out there who knew of these bullets... a threat to all...

Fuck! My mind was reeling as I remembered the whispers and rumours of strange deaths. Stuff that sounded pretty normal that I didn‘t even fucking bother too much, not knowing that maybe, just fucking maybe they were caused by my own creation... The young boy we had found with Azura... was probably an innocent victim too…

I stood there, my mind a violent storm of emotions. I felt a dull pain in my back, but it was nothing compared to the pain within. I vaguely noticed four guards running in, as I simply stood there pulling Emmet away and out of the room as he shouted things I didn‘t fucking hear. 2 Was someone calling me?

I didn‘t know... I didn‘t care…

Fuck...

Indirectly... I was now responsible for the lives of many... So many more than he ever was... 1 I looked down at my shaking hands, my vision blurring. The blood of thousands tainted these hands... 1

What have I done? 15