Finding Forgiveness

“No.. noo… no,” I said stepping away from him. “No. I’m not a fucking animal.”

“I am trying to focus on getting Cato back. To do that, I need you in a position where I know that I don’t have to worry about you doing something stupid,” he replied grabbing my wrist and fastening it into the metal cuffs.

“And what about me worrying about you doing something stupid!? You heard what Andrea said!” I replied trying to get my hand out of his grip only making him hold me tighter.

“Do not raise your voice at me,” he snapped dragging me roughly to the floor and attaching the handcuff to the other side to the bedpost. “I am Alpha and I will decide how to handle this.”

In that moment, I was probably the angriest with him as I had ever been. Even more so than when he murdered Connor. What we were ‘handling’ was the abduction of our? son and he’s just gonna cut me out of it?

“I’m sorry,” he said crouching down and placing his hand on my cheek.

“Fuck you,” I spat swatting his hand away. “If Cato ends up getting hurt, I will never forgive you for taking this choice away from me.”

He took a deep breath in and out before kissing my forehead, standing up and leaving the room.

I listened to his footsteps downstairs and this his conversation with Antonio.

“They just dropped the charges?” Antonio questioned as I listened to their conversation through the ceiling. “Just like that?”

“Martinez’s bullet wound has obviously healed faster than any human doctor could ever imagine leaving no evidence that I actually shot him and they have concluded I didn’t kidnap Ella. And surprise surprise he decided not to take the drug thing any further with the police. Especially as all he needed was me out of the way from an hour,” he explained as I heard him open the front door.

“Is there anything I can do?” Antonio asked.

“Keep an eye on Ella. She’s handcuffed to the bed and I need her to stay that way,” he explained.

He’s treating me like I am the enemy here? Like I’m one more thing he doesn’t need to deal with.

“Of course,” Antonio replied before the front door closed and Leo’s footsteps disappeared down the drive.

Antonio didn’t sound like he was coming upstairs so I began searching the room for something to pick the lock with. I’d done it before, I could do again. If only I actually bothered to put a pin or something in my hair the morning…

A few moments later, the door opened a crack and a small blonde child slipped into the room.

“Mommy, why are you attached to the bed?” Lili asked with a confused expression. “And when is Cato getting back? I want him to play with me.”

“Very soon, sweetheart,” I said gesturing for her to come over. “And I’m attached to the bed because Daddy wants to make sure I stay here because here is always safe, yes?”

“Yeah!” she agreed,? wrapping her arms around me. “But why are your eyes red, Mama? Have you been cwrying?”

“Because just like you, I want Cato to come back too,” I replied stroking her hair as I held even more tears back.

She was only four. I didn’t know what better way to phrase it.

“Did Daddy do your hair this morning, Lili,” I asked noticing two tiny butterfly bobby pins.

“Yepp,” she said smiling turning her head to show off Leo’s skill.

For a man that had had short hair his whole life, he was remarkably good at doing our daughters’ hair in the morning.

“Very pretty,” I said. “Do you mind if I borrow one of those clips?”

“We can match, Mommy,” she said excitedly taking one out and placing it in my palm.

“Grazie, Bambina,” I replied as my phone began to ring.

It was the no caller ID again. Andrea.

“Why don’t you go and play with your other brothers and sisters? Cato will be back soon,” I said kissing her forehead.

She nodded, hugged me and then left the room.

“Are you on your way, Blanca? Time is ticking…” he taunted.

“I’m a little tied up right now,” I replied. “I can’t-”

“Let me guess… Mr Alpha won’t let his Luna sacrifice herself?” he asked. I could almost see the smirk he was almost definitely wearing. “… drama…”

“He’s handcuffed me to the bed. I can’t get out of this room let alone the pack.”

“Oooh, kinky,” he mused.

“Andrea, please. Give us another option,” I begged. “I can’t stand the thought of you hurting him,” I added in a sob as the tears began streaming again. “He’s seven years old, how evil can you get?!”

“You found a way to slip out of my grasp, now slip out of his… or your son dies…” he replied before hanging up.

I let out a cry of exasperation and launched my phone across the room in anger before erupting into a mess of tears and sobs.

A few moments later, the door opened yet again this time with the arrival of Antonio.

“If you are here to rebuke me, I don’t need it right now,” I snapped wiping my tears.

“I’m not,” he said softly. “I heard you crying and I wanted to ask if there’s anything I can do… obviously nothing that Leo wouldn’t agree to.”

“Can I ask you a question?” I said after a short pause.

He nodded.

“Do you think he’s doing the right thing?” I asked.

“It’s hard to imagine what he’s going through, Ella,” he said sitting down on the bed. “He cares about you. I don’t think you should blame him for this.”

“But what about Cato? Does he not care about our son too?”

“Of course he does. You know that. But Andrea Martinez can’t be trusted and even if he could, what kind of Alpha would he be to allow his Luna to go to her death without a second thought? When all other options have been exhausted, then he may consider it but not before,” Antonio explained. “You haven’t even given him a chance yet.”Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDrâ/ma.O(r)g!

I suppose he was right. The only option I had considered was me handing myself over. What if Leo could find another way?

“What would you have done if someone took one of your kids?” I asked.

“Well firstly, I wouldn’t have had this issue,” he replied gesturing to me. “Because Rosa isn’t a disobedient little pain in the ass,” he joked.

I stifled a laugh and wiped another escaping tear.

“But apart from that, I’d be doing the exact same as Leo. Everything in my power. And Leo has far more power than I ever did so if I were you, I’d have faith in him to bring your son back before the end of the night. There’s no way that car is getting off territory,” he replied. “But I do understand your desire to give yourself over.”

“You do?” I asked looking up at him.

“Although I do still think you could show the Alpha a little more respect and obedience, you’re still a mother. How could you not want to do anything for your children?” he questioned. “But you have to remember that working against Leo isn’t going to help.”