15. Sandro
Sandro
Icould feel Leo’s anxiety through our bond. It was understandable, but it still had me worried. I should have introduced him sometime other than at a family meal, but he needed the tea and something to eat.
“We can leave just as quickly as you want,” I told him through the bond.
“I’m good,” he said. I knew he wasn’t completely, but he was being positive about everything. Abel was across from us and asking questions faster than Leo could answer.
“Abel, let him eat,” Marcello finally said. “He obviously has pregnancy sickness and needs to eat something.”
The transformation on Abel’s face was comical. It went from shock to excitement just as fast as his questions had been coming.
“You’re pregnant?” Abel asked. “No, wait. Of course you are. You and Sandro claimed each other.”
Leo looked over at me with a pleading look on his face. “What do you need, mio amato?” I asked him.
“You had mentioned crackers,” Leo whispered.
“Which kind do you need?” Rio answered as he held out a plate for Leo.
There were the basic square cracker salati, but there were also a round one I wasn’t overly familiar with.
There was also some ciabatta, and I was in agreement with all of the options as being good for his stomach.
“Take the plate,” Rio said. “It’s all for you. Eat what you want, leave the rest.”
“Are you certain?” Leo asked, hesitating.
“Sim,” Rio said while nodding.
He took the plate, and I grabbed the empty one that had been in his place setting. “Would you like a pastry? I’d offer eggs, but I’m not certain you would enjoy those at the moment.”
“There are eggs?” Leo asked.
“There are. Abel enjoys them, and they prepare them for us for breakfast. There are also steak bites, but perhaps not?” I added when he made a face. Leo looked over at Abel’s plate, and Abel was such a sweetheart. He held his plate up to show Leo the eggs.
“I like them scrambled. I like them dippy too, but today we have scrambled. There’s very little cream in them, and they might not upset your stomach too much. They’re super soft and kinda plain if you don’t add something to them.”
Leo nodded, then looked at me. “Maybe a little? Is that okay?”
“It is.” I leaned in and kissed his forehead again. “Drink your tea. It will help.”
I heard Abel adding to that comment. “It’s the best stuff. Seriously, it helps so much. But don’t drink the one in the orange tin unless you want to spend all of your time sleeping.”
“Yeah, that would be bad I think.” I heard Leo say.
I was over at the sideboard, filling our plates with things that might be of interest to Leo. Marcello joined me, and although I wasn’t surprised he was going back for seconds, I was by what he had to say.
“I found some interesting information about Leo’s parents,” he whispered.
I glanced at Marcello. “Interesting how?”
“Come to my office as soon as you see to your beloved. Mazzi and Abel can help watch over him. Or even Rio. But it’s certainly something important.”
I nodded. Marcello left with a plate full of fruit, as well as a few more pastries. I carried the eggs, a pastry, and some fruit back for Leo. What he ate was going to be a win for all of us. What he didn’t I would have no issues with eating.
The smile I earned from Leo, despite him not feeling great, would always be worth any effort to do such a small thing for him.
I left his plate there for him to pick at and went in search of something for myself.
I chose much the same but did add a few bites of steak to my plate, as well as a different pastry.
Leo was welcome to try anything off my plate; we just needed to figure out what his stomach could and couldn’t handle.
I was almost certain the issue was more a lack of food than anything, but we wouldn’t know until he ate something.
I was pleased to see that by the time I returned with my own plate of food, Leo had eaten a good portion of his eggs.
He gave me a smile, then took a bite of fruit.
It was good to see him eating. Hopefully, all he needed was to eat regularly as well as drink his tea, and his sickness would become a thing of the past.
“Uh, what’s that one?” Leo asked, pointing to the pastry on my plate.
“Chocolate. Do you want it?”
He looked at me with pleading eyes, and I couldn’t help but chuckle. “You are welcome to it.”
He sighed. “I don’t want to take your food. But maybe a bite?”
I grinned as I cut the pastry in half and gave half of it to Leo. I would eat it last because if he wanted the entire thing, I was going to give it to him because he hadn’t been eating nearly enough for a shifter, let alone a pregnant one.
“Did you have fun in Banff?” Abel asked. I looked to Leo to answer, but Abel grabbed my attention. “No, I was asking you, Sandro. Leo already said he had lots of fun and that there were several bears there.”
I smiled at the little fox shifter. “I did, yes. We explored the outdoors some, but we spent more time visiting the tourist towns and the shops.”
“We had fun in the canoes,” Leo added.
I smiled over at my beloved. “This is true. They have a canoe rental, and there are clear-bottom canoes that you can rent. The water is beautiful and calm, and I agree with Leo. We did have an enjoyable day that day.” Overall, it was a wonderful time away, and I enjoyed every moment spent there with Leo.
It was truly what I needed. Or perhaps the trip wasn’t what was needed, but Leo was.
They say that you meet your fated mate when you need them most, and I couldn’t deny that was the case with Leo.
“They have canoes? With clear bottoms?” Abel looked over at Marcello. “I really want to go. That sounds like so much fun.”
Marcello looked conflicted. “We’ll see what we can do. You know we can’t anytime soon. Not with the twins being so young.”
Abel sighed. “I know. I just miss home sometimes.”
Rio had let me know what the story was with Abel, and although I was incredibly grateful that he and Mazzi had rescued me, I did feel bad for him to some extent.
He’d been brought here against his will, and although he could have left, he chose to stay with Marcello.
The choice had been given, and he’d made his.
“He’s not from here. I got that already. Where is he from, exactly?”
“He was living in Montana with the paranormal council. They had rescued him and some others. Marcello scented him when he was there when we were helping them look for a set of cousins from here.”
I offered Leo one of my steak bites, and although he seemed to hesitate, he eventually took it. I’d never seen anyone take a nibble at one before, especially not a shifter, but he was pregnant, and red meat could sit heavy in the stomach.
“What are your plans now that you are back?” Master Vincent asked. “Do you and Leo plan to stay here at the coven?”
It was difficult to not laugh when Leo sent me a terrified look. “I believe so,” I said, answering. “We’ve not discussed moving elsewhere.” I placed my hand on Leo’s thigh. “Have you changed your mind, mio amato?”
Leo shook his head. I grinned, then turned my attention back to Master Vincent. “I believe we are planning on remaining here at the coven. Obviously, Leo’s pride isn’t a possibility. Unless there is a reason you are asking and you wish for me to leave?”
Master Vincent narrowed his eyes. I had already known the answer before I voiced my question, but I’d expressed it anyway.
Since Rio’s arrival, my services for the coven weren’t exactly required.
He was more helpful to the coven than I would ever be.
I wasn’t upset about that; it was simply how things were.
He had abilities that I didn’t, and that was simply how it was.
“No, Leo’s pride is not an option. You know that the two of you will always have a home and family here with us.
There shall be no more of that nonsense talk.
Understood?” Master Vincent said, then threw in a smile for Leo’s sake, because I knew it certainly wasn’t for me.
“Please spend some time talking some sense into your mate, Leo. He has been moody of late. I had hoped that perhaps finding you would help bring back the old Sandro. At least to a certain point.”
“Uh…I…” Leo looked at me with a terrified expression.
I gave my beloved a gentle smile before I wrapped my arm around his shoulder. “Leo has done remarkable things for me,” I said so everyone at the table could hear.
“That is good news, then. Everyone, enjoy the rest of your meal. I have an early meeting this morning,” Master Vincent said as he stood. “Welcome to the family, Leo. Please feel welcome here, and if you don’t, please don’t hesitate to let me know.”
“Grazie, il padrone Vincenzo.”
I was certain the smile Master Vincent just gave Leo completely cemented Leo’s place in the coven, even if I were to no longer be here. I could not ever remember him smiling in such a way, other than when he was playing with little Luci. If anyone ever needed a daughter, it was Master Vincent.
Movement grabbed my attention as Marcello stood, leaned down, and kissed the top of Abel’s head, and after giving me a look that said I needed to follow sooner rather than later, he followed Master Vincent out the door.
Nicolo stood, and I had to assume he, too, was joining them in Master Vincent’s office. I sighed.
“Mio amato, will you be all right here for a bit with Rio and the others?”
“Meeting time, huh? Family business not for me?”
“Possibly. I’m not normally in the meetings either. Marcello said he needed to speak to me.”
Leo grinned. “I’m good. I’ll either be here or somewhere not far, I’m sure. I have no idea where anything is.”