16. Leonardo #2
“Why, Sandro? I don’t understand that.” I felt him kiss my hair.
I loved it when he did that. I loved everything about the man.
I was in love with my mate, but I couldn’t tell him.
It was the shittiest position to be in because I knew he didn’t love me back.
He cared for me. I knew that, and I was content with that for now, but it really sucked that I loved the man and he didn’t return my feelings.
But Sandro was complicated. His life had been completely messed up when I met him.
He hadn’t even wanted to continue living, and I understood he needed to work through the rest of those demons before he could allow himself to be open to loving me.
“Your parents kept everything from you to protect you,” he said quietly.
“I don’t know how they met, but they did.
You were born in Sicily, but your mom’s birth pack registered your birth with the paranormal registry.
According to Alpha Franco, your mother and father arrived with you when you were around two or three, seeking asylum.
He granted it, not realizing who your father was.
” Sandro kissed my hair again, this time his lips lingering there longer than before.
“It seems that your grandfather had found the three of you, and your parents were working on moving the three of you back to Russia. Your grandfather wants you, and when they wouldn’t give you to him, he had them killed. ”
I felt a sudden, sharp pain in the center of my chest. Deep down, I knew it was more than just a car accident.
I had thought that Alpha Franco had something to do with it though.
Knowing that my own grandfather, a man I had no memory of at all, was the one responsible for their deaths broke my heart.
My parents. His own son. I couldn’t understand that.
I never would be able to either. How could someone do that to their own child? And for what purpose?
“Why, Sandro?” I asked quietly as tears started to fall down my cheeks.
“I wish I had answers for you beyond the fact that he wanted you. Your grandfather is human. He’s getting older, and he wants someone to take over the business. Your father left, and from the sounds of it, not with permission. That signed his and your mother’s death certificates then and there.”
We lived in a country that had a vast history.
There was good and bad everywhere, and my world had just tilted because apparently my own history was far worse than I had imagined.
“What now?” I asked. I wiped at my eyes, and when Sandro moved, I shifted in his arms and looked up at him.
“Do I need to leave? I don’t want anything to happen to anyone here. ”
Sandro offered me a sad smile. “You can leave if you wish. Your mother’s birth pack is open to you joining them. I’ll go with you there if that’s what you wish. Master Vincent won’t stop us. But he also is willing to protect you. You don’t have to leave here if you don’t wish to.”
I felt a bit of relief in that. “Not that I’m not open to meeting them someday, but I don’t think I want to move to Moscow or wherever. You said they’re a pack. That means they’re wolves?”
Sandro’s smile reached his eyes this time. “Yes. You have grandparents there that would love to meet you someday. Possibly other family as well. I can ask Marcello for more information about them. He probably already has it anyway.”
“Maybe someday, but not now. I don’t know them, and they don’t know me.
I just…I’m trying to get past my grandfather killing his own son.
I understand that paranormals kill other paranormals for various reasons.
And I know it happens in this family as well.
I just…he killed his own son so he could have me.
I just…why would I ever want to go with someone who was willing to hurt me in that way? ”
“I can’t answer that for you. I wish I could or that I could take away the pain it’s causing you. I’ll never do anything to hurt you in any way. Not intentionally, at least. I have no doubt that at some point in our time together, I’ll cause you pain in some way.”
I smiled up at Sandro. “I know you won’t mean it.”
“No, never,” Sandro said as he cupped my face and leaned down and pressed his lips to mine.
I welcomed the kiss. It had been a bit of an odd morning so far, and the news about my family was just something else thrown into the mix.
But here with Sandro like this, nothing else mattered or existed in these few seconds.
He cut the kiss short, much to my disappointment. I realized why seconds later when I heard footsteps. Someone was walking nearby.
“Who is that?” I asked through our bond.
“Most likely one of the guys out walking the grounds. There is no way, aside from magic, that anyone that isn’t supposed to be here at the villa is here on the grounds.”
Moments later, a man who was dressed much like Sandro in dark slacks and a button-down shirt came into the fountain area.
“I heard someone talking and didn’t realize you were out here, Sandro.”
“It’s all right, Carmelo. You weren’t at breakfast, but I’d like you to meet my beloved, Leo,” Sandro said as he smiled down at me still sitting on his lap.
“Hi, Carmelo,” I said. I squirmed a bit, and when Sandro let me go, I stood and quickly swiped at my cheeks again before I closed the distance between us. I held out my hand to shake or offer a quick hug, but Carmelo glanced at Sandro first before smiling at me and then shaking my hand.
“Hello, Leo. It is nice to meet you. Be sure to ask any of us if you need anything. Congratulations on finding your beloved.”
I grinned back. I wasn’t going to correct him, because technically, sure, Sandro could be my beloved.
He was my fated mate, so that worked for me.
I still thought it was a bit odd that everyone seemed to get this amazing word for that mate except shifters.
We still got stuck with mate, which was the exact same word in the actual animal kingdom.
“I’m going to get back to my patrol. Enjoy your day together,” he said before he disappeared behind a hedge.
I looked over at Sandro in question. “He’s someone here at the coven, I take it.”
Sandro chuckled. “Yes. Carmelo is one of Nicolo’s men. He is obviously out on patrol.”
“I have a question,” I said when something occurred to me.
“I might have an answer. Ask and we will see.”
“If nobody can get here onto the grounds, then why are the patrols necessary?”
Sandro’s smile grew. “Most likely to make everyone else feel safer. But if someone has magical abilities such as Rio and Mazzi do, they could gain access to the villa or the gardens.”
“And can a vampire protect themselves from someone like that? I know I couldn’t if they truly wished to harm me. Especially not now with me not being able to shift.”
Sandro scowled. “You ask such interesting questions. No, I don’t believe a vampire is much of a match for a warlock. The hope, I believe, is that they will be able to alert others if there is something unusual here.”
I shrugged. “Okay. I was just curious.” I sat back down next to Sandro. “All right. What else do you have to tell me about my family and all that fun stuff. Anything else?” I asked.
Sandro smiled while shaking his head at me. “I believe we were interrupted,” he said as he reached for me again.
Oh yeah, I could certainly go for some more kissing. In fact, I could go for more anything with Sandro. I seriously couldn’t get enough of him, but that’s how it was supposed to be, wasn’t it?