Beloved (The Playlist BOOK 2)

Leo’s POV

Song - Bones By Lenni and Benta

A nagging feeling in my chest pulls me from sleep. I can feel her, curled into my side, sleeping.

Guilt weighs on me so heavily I can’t catch a breath. She deserves so much better than me. I stare at her face while she sleeps calmly beside me.

She’s so pretty.

Looking at her makes my chest ache. Every second spent with her makes me long for her more, to know every detail, I want her so badly I feel dizzy.

I don’t know how I’m going to fix this but I have to. My phone vibrates in my pants across the room.

Chase: Be ready. I’m sending five of our best. They arrive tomorrow at sunset.

Shit.

I carefully jump up and run outside.

No. No. No.

With each ring more and more anger fills me.

“Leo! You ready man?”

“No, Chase! What the fuck are you doing? Why are you sending anyone? I was supposed to let you know.”

“You’re not doing what you were sent there to do,” he seethes, “you’re going soft for the girl.”

The girl... just hearing him talk about her makes my blood boil.

“It has nothing to do with her. This pack is airtight. You should see their warrior training facilities... there is no way I can get you in.”

“I’m fucking sending them, Leo. Remember what you’re dealing with. Don’t get blinded by the bond and tight pussy. She’s a fucking mangy dog. Don’t forget.”

I feel a sharp sting in my hand and realize I’ve crushed my phone. A mangy dog. I want to rip his head from his shoulders. He doesn’t know anything about her.

Fuck.

I hear her moving around. I know she’s awake. How do I tell her that I lied to her? That I came here to spy on them, to find a weak spot to attack them. Fuck, even thats a lie. I came here because I couldn’t last one more second away from her. The “mission” was just an excuse to see her. She’ll never believe me though. She’ll hate me.

I’m pacing in the grass when I hear the small door open.

“Leo?”

God, her voice makes my knees weak. If I had a beating heart it would be pounding in my chest. She’s so perfect and I’m fucking the whole thing up.

I get to her in a few long strides and pull her into my chest. Her long, dark hair is messy and her big doe eyes are soft and confused. I know I owe her the truth. I just hoped I would have more time.

“I need to talk to your dad,” I barely whisper.

I can’t believe I’m doing this. I’m about to betray everything I once held dear, for a gorgeous little wolf girl that breathed life back into my dead soul.

Her eyes are wide but she stays quiet, quickly pulling on her clothes.

“Are you alright? Are you sore?”

We should be laying in each others arms right now. I should be rubbing my hands over her soft skin and taking care of her.

“I’m sore but I’ll be alright,” she whispers.

I don’t know what to do. Everything is falling apart before I ever had a chance to put it all together.

As we reach the packhouse I start to feel sick. Happy, laughing women are herding loud, rambunctious children into the dining room for lunch. People are smiling and nodding to, Bea, love in their eyes. They’re smiling at me, accepting me because she does, her family does.

Everything I’ve been taught about wolves is a lie. I expected to come here and be treated badly, for there to be no love within the pack, for everyone to look out for themselves. I’m having a hard time reconciling what I’ve been told with what I’m seeing with my own eyes.

I can feel her through our bond. She is everything I want in a package I wasn’t expecting.

Each step we take toward her father’s office, my sense of dread grows.

She’s going to hate me.

She should.

She knocks on the door and a bearded man pulls it open.

“Beta Julian,” she smiles up at him.

“Bebe,” he jokes and she groans at his nickname.

“Is dad in?”

He steps aside so we can enter but not before extending his hand to me.

“I’m Julian, the pack Beta. ”

“Leo, nice to meet you.”

Alpha Elijah is behind his desk when we enter. He looks at his daughter with a loving smile.

“Dad, Leo needs to talk to you,” her voice sounds strained, she’s afraid to hear what I have to say. I don’t think I can say it in front of her.

Her dad tenses slightly, he’s good at reading people, I’m sure he can feel the anxiousness and guilt rolling off of me.

“Can we have a minute, Bea?” Her dad asks her and I want to hug him. I wouldn’t have been able to say this in front of her.

She looks upset but nods her head. Before she leaves she squeezes my fingers in her soft hands.

When the door clicks behind me her dad gestures to the seat in front of his desk. I take a deep breath and move deeper into the office, sitting in the chair before him.

“How can I help you, Leo?” His voice is even and calm.

“Your pack is going to be attacked. I received word that there are vampires coming here tomorrow.”

“How many?”

“I’m told five.”

“Are they coming to this pack because of you? Or my daughter?”

“Your daughter?”

“Are they upset that she is your beloved. We haven’t had issues with the vampires that live in this territory. Why else would they suddenly come here?”

His voice is still calm but I don’t miss his very accurately placed suspicion in his voice.

“I haven’t made the announcement that she is my beloved yet but the ones that know aren’t...pleased.”

He nods his head again. I can see the wheels turning in his head. I know I should just tell him what I am...what my group has been planning but I dont...I can’t. He’ll never let me near his daughter again.

“I have to go, I have to take care of a few things at home now that this has come up. She can’t come, I need to know that she’s here, safe.”

“She will always be safe with me,” he nods as I stand to leave. Before I can reach the door he stands and leans forward, his hands planted on his desk.

“My daughter is very much like her mother. She has an unimaginable capacity for forgiveness. I needed a lot of forgiveness and grace when Sorsha and I first met. My mind and my heart were on different pages, I kept my heart hidden from her, and it was a mistake. The mate she deserved seemed like something I could never be. Let Bea in, don’t lie to her, let her decide what she can and can’t forgive based on truth. She’ll surprise you, I’m sure of it.”

His words feel like daggers to my chest.

“Thank you, Alpha,” I can barely choke out as I leave the room.