The Lonely Wolf

by Monica La Porta

  Instead of waiting, Ludwig decided to track down whomever was treating the girl and exercise his archangel’s influence to get some information. Then he would go upstairs and talk to Quintilius, because even without his supervision, he trusted that the boy wasn’t going to run anywhere without his mate.

  ****

  In the last thirty minutes, neither doctor nor nurse had come out of the ICU to give Quintilius an update. He had retired to the waiting room, where Caelum was being fussed over by Ophelia, and Peter kept himself out of the way. When Ludwig appeared at the door, Quintilius worried. He knew by heart every nuance of the angel’s expressions, and at the moment, Ludwig’s narrowed eyes and the harsh set of his jaw meant he had bad news.

  From the entry, Ludwig tilted his head toward the hallway and said, “May I talk to you, in private?”

  With a heavy heart, Quintilius told Ophelia he would step out for a bit and joined Ludwig outside.

  After a moment of silence, Ludwig steadied his stance, pushed his hands into his jeans’ rear pockets, and said, “Your son is here.”

  It took a moment for Quintilius to process Ludwig’s words. When he did, a new form of fear invaded him. “Lupo’s here, at the hospital. Why?”

  “He was in an accident—”

  “Is he… okay?”

  “Yes, he’s fine. A little battered, but he’ll be up in no time. I didn’t detect anything major.”

  “I want to see him.”

  “I thought so.”

  “But?”

  “You might have to wait.”

  “He doesn’t want to see me.”

  “He’s young and hurt.”

  “What happened to him?”

  Ludwig briefly summarized for Quintilius what Lupo had told him. “I just talked to the surgeon who’s about to operate on Jasmine. She was badly injured, and it’s a miracle her spine didn’t break all the way through. Her head is attached to her body by not even a millimeter of bone. If she makes it, it’s only because Lupo called the enforcers. We can only hope for the best.”

  Head reeling with the amount of information he had just assimilated, Quintilius said, “What about her family? Have they been informed?”

  Nodding, Ludwig massaged his temple. “Samuel has been called to talk to the family. If you give me permission, I can have a heart-to-heart with the fallen beforehand and explain the situation.”

  If there was something Quintilius hated, it was asking for favors, and yet he immediately said, “Yes, please. As the appointed liaison, he can make them see reason. Lupo and the girl are already mated, I suppose?” He hadn’t even met his son yet, and he had to pacify irate in-laws already.

  “Yes, you can smell her scent all over him. He didn’t waste any time.” Ludwig scoffed, but his words were soft and had a hint of longing, as if he were talking of someone dear to him.

  Quintilius had noticed once before that the angel seemed to have taken a liking to Lupo, and he knew Ludwig’s keen sense of observation was never wrong. The boy had made an impression, and Quintilius couldn’t wait any longer to meet his son. “I want to see him.”

  “Let’s go downstairs, and I’ll see what I can do.”

  “Thanks.”

  The angel smiled at him, one of his smiles that were private and meant only for the two of them. “No worries.”

  But Quintilius knew that what Ludwig was doing for him wasn’t a small thing.

  They walked in silence, their arms close, their fingers almost hooking, and as the backs of their hands touched in furtive brushes, Ludwig’s strong presence comforted Quintilius. Sometimes, when melancholia hit, he wondered if he had fallen in love with the angel because he was so much bigger than him. Always the biggest and the strongest, Quintilius liked to be small for once.

  Downstairs, Ludwig paused before the ER’s entrance and placed his hand over Quintilius’s arm. “Give me a moment.”

  Quintilius watched the door close behind the angel and raised his eyes heavenward, praying to the Great Wolf that Ludwig could convince Lupo to meet him. A few minutes passed, and he started pacing back and forth in the big hallway, his anxiety growing at each turn. More minutes passed, and a sense of bleak heaviness blanketed him. When the ER’s door opened and Ludwig came out, Quintilius was about to storm inside.

  “So?” he asked Ludwig from several meters away.

  Ludwig nodded. “Come in.” He held the door for him, then led him through the whole length of a corridor. “I told Lupo what I gathered from the doctor about his mate, and he’s upset for her, but consented to meet you.” He paused before a room. “Lupo is scared and hurt, but his future isn’t promising at the moment, and he needs a strong male figure in his life. He needs you, even if he doesn’t know it.” After a knock on the door, he motioned for Quintilius to enter. “I’ll wait for you outside.”

  His legs all of a sudden became boneless, and Quintilius told himself, “I can do this.”

  “Of course you can,” Ludwig said from a few steps away.

  Steadying his resolve, and after breathing in and out for a few counts, Quintilius lowered the door handle and entered the room.

  On a bed too small for him, a massive werewolf lay with his face turned toward the wall.

  “Lupo?” Quintilius walked to the bed, but didn’t sit on the wooden chair by the corner.

  Lupo slowly turned, and when their eyes met, Quintilius couldn’t help but weep.

  “My son—” he choked.

  The cub, barely out of his teenage years, but a man through and through, looked like Quintilius. His hair was cropped and his eyes were a striking shade of blue, but the rest was undeniably Quintilius. A handsome werewolf with a leader aura impossible to ignore and a tempestuous wolf as his animal, this young man was the very image of the son he had dreamed of for as long as he could remember.

  Until now, Quintilius had always thought his dream would never become a reality.

  “Alpha.” Lupo’s expression was somber, and his voice was unsteady.

  “Lupo, I’m so grateful you’re giving me this opportunity—”

  Sitting straighter, and grimacing in the process, Lupo frowned. “All these years, you never cared for me. What has changed now?”

  Puzzled by his words, Quintilius tried to organize his thoughts for the best way to express his feelings. “I’m sorry for the other day, the last thing I wanted was to bail on you.”

  Lupo’s wolf’s low growl echoed in the room. “Bullsh—”

  Quintilius raised one hand to stop Lupo. Being disrespected wasn’t something he would allow, and most assuredly, it wouldn’t facilitate conversation, especially if their wolves got involved. He locked eyes with Lupo’s and said, “I wanted to meet you the moment Ludwig told me I had a son.”

  Nostrils flaring, Lupo’s demeanor changed, as his eyes never lost contact with Quintilius. If a moment earlier he had been guarded, now he radiated belligerence from all his pores. Once again, Quintilius saw his son’s wolf lurking beneath the surface, and the animal was furious and asking to be released. But beneath all the angst, Lupo’s scent also showed he felt betrayed.

  “You are such a disappointment, father.” Lupo spat the last word like a curse. “You send the angel to tell me you’re dying to finally meet with me, and the first thing you do is lie through your teeth. Do me a favor and remove yourself from my sight.”

  “Lupo—” Such was the hurtful power of Lupo’s words that Quintilius lost his ground for a moment.

  “Don’t worry, I want nothing from you.” Turning toward the wall, he added with a snarl, “Not your money, and not your name.”

  Lupo’s wolf was getting more and more aggressive, and it was a testament to Lupo’s strength that he hadn’t let his animal out to challenge Quintilius.

  As a father, Quintilius felt immensely proud of his son, and he let Lupo’s disrespect slide. “I don’t know why you think I’ve lied to you, but I have said the truth.”

  His back to Quintilius, Lupo waved a hand over h
is shoulder to dismiss him. “Just stop talking.”

  Despite Lupo’s tone, Quintilius saw how he lay hunched over, in a protective stance to hide how hurt he was. A mountain of a man in his prime, his son was about to spill tears he didn’t want to be seen.

  It pained Quintilius to see Lupo so wounded, but he had to take control of the situation or he would forever regret it. They might have been estranged, but his paternal instinct had already kicked in. “I won’t go until I say my piece.” To make their respective positions clear, he let his wolf roar at Lupo’s.

  Like a rebellious cub, Lupo’s wolf stood his ground and roared back. “The great alpha isn’t used to the word ‘no.’”

  Deep inside, Quintilius applauded Lupo. Any other werewolf would have shown submission by now, but Lupo still fought back, trying to assert his dominance, and Quintilius had nothing but respect for this young, mislead cub. “The great alpha isn’t used to having a son, because he’s just learned about him.” Grabbing the chair by the corner, Quintilius dragged it to the bed and sat. His legs stretched before him and his arms folded low, he waited for Lupo to turn. “I’ll be brief,” he said when it was evident Lupo didn’t want to interact with him any longer. “Two days ago, Ludwig came to my house and told me about you. The first thing that crossed my mind was to drive to Drako’s in the middle of the night and meet you.”

  Silence welcomed his words, so Quintilius continued, “I resigned myself to wait, only to be detained by the vampire Claudius the whole day. As soon as I was back in Rome, I went to Drako’s, but you were gone. I would’ve started looking for you first thing in the morning—” He saw the light filtering through the small window. “Right now, in fact, if my closest friend hadn’t been attacked by a vampire.”

  The tension in the air was tangible, and the two wolves’ volatile moods added to the general strain. Still, Quintilius was the senior alpha, and he would control the situation. Lupo’s back raised and fell in shallow breaths, but he kept silent, which Quintilius liked less than when he had shown open hostility.

  Knowing he had to change the balance between them, Quintilius decided to open his heart to Lupo, hoping his confession wouldn’t fall on deaf ears. “Had I known of you before, rest assured that I would’ve sought you out. I have dreamed of having a son for so long, you are a gift to me.”

  “Why do you keep lying?” Lupo’s question was barely a whisper, but to Quintilius it sounded like a shout.

  So much was the pain and the hurt radiating from Lupo and his wolf that Quintilius felt the urge to hug his son, but he steeled his resolve to get through Lupo. “I’ve said the truth.”

  “You’ve known of me since the day I was born and decided I wasn’t worthy of you.”

  “That is a lie.”

  “The great alpha couldn’t be bothered with a bastard.”

  “Why do you think that?”

  “I get it. You got to have your fun. A stupid maid was available. I am the unwanted byproduct of a forgettable night.”

  “I barely knew your mother, but I would’ve never repudiated you—”

  “Lies. Lies. Lies. Please go away.”

  “Your mother never came to me to tell me she was pregnant. She stopped working at Casolare del Lupo soon after we…”

  “Would you just leave me alone?”

  It was as if they were having two parallel conversations, but Quintilius wanted his son to listen and slightly raised his voice. “I asked after her, but she had disappeared.”

  By response, Lupo whispered, “This conversation is pointless.” He sounded defeated now.

  “Once again, I didn’t know I had a son.” Headache mounting, Quintilius grabbed the edge of his chair. “But you are my son, and I will fight for you.” His knuckles became white.

  “Same way you fought a month ago, when I came to your house and I met your bitch—”

  “Wait.” Surprised by the revelation, Quintilius sat farther forward. “You came to Casolare del Lupo?”

  Finally, Lupo shifted on his side and locked his gaze with Quintilius’s. “That’s what I just said.”

  “I was never told.” Heart beating faster, Quintilius tried to connect the dots together.

  “Your bitch didn’t tell you? How convenient.”

  “Do not disrespect Camelia.” The room started spinning around Quintilius. “I don’t understand—” He brought a hand to his temple. “I spoke to her before she was attacked, and she was surprised when I told her about you. She would’ve never kept a secret like that from me. Never.” From the way Lupo was looking at him, Quintilius realized he had spoken out loud.

  A knock on the door startled him.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Pushing the door open by a chink, Ludwig peeked inside. “I apologize, but the liaison is here, and he would like to ask Lupo a few questions before talking to the girl’s family.”

  “We were done anyway,” Lupo said.

  Ludwig entered, followed by the fallen angel, Samuel, whom he had kept busy for the last ten minutes explaining Lupo’s delicate situation, while trying to give Quintilius more time with his son.

  Samuel acknowledged Quintilius, then walked to the bed. “Hi, Lupo. My name’s Samuel, and I’ll be discussing your case with the Cannalis Corte family.” He offered his hand to Lupo, and the werewolf took it.

  Walking to his side, Ludwig gave Quintilius an interrogative glance, and Quintilius shook his head slightly.

  “I’ll check on Camelia,” Quintilius said, leaving the room after one last glance at Lupo.

  The young werewolf didn’t seem to notice his father departing, but Ludwig saw how Lupo’s hand clenched the sheets in a tangle.

  “How do you feel?” Samuel grabbed the chair Quintilius had vacated, swung it, and sat astride, resting his arms over the backrest. Making himself comfortable, the fallen angel opened his truncated wings and let them fall to the side.

  Ludwig sighed, foretelling a long session.

  With a shrug, Lupo answered, “I’m fine.” Then he raised his eyes to Samuel. “So, does Jasmine’s family want me dead?” He said it with a mocking tone, but his mouth was set in a firm line and his hand hadn’t stopped fisting the sheets.

  Leaning against the wall, Ludwig crossed his booted feet.

  Samuel shifted his weight on the chair. “Jasmine’s father has made a formal request to the Immortal Council to have you extradited—”

  “They want to try you for kidnapping, rape, and attempted murder,” Ludwig said when Samuel didn’t finish his sentence.

  “I’d never—” Lupo jumped on the bed, horror and shock on his face, his breathing ragged.

  “I understand she’s your mate, and I know you would never hurt her, but her family is trying to come to terms with what’s happened to their daughter, and it isn’t easy for them,” Samuel said.

  “Do you think it’s easy for me?” Lupo roared, letting his pain out.

  A sympathetic ache exploded in Ludwig’s chest. “We know it isn’t,” he said with barely concealed emotion, surprising everyone in the room, himself included.

  After giving Ludwig a fleeting look, Samuel focused back on the werewolf. “We are here to help you.”

  “How?” Lupo scoffed, shaking his head with a grim expression.

  “By doing my job,” Samuel answered. “I’ll mediate with her family.”

  “So you won’t surrender me to them?” With slow movements attesting to the amount of pain Lupo was experiencing, he straightened against the bedrest.

  “Of course we won’t.” Again, Ludwig spoke with more sentiment than his official position required. This time, both the werewolf and the fallen angel turned to stare at him, and he felt compelled to add, “The Immortal Council was created to deal with interspecies matters, and we would never let a tribe deal justice on their own.”

  Samuel nodded. “You will be tried by the Immortal Council Court, and we’ll make sure you have a fair hearing.”

  Ludwig knew the cub would need all the help
he could get, given his previous charges concerning the vampire and the enemies he had made in such a short time.

  Lupo let out a mirthless laugh, then started counting on his fingers. “I’m wanted for the attempted murder of a bloodsucker. I’ve fallen in love with a Purist and failed to keep her safe. Her family wants me dead. The Reds are out for my blood too. What else?” He made a show to think about the answer, then said with a mockery of a smile, “But all is good. My prodigal father just decided he wants me in his life. How lucky am I?”

  “Everything will be fine.” Ludwig stepped closer to the bed. “It won’t be easy and it won’t be fast, but you’ll make it through and you’ll be stronger because of it.”

  “How can you promise me that?” Lupo asked, his hostility gone, showing his frailness and his youth.

  Ludwig smiled then. “Because you are not alone. Your father and I will be with you, every step of the way.”

  Lupo’s eyes narrowed. “Why?”

  Several answers came to Ludwig, but all boiled down to his need to see love triumph. “Because everyone deserves a second chance, and you aren’t the first man to make a mistake.”

  With a nod, Samuel added, “Taking into account you just turned eighteen and you have no priors, we’ll plea for a lesser sentence.” He raised his wings to stretch them. “Now, tell me exactly how you ended up in this mess.”

  It took Lupo almost two hours to narrate what sounded like an odyssey to Ludwig. They were interrupted twice by the nurses, and Samuel asked a multitude of questions. Per the Cannalis Corte family’s request, the fallen angel recorded the part of the conversation regarding Jasmine. Lupo had to stop several times when he recounted the events that led to the accident.

  By the time Samuel declared the interview finished, the room was saturated with the werewolf’s grief.

  Saying his goodbye, Samuel took Lupo’s hand in his and gave it a good squeeze. “As the archangel told you, we’ll do our absolute best to help you.”

  Once alone, Ludwig asked, “Is there anything you need?”

  “Jasmine,” Lupo said her name with reverence, his eyes gone to a place well beyond the hospital’s walls. “Would you let me know if anything has changed with her?”