Chapter 1 Chapter 1

"Luca?" I asked when my phone call was finally picked up.

I had left the house and I didn't exactly know what to do next other than wander aimlessly down the forest track in the dark and cold. I knew I didn't want to go back but I also knew that I didn't want to leave.

So I did what anyone would do: called my best friend.

"Yeah?" he replied softly.

"Can you come and pick me up? I'm-" I began before becoming suddenly overwhelmed with the urge to cry.

"Yes, of course," he said not needing a coherent explanation. "I'll be there as soon as possible."

I sat on the verge with my head in my hands until the glowing headlights of his car came into view. 

As soon as the car had stopped, he was getting out and then sitting beside me on the slightly damp, leaf-littered floor.

"Hey," he said comfortingly.

"Hi," I replied leaning into him.

"You decided to leave?"

I shrugged and just let him put his arm around me.

"I don't know what to do," I said wiping my tears.

"I have an idea. How about we get off this wet floor before we start making any important decisions?"

I nodded and he opened the door to his car. It was warm in there and strangely smelt like waffles. Those two things combined with Luca and the comfort they brought me made my decision in an instant.

"Your plan," I said as he got in on the driver's side. "The one to just go somewhere far from here and away from him. I want to do it. But not alone."

His lips curled into a smile.

"Was that an invitation Ella Jones?" he asked with a glint in his eye.

I nodded and he hugged me.

"I fucking love you," he said excitedly. "And this is gonna be fun. I promise."

He then put on his seatbelt and started the engine.

"But the Alpha is going to kill me for it," he muttered.

"He let me go," I replied.

"He...just let you...go?" 

It was hard to believe, I'll give him that. Just allowing his mate to go out into the "big, scary" world alone was a very unLeo thing to do but even he couldn't have said no in this situation. He killed my brother for goodness sake.

I nodded, "Yeh just like that. Anyway, where are we going, Captain?" 

"Somewhere warm and far away," he replied. "But you'll have to wait and see. It's a surprise."

"Are we going to Mexico?" I asked.

"How the fuck did you guess?" He asked slapping the steering wheel in frustration as we drove.

"There's a sombrero in the back," I stated. "Why is that necessary?"

"In case we need to fit in," he replied.

"Oh, of course," I remarked. "Why didn't I think of that?"