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49. Slow Return
Last Updated:
2024-09-09 22:37:54Related chapters
Alpha Nero 50. Camellia Epilogue One
The warm breeze carries the scent of saltwater, and the rhythmic crashing of waves against the shore fills the air. I stand barefoot at the edge of the ocean, the cool water lapping at my toes. The sun is setting, and for the first time in what feels like forever, everything is calm. Peaceful.I hear Nereo’s excited laughter as he chases after a sand crab, his tiny legs kicking up sand as he runs. Nero’s deep voice follows, teasing him as he pretends to let the crab escape.“You’re too slow, Nereo!” Nero calls out, laughing. “Come on, you’ve got to be faster if you want to catch it!”I turn to watch them, my heart swelling with love. Nero’s crouched down in the sand, grinning as Nereo shrieks with laughter, trying to outrun the little creature. Seeing them together like this, carefree and happy, makes everything we went through worth it.“Mamma, look!” Nereo shouts, waving his arms in excitement. “I almost caught it!”“You’re getting closer every time!” I call back, smiling as I walk
Last Updated : 2024-09-10Alpha Nero 51. Nero Epilogue Two
I lean back in my chair, watching Nereo on the floor in front of my desk, pushing his toy cars back and forth across the hardwood. He’s deep in concentration, his little face scrunched up as he mimics the sound of an engine, totally absorbed in his own world. It makes me smile, seeing him like this. So carefree. So innocent.It reminds me of when I was his age, sitting in this same office, playing with my own set of cars while my father worked. I used to look up to him like he was untouchable, this larger-than-life figure who always knew what to do. He was my hero. I wanted to be just like him.But I also remember the day everything changed. The day I became Alpha.In our pack, the transition isn’t something that’s handed down peacefully. It’s a fight—brutal, bloody, and final. The son challenges the father, and if the son wins, he has to... finish it. Rip out the heart and consume it. It’s a ritual that’s been in the Leonetti pack since the beginning, meant to symbolize the passing o
Last Updated : 2024-09-11Alpha Nero Osiris: The Broken Brother - Chapter 1
OsirisThe engine growls as I pull the truck into a dusty parking lot, the tires crunching over wet gravel. I’m in some no-name town, the kind you pass through without thinking twice. That’s how it’s been for months—just driving, aimless. Trying to outrun something I can’t even fucking name.I kill the engine and sit there for a second, my fingers gripping the steering wheel so tightly my knuckles turn white. The silence inside the truck is deafening. My wolf, once a constant presence in my head, is quiet—too quiet. It’s been that way ever since I got my memories back.Everyone was so damn happy when I “came back.” But I wasn’t the same. They all wanted the old Osiris, the one who cracked jokes and kept things light. The guy who could make people laugh without trying. But that guy’s long gone. Buried under whatever the hell I am now.The town’s name isn’t important. I didn’t bother reading the sign as I passed it. I don’t know how long I’ll stay, if I’ll even bother unpacking the smal
Last Updated : 2024-09-13Alpha Nero Osiris: The Broken Brother - Chapter 2
OsirisThree days later, I’m still here, still in this small town that feels like it’s wrapped me in a weird sense of calm. I’ve kept to myself for the most part—wandering around, stopping in at the diner for food and shitty coffee, sitting by the river just outside of town. It’s been peaceful, and that’s something I haven’t had in a long time.Eva seems surprised every time she sees me at Rosie’s. I don’t blame her. I’m not the type to stay anywhere for too long. But this place... it’s different. It’s quiet. It gives me space to breathe, to exist without everything else crowding in on me.Today, I walk into the diner and find her behind the counter, pouring coffee for the old-timers who always hang out there. She looks up when I walk in, raising an eyebrow.“Back again?” she asks, wiping her hands on a rag.I shrug, sitting down at the counter. “Seems like a good town to forget about shit.”She smirks at that, leaning on the counter in front of me. “And what exactly are you trying to
Last Updated : 2024-09-14Alpha Nero Osiris: The Broken Brother - Chapter 3
OsirisI stare at my phone for what feels like hours, the screen dark and silent. My finger hovers over the group chat with Orion and Nero. I should’ve done this weeks ago. Hell, months ago. But something kept stopping me every time.Maybe it was shame. Or maybe I just didn’t want to admit that I wasn’t the same guy they used to know.I exhale sharply, leaning back in the booth at Rosie’s. Eva’s working today, as usual, and I catch her watching me from behind the counter, giving me that knowing look she always does. It’s like she can see right through me, knows exactly what I’m doing—putting off something important.I can’t run from this anymore.With a sigh, I unlock the phone and open the chat.[Osiris: You busy?]Orion’s reply comes almost immediately.[Orion: You’re alive?! Where the fuck have you been?]I smirk, shaking my head. I expected nothing less from him.[Osiris: I’m fine. Just been... sorting some shit out.][Orion: Sorting shit out?! You disappear for months, and all yo
Last Updated : 2024-09-15Alpha Nero Osiris: The Broken Brother - Chapter 4
EvaIt’s the same routine every time he walks into the diner—quiet, brooding, with a weight on his shoulders that practically screams “leave me alone.” Except today, there’s something different about him.Osiris sits at the counter, like always, but there’s a slight curve to his lips. It’s not exactly a smile, but it’s more than the hardened, distant expression I’m used to. Still mysterious, but less like he’s carrying the weight of the world.I can’t quite put my finger on it, but something about him is lighter. Not physically, of course. The guy’s built like a mountain, all muscle and quiet strength, but there’s something in his eyes today that wasn’t there before. Like he’s almost... at peace. Whatever storm was brewing inside him seems to have calmed, at least for now.I wipe my hands on my apron and walk over, trying to keep my thoughts in check. It’s not the first time I’ve noticed how handsome he is—how could I not? Tall, built like he could take on the world, with piercing gre
Last Updated : 2024-09-16Alpha Nero Osiris: The Broken Brother - Chapter 5
OsirisI’ve faced down some of the most dangerous enemies, survived battles that would leave most people broken, and clawed my way out of more than my fair share of hellholes. But somehow, asking Eva out on a date feels like the hardest thing I’ve ever done.Ridiculous, right?I lean back in the booth I’ve claimed in the corner of the diner, my fingers tapping idly on the table as I watch her move behind the counter. She’s graceful, her steps light even though I know she’s been working all day. The way she smiles at customers, the way she listens to people, it’s like she’s always putting others first.She’s a sweet woman, probably too sweet for someone like me. But there’s something about her that makes me keep coming back here, day after day. I’m not even sure what I’m doing in this town anymore, but Eva... she makes it feel like I’m where I’m supposed to be.I take a sip of my coffee, watching her as she laughs at something a customer says. It’s not just her looks—though she’s beaut
Last Updated : 2024-09-17Alpha Nero Osiris: The Broken Brother - Chapter 6
EvaIt’s my first day off in what feels like forever. The air is crisp, the sun warm but not too hot, and for once, I don’t have to worry about work or rushing through my day. Sophia is running ahead of me, giggling as she chases after some birds in the park. Her joy is infectious, and I can’t help but smile as I watch her. She deserves days like this, carefree and full of laughter.I sit down on a bench, watching her play, and my mind drifts back to last night. Osiris.I still can’t believe he asked me out.Honestly, I’d been waiting for him to lose interest or realize I wasn’t worth his time. But then, he kept coming back. And that kiss... God, that kiss. My fingers absentmindedly brush over my lips as I think about it. It wasn’t just some casual thing—there was heat, but also something deeper. Something I didn’t expect.My cheeks warm at the memory, and I can feel the butterflies stirring in my stomach. It was soft, slow, and... surprisingly tender for a man like him. There’s someth
Last Updated : 2024-09-18
Latest chapter
Alpha Nero Orion: Shattered Bond - Epilogue
OrionNero’s office has the kind of quiet tension you can feel in your bones, the kind that comes after months of chasing shadows and uprooting every twisted part of that ring. Osiris and I are settled across from him, listening intently as he wraps up the conference call with Arkyn and Creed. My brother’s voice is steady as he discusses the last few details. It’s taken months to dismantle, but here we are, finally piecing everything back together.“Look,” Creed’s voice crackles over the line, blunt as ever, “everyone’s been dealt with. But Legacy’s name hasn’t come up in any interrogation or confession, not even once. He’s protected. Everyone’s too fucking scared to name him.”Nero sighs, fingers rubbing at his temples. “He’s the one wild card. Every single person higher up has been captured, but Legacy? Silence. And we all know silence from someone that powerful isn’t accidental.”“Leave Legacy to me,” Arkyn’s voice cuts in, dark and simmering with barely contained fury. “He’s still
Alpha Nero Orion: Shattered Bond - Chapter 30
OrionThe cool earth beneath us grounds me as I lay there, my arm draped over Zane, feeling the steady rise and fall of his chest. His scent—apples and something inherently him—fills the air around us, mingling with the sharp, raw scent of our freshly marked bond. The ache of his mark on my nape throbs in time with my heartbeat, a constant reminder that he’s real, that he’s here.I trail my fingers down his arm, feeling the warmth of his skin, the familiar shape of him that I thought I’d lost forever. Everything about this feels surreal, like I’ve stepped into a dream I can’t bear to wake from.“We should probably… head back,” I murmur, though the thought of leaving this spot, leaving him even for a second, feels impossible. But there’s a part of me that knows we can’t hide here forever, that we owe it to my family, to everyone who believed Zane was gone, to know the truth. “They’ll want to know what happened.”Zane chuckles, a low, familiar sound that makes something tighten in my c
Alpha Nero Orion: Shattered Bond - Chapter 29
OrionI hold him, my arms wrapped so tightly around him I’m half-worried I’ll break him. But I can’t let go. My mind’s struggling to process this, and I keep expecting to blink and find the empty forest around me, cold and alone again. But he’s here, solid and warm in my arms, and his scent fills the air—apples, fresh and grounding, just like it always was. Just like home.“Ri,” he murmurs, his hand moving to rest against my chest, fingers splayed over my heart like he’s memorizing the feel of me. “You look like you’re seeing a ghost.”“Maybe I am,” I admit, my voice low, rough. “I don’t know if I’m going to wake up any second and realize this is all just… wishful thinking.”I pull back slightly, my eyes searching his face, taking in every detail, every line and scar I’d memorized so long ago. My fingers tremble as they brush over his jaw, his cheek, his lips, as if I’m trying to convince myself this isn’t some twisted trick. “You’re… you’re really here,” I murmur, my voice catching
Alpha Nero Orion: Shattered Bond - Chapter 28
ZaneMy eyes flutter open, and I find myself surrounded by mirrors, an endless maze of reflections that stretch in every direction. I blink, disoriented, confusion settling in as I try to make sense of where I am. The last thing I remember is Orion’s hand tightening around my neck, the darkness closing in as everything faded away. So why am I here? Why am I … still here?A soft voice, melodic and soothing, echoes behind me. “Welcome, Zane.”I turn slowly, my eyes widening as I see her. She’s walking toward me, an ethereal glow surrounding her, golden light radiating from every step. Her long, flowing blonde hair cascades over her shoulders, and a beautiful gown drapes around her in waves, moving as if it’s part of the light itself. Her eyes are a shade of gold that feels ancient, otherworldly, yet warm. A black teardrop pendant hangs from her neck, glinting softly in the glow that envelops her.My heart skips a beat as realization dawns, and my knees buckle, pulling me to the floor.
Alpha Nero Orion: Shattered Bond - Chapter 27
OrionThe path to Natasha’s hideout is a blur, every step a pulse of barely controlled rage. The air hums with the charge of dark magic, a twisted energy that beckons me, taunting me. My hands tremble with the beast’s fury, simmering just beneath my skin, but I haven’t let it loose yet. Not fully. There’s a strange clarity to my anger—a focus that makes every sense sharper, every movement precise.The moment I reach the edge of the hideout, I don’t stop to think. I kick down the door, wood splintering under the force of my boot, and I step inside, feeling every ounce of anger, every piece of heartbreak, flood through me like a dam breaking. The witches turn, eyes wide with shock, but I don’t give them a chance to scream.The first one goes down without a sound, my hand gripping her neck as I lift her off the ground. She thrashes, her mouth opening in a silent plea, but I don’t hesitate. I twist, the snap echoing through the room, and drop her to the floor like the insignificant piece
Alpha Nero Orion: Shattered Bond - Chapter 26
OrionI’m trapped, locked inside my own body as I watch my fists swing, my legs move, every calculated hit landing with ruthless precision. But it’s not me—not really. I can’t stop it. Can’t control it. All I can do is watch from somewhere deep inside, helpless as I fight against the people I swore to protect.Nero’s face twists in pain as my fist connects with his ribs. Osiris tries to grab me from the side, but I counter, landing a brutal blow to his shoulder, hearing the sickening crunch. They’re all holding back—I can feel it in their strikes, in the way they hesitate just before their fists meet flesh. They’re trying to save me, trying to fight me without hurting me. But I don’t feel that same mercy. Whoever is controlling my body… they’re enjoying this.Two Alphas should have me on my knees by now, but Natasha planned this perfectly. She knew they wouldn’t give it everything; she counted on it. And the part of me that’s still here, watching, feels every bit of the twisted ple
Alpha Nero Orion: Shattered Bond - Chapter 25
ZaneThe past three days have been a hell I can barely stomach. I’ve been confined to Nero’s territory, shackled by suspicion, and only allowed out of the locked room to help strategize. And I am trying—I’m trying everything I can think of. But it’s never enough. No matter what I say or how much I beg them to let me help, they’re always watching me, waiting for some slip that proves them right.Today, it’s worse. Nero had used his Alpha Sight on me, sifting through memories and thoughts, and I didn’t fight him. I let him dig, let him see everything, hoping he’d find something that could give us an edge. But there was nothing—nothing useful, anyway. Just more dead ends.Nova’s been working nonstop, her face growing more exhausted with each passing hour, trying spell after spell, looking for anything that could point us to Orion’s location. The tension is mounting, everyone on edge, barely able to look at each other without a fight breaking out.I’m pacing the war room, barely hearing
Alpha Nero Orion: Shattered Bond - Chapter 24
ZaneThe sound of heavy footsteps echoes in the hallway outside my locked room, and I know it’s Nero before he even steps inside. There’s a weight to his presence, a dark edge that fills the space long before he even opens the door. When the lock clicks and the door swings open, he’s standing there, arms crossed, his expression a storm of anger and something I can’t quite read.He doesn’t say anything at first, just stares at me, and I feel the hostility radiating off him like heat. He’s still angry—hell, probably furious—and I know exactly why. This isn’t just about what’s happening now. It’s about everything I did to Orion, every lie, every betrayal.“Start talking,” he finally says, his voice low and controlled, but I can tell it’s taking every ounce of his restraint not to rip into me right here and now.I take a breath, trying to steady myself, and meet his gaze. There’s no use in holding anything back now. It’s time for him to know the truth—the whole, brutal truth.“She’s goin
Alpha Nero Orion: Shattered Bond - Chapter 23
ZaneThe jet touches down with a low rumble, and I can already feel the tension in the air as we approach Nero’s territory. This is Leonetti land, and stepping onto it feels like walking into the lion’s den. I know the reception I’m about to get isn’t going to be friendly.As soon as the door opens and I step out, the familiar scent of pine and earth fills my senses. But that sense of home is quickly overshadowed by the heavy tension that hangs in the air like a storm waiting to break. Nero is already waiting for us at the landing site, and the second he lays eyes on me, his expression darkens.Before I can react, he’s moving toward me, his eyes blazing with fury. Every muscle in his body is tensed, ready to tear me apart, and for a second, I wonder if I’ll even survive the next few minutes.“Zane!” he snarls, his voice echoing across the open space. “You’ve got some fucking nerve showing your face here.”I don’t move. I can’t. I’ve expected this, and part of me knows I deserve it. Bu
