Burned by Rejection (Book 4 of Wolves of Milano )

22.Moving day

Allegra drinks her morning coffee with Alessio and Grazia. He is determined to go get the rest of his things from their parents’ house. Not a bad idea, she thinks. Maybe she should officially move out too? If Uncle Vito is really gone, she doesn’t have to hide, but she can’t imagine going back home. Is that house even a home? She had the feeling that they were just four adults sharing a house. They just happen to be related. This small apartment she is renting from Grazia feels like home, and she’s here only for a few days.

“I should move out too.” She says, “Would you help me?”

“We would need help for that. You have a lot of stuff.” Alessio answers.

“I know someone who’s got a van. If you ask nicely, she might say yes.” Allegra smiles and bats her eyelashes at him. She knows he can’t say no.

“Kara? Do you think she’s got time?” He asks.

“If she can lend us the van, it would be great.” She answers. “You could drive it.”

“Why don’t you ask her?” Alessio looks at her in defiance.

“She likes you better.” Allegra smiles widely. She can get anything from her brother. She always has. 

“Fine. I’ll call her.” He gives in. “But you call Elio, I’m not carrying all your stuff alone.”

“Deal.” Allegra gives him a hug and runs off. She can’t show him any feelings for Elio. She knows she messed up, but that’s her own mess.

She waits by the door for Elio to arrive. Why does she miss him so? What does he do to her? Why can’t she stop thinking about him? Why is it so hard for her to do the right thing and set him free? He is so busy right now with everything going on in the pack, but he takes time for her. He said he could get away for a few hours, but he was needed back at the house. They still haven’t found any trace of Vito. Not that she cares if he’s ever found. Good riddance…

“You know you can’t ambush me? I could smell you from a few metres away.” Elio winks at her. Her heart flutters a bit at the sight of his handsome face. She swallows hard and shuts her emotions up.

“I know. I’m just excited. Alessio will get the van from Kara.” She tells him. “I need you to help me get the second bed out. I will need that space for my clothes.”

“No more sleepovers?” He muses. He is in a good mood. Is he joking or is he serious? How can she tell? She liked it the other day. The cuddling. But she can’t use him like that anymore. She has to set him free.

“No. This is the last thing I will ever ask of you. I wouldn’t, but Alessio insisted. I’m setting you free.” She answers.

“What?” Elio exclaims. He lets the bed fall back down in the living room. Oh oh. Will he storm out all angrily? Did she mess up again?

“You don’t have to play pretending with me anymore. I don’t have to hide. Vito is gone. I can let you go.” Allegra explains. He is looking at her and shaking his head. He steps closer to her and pulls her in for a hug.

“Can you feel my heart?” He asks her when he puts her hand over his heart. “This is the spot. This is where you aim for a killshot.”

“What are you talking about?” She whispers. She’s not going to shoot anyone. She is not a killer. She feels his heart beat faster. So does hers. She is excited to be so close to him, to smell him, to feel him. She wants to lick his skin, but he talks about murder?

“Talk to Kara. Or Vannessa, or Grazia. Maybe not Grazia, she’s human. But you can talk to Alessio. I don’t want to influence you, so I'm not talking about this. Ask them about the mate bond.” Elio sighs. He looks down at the bed behind him. He promised, so he will do this. “Let’s get the bed out of the way. I have to go do something, but I will come by your parents’ house later and help you move your things.”

What was that all about? There is something he knows and he’s not telling her. Why else would he look at her so sad? Why is this mate bond thing important? If she asks Alessio, he will know that something is wrong. He might already know. She is not sure she managed to hide her feelings. Getting ahold of Kara might be a problem. With Rialto gone, she must be there for her mother. Do they even have a business anymore? She can’t go bother her now. Vannessa might not know anything, she didn’t know she was a shifter. 

He got her interested. Damn it! She will have to talk with Alessio about it. He got her in a corner. There is nobody else she can trust. If Elio won’t tell her what this is all about, Alessio will. Her brother never said no to anything. And this thing is supposed to be important. She sighs and then she shakes it off. She has to be at the main house in a few minutes. Grazia will drive them over to her parents’ house. Alessio got the van from Kara, so they could move all their things at once. 

She is biting her nails the whole way over there. Will Elio really show up? Will her parents be home? What will her mother do? She doesn’t need a scene today. She had enough of that already. She just wants her things, her clothes, her shoes. She doesn’t need to hide anymore, but she can’t just go back. That house is no longer her home. 

“Elio came.” Grazia says. “What’s going on there?”

“What do you mean?” Allegra looks over at her friend.

“Do you like him? I must say he looks sinful.” Grazia winks.

“No. I can’t…” She shakes her head. She can’t talk about this now. She feels trapped. She needs to get out of the car. She needs air. Why did Grazia have to ask about him? What does she know? She can’t know anything, she’s human. Humans can’t feel these things.

“I’m just saying. He‘s cute.” Grazia smiles. “Stop fretting. Let’s get your things. We have to return the van today.”

Grazia pulls a roll of transparent foil out of her trunk and that gives Allegra a great idea. She is certain Grazia thought of it as well. They will roll up all her racks with clothes. It will be easier to carry those than all the hangers individually. Her walk in wardrobe is on rolling racks. It will be fast and efficient. She smiles at Elio in passing and her wolf brushes up against her. The animal is happy to see him again. Allegra forgot to take the pills, but she is happy that her wolf is there. She needs all the support she can get.

Carrying the boxes with her shoes down to the van and letting the guys carry the racks, Allegra thinks of her mother. She knows the woman is home. She can hear the classical music her mother loves so much. She wishes to avoid her, but at the same time, she would love to see her. She is a mess and part of that is her mother’s fault. Not getting a proper education in shifter affairs is the biggest regret she has right now. And that is definitely on her mother. She never told her anything in the past, besides how to shift and that humans can’t find out.

She misses Grazia all of a sudden. Where did she go? Did mom ambush them? She thinks she heard talking, but she wasn’t paying attention to anything. She was all up in her head. That’s another thing she can blame on her mother. She was forever alone and isolated as a child. After her accident, Allegra wasn’t allowed to go anywhere. The talking picks up again. This time she listens and can hear Alessio and Grazia outside her room. 

“Where were you?” Allegra hits Alessio with a pillow as they come upstairs. She was left all alone. She hates that.

“Mom ambushed me. I knew our mother was weird, but she passed that today straight to looney-ville.” He tells her.

“What did she do?” Allegra inquires. What weirdness could their mother possibly do that he would be surprised by it?

“She’s got a portrait of Grazia hanging in the library.” He shakes his head.

“Em? Excuse me?” Allegra looks between them and gestures with her hands wildly. What are they talking about? She knows Grazia used to model, but that doesn’t mean anything.

“Did you ever see the picture behind her desk? A little girl sitting on a throne?” He asks. “That’s Grazia, when she was little, on some antique throne.”

“Really? Damn.” Allegra sits down. That painting hangs there for as long as she remembers. “I thought it was weird as a child, but I never asked. Later, I just thought it was a print she really liked. It looks badass.”

“What did I miss? We have to hurry if you want my help.” Elio pokes his head in the room. “I got called by Mrs. Ellena.”

“Aunty has you on call?” Allegra looks at him and her eyes go wide.

“Don’t worry. I help her out. What she did was hardcore. You don't break a bond on a whim.” Elio shakes his head. He looks at Allegra, but she averts her eyes. Not in front of her brother! She can’t risk it. She has to play it cool. Alessio will know it the moment she blushes.

“I get it.” Alessio nods. “Come on. Let’s take these out.”

Getting everything packed in one go was a logistical nightmare, but they got it done. Elio had to leave, so that changes the plans a bit. Allegra would have to pull some weight and help Alessio get her racks with clothes up the stairs to her apartment. She is just grateful to have her things with her. Even more so for not needing to justify anything to her mother. Alessio told her what he thought about it and that’s it. Case closed. Mom can go skulk in her precious library and nobody cares what her father thinks. He is a cowardly traitor to his own children.

Having her things to organise, makes a lot of time to think. She misses Elio badly, but she is determined to set him free. She made her choice. If she needs to tell him all her secrets, she will. She is not good for him. Would he come over? They must talk about this. He can’t just hint at something and walk away. She needs to know, but she doesn’t want to ask her brother. She is a coward, she knows that. But how does she ask about mate bonds without telling why she needs to know? If she tells Alessio that she broke his friend’s heart, he will hate her. She needs her brother, she can’t alienate him. Alessio is the only one that knows the full extent of her problems. 

-Can you come over? We need to talk. Allegra

-Not tonight. Mrs. Ellena needs me. Elio

-How is Aunty? Allegra

-Not good. She’s in pain. Elio

-Tell her I said hi. Allegra

-How can I? She will know that we talked. Elio

-Are we not allowed to talk? Allegra

-We are. Got to go. Love you. Elio

He wrote that? She stares at her phone in wonder. Why is he doing this? She told him she would set him free. Maybe it’s better if he doesn’t come over? Maybe they shouldn’t see each other any more? Why does she keep calling or texting if she wants to set him free? She has to stop. She will lose a good friend and possibly the only decent guy in this pack that is not related to her, but she will keep her freedom. She has to get her priorities straight. Keep in mind what is important to her. She doesn’t have time to date or have a mate. She can’t be tied down. She can’t!