Chapter 59 - What a mess

**Ambrogio’s pov**

I try to concentrate and read all the reports in the piles on my desk, but my mind keeps going back to a certain young hybrid witch. Her beautiful eyes, her smile..her hot breath on my chin, the taste of nature in her blood.. I haven’t been back to Maribelles since she let me taste her blood..I want to, God, I really want to..but can I trust my self with her? I have thought about Zandra as well..been tempted to show her my time with Zara..to tell her that her granddaughter doesn’t see me as a threat. How would she react? What would she do?
There is a lot of commotion down the corridor outside my office, at first I sit quietly and listen, trying to hear if there is something I need to concern myself with. I hear Tony’s voice, he’s really pissed off. Interesting, Tony usually doesn’t bother to get elevated unless it’s important.
I normally don’t get involved in fights..sure, they are my children, but I’m not their daddy..they are all grown and can settle their own arguments. But hearing Tony has caught my interest, so I step out in the hallway. The first thing I see is Tonys broad back, leaning over someone on the floor.
“You will go in there and tell him everything, do you hear me? Everything! You tell him about the crazy wolfbitch, the rogues, the attack..no, attacks, or help me Creator, I will rip your fangs out and you will be feeding on cold bloodbags through a straw!” Tony kicks the one one the floor hard and then step aside. Fredrick! Fredrick is alive..and he is back..
“Whats the meaning of this?” I say load and cold. Tony doesn’t even flinch, he probably felt my present the second I opened the door. He grabs Fredrick by the collar of his shirt and drag him up to me, dumps him at my feet. Fredrick keeps his head down.
“ This moron will explain everything to you..then you better prepare for war, there is no avoiding it now..this piece of shit made sure of it.” Tonys eyes are pitch black..come to think of it, I have never seen him like this.
“Both of you, in my office now!” I look at Fredricks sad figure as he crawl over the threshold. He looked week, Tony really did a number on him.

Fredrick sits in a chair, across from me. Tony is looking out the window, obviously he cant stand his brother right now. I look at the broken man in front of me..he is paler then normal..he is sweating and has the chill at the same time. His pupils are small, suddenly they grow, only to shrink again. His face is trying to avoid showing how much pain he is in. I know this affliction..I know it all too well.
“How much did she give you?” I ask. He looks at me like he doesn’t understand my question.
“How much blood did Luna give you?”
“One drop.”
“Only one drop?..When was this?”
“Almost two days ago.”
“Then we have to get some human blood in you, that will make you feel better.”
“Oh, but he already had some..didn’t you Fredrick?. Tell our Father how you escaped, and please, tell him whose blood you drank.” Tony spits his words out.
“Tell me everything.” I look at Fredrick, waiting for him to begin.

I sat in silence. Its been almost one hour since Fredrick started to tell me what had happened..what they had been up to while I was..away..meddle with rogue wolves, some crazy shewolf named Magda..why they attacked The Great Falls pack to begin with..how he got captured, what had happened when he was locked up, how he escaped and what he did after..instead of heading right back here..
“Its my fault I suppose..I gave you too loose reins..to much responsibility..I really thought you could keep my kingdom on track when I wasn’t here to lead you. That is my mistake..Your mistake..your mistake was to think above your station. Yes, you are a trueborn and yes, you are a geneal..but you are not The Trueborn..or The General.. Take Tony here for an example, he outranks you..by far..so I wonder, why didn’t you go to him? Why did you think it was ok to make these important decisions on your own?”
“I..I..I just wanted to move things along..I wanted to show you how we had defeated the wolves when you came back..”
“Did you?..Defeat the wolves?.." I narrow my eyes at him
“Well..no..but..We did..we did obliterated a few packs..and many of them are afraid..” He studder..beads of sweat is finding their way down his face.
“How about Great Falls? Are they afraid Fredrick?..After not one, but two attacks they should be scared shitless right? So, tell me? Are they? Are they scared shitless?”
“No..”
“No! They are not, and do you know why Fredrick?”
“Because of that crazy bitch! They know she can kill us..that’s why I had to teach her a lesson!”
“And what lesson was that Fredrick?”
“Not to mess with us!” He tried to sound sure of him self..he didn’t.
“Oh..Well..let me tell you something about the Great Falls pack..They are a warrior pack, the largest in the country actually. They are fierce, strong, fast and many. The women fights as well you know. Luna has nothing to do with their fearlessness, its in their bones. They also have the worlds most powerful witch at their disposal. She is as old as me and she helps to grow their hate for us, from they are pups.”
I take a break, watching him chewing on his lip, looking down on his fingers.
“Luna...well, that’s another problem...last time, you killed her mate on the battlefield, you remember him, Charles if I'm not misstaken, but that is different, the battle had begun. This time, you went after the girls best friend, Hope is her name right? You went after Hopes best friend, a human defenseless girl..to prove a point to an ancient spirit and put fear in the pack so they..how did you put it? So they don’t mess with us?. Luna, she exists only out of vengeance against our kind..and you killed the best friend..”
“Master..Father..tell me what to do to make this right..please, I do anything” Tears ran down his cheeks and mixed with the sweat as he pleaded.
“Anything? “
“Yes! Anything! I promise, I will not let you down again” I could see the hope in his eyes, the hope of my forgiveness.
“I know you were not in on this alone, your other brothers is serving their punishment for the first attack..you will join them. When the time is served, I will tell you how you can make this right.” I nodded to Tony to take him away, and he was more than willing to do so.
This was not what I needed right now. This could make Luna to come after me sooner then I’m ready for. Fuck, I just got back. Normally, I don’t shy away from a battle, I always longed for it..but not now. What can I do to avoid it?..how can I get Luna to understand that I had nothing to do with this?..Would she even care? Her best friend got killed, by one of my truborns. What a fucking mess..
I pour my self a glass of whiskey, not that I can feel the taste, but I like the warm feeling it brings. I gulp the strong liquid down before I grab my jacket and head for the door.

Outside in the dark, I watch her through the window. Her bartender seems to be at a break, or maybe he has the night off. She is standing behind the bar, filling a pint to a customer from one of the taps. She is laughing at something he say and I feel a little string of jealousy, I want so much to be on the receiving end from that laugh, from that smile. A young couple leaves the pub, their arms around eachother like two lovebirds on their way back to the nest. I could go inside..sit down in our booth, waiting for her to bring a bottle of wine..but I don’t. I keep looking at her through the window, like a creepy stalker in the dark.
The last customer leaves and she is standing still for a little while, stretching her muscles before she starts to wipe of the tables and collect the few glasses left behind.
She disappears in the back for a few minutes and then she comes back. She goes to our booth and put down a couple of candle cups, which she lights. She then gets two glasses and a bottle. Is she expecting someone? Does she have a date? A feeling of disappointment spreads through my chest. Of course she has, she is young and beautiful, the men must be lining up to get a chance of enjoying her company. She head for the door, either to lock it or to see if her secret guest is arriving. I turn to leave, the risk is to big I do something I will later regret if I see her with a man.
Her clear voice is like music behind me.
“ After standing out here for most of the night, you’re leaving without saying hi? Or goodbye for that matter..”