abcnovels
Chapter 116
Chapter 116
Chapter 116
Chapter 116
32. Our Legacy
ALEJANDRO.
He stares at me, his piercing blue eyes widening in shock.
Hah, fucker. For once I surprised you.
But I fucking mean it. I believe he is the best for this position.
Dante has enough on his shoulders without having to deal with the council and all the other things that a king must do. Leo is the right one for this position, his intellect, his self-control, his mindset. They are king material.
I know that even after I’m gone, they will continue to keep those bonds. Brothers. 13
“What? The fuck no. I can’t do that shit.
No.” He stands up, shaking his head and I cock a brow.
“I know it’s a lot to take on… Nobody wants to be king, or the ones who are best for the job don’t want to, anyway. But you’re made for this title, Leo. There is no one better suited.” I say, taking a drag on my cigarette.
“I truly feel that you will be the best for this position.”
“No, Dante is your son-
“I fucking know he is, and so are you. I consider you all the same, but I once made it clear that those who fit certain positions should be put in them. Dante will get this pack. He is the fucking Alpha. That is one position we can’t really give due to others as Alphas are the only ones who hold the alpha command.” I say firmly.
“But the position of king… that seat is yours. Your intelligence is superior to anyone I know and with what the future is currently predicted to bring, we need you.” I continue.
“Dante is smart-”
“And he will be the one at the forefront of battle because that’s his position. We know that… but I need you to bind it all together when it feels like we will lose it all… I need you to hold down this shit. Leo, your self- control, and your mindset in the craziest fucking moments are priceless. I don’t think even I can handle what is to come… but if anyone can you, you and the next generation can.” I say quietly.
I don’t want to do this; I don’t want to say what I know I might need to…
He shakes his head. “Rayhan. He’s smart, he’s influential-”
“Na. The fucker’s forty. Bet he’ll have to retire before me.” I snicker, trying to lighten the mood, but it doesn’t phase or distract him as he stares at me coldly.
Dude’s fucking got a glare on him. “Fine… Rayhan is smart, but no, he is our greatest tracker… I need him on the field.” I add.
“So you’re saying you expect me to sit back and send others to fucking war when the time comes? You want me to be the one to choose who will fucking die and who won’t?” he asks accusingly, as he advances on me, his eyes flashing steely blue.
“You want me to play the field, knowing I’m going to have to be the one to decide who I’m going to risk. You want me to be the one to tell every man or woman who loses their mate, that I’m fucking sorry, cus I sent their mate to their death? To look into the eyes of those kids and know that I’m the one who orphaned them?
I didn’t think of it like that…
“Every death on that battlefield, their blood will be on my fucking hands. While I sit back? No.” He shakes his head firmly.
I shake my head. “No… but like you said earlier… A king’s job is far harder than that… You kids are the future of this planet Leo…
The legacies that will continue on the path that we have paved, to stand by those beliefs and values… Whilst paving your own paths to even greater heights.” I say quietly.
I place my hand on his shoulder. He’s glaring at the floor now. “Look at me, Leo.”
His head snaps up as he glares at me, and I give him a half smile. “I know it’s not easy to accept, but please, accept this position. I know I’m asking you for a huge sacrifice… I’m asking you to shoulder a huge burden… But for the sake of us all… will you accept it?”
He shakes his head but I can tell those words got to him.
“Look… Alejandro, you ain’t going to die any fucking time soon. I’ll help you I’ll be there, behind you as your fucking shadow and I’ll do it all but I don’t want the/title. Please.” He’s practically begging me and I can see the young boy that still lives inside of him…
Selfless… putting others first… thinking of sending others to their deaths and yet… he is willing to help, receiving nothing in return. Not caring for acknowledgement or approval.
Something Azura and Marcel have said comes to the forefront of my mind and it squeezes at my chest.
When Leo loves, he loves deeply.
That is the king we need.
I shake my head, trying to clear it. The influx. of emotions is fucking intense. I’m fucking getting old, cus this shit is emotional.
When the times comes… we will need to call on everything we have at our disposal to suppress what we are going to face…”
“So, I was right. You plan to be on that fucking battlefield right?” He growls accusingly.
I nod, “Yes. I will, cus I will fucking stand before everyone as a shield until-”
“Until you fucking die,” he finishes, his voice thick as he pushes my hand off and turns his back on me. I’m glad he did because this shit is getting to me too. I dig the back of my fingers into my eyes for a second and take a slow breath.
“Leo-”
“You’re too fucking old to be out there, on that field. Why can’t you just sit the fuck down and run this shit until you die of fucking old age?” 4
“I will do everything to not fucking die, but I need to know… that if anything does happen to me… I will have someone left behind who will hold our family, our kingdom, and our kind together. Please, Leo.”
We both know the severity of what is to come… even Dante knows… and there are so many signs warning us of it.
“I told Dante that I’m making you king, and he fucking approves.
“The first of your titles…” he murmurs.Fuck it.”
I cock a brow, but he doesn’t explain as he looks back at me, and I’m kinda fucking satisfied to see I’m not the only one who may have something in my eye.
“Fine… but I want to say… I won’t try to be the king you are, because there is only one Alejandro Rossi. I will do things my way, and maybe… you won’t regret appointing me as your successor cus I’m fucking certain you will,” he says quietly.
I smirk, “No. I already know I won’t fucking regret it…as for that… I don’t need you to try to be me, because I know that Leo Rossi will be an even better king.”
Our eyes meet and he looks down, his brown hair flicking in front of his forehead as he holds out a tattooed hand to me
“Deal,” he says quietly. I take his hand, pulling him closer as I give him a one-armed hug, still gripping his hand between us. The sound of our beating hearts is loud in my ears.
These emotions…
“You’re going to make a good fucking king,” I say quietly.
“Yeah, well not for a fucking while yet,” he mutters. I don’t reply… we don’t need to set a date right now, but I know that my time as king is coming to an end… and in my stead, he will rise…
A knock on the door makes us both move back and Leo turns away.
“Daddy? Granddaddy Al? Mommy said come have brownies before she finishes them all!”
Corrado’s voice comes, making both of us smirk.
“Coming kiddo,” Leo replies.
“Kiara bakes enough to feed a fucking army,” I say, Leo cocks a brow.
“Only, we’re talking Azura… and Kat… both can eat for an army,” he reminds me.
Fair fucking point. “Then we better go grab some.” I frown.
He nods, leading the way to the door and I smile, glancing back out of the window at the moon.
It’s so peaceful….
I did the right thing and I’m happy that he accepted it…
I exit the office as we head down the hall to the kitchen, where I can hear Alessandra explaining gloomily why she likes to slice her brownie.
We step into the brightly lit kitchen, the smell of brownies wafting in the air.
“Why?” Corrado asks Alessandra tilting his head.
“Because… it tastes better in cubes?”
Alessandra replies.
“Why?”
“Because I said so.”
“Why do you say so?”
“Corrado, come here baby,” Azura says, as
Leo walks over to her and yanks her into his arms, kissing her.
I raise my eyebrow as I glance at my own queen, she’s smiling as she rocks Leo’s little one in her arms.
“Amore Mio,” I say as I walk over to her and wrap my arms around her from behind. I rest my forehead against the back of her head, inhaling her scent.
Hazelnut chocolate… my favourite…
‘I did it.’ I say quietly through the bond.
‘I knew you could. I’m proud of you. You made the right decision. I love you, baby,’ she turns and looks up at me and I kiss her lips deeply.
‘I fucking love you more.’
“What the fuck?!” Azura curses, her huge eyes wide as we all stare at her.
Seems like Leo just broke the news. Her head snaps to me and she stares at us, just as Kat and Sky enter the kitchen.
“What happened?” Kat asks curiously.
That one acts innocent, but the little grandma in her loves to know what’s going
Leo and Azura don’t speak, so I decide totake the initiative.
“I just announced Leo as my heir.”
“Hell yeah to the new Rossi king and Westwood Queen, baby!” Sky says as she rushes over to Azura and pounces on her. You are going to be a damn good queen!”
“Oh…” Kat says, her eyes are wide before she smiles and walks over to them. Congratulations Leo, you are going to be an amazing king.”
She doesn’t seem too surprised as Corrado now looks at his dad, shocked.
“Daddy will be king?”
“Not for a while,” Leo says firmly.
“Congratulations,” Kiara says as she pulls. away and goes over to the two.
I glance at Alessandra, who is sitting there. cutting the brownie into tiny cubes. I’m with the kid, it’s weird-as-fuck.
“Not going to congratulate your aunty and brother?” I ask.
“First of, it’s so weird when you address them like that. Secondly… I offer my condolences, the jobs are hard,” she replies emotionlessly.
The fuck is wrong with this kid?
But she still makes the rest chuckle.
Azura looks more shaken, although she’s trying to hide it, but with Kiara to guide her… she’ll be fine. After all, the Westwood women were made to tame us Rossis and to be fucking queens.