Releasing the Wolf (The Rossi Pack Book 1)

by Aimie Jennison

  I place my hand on top of his, needing to feel closer to him. “Okay… I think?”

  “Do you feel up to telling the sergeant what Dan did before he ran out, and we came in?” he asks with a raised brow in question. Something in his determined stare gives me the feeling his real question isn’t the one he asked out loud. I nod, remembering his comment earlier. I won’t say anything about eating Dan.

  Waving the sergeant over, Jesse takes a seat next to me on the sofa bed, placing his hand back on my knee. I take his hand in mine, the comfort of his touch holding me here in the present and giving me the strength to relive tonights horrific events.

  The sergeant stops beside the sofa bed, placing a chair from my dining table in front of us, before sitting on it with his notepad poised. “Miss Rossi, I’d like you to tell me exactly what happened tonight?”

  I take a deep breath trying to think where to start. Jesse’s hand gives mine a gentle squeeze reminding me I’m not alone in this. “I came out of the bathroom and Danny tried to… he wanted us to get back together as a couple. We dated about five years ago and haven’t seen each other since. Don’t know why he thought we could just get back together…” I pause, taking a moment to think how I managed to get off track. He doesn’t need to know all this. He needs to know what happened tonight. “I told him, ‘no’, but he wouldn’t listen. I told him we should go to sleep before we woke Gareth up—”

  “Where was Gareth during this exchange?” he asks cutting me off.

  “Here,” I say pointing to the bed beneath me. “He was asleep, pretty deeply going by his snoring. Danny thought I said no because we’d wake him. He came onto me stronger telling me Gareth would sleep through anything.” I pull at a strand of cotton on the hem of Jesse’s jacket, nervously. Jesse puts his arm over my shoulder and tucks me into his side. “I punched him. When he realised I’d broken his nose he slapped me and that’s when Nate came in.” I point to the broke front door.

  “What happened then, did Danny let you go?” the sergeant asks. His pen scribbling away on his notepad. I momentarily wonder if his hands aching, mine would be if I’d been writing that much.

  I shake my head. “No. He had me pinned to the wall. Nate pulled him off me and he was yelling at him… and… then I felt—“ Jesse’s hand squeezes mine painfully cutting off my words. It only takes me a second to realise what I almost said. I can’t tell the police about the pack bonds. I clear my throat, hoping to cover my mishap. “I heard Nate grunt in pain and saw the knife in his chest… I screamed and Gareth appeared pulling Danny off Nate. Nate dropped to the floor.” I wipe at the tears running down my cheeks and turn to sob into Jesse’s shoulder.

  “You’re doing really good, Miss Rossi. Do you think you could carry on with the story?” the sergeant asks. I breath in Jesse’s scent and lift my head and offer the sergeant a small nod. I can do this. I need to do this. “Would you like a glass of water?”

  I clear my throat, surprised to realise it does feel suddenly parched. “Yes, please.”

  The sergeant gets up, after filling a cup with tap water he comes back and hands it over to me.

  I smile my thanks, taking the cup and sipping a mouthful. I place the cup on the floor beside my foot and take Jesse’s hand in both of mine on my lap. “Okay… Nate fell to the floor and I dropped down beside him to help. I heard a knife being pulled from my knife block and as I turned to see who had it, I saw Danny slashed Gareth’s throat before running out of the room.”

  “Okay, then what happened?” I frown at the sergeant, unsure what he means. Danny ran off, surely that’s all he needs? “How did Jesse and the other guys know to come here?” he clarifies most probably catching on to my confusion.

  “Oh… I reached for my phone so I could call Jesse, I didn’t know what to do? Whether I should remove the knife or not? but I couldn’t find it.” I mutter, trying not to get myself confused. I don’t want to say anything I shouldn’t.

  “I was a Medic in the army…” Jesse says, his tone so commanding that no one would question what he said, even if he’d said the sky was green.

  The sergeant flicks through his notepad and frowns. “You say you didn’t have your phone, where was it?”

  I glance across the room and see it in a puddle of blood, not far from Nate. I think quickly and spin him my story. “I didn’t say I didn’t have it. I said I reached for it, to call Jesse… But I dropped it.” I point to it in the puddle of blood. “Nate’s phone rang in his pocket and Jesse was on the other end when I answered.” I frown at Jesse unsure whether I’ve said something wrong. How would he know to ring, without telling the police he’d felt it through the bonds.

  “I explained this earlier.” Jesse’s voice made it clear he doesn’t like to repeat himself. “Nate had followed Frankie home because Danny seemed angry about something before they’d left. None of us know Danny very well but from things Frankie has told us about their past, she made it clear that he has an anger management problem. We were concerned for her safety. And rightly so as it turns out.”

  “Yes. Right.” The sergeant doesn’t seem to know how to get back on track and into Jesse’s good graces. “So, Jesse called Nate to see how Danny had reacted to his arrival…” He lets his sentence trail off and gives me an expectant look.

  “Oh. You want me to carry on.” It’s not a question but the sergeant does regardless. “I answered the phone and asked Jesse what to do… Nate tried to pull the knife out but didn’t have the strength to move it much. I dropped the phone and pulled it out. Nate died in my arms…” The fall once again, but I won’t let them stop me from finishing. “Jesse came in not long after.”

  Jesse gives my shoulder a squeeze and I take the comfort it offers.

  After flicking through his notes once again, the sergeant looks up at me with his pen poised. “Ms Rossi, could you go through it one more time for me, please?” I look at him blankly, unable to comprehend what he’s saying, knowing that I’ve told him everything.

  “I’m sorry Sergeant, but you can see Ms Rossi is exhausted. I don’t think she can give you anything more tonight.” Jesse’s tone sounding sure, making it clear he shouldn’t be argued with.

  The sergeant looks me over and closes his notebook. “I’m so sorry. Of course, we can go over this tomorrow. Perhaps Ms Rossi might remember more after a good night sleep.”

  “I hope not,” I whisper, remembering what it felt like to have Dan’s flesh tear between my teeth. The detective gives me a worried glance.

  “She watched her friend, kill her boyfriend. I don’t think she really wants to remember that any clearer than she already does,” Jesse clarifies, halting whatever question the sergeant was going to ask.

  Shaking his head, he opens his mouth to speak again. “Ms Rossi, you aren’t going to be able to stay here for a few days. Do you have somewhere else you can stay, perhaps with a friend?”

  “Erm…”

  “She’ll stay with me. You have my address.” Both Jesse and I speak together.

  Chapter Thirty Three

  Frankie

  Walking out into the fresh air I’m surprised how potent the blood in my apartment must have been. For a fleeting moment I even don’t blame Carter for being so effected by the blood lust earlier, until I remember it was Nate’s blood he was getting all hungry over. He shouldn’t have been getting worked up over a pack mates blood. I shake the stupid thoughts from my head and look up to the vehicle Jesse is leading us to. Nate’s Dual-cab Ute. Carter must have brought Kate here in Nate’s ute. The sight of it makes me look for Nate, my breath hitches as I come to the realisation that I’ll never see Nate again. Kelly stops in his tracks seeing the vehicle too. Kate slides her hand into his and leads him to the ute.

  Big Mac stops on the pavement. “I’m going to walk back to the bar. Let the fresh air clear my head.” He pulls Kate into a hug. “If you need anything, give me a call. Okay?”

  She nods, stepping back and wiping away her tears. Kelly pulls he
r into his side and guides her into the front bench of the ute. She slides into the middle beside Carter who’s behind the wheel. Leaving room for Kelly on her other side. Jesse opens the back door, gesturing for me to slide in. I watch as he slides into the seat next to me and places his hand on Kate’s shoulder. She relaxes instantly, clearly feeling comfort from his touch.

  Seeing one of Nate’s knitted sweaters on the seat beside me, I pick it up, holding it to my nose and breathing in his scent. The solace it offers is too tempting to give it up. Placing it on the seat beside me, I try to lie down. I shuffle about trying to make the position comfy. Jesse pulls the sweater away from me, causing panic to race through me. I need that sweater, at least just for tonight.

  “Here,” he says placing the sweater on his lap, offering himself as a pillow. Tucking my legs up on the empty seat beside me I curl up with my head in Jesse’s lap and fall into a heavy sleep.

  Waking up on a bed full of people would normally scare me to death, but the feel of Jessie’s energy touching every inch of me was keeping me calm while I grasp where I am and why. I know without a doubt, the bare male chest that I’m currently using as a pillow belongs to Jesse, his scent and energy are a dead giveaway. From his deep, even breathing I deduce he’s asleep. I slowly shift in the bed,and realise I’m wearing a baggy t-shirt and some shorts of some kind over my underwear. Someone must have dressed me, because I sure as hell don’t remember putting these clothes on, plus, I’d never wear a bra to bed. They arrest the comfiest of things. I turn over trying not to disturb the sleeping bodies, wanting to see who it is I can feel against my back. It’s Kate, spooning Kelly. Feeling a weight shift against my feet I look down the bed to see Carter sleeping lengthways across our feet, since I’m short he isn’t actually only feet but he’s using Kelly’s ankles as a pillow.

  Jesse shifts behind me cuddling into my back, his arm pulling my body towards him. I think back to last night, trying to remember how I ended up here, and in a puppy pile at that. It doesn’t take long for the memories to flood back - Danny attacking Nate and Gareth, me tearing into Danny’s neck, Nate dying. I’m suddenly wishing I could forget again. Considering I’m sharing a bed with four other people, I’m not weirded out like I’d expect. After all we’re Pack, our wolves are comforting each other over the loss of our pack brother, Nate. It just feels right.

  Jesse's breathing changes behind me and I know he must be awake. His body stiffens as he fills with tension. “Hey,” he whispers against my ear, his voice gruff with sleep.

  “Hi.” Is all I manage to squeak out in reply. I’d been fine waking up on his chest, why do I have to panic now that he’s awake. Letting go of me, he rolls on to his back. Most probably trying to give me distance. Not liking this new found distance between us, I turn over and snuggle close. He lifts his arm, offering me his chest. Taking his offer I place my head over his heart and drift off to its steady rhythm.

  I wake out of a deep sleep that leaves me feeling like a lot of time may have passed. The fact that the bed feels much emptier makes me think I’m most probably right. Listening to the room I hear the steady breathing of a large male and a strong beating heart, a telling sign that someone else is with me. I can’t feel their energy due to the fact that we aren’t touching and the room is full of all our scents, so I can’t tell who it may be. Feeling like I may be able to finally force my eyes open, I turn on the bed to face my bedmate. The door bursts open, I instinctively jump up and out of the bed.

  Kelly, who was the other person in the bed, is now in a fighter’s stance on the other side of the bed. “What is it?” he asks sleepily. The tension in his muscles tells me he’d have no trouble waking up if a fight was needed.

  “Sorry, the door made me jump,” I say as Jesse’s face emerges from behind it.

  “The police are here. Carter is giving them his statement first. I told them they aren’t talking to you until you’ve eaten,” Jesse says giving me a warm smile.

  Hearing that one word ‘eaten’ makes my stomach churn. The last thing I ate was Dan.I dive into what I hope is the bathroom. By some miracle my head is over the toilet just in time to empty my stomach of whatever may be left of Dan. Gentle hands pull my hair back out of my face until I’m finished. “I’m sorry,” I say as I take the wet flannel Jesse is offering me, and use it to freshen up my face.

  “There is nothing to be sorry for.” Jesse gives me a stern look. “You did what had to be done.” Jesse always has an uncanny way of knowing exactly what I’m thinking. I don’t think he can read minds but it sure feels like it sometimes.

  Standing up I glance in the mirror over the sink and it shocks me to see I’m still covered in blood. How could anyone sleep next to me like this. Raising my hand I touch a dry patch on my cheek and watch as it flakes of into the sink. I watch through the mirror as Jesse sets the shower going and pulls a towel off a shelf, before hanging it on a hook on the back of the door.

  “I’ll leave a shirt and some sweats on the bed for you. The police can wait. Come down when you’re ready.” He brushes my forearm with his palm in passing.

  “Thanks, Jesse. You don’t have a spare toothbrush, do you?” I ask, really wanting to get the taste of vomit out of my mouth.

  He laugh, reaching into the cabinet under the sink. “An alpha’s home is always full of spare things. There’s always someone dropping by and crashing for a night or two.” He places a new brush, still in the packet, on the counter before walking out and closing the door behind himself.

  It doesn’t take me long in the shower. The longer I stood with the hot water being down on me, the more flashes of last night I saw running through my mind. I know I’ll have to live through it all again with the police, deciding its best to get it over with I wrap a towel around myself and brush my teeth before opening the door to the bedroom. Stepping into the now empty room, I spot the sweats and t-shirt on the bed as Jesse promised. Sitting on top of the clothes sits some female undies and a plain white t-shirt bra, picking it up I search for the size tag, surprise surges through me to see that it’s my size. I spend a moment wondering how he’s know my size before dismissing it for a lucky guess. I pull the price tag off the underwear. Jesse obviously has more than just new toothbrushes handy. Tugging the clothes on I smile as I notice the t-shirt is the only thing that isn’t a women’s size or brand new. I can tell by the scent that it’s Jesse’s. The fact that he’s wrapping me in his scent pleases me more than I’d like to admit. I’ve never been a girl wanting to be owned by a man but my wolf is more than happy. He’s protecting us with his scent.

  As I’m walking down the stairs the front door opens and Nate walks in. My heart jumps into my throat. I blink unable to believe my eyes. “Nate?” The whisper escapes my mouth before I have time to think. It can’t be Nate, No matter how much I want it tone him. He died beneath my lips.

  “Dave,” he says, with a shake of his head. The sound of his voice clarifies this. It isn’t Nate’s voice. Even knowing this I can’t tear my eyes away from him. I take in his features and realise his face looks slightly rounder than Nate’s.

  I drop my eyes to the floor, fighting the disappointment washing over me. “I’m sorry, it’s just…you look like his double.”

  “Well I guess I am… was,” he corrects himself with a frown. “We are… were identical twins. Kate was a bonus baby.” My heart breaks listening to him struggle with referring to Nate in past tense.

  “You’re triplets?” I ask, my voice rising in surprise. Neither Kate or Nate had mentioned there was another one of them.

  He looks me up and down. “I’m guessing you’re Maria and Rossi’s daughter? You have such a strong resemblance to Maria. I can certainly see why Nate threw himself into danger for you.”

  My jaw almost hits the floor as my eyebrows rise high on my forehead. “You knew my parent’s?” Nate had never mentioned my parent’s. I’d assumed they’d died before his family had joined the pack.

  “We grew up in the pack. We all k
new your parents, they were the Alpha couple. He had a the biggest crush on your mother. Some would say he loved her. He only got a broken heart in return though.” He takes a sharp intake of breath and nods towards the shirt I’m wearing. “I guess that runs in the family. Only there is no life after you broke his heart,” he says with a snarl before walking towards the kitchen.

  I drop to the stairs with the weight of his venomous words. Memories of Nate flashing through my mind. Why didn’t he tell me, he loved my mother? Was it my mother he was talking to, when he said those last words, ‘I love you’, was it all a lie?

  Chapter Thirty Four

  Jesse

  Telling the sergeant he’ll have to wait a little longer for Frankie, one last time. I decide it’s time I chase her down. I thought I’d be able to make him wait until Frankie had eaten but he’s getting restless. He wants statements and he wants them now.

  As I make my way through the kitchen Dave walks in from the hall, He looks so much like Nate that it takes me a second to realise that it’s not him. They’re identical, when they are together there’s subtle differences a freckle here and a freckle there, or Nate’s face was slighter longer than Dave’s rounder one.

  “Dave,” I say pulling him into a quick embrace before releasing him again. Dave holds onto me a few seconds longer than I’d expected. He’s has never been as touchy feely as Nate. “How are you doing?”

  He releases me and leans against the kitchen worktop. “Honestly? I can’t really believe it. It’s…” He leaves his sentence hanging, clearly unable to put his feelings into words. “Where’s Kate?”

  “She’s in the garden. There’s a couple of wild one’s looking out for her,” I state referring to the wild wolves that belong to a pack that resides in the bush surrounding the pack house. They have been an extension to or pack since it began. With a nod he walks away, taking a deep breath as he goes to prepare himself to console his equally grieving twin sister.