October 23rd

The next morning, Leo wasn't by my side. In his place was the heavenly smell of bacon.

Like a possessed zombie I climbed out of the high squishy bed and headed straight for the food.

"How are you feeling Ella?" Leo asked sensing me the second I entered the kitchen.

"Pretty good...," I replied noticing a slight bruise on my wrist where Leo had accidentally held me maybe a little too hard last night.

"The aches will wear off with some breakfast," Leo said handing me a plate with a slice of greek bread, bacon and eggs.

"I know I've said this before, but you're just very..." I said. "Rough. And by no means is that a bad thing it's just....I'm a beginner and it's very intense. You've gotta go easy on me."

"I'm sorry," he said kissing me on the head on his way to the table. "I'll be gentle next time."

I smiled and looked down at my breakfast.

"Do you forgive me then?" he asked.

"For what?" I asked.

"...whatever you were mad about," he grumbled.

"No," I said sharply.

"But you-"

"Because I wanted to," I replied stabbing my bacon, "It doesn't mean I forgave you and from now on we are using condoms until you show me you're ready to be a father."

He rolled his eyes.

"Don't give me attitude. You know you're the one in the wrong," I snapped.

After that we ate breakfast in silence before putting our bathing suits on and taking a short walk down to a rocky beach on our island with some reef.

I didn't let him hold my hand, even when we were clambering across big boulders twice my size that he could manage in a stride. I chose to struggle rather than accept his help which he irritatingly found quite amusing.

When we finally reached the water, it perfectly clear so you could see every single little colourful creature.

"It's beautiful," I said as I crouched down to get a closer look of the thriving life down there.

Leo then stepped in, kicking up silt and sand and making the water cloudly and murky.

"Great, you ruined it. Just like you ruined-"

"Shut up," he interrupted, grasping my wrist and pulling me in behind him, "It's peaceful here. Let's just be...at peace."

I pursed my lips and bit my tongue before looking around. The ocean was still, the sky blue with only the occasional cloud drifting idily by. It was peaceful. Maybe we should keep it that way...

I then forced myself to nod, "Okay."

"Good," he said moving his grip down to my hand.

We waded through the water until we were up to my waist.

"Fuck, what was that?" I squealed leaping up towards Leo.

My foot had delved into something extremely squishy and slimy.

"Probably just a piece of seaweed," Leo said calmly guiding me further into the ocean.

I put my foot back down and felt the same squidgy thing move underneath it.

"That is not a fucking piece of fucking seaweed!" I shouted, squeezing his hand tightly as I lifted my feet off the ground and using Leo to stay afloat. I wrapped my legs around his torso like a koala bear whilst he wrapped one arm around my back.

"How about I carry you away from the scary squishy thing?" Leo suggested walking fearlessly into the sea.

"I like that idea," I agreed.

For the rest of the week, I fought the urge to snap at every little thing Leo did. I hadn't forgiven him and every night when he asked if we could 'give the condom a miss' the answer was still a firm no. But...it somehow worked. Maybe being away from the pack and his alphaship made him into a better human or maybe he was just happy to be having sex. I don't know. But we drifted through the vacation practically argument free, peaceful and content.

October 30th

When we arrived back in Seattle after the immensely long flight, it was past midnight and when we had driven back to the house it was about 3 in the morning. After a beautifully long sleep that went well into the afternoon, I finally dragged myself out of bed. Leo was no longer in the bed and when I got downstairs I found one of the twins downstairs.

"Hey, Marco or Carlos?" I asked.

"Marco. Carlos is on his way." Marco replied.

"Okay, where's Leo?"

"Oh he went out to the base to catch up with pack stuff," Marco replied. "He told me to apologise on his behalf for not saying goodbye but he didn't want to wake you because you were so fast asleep."

I nodded, "Jet lag hit me hard."

"Coffee?" he asked.

"That would be great."

Marco and I sat down at the table with a cup of coffee each. The caffeine coursing through my veins brought some life into me and I slowly began to feel less like death.

"So Carlos and I had plans to go to a Allison today in her new faction before we got called for babysitting," Marco said, "I heard you met and then immediately broke into Leo's junior institute together, the reason she's been move faction, so I figured you must already be good friends and would like to come?"

I nodded.

Carlos arrived a bit later, dressed practically identically to his identical twin brother.

"Carlos in the building!" Carlos bellowed through the house.

"I would never have guessed," his twin said.

"Why would you wear the same shirt?!" I exclaimed. "How am I supposed to tell you apart."

They looked at each other and froze, examining the other twin's outfit.

Seconds later they began shouting at each other in Italian.

"Hey, hey, hey!" I said, "I didn't mean to start a riot."

"Mom bought us these shirts a few months ago forgetting that we are no longer five and don't like dressing the same anymore," Marco began.

"And we both agreed never to wear them on the same day," Carlos added. "But look who's breaking oaths!"

"Hey! I was up first this morning!" Marco replied.

"What and I'm supposed to take notes on what you're wearing?" Carlos replied, "By telepathy?"

"Don't worry, Ella. When you forget who is who just remember that I am less of an ass," Marco said to me.

"Or...you could remember I am the more attractive one," Carlos said with a sarcastic smile.

"Or..copy right hot novel pub