Severed Ties

Family

A fallen angel, who had saved me when I needed it most.

Who she still hadn't killed even when she had every right to.

"The Blood Queen," I heard my father murmur as he pressed against his leg, he couldn't move but for the first time in my life I saw in his eyes awe, he was in awe of Alara Mortello.

A woman who in all the destruction, had the clarity of mind to save my mother. 

"Next time," her voice was dangerously sharp and the whole room was listening to her, the fighting had stopped, the guards loyal to my father had been subdued or fled, "I won't miss. And that," she paused to look over at me, her eyes sparkling as she held back tears, "Is a promise. Not killing you was mercy out of the love I have for your son but do not fool yourself into thinking that will protect you. If you ever hurt him again, I will rip you limb from limb and show you how much of a Queen of Blood I am,"  

I had never loved her more.

Echo shouted from the balcony overhanging the chapel, "I've got all the information we need to take them down! All of them!"

And that was out Echo always ahead of the grain so smart that sometimes it was intimidating. 

Ma rushed over to me her hands reaching for my face pulling me from the ground and wiping tears I hadn't even realised had fallen from my cheeks, "Oh my poor baby, Cameron, Cameron," her voice was fragile and full of desperation, "Have you seen him? Do you know where he is? Connor, do you know where he is, " she clawed at my suit trying to drag me towards the door, "Do you know where your brother is? We have to save him! They'll kill him!"

Her pleading eyes sparkled in the same way my brother's had a perfect replica of immense melancholy, I held her tight and whispered, "We'll get him back,"

And just in that moment like a patron saint, Echo rushed forward, a USB in his hand as he hurtled words at me, "I have all the schematics, all the prisoners, I know where your brother is, I have all the information of Carlisle's everything, this is only part of it," he handed me the drive, "I added my thumbprint to all the bioengineered locks, I can get us anywhere, just lead the way, Cam,"

And before I could stop myself I engulfed him in a hug, he froze a moment, his hands unsure of what to do before he hugged me back just a fiercely, "It's ok man, I've got you," and then with all the people I cared about in the world. 

With my family, we rushed out of the doors. 

"Cameron!" A voice called after me and it was Alonso Torres, my blood ran cold.

"Alonso you're not taking her, I will not lose her again. I do not care what is on the line or what the leader of the Falco has said, she is my wife," and I realised that amongst it all, we had still essentially been married, the objection wasn't one to our union it was more for our protection.

And the realisation hit me like a freight train.

Alara was my wife.

"I'm not here to take her or harm her. But there are things you must know. Alara is not who she thinks she is. Alara Mortello is not her only name,"

My gaze flickered over to her, she was tearing off the lower half of her dress matted with dry blood, kicking off her heels and slipping into some discarded boots that were far too big for her but would have to do. 

"What do you mean Alonso?" and my mind drifted to his son and the other small children, suddenly a overwhelming amount of fear pulled through me, had they seen all of this violence. As a young boy I was exposed to too much, too brutal of torture, too much violence that plagued me to this day, "Your son? The other children are they ok?"

Alonso nodded, a soft smile gracing his features, "Ali and Avery, and all of their friends are safe, they were sent out just before I made my objection. All the kids are safe, I assure you, but there is more to this than you could ever know, you and Alara both need to come with me,"

"Alonso, we can't I will not walk into another form of captivity, no matter what the Italian Mafia says, my friends are more than capable of keeping us safe?"

He sighed heavily his gaze settling on Alara, "Cameron I don't think you understand, it is of the utmost importance that you come with me. Vincent needs to speak to you both,"

"I don't give a shit-"

"Cameron?" Alara's voice floated to my ears, she rushed over her arms finding mine and pulling me close.

She stared down at the patch of smeared blood where my father had been, "Some of his men have taken him away, but I promise he'll be fine,"

"How?" I was lost for words how had she known that I wanted him to survive?

"Don't look at me like that Cam, I know you better than I know myself," and she meant every word as she pressed closer to me, her thick eyelashes concealed her honey browned eyes for a moment before they lifted to Alonso's well-built frame, "Alonso right?" her voice was far more tepid than I had expected it to be after her continual bouts of courage.

"You called me your niece?" and she didn't have to say any more.

Alonso smiled showing perfectly straight teeth, behind an easy smile, "That's because it's true,"

"My father is an only child, though, and my mother's family live on the other side of the ocean and I'm sure none of them are Italian," she began to explain but Alonso's smile nerve slipped as he waited patiently for her to finish, before saying words that I believe can never be taken back.

"That is because my dear, you're father is not your father,"

She sucked in a breath her eyes flared and her lips were poised to say words that never came, that just fell as a short haggard breath intensifying when Alonso continued to speak.

"Your real father is Vincent Torres, the leader of the Falco Mafia, and you Alara Mortello, are really Alara Genevieve Mortello Torres, my niece and the heir to the Italian Mafia."