💘( Mending the King! )✨

NINETEEN 

[ Turas ]

( 🤴🔨👸💋💑🏍 )

" I know you're nothing like him, Jax. Because you're worse. You don't just want me—you want all of me. You want to talk to me, break me open, see every scar, every dark corner of my soul. Then you'll screw and screw and screw until you've had your fill, and when there's nothing left, you'll walk away. Just like everyone else. So, don't stand there and act like you're any better than the rest them. "

~ ALU ORTIZ to JAX TELLER

☆《》¤

SAMBEL'S CLUBHOUSE WAS QUIET, the kind of eerie stillness that only came in the dead of night. Alu slipped down the creaky stairs, her boots barely making a sound. She tugged her jacket closer, inhaling the cool night air that greeted her. After successfully spiking Half-Sack's whiskey and waiting for him to pass out in the armchair by her bed, she'd finally earned herself a few stolen moments of freedom. A cigarette was her only goal—until she spotted Jax.

He was sitting on a weathered picnic bench just beyond the steps, his head tilted back, staring at the stars like they might offer him answers. His shoulders were hunched, tension radiating off him in waves, even from a distance.

Alu hesitated, but then padded over to him, "Spare a fag?"

Jax flinched, whipping around, not expecting anyone to be up at this hour. But his sharp gaze softened when he realised it was her, "It's almost 3:00. Why aren't you in bed? Where's Half-Sack? He's supposed to be watching you."

Alu rolled her eyes, sliding onto the bench beside him, "Passed out. Couldn't sleep."

Jax didn't reply right away, instead pulling out his pack of smokes. He handed her one, and she slipped it between her lips. Leaning forward, he lit it for her. The orange glow flared, their faces close enough that she could feel his breath against her skin. Their eyes locked—too close, too long.

Alu pulled away first, exhaling a slow plume of smoke.

Jax sighed, as he rubbed the back of his neck, "Yeah, me neither."

The silence stretched between them, heavy but comfortable in a way. Alu glanced sideways at him, his jaw tight, his knuckles flexing and relaxing like he was trying to squeeze his frustration into submission.

"How are you, Jackson?" She asked softly, clearly concerned. "Really?"

He didn't answer right away, dragging on his cigarette like he needed the pause to steady himself, "I'm tired, Alu," he admitted, his tone barely above a whisper. 

Her lips quirked into a faint, understanding smile, "Yeah. Me too."

Without a word, Jax wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her into his side. The gesture was protective, grounding. He pressed a kiss to her forehead, lingering just long enough for her to feel the weight of his unspoken words.

But there was something on Jax's mind, something he couldn't shake. A question he was dying to know the answer to since his conversation with Tammy and more so now, knowing who was after Alu.

Jax couldn't take it anymore.

"Why does Vinny have a bounty on your head?" he finally asked, his voice cutting through the stillness like a blade.

Alu tensed under his arm, exhaling a long stream of smoke as she avoided his gaze. Her response was casual, dismissive, but it was laced with something sharp, "I don't know, Jax. Maybe because I broke his precious son's heart."

Jax's jaw tightened, his eyes narrowing, "Don't give me that shit," he snapped, rising to his feet. "What aren't you telling me? Does this have to do with what you did for the Serpents? I know you weren't just his old lady, Alu. Tammy told me. She said you were a member."

At that, Alu finally turned to face him, a bitter smirk curling at her lips, "Of course, she did. Tammy always had a way of sticking her nose where it doesn't belong."

"Cut the crap," Jax said, his voice sharper now. "What was your role, Alu? Were you part of the Mafia? Is that why Vinny wants you so bad?"

Her smirk disappeared, replaced by a glare as she flicked her cigarette to the ground and crushed it underfoot, "That's none of your business, Jackson," she hissed, her tone like venom.

Alu moved to leave, her steps quick and purposeful, but Jax wasn't about to let her go that easily. His hand shot out, grabbing her arm and spinning her around with more force than he intended.

"Hey!" he barked. "It is my business when it affects my club! My family! Oscar was one thing, but we're talking about the New York Mafia here!"

Alu wrenched her arm free, her eyes blazing with fury, "Oh, I'm well aware!" she shouted back. "I'm sorry I brought all this shit to your doorstep. I am. And don't worry, you won't have to deal with it for long. I've booked the next flight back to Charming. I'll pack my shit, and I'll be out of your life for good."

Jax's frustration boiled over. He threw his hands in the air, his voice rising as he took a step toward her, "Is that what I fucking said I wanted?!"

Alu froze, her breath hitching as she turned to face him. Her voice cracked under the weight of her emotions, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears, "What do you want from me, Jax? What the fuck are we even doing here?!"

Jax's features softened, his anger giving way to desperation. He stepped closer, his tone quieter but no less urgent, "I want you to talk to me. I want to help you."

Reaching out, he cupped her face gently, his thumbs brushing her cheeks. For a moment, it looked like she might let him in, but then her expression hardened.

"I don't need anyone's help," she hissed, stepping back from his touch. "Especially not yours."

She turned again, but Jax was done letting her run. Grabbing her by the shoulders, he pushed her back against the wall, his frustration exploding in a shout, "Would you stop fucking doing that?!"

The look in her eyes stopped him cold. Fear flickered across her face, her body stiffened as if bracing herself for a blow, because it was no longer Jax infront of her, it was Oscar, "You're hurting me," she whispered, her voice trembling.

6 Years Ago

Alu stepped out of the cab, the cold night air biting at her skin. Her legs felt weak beneath her, her body still reeling from the week she had just endured. The bright neon lights of the strip club flickered, illuminating the parking lot in garish bursts. It was a place she had once thought of as a haven, but now it loomed over her like a cage. She took a deep breath and pushed open the door.

Inside, the familiar haze of smoke, the scent of cheap perfume, and the pulsating bass of music engulfed her. The world carried on, oblivious to her absence. She scanned the room, her stomach twisting as she spotted Oscar leaning against the bar, a glass of whiskey in hand, a girl kneeled down in front of him, her lips wrapped around his cock as her head bobbed back and forth. Oscar's posture was relaxed, but the tightness in his jaw told her he was far from calm.

When their eyes met, his face darkened. He set down his glass, and with a deliberate and rough force, he pushed the girl away from him, causing her to fall to the floor, but she new better to snap at the king, so she simply lowered her head, while Oscar pulled his pants up and strode toward Alu. 

Alu braced herself, her heart pounding as he stopped just inches away.

"You've got some nerve showing up here," Oscar said, his voice low and dangerous. "A week, Alu. A whole damn week without a word. Where the hell have you been?" 

Alu swallowed hard, her fingers twisting together nervously. She had rehearsed this moment over and over, but now that it was here, her voice felt trapped in her throat, "I...I needed some time," she said softly, forcing herself to meet his glare. "I went to visit my family. I just needed a break." 

Oscar's lips curled into a bitter smirk, "A break?" he repeated, his tone mocking. "From what? Dancing on a pole? Living in the lap of luxury? You think you can just disappear whenever you feel like it and not answer my calls?" 

"I'm sorry," Alu said quickly, her voice trembling. "I didn't mean to worry you."

"Worry me?!" Oscar's voice rose, drawing the attention of a few onlookers. He stepped closer, his imposing presence making her feel smaller, "You don't get to worry me, Alu. You're mine. My old lady. My property. You don't just get to vanish without telling me." 

Alu blinked back her tears that threatened to fall. She couldn't let them fall—not here, not now, "I'm so sorry, baby. It won't happen again. But there's something you should know. I—" She hesitated, her chest tightening as she forced the lie past her lips, "I went into labor while I was gone." 

Oscar froze, his expression shifting from anger to something else—something darker, "What did you just say?" 

"I lost the baby," Alu whispered, her voice cracking. "It—it happened so fast. I didn't know what to do." 

His face contorted with a mix of grief and fury, "You lost my son?" His voice was quiet now, dangerously so. "You're telling me my son—my blood—is gone?" 

Alu nodded, her hands shaking, "I'm so sorry. I couldn't stop it. I didn't know what else to do."

Oscar's fists clenched at his sides, "Where were you? Where did this happen?"

"I was at my brother's house," she lied. "Then my water broke. I was so scared, Oscar. There wasn't enough time to call. I'm sorry." 

Oscar's expression hardened, "You were scared?" he spat, his voice rising again. "Do you think I wasn't scared when you just disappeared? Do you think I wasn't losing my mind wondering where you were? And now you tell me you've been off God-knows-where and came back with nothing but an empty stomach and no baby!" 

Before she could respond, his hand shot out, slapping her hard across the face, causing her to fall to the ground, "You think you can just walk in here and tell me you lost my son and everything's fine?!" he sneered down at her like a predator sizing up it's prey. "You think I'm  supposed to just accept that?!" 

"Oscar, please," Alu croaked, tears streaming down her face as her hand cradle her very red cheek. "I didn't mean for this to happen. I—"

"Shut up," he hissed, his voice laced with venom as he stormed over and grabbed her arm tightly, yanking her to her feet and shoving her backward, causing her to stumble. "You disgust me right now. You had one job, Alu. One. And you failed." 

Alu's tears were now uncontrollable, as she furiously wiped them away, her body trembling, "I didn't fail," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "I did everything I could."

Oscar stared at her for a long moment, his chest rising and falling heavily. Finally, he let out a sharp, bitter laugh, "Get back to work," he said coldly. "I don't want to see your face unless you're doing your damn job." 

Alu hesitated, her gaze locked on his, hoping for some sign of the man she once thought she loved. But all she saw now was anger and emptiness as he turned away from her, grabbing the girl from earlier's arm and yanked her to her feet, dragging her out back to his office. 

Lowering her head, Alu turned and walked away, her shoulders heavy with the weight of her secrets.

And as she passed through the club, the music and chatter seemed to fade, her mind consumed by the lie she had just told—and the truth she had buried.

Jax immediately stepped back, his hands dropping to his sides, "Shit," he muttered, his voice cracking with guilt. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to—"

She flinched as he reached for her, and his heart shattered.

"Don't be scared of me," he said, his voice raw and pleading. "I would never hurt you. I'm not him. I'm not like Oscar. I swear to God, I'd never lay a hand on you like that."

Alu stared at him, her breathing shallow. He held his hands up, stepping back to give her space, his voice barely above a whisper, "I lost my damn head, but I'll never make you feel like that again, Alu. Never."

Her fear gave way to anger, burning hot and fierce as she stepped toward him, "I know you're nothing like him, Jax," she spat. "Because you're worse. You don't just want me—you want all of me. You want to talk to me, break me open, see every scar, every dark corner of my soul. Then you'll screw and screw and screw until you've had your fill, and when there's nothing left, you'll walk away. Just like everyone else."

Her voice cracked, but she kept going, jabbing a finger into his chest with each word, "So, don't stand there and act like you're any better than the rest of them."

Jax staggered back as if her words had physically struck him. He sank to the floor, sitting against the wall with a defeated sigh, "Alu..." he said softly, his voice hoarse. He looked up at her, his eyes filled with something she couldn't quite place, "I didn't ask for any of this," he admitted. "I didn't ask to want you like I do." His gaze locked onto hers, pleadingly, "I'm not gonna walk away from you. Not like that. I don't want you broken. I want you whole. And I damn sure don't want to hurt you, not now, not ever. But if you really believe I'm gonna treat you like everyone else, you don't know me at all. I'm just asking for a chance to prove I'm not like the rest of 'em."

For a long moment, silence hung between them. Then, Alu's voice broke through, quiet and filled with pain, "All my life, I've been the property of men," she whispered. "I can't do it anymore, Jax. I won't."

Jax didn't argue. He simply mmotioned for her to sit beside him. When she hesitated, he reached out gently, pulling her close. Wrapping his arm around her, he pressed a kiss to the top of her head as she finally let the tears fall, "You don't have to," he murmured softly into her hair.

***

The dim lighting of the clubhouse bar cast a soft glow on the faces of Jax and Alu as they sat across from each other. 

Alu was leaning forward, her eyes scanning her laptop in front of her, tapping away with an intensity that matched the deep furrow in her brow. Her lips were pressed into a tight line as she processed the data she'd found.

"I ran Kellan Ashby through every database that I could," she said, her voice steady, but with an edge of frustration. "Appears to be common knowledge that he's a friend of the cause, but nothing ties him. I mean, there are no arrests, there's no seizures, he's never been interrogated. He's never even received a damn parking ticket. He is a revered priest who has turned down three promotions from the Vatican."

Jax exhaled sharply, swirling the whiskey in his glass. His eyes remained focused on her, lips twitching into a tight smirk, "A saint."

Alu looked up at him, "Yeah, I'm afraid so." She shook her head, closing the laptop with a soft click, "I don't like it, Jax. He's almost too clean." 

Jax didn't reply immediately, his eyes darkening as he leaned back in his chair. His mind was already elsewhere. After a few seconds of quiet contemplation, he spoke once more, "I got another name for you," he said, voice low. "Liam O'Neill."

Alu blinked in surprise, "Cherry's old man?"

Jax nodded slowly, his eyes narrowing, "Pretty sure he and Jimmy tried to blow us up today."

Alu's hand flew to her mouth, her eyes wide with disbelief, "Oh, my God, what?!" she gasped, her voice a mix of shock and panic. Without thinking, she reached out, her fingers gently brushing Jax's chest as though checking for any visible injuries. Her eyes scanned him frantically, her breath shallow.

Jax held her gaze, "Yeah, but five others are spread out over a farm outside Dungloe." He said it casually, but there was an undercurrent of something darker beneath the surface.

Alu's hand dropped as her eyes watered, her throat constricting with emotion. She covered her mouth as she fought to swallow the panic rising in her chest, "Jesus, Jax...I...I don't even know what to say." She cleared her throat, wiping at her eyes quickly, "Are you...are you okay?"

Jax smiled reassuringly, though the weight of the day hadn't quite left him, "I'm fine. More pissed than anything."

She didn't seem convinced, but she nodded, "You need anything?" she asked, her voice soft but insistent.

Jax shook his head, his hand on his glass as he stood up, "Look, I'm gonna try and get some sleep," he said, offering a weary smile. "Night, darlin'."

He kissed her gently on the top of her head, before heading for the stairs. Alu watched him go, the worry still etched across her face. But as the door to his room closed behind him, she stood still for a moment, before quickly turning and heading down the hall herself, and soon she was knocking softly at his door.

Jax opened it, clearly surprised to see her standing there, "You okay?" he asked, his eyes softening.

Alu, with a slightly sheepish expression, crossed her arms, "Half-Sack's snoring like a freight train, and I can't sleep with that racket," she admitted, a small laugh escaping her lips. "Can I crash in here tonight?"

Jax raised an eyebrow, but stepped back, motioning for her to enter, "Of course. You're welcome anytime."

As they moved to the bed, Alu gave him a mock-serious look, "No funny business, Jax. No copping a feel while we're sleeping."

Jax smirked, a playful glint in his eye, "You really think I'd take advantage of you in your sleep?" he teased, pulling back the covers. "What kind of guy do you take me for?"

She shot him a look, her eyebrow arched as she crawled in beside him.

Jax chuckled, settling beside her, their bodies close but not touching. The warmth from his body seemed to pull at her, and though she fought the exhaustion creeping in, the tension from the night's chaos began to fade.

"Thank you for coming to Belfast," Jax said quietly, his voice soft as he reached over, gently brushing a strand of hair from her face.

Alu let out a quiet sigh, turning her head to meet his eyes, "Of course. You needed my help," she whispered back, her voice carrying a weight of its own. "And I like spending time with you." 

Jax smiled faintly, his hand finding hers beneath the covers, "Guess we're both in this together then." 

She squeezed his hand gently, "Yeah, guess we are."

After a moment, Jax adjusted his position, turning so that he could face her fully, "Just so you know, I'm not used to sharing my bed," he teased. "But I think I can make an exception tonight."

Alu snorted softly, shaking her head, "Well, don't get too comfortable," she warned, her voice laced with affection. "I'm a restless sleeper."

"I'm sure I can handle it," Jax teased back with a wink.

They both laughed softly, the sound of it filling the otherwise quiet room, and though the world outside those four was still felt like a powder keg, in that moment, they found comfort in each other's presence. Slowly, the laughter faded, and they drifted into a peaceful sleep, tangled up in each other. And for the first time in a long while, both of them felt safe.

***

Jax awoke in the morning to find Alu still curled up against him, her head resting on his chest, her hand clutching his shirt loosely. He smiled to himself, brushing a few stray locks of hair from her face as he carefully adjusted to avoid waking her.

"Guess I'm not the only one who needed sleep," he muttered under his breath with a quiet laugh, his hand resting gently on her back.

As the first light of morning broke through the window, he couldn't help but think that maybe, just maybe, they could both survive the chaos ahead—if they had each other.

***

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