💘( Mending the King! )✨

FIFTEEN

[ Lochan Mor ]

( 🤴🔨👸💋💑🏍 )

" You know what they say about secrets and lies—no matter how deep you bury them, they always have a way of clawing their way back to the surface. "

~ TAMMY O'SHEA to ALU ORTIZ

☆《》¤

THE CONVOY RUMBLED INTO THE COMPOUND OF SAMBEL'S CLUBHOUSE, the tension from the road settling over the group like a storm cloud. The Irish countryside stretched out beyond the gates, deceptively calm against the backdrop of their turmoil. Jax Teller swung off his bike, his boots crunching on the gravel. His mind was a storm of thoughts—plans, revenge, and the faces of those who had wronged his family.

The SAMCRO members began to scatter, each finding a place to regroup. Jax barely noticed the activity around him until a voice pulled him back to the present.

"Jax, right?"

He turned to see a petite woman with sharp eyes and a determined stance. 

Tammy.

"Yeah," Jax replied, nodding. "And you're Tammy. You're the one who tipped Alu off about Cameron. If it wasn't for you, we wouldn't even know he was here."

Tammy gave him a small, almost hesitant smile, "Yeah. I'm sorry about your son. When Alu told me what happened, I knew I had to help however I could."

The sincerity in her voice caught Jax off guard, and for a moment, he felt a flicker of gratitude in the chaos, "Thank you," he said, his tone genuine.

He turned to walk away, the weight of the day urging him forward, but Tammy's voice stopped him mid-step, "Um, Jax, just... be careful."

He turned back to face her, his eyebrows furrowed, "What do you mean?"

Tammy hesitated, glancing around as if to ensure no one was listening. Her unease was palpable. She stepped closer, lowering her voice, "Alu...she's not who you think she is," she said carefully. "Today? That was just a glimpse of what she's capable of."

Tammy had an uncanny ability to read people, a skill honed over years of observing the unspoken truths that lingered in the spaces between words. She didn't need grand confessions or dramatic displays; the smallest details told her everything she needed to know. A glance that lingered too long, the subtle shift in body language, the inflection in someone's voice—these were the breadcrumbs Tammy followed to uncover the whole story.

She had a quiet presence, one that made people forget she was there, but Tammy missed nothing. Conversations that others thought were private had a way of carrying to her ears, and she had a knack for piecing together the puzzle from stray words and unguarded moments. She wasn't intrusive—she didn't ask questions or pry—but her mind was always working, connecting dots no one else thought to see.

That's how she noticed it: the connection between Alu and Jax. The way Jax's gaze would soften for a split second whenever Alu would walk by him. Or how Alu seemed to instinctively step closer to him when tensions flared.

Tammy had seen enough relationships begin and end to recognise the telltale signs. The way they avoided looking at each other just a little too much. The way they spoke in quiet tones when no one else was paying attention. It was all there, clear as day to someone like Tammy, who understood that the truth was rarely spoken aloud—it lived in the spaces between.

Jax's jaw clenched, "Look, I know about her past," he replied, his voice defensive but measured. "She told me. About Oscar—all of it."

Tammy let out a bitter chuckle, shaking her head, "No, Jax. I really doubt that."

His frown deepened, "I know he manipulated her, made her do things—"

"Stop," Tammy cut in, her tone sharper now. "She wasn't just some poor, manipulated old lady, Jax. She was a full-blown member of the Serpents."

The words hit him like a punch to the gut. He stared at her, his mind scrambling to understand what she was saying about the woman he thought he knew, "What?"

Tammy leaned closer, her voice dropping even further, "I'm not trying to stir the pot. I don't want any trouble. But Alu was more than just someone Oscar had under his thumb. Ask her what she did for them. Before you go all in with her, you need to know the truth."

Her words lingered in the air as she placed a hand on his arm briefly, a fleeting gesture of sympathy, before walking away.

Jax stood there, rooted in place as the world around him continued to move. The noise of the clubhouse faded into the background, his thoughts racing. 

If what Tammy said was true, then Alu had been hiding more than just scars from her past. She'd been hiding something darker—something that could change everything.

***

The worn leather couch groaned in protest as Alu stirred awake, the musty scent of the old apartment mixing with the faint aroma of fried food wafting up from the diner below. She stretched, muscles stiff from travel and the uneasy sleep of jet lag. She glanced to her left where her brother lay sprawled in a battered armchair, his head lolled back, soft snores escaping his slightly parted lips.

"This jet lag's kicking my ass," Alu muttered, running a hand through her tangled hair.

From the small kitchen area, Tammy appeared, holding a steaming takeaway cup in her hand, "Brought you some coffee from downstairs," she said flatly, handing it to Alu. "Shit's much better than the instant crap."

"Thanks," Alu muttered, taking a grateful sip. The rich bitterness was a welcome kick to her dulled senses as she watched Tammy move toward the counter.

Tammy busied herself, pulling ingredients from cabinets and setting them on the counter in practiced movements, preparing dinner with the same efficiency she ran the diner. Alu watched her for a moment before pushing herself off the couch.

"We should talk," Alu said, stepping closer.

Tammy didn't pause in her task, her tone cold and clipped, "Yeah, we should."

Alu hesitated, the words she'd rehearsed on the long trip here evaporating under Tammy's stern gaze. "The whole trip here, I was running through what the hell I was gonna say to you, but now..." She faltered, her voice dropping. "I'm so—"

"Don't say it," Tammy cut her off sharply, slamming a knife down onto the cutting board with a dull thud. She turned to face Alu, eyes blazing, "I don't want to hear it. Not again. It doesn't bring her back. And it doesn't change what you did."

Alu flinched but didn't back down, "We were 15. We didn't know what we were getting ourselves into!" Her voice rose, frustration breaking through. "Look, I've got no delusions about you and me being friends. I just think a lot of hate right now is no good to anybody. The shit between us, it needs to stay buried."

A wicked smirk tugged at the corner of Tammy's lips, "Well, you know what they say about secrets and lies—no matter how deep you bury them, they always have a way of clawing their way back to the surface," she sneered at the woman before her in disdain, but then realisation dawned on her. Her voice, when it came, was quieter but no less cutting, "Juice doesn't know, does he?"

Alu's jaw tightened, her silence confirming Tammy's suspicion.

"The truth will only cause him more pain." 

Tammy let out a humourless laugh, her disbelief ringing sharp and bitter, "You're unbelievable."

"Excuse me?"

Tammy's laugh grew darker as she turned to face Alu fully, her fists planted on the counter, "You haven't changed one bit. You're still the same lying, vindictive, manipulative bitch you've always been."

Before Alu could respond, the sound of the door opening interrupted them. Freddie entered the room, his warm smile faltering as he sensed the tension in the air.

"Everything okay in here?" he asked, glancing between his wife and Alu, before leaning down to kiss Tammy on the cheek.

Tammy straightened, her expression shifting instantly to a serene smile, "Everything's fine," she said smoothly. "We were just catching up."

Freddie nodded, clearly unconvinced but unwilling to press further. As he turned his attention to their sleeping guest in the armchair, Tammy shot Alu a hard, pointed look that said the conversation wasn't over.

Alu took another sip of her coffee, the bitterness doing little to quell the knot tightening in her stomach.

***

The soft golden glow of the nursery lamp cast gentle shadows on the walls, painting a serene picture as Freddie leaned over the crib. His voice was low but warm, carrying the kind of tenderness only a father could muster.

"One day, son, you're gonna grow up and take on this world with the same fire I see in your eyes now," he said softly, brushing a hand over the downy strands of Harrison's hair. The baby stirred slightly but didn't wake. Freddie smiled, his gaze full of love and pride, "You'll be strong, just like your ma, and you'll carry this family's name with pride. But no matter how big you get, you'll always be my little man—the best thing I've ever done."

Behind him, the faint creak of a floorboard made him glance up. Tammy stood in the doorway, leaning casually against the frame, a soft smile on her lips as she watched him. Her arms were crossed, but her eyes shone with love for the man and the child before her.

Freddie straightened, his grin broadening, "Caught me getting all sentimental, huh?"

"Maybe," Tammy teased, stepping into the room. She moved toward the crib, her gaze settling on their sleeping son. Her hand brushed lightly against Harrison's blanket, tucking it in a little more snugly.

Freddie watched her for a moment, his expression turning thoughtful, "T, we should talk about earlier. About Alu."

Tammy stiffened slightly but kept her focus on Harrison, "What about her?"

"Whatever's between you two, it's eating you up, I can see it." 

Tammy let out a bitter laugh, her hand gripping the crib's edge, "Eating me up? Freddie, she killed my sister! Of course it's eating me up." 

Freddie's eyes widened, and he quickly moved to guide her out of the nursery, one hand on her arm, the other pulling the door closed behind them. His voice was calm but firm, "Keep it down. You'll wake him."

Once in the hallway, Freddie turned to face her, his tone soft but resolute, "Tammy, that cop killed your sister."

Tammy scoffed, her voice trembling with emotion, "You and I both know she might as well have pulled the goddamn trigger herself!" Her words came fast, raw, and sharp as tears welled in her eyes. "If it wasn't for her, Tabitha would be here right now. She'd be cradling her nephew, watching him grow up, instead of lying six feet under beside our parents!"

Her voice cracked as the weight of her grief finally overtook her. She covered her face with her hands, her shoulders shaking with sobs. Freddie pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly as she cried against his chest.

"Baby," he murmured, resting his chin on her head, his voice steady and soothing. "I know it hurts. I know. But carrying all this hate won't bring her back. It'll just keep tearing you apart."

Tammy clung to him, her tears soaking into his shirt as the ache in her chest slowly began to ebb, replaced by the familiar comfort of his embrace. Freddie didn't rush her, didn't push her to say anything more. He just held her, letting the silence between them speak volumes. 

As her sobs quieted, Tammy pulled back slightly, wiping her cheeks, "I just...I miss her so much."

"I know," Freddie murmured into her hair as he pressed a kiss to the top of her head. 

They stood there in the hallway, leaning on each other as the past lingered around them like a shadow, the soft sounds of Harrison's peaceful breathing the only thing grounding them in the present.

***

A/N: 

04/12/2024

Sorry there wasn't much Alu in this chapter, but it will make sense why as the story progresses, I promise. But the next chapter will feature a lot more Alu. 

Words: 2053