And a double update, what did you think of this one? I guess you needed a sweet chapter considering the adrenaline rush of the first few chapters, no?
Dean: I woke up to Arianna running her fingers through my hair. Alina was asleep in her bassinet, and I frowned in confusion before shaking my head as I processed where we were and what happened. โMamaโฆโ โShe got out of surgery a few hours ago. Both her and Kai are okay and are asleep,โ Arianna said, stopping me. โJust relax.โ โI donโt even know how I dozed off.โ I said, and she smiled. I massaged my temple. โYou were exhausted, and I honestly didnโt have it in me to wake you up.โ She said, and I nodded in understanding. I looked at Alina who whimpered in her sleep. I looked at Arianna whose eyes met mine and she smiled before I got up. I kissed her forehead and ran my fingers through her hair before sitting on the edge of the bed. I gently massaged her hand and she gently pulled me toward her. I chuckled and laid my head on her chest. She ran her fingers over my hair, gently massaging my head. โDo you want to get more sleep? You need to rest.โ โI am going to get a cup of co
Arianna: I frowned in confusion as the smell of blood filled my nostrils. My heart raced against my chest and though I wanted to get up, I couldnโt. I knew that getting up was going to hurt me more than I could afford. The sound of distinct footsteps could be heard, and I frowned when I heard the panicked voices outside the room. I looked at the door, then at my daughter as I got ready to attack if needed. I pulled out the IV from my hand, despite the doctor and nurseโs warnings. I wasnโt going to be allowing any restraints if I needed to move, and that was for fact going to be an issue for me and my child. My heart raced before my bedroom door was knocked. I frowned, however, instantly relaxed when I caught Yaroslavโs scent. He walked inside the room and I smiled at the man whose eyes met mine. โHow are you feeling?โ โThere is blood on the floor behind you and I am pretty sure that it isnโt blood from yesterdayโs attack.โ I said, and he smiled. โSharp eye, but then again,
Dean: โThey just ambushed the house and killed him,โ Sabine said, showing me her phone. โThey said that they were your men, and they handed me this as proof.โ She pulled a necklace out of her pocket and handed it to me. It was our packโs signature, and I couldnโt help but frown at the sight of it. Her eyes were fixed on the ground as she avoided mine, and extending my hand, I took the necklace. โI wouldnโt have believed it if not for the necklace, Iโm sorry,โ she whispered, handing it to me. I turned the necklace around and frowned. โThis one isnโt even one of ours. It is a replica of it,โ I said, pinching the bridge of my nose. Whoever did this, and I knew that I already had someone in mind, managed to play my own game against me. And that was something that I knew that I couldnโt easily let go of. โI didnโt know,โ she said, and I nodded in understanding. I took her hand in mine, gently squeezing it before returning her gun to her. I had to take it from her to get her inside
Arianna: I watched as the room door opened and I couldnโt help the smile that formed on my lips when I saw Dean walking inside. His eyes met mine and he sat on the edge of the bed beside me before taking my hand and kissing my knuckle. And though he didnโt say a word, I could tell that he was in pain or that something was bothering him, though whatever it was, I didnโt know. The man just seemed distant, and that was something that I could see. โYou are upset,โ I stated, and he raised an eyebrow at me. I smiled and squeezed his hand in assurance. โDo you want to tell me what happened?โ โLetโs just say that it was a longer morning after I woke up.โ He said, and I raised an eyebrow. His eyes avoided mine and it took me a second to realize that he just wanted me to drop the subject. I wasnโt going to push him when he didnโt want to tell me what he was on about, but I knew that with time, whatever it was, I was going to find out about it. โI see,โ I said, and he looked down at my ha
Dean: I walked toward momโs room, knowing that she would be waiting to see me. Irina was already there with her son, and though I didnโt like the fact that she got up and walked so soon after labor; I knew that she was in a safer position than Arianna was when it came to that. Her eyes met mine, and though weak, she smiled. I walked toward her and took her hand in mine, gently kissing her knuckle before pulling away to look her in the eye. โWhy didnโt you tell me, mama?โ I asked, and she looked down, avoiding my eyes. Her heartbeat was calm and though I could tell that she was still tired and in pain, she seemed to be a lot more relaxed. โI didnโt want you to worry, Dean, and knowing you, you would have caused more of a fussโฆโ โMama, I found out about you being sick yesterday because of the bullet wound.โ I said, stopping her. Her eyes avoided mine and I kissed her knuckle. โWhat if Kai wasnโt compatible? What if something happened to you?โ โKai?โ Mom asked, and I nodded.
Arianna: My bedroom door was knocked, taking me off guard as I caught Irinaโs scent. I took a deep breath before calling, โcome in.โ She walked inside and smiled, and returning the favor, I smiled back at her. โDean isnโt here, Irina.โ I said, and she shook her head as she closed the door. โI actually came to see you,โ she said, making me frown in confusion. โDo you mind if I sit?โ โNot at all,โ I said, nodding at the chair that was beside my bed. She looked down at my daughter and smiled before putting her finger in her small hand. Alina wrapped her hand around it almost instantly, and Irina smiled. โI wanted to apologize to you for what I did,โ she said, taking me off guard. โI was rude, and I hurt you a lot. I know that I had no right to do so, and for that, I am sorry.โ โWhat are you talking about?โ I asked, shaking my head in question. She looked down at her lap for a second before looking at me. โI tried breaking you up with my brother and I know now that I shouldnโt
Dean: I smiled as Arianna and I entered the house. The hospital was already bringing mom to the houseโs infirmary which I had modified for her stay. Alina was in Ariannaโs arms while I kept my arm wrapped around my mate, holding her close. She looked up at me and the smile that I saw was one that I donโt remember seeing before. The look in her eyes made my heart swell, and the fact that she was happy was more than I could have ever asked for. โWelcome home, malyshka.โ I whispered to her before leaning in to kiss her temple. She smiled purred, making my chest swell. โIt feels good to be back.โ She said, and I purred back before the two of us walked up the stairs. I was making sure to take slow steps as I knew that she would still be tired after everything that happened. Her being home was enough for me to get a peace of mind, but the fact that I knew that she still needed to take things slow only made me more protective. Viktorโs eyes met mine and he smiled before approaching us
Lorenzo: โThe child was born,โ I said, glaring at Mariana whose eyes widened in surprise. โAnd against your fucked up judgement, your idiot of a son is the reason why the baby was born.โ โHe is your son as much as he is mine, and I didnโt know that he would end up getting into such a thing with her.โ She said, and I rolled my eyes. โMy son didnโt even know her until recentlyโฆโ โHe grew up with the family and the man who not only knew her, but loved her more than he would ever love his mate.โ I said, stopping her. โNow, if you believed that hiding our son with our enemy was the best option when we could have taken the measure of sending him to Italy as I ordered, then you are going toโฆโ โI was not going to send my son to live on his own without anyone training him. At least he grew up to be a strong man who would know how to fend for himself, and that is notโฆโ I growled in warning, not wanting to hurt her physically. The woman and I had our silent oath that I wasnโt to harm her and
โYou called for me,โ the Alpha asked, entering the hotel. Arianna looked at him and he smiled before opening his arms for her. She looked at her mate for a second before taking a step toward the Alpha. He hugged her tightly before pulling away to shake the Alphaโs hand. โYou need not worry about me trying to steal your mate, Alpha Dean.โ He said, looking down at the woman as she walked back to her mate. โShe wouldnโt spare me a second glance anyway.โ Arianna laughed and ran her finger over her mateโs chest as he wrapped his arm around her. โHow are you, Alpha Alessandro?โ โI am well, Alpha. However, I am more or less curious as to why you would call me for a meeting in Vegas when we could have met in either my house or yours.โ He said, raising an eyebrow at the Alpha. โLucius is back.โ Arianna said, and the manโs face dropped. โYouโve heard the rumors.โ He said, and she nodded. โDo you believe them?โ โI have no reason not to.โ She said, taking a step closer as she showed him her
โThe body isnโt here.โ Arianna said, looking at Alpha Dean who frowned in confusion. The man had followed her to ensure that she was okay, but the last thing that he expected to hear was that the body of his enemy or more specifically, her mother, wasnโt there. โAriannaโฆโ โWe are being played, but by who, why, I donโt know.โ She said, her voice cold. The Alpha knew that his mate was speaking out of anger and torment. The pain that she was feeling was one that she did not understand, and judging by Lyovโs expression, he felt the same way. โMariana?โ Alpha Kai asked, shaking his head in question. โShe never arrived with the Alpha and yet her scentโฆโ โAs I said, we are being played.โ Arianna said, taking a step back to hide her tears. The Alpha, her mate, grabbed her hand, stopping her before pulling her to his chest. โI know that it hurtsโฆโ โYou donโt.โ She said, her voice coming out colder than she intended for it to. His eyes dropped to the ground but she took a deep breath. โDon
Dean: I watched as Arianna sat on the couch, facing her mother whose eyes met mine for a second. I had to fight back, glaring at the woman as I reminded myself of the fact that she might have been, most likely, forced into staying away from her daughter. I could see it in her eyes when Arianna looked at her, and I could tell that things ended up taking a turn that she did not want for them. However, there was nothing that we could do about it right now. We were going to have to deal with what we had the way that we had them, and one way or the other, we were going to have to be able to cross the mountains together the way that we climbed them. โYou have ten minutes to explain to me the basics of what I need to know.โ Arianna said, and I shook my head at my mate, knowing that she was having the impatience of a toddler. โBecause believe me right now, if I am sitting in front of you, it is because of my mate. However, if it were up to me, I would have been in my bedroom alongside my d
Arianna: I laid on our bed as Dean entered the room. โI really donโt want you telling me to hear her out first, Dean.โ I said, not bothering to raise my head from the pillow. The two of us still had blood on our hands and clothes, and I knew that we were going to need to change the sheets before bed. But at this point, I didnโt care. I just wanted to lay in bed for a while. โI didnโt come to tell you anything, malyshka.โ He said, wrapping his arm around me as he got on bed behind me. He pulled me toward his chest and a sob escaped my lips before I could stop it. The thing was, at this point, regardless of everything, I was grieving. I was grieving for the man that I called father for years. The man has abused me more than anyone could have, mentally, I mean, and yet, I knew no one but him. I lost my mother to find out that she was alive, seeming to be by our side for so long and yet, not once did she bother to make an appearance. The man that took her away from me was the one fam
Gabriella: I watched as Arianna looked at me, trying to process whether or not I was really there. It was a habit that she had when she was younger; therefore, I wasnโt really surprised when I saw that she was frightened and worried. โDo you want to drink anything, Gabriella?โ Lyov asked, and I shook my head. The fact that I saw the man with his wife and son was something that I was thankful for. I knew that he missed a lot as he looked for me. โI am fine, Lyov.โ I said, and Arianna shook her head. โYou couldnโt have been alive through all this time and yet Iโve never noticed you. The two of us know the number of times that we moved around. Hell, Lorenzo was sure to never have us staying in one place for more thanโฆโ โDo you really believe that I am a lookalike that looks exactly like your mother, knows you by heartโฆโ โYou know nothing about who I am, what I am, or about me.โ Arianna said, and I smiled. โI know that you have a heart of gold, and I know very well that you chose y
Dean: I growled as I ordered my pack members to attack the man who dared call himself Alpha on my grounds. The man didnโt know what he was getting himself into, but I was more than a little sure that he was getting ready for more trouble than he could afford. โI take it that you are taking the habit of hiding behind your mate.โ Lorenzo said, and I chuckled. The man was taunting both Arianna and I, but what he didnโt understand was that I was not going to allow him to get between my mate and I. However, judging by how Lyov was looking at the woman, I doubted that she was ONLY a lookalike, and considering the fact that even Arianna, despite not wanting to admit it, didnโt shoot the woman, then something was most likely up. โAnd I believe that you really donโt know who you are messing with; but then again, I doubt that you ever knew that.โ I said, and he growled. The man believed that he could taunt my mate in front of me, but I was going to be sure that I taught him a lesson that he
Arianna: I froze, staring at my mother for a second too long before shaking my head. She wasnโt alive, this was just a game that Lorenzo was playing. He wouldnโt have been able to cheat on the mating bond with Mariana throughout this whole time when she was still alive. I knew that he wouldnโt. โAriannaโฆโ โYou are playing a very bad game, Lorenzo.โ I said, stopping Lyov from saying a word. The idea and fact that I knew that he would easily try telling me against this was something that I couldnโt deny. But I knew for fact that he was just as delusional. The woman died, I saw the building burning with her inside it. โAm I, child?โ He asked, knowing that he was testing me. โDo you really believe that I am playing a game?โ โShe died.โ I stated, my voice becoming colder than it ever was. He chuckled and pushed her in front of us. Lyov growled, and both Yaroslav and Viktor tensed. Yelena, who stood a few steps away from her mate, froze, looking down at the woman before whispering. โ
Dean: โI want the pack ready, and for the humans to go inside. Protect the kids and I want no one who isnโt ready to fight to go out.โ I said, speaking to the packโs headmistress. She and the other maids were trained for such fights, and I knew that they would be having both Alina and Ray with them. โUntil I call you, you stay in the underground tunnels. And if things backfire, you know what to do.โ โYes, Alpha.โ She said, and I nodded. My one concern right now was my sister, but I wasnโt dumb, she was in the basement, away from all of this, and hidden. Needless to say, IF things did backfire, then I doubted that she would be affected. If anything, she might end up getting a reward for what she did. โGo,โ I said, looking at my daughter for a second. My heart ached at the fact that they were to run with her being this young, but right now, I knew that we were not going to have another option. I ran my finger over Rayโs hair, the guilt that I felt for him was one that I couldnโt des
Arianna: I frowned as I took a deep breath, processing that I was in a room that I didnโt recognize. My heart raced, and I tried sitting up only to find myself cuffed to the bed that I was laying on. The memories of Lorenzo filled my head, and noticing that I couldnโt see Kai, I couldnโt help but feel like my heart was going to burst at how fast it was beating. โKai?โ I called, looking around frantically. โHey, easy,โ Deanโs voice echoed through the room and I growled, not wanting this to be another mind game from Lorenzo. The man has put me through enough torment to get me to process that he wanted me to kill my mate, and that wasnโt something that I wanted. โFor the last fucking time, Lorenzo, I am not going to kill him.โ I said, and Dean frowned in confusion before he took a deep breath. โLorenzo is not here, malyshka.โ โAs if I would be falling for that lie again,โ I said, and the man frowned. โWhat has he put you through, baby girl?โ He asked, looking me in the eye, and I