Arabella's POV
"This isn't up for debate."
"But Father, I–"
He threw a glass vase across the room and it shattered into what seemed like a million pieces.
I cringed back in fear. Dad's tantrums had only grown exponentially after Mom's death and the devastating territorial wars because of the Lupo-Mortale Pack breaking the treaty or so I heard. This was the father I remembered, the one I'd always known.
He moved towards me and took my arms gently. Like he usually did. I closed my eyes bracing myself. Then his grip tightened and he pushed me up against the wall and I whimpered.
"You have just one duty." He enunciated every word clearly and slowly.
"Yet you make things complicated." My arms were aching severely now. "I will say this just one more time, Arabella. You will go to the Silvermoon Pack and hope your fiance doesn't
find you as repulsive as I do. We will get that alliance no matter what. And I frankly do not give a damn if he is your true mate or not."My father released me, throwing me down and I landed on my arm. I bit back a moan of pain, knowing I couldn't show weakness here of all places.
"Get out of my sight and prepare for your mating ceremony."
"Yes, Father."
As I walked out of his study cradling my arm, I fought back tears.
Arabella Bianchi, heir to the Stonecold Empire, unable to have a say in the choice of my own mate.
How laughable.
I was as powerless as the weakest omega in my own pack. Because even though I was the Alpha's daughter and believed in only true mates pairings made by the Moon Goddess, my mating would be anything but that. At least omegas chose their own mates.
I went to my room where my maids awaited me. This time I submitted to their ministrations without complaints. I was waxed, cleaned, plucked, perfumed and adorned.
This must be how it felt to be an animal fattened for the slaughter.
They dressed me up in a sheer corsetted lace with rhinestones gown that flared out at the bottom. It was beautiful and emphasized all the curves I didn't know I even had. And I hated it. Hated that my only value to the pack was that of a broodmare to be sold off without an after thought.
They started on my hair and make up, fingers light and practiced as they did their final duty to me. I fought back tears, they'd be fine. My serving ladies Sofia, Aurora, Greta and Emma. With my marriage secured, the pack would finally be able to stand up to the tyranny of the Lupo-Mortale Pack, and they wouldn't lose anybody to the wars again.
At least they would profit from this alliance even if I didn't.
When they were done, I was transformed. My chestnut hair fell down my back in perfect waves with two braids intertwined pulling my waves back. With curls strategically placed to frame my face. My makeup was natural and made my brown eyes pop and my lips look a tad fuller. My exquisite dress pulled the look together and I looked stunning.
I was ready. Ready to marry a man whose face I didn't even know.
I sat in the back of our limo alone as I was driven to my fiance's pack. My hands shook with fear and trepidation as I tried to take deep calming breaths. I was doing this for the pack. My wolf, Lia, was silent but I could feel her anger and frustration at this impossible situation.
My gown felt too tight, too constricting, too revealing. My breath quickened and I could feel the onset of a panic attack coming on. I closed my eyes and thought calming thoughts. The car suddenly stopped. Were we there already? I'd thought the drive would be longer.
I hit the button to take down the guard separating the limo so I could talk to the driver. The screen went down and I saw the driver. His window was down as he conversed with someone. Maybe a police officer, although they knew not to bother the Stonecold– I heard a click. A soft one. Then the driver's head snapped back and blood stained the stereo.
He shot my driver. This was not a routine search by the police but a coordinated attack. I had to get out of here. I bent down reaching for the gun we always kept beneath the seats of all our cars as a precaution. But before I could reach it, the side door of the limo opened.
"Found the princess."
The man reached in and dragged me out. I couldn't fight against his viselike grip and I knew at once that he was a werewolf like myself. I stumbled out of the car to see our entire party had been surrounded by identical black cars.
They were shooting and killing my security personnel mercilessly. I struggled against my captor but the gun pressed to the side of my head made me reconsider.
"Please just let them go. They didn't do anything to you."
"Shut up. Make any sudden movements and I'll blow your brains out. Heir or not."
So I watched trapped as they killed my security staff. Dad was supposed to meet up with us there. How long would it take him to realize something was wrong? How long would it take them to find us? What did these men want from me?
A man sauntered towards my captor, giving a wolf whistle as he saw me.
"Well I'll be damned. Didn't know the Stonecold female wolves were this hot." He had the effontry to adjust himself in his pants.
Digusting.
My captor laughed.
"Me neither, Mattia. All their wolves are accounted for?"
"Yeah, they're all dead. Cross is paging Alpha now." Mattia was still eyeing my body as he spoke and I felt a chill of revulsion skitter across my skin.
Dead. All dead. Twenty wolves with families, friends, spouses and loved ones. I bit back a sob at the thought of all the innocent lives wasted.
"Do you have the wolfsbane?" My captor asked and my struggles began anew. If they injected me with that, I would be unable to shift. I would only be able to communicate with my wolf through our link effectively cutting off any possible escape means.
"Yeah." Mattia handed a loaded syringe to my captor.
"Stay still Princess or we will do this the hard way." A sharp prick on my neck and all the fight left me. I could still feel Lia but I couldn't shift.
"So about the heir," Mattia leered. "Alpha is going to kill her either ways. Might as well take our turns with her first."
My captor paused undecided. Mattia smiled and moved forward, his claws flashing as he tore the shoulder straps on the dress. I gasped pressing the torn dress to my chest to cover up my skin.
I backed away from the two wolves, my hands covering my chest.
"Where are you going, Pretty?" Mattia snickered.
"Yeah. Where are you going to?" This voice came from just behind me. Before I could run or turn though, he had me. One of his hands holding me firmly and the other on a gun.
"What's going on here?" The two men bowed to him but it was Mattia who spoke up.
"Sorry Cross. We just wanted to have a quickie with her. Look at that body, she's practically begging for it."
"That's what this is about? Take her then," Cross flung me to their feet. "Just be quick about it Alpha Luciano will be here soon and he might get a bit prickly about you having fun on duty."
"No, please let me go!" I struggled against their grips on me, my neckline dipping dangerously low now that my hands were no longer over my chest.
They dragged me despite all of my protests to an isolated corner and the other man held me down while Mattia unbuckled his trousers, a sick smile on his face. He pulled out his dick and began to jerk himself off. I might have vomited in my mouth a little.
Was this how I was going to lose my virginity and probably my life too?
He yanked at my gown tearing it to bare my legs. I kicked and nearly hit him. He backhanded me so hard that my head was woozy, my vision went hazy and my body limp. He pushed up my gown and settled between my legs. He groped at my breasts for some seconds before reaching between my thighs to tear away my panties.
I cried struggling futilely against his grip. I closed my eyes feeling his weight against me as he was about to enter me then suddenly he was gone. The hands holding me down also disappeared.
I opened my eyes shocked. A man stood in front of me towering over me but I strangely felt safe. His black hair was longer up top and fell over his eyes. His eyes flickered between blue and silver as he watched me as I did him. He was built and looked dangerous, he was gorgeous. I think the phrase drop dead handsome was coined after him. Because that's how I felt after looking at him.
Like I'd drop dead any moment now looking at this marvellous specimen of a man. My pulse raced and my hands got clammy. I wanted to touch his face I realized. Touch his lips, slip my tongue between his lips and see if he'd bite it or kiss me back. I licked my lips suddenly parched. His predatory gaze followed the movement and he stepped forward towards me. My legs parted a little involuntarily and the sudden heat in his gaze let me know he'd noticed.
"Alpha Luciano." The man who'd been holding me down bowed obviously cowed. I froze like a bucket of ice cold water had been poured on me. Alpha Luciano? My wolf was practically baying for my attention now that I was no longer enraptured by my saviour.
"Who is this?" His voice. Goddess. His voice sent shivers running down my spine against my will.
"Arabella Bianchi, Alpha."
It was like he underwent a transformation. His blue eyes were as cold as ice chips and his demeanour became scary, his hands fisted and for a moment I felt he would come forward and behead me or something.
I finally heard what my wolf was screaming beneath the wolfsbane.
"Mate!" She yelled with joy.
No. This wasn't possible. My jaw dropped in shock.
Arabella's POVThe first time I heard Alpha Luciano Romano's name, I was eight. Back then I still had hopes and expectations of my father to eventually warm up to me. I padded lightly into my father's study in my night dress after escaping the watchful eyes of my nannies hoping to surprise him. It was empty.I played around a bit and came across a really interesting necklace. As I lifted it from atop the drawer, I heard the sound of voices approaching the room. Spooked, I dropped the necklace and it fell on under the drawer. I looked about hastily for a hiding spot and barely tucked myself into the alcove bordering the armoury as the door swung open."How many did we lose?" It was Father's voice."The entire troop sir." I couldn't identify this voice but it sounded like me whenever I was trying to explain how I hadn't eaten the chocolate cake but somehow still had chocolate smeared all over my face. There was a crashing sound and a restrained grunt."The drugs?" " They took ever
Luciano's POVFuck. Fuck! I needed to hit something. Cut someone open. I needed a fight, anything to forget the fact that the Moon Goddess had royally screwed me over. A freaking Bianchi? What the hell? I tried to clear my thoughts so as to not think of her. As if to mock me, the wind blew and her scent filled my nostrils. She smelt like chocolate, sunshine and apple cider. I wanted to smell her skin and find out if it was all natural or perfume. I wanted to break her neck. My wolf didn't make matters easier. He wanted his mate now. He refused to listen to my explanations on how said mate was a viper, who was the daughter of Vitalio Bianchi. She was just as despicable as her father. There was literally no information about her. No one is that squeaky clean. I knew she was hiding something, many things knowing the sort of family she came from.Not that it was my business. I came out with one intention only. Kill Vitalio's only child and give the man a fuck you drenched in the blo
Arabella's POVFunny how some things become much clearer in hindsight. Like how I should have capitulated to Alpha Luciano and let him kill me instead of speaking up and making him think up an even harsher punishment for me being my father's daughter.My cheeks burned hot when I recalled how he had touched me, and how I had responded. How my body had betrayed me. How when he left I ached with need for something I had no idea about. Never had I been more disadvantaged because of my virginity. He probably even understood my body more than I did. When the door to the cell had opened again, my body had come to life, anticipating only to be disappointed when a different person entered. "Arabella, strip for me." I froze. I knew he could kill me if I disobeyed him. I knew he could kill me either way yet I hesitated. I really didn't want to die. Maybe I hesitated because I had never been naked in front of the opposite sex before. Maybe because it was him, the man whose fingers had been i
Luciano's POV"The troops are ready and recruitment has been promising." Cross said."Keep those numbers up. I'll stop by later to examine their skills myself.""Of course, Alpha.""You may leave." Cross bowed out and I faced the two most important people in my business and pack. Natasha and Mikah."Natasha, what do you have for me?""There's word on the streets that there is a new drug out. Distributors are laying low and you can't get a hit unless you know them."I grunted. "Is the drug any good?""Days after the release, the FDA listed it.""Sounds good to me." I smiled. "Put feelers out on the street. Get those who are deep in drug debts to acquire this drug for us. Promise them drugs, money. I want that drug here by tomorrow morning.""Yes, Alpha." Natasha bowed and walked out of the room her dark ponytail and hips swaying with her movement, one of my most ruthless drug lords.I turned to Mikah. "Talk to me.""The Alphas are restive. The Cavanos are working in with Vitalio Bianch
Arabella's POVThis time I wore nothing underneath the red robe. I walked all the way from the women's harem to Alpha Luciano's room wearing only that damned red robe. I could not maintain eye contact with anyone. For some reason it felt like a lot of pack members were out that evening and I felt like everyone already knew what Alpha Luciano was doing to me. That had to be the reason they were giving me the side eye and some laughed when I passed. It felt like I was doing the walk of shame. No, Arabella. It's not your fault the moon goddess gave you a sadistic mate. I squared my shoulders and increased my pace. The faster I got to the room, the less time the pack members had to see me and make deductions.I felt such an immense amount of relief when I finally got into Alpha Luciano's room that it was only after I closed the door behind me that I remembered what I would have to do there."Missed me?" Alpha Luciano smirked. "But then again the Bianchis are known for saying one thing
Arabella's POVSomething strange was going on. Apart from the fact that once more Alpha Luciano had summoned me much to the annoyance of the other women in his harem- Emery had calmly walked out of the room when it was announced only for me to hear the sound of vases shattering following her wake.So no. The strangeness wasn't because of that. Nor was it because of the whip that Alpha Luciano had used to whip me before fucking me missionary style so that I laid with my injured back on the bed taking him. I had werewolf super healing so it wasn't a big issue.The strange thing was after the sex, Alpha Luciano held me. I faced him on the bed, his fingers threading through my hair. His clear blue eyes regarded me and his body felt undeniably warm next to me. I could almost imagine how differently things could have been if my father hadn't been my father.Almost.I didn't try to question him or react like I was surprised, I just looked away to the side while he touched me tenderly."Arabe
Arabella's POVI had to get out of here. I had to escape at all costs. I thought about what Alpha Luciano did to me yesterday and I squeezed my eyes shut in mortification, shame, and disgust. Weeks ago I was a virgin, respected. I had a future to look forward to. But now, it felt like my life had come to a standstill. A pause. A full stop. Like I was living in a hellscape where I was running around in circles like a headless chicken. I had to leave this place or die trying rather than stay here and die a little more every day losing sight of who I was."Are you good?' I turned in my bed at the sound of Margaret's voice. "You knew." She avoided my gaze and put her hand on my forehead to check my temperature.I slapped her hand away. "You could have warned me. You are a woman yourself. How can you do that to another woman?"Tears fell down my cheeks. "Arabella–""Leave me. Now. I would like to be alone."I turned my back on her to face the other side of the bed. After a few second
Arabella's POVThe sound of the gunshot reverberated in the air. I fell to my knees, Alpha Luciano following me, his hands intertwined with mine. The gun fell out of my grasp.The moment I had taken the shot, I'd known he would take the gun from my hands in seconds so I pulled the trigger. Blood coated my hands and I strangely wanted to laugh. Alpha Luciano looked at me like I'd lost my marbles. I guess I had laughed out loud. Finally, it would all end.My vision swam and my body slumped almost hitting the ground but Alpha Luciano caught me, his hands were gentle or maybe the blood loss from a bullet in my thigh was already getting to me. It was a silver bullet after all. I wanted to take the gun and finish the job but my hands shook and my limbs felt like wet noodles. If I could not kill him, I would rather die than follow him back. "Crazy girl. I won't let you die so easily." His hand went to my wound and I thought he wanted to put pressure on it to reduce the bleeding. Only, h
Alpha Luciano's POVI sat outside the surgical ward as they took the bullet out of Arabella.Uncle Tommaso sat next to me and we were silent for a time."I'm sorry." He began."Me too."I was sorry about a lot of things. I was sorry for the way I had treated him, he was my uncle. The man who had raised me. He deserved better.I was sorry about the way I had treated Arabella in the beginning when she had been as much of a victim as I was. Vitalio Bianchi, may his soul rest in peace had never betrayed my family. Instead, he had been betrayed by his own family."I shouldn't have kidnapped her… you were right. Vengeance is a blade that cuts both the wielder and the person who is cut."I was silent. In my head, I was replaying the scene from earlier on. Seeing Arabella shoot down the man who she had thought to be her father until just seconds ago. I should have felt cheated out of my revenge but I couldn't help but feel like she was the one with a larger claim to it. I wondered what it w
Arabella's POVI was shocked. My father was using me as a human shield? Surely there was a mistake. A misunderstanding because what parent would use their child as a shield?Luciano paused in his tracks but his uncle looked like he could have cared less. As long as he was able to kill my father, he didn't care who else had to lose their life in the process. Luciano raised his hand to stop his uncle, his jaw was clenched and his blue eyes burned an unholy silver."Vitalio, would you really threaten your daughter's life just to ensure your own escape?"My father laughed, his chest vibrating behind me and a chill swept through my veins. "Father?" There was a mistake. There had to be. Maybe he just wanted to use me to escape. He would apologise any minute now and tell me that this was the only way for him to escape with his life. He would tell me–"Shut up you dumb slut." He said his gun digging into the back of my skull. I froze in that moment realizing that I might not know my father
Alpha Luciano's POVThe first thing I did after seeing the warehouse was to mind-link my men. It was on the outskirts of the city. By the time they got here, the fight would be almost over but I wanted them here anyway in case Uncle Tommaso decided to play a fast one on me. That way Arabella would be safe. The limo zoomed off behind us and we entered the building. The moment we entered, gunshots went off. I dropped to the ground and rolled. Before they could begin shooting on the ground, I was already hiding behind some boxes. I pulled out my gun. Vitalio Bianchi did not follow the unspoken terms for the meeting. He had brought in his men. It wasn't like I hadn't expected it. It was Vitalio after all. It was just that I was having a problem connecting someone who was as despicable as him to someone like Arabella.The shots continued to go off but I didn't scent Uncle Tommaso's blood so I knew he was alright.I followed the trajectory of where the gunshots were coming from. One, two,
Elder Tommaso's POVI watched the realization dawn on his face that he couldn't do anything, that he was powerless in this situation. Luciano's face twisted with anger and violence as his grip on me tightened to the extent that my vision blurred. Good. This was the fighter I had raised. I suddenly felt a pang of hope. She hadn't completely killed off the Luciano I knew."If you do not tell me where she is, you will not cross the threshold to this office alive. I will dice you up bit by bit until there is nothing left of you.""If you kill me, Arabella also dies." I pried his now loose fingers from my neck. It was pathetic how easily he had given in once he heard her name. "She is in a very volatile location. If you care for your mate even a little bit, you will have to do exactly what I say to get her back."I saw the unchecked fury and disbelief in his eyes and the way his hands clenched into fists. He obviously wanted to pummel me in but because of his mate, he had restrained hi
Arabella's POVWhen I woke up, I was tied to a chair. The last moments of the fight came to me. How I had fought to the butter end. How someone had jabbed me with a needle. And how it had all gotten dark. Yes, I could remember now. What I couldn't do for the life of me was tell you where exactly I was. I looked around. I was in a basement. It smelt familiar and come to think of it, the painting of the room looked familiar.Someone entered the room. It was Luciano's uncle. I couldn't believe it. I thought he was sick so what had happened? After Luciano had told him about us, had this been his reaction? I thought about the timeline. It hadn't been an hour after Luciano left when those men came. There was only one explanation. He had planned it all. Removed Luciano from the equation so that I would be defenceless.Goddess, I didn't know for sure what was going on but I intended to find out. "Arabella Bianchi." He spat my name out like it was a curse. Maybe it was for him. "You kidn
Arabella's POV"Emery!" She shouldn't have been here. She should have been far far away. I shook her awake but she remained passed out on the ground. I needed to take her in and call Luciano. Then– I smelt wolves approaching. I could smell three of them. They could have been the perimeter guards that Luciano had told me about. But looking at Emery's prone body in front of me, I had my doubts. I pulled Emery into the house and locked the door. I backed away and picked up my phone. I had to inform Luciano. I called him. It rang but he didn't pick up the call. I tried it again with the same result. Someone pounded on the door and I jumped.The door would hold. It would– I saw an indent of a fist in the iron. I took my phone and ran for the side exit in the kitchen. There were only three. I could leave out back before they rounded up to the sides. It was possible they didn't know about that exit. I needed to leave now. I ran to the dining area and the kitchen. I pushed open the doo
Arabella's POVAt this rate, he was going to be late to work. Again. I really had to stop trying to assist him with getting ready for work. It wasn't helping either of us.Luciano pushed me against the wall as our tongues duelled for dominance. I wanted him so fiercely as though an hour ago, we hadn't been at it.His hand moved between my thighs expertly fingering me, I gasped into his kiss riding his fingers as I tightened my grip around his shoulders. His phone rang. We ignored it. I was almost there, my orgasm a few heartbeats away. I grabbed at the zipper of his office pants. I needed him inside me now. The clasp gave way under my ministrations. As I slid my hand down the zipper and Luciano buried his fingers so deep inside me that I was sure he could lose his ring inside me if he tried, the bloody phone rang again and again.I groaned in frustration as he pulled away shortly to pick up the call before settling firmly between my legs to continue touching me. I threw my head ba
Emery's POVWhen I opened my eyes, I was in an unfamiliar basement. It had a barely functional light bulb and many knickknacks spread about. Where was I?Last I remembered, I was leaving. I hadn't even gone back to my parents' home. I sent Mom a heartfelt letter containing my apology for being such a problematic daughter, asking for her forgiveness and advising her to take this opportunity to leave that man. To leave the person who couldn't give two shits about us. I refused to keep being a burden to her. I left through the back woods to avoid notice. One minute I was leaving this wreck of a pack behind, the next I felt a blunt object hit the back of my head then darkness. Had Luciano changed his mind about sparing me? No, I didn't think so. Luciano wasn't one to attack from behind. He would have killed me and gotten it over with. He was the Alpha after all. No one would even question him. The door creaked open and Elder Tommaso stepped in. My eyes widened with shock as I realized
Emery's POVMy stomach rumbled in complaint. My strength was waning. When Luciano had told me to wait for my punishment, I didn't think it would take so long. I had no idea of the amount of time that had passed. No one came to give me food or water. I tried to reach out through the pack link to contact Mom to know if Luciano had taken his anger at me out on her. So I sat in my cell awaiting my punishment. What else could I do at this point? I had paced so much that I wondered at how the stone floor showed no signs of wear. I was anxious, tense, tired, and weak. I thought about what I could have done to induce a different outcome. Should I have let Anastasia's man kill Arabella that day? Should I have left when Luciano asked me to leave? My mind spun with the possibilities of what ifs and I must have fallen asleep at some point because I woke up to the sound of the door of my cell opening. Luciano stood at the cell door himself. That wasn't right. If he intended to execute me, he