ONE HUNDRED AND FIVE

~ Matteo ~

I sat in the car with Samuel, the city lights blurring past as we sped towards the auction house where I had first found Emmy. The sense of urgency was tangible; we had given them no warning, ensuring they couldn't hide or destroy any information before we arrived. Samuel sat beside me, a mixture of anticipation and determination on his face. To pass the time and to distract myself from the mounting tension, I turned to Samuel. He seemed different, the hard set of his jaw, the way his eyes narrowed ahead with confidence I had never seen him show before.

"How do you feel about Lula?" I asked, trying to sound casual. "Is she really your mate?" Samuel's face lit up with a mixture of pride and sadness. He grinned, a warmth in his eyes that was rare to see.

"She is," he replied, his voice full of certainty. "I tried to fight it, you know? But after what happened to us in the penthouse..." His voice trailed off as he looked at his hands momentarily before shaking his head. "I re