It’s been three years since Thales was sent to train in France, free of distractions such as possibly finding his mate. Mate or not, I’m sure he’d have been distracted by his future Beta. I still think it’s crazy, but whatever.
Who’d have known Crista would grow up to be such a beauty? Certainly not me. I used to taunt her growing up for her looks. Unlike Thales, I was still here to watch that knob-kneed Beta heir grow up.
And well, if they aren’t mates and he doesn’t make a play for her, I will. I’m still looking for my mate, but that doesn’t mean I can’t have some fun on the way to finding her.
“Whatever you’re thinking, it’s probably too dirty for me to want to know.” A slightly familiar voice chuckled behind me.
I turned, adjusting my tie with a grin as I spotted my best friend and future Alpha. He looks like his father but with his mother’s blonde hair. It’s so weird to see him all grown up.
“Thales! Hey, man!” I exclaimed, hugging him, picking him up a little.
Shit, he put on muscle, or I lost some. When he left, he was scrawnier, and I could get him off the ground more than this.
“Tie, put me down. Ugh, I’m not a little kid.” Thales grumbled.
“When did you get in? I didn’t think we’d be seeing you until your big debut at the party.” I patted his shoulders after I set him down.
“A couple of hours ago. Mother told me to wait here with you.” He rolled his eyes, fixing his black suit jacket.
“Who someone’s touching.” I snickered.
“Did I wrinkle your clothes, little Alpha? Looking to impress someone tonight? Perhaps a certain Beta heiress?” I teased, wiggling my eyebrows.
“Oh, shut up, Tiberius. I want to impress the pack in general. And if Crista happens to be my mate….” Thales turned pink as he shoved me away.
I laughed cause I knew it. Thales is hoping they’re mates just like she is.
“Aww, aren’t you just adorable? If it makes you feel better, she’s hoping the same. She even got a gold dress to impress you with. Looks hot on her.” I smirked.
“And how do you know that? And don’t talk about her like that.” Thales growled.
“Easy, man. I got dragged along dress shopping. I was babysitting since Christopher and Gwen had duties to attend to.” I shrugged.
“And I’ll call her hot all I want. Until she finds her mate, or I find mine, fair game, little Alpha.” I winked.
“Stop calling me that. You know that after tonight I will be your Alpha. Have you not grown up at all in the years I was away? Are you going to be able to fill the Gamma role?” Thales sighed.
“Gamma role? How many times did your trainers hit you in the head while in France?” I raised an eyebrow.
“I’m a Delta.” I reminded him.
“Yes, but we don’t have a Gamma heir. So I plan to make you my Gamma, and we can look to other families to start a new Delta line.” Thales was grinning, the dimple on his right cheek prominent.
“You’re shitting me? Wait, you want to bump me up in rank? What about Ardito’s nephew Lorenzo?” I questioned.
“We both know Lorenzo isn’t Gamma material even if his grandfather was once a Gamma. He takes after his father, who isn’t of a ranked bloodline plus is a total dick. Unless you’re going to tell me Lorenzo isn’t a tool anymore.” Thales scoffed.
“Okay, fair point. Lorenzo is still a dick. But he’ll feel snubbed, and I predict he’ll make a big stink about it.” I shrugged.
“You better believe I’m going to make a stink about it. I at least have Berlusconi blood. How dare you decide to usurp my family’s claim.” Lorenzo threw open my door like he had any right to be in this wing of the pack house.
“Get the fuck out of my room, you little shit. And don’t talk so disrespectfully to your future Alpha. It is at his discretion who holds the title.” I growled, grabbing Lorenzo by his suit collar.
Lorenzo growled back, grabbing my jacket with one hand and drawing his fist back to hit me. Lorenzo didn’t get a chance as his arm got yanked hard behind him by Thales.
“Enough! Let each other go, now!” Thales snarled his command.
“Sure thing, Alpha.” I smirked, letting Lorenzo go.
Lorenzo growled at me, but it turned into a whimper as Thales applied more pressure.
“I said NOW!” Thales put out more of his Alpha aura.
Lorenzo crumbled, dropping my jacket as his lesser wolf yielded to the power of Thales and his wolf. All even August was making me bare my neck in submission to the authority.
“Get out, Lorenzo. I don’t want to see your face tonight. Tomorrow I will handle your disrespect.” Thales growled, showing Lorenzo to the door and shoving him out.
“Well, this is a fun start to the night.” I laughed.
“Yeah, not how I want tonight to go. I don’t want a night of fights. This is a celebration. I want to have fun and get reacquainted with the pack.” Thales sighed.
“You mean re and better acquainted with Crista.” I teased.
Thales rolled his eyes. His lips parted to deliver some comeback that he thinks will probably stick, but the overwhelming cries in the pack link stopped him.
All other thoughts were forgotten as we rushed down the stairs. Rather than the sounds and smells of a party, we were met by the screams of our pack and the scent of their blood in the air.
The color drained from my face as I glanced at Thales, both of us feeling the pain of Alpha Silvano dying. We didn’t speak. We started running down the stairs, prepared to protect our people, ready for a fight.
I froze at the bloodbath we walked into. It was a damn massacre. How could this have happened? Who could have done this?
Thales snarled as his eyes focused on a slightly familiar weasel standing in the center of the room holding Christopher Fayte’s heart in his hand as our Beta fell to the floor. As he turned his head, I recognized the rat.
“Ignazio…” Thales and I growled in unison.
Neither of us ever liked that kid or any of the ranked heirs of Madonie. Ivan didn’t seem too bad, but Ignazio and Gastone were fucking assholes unworthy of a title.
We tried to rush forward as Beta Gwen snarled and rushed to avenge her beloved before the mate bond would take her. Beyond her, I could see the Fayte sisters.
They looked terrified. Crista had her sisters huddled behind her. I could tell Crista wanted to fight but was torn as she also wanted to protect her sisters.
‘Run! Run Crista! Take your sisters and run!’ Thales commanded through the pack link as Gwen met the same fate as her mate.
Crista paused only a moment before shifting to her impressive white wolf Emelia gathering her sisters on her back to run out the back doors. Ignazio snarled, moving to try and follow them.
What the hell? He’s after them. He must be, or why go after them when Thales is here. If he’s trying to conquer Nebrodi, he would want to kill Thales.
“IGNAZIO!!! GET BACK HERE, YOU RAT-FACED PIECE OF TRASH!” I shouted, wanting to draw his attention from the Fayte sisters.
“OR ARE YOU TOO AFRAID TO FIGHT ME!? DON’T WANT TO GET BEAT AGAIN?” Thales picked up on what I was doing and started taunting him.
Ignazio’s shoulders twitched at the reminder of getting beaten by Thales before either was old enough to have their wolves. Ignazio was always a skinny little shit. He still is, but something looks off about him.
‘Careful, Thales. There’s something off about him. He doesn’t smell right.’ I warned as Ignazio turned with pure hate as he looked at us.
“You both will pay for delaying me from getting my prize.” Ignazio snarled.
His prize? Oh fuck, he was after the girls. Which one? Probably Crista, as she’s the eldest and has a wolf. A white wolf at that, which means she’s rare and powerful.
“Prize? Oh please, Crista wouldn’t give you the time of day. Even if she were your mate, she’d reject your fugly ass because you just killed her parents.” I scoffed.
“I don’t know what you want with my Beta, but you won’t have her. We won’t allow it.” Thales declared, tossing his jack aside, ready for a fight.
I follow suit, ready to back him. There was no way Ignazio could fight us both.
“Two on one, I like those odds.” I smirked.
“Ahem. You can’t count for shit, Bellomo.” Gastone sneered as he and the ever silent Ivan entered covered in blood.
“Oh, look, we found Thales. Guess it’s time to finish the family line of two more ranked families.” Gastone laughed like some Disney villain.
Ivan grunted. A man of few words as always.
I wrinkled my nose as August picked up familiar scents on them. That isn’t just anyone’s blood; that’s my parents’ blood! That’s Alpha Silvano and Luna Sherie’s blood!
“YOU BASTARDS! YOU KILLED OUR PARENTS!” I snarled, August eager to come forward.
Next to me, I heard fabric tears and knew Thales was done talking. His wolf was ready for blood, for vengeance.
I followed suit, letting August come forward. He was by no means close to the same size as Thale’s wolf, but August is no slacker in a fight.
‘Let’s kill these fuckers.’ August growled as his fur began to glow with his gift.
Thales and I lunged forward as Ivan and Gastone shifted, taking a protective stance between Ignazio and us. Of course, the pathetic shithead hides behind his stronger underlings.
‘Thales, stay behind me until I say.’ I instructed.
I didn’t give him a choice, moving ahead of him as I felt August’s power at maximum, sending a burst of light out to blind Ivan and Gastone.
‘Now!’ I shouted, moving to lunge at Ivan, allowing Thales to attack Gastone.
But just as we launched ourselves at them, my light faded as a green glow engulfed us, suspending us midair. What the fuck!?
“Bring them with us. These two may prove useful, and their deaths will still benefit us when they stop being useful.” A female voice instructed just before everything went black.
I wrinkled my nose as I opened the doors to the villa to find Beatrice standing there in a long tan coat that is either the only thing she’s wearing or hiding something she thinks is sexy. She disgusts me. All the females who pass through Chesed’s dark room doors are scum, but Beatrice is the worst. Her eyes narrowed when she saw it was me and not my Papa answering the door. Oh, the hate in her eyes. Guess what bitch? The feeling is mutual. If I had a wolf or magic, she’d have been dead the first time she came sniffing around. “What do you want, puttana?” I growled. “Don’t you call me that, you little basta…” She didn’t get to finish her insult before my fist connected, sending her tumbling back. “You will watch your mouth, puttana. I am the Incubi Princess Katrina D’Amore, and you will mind your manners.” I declared. “You little bitch. You could have broken my nose!” Beatrice whined about her nose glaring at me as she got back up. “And you can’t do anything to me.
I groaned, squinting my eyes, trying to figure out where I was. The last thing I remember was setting off August’s halo of the sun, or flashbang as people with no inspiration call it. Thales and I were lunging to take down Ivan and Gastone. THALES! I quickly sat up, wide the fuck awake, looking all around me. Pretty standard shit. A tiny window with silver bars and a cement block cell with silver bars keep me in. Fuck! We got captured. But how? I know for a fucking fact that snot-nose little shit Iggy has no gifts despite being an Alpha heir. I also know Ivan and Gastone couldn’t have caused that glow. So who the fuck helped them? And how can I find them to rip their heart out? I turned to the cell across from mine as I heard a groan. As much as it saddened and angered me, seeing Thales coming around was a relief. He’s still alive. Nebrodi still has a chance. Wincing with each movement, I went as close to the bars as I dared. Looking in both directions of the d
I was fuming inside at Chesed. How dare he treat my Papa’s mate in such a manner!? She is the next Luna of his pack, and he would dare demeanor her by sending her, unwilling like I might add, to his sex room!? I hope she claws his eyes out.I could tell her sisters were worried as they kept glancing back, trying to see Crista still as my brother led her away. If there ever was a time that my Papa needed to yank control away from his wolf, it is now. He cannot allow Chesed to treat her or her sister this way.I swear to the Goddess the first scream of ‘NO’ or anything that indicates Crista wants away from Chesed, and I am breaking that door down and putting that bastard wolf in his place. Hell, I’ll call Zia Izzy to help me. I know she’d
I haven’t dealt with witches before. I knew they were out there, but my only experience was reading about them in human fairytales and actual books kept in the pack library. None of that prepared me for facing the real deal.Shitty Witch here is a real piece of work. She didn’t touch us. I glimpsed her true face, and let me say yuck. I’m thankful for that because I don’t want her touching me. I know I’m hot, but I’d need a whole body chemical peel to get rid of layers of skin to feel clean.Begrudgingly we were forced to follow her. I had no intention of making this easier on her. So, I made sure to shuffle my feet or stagger along, making as much noise as possible while moving as slowly. Each time she’d turn and glare
I was having trouble falling asleep as I couldn’t get that torture scene out of my mind, and it only got weirder from the torture scene. When I’d managed to fall asleep, I was back in that room. The two men had collapsed to the ground, blood dripping down their backs like I was watching some horror show. My heart broke as I looked at them, especially the brunette. He didn’t look worse off than the blonde, but the weird mirror me with no fashion sense was leaning over him. “Hey, leave him alone, face stealer.” I shouted as she gripped his chin, turning his face to her. Of course, she didn’t hear me or even acknowledge I was in the room. I don’t know what Bisnonna is trying to make me see, but I don’t like this. What kind of freaky vision is this? Is this a warning that I will go off the deep end and turn evil? I can’t see that ever happening. And I don’t have the stomach for torture like Chesed and André do. I’m not even a Dom when it comes to kinky bedroom activities. I need to stop
I can’t tell you how long that Shit Witch had us in that room. There were no clocks and certainly no windows to figure the time. What I wouldn’t give for a watch just to know how long this has been going on. Because I’m wondering how long it takes a grown man to bleed out. That’s a g****e search that would put me on a list. No matter how long it had been, we hadn’t told her anything. Thales wouldn’t know anything about our current warrior count. And he certainly wouldn’t know the escape plans for something like an invasion. The plans change every six months to ensure rogues or potential enemies wouldn’t know our people’s paths. And while I do know those things, I wouldn’t tell Shit Witch if she had a booger hanging out of her nose. So, I won’t start by giving away intel that could endanger my people. And as for her questions about Crista, we would rather die than tell her anything. Not that we could give much info now that Crista was in Incubi. I hope the Fayte sisters are safe and t
I had hoped getting some food in their stomachs would help settle everyone. But of course, the subject of Santi and Madonie came up. I wanted to smack my twin; this was not a breakfast conversation. He was going to get Crista all worked up.And of course, with Crista getting worked up, Chesed came out. The tension between them was so thick you needed a butcher knife. We could all feel it, especially her sisters, who were watching the tense exchange between Crista and Chesed with concern.“It’s not proper breakfast conversation. Just know it will be handled.” Chesed dismi
‘WAKE UP!’ August’s voice jarred me awake. I frantically sat up, trying to figure out where I was, only to find I was still in the castle turret room turned into funhouse mirrors. So I’m not awake. I knew I shouldn’t have gotten my hopes up when I heard August. “Stupid fucking shit witch….” I grumbled, getting to my feet and picking shards of broken mirrors from my palms. Nothing seems to have changed in this damn place. The broken mirror was still there with the same broken image of August dying like a puzzle I didn’t want to put together. I started looking at the other mirrors hoping something in them would give me a clue on how to escape this acid trip nightmare. Looking at the mirrors, they were all paintings with me in them. What’s with the Shit Witch and art? Is that her thing, or is she pulling that from my mind? I enjoy art, but this takes it to a fucked up level. Each painting melted away to show me some nightmare scene. Behind the mirror with me as the Mona Lisa was a tor