Elena.
"Run, keep running, you can do this. Don't look back, just keep running." I told myself repeatedly.
Escaping wasn’t easy. I had planned it for years but never had I found the courage to actually do it. But tonight I had to escape from the nightmare I’d been born into. I had had enough, I wanted to be free from the shackles, I needed some hope.
My father never cared. He knows all that I go through and always turned a blind eye, he was never a loving father, he had always allowed the family to treat me like I was nothing even though I was his daughter. Family didn't matter to him not my mom, not me. My father only cared about profits, it didn’t matter that I begged him to listen.
Despite being the leader, the Alpha of the Amato Pack, despite being the feared leader that he was, I was always nothing, I was just a pawn in the cruel game. I had no choice, no will. No respect. No love. I had nothing.
My engagement to his beta hadn’t been my choice either, neither was the marriage that happened today, none of it got my permission, they didn't think any of it needed my addition. For years, I wished my father would put a stop to the violence against me, but it never happened. He watched and allowed Salvatore to do whatever he wanted with me. I was just a toy for pleasure and for pain.
I ran as fast as I could, despite knowing that they would soon catch up with me, I tried to summon my wolf, if I had any but I had never shifted, not even once in my whole life even when I had a powerful alpha as a father and a great late Luna as a mother so I had no choice but to run as fast as my human legs could take me. I had to escape at any cost. I had to focus. I'll deal with the trauma and pain later.
Survival comes first.
The floor was constantly attacked underneath my feet, dry leaves crunched under my feet and big trees, leaves and logs seemed to appear out of nowhere as if to try and stop me. But I could still hear them. I had to stop to catch my breath before my lungs gave out on me.
My rough hair was matted with some dirty liquid, my arms and legs all bruised and cut and my clothes already looked like rags, dirty and tattered. I knew I definitely looked like a leaking pipe but I had to keep running. After running for more minutes, I wiped the sweat from my forehead, exhausted. My long legs gave up from beneath me and collapsed.
My heart started racing and I knew I had to keep going so I started to run again.
I needed to run for my life. I needed to survive, my life depended on it.
"Stop!" I heard a voice yell behind me before I then heard the sound of gunshots in the air followed by loud growls from shifted werewolves, a way to scare and threaten me which meant that I now had a lesser chance of survival but that didn't stop me, I just kept going.
Going deeper into the woods, I forced myself to move quicker as I kept taking different turns hoping to confuse the people chasing after me. I pushed harder, running until my body felt like it was breaking. After a while, I bumped into a tree that had some thorns and I was soon bleeding. It cut into my stomach and started to hurt so badly, but I kept going. Only my escape mattered at the moment, not the blood, nor the pain.
I kept running into the darkness until the screams of the men and gunshots faded away. When I was sure that I couldn’t hear them anymore, I stopped and leaned against a tree, although my senses were still heightened in case of any impromptu danger.
I knew I had to rest even though my safety wasn’t guaranteed yet. My heart was pounding so hard and my legs were shaking too much for me to continue.
But as soon as I saw a street light almost close to me, I was immediately gingered and so I began to run towards the main road feeling hopeful. I soon got to the road and started to walk by the sidewalks down the roads, houses began to come into view.
I saw a car speeding towards me and started to wave it down hoping that I'll get picked up by a good Samaritan, this world can't be full of just cruel people afterall.
When I saw that the car wasn't reducing its speed, I jumped onto the road without fear. The car came to a halt and as soon as I was about to move towards the driver's window and ask for help, he zoomed off leaving me dumbfounded.
I was about to cuss him out when I saw Salvatore's men walking up and down like they were in search of something or someone, which was me, of course. So I had to run towards the nearest house and hide. While hiding, two men in suit came out of the house and walked towards a car all the while speaking to eachother in low tone.
When I saw that it seemed like one of the men was going to get into car and drive off, I got an idea as I quickly ran as quietly as I could to the car, opened the door of the backseat and immediately got disappointed as it didn't open.
My hope was shattered but I took a leap of faith and tried the booth which surprisingly opened so I quietly slid in and then I closed the booth as quietly as I could immediately I was in.
After few minutes, a door opened and the engine started. My head throbbed and the pain I was feeling felt like someone had put a knife to my skull. I leant my head against the rug in the booth and squeezed my eyes shut, wishing the pain would go away.
But at the same time, I felt somewhat hopeful and safe, at least, for now.
After what seemed like several hours to me, I almost felt like I was going to die due to how much time it took the car to get to wherever its destination was but soon, it finally came to a stop. I heard the door being opened and someone stepping out, but to be on the safer side, I waited for more minutes before I then decided to get out of the booth, having gotten enough silence.
But the moment I silently opened the booth, what greeted me left me in awe. I was in a freaking mansion if not an estate. The beauty and bigness of the house left me shocked. I had lived in big house my whole life but non of them ever compared to this and that was enough to make me get even more scared.
I wanted an average life, rich people had shown me over and over again that they were wicked, brutal and unreasonable humans. I was already sure that the house I was in at the moment had nothing good in store for me, so I surveyed the huge gates at the entrance and felt so sad when I saw three men guarding it.
It didn't seem possible for me to be able to escape. Before I could even try to think about what to do next, the men sighted me.
"Who are you? What are you doing in here?" One of them asked as they all started to run towards me. I insantly started to run towards the house, somehow glad that the compound was that big as it gave me an edge to be able to have some headstart.
I wheezed as my burning lungs gasp for air. My legs felt numb and unsteady, painfully sore. My throat felt very dry, so uncomfortably dry. My flimsy gown and long red hair clung to my body, no different that if I had ran through a rain-storm. Well, it could be termed that.
My heart was beating so fast and my vision turned blurry with panic. I felt them behind me closing in, their steps sounded hard and angry. My pulse drummed in my throat. My breath came out in short pants, fear surrounded me. I increased my pace as I was able to pass through the door at the entrance of the house.
I ran as fast as my legs could carry me, amongst sofas, cushions, tables and along the stairs till I got to the third floor. Despite running to escape the men on my tail, it wasn't impossible for me to still notice the little details in the house.
It was very welcoming from the open door to the wide hallway. Upon the walls were the photographs of children, about two, obviously so loved. The house was like a kaleidoscope of memories, of photographs adorning the walls, each of them conjuring the emotions of those sweet eternal moments.
The floor was an old-fashioned parquet with a blend of deep homely browns and the walls were the greens of summer gardens meeting a bold white baseboard. The banister was a twirl of a branch, tamed by the carpenter's hand, it's grain flowing as water might, in waves of comforting woodland hues. Under the lamp-shine it was nature's art, something that soothed right to the soul.
The house was filled with many doors and stairs, it seemed so unending. Gunshots flew in the air, and soon, I could even hear breaking of bones that signified to me that they were also shifters and it only went further to convince me that I was definitely in the wrong house, one that was sure to be the end of me if I should get caught.
The men that were after me seemed to double as more shouts filled the surroundings, barking instructions and growls filled the air as I ran not bothering myself to look back again. When it seemed like I was almost at crossroads, I chose one of the doors before me and ran into the room, closing the door right behind me.
The mansion was very big, way too big, might I add. It was very evident that It would take them some time to find me.
I slowly moved away from the door and walked towards another door in the same room while trying to calm my breathing. When it was evident that I could finally breathe normally, and my gasps no longer filled the room, I looked up to take in my environment in the dim light as it was quite dark since the curtains were drawn allowing only a little light from the window.
It was a bedroom, the biggest one I've seen in my entire life, not that I've seen many since I was mostly indoors all my life but judging from the fact that my father is said to be one of the wealthiest Alpha's then I think its pretty okay that I'm this shocked cos this was way bigger, the entire house was much more luxurious. There was a huge circular king sized bed in the middle of the room with nightstands on either side. There were over three couches that looked like something from a Palace at a part of the room.
The room also had usual things like a desktop and desks although there are unusual things like a coffee maker, an acoustic guitar, a brown safe sitting on one of the tables and a camera simply begging to be used.
I snapped out of the stupid trance I was in as I suddenly remembered that I was running away from my own death.
Who cares about a stupid luxurious room?
I ran towards the door I was walking to before I got carried away and as soon as I opened it, my eyes felt very much blessed, yet again. The bathroom seemed like something out of a dream. It had a enclosed glass bathroom, a circular bathtub, cabinets that seemed simply too much and even a damn chandelier swung from above lighting up the whole bathroom and giving it the royalty feel. It was simply magnificent but that wasn't problem as at now.
I looked around trying to find a good spot for hiding, one that I would never be found until I can find a way out but just before I could get one, I heard someone at the door and my breath picked up. The door opened and then closed, quietly.
Soon, footsteps could be heard coming towards me as I kept looking to and fro trying get anywhere, anything at all to hide in. I soon found one, the bathroom and I rushed into it, hoping I was as invisible as I thought I was.
But as I looked ahead of me outside the bathroom, my eyes widened in panic.
My dirty feet had left marks while I walked in here and before I could think of doing anything, the bathroom door got opened and in came a man.
Elena.I plastered myself against the wall in the bathroom praying that the footsteps on the ground were suddenly invisible to him and then I pressed both of my hands over my mouth.I heard bare footsteps and a couple more grunts and to my horror, those sounds were getting closer to me. Oh my! He must have sensed something. I hoped that it was just my eyes and ears playing a trick on me and that I haven't been caught right now. There was total silence for seconds and I almost thought I had escaped being seen but that was clearly just a stupid wish because seconds later, the door ripped open and I came face to face with the a man.The man was bare chested, at least from what I had deduced from the upper part of him which I was staring at. And from his face alone, you could tell that he had the surge of power and authority. However, he got better the more I looked. His rich blonde hair had tousled griminess which promised finesse. He had strong arched brows and eyelashes so thick, t
Deangelo.I was tired. Extremely tired of having to do so many tasks at once. After confirming that my kids had been safely escorted to school, I decided that it was time for me to retire to bed from the overnight's stress and long travel I had put myself through.As I retired to my room, the killings and tortures I have done the previous night came to memory and I felt another surge of satisfaction even though I was very tired. I wish that I could do more. I couldn't imagine that a damn gamma could dare to call a truce after everything that his pack has done, really, it makes me laugh even. The number of dead werewolves on their ground was very satisfactory for my blood thirsty throat. The agonising scream he let out when I broke four of his right fingers was amazing. And that was not all, the way his eyes widened and he started to crawl away even though it was evident that he wouldn't get anywhere when he saw the knife in my hands was hilarious, I got to him as fast as lightening a
Elena.I woke up with a banging headache and as I looked around, I was in a room with the only source of light being the one dangling above my head and it was a very dim one.It made me anxious and terrified, I felt nauseous immediately. Being the daughter of a man like Bruno Amato, I had been in this sort of position not once nor twice, both by the people that were supposed to protect me and the monsters I had known.After the mixture of harshness and passionate bullshit that happened yesterday, I knew I had to be scared for my life.I tried to get up but then realized that I was been held back by something. My right wrist had been held back by a cuff. I had been cuffed to a pole right beside the chair I was on.I didn't know when I started to cry as soon as I realized that I had just gotten myself into a trouble that seemed like it would cost me my life. This man seemed even more dangerous, an alpha, one whose aura screamed power and cruelty. When footsteps started to approach the
Elena.Is he kidding me? Of course, the name rings a huge bell!My body froze as I stared at the man standing in front of me. I was so speechless, as I felt my body going numb. No. It couldn’t be. My heart drummed in alarm as I stared into his unmoving, cold eyes. Oh God. Please, no. It couldn’t be him. It should never be him.My stomach twisted painfully and my vision blurred. I felt myself stumbling forward even while on the chair that I was at. Dread and horror filled me. I thought I ran away from dangerous men, but this man standing in front of me was more dangerous than any of them. He was feared by all. But most importantly, this man was the greatest enemy of my family.The Ferrari Pack. From Alpha Alessandro, his father to him, Deangelo, the son. The cruelest set of werewolves ever.The Amato pack and the Ferrari pack had been enemies for so many decades and their enmity ran deep.I can not believe that I was standing in front of their Alpha, who would kill me mercilessly if
Deangelo.I watched as the young redhead stripped naked in my bathroom. My room had a CCTV everywhere and that included the bathroom, although I was the only one entitled to watching whatever happens in it. Her slim, long legs were the color of ivory. Her slim hips curved out, her waist dipped in, and her high breasts jutted out again. Her delicate nipples were the color of pomegranates. She was very feminine, with a slim hourglass figure.I know that I seemed like a creep and a pervert but I couldn't care less, I had seen it all yesterday afterall and she was way too mesmerizing to look away from.Her mass of red hair had been secured up and I watched her step into the bathtub filled with water as I had previously instructed Jane, her elderly cleaner to do. She sighed as the water pooled around her legs, bottom and waist. She settled into the warm water in deep appreciation for the solitude. She picked up the tender sponge that had been placed somewhere on the tub and proceeded to m
Elena.His eyes moved away from mine but only because he was looking at my body. I saw his gaze travel down to my waist, hips, and then my legs. My body started to warm up under his scrutinizing stare. His eyes stayed there for a few seconds before he moved back to my face. The look that he gave me made me stagger back a step. At my reaction, his lips tilted upward slightly into a small smirk that was hard to see. But it was there. That devilish smirk. Sexy devilish smirk. I shook my head and closed my eyes quickly as I tried to get myself under control. It was impossible. Without even trying, Deangelo Ferrari had successfully taken over my mind. Opening my eyes, I stared into his. He gave me the same look as before, clearly not trying to hide what he wanted. Pure unadulterated lust. His eyes were filled with desire and hunger. His sexual innuendos mystified me, I couldn't help but hope that he doesn't ask me to do horrific things like warm his bed while he gives me shelter and protec
Deangelo.As soon as my kids trooped in, I couldn’t help but immediately notice how a little part of my eldest was torn and dirty, Mia is a very neat and organised teenager, she doesn't even let her brother into her room for any reason at all, so this was something that actually stands out for her."Mia, why is your sleeve that dirty? Torn even? Are you five?" I scolded instead of asking politely and showing concern like I normally would before... well... before we fell out with eachother. Here's what I mean, Mia used to be a daddy's girl with me, we'd have fun, I'd protect her and she'd tell me everything that she couldn't even tell her mom but it all went south when Jules, my wife died. She became so cranky and it has even gotten worse since she celebrated her thirteenth birthday last year, it was almost like she got initiated into the typical teenage crankiness. And she hated every single thing I did, nothing I do goes well with her, it's almost like she has it in for me. Honestly
Elena.I tried to look anywhere else but in the eyes of the people in the large room with me. It was awkward, a very awkward situation to be caught in, especially when the cause of misunderstanding is you.The little boy whose name I've learnt was Diego soon left too in the same manner as his sister, but it was obvious that he was just imitating his big sister. It made me smile.Deangelo sighed before speaking, "uh... Sofia?" He called out."Yes, Alpha." "Show Elena around, let her know the rules and introduce her to everyone. Also, allocate the empty room right next to mine on the third floor to her, I need to keep my eyes on her myself." He said and just the fact that I knew that he would be keeping his eyes on me made me shiver, I couldn't afford any slip up at all.But it seemed like Sofia didn't agree to his choice as she proceeded to counter him, much to my happiness, "Uh... sir... there's an empty room right next to the kids rooms sir, the same one the previous nannies used? I
Deangelo. With determination fueling my every move, I charged forward, paying no heed to the smaller threats that stood in my way. My sole focus was on reaching Salvatore, not out of a desire for revenge, but to protect what was left of my family. Inside the house, my teenage daughter and her baby brother were trapped, gripped by fear. In the midst of the chaos, an unexpected thought emerged from deep within my mind—it was Elena. Memories of our time together came rushing back, flooding my consciousness with emotions. I recalled the happiness we shared, the moments of laughter, and the profound connection that blossomed between us. To my surprise, I realized that I had fallen in love with her, even though our relationship was kept secret due to the complicated circumstances. Sofia, on the other hand, had no place in my personal life, our interactions limited strictly to professional matters. This realization hit me with a powerful impact, reverberating throughout my entire being. B
Deangelo. A growing unease consumed me, a feeling that something was not right. The arrival of the Guta pack brought a glimmer of hope, as they seemed kind and friendly, briefly easing my troubled mind. However, their initial numbers appeared surprisingly low. Their beta assured me that more of their pack members would join us by morning. Though unspoken, I found comfort in their presence, knowing that despite Bruno's injuries, his pack still posed a significant threat. And then, it hit me like a sudden gust of wind—an unmistakable sensation of an Alpha's demise, specifically that of Bruno Amato. Wolves typically couldn't sense the death of another unless they shared a deep bond as mates. But Alphas had a special ability to perceive the loss of a fellow leader, especially when tied by a tumultuous history. It resonated deep within me—Bruno was undoubtedly dead. Without wasting time, I shared this troubling news with the members of the Guta pack. If there was one thing I had learned
Elena. I opened my eyes, my mind struggling to make sense of the warmth and color that surrounded me. I was alive, and that fact alone was both surprising and bewildering. How could I be alive? I vividly remembered the feeling of Bruno's hands around my throat, squeezing the life out of me. The coldness had consumed me, and I had embraced the certainty of death. But now, here I was, staring up at Luca's anxious face. "Luca, what... what happened?" I managed to whisper, my voice weak and filled with disbelief. His eyes searched mine, his worry etched deeply into his expression. "Elena, I planned it," he confessed, his voice laced with a mixture of guilt and determination. "When Alessandro discovered your true identity, I knew DeAngelo wouldn't forgive you easily, especially with his memory loss. So, I secretly injected you with a toxin—a drug that simulates death." I blinked, trying to absorb his words. He had risked everything to save me, resorting to an experimental drug that cou
Deangelo. I lifted Elena's lifeless body and brought her to Luca, who was the only one among us with a bit of medical knowledge. My mind was blank, unable to fully grasp the seriousness of what had happened. Luca took one look at her, his face filled with sorrow, and pronounced her dead. The truth hit me like a huge wave, overwhelming me with its finality. She had no pulse, her windpipe crushed and beyond repair. I stood there, shocked and unable to move, trying to process the events that had just unfolded. How could this be? I never wanted to get involved in this whole situation. To be honest, I was still reeling from the shock of the revelation Elena had shared with me. I didn't even know if I was angry or not, but I definitely felt betrayed and foolish. The thought of Elena being close to my children and the potential danger she might have posed to them weighed heavily on my mind. The fact that I had no knowledge of all this when I should have known made me feel even worse. I had
Elena. As we made our way back to safety, the feeling of triumph mixed with uncertainty filled the air around us. Inside the car, tension hung heavy, and a silence settled in. I expected Deangelo to bombard me with questions about my betrayal, seeking answers to make sense of the complicated situation we were entangled in. However, he seemed distant, lost in his own thoughts. Even Alessandro's voice, discussing plans for a counterattack and the complete destruction of the remaining Amato pack, failed to grab his attention. The silence dragged on, leaving me with a whirlwind of emotions and unanswered queries. The journey back seemed never-ending, and with each passing moment, my unease grew. I stole glances at Deangelo, hoping to catch a glimpse of his thoughts, but his inner turmoil remained hidden. Alessandro's excitement was palpable, in stark contrast to his usual composed demeanor. Luca, always the strategist, recognized the potential benefits of the plan, acknowledging that it
Deangelo. Doubt started to creep into my mind as I looked around at the deserted place that Elena had given me the address for. Should I turn back? It wasn't because of fear, but rather because I couldn't understand how Elena could have any connection to this location or how she even knew about it. However, my curiosity got the better of me, urging me to keep exploring. Honestly, there wasn't much to see in the first place. The walls were falling apart, and there was barely any furniture left. I found a chair with no arms and sat down, rocking it back and forth while I waited for Elena to arrive. I hoped she would come and tell me what she wanted, maybe it had something to do with my memories? Time seemed to stretch out as I pondered our situation. I had no immediate plans to marry Elena, that was clear. But deep down, I had a growing sense of certainty that our lives were connected, and our paths would eventually lead us together. In that dimly lit room, I let my thoughts wander. M
Mia. At school, I found myself trying to avoid everyone, slipping through the hallways like a shadow. Ever since Andrew and I had broken up, I couldn't help but wonder how things would change. Would the dynamics shift back to how they were before? Would people go back to bullying me or causing trouble just because I was no longer with him? I knew deep down that the connection I had with Andrew was special, but I couldn't help but question if his friends truly liked me for who I was or if they were simply being polite because Andrew was their friend. It was hard not to let my mind wander to the possibility that they were just sticking around to make him happy. As I walked through the school corridors, I couldn't escape the stares and whispers that followed me. It felt like everyone's eyes were on me, judging and speculating. I tried my best to maintain my composure and not let their opinions affect me, but it was easier said than done. I had always been aware that my relationship wit
Deangelo. I gazed out of the window, my mind in turmoil. The realization of my feelings for Elena had hit me like a tidal wave. How could this be happening? How could I find myself falling in love with someone I barely knew? And to complicate matters further, she was my children's nanny. It was a tangled mess of emotions and uncertainties. Amidst the confusion, one thing became painfully clear to me. I couldn't go through with marrying Sofia. It was like a truth that had been buried deep within me, waiting for the right moment to surface. The connection I felt with Elena, even in the short time we had spent together, felt real and genuine. It was the first time in a long while that something had felt right. As I contemplated my feelings, memories of Elena flooded my thoughts. Her captivating smile, the way she cared for my children with such tenderness, and the kindness she showed me when I was at my lowest point. There was an undeniable chemistry between us that couldn't be ignored
Deangelo. I still couldn't shake off the stagnant, unsettling feeling in my chest. The doctor had just left after giving me a clean bill of health. It should have been a relief, but instead, I felt a sense of unease creeping over me. My alpha genes ensured that my body healed rapidly, leaving me with no valid excuse to postpone the wedding any longer. I felt trapped, bound by societal expectations and the promises I had made. The idea of marrying Sofia, even though she had been a close friend of my late wife Jules, weighed heavily on my conscience. Jules had loved Sofia like a sister and believed she would be the perfect companion for me after her passing. At first, I embraced that sentiment, hoping that Sofia's presence would bring comfort and a sense of continuity to my life. But as the wedding day approached, doubts began to gnaw at my soul. Was I doing this for the right reasons? Was I truly ready to move on and commit myself to someone new? The truth was, I felt torn between my