LAZAROS POV.“Took you long enough.” I slurred out, blowing off invisible speckles from my nails, relaxing my back against the bark of a tree.“I'm sorry, I had a little bit of an issue.” she responded, glancing at me, with a frown.“So, what's the news?” I asked, leaning even closer, my fingers trailing over her chin.“He asked me to leave” she responded, a loud whimper coursed through her lips as my claws pierced at her collarbone.“but I found something else.” She asserted in haste, I dug them even deeper into her collarbone, blood oozing off the spot as she whined from pain.“So? What did you find out?” I asked in response, staring at her misery-filled eyes.“She's the moon healer, the one you've both been searching for, that goddamn mate of his is the answer to everything,” she responded.panting heavily trying hard to catch her breath.“Very well then, you have proven to be useful.” I responded, pulling my claws out of his collarbone; she let out an even louder whimper, panti
GIOVANNI'S OOV.I paced around in my room, my temples soaked from sweat, chills running down my spine with every passing second, both my arms crossed over each other, locked behind my back, the door opened, and Garson came in, looking equally as worried as I was.“It's almost time,” he finally announced. I shrugged, running my fingers into my hair, my eyes against huge curtain drapes, and the mirrors, it was dawn already, and the moon would rise in a few hours.“Remember, you have just two to three hours maximum, so spend time in the halls, say the vows, go on the lovely night, and meet down in the cave.” Garson asked, reaching for a tissue, he wiped off my sweats, adjusted my bows, and turned me to stare at my reflection in the mirror.My fingers crawled up from my messy hair, which Garson was now tending to, down towards my face. My chest, and then my arms, looked like the spitting image of perfection.“You look good; you worked so hard for this, Giovanni. Don't let anything stop yo
GIOVANNI'S POV.The image pushed me over the edge.I came deep inside her, moaning louder than I meant to. My head was in the clouds, and my cock released as much cum as possible. I wanted to fill her to the brim. I wanted there to be so much of my seed that it came spilling out when I pulled out. I’d never allowed myself this kind of satisfaction with a woman, to be as dark as I wanted without judgement or distaste. She knew exactly what I was and used it to her advantage. My upper lip was swollen and red from the bites she had given, and when I kissed her, I tasted her own salt on my tongue. I always kissed her when I was finished, silently telling her how much I enjoyed being inside her. I slowly pulled out, my cock softening now that I was satisfied. My cum dripped out of her and splashed onto the floor—just as I fantasised about. “Fuck.” I kept her legs around my waist and felt my cock harden all over again. I wanted to add more to the pile. I wanted her to have more than she
GIOVANNI'S POV.A strong string pulled at my heart. A tightening sensation, I couldn't breathe. I tried to move, but nothing came. Then darkness, and then I fell. I wouldn't stop falling, down and down. Towards the end of a bottomless pit, my breaths were erratic, mismatched; it was getting harder for me. Then it came down, dawning on me with great force: I was in pain; I was scared. Those were the first two emotions that registered towards my senses.I pushed open my eyes, panting heavily, drawing out loud breaths that were more than necessary. My body was soaked from sweat. I was in bed, but then my eyes trailed off to the huge brown ones staring at me. “Garson...," I called out slowly. I blacked out; I remember now, it was my wedding night, the curse had started, and then, nothing... it poofed into thin air; I couldn't make sense of any other thing.“Fuck... Simone, where is she?” My mind was blurred, my heart squeezed tight in my chest; I couldn't think well; my memory was all f
GIOVANNI'S POV.3 MONTHS LATER.“Cut the bullshit!” Garson yelled, storming into the room, grabbing the bottle off my grasp, glaring at me, but I said nothing. I remained in the chair, half drunk, my eyes half closed shut, humming in low tones, rocking the chair back and forth, my eyes staring up into the night sky, dark cloudy, full of stars… the cold wind brushing past my skin.What in the bloody hell is wrong with you? You didn't have it this bad when Hayley died, so what's so special? It's been three months. Get over it,” he yelled again. I couldn't blame him; in fact, I could, but I didn't want to. I glanced sideways; I could see that he still has men stationed right outside my door, just like he did everywhere I went. “Or what? You'll kill me? Murder me? Make my life way worse?” I asked. Biting into my cheeks, and then on my lips, he groaned, running his hand into his hair, fuck, he was frustrated as hell, and so was I…“Too bad my life is pretty fucked up. I'm sorry to disap
.SIMONE'S POV A soft, feathery touch grazed past my ears; I mumbled inaudible gibberish, groaning from the ticklish feeling against my skin.“Awake yet?” His soft voice called out to me; I grumbled, closing my eyes shut for a brief moment.My body shook; I tossed from side to side, finally pushing open my eyes to meet with the set of blue ones I had come to get used to.“Lazaro... not now; I slept bloody late. I don't think you should have woken me yet “. I complained. Acting like the spoilt brat I suddenly was,I pushed myself off to the edge of the bed, his eyes following every single direction of mine, a light smirk strapped to the sides of his lips.“I'm sorry, you were… well… crying in your sleep.” Just when he spoke, I noticed the beads of tears rolling off my cheeks slowly; I brushed my fingers past them, wiping them off. I shied away from his gaze, standing toward the curtains to push them open.He doesn't say anything; he watches in silence. Nothing. None of us had said a s
.SIMONE'S POVThe pain of his fangs buried in my wrist dissolved into a pleasure so profound it was almost intoxicating. His tongue darted across the sensitive skin, lapping up every drop as though it was the only thing keeping him alive. My chest rose and fell erratically, my breath shallow, my heart pounding like a war drum in my ears. "Lazaro…" I whispered his name, unsure whether it was a plea to stop or to keep going. My free hand gripped the edge of the table behind me for support, but even the cold, solid surface couldn’t ground me. His gaze lifted from my wrist to meet mine, and for a moment, I forgot to breathe. Those sapphire eyes were darker now, eclipsed by hunger and something else—something primal, untamed, and utterly consuming. "You're trembling," he said, his voice rough, barely more than a growl. His lips brushed against my wrist as he spoke, the warmth of his breath sending shivers down my spine.I wanted to deny it, to tell him I was fine, but my body betrayed m
GIOVANNI'S POV.My mate was dead. I killed her. I came to terms with it, and what else could I do After ripping off the only woman whom I adored. Worshipped and obsessed about into shreds? Not much, I admitted. Which was why I was stuck in this case. The bumpy roads unsettling me the more, I passed a pivotal gaze at Garson who was seated right by my side, his eyes out the window, but his mind was probably miles away.Fine, this was awkward…matter of fact, the entire week had been, after the confession we made that night,It pulled me out of whatever black hole I was spiraling into, and as much as I tried to act like nothing had happened, I realised I was only making things worse.“It was all a long time anyways; I don't love you anymore.”. Garson explained frankly. Staring me in the eye before we started the drive.I didn't see him in that light; he was my best buddy, and I straight up didn't give a damn about his sexuality but with my dead mate, the pack troubles had been weighing
LAZARO'S POV.Shit.She knew. There was no way I could hide things from her anymore. It had been one of my biggest pains and problems—I’d always been a pro at keeping my emotions locked. And I sure as hell didn’t survive a century beneath the radar, remaining alive, by suddenly being an open book that could be read through.It had its upside and downside.Just like how Simone was staring at me like I was the most despicable thing to ever exist to man. Just as she wouldn’t stop gawking at me, lines of anger formed on her temples. Just as irritated as she was, I could see through each one of those reactions.But I’d also seen her uncertainty. She understood how bad things were now. Not only had she gotten married to me, she’d slept with me. But that didn’t seem to be the only reason.I could feel the sudden outburst of emotions. I could see them in her face, but I could also feel them at heart.If her problem wasn’t the fact that she’d married me or fucked me, then it couldn’t be that s
SIMONE'S POV.Dragging out a faint sigh, I parted my eyelids, yawning lazily while pushing up in bed. My eyes roamed across the room before a painful stab at my heart earned a sniffle from me. I trailed my hands across my belly, the bump now gone — a painful reminder of what I'd lost and how I’d lost it.My child was dead, gone, and I’d never be able to forgive myself for it. Till the day I drag out my very last breath, sniffing hard, a mist of tears formed in my eyes, and I raised my palm to wipe them off.I stopped, examining the coldness of the ring against my finger. My breath hitched, and my heart hammered in my chest as I stared at it.Anxiously, I wiped off the tears, blinked hard once, then twice — but it remained the same. The ring was there, unmoving. Gently, I pulled it off, and it was damn sure the same ring — the one Giovanni had given me on our wedding.How did it get here? Had I brought it myself? I had forgotten all about it, wanting to bury the painful memories of his
GIOVANNI'S POVI was somewhere else entirely. My mind was replaying the moment Lazaro looked me in the eye and told me she was dead."She didn’t survive," he had said, voice even, void of anything human.Liar.The bastard was good, I’d give him that. He held my gaze, let me take in every inch of his soulless expression, and made sure there wasn’t a single crack to slip through. But I had been watching him for years, long before this war started, long before he became anything more than a nuisance.And something had been off.I’d known for weeks now, but tonight... tonight I was certain.“She’s alive, isn’t she?”Garson stood across from me, arms folded, his expression unreadable, but I could see the tension in his jaw, the way his fingers flexed like he was holding back the urge to slam them into the nearest surface. He didn’t look surprised. Of course, he didn’t. The man saw everything, knew everything before I even opened my mouth.He was waiting for me to say it.“She is,” I confir
SIMONE'S POVA loud groan eased off my lips as I turned in bed, pushing my eyes open. A frustrated grunt escaped my lips as I tried taking in my current surroundings.I was in a sanctuary, drips strapped into my arms. I swallowed hard, parting my eyes even wider.My body ached terribly as I pushed myself up, then it all came dawning on me—the loss of my baby, the journal, the cave, and finally Lazaro.I felt a sharp stab of pain in my heart, my heart drummed hard in my chest. This wasn’t... This was...“Simone?” Lazaro’s voice called out as I raised my gaze in sync with him.“You are awake,” he asked. He looked a mess, his hair was disheveled, he looked weak, in pain, and I... I was certain he'd looked better when we had seen each other last.“You killed my baby!” I screamed with anger surging into me. I yanked the drip off my fingers before storming towards him. All I felt was anger, I struck him in the face and rammed my fists continuously into his chest, but he didn't speak.“You t
.LAZARO'S POVI couldn't wait anymore, it wasn't getting any better.A low grumble escaped my lips as I pushed myself off the bed, my sight was blurry, my body limp, every bit of me shattering.I couldn't hold on anymore, I needed to do this. Slowly, I scampered to my feet, wiping off the tiny coat of sweat on my temples.Propping myself to my feet, I tried as best as I could to keep my pain masked and my expression cold as I dragged my feet towards Simone's room.The guards all tensed up seeing me and were quick to bow as a courtesy.“Simone. I'd like to speak to her, alone,” I ordered the guard by the door. He exchanged confused glances with his peers before moving his confused gaze back in line with mine.“She left, just now, for the East Wing. There was a letter, she said you had given her, claiming you both needed your privacy,” the guard responded, stuttering as he spoke, visibly shaking.“What letter?!” I asked, creasing my eyebrows into a frown.“A note... some words were scr
. SIMONE'S POV I woke up to an empty bed again. I dare to say I had gotten quite used to it. As a matter of fact, I had begun adapting to a hell of a lot more things than I previously did. My drowsy gaze lifted towards the window. It was bright out. Slowly, I dragged my feet towards the door. My morning strolls were the only thing that kept me sane. I turned the knob, but the door wouldn’t budge. Rubbing my palms lazily over my face, I did it again. And then again. Nothing. It was locked. My breath hitched as the reality dawned on me. I couldn’t keep up with locked doors. It was bad enough that he had guards after me the entire time— pinning, watching, waiting for me in all corners of the house. And now, he'd just lock me in? Not that I had anywhere to go, but I enjoyed knowing I still had a sense of freedom— which, apparently, had been cut off suddenly. Shoving my palms against the door once again, the lock was flipped from the other end, and Marcus's fac
LAZARO'S POVI left Simone’s chambers in a haste, my breath ragged, my entire body wounded tight with frustration. The thickening bulge in my pants was unbearable, pressing against the fabric with a throbbing insistence that refused to be ignored. No woman had ever left me this restless, this fucking desperate.I headed into my study, slamming the door behind me. The room was dimly lit, shadows flickering against the walls, but even in the darkness, I could still see her. Simone. Writhing beneath me, panting my name, begging for more.I growled under my breath, undoing my belt with a single flick. My cock was painfully hard, straining against my briefs, aching for relief. I dropped into the chair behind my desk, yanking my pants down just enough to free my throbbing cock which slapped against my belly, pulsing and twitching. thick, heavy in my grip, the tip already beaded with pre-cum. I exhaled sharply as I wrapped my fingers around my shaft, giving the first slow, torturous st
.LAZARO'S POVI left Simone’s chambers in a haste, my breath ragged, my entire body wounded tight with frustration. The thickening bulge in my pants was unbearable, pressing against the fabric with a throbbing insistence that refused to be ignored. No woman had ever left me this restless, this fucking desperate.I headed into my study, slamming the door behind me. The room was dimly lit, shadows flickering against the walls, but even in the darkness, I could still see her. Simone. Writhing beneath me, panting my name, begging for more.I growled under my breath, undoing my belt with a single flick. My cock was painfully hard, straining against my briefs, aching for relief. I dropped into the chair behind my desk, yanking my pants down just enough to free my throbbing cock which slapped against my belly, pulsing and twitching. thick, heavy in my grip, the tip already beaded with pre-cum. I exhaled sharply as I wrapped my fingers around my shaft, giving the first slow, torturous
SIMONE'S POVLazaro hadn’t fed from me in days.Not because he didn’t need to. Because he was holding back. Watching. Waiting.I saw it in the way his eyes darkened whenever I moved too close, in the way his breath hitched when my pulse quickened.He was unraveling and I could feel myself unraveling with him.When he finally summoned me, I wasn’t surprised.His chamber was dimly lit, the scent of burning cedar heavy in the air. He stood by the window, his posture rigid, his fingers curled around the stem of a wine glass filled with nothing but emptiness."Come here."It wasn’t a request. He ordered in a cold and curt tone.My breath hitched, but I obeyed, drawn forward like prey caught in the gaze of a starving beast.When I reached him, his fingers wrapped around my wrist, turning it over with slow, deliberate intent. He traced the faint scars left behind from the last time he had fed, and I shivered."Do you know why I waited?" he murmured, his voice dark silk against my skin.I swall