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
SIMONE'S POV.The first emotion that struck me was fear. Goosebumps lined my skin as I parted my eyes open, my heart thumping hard and fast against my ribcage.I was drenched in sweat again, I knew things have been quite fair these past few months but this once I got the most eerier feeling ever.I rustled around, reaching for a bottle of water to drink; I had several emotions coursing through my mind: pain, anger, worry...sadness.Yes, I was sad. I lost the father to my child before he even knew he had a baby coming, and I was married to a man who protected me for the personal interest of mine. Pain stabbed deeper at my insides. My nerves churned at the mere thought of it. Could I really do this?.My baby... myself.My lips quivered; glancing around, I wrigged out of the sheets to my feet. It was still dark out; I could see from the balcony the dark pigments of the sky.I pressed my lips into a firm line, pushing my way out of the room and down the stairs, wandering helplessly. I ne
LAZAROS POV.She still loved him, which was fair; I didn't care, but maybe this once I had foolishly let a screw loose in the plan.“Fine, it's okay to handle it, but I want you to know he's dead, Simone. You know that, right?” I asked, sliding my palms slowly towards her cheeks; she nodded briefly, sniffing hard again, being gentle with my touch seemed to be some Sort of reassurance for her, and I'd give anything to make her feel relaxed.“I'm sorry, I know he is... But, I... I... I'm sorry, Lazaro, you've done your best; you've tried hard enough already, but I still can't stop fawning over my dead husband, and I hate myself for it. I'm really sorry,” she apologised, breaking down into even louder sobs as she cried.I didn't want her to feel neglected or in despair, and I certainly wouldn't let her start getting second thoughts about our entire arrangement.I pulled her face closer to mine to kiss both of her eyes and then her nose, my mouth hovering around her lips briefly before I
LAZARO’S POV.The forest was alive with shadows, the kind that moved when you weren’t looking, the kind that made your skin crawl if you stared too long. The moon hung low, its pale light cutting through the trees like a knife, casting jagged patterns on the ground. Simone walked beside me, her steps slow and hesitant, like she was afraid of what might be hiding in the dark. Good. Fear kept her close. Fear kept her mine.I glanced at her out of the corner of my eye. Her arms were wrapped around herself, her fingers digging into her sleeves like she was trying to hold herself together. Her face was pale, her eyes wide and darting nervously at every sound—the rustle of leaves, the snap of a twig, the distant hoot of an owl. She was scared, and part of me liked it. Scared meant she needed me. Scared meant she wouldn’t run.“Do you trust me, Simone?” I asked, my voice low and smooth, like the rumble of distant thunder.She hesitated, her lips parting like she wanted to say something, but
SIMONES POV.MY eyes fluttered open, and the first thing that came to me was Giovanni's beautiful eyes staring down at me. I fought hard to hold my smile in, but my joy knew no bounds. I felt butterflies in my tummy. I swallowed hard, a smile settling on my lips.I couldn't help it. Why was he so good to me? He had been very supportive these days; he had saved my life twice in a row, pampered me, showered me with love and attention; he had been the best so far. How on earth am I to miss that! He had been one of the best gifts and support the moon goddess had given off to me in a while.“Why are you smiling? You have this funny look in your eyes, you know; they keep twitching,” he teased. His voice was soft, and he gently used his fingers to poke gently at my nose.I didn't want to leave this moment; I really want things to remain like this forever, just the both of us, nothing else, no puns intended; this was all I wanted. A happy and fulfilled life with him, so why on earth are thing
TREVORS POV.“Get your fucking hands off me!” My screams wouldn't stop, and I felt more pain, thinking about my hot ass. I'm dragged away, giovanni! That bastard! He watched as he dragged me out of the pack. He seems to have waited for a day like this, and it was pissing me off the most.“Your highness,” a familiar voice called out behind me; it was my Beta. He stood between the guards and me, blocking them as they moved away from me.“I'll take it from here,” he ordered before walking me over to the corner, but it still doesn't seem like he was pleased to have watched all that happened.“I had looked for you only to see you driving past me; I couldn't stop you, so I had to take a cab and then a taxi, but the. I realized you were headed down here, so I followed behind. He explained. I nodded before leaning back into the chair. I ran my hands to my hair before laughing out loud. I wasn't certain how I was expected to handle the entire thing.“Where are we going?” I asked as soon as he
TREVORS POVThe door to the council hall pushed open hastily as my beta made his way hastily into the hall.“How dare you storm in without prior notice?” Elder james asked, and I rolled my eyes, knowing they were heavy on respect if they most likely would drag out the entire thing till it was out of control.“This is the council of elders zone is one of the most sacred places in a pack, and you dare make your way in without announcing,” elder Thomas asked, backing up his friend. I rolled my eyes once more before coughing aloud.I knew I needed to say something or they would all take turns at hurling insults at him.“He is my beta, isn't he? And I had sent him to an emergency job; I asked him to report to me, notwithstanding that now the reports must have come through." I lied; I could see frowns that had spread across their faces, but I had no interest in keeping up with anything they had to say.My beta made his way closer to me, leaned forward, and whispered into my ears,I rose to
TREVORS POV..“Sir, the bar would be closed in ten minutes, and I don't think you should be taking more wine; should we call a cab for you? The car would be kept safe till tomorrow,” he added.“An hour, keep it open for an hour more; I'll pay extra, and yes, serve me more wine, then leave; I'd like my privacy." I responded and belched in the process,The waiter nodded and saved me a new bottle of Scotch. He bowed and made his way back to his station. A smile settled on my lips, seeing how no one was around to bother me at the moment. I dropped off the butt of the cigarette into the ashtray before lighting up another one.A sigh eased through my lips as I gulped some contents of the glass cup.I wasn't prepared to return home; it was only going to put me in a more difficult situation, and so far I had no intentions of having myself wrapped up in bothersome issues.I relaxed back into the couch, letting all the pain go down my spine. I wasn't up for more pain in the process. Going back h
GIOVANNI'S POVSeeing her fast asleep made me feel like the happiest man alive. My heart was filled with joy to the brim. It was almost unbelievable that I had a woman like simone beneath my nose all along, and I had almost lost her due to my anger and jealousy.We've been doing good so far, both of us, working on our relationship to make things better, but poor simone; she is never given a break; it was always one trouble after another.I tucked in the fallen strands of her hair behind her ear; my gaze lingered on her lips a little while my fingers trailed around her nose.She mumbled in her sleep, scrunching up her nose before finally turning her back away from me. She looked really cute and beautiful, in a way that made me obsessed with her, but thinking of what those men had done made my skin crawl with goosebumps as my anger skyrocketed with every passing second. I didn't want anything like that happening; all I wanted was a little bit of rest. I saw how overwhelmed she was, and
SIMONES POV“Where am I going?” I asked, parting my lips slowly while Camellia held me by the side. How did I wake up while we took slow steps until I finally sank into a chair?We were no longer around the burial grounds or the greenhouse. I felt a splitting headache attack me.I kept, drawing on my breath. I didn't dare push open my eyes, scared that the pain might become unbearable for me. I wanted to flinch a bit.“Where am I? Where did you bring me?” I used it again, and she reached closer towards me.“I'll get to Giovanni for you,” she responded before standing on her feet. I tried to reach towards her, but I couldn't. I felt every muscle in my body numb. I felt myself get yanked into darkness as I pushed my eyes closed, shutting me out of my consciousness.I felt a sickening motion out of my belly as I opened my eyes. I immediately needed to come over. I groaned from pain and frustration. I raised my head only to be struck by a terrible migraine. My lips quivered as I tried push
CIARA'S POV.All through the night Trevor has not said a single word to me, a feast. I was scared and worried that he might have trailed behind me and saw what had transpired between the man and me, but after several hours it came to my realization that he was having a gruff attitude all because of simone, and thinking of it made me red with anger.?However, as soon as morning came, I expected him to try picking up several conversations with me, yet all came to no avail, and then I realized that nothing was worth it so far; I only needed to wait a bit longer to see how long he could keep the no conversation thing going on.Rolling my eyes, I watched as Trevor made his way into the car slowly and tucked himself into the seat. Finally, he raised his gaze to match mine; it was just about time he stopped the sassy attitude of his.“I would prefer you keep your distance away from me as of now; I have no intention to speak with you. I'm sure you can tell by now, so please don't embarrass y
CIARAS POV.My eyes lingered on the grave before me. Never have I felt so suffocated and frustrated; even in death, he was still pissing me off.“Fuck!” I screamed before kicking against the edgestone. I picked up the flowers before tossing them over to the floor in anger and stomping on them.They all made a ridicule of me; they all watched as she embarrassed me, and not even one person had stopped by to check on me or ask for my side of the story, but it seemed like they had enough time to go around putting flowers on the grave.“You couldn't help yourself, could you?” I yelled into thin air, hoping his ghost was somewhere around and could hear me.“You just had to pass down the pack to her; well, if anything happens to your daughter, it's your bloody fault! She should know better than taking what i want'' I screamed from frustration. I tossed the last strand of flowers that lay on the desk.I shrugged Slowly, a lot of thoughts settled into my mind while I turned away from the green
.CIARA.“What was that about?” Trevor asked, glaring wide-eyed at me. I swallowed hard before putting up with a frown.I went red from fury, jealousy, and pain; I could barely think; my mind was thrown into a haze; I had a lot on mMy mind at the moment; I needed to get back to simone for making such a great deal of embarrassment for me.“Tell me. What exactly are you up to?” Trevor asked again, grinning widely from ear to ear; it had not seemed like he was interested in anything to say to me other than yell.“You tried to murder her? What on earth is wrong with you; how could you do something like that?” Trevor asked again, and that was the most I could take; he was not only pissing me off; he had gotten on my nerves and was making me sick at the moment.“Talk to me; why on earth are you so mad at me? All because I tried to kill her? My only regret is that she isn't dead!” I snapped; Trevor seemed to have been taken aback by my words.Everyone but him understood how much I spited s