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
.LAZAROS POV.I stomped the ground furiously storming towards my chambers, I was pissed as hell, but nothing would stop him, I knew this day would come, I knew Giovanni would eventually reach out for me but I had no idea it would be so soon , he never really had the balls. So what exactly. Fucking changed?.Now I loathed it too much when a fucking wrench is tossed into my plans, if anything it made my skin crawl with utter disgusts.Fucking maniac.“You didn't think it was important that I had to know about this mess until it got to this extent fern?” I asked shutting the door behind me. She raised her eyes In one with mine, sipped slowly from the wine In her hands, back against the wedge of the bed.“Blame yourself lazaro, you are getting way too relaxed, you are turning people, a lot more than you've done in years, you didn't stop to think it was gonna put you on radar” she inquired, plopping her head into her right arm as she spoke.“Just a few hundred, it means nothing beside
.GIOVANNI'S POV.I arched an eyebrow, cursing beneath my breath. Of course, I hadn’t expected him to choose a peaceful conversation. I had hoped he’d go for war, opt for trouble, refuse me outright—but no. Instead, I received a message from him, asking to meet alone in the woods at some private manor of his. Last I checked, I was the sane one, and he was the bloodthirsty one. But something about him awakened the darkest parts of me. I wanted his face bloodied. I wanted him dead. Gone. But was that even possible? Maybe it was good he was around. My life had been nothing short of misery upon misery. I needed him around, in check, to keep me on my toes. Lazaro raised me. No one would expect that. It had taken everyone by surprise. But that was a secret I often kept to myself. He knew everything about me. And yet, how had I been so foolish? How had I not seen how he truly felt about me? I shoved the thought away. He had said we were cool , that all was fine. So I’d tak
SIMONE'S POVThe silence in the estate was suffocating. I had spent weeks pacing the floors, feeling every inch of this place wrap around me like a golden cage. The walls whispered Lazaro’s name, and his presence was inescapable—his scent lingering on the silk sheets, his voice reverberating in the halls long after he left them.I stepped into the garden, inhaling the night air, desperate for a moment of solitude. The roses stood tall, their deep red petals illuminated by the moonlight, and for the first time in weeks, I felt like I could breathe.But it didn’t last."Running from me, little wife?"The deep, velvety tone sent a shiver down my spine. I turned slowly, my heart already racing as I found Lazaro standing at the edge of the stone path. His stance was relaxed, but the intensity in his eyes was anything but. A glass of wine dangled loosely from his fingers, but it was the way his gaze bore into me that made my knees weak.I took a step back.He took two forwards."Don’t play
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
.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
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
SIMONE .My hands became shaky, and tears brewed up in my eyes. I refused to believe what fate had in store for me. The reality became way too harsh to handle, and I swallowed hard. My heart was racing in my chest while my eyes remained pinned on the text message on the phone.“I'm pregnant. Let's meet at the usual spot. We have a lot to plan away from your barren mate, of course.” The text read, my heart shattering into a thousand pieces while my eyes glanced over the contents repeatedly.I always knew something was wrong. It's been through my marriage to Marcel; the first two years were blissful, but then he became cold. I'm in my third year, and I wasn't sure what had caused it. I believed it was one of the burdens that came with being alpha.He had spent a few nights out for several months still keeping things away from me. I didn't question his reasons; he was alpha, and more still, I knew my marriage to him had begun teetering at the edge. I couldn't bear to lose him, so I kept
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
SIMONE'S POVThe silence in the estate was suffocating. I had spent weeks pacing the floors, feeling every inch of this place wrap around me like a golden cage. The walls whispered Lazaro’s name, and his presence was inescapable—his scent lingering on the silk sheets, his voice reverberating in the halls long after he left them.I stepped into the garden, inhaling the night air, desperate for a moment of solitude. The roses stood tall, their deep red petals illuminated by the moonlight, and for the first time in weeks, I felt like I could breathe.But it didn’t last."Running from me, little wife?"The deep, velvety tone sent a shiver down my spine. I turned slowly, my heart already racing as I found Lazaro standing at the edge of the stone path. His stance was relaxed, but the intensity in his eyes was anything but. A glass of wine dangled loosely from his fingers, but it was the way his gaze bore into me that made my knees weak.I took a step back.He took two forwards."Don’t play
.GIOVANNI'S POV.I arched an eyebrow, cursing beneath my breath. Of course, I hadn’t expected him to choose a peaceful conversation. I had hoped he’d go for war, opt for trouble, refuse me outright—but no. Instead, I received a message from him, asking to meet alone in the woods at some private manor of his. Last I checked, I was the sane one, and he was the bloodthirsty one. But something about him awakened the darkest parts of me. I wanted his face bloodied. I wanted him dead. Gone. But was that even possible? Maybe it was good he was around. My life had been nothing short of misery upon misery. I needed him around, in check, to keep me on my toes. Lazaro raised me. No one would expect that. It had taken everyone by surprise. But that was a secret I often kept to myself. He knew everything about me. And yet, how had I been so foolish? How had I not seen how he truly felt about me? I shoved the thought away. He had said we were cool , that all was fine. So I’d tak
.LAZAROS POV.I stomped the ground furiously storming towards my chambers, I was pissed as hell, but nothing would stop him, I knew this day would come, I knew Giovanni would eventually reach out for me but I had no idea it would be so soon , he never really had the balls. So what exactly. Fucking changed?.Now I loathed it too much when a fucking wrench is tossed into my plans, if anything it made my skin crawl with utter disgusts.Fucking maniac.“You didn't think it was important that I had to know about this mess until it got to this extent fern?” I asked shutting the door behind me. She raised her eyes In one with mine, sipped slowly from the wine In her hands, back against the wedge of the bed.“Blame yourself lazaro, you are getting way too relaxed, you are turning people, a lot more than you've done in years, you didn't stop to think it was gonna put you on radar” she inquired, plopping her head into her right arm as she spoke.“Just a few hundred, it means nothing beside
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
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
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