Chapter 10

Lisa ran to Viola's side. Viola jumped put of bed so hard that her feet hurt. She looked around, her surroundings were not familiar. The room was dark and dirty and the sheets of the bed she had been sleeping on looked like they had not been washed in weeks.

She wasn't sure where she was, but she could remember what happened right before she slipped into darkness. Hot, blinding pain that emanated from her body, then the feeling of  drowning, forcefully, endlessly, till she could no longer hold on for air and had no choice but to release herself, that was when she had slipped into darkness.

The very same time that she had started to dream

Lisa rushed into the room, she had been sleeping when the screams alerted her, in fact it alerted everyone else in the farmhouse, the two guards that her grandfather had left behind too also came running.

"Miss Viola! Is everything alright?"

Hugo asked as he looked around the room. Viola nodded slowly. Her hand subconsciously going to the back of her neck.

Surprisingly, she felt nothing. She should have known, she should have known that it was finally gone. But then that would mean it was real, it was all real.

Everything her Grandfather told her. The witch and her words.

"I had a dream."

She offered an explanation to them and they seemed to be a bit relieved.

"Where's the witch? The one who helped me. "

"I need to speak to her."

She said as she turned to Lisa who immediately avoided eye contact.

"The witch is dead Ms Viola. She died immediately after the ritual."

Viola gasped. The witch had mentioned that the ritual would take her life. Viola wasn't sure she entirely believed it.

"I'm sorry for wakinh you all. You can all go back. I'm fine now."

They nodded and began to move out.

"I'll be at the door just in case you need anything."

Hugo said and she nodded.

"Thank you."

She had dreamt of her parents. She thought as the door was shut gently. It was as if she was there, well she was but as a baby, such memories shouldn't even exist in her mind but somehow she had dreamt of it, a very early childhood.

The day that she was born.

Viola sighed as she looked outside, it was still very much dark.

She remembered everything about the dream.

Her parent's face, the worry that was etched all over their features. Her parents making a tough decision to preserve her life. But some of her mother's words had stuck to her.

Her mother mentioned something about running from their enemies, then being used by her grandfather.

Was that why her mother had left?

Did her grandfather try to exploit her mother's powers?

She looked at her hands and her legs. She didn't really feel that different. She looked the same way she had always looked. But something about her felt different. It was like her senses were sharper, the fog on her senses seemed to have cleared and she was sure that there was something different somewhere.

She just didn't know what it was.

If she had power, hidden in her veins, Viola could not access it.

Mario was having drinks with Gino when Hugo's texts about Viola being alive had reached him. He smiled and felt a heavy weight being lifted from his shoulders. He had been afraid it would take days, months even, especially with the uncertainty of the witch. Maybe he shouldn't have paid so much attention to her words. She did lie a lot.

"Viola is awake."

Mario said as he raised his glass of whisky.

Gino's eyes lit up.

"So soon! I guess this means we can go on with our plans."

Mario nodded.

"Without no more problems I hope. I will get a witch to help her master the basics, then she would be able to do the rest herself."

Gino nodded.

"And I assume she already knows  everything now so we don't need to hide anymore."

Gino shrugged as he tilted his head in thought.

"No. Not everything. We'll let her know what she's supposed to know."

"Let her focus on the wedding and everything else while we continue with our plans."

Mario added and Gino nodded.

"Have you told your grandson?"

He asked after a long silence.

Gino shrugged.

"Leonardo may be the Alpha King. But he's too young, inexperienced..."

"I blame myself for retiring too early but I had hoped for things to go different way."

"The boy has a mind of his own Gino. I think that's the first mistake you made. You could have let him at least fight for the position."

As much as Mario liked the Durantes and was happy about their agreement, he didn't really like Leonardo Durante.

If not for the prophesy and the attachment he had with his grandfather Gino, Mario was positive that he wouldn't let his granddaughter near him.

The young man was obstinate, arrogant, he didn't care for rules and failed to even maintain a modicum of control when it came to women.

Viola had her work cut out for her.

The next few days went by in a blur, Viola was moved to their house in the countryside at Milan to reside for a bit, even though she had tried to protest against it, her grandfather insisted.

Much of her mind was still reeling from shock, of the revelations that had come in the past and what had happened to her. She was constantly experiencing flashbacks in her dreams, scenes of a childhood that she was too young to remember. Most of them were from memories so early that there was no way that she would have possibly remembered them, but she did.

She had occupied her time learning as much as she could about the supernatural. Her Grandfather told her enough for her to know that if witches and werewolves existed, there were more.

She had dizzy spells, she constantly felt weak and tired. Viola was almost certain that whatever powers she possessed were utterly useless.

Even though the past few days were hard for her, she was determined to learn more. Find out about who she really was and what her parents wanted for her.

Alessandra walked in, shocking Viola a bit.

"So sorry to disturb you, but Daniela Durante is here and she wants to see you."

Viola frowned slightly, Leonardo's mother?

"Why is she here?"

Viola asked as she stood up from her bed and went to the dresser, her hair was a mess, she thought as she started to comb it.

"Everything is all set for the engagement party and its in the next two days. Your Grandfather thinks it's best for you to stay with the Durantes till then."

Viola sighed as she rolled her eyes.

Trust her grandfather to make decisions without informing her, like he always did.

'I haven't packed a thing!"

"Why didn't he tell me anything?"

She asked and Alessandra sighed as she walked into Viola's closet.

"Who am I to know the ways of your Grandfather. Best we all just do as he says before he gets into a mood."

She replied as she picked out a suitcase.

Viola changed into casual clothes, she had been wearing her pajamas all day, even if it was almost noon, she had not had cause to leave her bed since she came.

Viola came down the stairs and saw Daniela waiting for her. She had such a kind smile on her face. Daniela Durante was a beautiful woman, kind, loving, the perfect mother and wife like her grandfather had said.

Viola was sure that that was what her grandfather wanted for her.

The life he envisioned for her, but Viola wasn't too sure about that.

She didn't want to be some perfect wife whose only job was having children and making the home look good. That wasn't what she wanted but it seemed that was the direction her life was headed.

"Viola! So good to see you again! You look well!"

Daniela said as she pulled Viola in for a hug and kissed her cheeks.

Viola smiled as she nodded.

"And you too. I'm sorry I've been away..."

Daniela shrugged as she pulled Viola into a seat.

"You don't have to worry, your grandfather told me everything!"

Viola's eyes widened.

"He did?"

Daniela nodded.

"Hnmm... so you are?"

Daniela smiled.

"If you mean a werewolf, yes, I am one."

She said as she smiled again.

"Your children are werewolves too?"

"Yes and Leonardo is the Alpha. Well, Alpha King.."

"Wait, What's an Alpha king?"

Daniela sighed.

"He's a superior Alpha. There are alphas and there are alphas, I'm sure you know how pack hierarchy works but our pack, the Solis pack is one of the biggest and strongest pack out there and Leonardo is the Alpha King."

Viola nodded.

"That must be a very big responsibility."

Daniela nodded.

"It is. He has the whole weight of the pack on him."

As well as a lot of free time, Viola thought as she remembered all the tabloids and Leonardo's frequent frolicking with women.

"And you are going to be his Luna. And you will share in that responsibility too."

Viola smiled uncomfortably, not like she asked for it, not like she asked for any of it.

"That sounds like a lot to take in. I didn't imagine my life this way."

She confessed and Daniela shifted towards her.

"Oh. I know my dear..."

She said softly as she put a hand on Viola's shoulder and patted it gently.

"But this, this has always been your destiny. This is the direction your life is supposed to take."