Arabella wiped away the tears sliding down her cheeks, hissing as pain shot through her side.Her chest tightened, and she gulped in two deep breaths, blinking back tears."Blaze," she muttered, shaking him in her hands, though he remained stiff. "Please wake up, please."Her shoulder trembled, her lips quivering, her head pounding, and her eyes aching. She wanted him to stir, to tease and laugh, but nothing happened.Now, more than ever, she longed to hear his voice and the reassurance he always provided, promising that everything would be fine.'He's dead, Bella. He's dead,' The words she didn't want to say aloud echoed in her head. Arabella shook her head, unwilling to accept the truth. In her mind, he would rise, and they would return to the villa, her tending to his injuries.He had to be okay; her tears held healing properties, just like the first time she had saved him. She believed she could do it again.Even as more tears fell, he stayed motionless in her arms."What's happen
"We were attacked after escaping that dratted past I had to delve into with Bella," Sandro explained. Currently, in a small room within the meeting hall, he narrated the events to Brianna, who sat listening."I need to verify everything the bitch said; she can't force me to endure all that and knowing she was lying to me," Sandro grunted, pacing the room.He halted, glaring at Brianna, who remained silent. She neither agreed nor disagreed with what he said; instead, she stared blankly ahead."Brianna!" Sandro growled, moving toward her to grab her attention. However, he stopped as he heard her voice."She spoke the truth, Alpha," Brianna said, turning her gaze to Sandro. "She was the first of her kind, responsible for this calamity. The first doppelganger and your ancestors played a part, too."Brianna continued, "She lured you into the past to manipulate you both for her evil agenda. If she had succeeded, she would not only have killed you both but all supernatural beings, making the
They stood outside in the De Luca's graveyard. It marked Arabella's first visit, and she wished it would also be the last.Despite the daytime, mournful howls echoed before the funeral commenced. She guessed it was traditions.Brianna and her sisters took charge of the ceremony, as Sandro had handed it over to them."Today, we lay to rest Nicholas Armstrong, a fierce Beta, and guardian of our pack. Let's remember the beautiful things he did for us. He died a hero, sacrificing his life for his friends. He'll be forever missed."Blaze was truly gone, Arabella pondered. She had spent the whole previous day waiting for him or someone to reveal that it was all a joke. To assure her he would wake up, hug her, kiss her, and tell her everything would be fine.But no one came. She had seen him give up, and not even her tears, which had awakened him the first time, worked this time. Brianna had mentioned something about him running out of luck. Tears streamed down her cheeks, and though she vo
THREE DAYS LATERGriefArabella wondered if this was what she was feeling.The intensity surpassed even the sorrow she felt when her father passed away. Although it had been three days since Blaze's death and funeral, it seemed as if everything occurred just today. It felt like a part of her, irretrievable, had been taken away.And she believed so. Each time her thoughts wandered back to Blaze, she listed all the things she could have done to save him.She failed him.Sitting cross-legged, she focused on the wall, absentmindedly tracing the outline of the knife in her hand.She was going to end it all, and she had given it enough thought.She had attempted to use a rope, but Sandro's vigilant presence prevented her. He had been watching her like a hawk.Sandro hadn't spoken much since the funeral, giving her the space she appreciated.Arabella eyed the knife she had quietly brought from the kitchen, choosing a new and sharp one, thinking it might be the best option if she decided to
That witch!How ungrateful could she be? Despite all the warnings about their lives being connected, she still wanted to end hers—not just hers, but the lives of their children within her.Of course, Sandro understood her pain, feeling a similar, if not greater, agony.He and Blaze had shared a deep bond; Blaze was more than a friend and Beta; he was a brother and a relied-upon family.Blaze was everything to him, and his death was still surreal. He didn't want to believe he had died, but he had seen him lifeless, cold, and not smiling.If Arabella were to die, how could he seek the revenge he so much desired? As their life was intertwined, he was going to fuking die as well.Sandro's fists pounded the punching bag even harder, growls escaping him as he noticed blood on his hands. Yet, he didn't relent. Since leaving the room, he relentlessly struck the bag, channeling his frustration away from Arabella.He didn't want to get mad at her, but with the way she was acting, he doubted he
After Arabella's tears subsided, Sandro guided her to the sofa, offering a cup of water. He watched as she drank slowly, only finishing half the glass instead of the whole cup he expected.Placing her hands in front of her, she sighed and looked up at him. "Will you stand watching me all day?" she asked."I need to know you're not planning anything drastic. I don't know if you have a knife on you," he explained, scanning the room and spotting a knife on the vanity table. He took it, slipping it into his pocket."I don't know your next move. Perhaps you want to hang yourself, which would be easier for you since I am barely in this room.""I tried that, but I couldn't go through with it," Arabella replied.Sandro scowled, a vein ticking in his jaw. "Why do you make this hard for me?""What?" she asked."I am trying my best to help you, Arabella, but all I can see right now is...""I never asked for your help in the first place!" she snapped, jumping to her feet."Would you prefer I watc
Arabella left the room a while later after taking a few bites from the food Sandro brought to her again. He had wanted to stuff her with it, but Annalise had come to her rescue, testifying to bringing her food. Now, in Thalia's room, the latter wasn't present, but her scent lingered. Arabella sat for a few minutes, and when Thalia didn't surface, she stepped outside, heading towards the garden at the back of the villa.It was a large space dedicated specifically to gardening, situated near the infirmary. Since Arabella's arrival at the villa, it was her first time exploring the garden. Sandro had often confined her, not allowing her freedom, but she guessed Mrs. Mabel's words earlier had influenced him.However, Arabella doubted that strolling along the garden could restore the iron in her blood. She rubbed her stomach, sighing. Her ears perked up, and she halted, glancing around as she heard sobbing. Tracing the sound, she arrived at a small pond filled with ducks, and Thalia was hu
THREE MONTHS LATERArabella gasped, rolling on the large bed, hands clasped over her stomach and her eyes wide with tears.Staggering out of bed, panting, she wiped the sweat from her forehead.It wasn't a nightmare that woke her; those had somewhat stopped since she accepted Blaze wouldn't return.Plus, she was grateful they had stopped, as it wasn't fun waking up each day seeing Blaze's helpless, lifeless form while she wouldn't be able to do anything about it.Now, she had been rudely awaken by her children. They seemed to think it was a good idea to kick her.This wasn't the first kick, though, but it was the most intense. Rubbing her hands over her protruding stomach, only five months gone, she felt the pressure as they continued to kick."Are you alright?" Sandro's voice came from the door. He stood there in plain pajama bottoms.His hair was tousled as though he had brushed his hands into it several times to give it that messy look, and his eyes were tired, trying to stay awake
EPILOGUEFOUR MONTHS LATERSandro stretched his legs, shielding his eyes from the sun with sunglasses. He sighed, running a hand through his hair. Arabella had suggested a vacation by the beach, and they had been here for four months now. He still wanted to fulfill all her wishes, agreeing to everything she desired.Lately, it had been peaceful. Since the altercation with Paolo, there was no imminent threat to Arabella, though he couldn't say the same for himself, which he didn't mind. He didn't believe his enemies would ever cease, as wherever he went, he seemed to attract more.He didn't want to involve Arabella in his dangerous lifestyle, but he also doubted his ability to shield her completely.Alessia had disappeared. When Paolo had died, Sandro had taken the time to scour the building for her before leaving for the Villa, but he hadn't seen any trace of her."Why are you staring at her?"Sandro snapped his head at the sound of Arabella's voice. She stood above him, arms folded. H
Arabella wasn't as tired as she expected. She continued battling, and almost half of the members of the Salvatore house were already down. Although she couldn't unleash her powers to the fullest, she had imbued her knife with magic, enhancing its effectiveness even more.The enchanted blade caused immediate falls to anyone it touched, adding up to a high body count. Despite her victories, the number of foes she faced showed no signs of diminishing.Sandro, absent since his departure, left her uncertain about his fate. Paolo's absence suggested he wasn't defeated, as Paolo would have returned if he had been. Alessia was also nowhere to be found; Arabella wondered if Paolo had taken her with him.Yet, she was glad the merge hadn't happened.***Running after Paolo led Sandro to an unfamiliar location. Uncertain of his whereabouts, he felt a rush of anxiety as his gaze fixed on what appeared to be a full moon at the room's far end, shining brightly. Sandro, feeling a tingling sensation,
Paolo paced nervously, his gaze repeatedly drawn to Arabella, securely bound to the chair. At first glance, she seemed unconscious, her head hanging limply, but a closer look revealed that she was simply staring down."How much longer do we have to wait?" he inquired of Alessia, who had resumed her position inside the pentagram."A few more minutes or the ritual will be incomplete," Alessia replied.Despite the requirement for a special full moon, she had assured them of conjuring the moon to ensure the ritual's success. However, the actual full moon was still two weeks away, and Paolo couldn't afford to wait."Should I resort to force to speed things up?" Paolo clenched his teeth and advanced toward Arabella."I'll break ten fingers and ten toes if you lay a hand on her," Sandro declared, suddenly appearing in the doorway."Sandro," Arabella smiled, relief washing over her at the sight of him. Although she had never been particularly thrilled to see him before, his presence now offer
Goodness!Sandro pressed the gas pedal, driving over the speed limit. Relieved that the road was empty, he was aware that if someone had been there, a collision was inevitable, and he wouldn't have cared.His sole focus was reaching Arabella."Is she foolish enough to go to that guy without telling me?" Gritting his teeth, he tightened his grip on the steering wheel.He had only left to settle some business deal with another pack that he had an alliance with, and it was to get them to fight in the war with him.Of course, he had done all he needed to do, albeit too late.Arabella, that he was trying his best to protect, wasn't even in the villa anymore.His phone rang, and glancing at the screen, he swiped to answer. "If you harm her, Paolo, I'll make sure you regret it. I won't hesitate to take you down with me!""She's still alive, De Luca. Why not come see her condition for yourself?" Paolo replied.Just then, a scream erupted from Arabella, further unsettling Sandro. "Let her go,"
No sooner had Arabella left than a loud boom echoed through the air. Though Thalia wasn't sure if it was an actual cannon, it sure sounded like one."Ah, darn!" she exclaimed, gasping and huddling against the wall. The cannon seemed to have targeted the building, affecting all the rooms. The meeting structure teetered on the verge of collapsing, with the pillars bending sideways."Are you okay?" Elisha asked, pulling her towards a corner."I am. How about you?" Thalia replied, scanning the area to see if others were in the same predicament."What's happening? And where is Bella?" she inquired."The attackers are here," Janice explained. "I overheard their conversation earlier, and I think my father spoke to her. It's why she left.""Why would she do that? That's so foolish!" Thalia hissed."My father is sly, Thalia. I don't know what he must have said to Arabella, but he can kill anyone he wants if she disobeys. She probably left for everyone's safety," Janice reasoned."That doesn't
TWO DAYS LATERThinking all plans would come easily as they were all gathered together, however, the reverse was the case. It was even more difficult to agree with all that was said, especially since it was the last day.Still, there was no attacker in sight, and it didn't seem like anything was going to happen. It was almost noon, and Arabella, Thalia, Elisha, Janice, and Annalise were in the meeting room.Some members were on guard, watching for any activity to report to those inside. However, Sandro, Arabella didn't know where he had gone. He said nothing to her and left the house."He should be here; at least, he's the alpha, and many of these people can listen to him," Elisha said, eyeing the other members in the room, acting as if they were bothered by the current situation."They listen to Bella, too," Thalia said. "She should say something to them."Say something? Arabella didn't know exactly what she was going to say. They weren't the phoenixes, and even though Orga and the r
Sandro awoke the next morning, groaning and turning to his side. "Arabella," he murmured, breathing in her scent before slowly opening his eyes. Using the pad of his thumb, he gently rubbed her cheek to confirm she was really in bed with him. He wondered why she hadn't left after he fell asleep, maybe because she had dozed off too.Gripping a lock of her white hair, he swirled it in his fingers. His free hand moved down to her stomach, caressing it. Sandro grinned as he felt a kick as soon as he touched, retracting his hand as Arabella groaned and turned."Sandro," she murmured, gripping his shirt.Raising his brow, Sandro watched as she began to unbutton his shirt slowly. Her hands slipped into his shirt as soon as she finished unbuttoning."Arabella," Sandro groaned as her hands moved further downwards.He didn't know what she was doing, and the thought of stopping her crossed his mind, but he didn't want to startle her. She seemed deeply asleep, and he hoped she would stop on her o
Sandro's condition hadn't improved; if anything, it had worsened. Arabella doubted it was due to the injury, which had already closed up two days since it happened. She had returned only yesterday to the room and found him sprawled on the bathroom floor.Initially, she thought he had stopped breathing, given his lack of movement, until she checked his pulse. Though she wouldn't admit it, she felt relieved. As much as she detested his behavior towards her, she was relieved he wasn't dead."I hate this," Sandro groaned, snapping Arabella from her thoughts. His lashes fluttered against his cheeks, and he opened his eyes slowly.Frowning, he murmured, "Bella?""Yes," Arabella said, placing her palm on his forehead to check his temperature. "How do you feel today?""Worse," Sandro mumbled, attempting to sit up. His eyes stayed on hers for a long time, making Arabella conscious of what she was wearing. She had opted for one of Sandro's T-shirts as she hadn't had time to do laundry. Now, she
Entering Thalia's room, Arabella made her way to the couch where Thalia sat."Trouble in Paradise?" Thalia raised a brow, sniffing. "I can smell blood on you. Did something happen?""In short, we were attacked by rogues, and Sandro decided to fight them off.""Typical Sandro," Thalia smiled. "But why the blood? Did you both engage in some kind of blood play?""What?" Arabella scoffed, "Never. Just because Blaze is no more doesn't mean I'll forget our moments easily. Besides, Sandro got injured during the fight, and I'm here because he said some really insensitive things.""About you not being receptive to him as you were to Blaze?" Thalia questioned."How do you know? Did you eavesdrop on us?""I'm a werewolf, remember? I can hear things miles away. Plus, your attitude towards him says it all. I've been watching," she said.Arabella shrugged. "I don't think you'd want me to relate with him either. He's been cruel to me, tried to kill me, and took me against my wish.""I know he did aw