"Mate!" Lace said.Sandro halted and he let out a grunt as he removed his head from Arabella's thigh. "She's not my mate.""She is." Asserted lace."What?" Arabella mumbled as he made a move to stand.Sandro's gaze shifted to Arabella and he narrowed his eyes. "Did you make me fúck you to hear that?""Hear what?""Oh, stop playing dumb!" Sandro thundered. "You let me fúck you so you'd hear we are mated. Tell me how it feels, bítch?"Arabella sat up with a frown on her face. She didn't know what to say and what changed had changed. Heck, she didn't know what was going on.She knew Sandro was not going to change his mind about killing her but he had acted human a second ago.He had fucked her mercilessly and even let her snuggle into him.She thought he was being affectionate and underneath the tough interior he often exuded, there was a guy that was a softie.She presumed she wished too early because he wasn't anything she had imagined.Sandro yanked her from the bed, not minding if sh
"Hey.""Jesus, Blaze!" Arabella gasped and glared at him as he appeared in front of her. "What the fúck is wrong with you?!""You barely cuss before. What has gotten into you?"Arabella ignored his question and walked to the wardrobe. She flung it open, rummaging through it. She was aware she'd get into trouble if Sandro didn't see her in the room but she didn't intend to wear his shirt all day."Why weren't you in the room?""What were you in my room for?" She asked him. She turned and noticed he was watching her. "What?""It's weird to see you getting mad at me. Did Sandro do something? Well, I am not surprised. Did he fúck you against your will?"Arabella sighed. Her resolve broke and despite not wanting to talk about what was going on with her, she shook her head. Her lips trembled and her eyes flitted to Blaze.Blaze was in front of her in a second and he gripped her chin. "Hey, I am sorry. I didn't mean to upset you.""You didn't." Said Arabella. Her eyes watered and she attempt
Grabbing what she came for, she walked back to Sandro's room."Where did you go?"Arabella lurched. She placed a hand on her beating chest and glared at Sandro as he stood casually at the corner of the room.She didn't know why he always did that. Not only him but Blaze as well.She wondered if they liked staying in the shadow on purpose to frighten unsuspecting people or if it was part of them."I said where did you go?!" Sandro asked forcefully.Arabella furrowed her brows. She tilted the nightie with her in the air. "I went for this. I can't sleep in this."She gripped the shirt she donned and turned her back to him.Her nose wrinkled as she stayed backing him. She felt his eyes bore holes into her back and wondered why he wasn't looking away. But she wasn't expecting anything less from him because he had made her affair not private to him."Can you at least turn so I can change? You make me so uncomfortable." She said in a low voice but she believe he heard her.Stilling as she fe
Arabella awoke the next day to an empty bed. She heaved a breath and stretched her arms out before sitting up.She rubbed at her bleary eyes and winced as they ached.Climbing down from the bed, her feet smacked the cooled floor and she slapped a hand over her head as she suddenly felt light-headed."Oh, man." She staggered and luckily, she was near the window to grip the curtains."What's wrong with me?" She frowned, placing her palm on her temple. She winced as she sensed how warm it was."Please, no." She mumbled over again as she stepped towards the vanity. Staring at her reflection in the mirror, she grimaced as someone else stared back at her.Her eyes were red and her eyelid was puffy. Sweat dribbled down her forehead and the more she scrunched it up, the more her head pounded.She didn't feel sick yesterday. But why was she suddenly ill?She seldom got sick but whenever it was about to happen, there was always a warning sign.However, nothing of such happened.The door opened
Blaze grunted as he slammed his fist into the punching bag in front of him. Sweat dribbled down his forehead and he shoved his hair back.His eyes narrowed and his ears perked up as he sensed someone approaching.His muscles tensed up and he swirled, putting his hands in front of him in defence, ready to attack whoever was approaching him.But no one was there. He glared as the wind drifted into the room and he sniffed the air.The hair at the back of his neck prickled and he hissed as the process started over again. It was not the first time he felt this way.It had been an occurrence ever since he knew who he was. A fúcking demon wolf.His life was a lie and he tried his best to live based on the lie. Else, he'd be out of the pack in no time if anyone found it.It wasn't something bad, but everyone assumed he was a pure werewolf, rather someone with tainted blood.A hybrid and not just any hybrid, he had the blood of his father, the demon overlord running through him.Blaze didn't
"How long do we have to keep fighting over this?""For as long as you stop staring at her. "Arabella is mine.""She is," Blaze affirmed. He tilted his hands in the air."Good," Sandro said. "I'm glad you are not putting up too much fight. Besides, I have good news to share with you."Good news, Blaze mused. He didn't think anything from Sandro meant good news so far as he was concerned.And he had never seen him react happily to any news before, whether good or not."What's it about?" You seem happy. "I hope it is not about killing anyone.""It is." Sandro's grin widened and the smile on Blaze's face faltered.His mind wandered to Arabella dying eventually.He shook his head brushing off the thoughts away.Then he frowned as Sandro tossed a plastic bag towards him."What the fuck is this?!" Blaze shouted, dropping it to the floor."Didn't know you were that soft." Sandro chuckled. "This is plasma.""Whose plasma?" Blaze's nostrils flared and his eyes narrowed. "Arabella. What did you
As soon as Blaze left the room, Arabella was the only thought on his mind. So, he hurried down to the clinic because he believed that was only where she could be.Also, Janice had said something about her dying, so he imagine she was ill or maybe something happened to her with Sandro again.He guessed it was the latter because he saw the fatigue she often tried to brush off. Even when he kissed her yesterday. Her body had been warm but he didn't get the chance to ask her if she was alright.He stood by the door side and stared at her. Almost immediately as if she was expecting him, her eyes flitted to his."Blaze." She mumbled. She attempted to stand to her feet and he rushed into the room."Hey," Blaze said, gripping her hand. "Hold on." He gripped a pillow to brace her back as she sat up.Arabella shook her head. "I'm fine. Just a slight pounding of my head and Francis went to fetch painkillers."Blaze prodded her cheeks and every part of her body. "No injury." He heaved a breath an
Arabella sighed.She furrowed her brows as she glanced around the empty room.Sandro wasn't around and she had the room to herself. It didn't bother her he was not in the room because she enjoyed being alone by herself.Stripping down to nothing, she glanced in the mirror. It had been a routine for her and she didn't know the change she was looking for exactly.But she knew it wasn't like before.She had changed a lot. She didn't look like the innocent girl she once was.She had lost her virginity which she didn't mind but she wished it had been with someone she fancied and not the other way around. Also, she wished she had done it willingly and not him forcing her.Breathing out, Arabella thought of Blaze. She wondered if he meant what he told her. She had thought he was different from Sandro.But thinking about how he had dismissed her feelings earlier, she couldn't say otherwise.Again, she assumed his coldness towards her had to do with Sandro telling him to stay away from her.Ar
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