LUCIANO’S POV“Can you tell how long it has been in there?” I asked Sarah“The date it was sent is right here. I don’t know how you didn’t notice it earlier. It’s not a very complex one so your phone should have been acting up trying to get rid of it.”“It’s not mine. It’s Arianna’s” I said more to myself than to Sarah.“You didn’t say if I should delete it or not.” I looked at her, thinking for a moment.“No, there’s no need. I’ll take care of it.” I stretched out my hand and she handed me the phone.What the fuck had I done? I sat in my office the entire day. Hating myself and relieving the past month. “The phone has a mind of it’s own now.” “What key?” “Goodbye Luciano.”I had been an astronomical asshole. I believed she lied to and betrayed me. I needed to find her. How? “Her credit card!” I picked up my phone and dialed Gerald. He managed all my accounts and the pack’s and also Arianna’s. He had given her all her cards and information. I looked at the time and it was well
LUCIANO’S POVI was back in my office. In hindsight, I should have known I would not find Arianna in that room. The purchases and splurging was not her. Why would she leave her phone on the side of the road and her credit card in a motel?I knew the answer as soon as I asked the question. She did not want to be found. I had driven her away. For good. Even if by some miracle, I found her, she likely would not want to come home.I tried speaking to her in my mind but she shut me out. Ironic, I had shut her out first. I was staring at her phone and card on my table when Dave walked in.“Nice of you to show up, Dave.”“I heard you drove out like a maniac last night. What was that about?” He took a seat across from me instead of his couch. I guess he wasn”t staying.“Needed to check something out urgently.”“As long as you are fine.” He eyed the items on my table before getting up to leave. “You were right. I screwed up.” He sat bacl down. “Go on,” he said I explained how Sarah had con
CARTER’S POV“You little devil.” Ciara felt so good about what she had done, she couldn’t even hide the smirk on her face. “I should break your limbs where you stand. Do you have any idea what you’ve done?” I asked her.“It was genius. You are just mad because you suddenly want her to like you.” I threw my glass at the wall behind her and she flinched. Good to know she still had fear in her. I did need to clip those wings though.“So, stupid Luciano kicked out the most prized wolf in centuries. I can use this.”“What do you mean?” Ciara asked. I looked at her with equal parts pride and anger. Who did she think she was? going off on her own. “You are going to find your sister.” I announced.“Excuse me?” Ciara protested.I was in her face in seconds. I wrapped my hand slowly around her neck and watched fear slowly creep into her eyes. I put my lips right by her ear so there would be no confusion.“You are going to find your sister.” I said barely above a whisper. “Am I clear?” “Ye
ARIANNA’S POV“No Tess. Tell him there is no one like that here. Please, he cannot know that I’m here.” She looked at me with concern in her eyes. But nodded at me. I breathed out a sigh of relief.“It’s okay. I’ll get rid of him.” “Thank you.” I said as she walked off to deal with Andrew.Tess had been such a blessing and a friend. My mind flashed back to the morning after I arrived here in her truck.“Were you going to say goodbye?” She asked as I tried to sneak out.“I didn’t want to wake you. Didn’t think anyone was up yet. Thank you so much, but I really need to get going.”“Alright. Where are you heading? Maybe one of the guys will give you a ride.” She was staring me down. Why? “Uhmm… that’s not necessary. I just…”“Just have no idea where you are going?” Tess asked. We stared at each other in silence for a moment before she broke it.“Look, you seem like a good person and it doesn’t look like trouble is after you. You just seem hurt. Why don’t you stay a while, figure out
LUCIANO’S POVI never thought I could cause myself this much pain. I had it all, and I let her go without a second thought. I told myself I was being a leader, but I was just being used. Andrew had called days ago to say he hit a dead end. He found the trucker but she had no idea where Arianna went next. Days and nights were beginning to blend into an endless, formless, gloomy existence. I had no idea how long it had been since Andrew called. Life had lost its color and food tasted like ash. Nothing was good.I hid it well enough. During the day I worked. Dave had returned to work too. He was happy, Alex made him happy. I went through the motions with him, but seeing both of them always reminded me that I sent their friend away.She was mine. But a part of her was theirs too. And she should be here sharing in their happiness. We should all be happy together. What the fuck did I do? “Luciano!” I looked up at Dave who just walked in.“I’m right here. No need to scream, Dave.”“Sorry,
LUCIANO’S POVI had been stuck on this call for hours. Nobody had made any meaningful suggestions. It was a hot mess. Nobody was talking about a solution to our current problems. Carter had surprisingly called his wolves home a few days ago. He appeared to be the first of us to get word on what was happening. His actions made me even more suspicious. How did he know so quickly that hunters were out looking for a rare wolf? He had to have been monitoring those dark sites that dealt on mythological and supernatural relics. “How exactly did you hear about the hunters so fast? Before the rest of us even.” I asked Carter. My question made the other Alpha pause their arguments.“Well, one of my wolves happen to be a genius with computers and the internet. He brought the news to me and I immediately called my wolves home.” Carter explained.“Are they getting home safe?” Fenrir asked.“A few arrived today, we are expecting more.” Carter answered.“That sounds good. But did it occur to you
CARTER’S POV“This is really bad, Carter, someone is dead!” “Screaming at me won’t change anything Ciara.”“Do you have any idea what would happen if the other packs found out?”“Everyone knows. A tortured and killed wolf is not exactly a secret.” I was patronizing. She needed to relax.“You know that’s not what I mean. You started the chain of events that led to his death.” Ciara said.I was about to retort when Max walked in.“What can I help you with Max?” “Alpha Carter. I just got a report of another death. Her limbs were all broken. It looks like she was tortured.” Max said.“What pack?” I asked. Max looked angry, which was out of character for him.“Ours. Her peers have gone out to retrieve her body.” Max replied and walked out without waiting for a response.He was angry at me it seemed. I had more things to worry about right now. I would put him in his place soon. “There’s going to be a war for sure. All because you could not figure out a way to feed your pack.” Ciara spat
ARIANNA’S POVI had been bartending for days now. It was a fun job. Tess’s dad had put in a good word for me and I started immediately. My days had started to look less gloomy. That was a lie. I had decided to stop dwelling in everything dark going on in my life now. Tess’s mom had commented that the mother’s mood usually affected the baby, and that I should try to shake off the blues.How she knew I was pregnant was still a mystery. I had not told her, I had not told anyone. I had smiled and nodded at her advice at the time. But I decided it was good advice, I didn’t want my baby to be sad and gloomy. So I was trying to find things to be happy about. It did not help that an unusual amount of wolves had been stopping by the bar since I started. It was a roadside bar and grill. A lot of truckers stop here while enroute to deliver or back home. Not Tess’s family trucks but others from around the country.It also saw a lot of travelers, people driving cross country, or people who got s