Chapter 5

Francesca seated herself beside Stefano, unable to look at where Tristan was seated at the other end of the table. She couldn't bring herself to know what his expression might be. Francesca particularly skirted mentioning her relationship with Stefano when they earlier. She did not want to see the disappointment on Tristan's face. 

Stefano grasped Francesca's waist, lips touching her ear as he hissed into it, "I'll have to punish you later for disappearing on me, you know that right?" 

"I'm sorry," she muttered, offering no explanation. 

Her husband frowned at her, but then his expression smoothened as he regarded his fellow Alphas. "Everyone, I would like to introduce you to my wife, Francesca Lopez." He then turned towards Francesca with a smile that he never showed to her in private, "Darling, I assume you already know everyone at this table? Well, except for Manhattan's new Alpha, Tristan Williams."

Catching on to her husband's act, Francesca smiled back, nodding her head delicately. It would not do her good now if she rebelled, not with Tristan watching. It would be her husband's word against hers anyway. This wasn't exactly how she wished to expose him. Publicly going against him would be a brave act to do. Something that Francesca's simply not capable of anymore.  

"A beautiful new addition to the harem, huh?" Lionel Harris, one of the Alpha brothers of the Blue Moon Pack, chortled. His massive biceps bumped into the table as he ogled Francesca."Damn, you gotta stop collecting these delectable ladies for yourself, Stef. Leave some for the rest of us."

Alpha Brendon O'Reilly of the Hunter's Moon Pack, frowned at Lionel, "He shouldn't be collecting any women at all. It is an insult to the moon goddess, who so generously provided us with mates whom we can form a genuine connection with."

Francesca wasn't surprised at the rebuttal, and so did the other Alphas. Coming from Staten Island, Brendon's under constant pressure to uphold his Pack's reputation, which was as good as how their borough was being perceived by most. 

"Oh, leave the man alone, B. He's clearly lost without his mate." Kaya Huntington, the only female Alpha on the table, grinned at Stefano. She tapped her wineglass with a long fingernail, her dark skin glistening despite the dim glow of the room. 

Francesca glanced at her husband, expecting him to explode at his fellow Alpha's quips. She did not exactly know what happened between Stefano and his mate, or whether he even found her in the first place. But it seemed to be a sensitive topic to him whenever she or any of his other wives brought it up.

Stefano, however, seemed to not mind the prodding if it came from his fellow Alphas. He kept the smile on his face the whole time, "We're all lost without our mates."  

"I wouldn't say that." Tristan finally spoke up and Francesca tried to keep her breath from hitching, lest Stefano's wolf senses picked up on it. 

"Well, you just wait until you find yours, newbie. It's quite the most spectacular feeling," Alpha Lionel answered. 

"Is that so?" Tristan murmured. He was staring at Francesca so intensely she had no choice but to meet his eyes. His gaze was like lightning, striking her fragile bones. And Francesca hoped the other Alphas did not notice her shiver at the electricity that shot up her body. 

"Have you met?" Stefano asked, looking between Francesca and Tristan. He did not seem mad, still maintaining the affable facade that he put on in front of his equals.

But when Francesca did not answer, his grip on her waist tightened. "Is that why I can smell him on you?" Stefano harshly whispered against her hair. 

"Y-yes," Francesca mumbled, quietly straining against him. 

"We bumped into each other by the balcony." Tristan supplied. His eyes were still on Francesca, studying her carefully. His expression was a mixture of confusion, disappointment, and anger. At least, that was what she saw. Tristan's face was impassive whenever he faced the others on the table. 

So this is how Alphas communicate with each other. With head games. Francesca thought to herself. 

"Are we done with the unwanted introduction?" Langdon Harris, Lionel's brother, grumbled. "We need to talk about the vampire situation in Queens." 

"We also have one of those in Brooklyn, and so do the other Packs here. Why talk only about yours?" Kaya quickly interjected. 

"Come on. I thought we agreed to not talk about work tonight, brother?" Lionel whined, slamming his glass on the table. 

"Hmm. It does sound urgent if we're all considering the eradication of the vampires a priority in our Packs." Brendon said, pulling at the auburn beard on his jaw. 

Lionel scratched at his buzzcut, "Isn't it always a priority, though? There's nothing special about this."  

"Lionel!" Langdon hissed. 

"This is getting serious. May I be excused?" Francesca whispered at her husband, who only grunted, loosening his grip on her. A surprising action, for sure, but Francesca wasn't going to question it. She needed to get away for more reasons than one, and she really hoped her mate would follow her out. 

*** 

"Why didn't you tell me?" Tristan's voice sounded behind Francesca, and her heart leaped with joy. He came! She had been waiting for almost half an hour, worried about making Stefano impatient. Most of all, she was worried that her mate was too mad at her to even consider her telepathic request to meet. 

"Follow me," Francesca said, grasping his hand and taking him to a secret room in the house, away from the prying eyes of the guests. 

As soon as they were inside, Tristan suddenly released her with such coldness that Francesca had to regain her balance on the stool beside her. She gaped at him. 

"I'm sorry," Tristan said heart-wrenchingly, "You smell like him, now. I--" 

Francesca shook her head, her expression a mirror of his face, "No, no. I should be the one saying sorry." 

"Why didn't you tell me?" 

"I--I didn't know how to," she whispered. 

"You mean you don't want to." Tristan said, his voice angry now, "When I left and you promised you would find me, you didn't really mean to do it, huh? You wanted to stay with that bastard even when I'm your mate!" 

"Shhh.." Francesca admonished, touching Tristan's lips with trembling fingers, "He'll hear you. Please, just listen to me--I--" 

"Do you love him?" 

Francesca's wolf mewled at the broken beat of their mate's voice. Heartbreaking sadness gathered in her eyes as she held his precious face, shaking her head repeatedly until the tears fell. "No, I don't even know what that is until I met you," she whispered. 

Just then, Tristan pulled her against him, their lips crashing into each other. They were both aware that the kiss meant differently for each of them. Francesca was saying goodbye but Tristan desperately wanted to say hello. Every time her mouth closed, he opened it with his own so furiously, asking her to give him more. Stefano had kissed her like this before, but he always left a bitter taste in her mouth. Tristan was sweetness itself, tender despite his eager hunger for her, devout in every stroke of his tongue, and he gave more than he took. 

Out of air, Tristan finally let her lips go. His nose crinkled slightly and Francesca knew he could still smell Stefano on her. Still, Tristan kept Francesca's body flushed against him.

"Come with me. We can run away, okay?" Tristan murmured, "Francesca, you know we belong together. I can't let you stay with him any longer. It makes me want to kill him and myself." 

"I can't," Francesca's lip trembled as the tears continued to spill.

Tristan chased every drop with his lips, "Why not?" 

"I can't just disappear like that. He'll take it out on his other wives. M-my friends. Tristan, he already killed one." 

Francesca expected Tristan to be surprised at her revelation. She was convinced that Stefano had fooled every single one of the Alphas. But not Tristan, apparently. He just took it in, calmly stroking her flushed face as he considered her words. 

"Do you trust me?" Tristan whispered. 

"I do," Francesca replied. It wasn't even a question. 

"Okay. I might know a way for you to escape without that happening." he said, taking her hands and kissing them, "Listen to me carefully."