“You need training.” Nico said at the dinner table.“Training?” I wasn’t sure what kind he meant.He smirked at me. “To fight, baby girl. To defend yourself.”“I thought that the wolf would know how to protect herself out of instinct.”Nico shook his head. “We train from a young age. Sometimes we fight over territory with rival packs. Rogues often wander into our territory and gives us problems. We live in a bloodthirsty world, baby girl. It helps to be properly trained. You can’t always shift into your wolf.”I didn’t think I would be able to hurt anyone. Never had the need to fight and I wasn’t sure if I wanted to.Sal and Katherina came to join us. Sal frowned at us; he wanted answers.“Sit down Sal, Katherina.” Nico said. “Sorry I snapped at you earlier.”“Sure, Boss. Can you tell me what the hell happened? Were you attacked? I knew it wasn’t a good idea for you to go out on your own.” Sal helped himself to wine and poured Katherina a glass. She smiled at him, and I saw their fing
“Are you ready, baby girl?” he said somewhere above me. I was and I wasn’t. My mouth dry I licked my lips to moisten them. He chuckled low in his throat and the bed dipped under his weight. Warm breath on my thighs as he moved up towards his goal sending shivers throughout my body. “I love the sweet scent of your arousal.” He inhaled deeply, “It makes me wild for you, my little fox.” Rough hands massaged my calves, deeply, almost hurting. “Do want to know what I’m going to do to you next?” “Yes?” My voice sounded jagged in my ears. I gasped. He picked me up over his shoulder and carried me away from the bed. I felt disorientated, wishing I could take off the blindfold to see what he was doing. I was on the floor. “Do you trust me?” he asked so suddenly it took me a while to register what he said. I didn’t answer immediately, and his hands stilled on my legs. “I asked you a question Darina.” “Yes Master.” Did I? I thought I did. I heard the clinking sound of chains thrown around
My heart stopped. Kill my father? I stood outside the door not daring to breathe.“I should. After what he did.” Nico said, his voice cold.I couldn’t believe my ears. Why would he want to kill my father? I needed answers.“Are you planning to kill my father?” I rushed into the study, my she-wolf shining through my eyes. As much as I was bound to Nico, I couldn’t let him do that.“Sit down Darina.” He waved me over to him.Sal mumbled an excuse and left us alone.I shook my head. “Why? Why Nico? You promised my parents would be safe.”Nico got up from behind his desk and stepped towards me. I retreated. He shouldn’t touch me right now.“Darina, listen to me.” he reached for me, but I sidestepped him, heading for the door. I had to get away, warn my father. “Don’t you run from me.”But I did. I transformed into my she-wolf running down the stairs, clothes ripping as I shifted. People shouting, screaming as I tore down the passage and out the back door with Nico hot on my heels.‘Darina
The way he looked at me - forest green eyes turning me to stone. Jaw muscles clenched and unclenched as he kept staring at me, waiting in silence.I couldn’t even begin to fathom what was going on in his mind. Would he punish me for running from him? Would he hurt me?Sal said he loved me, and I would like to think it was what I felt in my heart, but it all seemed so impossible. How could I love the man he was?“Boss, a package came for you.” Salvatore broke us out of our staring duel. “I left in the…”“I saw it.” his gaze moved to Sal, and I breathed a sigh of relief. Katherina hurried out of the kitchen, and I wished I could follow her. But I had done enough running.“It’s our Halloween costumes for the party at the Senator’s.” Nico said, brushing past me. “Petrov sent me an email with more details. Some of his men will double as valet attendants and waiters to help us with the abduction.”Abduction. “Nico?” My heart sank to my stomach. This is how we’re all getting killed.He ignor
NICOThis was one party I was not looking forward to. I didn’t like having Darina involved in this. She was not part of this world, and I would have liked to keep her separate from it. I guess Alexi wanted to do the same and looked how that worked out.Sal drove up to the metal gate at the Russian senator’s home and showed the security our invites. He waved us through, and Sal drove the Mercedes up the long driveway. I left the Rolls at home it was too conspicuous. I trusted Sal with a lot, but Ricci was the only one allowed to drive my Rolls besides me.“Wow!” Darina said, “They went all out with this.” She pointed at the mock gravestones and skeletons placed strategically all over the property. Jack-o-lanterns and spooky skulls lit up the driveway and the house glowed purple and violet as we approached, music blasting from speakers. The house vibrated, seemed like a living thing.“Waste of money.” I grumbled.Darina slapped my thigh playfully. “You’re such a killjoy. What’s the Russ
DARINAWhere was he? Minsky had been here just a few minutes before when Nico went to ask his wife to dance. How can a big Russian guy disappear like that? I sauntered over to the food table, picked up a meatball and popped it into my mouth. When I turned around there were three young guys surrounding me. The three of them were dressed like pirates, the taller of the three obviously the captain because of the tricorn he wore.“Where is your big bad wolf, little Red?” The darker one of them touched my shoulder. I felt the she-wolf stir. He was more than a little drunk, the alcohol smell wafted off him.I waved my hand in front of my face, not able to hide my disgust.“He’s around somewhere.” I said, wondering if I should use the mind link to call Nico.The captain grabbed my arm. “He shouldn’t leave such a pretty thing all on her own. Ditch him and come party with us.” The scent of the three of them, their pheromones were overwhelming, but it did nothing for me.I laughed at their brav
“Who are you? Why are you here?” Minsky roared at us, eyes darting from one to the other. Fists balled he stood readying himself for an attack.“I have a message for you from Petrov.” Nico said, his tone even but I saw fur appearing on his face. “Pay your debt to him or you’ll never see your women again.” His voice turned gruffer, deeper, more animal.Nico stalked toward the frozen man. Minsky’s eyes bulged out of his sockets. To see Nico half-turned was not for the fainthearted. I was even freaked out. Canines protruded from his mouth, his face completely covered by ginger fur and his eyes blazed with yellow light.Claws burst through the gloves as he raised a hand towards Minsky’s face.“No. No please…” he closed his eyes. “Please…” He shuddered when Nico grabbed his face, the claws just piercing the skin of his cheeks. Bloody tears ran down his face.“Pay your debt asshole.” Nico released the man, and he slid down to his knees, boneless and whimpering. “Let’s go baby girl.”Nico he
NICOThe police waited for me downstairs. I knew it couldn’t be about last night. Minsky wouldn’t involve the police. He wasn’t that stupid.“Mr. Lupei, I am DC Brown. We have a warrant to search your premises for narcotics.” The short, stocky man came right to the point.I took the paper from him. “And this is why?” He could search all he wanted. I don’t shit where I eat.Brown looked at me like I was a piece of horse dung on the sole of his tiny boots. “We received information that drugs were being sold at your club Mr. Lupei.”Sal sneered at him. “No way. Boss don’t allow drugs at The Bad Moon.”“This is definitely not the club Constable.” I shoved the warrant back at him.“Detective. We made arrests at your club last night Lupei. We’re shutting you down.” he smiled a smug grin at me. “We can do this the easy way, or you can accompany us down to the yard.”“By all means. Have at it. I had no idea drugs were being sold at my club. I have a no drug policy…”“Cut the crap Lupei. We’ve
The atmosphere in the living room was tense as seconds ticked by waiting for Nico’s reply. His arm around my waist tightened and trying to calm him, I stroked his broad back, feeling the muscles contract under my palm.But then he spoke. “Zane, Mariana, I don’t want my children to grow up not knowing where they came from. I want them to know their grandparents.”I blew out a deep breath I never knew I held in. Nico looked at me and back at them. “All these years knowing what hell we’ve suffered at the hands of Constantin and yet you did nothing. It’s hard to wrap my head around it, knowing that I am your son.” The lines around his mouth deepened while he looked at Mariana.“I didn’t know everything, Nico. You know he never allowed us to visit.” Mariana stepped away from Zane who went to sit down with Anthony by his side. Anthony put a comforting hand on Zane’s thigh and Zane covered his hand with his own.Mariana reached for Nico. He made no move to go forward. “I never wanted to give
DARINAWhat was taking so long? “I can’t stand it anymore. They should have been here already, Sanda. Something’s wrong.” I was in panic mode, pacing around the living room.“Slow down, my love. Nico won’t let himself get caught. You’re making yourself ill.” Sanda smiled serenely back at me, lounging on the couch.“I don’t know how you can just sit there so calmly. We should have gone with Zane.”“Darina,” Mama came into the living room with Daciana on her hip. “Is Lycas with you, because I can’t find him.” Daciana held onto Mama’s neck with her little fist in her mouth, giggling at us.That boy would be the death of me. “I left him in the playpen together with his sister, Mama.” He must have transformed again. I sighed. Using the mind link, I sent out messages to the pack to help find my small wolf cub. “I have a mind to spank his little behind.” I said, storming to the front door.“Boys will be boys.” Sanda laughed. “He’ll turn up when he’s hungry.”“Someone lost a pup?” Nico filled
“Can everyone just calm the hell down!” I glared at Zane and Sanda. My grip on Darina tightened as I held her around her waist with her back to me, hiding my erection. She didn’t struggle but leaned back against me ever so slightly. “I get it, you are mad at me. I fucked up. Maybe.”That earned me a snort from Sanda and Zane’s eyebrows raised a few inches. He stood with his arms folded across his broad chest and I knew from the look in his eyes he was considering breaking a few bones.“But as soon as the dust settles and we’re all back at Romania, we can go on with our lives. Just like you wanted. No more humans trying to get us killed or wanting to use our pups for lab rats. No more Mafia. Okay?” By the gods! What more did they want from me?Sanda came towards me. “Idiot.” Her hands on her hips, she glared at me, “You should have trusted us.”“Sanda’s right.” Darina wriggled her way out of my grasp. “That’s not how you treat us, your mates. We don’t keep secrets from you.” She went t
NICOA few days earlierJohn wasn’t kidding. That blast knocked the shit out of me, also, burned off my clothes. I guess I should have moved further away before I pressed the button. Then I heard Sanda scream, and it took all of my willpower to stop the wolf from rushing back to comfort her.Our mate was in anguish, and he fought me with everything he had to go there. She was crying, screaming my name. I dug my nails into the earth and clamped my jaw shut not to cry out. The wolf turned his back on me in disgust.We’ll go back when it’s dark, hide in the stables. I tried to placate him, but he huffed and turned away. My blood turned to ice when I heard the men screaming for Darina to stop. Oh, no! She ran towards the burning wreck! That was when the wolf took over. There was nothing holding him back. He rushed towards the blaze, but the heat was too much. Whining he backpedaled.But then Sanda came, and I heard her say that no one could survive that. I reigned the wolf in hard. Patie
The day of Nico’s funeral came, the day all of us dreaded. Zane, silent as a ghost, moved about the mansion, looking but not seeing, touching things but not feeling. I had no words for him. Because I felt the same. Mama knew better not to touch me or look at me with pity. She only did that once and I snapped at her. I needed to be strong for my babies and for Sanda. She needed me more than ever. More than once I found her in the bathroom, hiding in a corner, crying. I’ve never seen my dear one so broken.“What makes it so hard for me, is that I could do nothing to protect you or Nico.” She said through her tears, “I’ve failed both of you.”I took her into my arms and stroked her tear-streaked face. “Nonsense. Stop this. If we have to blame someone, blame Nico. His arrogance got him killed. Nothing else.” I kissed her trembling lips, closing my eyes, because I didn’t want her to see how deep the hurt was that I felt.So many cars, so many people coming to his send off. All of his assoc
DARINAMen running, women screaming and above them all I heard Sanda’s voice lifting into a howl. I crushed the twins to my chest, wide-eyed and terrified. My legs wanted to run, to see what was happening, but my brain refused to cooperate.Katherina ran to me, clutching her belly. “Darina! Oh, my God!” She fell down at my feet, sobbing.I was frozen like a statue with the twins in my arms. They cried just as hard as Katherina. She looked up at me. “His car… oh, my God, his car…”Something snapped into place in my brain. “Whose car?” Nico and Sal went out early that morning. I put the twins down next to Katherina and my legs carried me out of the house.When I saw the inferno in front of me, I sank boneless to the ground. “No. No. No.” I couldn’t believe it. Not Nico. Not my mate.Sanda ran to me, her face contorted with anguish. “Darina, he’s in there. We have to get him out.” She screamed at me, but my ears refused to hear.“It can’t be. No.” I clawed at the earth beneath me. Sanda
NICOHours earlier“Are you sure about this, Boss? I mean, why do this now when everything is going so well? We’ve destroyed our enemies and we have control over the city once more.” Sal tried his best to convince me to discard my plans. Although he did everything I asked him to do, he wasn’t happy about it. Which was fine by me, he didn’t have to like it.The meeting with my associates went well. Business was picking up and the money rolled in. Problems with the cops and the feds were minor. Most of them could be bought, it was just a matter of the right price.Sal and I were having lunch at a bar in London, going over the plans for my death.I touched Sal’s shoulder. “Yes, Salvatore. I am doing this for my mates and my pups. Zane is right, I don’t want this life for my children.” I twirled the glass in my hand, staring at the golden liquid. Besides, I owed it to my pack because of all the trouble I caused.“But you lived for this, for our business.” Sal groaned, “I can’t do this wit
DARINA I can’t believe the arrogance of this man! Acting like he is invincible or immortal for that matter. Sanda followed Nico around like a watchdog, she never says it, but I know she loves him with every fiber in her body, just like I do. Thank the gods for the twins, because I would lose my mind worrying about Nico and our safety.“He just received another threat, I heard when he answered his cellphone.” Sanda came into the nursery where I had just bathed the twins and put them in their cribs. “The voice was disguised, like they used some kind of machine.” She plopped herself down onto the rocking chair, holding Daciana’s pink unicorn on her lap.My hands stilled on the clothes I folded. “Sanda, if you continue trying to be his bodyguard, you’ll make yourself sick. If anything should happen, there’s not much we can do about it, is there?” I made my voice sound casual, but my stomach clenched with anxiety.She glared at me like I was crazy. “Don’t patronize me! You’re just as worr
“You have officially lost your mind.” Salvatore spat out his cigarette. “What the fuck’s wrong with you, Nico?”“Lower your goddamn voice.” I growled at him and pulled him after me down the steps. “I don’t want the girls to hear us.”He pulled his arm out of my grasp. “Well, I think they should. Talk some sense into your…”“Salvatore!” I let my Alpha aura wash over him and he submitted at once, dipping his head in deference. “Let’s take a walk to the stables.”He followed me, silenced by my authority. It started to rain, and I lifted my face to the cold, grey sky. I would miss this place. This was the first place where I felt I belonged.Sal drew his hand through his dark mop of hair. “Please tell me you’re not serious.”“Dead serious. I want to fake my death. But it must look believable.” I went into the stables, inhaling the warm scent of hay and horses. There was no way I was going to leave my horse here.Salvatore looked at me as if I had grown horns. “How the hell do you expect m