Pretending not to listen to Zane and Mama’s conversation, Anthony and I browsed through Mariana’s stuff. I picked up one of the hand painted eggs, admiring the intricate design, my ears picking up bits of Zane’s voice, telling Mama to be careful around the town and not to flirt with any of the horny men, because Anthony will get his ass kicked if she did.“Hey, look at this!” Anthony held up a Count Dracula fridge magnet, “Do you see the resemblance?” he laughed, showing his pointy fangs.I chuckled at his silliness. Mama ended the call with Zane, promising to call him when we leave. She shook her head.“I don’t think I’ll ever get used to this kind of possessiveness.” She said and Anthony took her hand and kissed it.“I think it’s sweet,” he said and she smiled at him. Soon they were in each other’s arms, and I decided to make myself scarce.I made my way back to the kitchen, but stopped short because Victor and Mariana were locked in a heavy argument. Would these two ever get over t
NICO Sal was yelling the roof off. I ran down the corridor to his room and found him on the floor, writhing in pain, sweating bullets. “I warned you it would hurt, Salvatore.” I grumbled, bending down to grab his hand, looking at the bite mark on his arm. It started to heal. He was on the verge of transforming, faster because of the damn mating moon. Katherina knelt beside him, wanting to touch him to comfort him, but she hesitated, anguish and horror twisting her face. “Fuck, I’m on fire…” Sal groaned, his body shook and twisted. I gripped his chin and forced him to look at me. “Trust me, it’s going to get worse. Breathe. Don’t fight the turn. LOOK. AT. ME.” I used my Alpha tone on him, and the wolf inside responded, his eyes flashed yellow. I grinned. “There you are.” Sal let out an earsplitting howl. Katherina whimpered and covered her ears. I left Sal panting on the floor, clawing at the carpet as his hands started to turn into claws. Bones snapped and rearranged themselves.
DARINAI loved to walk around the grounds in the morning, to inhale the crisp mountain air and hear the crunching snow underneath my boots. My wolf loved it too, she longed to be able to run free, but she was happy to rest and feel the twins grow and move about in my womb.They were growing so fast now. My tummy was expanding rapidly, and it was getting harder to move about freely. Mama and Zane and even Anthony watched me with eagle eyes. They were stifling me somewhat. So, whatever chance I get, I escape them to walk around the grounds in peace.To tell the truth, watching them looking at each other adoringly and cuddling every chance they get, oh and not to mention the sounds coming from their room at night… It made me miss my love even more.Two weeks passed and I haven’t spoken to him since the mating moon. Except for a text now and then telling me he was extremely busy, and he longed to see me and hold me in his arms. He promised it would be soon. For me it couldn’t be soon enou
NICOI waged my war on the Mafia groups, taking them out one by one. They learned the Red Wolf wasn’t someone to toy with.The Romanesco took back the city. I had the police – most of them – in my pocket and a few well-connected politicians. We struck fear into the hearts of the Mafia groups and petty criminals. Petrov’s associates were disbanded – those who survived. What was left was the Cartel.But I lost men, good men. War always had a price and ours was paid with the blood of Rechin, gunned down in front of his establishment as well as Max who died in a car collision. Not only did I lose two of my associates and several of my soldiers, but three of my factories burnt to the ground.Vasile and his family moved to Austria that left Frank and Joe. Frank took over Vasile’s part of the business and Joe… well, Joe had his girls and was adamant not to give them up. That was good news for me, I would get my twenty percent cut of his profits as usual. If I decided to stay in the business
DARINASince the attack of the rogues, I have been hesitant to wander too far away from the pack house. Sanda, the bodyguard Zane appointed to me, was never more than a few feet away from me. At first, I wasn’t impressed with the girl. She was tall and beautiful with large doe eyes, dark hair plaited into a braid hanging down her back. A bodyguard? She looked more like a model with her perfect features. I couldn’t understand why Zane appointed a girl as my bodyguard. Sanda must have noticed my doubtfulness, because she came to sit next to me as I watched the warriors training.“I am better than most of these males, Luna. I know I don’t look like much but believe me. I am not boasting.” She offered me a small smile, a deep dimple appearing in one cheek.I felt the heat go to my cheeks. Were my thoughts that obvious? “It’s just… You’re so pretty.”She laughed and her laughter rang clear as a bell over the training grounds. “You shouldn’t judge by outer appearances, Luna.”“Please call
NICO The plane landed on Don Carlo’s private airfield and there was a car waiting for us to take us to the impressive villa on the mountain. A steep winding road with gaping gorges on both sides lay in wait for us. “Fuck, I hate heights.” Sal muttered, eyeing the abyss with concern. I chuckled; I’ve never heard him fearing anything. The driver sped up the winding road, not in the least troubled by the condition of the road. Darius sat quietly next to me observing the surroundings. I inhaled the salty smell of the ocean far below us. I would have enjoyed this place if the situation was different and of course, if I had my beautiful girl with me. She would love the scenery. We passed through heavily guarded gates before reaching the sprawling villa, so white it was almost blinding. The driver stopped some distance from the front of the main entrance. When we got out of the vehicle the heat slapped us with an intensity that had the three of us break out in a light sheen of perspiratio
I must have fallen asleep at some stage because I woke with a start hearing a scream. Was it through the mind link or did I dream it?I opened the link calling for Darius and Sal. No answer. I tried again. Dead silence. Maybe they’re asleep. The heavy door clanged open, and five men rushed in without turning on the lights. Using my werewolf vision, I saw two of them carrying what looked suspiciously like cattle prods.“What the fuck…” Like those prods could stop a werewolf but let them think it.As they came closer, I smelled their fear and it drove my wolf wild. He wanted to tear them to pieces. A brave one pushed the prod against my neck and pushed the button. The shock coursed through my body and my muscles jerked. Another shock against my ribs. I flopped against the ground like a dying fish. It was no cattle prod; this was something else. I was paralyzed, couldn’t even make a sound.They unlocked the chains and dragged me out by my arms, keeping the prods close to my body.Don Car
DARINAThree days and Zane and his warriors haven’t returned. Restlessly we moved about the house watching the blizzard through the windows. Ever since Zane left it snowed relentlessly. It was dark and cold outside, but inside the servants kept the fireplaces going, making sure the house was well-heated.No word from Nico either. I checked my phone regularly and as the days passed the feeling that something was wrong grew stronger.“What if something happened to him and he never comes back?” Mama said the very thing that played at the back of my mind. Only she was talking about Zane, but I was thinking of Nico.“You shouldn’t think like that, Nina dear.” Anthony tried his best to put her mind at ease, “Zane is a Lycan. A few rogues would be no match for him. He won’t leave us.” He kissed her worried frown away, while she sat on his lap. Watching the two of them I didn’t think I’d ever get used to it seeing her like this with another man, Dhampir or Lycan. She was never this affectiona
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