Chapter nine

Camellia looked through her netted lashes. The last time everyone was gathered like this, they had fucking sold her off. 

Ringlets of smoke danced around the dinning halls, the strong smell of liquor, cigarettes and silence filling the room. Alejandro sat at the head of the long table, he was dressed in a fine silk, black sleeveless shirt. His wolf tattoo stretched over his balls of muscles on both arms. His fingers tapped silently again his glass of whiskey. 

His dark eyes moved around the room, scanning each face like a predator assessing its prey.

Camellia sat beside him, her back was pressed against the chair. Her dark hair was curled in waves and her makeup was thick, her face unreadable.  Her father, Luca Moretti, sat comfortably, his fingers wrapped around his glass of liquor, his eyes also traveled like Alejandro’s. 

Lorenzo, her eldest brother, sat right by his side, his jaw tight. He picked up his glass of liquor, taking a little sip from it then he sets it back on the table. 

Camellia identified more faces, unfamiliar, stern looking ones. She could guess they were part of the Requiem. 

Luca's eyes fell on Camellia. A smile climbed on his face. Camellia wasn't sure if the smile was because he missed her, or if he was pleased that he had finally sold her off. She immediately turned away, she didn't want to cry. 

She couldn't give him that satisfaction. 

“Thank you, Alejandro. ” Luca finally spoke, his voice sounded calm, full of gratitude but also of exhaustion. “The Moretti empire would have fallen to the ground. If not for this marriage.”

Camellia's stomach twisted. Her throat felt itchy. 

That was why she was sold off? To save something she had no claim to?

Alejandro’s face was serious, he didn't smile. His expression flat and unamused. "Just prove your loyalty. Gratitude is useless without it." 

Lorenzo’s eyes came up. "We are now family. We'll be loyal to you till the very end." 

Alejandro’s eyes darted to Camellia, a little smile climbed on his face then disappeared almost immediately as they faced Lorenzo. 

“You have my full protection until you get back on your feet. The Moretti name doesn't install fear or command the respect it once did. Your enemies are already convertíng your territory. But as my family, I'II take care of it. "

"I am really thankful to have such a resourceful brother-in-law like you. If not... " he chuckled. 

"The Moretti would be in deep shit."

Camellia snorted. Shouldn't they be thanking her? She was the one that got sold. 

Camellia held on to the edge of the table. Her eyes narrowed, jaw tensed. They didn't deem it fit to tell her her home was almost crumbling, they kept her in the dark all along. But they had the audacity to sell her off to save their asses. 

Camellia exhaled silently, her grip tightening around the edge of the table. 

Her father's eyes returned to her then they flickered to Alejandro. 

"Hope Camellia has not been causing you problems?" 

Alejandro studied him for a long while before he nodded slowly.

There was a sort of silence before the doors to the dinning room was swung open and Enzo, Alejandro’s Enforcer, entered the room, his face flat as he whispered into Alejandro’s ear.

Alejandro’s expression became tensed.

“What is it?” Luca asked him immediately he noticed the change in his expression. 

Alejandro replied, "Half of your shipment was stolen at Port." 

There was a heavy silence. Luca’s face hardened. "Who?”

Alejandro rested on his chair “It seems your enemies are getting bolder.”

Lorenzo slammed his fist against the table. “We need to fight back.”

Alejandro didn’t move. “No,” his tone was final. 

" First... We find out who's responsible. Then, we erase them.”

Camellia watched them carefully. Why was she here? When discussing matters such as this one, The Moretti empire didn't not include women. 

Was the Requiem different? 

She continued watching, while forcing herself to breathe. Whoever stole her family's shipment were very bold and probably had the backing of a very powerful mafia. Either that, or they were just stupid or unaware of Moretti's alliance with the Requiem.  

No one dared to mess with the Requiem. 

Luca spoke. “You have men at the port. Surely they know something.”

Alejandro’s gaze flickered to Enzo.

 “There were no survivors on the site, which means they were either efficient or cleaning up after themselves.”

Camellia studied her brother, the way his shoulders stiffened, his eyes narrowed, "That means this isn't just a robbery, it's a message." He noted. 

Alejandro didn't say anything, he just nodded, then lit his cigarette.

Lorenzo drew forward, his eyes gleaming.

“Then we need to respond to that message immediately.”

Alejandro’s eyes stared coldly, his voice dropped. 

“You do not tell me how to run my operations, Moretti.”

Lorenzo snapped, his Jaws flexing. “You forget this was an attack on the Moretti, not you Ricci.”

“No,” Alejandro corrected, danger in his voice. 

“This was an attack on me. Your family is under my protection, and that means whoever stole from you just declared war on the Requiem, not just the Moretti.”

Camellia watched them closely. This meeting was fastly escalating. She could see the way everyone on the table stiffened, how they all clenched their fist, how they all pressed their lips into a thin line, except her brother. She knew the men of her family, they hated being controlled, being told what to do and most importantly, they hated the fact that the fate of the Moretti now depended on Alejandro, a man younger than all of them. 

Luca sighed, probably herealized that he was powerless. 

“What’s your move?”

Alejandro’s eyes flickered back to Enzo.  

“I want the name of any fucker that has been around our operations in the past three months. Find out everything— loose ends, anyone that benefits from the Moretti’s weakness.”

Enzo nodded. “Yes, Capo. I have already identified someone...”

Alejandro raised a brow. “Go on.”

Enzo’s eyes flickered toward Luca and Lorenzo. 

“Salvatore’s has been getting too bold lately.”

Lorenzo scoffed. “Salvatore? That pig doesn’t have any balls. He still hides behind his mother's skirt. ” he chuckled. 

Enzo's face was straight, unamused.

 “Definitely not on his own. If he’s attacking, someone bigger is backing him.”

Who's big enough to back him up against the Requiem? Camellia thought. 

Alejandro ordered. “Find out who.”

Camellia felt a huge weight on her shoulders. If Salvatore was really involved in this, then it was all about power. Someone was backing him up. Someone wanted the Moretti's territory. That thought sent goosebumps to her skin. 

Alejandro stood immediately, the sound of his chair dragging against the floor echoed round. His gaze flickered over to Luca.

 “And you, old man. You better ensure your house is in order. I don’t have the patience for weakness.”

Camellia saw her father's eyes darken, but he remained mute.

Lorenzo snapped again.”You might control our fates now, Ricci...but don't cross... "

Alejandro smirked, walking toward him slowly. 

" I do not want to control your fates, Moretti. I just don't want to listen to your stupid ideas, because stupid ideas cost me losses and losses equals money. You already lost the power in your name so keep mute while I build it up for you." 

Lorenzo’s hands curled into fists,but he said nothing.

“We’re done here.” Alejandro said, then walked out briskly without uttering another word, Enzo following close behind.

Camellia sat still, watching. Lorenzo and her cousins stormed off. She was left alone with her father. 

“Camellia,” He called out.

She closed her eyes briefly, then opened it answering, "Yes, Father? 

" Do you know why I am marrying you off to The Requiem? ”

"To save your sorry ass." She blurted out. 

"No. If the whole world was to be set ablaze, the Requiem would come out without a single burn mark. They have been on top for centuries and they'll continue to be." His eyes were on her. 

He continued, " Everyone in the Requiem is a wolf and you are the Requiem's Bride."  

With that he stood up, exiting the room.

Alejandro was the kind of dangerous that even the dangerous feared. 

And there she was refuting his orders, challenging him. 

And not once did he ever lose his shit on her. 

Camellia sat on her chair, thinking  

Why was he different with her?