Partners

Arabella’s POV
Things were bubbling at the pack house. It was in preparation for the engagement ceremony. The harem was solemn in contrast.
The common area was scanty unlike its usual interactive nature.
It felt unreal walking out from a dreary harem to the bubbling preparation for festivities.
I guess I could understand. They had come here with the hopes of someday becoming Luna and now… the ship had sailed. I wondered if Alpha Luciano even realized what he was doing by spurning the women in the harem to focus on a totally different woman entirely.
Their families would definitely kick back and I found myself anticipating what was going to go down.
As for the new bride, word of mouth had it that she was a wisp of a thing with no strong will or anything. If there was even an iota of truth in that rumour, Alpha Luciano would eat her alive.
I hadn’t met her in person though and I wasn’t planning to. Alpha Luciano’s life was his own business.
What I was interested in was meeting with that mystery lady. She had said the engagement. How on earth had she known that Alpha Luciano was going to get engaged? That was classified information that according to the grapevine even Alpha Luciano had not known about.
This meant that she was someone in the know, not a hapless harem lady. If she was so knowledgeable then I wanted to know what else she had to offer me. Maybe she would be an ally to me.
The only problem was I hadn’t gotten any messages from her since that day. Or was she waiting for the actual engagement day to contact me?
I was so deep in thought that I bumped into someone.
“Sorry.”
Trying to back away, I tripped and he caught me, his hands going around my waist.
I looked up at him, my hands on his arms for support.
He was handsome.
So handsome he could give Alpha Luciano a run for his money. He looked like the exact opposite of him as well. Where Alpha Luciano was all dark hair and smouldering blue eyes, he was blond with hazel eyes and a slightly leaner build.
He looked at me as though cataloguing all my features to memory before helping me stand properly and letting go of my waist and I let go of his arms.
“Are you alright?” He asked.
“Yeah. I’m great. Thanks for… um, the catch.”
“Sure. Anytime. It was an honour.” He gave an exaggerated bow and I almost laughed.
“That is a bit of an exaggeration but I’ll take it. Thank you once more.” I smiled and then moved to leave.
“Wait I–” His hand moved as though to stop me from leaving.
“Alec!”
A shrill voice cried out and I moved away just in time to avoid a whirlwind of satin and tulle.
“You came!”
“Yes, I…”
He… Alec looked at me over her head and shrugged helplessly.
Like he wanted to continue our conversation but was unable to control the situation.
I nodded acquiescence and left him with whoever that was. The conversation had been a welcome diversion from an unproductive day but that was all it was a diversion.
There were many strange faces in the pack house, most from neighbouring packs that had come to celebrate this occasion with the Lupo-Mortale pack. That was the reason I felt I would see that woman soon.
I decided to go back to my room in the harem after a while of walking around to catch some zees after that futile attempt of trying to see if the lady would make contact with me.
When I entered my room, someone was sitting on my chair. She swivelled it to look at me. Her dark hair was up in a ponytail and she wore a black pantsuit.
“Hello Arabella Bianchi.” Her voice. It was her.
“We met earlier. Allow me to introduce myself. I’m Natasha.”
********
Alpha Luciano’s POV
I was working in my office and trying to forget the fact that I was getting mated when the knock came. I perked up.
Could it be Mikah?
I had sent him out to gather as much information about Anastasia and her family as possible. I had to find a way out of this entrapment of an engagement.
Had he gotten the information so quickly?
“Enter.”
And my fiance walked in.
To say I was surprised would be an understatement of the century. All my women knew that to come to me without my summons was grounds for being punished.
However, I couldn’t do that to her because of Uncle Tommaso.
Fuck. I hated being placed in an uncomfortable situation.
“Luciano. Um hi. I wanted to talk to you and Uncle Tom told me I could find you here.”
Wow. Uncle Tom.
This situation was getting worse by the second.
Her blond hair fell in full loose waves and was pulled back by some weird arrangement of a braid. She wore a tulle and satin gown as though she was a character in some fairytale romance.
She was beautiful.
Goddess, save my soul.
“What do you want?” I asked curtly, eager to get rid of her and continue my work.
Ana moved to the chair opposite mine and sat down not taking the hint.
“Look, Luciano. I’ve noticed that you aren’t into this entire marriage talk. Truth is that neither am I.”
I stopped writing to look at her. Was she offering what I thought she was? Did she want to by any chance sabotage our engagement?
Ana sighed deeply before continuing. “My family, we used to be in the drug business before we lost almost everything. I know I might not look it but I was involved in everything although this was only after our descent had started. I know how it is to be independent in your own right and want to remain that way. Uncle Tom helped us out, paid our debts and saved my family. Maybe we should have suspected that one day he would collect but we were in the deep end.”
“When he asked me to marry you, I had no choice but to accept despite my reservations.” She raised her hazel eyes and met mine and I was surprised to see tears in them. “Luciano the only reason I’m telling you this is that I may be unable to say no but you can if this is not what you want. You are handsome and brave and strong. You don’t need to settle for me. I’ll understand it. I want my mating to be for real, not a sham.”
“And do you think I’ll be a good mate for you? Would you have chosen me of your free will?”
Ana blushed and this time it wasn’t as annoying as before.
“I…I don’t know. I just wanted to tell you that before the official engagement party. You must have a lot of work to do. I’ll excuse you.”
Ana stood up and walked towards the door.
She thought I was free to choose? How naive. Uncle Tommaso had me backed into a corner with this one. But it was a good thought. To have someone so uncomplicated and subservient as a partner. Ana wouldn’t question or annoy me like Arabella. She would just sit there and take it.
“Ana.”
She stopped. “Yes.”
I almost laughed but stopped myself with a smile as I spoke.
“I plan on mating with you. Maybe we can learn from each other.”
Once she left, I called Mikah as he was too far off for me to access the pack bond.
“Freeze the investigation on Anastasia. I already have what I need.”
Mikah paused then replied. “Of course, Alpha.”
*******
Arabella’s POV
“So let me get this straight. Bishop screwed you over to steal your job. Alpha Luciano who you’ve been loyal to all your life knew this but still took your job from you and gave it to Bishop.”
Natasha looked on impassively waiting for me to make my point.
“Why do you think this affects me? You knew what you were getting into by working with someone like Luciano. Why do you think this concerns me?”
Natasha quirked an eyebrow. “You were kidnapped, raped, shot at, manipulated and imprisoned. Do you really need me to tell you why you should partner with me?”
I rolled my eyes. When she put it like that…
“As you said I am imprisoned here. How can I help you when I can’t help myself?”
“You have money.” I froze. How did she know? Even my father had no idea my mother had left it as an inheritance for me.
“I make it my business to know a lot of things Bianchi. With your millions in an offshore account and my expertise and connection, we can build a drug enterprise to rival anything Luciano has ever made. Think of it. The shock on his face when he realises the two women he didn’t see as threats have fucked him over royally under his nose.”
I thought about it. It was risky to trust her but if there was a chance for me to get at Alpha Luciano. I would be a fool to not take it.
I held out my hand. “Partners?”
Natasha smiled. “Partners.” She placed her hand on mine.
I clasped her hand and yanked her forward roughly so we were eye to eye. “If you betray me, Natasha, Alpha Luciano will be the least of your problems.”
“Well, well. I think we might just get along, Bianchi.”