Arabella’s POV.
I walked to my room in the harem feeling a twinge of guilt. I couldn’t go back to his room and lie on his bed acting like I hadn’t betrayed him because that was what I had done.
I had betrayed him. But he wasn’t worth my loyalty anyways. An image of him treating my injuries popped into my head. The way he had bandaged my feet so softly. His slight smile when I had reminded him of the doctor’s visit. His kiss that had seared its way into my soul.
I had to balance myself on the wall of the corridor, suddenly weak in the knees because of the onslaught of emotions I felt instantly. I forced myself to enter my room. It felt so confined and empty now without him in it.
I felt utterly disgusted with myself. Had I really fallen for him despite all the wicked things he had done to me because of the scraps of kindness he threw my way?
I was so stupid and my heart was even more stupid. I couldn’t place when exactly it was that this thing, this feeling had started up.
Was it when he had pulled that man off me before I’d known who he truly was? Or was it when he’d caught a knife for me? Or was it the time I was suicidal and he’d ordered me to not kill myself? Or was it at the shed where it felt like I was giving myself to him body, mind and soul?
Did I… love him? I felt slightly nauseous at the thought. I was sick, very sick if I could love someone like that. Someone who would never give a damn about me or my happiness. I doubted he even had the capacity to feel love.
Alpha Luciano was only capable of giving me toe-curling sex. Nothing more. I could have been a stranger for all he cared. When he touched me, I was just like any other woman to him and I knew it. He attached no emotions to everything we had together. And yet I had stupidly, stupidly fallen for him.
I stood up and went to the communal baths with a change of clothes. I couldn’t stand inhaling his scent for a minute more. So lost in thought, I didn’t register if I saw anyone on my way there or not.
When I got into the baths, I looked at myself in the floor-length mirror. I loved the look of his clothes on me. It was much larger than me and yet it felt so comforting.
Arabella, get a hang of yourself. I tried to caution myself. He might be nice now but you know how wicked he can be.
Oh, but how could I forget?
I remembered how he sexually humiliated me in front of those people at the meeting place. How he’d forcefully taken my virginity. How he had mindfucked me when he allowed me to escape just so he could trap me again, how he’d threatened Margaret’s life to ensure my obedience. How he nearly killed me when he thought I had betrayed him.
If he found out about what Natasha had done and my involvement in the plan then he would definitely kill me for sure. A sudden fear gripped me and I found myself dry heaving. How could someone who scared me so much also hold my heart?
When I returned from the baths, Alpha Luciano was sitting on my bed and suddenly I felt uneasy.
“Arabella darling. We have a lot to discuss about.”
In this hand, he held a distinctly familiar small black object. The bug.
Fuck.
********
Alpha Luciano’s POV
I was at my office again trying and failing not to be consumed by rage. I would break her. When I was done with her she would sing like a bird.
Once she had seen the bug, her features had cleared and she just stared at me unrepentant.
I crossed the distance between us in a few feet and yanked back her wet hair roughly making her look up at me. She didn’t even wince.
No one would know that this was the same woman who had come apart around me mere hours away. That had begged me to stay
“Where are my drugs? Did you plan this with Natasha?”
She remained quiet, staring at me defiantly
“I asked you a Question Bianchi. Do you know how much money you made me lose?”
Arabella’s shoulders shook and the mad woman began to laugh. “Money, just money, Luciano? You have made me lose my pride, my sense of dignity, and my peace of mind and you are complaining about money. Your drugs are gone. Two women you underestimated fucked with you and you can’t do anything about it.”
I let her go before I did something I regretted, like hit her. That would be too easy on her and it would show that she had gotten to me.
“We shall see about that. Guards, take her to the dungeons.”
Arabella didn’t look too bothered at the concept of going back to the dungeon. She had spent too much time there to be scared of going there. After all, she was just returning to the dungeon after being held because of the Alec issue. I would change that if it was the last thing that I did.
“Mikah. I want you to get me one of Natasha’s runners. We need to find out where she is. Put out feelers in the underground. Anyone who gives me information on her will be generously compensated. I want her caught yesterday.”
“Yes, Alpha.”
As Mikah left, Uncle Tommaso entered the office, his steps hurried.
“Uncle Tommaso, I assure you I am not in the mood for any of your complaints.” He didn’t know about the drug deal and I was going to keep it that way. If I told him, he would ask me to kill Arabella and I still needed her to tell me where my drugs and Natasha were.
“You had better make time then because the Creoles have declared war on us. They took one look at your whipped bride and her dead cousin and have decided on war. I warned you not to take drastic steps but would you listen to me? No. Do you know how many wolves will die in this war because of your arrogance?”
The Creoles weren’t scary on their own, according to the intelligence report from Mikah. The only problem was the fact that the Expositos could lend them manpower and money to wage war.
“It wasn’t due to my arrogance but their greed. We were always at war with them but at least now they aren’t hiding behind cloaks and daggers but are taking us head-on.”
“They wanted to take my pack lands from me and steal my business. It was I who declared war on them, not the other way. Our fighters are strong. We will crush them and make them an example to all others eyeing our wealth.”
“Luciano, there is a time for war and a time to make peace. They have said that if you give them the Bianchi girl and consider taking Anastasia back, they will not stand against us but with us. Maybe this time you should make peace. You can’t fight enemies on all fronts, Luciano. Just give them the wench and be done with it. You can tell them you will consider the Anastasia offer…”
“They will receive nothing from me. This is not the time for peace but for war and I am ready to wage it.” I stood up from the chair towering over my uncle.
When had he grown so feeble and weak? Old age was already getting to him that was why he spoke of peace.
Even if I didn’t need Arabella for the information on the drugs, I still wouldn’t have given her to them. Who did they think they were?
They thought they could make demands of me when they should have come to beg for my mercy and leniency. No matter. I would show them their mistakes.
“Now if you will excuse me, I have some business to attend to.”
It was time for me and Arabella to have a little chat.
********
When I entered the dungeon, I couldn’t fight off the feeling of deja vu that arose at the sight of her there. It reminded me of when I had taken her on the way to her wedding and decided to kill her to avoid an issue with Uncle Tommaso. It seemed like a century ago since that had happened.
The only difference was that this time I couldn’t scent the fear on her, and the defiance in her eyes was as fierce as ever.
I opened the cell door. She was strapped to an interrogation chair, unlike the last time when she had sat on the bare floor waiting for me.
“Arabella, have you had a change of heart about answering my questions?”
Her face remained impassive. I crouched so I was at her eye level.
“Last chance, Bianchi.”
She remained silent.
I smiled. Then I straightened and walked to the table where all my equipment was laid out. Which one to use…
I picked up the taser. Best to start out easy. I didn’t want to break her too soon.
“I was hoping you would remain obstinate.” I turned on the faucet and half-filled the bowl with water.
“When I’m done with you, you will beg for death but it won’t come. You will tell me all I want and then more.”
I dropped the bowl of water on the floor and placed her injured shackled feet inside.
Hours ago, I had tenderly wrapped her feet but now, I would rip her apart with pain and let her feel the full force of my fury
.
“Don’t forget to scream loudly.” I turned on the taser. Watched her eyes widen imperceptibly. Then inserted the taser into the water.
She screamed rather beautifully. How disappointing. I was just getting started.