Changed

Luciano’s POV
I was going over my pack’s security detail with Cross yet for some reason, all I could think about was Arabella. Last night felt different. Different from any other thing we had done together. I wanted to get it off my mind but the more I tried to dismiss it, the more firmly entrenched it became.
“Alpha, what about the borders?”
Cross’s voice brought me back to reality. I had drifted off mid-speech. Perfect. As though I was still a hormonal teenager who’d just discovered sex for the first time only this was way different from that. Save from the fact that I was no longer a teenager, it wasn’t just the sex because when I woke up this morning and saw, and held her in my arms, I had felt something strange that I still couldn’t quantify.
“The Creoles will want to start off skirmishes with us here, here and here.” I pointed to the locations on the map I held. “We do not know their plans so try to capture at least one of their commanding attacking officers, maybe he’ll be able to shed light on the situation.”
Cross bowed. “Yes, Alpha.”
I waved my hand indicating he could excuse himself.
After the door closed behind him, Mikah spoke.
“The Creoles are receiving a big shipment of drugs within the next two days. It is as you thought, they are planning to cut into your market.”
I felt the last Arabella cobweb clear from my mind as a familiar rage came over me. “I will have to show them their place. Find out the exact day, time, and location. I want everything on my desk as soon as possible. Notify both Bishop and Cross to mobilise the men. We are going to raid them and I will personally oversee the operation.”
Some time away from Arabella would be good to clear my mind and finally understand exactly where my head was at.
“Yes, Alpha.”
I recalled something. “Has Natasha contacted you?”
Mikah looked at me and although his face was stoic, I detected a faint trace of surprise in his eyes.
“Yes, Alpha.”
“Have you started working on it for her? I want her out of my country before I change my mind about sparing her life.”
“Yes, Alpha. The paperwork will be accelerated and she should be able to leave within the week.”
I perused Mikah. “I heard you are engaged.”
Mikah froze.
I laughed heartily. “Congratulations, women are the strangest beasts but if you wish to be shackled to one, I will celebrate you.”
“Thank you, Alpha.” Mikah almost blushed.
“Once this business with the Creoles is done, I want you out of my hair for at least a month. Go and mate with your woman, travel, I don’t know. Just go off and unwind. I will miss your candid opinion at that time but it needs to be done and make sure to return as soon as you can.”
Mikah looked at me in disbelief. How insulting. Was I just a slave driver who didn’t give a damn about my workers? Just because they rarely took breaks and vacations, I had turned into a tyrant.
“I am exceedingly grateful, l Alpha. Please accept my humble thanks.” Mikah bowed even lower than he usually did.
“It’s alright.” I said almost awkwardly. I almost never had personal conversations with my people. I wasn’t entirely sure I wanted to continue if it felt so uncomfortable.
Micah turned to leave only to pause midstep and look back at me. “You have changed a lot, Alpha.”
“Changed?”
“You seem… less burdened. It’s a good look on you, Alpha. If you could pardon my saying so.”
Then he was out of the room. Was I really changed? I didn’t feel less burdened either, I felt a myriad of things that I could not explain. Unburdened was not even on the list.
Arabella’s POV
“Lower… yes, right there. I need pressure right there… oh goddess.” I moaned as the pleasure seemed too much for one body to carry.
Let me rewind a little. My day started late because of my extremely pleasurable late night. Margaret didn’t say anything but I saw her note the change in bed sheets and of course my enormous hockey that was fading quickly. It would be gone by evening along with the other bruises leaving me to wonder if the night had ever occurred or if I had dreamed it.
I showered, ate and did my workout feeling extremely sore. As evening approached, I caught myself stealing glances at the door like he would walk in any minute now. I found myself wondering how I had stayed close for two months without touching him and now I couldn’t even wait for twenty-four hours.
It was almost 5 pm when I decided that if Mohammed couldn’t go to the mountain, the mountain would go to Mohammed.
“I’ll be having my dinner in Luciano’s room.” I informed Margaret before I went to take another shower and dabbed on some perfume and pulled on a loose gown that hit me an inch or two below mid-thigh.
Then I went to Luciano’s room. He wasn’t in so I made myself at home.
The sound of the door woke me up from my light sleep. Luciano looked surprised to see me on his bed. Understandably so. This was the first time I was doing something like this. All of a sudden I became nervous about what I wanted to tell him.
“Arabella, what are you doing here?”
I want you to fuck me again.
“Uh, I can’t…. I mean I, my feet hurt.”
“Your feet hurt?” Luciano sounded quizzical. And I could understand. I didn’t even know what u were doing. When I left my room, I had an idea in my head but the moment he said one word, it was gone.
“Yes, I was hoping you would be able to help me out with a massage.” Thank the Goddess for that burst of inspiration.
Luciano wrinkled his brow. “What about Margaret?”
“She… she had an upset stomach. Something she ate didn’t agree with her so she had to leave early.” I moved to come down for hid bed.”If it’s too much, I can do it myself.”
I gave an exaggerated wince as my feet touched the ground.
“Don’t move. I’ll do it.”
Luciano turned out to be an expert masseuse. His shirt’s sleeves were rolled up and his hands worked on my feet, his strong hands massaged me so thoroughly that I found myself moaning in pleasure.
Luciano looked up from my feet to look at me, a small smile playing on his lips.
“You are really good at that. In case this Alpha gig doesn’t turn out well, you could always become a masseuse.”
“Nice to know that I have numerous career options.” Luciano joked and I smiled. We might not be fucking, at least not yet but this was also nice. Really nice.
Naturally, I had to spoil it with my big mouth. “You are so enigmatic. I feel like there is always more to discover about you. Like your scars. You still haven’t told me how you got them.”
Luciano’s hands stilled and I paused as well. He looked at me, his eyes sparking with old rage and pain. “You want to know bad about my scars? I got them when your father’s men cut me to ribbons to ensure my mother’s surrender before they took her. Before dying.”
There was a lump in my throat that I couldn’t swallow. “I’m sorry Luciano… I can’t… I didn’t know. With my father between us, we won’t ever get anywhere, will we?” Tears were already forming in my eyes.
Luciano sighed and released my leg. “I don’t know, Arabella. I don’t know.”
Emery’s POV
I had never felt more humiliated in my life. The way Luciano had pushed me aside to go after Arabella didn’t bode well for my future. I wondered whether it was because she was pregnant for him that he’d behaved in that manner. Maybe if I had also taken in for him, my story would have been a different one. And I would have been the one favoured over Arabella.
I was never one to admit defeat so the next day I geared up and went over to Luciano’s room. Only to see Luciano massaging Arabella’s feet. My jaw dropped.
I was in trouble. If she was just pregnant and she had him wrapped around her finger like this, then after she gave birth, Luciano might actually completely disband the harem. What would I do then? I would have to return home, having achieved exactly nothing.
No, I couldn’t let that happen. There was only one way now. I picked up my cell phone and called. The phone rang for some time before finally it was picked up.
“Emery?”
“Mother. I need you can help procure some drugs.”
Mom paused. “More fertility pills?”
“No. I need an abortifacient.”
Arabella needed to lose that pregnancy.