Dante’s POV
I was in my office alone. I had tried to call Erica but none of my calls were going through.
I believe that she had blocked me.
It enraged me and I slammed my fist on the table. I was about to push something off but I was silent.
She was angry and she had every right to be. I knew that she loved me and I used it as leverage to lie to her, knowing that she would come.
I sighed.
I had used her and though we had intense sex, I didn’t cover the fact that I had lied to get her there.
I stood up and paced around the room. Could she really blame me? I was crazy for her. Ever since I found out that she was the one representing her dad because of the gem, j hadn’t been myself.
It felt like something inside of me had changed. I had lost all interest in Laura and all I wanted was her.
Erica invaded my every thought. I was scared that I was going mad.
The more I thought about her, the more my hate for Lorenzo grew. I couldn’t sleep at night knowing that he was sleeping next to her and that he had kissed her and was fucking her.
The last thought broke me and I threw a glass ornament across the room.
My wolf was agitated. I couldn’t bear the thought of her moaning to another man. Fiancee or not, she was mine. The Goddess had willed it and no one else could have her. She was all mine.
Laura and I were a thing of the past. She kept pestering me along with Pearl but I ignored them.
The council had come to see me earlier but I ordered my guards not to let them in. I was in no mood. It was obvious that Laura had gone crying to her father again and I didn’t give two fucks about it.
I was beginning to think that she was dumb. What part of ‘it’s over between us’ didn’t she understand?
I sighed and sat back down.
Despite my craving for Erica, there were much more important things to think about.
The gem.
I had stalled giving it to Erica, hoping that I could get her to be mine again but it was clearly not working.
I had stalled enough and it was now dangerous. Since the head incident, I knew that Hazan was knocking at my door. He was more than ready to invade but something else was buying me time and keeping him at bay.
And the scary part was that I had no idea what it was.
I sighed and walked to the painting of my father in the office.
I looked at it longingly for a while and then looked around cautiously.
I was certain that I was being watched so I pulled the blinds down and locked the windows and doors.
After I was certain that I was alone, I looked at the painting again.
I couldn’t let what he built crumble in my hands.
“It is time, father.”
I shifted the painting away and behind it was… a wall.
I grazed it and found the secret lever. I pushed it and a slit opened with a narrow opening, just large enough to slide my hand in.
I placed my hand in and a dark blue light scanned my palm.
It beeped and the slit opened more, leading to a narrow and shallow hole.
I pushed my hand in deeper and then, I felt it.
I wrapped my hands around it and pulled it out.
I stared at the key in my hands and sighed. This was the key to where the gem was hidden. The slit was only accessible to members of my family. Any other person that tried would get their hand cut off but the hidden trap mechanism inside the slit.
I glanced at the key again. I had to get the gem and have it ready before Hazan made his move. I barely had enough time.
I left my office and went to the study. I was cautious, looking around for anything suspicious and sniffing the air. I couldn’t afford to be followed or spied on
As soon as I got to the door, I paused. I looked left and right before heading in and closing the door behind me.
I was alone and walked towards the rear wall. It was just like the rest but I was able to find the slot in the wall for the key. It took a keen eye to find it.
I slotted it in and…
“Alpha!”
I jumped in fright and turned around.
Robert came in and I slid the key into my pocket stealthily.
I faced him, my face was furious and I could feel him rethinking his decision.
“I am sorry. I didn’t know that you were in here.”
“What do you want, Robert?”
He said nothing and straightened himself.
“The head of the council is banging at the door again.”
I sighed and walked away from him.
“No one should let him inside.”
“I already gave the warning to the guards but he is shouting threats…”
“Empty threats. He can’t force me to marry Laura!”
The words exploded from my mouth but he didn’t flinch.
“Agreed. He can’t. But he seems to be making this a serious issue.”
“There are more serious things to worry about. You and I both know that, Robert.”
I turned away from him and sat at the desk in the study.
“So when are we going to make our move? The gem, when are going to use it?”
I sighed.
“We can’t. Not without Erica.”
“And I believe that you have ended the stalling as it is. You can see that she is not very receptive to your advances.”
I looked at him in shock. How did he know?
“How did you know that…”
“It’s quite obvious, Dante. I’m not blind.”
I fell silent. Robert was starting to be suspicious. Did he also know where the gem was? How did he even track me all the way here?
“How did you find me?”
I leaned in and stared intensely at him.
“I was certain that I wasn’t followed.”
“You should change your perfume, then. Amore La Vida is a very strong scent and it makes it easy for me to find you.”
I was dumbfounded. He knew my perfume?!
I said nothing and relaxed in my chair. I made a mental note to keep an eye on him.
“We will move soon. We just need…”
I felt a pain in my chest and I began to cough violently.
One of my hands clutched my chest in pain and the other gripped the table as I tried to keep myself from falling.
“Dante?! Are you alright?!”
Robert was beside me, trying to assess the situation.
My wolf was agitated and scared. I felt the bond I had with Erica sever.
I gasped. Something was wrong with her.