Nineteen

Luca held Elena tightly, feeling the tension in her body as she woke up. He sensed her sudden anger and upset, and with concern in his voice, he asked, "Elena, what's wrong? Are you okay?"

Elena pulled away from Luca's embrace, wrapping herself in a nearby blanket. Her eyes were filled with a mix of confusion and frustration.

"This is not supposed to happen! What have you done to me?” She shouted and moved away from him.

Luca got up stark naked and went closer to her.

"It is normal to be confused, especially when you don’t know who you are. Elena, you are no longer alone; I am here with you." He paused when he realized his tone was getting too soft because of her.

“I want to go home, Luca. I cannot stay here anymore. I am lonely; I have been used, and I cannot live under the same roof with a man who is about to get married,” she blurted.

She got up and walked away.

"You won’t be able to leave here without my permission,” Luca said.

Elena paused in her tracks.

"How did you know I was planning on escaping?” She asked him.

Luca looked at her.

"We are mated, and I can hear your thoughts as long as you have not been trained to control those thoughts,” he told her.

Elena was pissed, as if her day could get any worse.

     “What did I just say?” She thought of something to confirm if he was telling the truth.

Luca laughed.

“Freshen up and come for breakfast. It had been a while since you left the house; follow me to work, and then we will have lunch outside,” he told her and went upstairs.

Luca lay in his bedroom, thoughts swirling in his mind. The intensity of sex with Elena lingered, and he couldn't help but be captivated by the memory of their intimate encounter. He smiled, a mix of satisfaction and disbelief at the overwhelming pleasure they had shared. He could do it over and over again, and he would not get enough of her.

The realization struck him that the bond formed through their mating had not only triggered Elena's transformation but had also deepened the connection between them in ways he hadn't anticipated.

He heard a knock on his door, and four came in.

"The Edwardo’s are signing the deal tomorrow. The mayor refused to give us the contract." Four spoke as he came in but paused when he saw Luca grinning from ear to ear.

"Did you even hear what I said?” Four repeated.

Luca looked at him.

“Of course I did." His response was short.

Four knew there was something unusual.

"The boss wants you to handle this by yourself and send reports to him.”

Luca had already bathed and dressed in his usual suit, which gave him a professional look.

     “Are you okay?” Four asked him.

“I should be asking you... You have decided to remain with me and maybe live inside my bed room too, Four,” he replied.

Four sat down.

"I do not know what is making you happy, especially when you sent the girl I arranged for you home,” Four said.

Luca had to tell Four that he was the only person he could confine.

"I had sex with Elena last night. It was amazing, and things led to things, and she had her first transformation. I do not know why her scent was masked, but we will have to find out other things before my father knows about her,” he said.

Four was not that surprised; he had low-key wished nothing had happened between them, the mate bond was fake, and Elena was not human because he was beginning to get attracted to her, and because of that, he stayed away from her.

Now was even worse because he could not touch a mated wolf, and it was against pack rules.

"Yes, Julie from entertainment said you should check your mail. Antonio has been given another role." Four briefed him on everything he was supposed to do today and left.

As soon as Four left, Luca opened the connecting door and met Elena. She was still undressed.

"Did I not tell you we were going out?” He asked her.

Elena turned her face.

“I am talking to you,” he said to her.

She was sitting on the bed with just her bathrobe. She wanted to leave, and Luca was not letting her do what she wanted. Not even less than a week, and she was living with strangers she had not known even a week before, finding out secrets about herself she was not aware of, and worst of all, allowing her enemy to take her virginity.

Luca was not going to take no for an answer; she was going to come along with him, whether she liked it or not.

He opened her wardrobe and took out a black dress; it looked very classy and fitted the occasion.

"Wear this now." He dropped it on the bed.

“Are you going to stand by her as I dress?” She asked him.

Luca sat down.

"No, I am going to sit because when I gave you your privacy, you did not appreciate it,” he responded.

Elena backed away and dropped her bathrobe on the floor. Luca watched as she dressed herself and helped her zip her dress when he saw her struggling.

Luca escorted her to the car, his hand on the small of her back, a gesture that conveyed both protection and a hint of possessiveness.

They drove through the city, and the tension in the air was palpable. Luca's mind was consumed with the impending meetings he had to attend, and he glanced at Elena, who sat quietly beside him, her thoughts her own.

He just wanted her to be beside him, to be where he could monitor her for now. His father had a spy at home, and he was not going to risk Elena’s life.

The city lights of New York glittered like distant stars as Luca and Elena parked their sleek black sedan near City Hall. The night was thick with tension as Luca, the heir to the Avante mafia, prepared to confront the mayor's decision that threatened to undermine his family's power.

"Stay in the car, Elena," Luca said, his voice low and intense. He leaned over, placing a gentle kiss on her forehead before locking eyes with her. "I'll handle this. It won't take long."

Elena nodded, concern etched on her face. She watched as Luca straightened his suit, concealing the hidden strength of the werewolf beneath the tailored fabric. With a purposeful stride, he entered City Hall, leaving Elena alone in the shadows.

Inside, Luca navigated the grandiose halls, his steps echoing in the silence of the night. His father, Victor Avante, had entrusted him with securing the contract that would cement their family's influence in the city. As Luca approached the mayor's office, he could feel the weight of responsibility pressing down on him.

The door swung open, revealing the mayor behind his desk with a smug smile on his face. Luca wasted no time in getting to the point.

"Mayor Grimaldi," Luca said, his voice a low growl. "I understand you're considering awarding the contract to the Ewardos. That's a mistake you don't want to make."

The mayor chuckled, leaning back in his chair. "Avantes have had their share, Luca. It's time for a change. Ewardos can offer something fresh, something more lucrative for the city."

Luca's eyes darkened, and the werewolf within him stirred with dangerous energy. He slammed his hand on the mayor's desk, leaning in close. "You wouldn't want to upset the balance, Mayor. Avantes have been good for this city. Don't make me show you just how good."

The mayor's expression faltered, fear flashing in his eyes. Before he could respond, the door burst open, and security personnel flooded the room. Luca's instincts kicked in, and in a blur of motion, he drew a concealed weapon and engaged in a fierce gunfight.

Bullets echoed through the grand halls of City Hall as Luca skillfully dodged and returned fire. The mayor cowered behind his desk, realizing the gravity of the situation. Luca's eyes glowed with an otherworldly intensity as the werewolf within him embraced the chaos.

Amidst the mayhem, Luca's words reverberated through the air. "This city belongs to the Avantes, Mayor. You'd be wise not to forget that."

The gunfight reached a crescendo, the echoes of the conflict fading as Luca emerged unscathed. With a final, penetrating gaze at the shaken mayor, Luca turned on his heel and left the office, the weight of his actions settling on his shoulders.