Chapter 5 Five
Luca’s POV
I watched as the old cathedral doors slammed shut behind her. The tension in the room finally broke at her absence. Elara’s words were still playing in my mind, like a taunt that wouldn’t leave me.
Control. Cooperation. Respect.
That woman. The same woman I had rejected. No…destroyed. She just walked into a council meeting like she owned the place. And the worst part? She actually did.
"That was… unexpected," One of the mafia leaders murmured.
"To say the least," Another one chimed in. "What the hell is an omega doing at a council meeting? This isn’t her place."
I clenched my fists, trying to contain the swirling emotions inside me. Omega? No, Elara wasn’t that weak omega anymore. She was cold, ruthless, and nothing like the girl I’d once known. The girl I had thrown away like she was nothing.
Damn it.
I barely listened as the other mafia leaders argued, Elara Winters, the leader of the rogue syndicate. How had I let this happen? I should have killed her the moment I realized she was my mate, instead of rejecting her. If I had done that, maybe none of this would have spiraled out of control.
"Blackstone?" The Warren family leader's voice cut through the fog in my mind, bringing me back to the present.
"What do you think about all this?"
I gritted my teeth, forcing my expression to remain neutral.
"We proceed with the discussion. Elara isn’t the focus here. We have bigger threats to deal with."
Even as the words left my mouth, I knew it was all a lie. The biggest threat to me was her.
Night came sooner than I’d like. I slammed my fist into the heavy bag, taking my anger out on it.
Elara.
I couldn’t forget the look in her eyes. Cold, distant and incredibly powerful.
She had walked into that council meeting like she owned the place, like she owned me. And damn it, I couldn’t stop replaying the moment our eyes met. The way she had looked at me with that icy indifference, like I was nothing to her. Just another obstacle in her path.
"Fuck," I slammed my fists into the bag again.
It had been years since I’d thought about her. After I rejected her, I made sure to push all thoughts of Elara Winters out of my head. I saw her as nothing but a weak, spineless omega and that should have been all there was to it.
The truth gnawed at me like a relentless ache I couldn’t shake off. She wasn’t weak. She never had been. I had been a fool, too consumed by my own arrogance to see her true strength. Now, she was a queen, leading the most dangerous rogue syndicate in Nightshade City.
A syndicate that was slowly encroaching on my territories, threatening to destroy everything I had built.
It had been two years since I rejected her. Tonight however, it felt as if no time had passed at all. The mate bond, the one I thought I had severed, was still there much to my surprise.
I shook my head. I couldn’t let this distract me. Elara was an enemy now. She had made that clear the moment she stood in front of me at the council.
But what if I was wrong?
No. I couldn’t afford to think that way. Elara was no longer mine. She had made that decision for herself, and I had to accept it.
So why did the thought of losing her again feel like a knife twisting in my gut?
_
The night was still and quiet as I stepped out of the gym. My mind was clearer now but the questions still lingered in my mind.
Why did it bother me so much to see her again? Why couldn’t I just let it go?
My phone buzzed in my pocket, breaking the silence. I pulled it out, taking a glance at the screen. It was a message from one of my lieutenants, Caspian.
Message from Caspian: We’ve got a problem. The Syndicate’s making a move on one of our warehouses in the east sector. We need backup.
I could feel my anger rising with each passing second. Of course. Elara’s syndicate wasn’t going to wait for me to get my shit together. She was already making moves, already testing my limits.
I shoved the phone back in my pocket, my blood boiling as I headed for the car. If Elara wanted a war, I’d give her one.
Even as I drove through the empty streets of Nightshade City, I could feel something twisting in the pit of my stomach. This wasn’t just about territory. It wasn’t just about power.
It was about her.
The realization hit me like a punch to the gut. I couldn’t help the wince that came to my face at that moment.
I still wanted her.
“I’m so screwed.”
_
The warehouse was a mess by the time I arrived. I strode toward the chaos, my eyes scanning the scene for any sign of her. I didn’t know what to expect. Elara didn’t fight her battles directly anymore, not like she used to when she was still trying to prove herself.
I couldn’t shake the feeling that she was here. She was somewhere, watching everything play out.
"Luca!" Caspian jogged up to me, his face tense.
"We’re holding them off, but they came prepared. It seems they’re after something specific."
I glanced at the burning remains of the warehouse, my mind racing with different thoughts.
"And what is that?"
"Not sure yet,” Caspian shook his head. “But this isn’t a random attack."
Of course it wasn’t. Elara was too smart for that. If her syndicate had targeted this warehouse, there must be a reason.
I scanned the battlefield again, my heart pounding in my chest. Where was she?
A flash of movement caught my eye. For a split second, I saw her. She was standing on the rooftop of a nearby building, watching the chaos unfold below. I felt my heart skip a beat.
Before I could even think, I started toward her, my pulse racing. But by the time I reached the rooftop, she was gone.
I was left standing there, alone with my thoughts.
Elara.
I didn’t know what exactly she was planning or what it was she wanted but one thing was for sure.
I wanted her back, and I would fight tooth and nail if it means I get her back.