Chapter 145 Don't Disappoint Me Mira
Fernando leaned back in his chair and waved a hand at Darius. “That’s enough for now. Go. Find a way to make Mira work with us again. I don’t care how you do it, just do it.”
Darius stood slowly, jaw tight. “I’ll handle it.”
Fernando didn’t reply. He simply watched Darius leave the room, then turned to the two guards stationed near the door.
“Where’s Alberto?” he asked.
One guard stepped forward. “He went with Lucia, Alpha. Probably the training ground. They were heading there after the meeting.”
Fernando nodded once. “Thank you.”
He pushed up from the chair and walked out, stride purposeful.
The training ground came into view a few minutes later. Alberto and Lucia stood in the center of the dirt circle, each holding the end of a thick rope. They were pulling in opposite directions, muscles straining, feet braced in the dirt, testing raw strength.
Alberto grunted, heels digging in. “You’re cheating. You’re using your gamma legs.”
Lucia laughed through gritted teeth. “Excuses. Pull harder, Luna-boy.”
Fernando stopped at the edge of the circle, watching them for a moment. A slow smile spread across his face. He clapped his hands twice, loud enough to make both of them turn.
Lucia let go of the rope first. Alberto stumbled forward a step, catching himself.
Fernando kept clapping slowly. “I’ve come to claim my man.”
Lucia rolled her eyes dramatically. “Can’t you let Alberto out of your sight for even a moment? He’s been with me for less than an hour.”
Fernando’s smile widened. “Alberto is my life. How am I supposed to let him out of my sight?”
He crossed the circle in three long strides, wrapped both arms around Alberto, and pulled him close. Then he started kissing Alberto’s face, forehead, cheeks, nose, chin, quick, loud, playful pecks.
Alberto laughed, squirming but not really trying to escape. “Fernando stop people are watching—”
“Let them watch,” Fernando murmured between kisses. “My mate. My Luna. All mine.”
Alberto’s cheeks flushed dark. He pushed gently at Fernando’s chest, still laughing. “You’re embarrassing me. Stop it.”
Fernando kissed the tip of Alberto’s nose one last time, then pulled back just enough to look at him. “Never.”
Lucia made an exaggerated gagging sound. “Ugh. You two are disgusting.”
She rolled her eyes again, turned on her heel, and walked off, muttering loud enough for them to hear. “I’m leaving before I throw up.”
Fernando chuckled, watching her go. “She’s not really angry.”
Alberto shook his head, still smiling. “She’s pretending. She’s happy for us.”
Fernando brushed a thumb over Alberto’s cheek. “Good.”
Alberto’s smile softened. “You finished talking with Master Rowan?”
Fernando’s expression shifted something guarded, flickering behind his eyes. “For now.”
Alberto tilted his head. “What did he want? Why did he come to the pack?”
Fernando hesitated, then shook his head. “I’ll tell you once the storm is over. Not yet.”
Alberto frowned. “You’re keeping something from me again.”
Fernando cupped Alberto’s face with both hands. “I’m not hiding anything to hurt you. I’m protecting you. Trust me. From this moment onward, just place your trust in me.”
Alberto searched his eyes for several seconds. Finally he nodded once. “I trust you.”
Fernando’s thumbs stroked gently along Alberto’s cheekbones. “Thank you.”
He leaned in and kissed Alberto slow at first, almost careful. Then deeper, hungrier, tongue sliding against Alberto’s, one hand sliding to the back of Alberto’s neck to hold him in place.
Alberto moaned softly into the kiss, fingers curling into Fernando’s shirt.
Fernando backed him up a few steps until Alberto’s back met a wooden post. He pressed in close, hips grinding slowly, deliberately.
Alberto gasped, breaking the kiss. “Fernando, we can't make out here. We're outside and people walk by or even come to train.”
Fernando kissed along his jaw, voice rough. “Why not?”
Alberto’s laugh was breathless. “Because… we’re in the open. Someone could see us.”
Fernando nipped his earlobe. “I can seal the place. One word and no one gets within twenty paces. No one sees. No one hears.”
Alberto shivered. “Still—”
Fernando pulled back just enough to meet his eyes. “I need my man. Right now. Been too long since I had you like this outside, where anyone could walk by and hear you moaning my name.”
Alberto’s cheeks burned hotter. “You’re impossible.”
Fernando grinned, wicked and hungry. “And you love it.”
He kissed Alberto again, harder this time, hands sliding down to grip his hips, pulling their bodies flush.
Alberto melted into it, hands sliding up Fernando’s chest, around his neck, fingers threading into his hair.
Fernando broke the kiss only to speak against Alberto’s mouth. “Say yes. Let me seal the area. Let me fuck you right here. Let me remind you who you belong to.”
Alberto’s breath hitched. “Fernando…”
Fernando kissed him again deep, filthy, tongue stroking in slow, claiming drag.
Alberto whimpered, hips rocking forward instinctively.
Fernando pulled back just enough to whisper, “Say yes.”
Alberto stared at him, eyes dark, lips swollen.
“Yes,” he breathed.
Fernando’s grin turned feral.
He leaned in, kissed Alberto once more hard and possessive then stepped back.
One word left his lips, low and commanding.
“Seal.”
The air around them shimmered once, then settled. A faint, invisible barrier snapped into place.
No one would see.
No one would hear.
Fernando turned back to Alberto, eyes burning.
“Now,” he said, voice rough with want, “where were we?”
Darius walked briskly toward the infirmary, his boots echoing on the stone floor. He spotted Mira near the supply shelves, sorting vials with sharp, precise movements. She glanced up as he approached, her expression tightening immediately.
“Darius,” she said flatly. “What do you want?”
“A quick meeting,” he replied, voice low. “Five minutes. Private.”
Mira’s eyes narrowed. “I’m busy.”
Darius stepped closer, lowering his voice further. “It’s about Rowan and Alberto. You’ll want to hear this.”
Mira stared at him for several seconds, lips pressed into a thin line. Finally she sighed and jerked her head toward a small side room used for private consultations.
“Fine. Five minutes.”
They stepped inside. Mira shut the door and crossed her arms.
“Speak.”
Darius leaned against the wall, casual but deliberate. “We need your help. Half blood moon is in four days. That’s when the fallen alphas are remembered every wolf vulnerable, strength sapped by the ritual. Perfect moment to stage an abduction.”
Mira’s brow arched. “Abduction of whom?”
“Rowan,” Darius said. “We need him drugged, contained, out of the way. He’s here for Alberto. If we don’t act, he’ll take him before the coronation.”
Mira’s expression didn’t change, but her voice turned icy. “Why should I be involved? Rowan and I are not on speaking terms. Haven’t been for twenty-five years. You know that.”
Darius smiled thinly. “You wouldn’t want to do that.”
Mira’s eyes flashed. “Are you threatening me? Remind yourself the contract between us still stands. You break it, you lose everything.”
Darius laughed out loud, the sound sharp and mocking. “The contract. Right. It seems you’ve forgotten something important, Mira.”
He stepped closer, voice dropping to a near whisper.
“I know you have a daughter. Born with a rare impairment you yourself can’t cure. You’ve searched every healer, every archive, every forbidden text. And through your findings you discovered one thing that can save her an artifact that activates only through a true mate bond. The blood must resonate perfectly.”
Mira’s face went pale, but she didn’t move.
Darius continued, voice soft and relentless. “The artifact picked Fernando. That’s why you’ve endured. That’s why you stayed in this pack, tolerated everything, watched, waited. You poisoned Fernando with serpent breath under the disguise of prolonging his life just to force him and Alberto to the healer’s home. You hoped to make a pact there, to bind Fernando’s blood to the artifact and save your girl but that can only be activated once they make a heart imprint and also share divine consciousness which is until they bond formally under the full moon and that can only happen after the coronation.”
Mira’s breathing turned shallow. Her hands trembled at her sides.
Darius stepped even closer, close enough that she could feel his breath on her face.
“Our goals align, Mira. We both want certain things to happen. The path is different, that’s all. Don’t make this hard for either of us.”
He reached out and patted her shoulder gently, almost fatherly.
“I’ll be expecting your cooperation on half blood moon. You’ll drug Rowan. You’ll make sure he’s out of the picture long enough for us to handle the rest.”
Mira’s voice shook when she finally spoke. “You’re blackmailing me.”
Darius smiled again, slow and satisfied. “I’m reminding you where your priorities lie. Your daughter’s life. My cooperation. Simple.”
He turned and walked to the door. Paused with his hand on the handle.
“Don’t disappoint me, Mira.”
He left.
Mira stood frozen for several seconds.
Then her legs gave out.
She collapsed into the nearest chair, trembling, hands covering her face as silent tears slipped between her fingers.
The door clicked shut behind Darius.
The room was silent except for her ragged breathing.