Chapter 42 - Mia


    Things have been suspiciously quiet in our pack; no attacks, no demands, no threats or anything of the


    sort since Nikos killed Mikhail. He has been working tirelessly to get the entire city under SilverCrest


    control and with a few packs refusing to submit to their new Alpha, he’s had to make examples of them


    with exile.


    Yet even after he did that, there’s been no pushback. I know that I am sounding like a worrywart, but


    seeing as even the Elders were against Nikos, you never know what might happen.


    That, and it’s a week before my due date.


    I moved into Nikos’ room when we got back from Bastien and we’ve been sleeping in the same bed


    ever since. Things don’t even feel out of ce, it’s like I was always meant to be here next to him.


    I’ve taken to walking through the back gardens on my own, a hand on my belly and a smile on my face.


    Autumn will be here soon, so I’m enjoying thest bit of greenery before the garden is no longer green


    and full of life.


    Niko insisted on guards so they were not far behind me, but they’vee to be my shadow.


    It’s on one of these daily strolls that I notice a lone figure sitting on one of the stone benches with his


    elbows resting on his knees, seemingly deep in thought. My eyes narrow at him, recognition setting in


    when I see the blonde hair and cold blue-gray eyes.


    “Ghost?” I murmur and he blinks a few times before he realizes I’m practically standing next to him.


    “Luna Mia,” he says and moves to kneel, but I stop him and shake my head.


    “There’s no need for that. You must have been thousands of miles away to not even feel my presence.


    May I join you?” I ask and watch as he swallows deeply, paling.


    “If you truly want to, Luna,” he answers, sitting down and I squat down next to him.


    When I first saw him, he was the one who scared me the most; but looking at him now, I realize that


    he’s not that scary. To be honest, he looks like an anxious mess. “How old are you, Ghost?”


    “You can call me by my name, Luna,” he says with a wan smile. “I’m twenty-one years old.”


    My eyes widen. “That’s the same age as me! You don’t…look that young, to be honest,” I say and he


    chuckles.


    “My kill count is nearing four figures, Luna; it ages you,” he says, then catches himself. “Not that I mind


    doing it for my Alpha-”


    “You don’t need to exin yourself to me, don’t worry. Killing can taint the soul and age the body, I


    understand,” I say, before sighing. “Now, I have never seen you so anxious. Is everything okay?”


    He swallows deeply again, his throat bobbing slowly and he exhales. Looking down at his hands, I see


    he has themced together and his knuckles are white from the pressure. Woah, what could have him


    worried like this?


    “You can speak to me, Divan. I am your Luna, whatever you talk to me about will not leave this space.


    If you need to vent or tell me your troubles, I am here to listen and not judge you,” I say and I see Star


    gazing at me proudly.


    Divan leans his head against hisced fingers, sighing. “The Alpha spoke to all five of us, including


    Beta Maxim. Our territory is expanding and with all the new packs under SilverCrest…alliances need to


    be made,” he says.


    I blink in confusion, then my eyes widen when I realize what he means. In our world, the mafia world,


    alliances are made through arranged marriages.


    “Does that worry you?” I ask, not quite understanding why that would have him worried like this.


    Nikos told me Divan is the leader of The Pente; fearless, deadly and cunning with the bloodlust to


    match. And yet, the topic of a possible arranged marriage has him an anxious mess with his guard


    down.


    “I’m an enforcer and soldier; the Alpha trained to be a spy, to hunt down and kill in his name. All of that


    I don’t mind, all of that I can do with one hand behind my back and blindfolded,” he says proudly with


    his chest puffed out.


    “But marriage? A wife and possible children? My father was an abusive cunt who finally killed my


    mother and siblings in a rage, then tried to kill me and turned the dagger on himself when he thought I


    was dead. Being caring, being…soft and gentle, it’s not in me. My children will grow up to be colder


    than I could ever be.”


    My heart breaks for this man in front of me; how many SilverCrest wolves have trauma like this?


    Divan gets to his feet and sighs. “But if that’s what the Alpha wants, then that’s what I’ll do. I owe my


    life to him, so I will honor whatever mission he has for me, even if it means I have to take a wife for the


    sake of the pack,” he says.


    I peer up at him and notice the anxious expression is gone. “This will stay between us, so whenever


    you feel the need for council or just to talk, I am here,” I say, not sure of what else to say, but this


    seems to help.


    He kneels in front of me and bows his head. “Thank you, Luna,” is all he says before he walks away


    from me.


    I watch his tall figure walking, his shoulders straight and proud and nothing like the worried mess I


    managed to get a peek at.


    Nikos saved him when his fathermitted murder-suicide; what went through his mind as hey


    there bleeding out and knowing every member of his family was dead? No wonder he has nothing but


    loyalty and respect for his Alpha; Niko gave him a reason to live.


    And yet marriage scares him.


    I sigh and call one of the guards over to help me stand up before walking back into the pack house


    again. But as I walk, a sharp pain shoots up my belly and I have to grab one of the guards to center


    myself.


    “Are you okay, Luna?” he asks with a worried expression and I nod.


    “Y-yes, I’m fine. It’s normal,” I say, trying to level my breathing. I’ve been getting them a lottely and


    Dr. Lh mentioned that they’re normal, it’s just because I’m close to my due date.


    I pat his arm and give him a reassuring smile while he leads me inside. The mansion itself isrge and


    there are cottages scattered about the estate; would the Pente live here with their wives? I smile as I


    realize I would like that a lot.


    ***


    “Dinner?” I ask Niko when he hands me the beautiful dress. “We’re going out for dinner?”


    He smiles. “I realize that we haven’t exactly been on a date or anything like normal couples do,” he


    says sheepishly. “And I would like to show off my beautiful Luna.”


    My chest warms. “And you want me to wear this tonight?” I look at the lush crimson dress and fall in


    love. Knowing Niko, he got my size correct, too.


    “Yes, I know you’d look beautiful in it,” he says and pulls me close. “Please, my precious Luna, will you


    go out to dinner with me tonight? Afterward, I promise to ravage you thoroughly.”


    “Yes, sir,” escapes my lips and his chest rumbles with a growl as my ears warm.


    “Call me that again and I might just ravish you on the way to the restaurant,” he warns, but all it does is


    send a tingle to my core.


    We’ve be closer, and making love has been easier. Although, I still need to lead so his body


    knows it’s what he truly wants. He still has panic attacks when he has to initiate sex, so I don’t mind


    leading things.


    “You’re practically begging me to disobey you, sir,” I tease, standing on tiptoe to kiss him. “Let me clean


    up, so I can get into this dress. When do we leave?”


    “In two hours,” he says, and as surprised as I am, I don’t let it show. Another thing about Niko? He


    ns things on a whim and I just go where he leads me. “I’ll join you in getting ready.”


    It’s been a few days since I spoke to Divan and from what Niko has told me, a few Alphas are sending


    their daughters as tributes. The Pente, as well as Maxim, need to pick their brides from these women -


    one per pack.


    I haven’t mentioned Divan’s fears at all, but I haven’t seen his mask slipping again. I think I just got a


    rare glimpse into Divan himself and not just the Ghost persona he keeps up. It’s interesting because I


    know now that he’s actually a soft soul underneath the walls he’s put up.


    Kind of like someone else I know.


    After our shower, I watch as Niko goes from hot Alpha to gorgeous Greek God in a three-piece suit. He


    slicks back his dark hair and adds a cologne that has my ovaries screaming - dear Goddess, my Alpha


    is beautiful.


    “I promise you can take it all off when we get back,” he says with a smirk when he catches me staring.


    “If you don’t hurry that sexy ass up, we’ll bete.”


    I clear my throat and try to hide my embarrassment, but he simply chuckles as I do my make-up and


    hair. Twenty minutester, we’re walking to a limo at the bottom of the stone steps and I find myself


    feeling like a princess.


    This dress is beautiful; off-the-shoulder and long-sleeved, with a sweetheart neckline. I look like I’m


    floating with the floor-length train and it frames my pregnant figure perfectly.


    I have my hair curled over one shoulder, no jewelry save for the engagement ring, and just some


    eyeliner and mascara. I’m not wearing heels because I’m like a baby calf in them and thest thing we


    need is for me to tten Ares.


    “Where are we going?” I ask as we drive away and he kisses the back of my hand.


    “One of the restaurants I own, don’t worry. They’re all under SilverCrest control,” he says.


    I smile at him, then turn my head to stare out of the window. It’s dusk and the city lights are twinkling


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    against the dark purple sky. A few months ago I never would have thought I’d be going out on a date,


    much less with a powerful Alpha who has imed me.