Chapter 4

CHAPTER 4

SILAS

The East Coast is a different breed of affluent, and I already hate it. The air tastes wrong, and a sinister cloud hovers over us as we step off the plane and onto the tarmac where a limousine waits with open doors and guards at every corner.

Grimacing, I pull my coat tighter against me, straightening my shoulders and running a gloved hand through my white blonde hair, making sure not a strand is out of place. I curse myself internally for fidgeting, but old habits never really do die.

Since stepping foot into the pack house again, I felt as if a thousand showers would never be enough to wipe the blood off of my hands. I feel dirty even now, despite the pressed suit and shining leather shoes. I look the part I'm attempting to play, but I sure as fuck don't feel it.

Sometimes I can still feel the remnants of bruising under my skin, or cuts along my jaw. I wake in the mornings, not knowing where I am and cringing at the hint of footsteps in the distance on the off chance that Giles decided to come back for more. It often takes the feel of Bella's soft kisses or sultry voice next to me to remind me that Giles isn't around to make my life hell anymore.

My chest squeezes and I know the pain shows on my face as I slide into the seat because Hector shoots me a frown. During our long plane ride, my mind was plagued with thoughts of Bella, rejecting over and over the fact that she betrayed us. Something inside of me doesn't want to accept it, but even I have to admit defeat. Despite the aching longing I feel for the warmth of her skin or the touch of her cherry red lips, I know I'll never have that again.

It might take some time, but I have to make peace with that fact. Still, it's not going to be easy—not when her presence seems to be the only thing in the world that chases the monsters away. She's the only person whose touch doesn't make me automatically recoil. After years of nothing but pain, it was nice to be held for a while. It was a balm to my soul to have a person who genuinely cared about whether or not I was taking care of myself.

The guys pile in behind us, and the door shuts with a heavy thud. We're all dressed similarly—suits and coats and freshly shaved faces. Even Hector, who normally skirts the line of decorum with his many rings and facial piercings has toned it down. His eyebrow ring is out today and he wears nothing but a single silver band on his right thumb—remarkably tame for such a solemn occasion.

Glancing to the right, I can't help the dip in my chest that works its way to my stomach at the sight of one person I never thought I'd get this close again. Dante sits across and to the right—his dark brown hair is longer now and tied into a small bun at the base of his neck. Anger roils inside me, and the need to hit him is still overwhelming.

Dante sits with his back straight and hands clasped in his lap. I know he's uncomfortable from the rigid set of his broad shoulders. He loves Bella as much as the rest of us. Actually, he might have been the first to fall. Something in his eyes had changed the night she held a knife to his throat.

But I know what happens to things Dante claims to love. He sends them away from our protection like a fucking fool, and they're never seen again. Thoughts of Sage still ignite rage inside of me. I did love him. Even if he was the only male I'd ever found myself attracted to, I felt things for him I'd never experienced before. It was obviously the pull of his omega pheromones, but it didn't change the fact that he was ours to protect, and Dante failed.

As the limousine winds through the streets of the Hamptons, the opulence of the homes and estates we pass by only serves to heighten my unease. Manicured lawns stretch out like green carpets, dotted with towering hedges sculpted into pristine geometric shapes. The houses themselves are marvels of modern architecture—sleek lines, expansive gardens, and sprawling verandas that seem to go on forever.

The drive feels interminable, each passing minute ratcheting up the tension in the car. No one speaks, lost in their own thoughts and the weight of what we're about to face. Finally, the limousine slows and turns onto a long, winding driveway flanked by towering oak trees. As we approach the end, the trees give way to a sight that takes my breath away, despite myself.

Rising up before us is the Carbone Pack Estate, a behemoth that seems to touch the sky. The building is all sharp angles and gleaming surfaces, a testament to the wealth and power of the Carbone Alphas. But what catches my eye is the massive black gate that surrounds the compound, easily twenty feet tall and topped with wicked-looking spikes. Guard towers punctuate the perimeter at regular intervals, manned by stone-faced sentries armed with assault rifles.

As we pull up to the gate, a group of guards in crisp black uniforms and mirrored sunglasses approach the limousine. The lead guard, a hulking brute of a man with a shaved head and a jagged scar bisecting his left cheek, raps on the driver's window with a gloved fist.

After a brief exchange, the guard steps back and signals to the others. With a metallic groan, the gate slowly swings open, revealing the sprawling grounds of the estate. Perfectly manicured gardens and fountains line the driveway as we proceed towards the main house.

I can feel the tension radiating off the others as we draw closer. Hector's jaw is clenched tight, a muscle twitching in his cheek. Sam and Dante, look on edge, their eyes darting warily from window to window. Especially Sam. I wouldn't be surprised if the Carbones put a bullet in his head for the insult of returning after he betrayed them for Bella.

As for me, I'm fighting to keep my own unease from showing on my face. My hands itch to reach for a weapon, but I force them to remain still in my lap. We're walking into the lion's den unarmed and outnumbered. One wrong move could spell disaster.

So this is where the lovely omega assassin grew up…

Assassin. The word rolls around in my head for the millionth time. How did I never see it in her eyes. The eyes of a seasoned killer were easy to spot, but somehow she'd charmed me enough to overlook it.

Standing at the foot of the stairs is a man who can only be Alessio Carbone himself. He's an imposing figure, tall and broad-shouldered with salt-and-pepper hair and piercing blue eyes that seem to bore right through me. Alpha Liam and Alpha Marco are on either side of him. Flanking the alphas are two younger men, betas employed by the Carbones. Betas like Sam.

"Welcome, gentlemen," Alessio says, his voice a deep, cultured rumble as we step out of the limo. "I trust your journey was pleasant?"

It's a meaningless pleasantry, and we all know it. But Hector steps forward, ever the diplomat, and inclines his head respectfully. "Alpha Carbone. Thank you for receiving us."

Carbone's lips curve in a smile that doesn't reach his eyes. "But of course. When it's time to form new and refreshing alliances, it's only fitting to welcome you properly." His gaze flicks to Sam, who meets it unflinchingly. "Isn't that right, Samuel?"

Sam's jaw tightens, but he says nothing. He simply nods curtly. The fact that he's not dead and bleeding out on the ground right now tells me that the Carbones don't want him dead quite yet. I have no idea how long Sam worked for them before he was assigned to be Bella's bodyguard, but it couldn't have been very long.

Alessio Carbone's eyes linger on Sam for a moment longer before sweeping over the rest of us. "Please, come inside. We have much to discuss."

He turns and ascends the stairs, his movements smooth and predatory. Alpha Liam and Alpha Marco fall into step behind him, while the two betas bring up the rear, herding us forward like sheep to the slaughter.

The interior of the mansion is just as opulent as the exterior, all gleaming marble and priceless works of art. But there's a coldness to it, a sterility that sets my teeth on edge. It feels more like a museum than a home.

We're led into a sprawling study, the walls lined with towering bookshelves and the floor covered in a plush Persian rug. Alessio takes a seat behind a massive mahogany desk, gesturing for us to sit in the chairs arranged before it. Alpha Liam and Alpha Marco remain standing, flanking him like sentinels.

"So," Alessio begins, stippling his fingers beneath his chin. "I understand you've come to take us up on our offer."

Hector nods, his expression carefully neutral. "Only if the terms are agreeable."

Alessio hums thoughtfully, his eyes glinting in the light streaming through the floor-to-ceiling windows. "How do I know that you won't betray me the same way you betrayed your fathers?"

Dread pools in my gut. Betrayed… We betrayed no one.

Alessio must see my scowl, because his eyes meet mine and he arches a brow. "According to my daughter, Belladonna," he says as sits back, his eyes shining with glee. "You've been planning that little coup for years now. Ever since you lost your omega…what was his name again?"

"Watch yourself, Alessio," I warned, a growl building in my chest.

Alessio chuckles darkly, unfazed by my warning growl. "Ah yes, Sage. That was his name, wasn't it?" He leans forward, his eyes glinting with a cruel amusement. "Such a pity, what happened to him. But then again, that's the risk you take when you let your heart rule your head."

I feel Dante tense beside me, his hands curling into fists on the armrests of his chair. I shoot him a warning look, silently willing him to keep his cool. We can't afford to lose our tempers, not here, not now.

Hector clears his throat, drawing Alessio's attention back to him. "With all due respect, Alpha Carbone, we're not here to discuss the past. We're here to talk about the future."

Alessio leans back in his chair, a smirk playing at the corners of his mouth. "Indeed we are. And what a future it could be, if we were to join forces. Think of it—the Carbone Pack and your little...band of misfits, united against a common enemy."

"And who might that enemy be?" I ask, unable to keep the edge out of my voice.

Alessio's eyes flash to me, his smirk widening. "Why, everyone else, of course."