Chapter 6

Marco

We then started trudging through the dense foliage together, Lucas trailing several steps behind me. My mind raced, thoughts whirling chaotically as I grappled with feelings stirring within me at seeing him again. Fuck, I hadn't thought it possible to miss someone so damn much in such a short time. Yet there it was, this longing gnawing at me, threatening to consume every rational thought.

I should be able to control myself better, but couldn't. I hated myself for being that way.

He somehow looked different too—paler, tired perhaps, but still fucking beautiful. Even with that bruise forming on his forehead, he took my breath away effortlessly. Made me want to protect him fiercely despite knowing better.

I took care of the asshole that had hurt him. I would never allow the same to happen again.

Jesus Christ, he was young. Too goddamn young for someone like me, old enough to be his father practically. The age gap weighed heavily upon my conscience, reminding me constantly of everything separating us—experience, wisdom, strength...

Fuck, now wasn't the time to dwell on such things. Not when danger lurked nearby, ready to pounce at any given moment. Not when my men were engaged in battle mere yards away, fighting against our sworn enemies, the DeLuca Cartel.

Speaking of which, I needed to fill him in on our current predicament. Might as well start preparing him now; the sooner he knew, the safer he'd be later.

"Lucas,"I barked suddenly, halting mid-step to turn towards him. His eyes widened slightly, fear flickering briefly before determination hardened those dark irises. Good boy. At least he had some fight left in him. It was one of the reasons why I liked him.

"The family we're dealing with tonight,"I continued, jerking my chin towards the sounds of combat growing louder by the second."They're our rivals. Old enemies seeking control over territory Nightshade has held for decades."

His brows furrowed, confusion plain on his face."But why-"

"They want what we have,"I cut him off sharply, resuming our walk briskly."Power. Influence. Money. Same reasons everyone wants anything worth having, kiddo."

"But they can't just-"

"Not always logical, Lucas,"I interrupted again, impatient now."This world isn't ruled by logic or reason. It's chaos. Madness. And sometimes, brute force is the only language understood." He should understand that by now, to be honest.

We rounded a bend then, revealing the full-blown clash happening ahead. Men fought against men, blood spilled freely onto the earth beneath them, cries of pain echoing eerily through the night air. Despite myself, I glanced sidelong at Lucas, gauging his reaction. To his credit, he handled it better than expected, pale-faced but steady nonetheless. Maybe he was already getting used to it.

"Come on,"I urged gruffly, striding forward without waiting for a response. He followed closely, footsteps crunching leaves behind us. Side by side, we moved towards the heart of the fray.

As we approached, my men noticed our arrival, parting ranks to allow passage. Respect shown openly, trust earned through years of loyalty. They knew who led them into battle, who protected them fiercely even amidst enemy fire.

"You should stay back,"I told Lucas quietly, steering him gently behind a large tree trunk. Safe enough, hopefully. Not ideal, certainly, but better than nothing.

He opened his mouth to protest, only to snap it shut immediately, nodding instead. Smart omega. Knew when to push, when to yield. A rare quality indeed.

Turning away, I stepped into the thick of it, drawing my gun smoothly from its holster. Time to remind these fuckers exactly who owned this land. No use going soft now. Especially not when Lucas' safety depended on it.

"For Nightshade!"I roared, raising my weapon high before bringing it down hard, firing straight into the chest of the nearest DeLuca scumbag. Blood sprayed wide, painting the ground red beneath our feet as more bodies dropped around us, succumbing under our combined might.

The rest played out in a blur of motion—shooting, dodging, striking back. Every movement honed through countless battles, instincts reacting automatically to threats surrounding us. Until finally, silence fell, broken only by ragged breaths and distant moans of the wounded.

I lowered my gun, surveying the carnage littering the ground. Our temporary victory today wouldn't mean shit if we didn't finish the job completely. Turning back towards where I'd left Lucas, I found him staring wide-eyed at the scene, shock etched clearly across those delicate features.

I wished I could do something about that, but made peace that I couldn't do much about it.

"It's... it's over?"He asked softly, voice barely audible above the ringing in my ears.

"For now,"I confirmed grimly, moving closer until I stood right beside him. Close enough to feel his warmth, hear his heartbeat racing rapidly. Close enough to see the fear lingering deep within those expressive eyes.

"This really is your life?"He whispered, looking up at me, seeking answers I doubted he truly wanted to know. Answers I couldn't give anyway, not truthfully.

"No,"I replied without thinking twice about my answer, cupping his cheek, and feeling the tremble running through him."This is their life."My thumb brushed lightly against his lower lip, tracing the plump flesh. So fucking soft. So damn tempting.

He leaned into my touch instinctively, ever so slightly, yet enough for my cock to twitch eagerly beneath my jeans. Fuck, how could he make me react so easily? How did he ignite desires buried deep inside me, making me forget every rational thought?

"We need to go,"I rasped roughly, tearing my gaze away. Now wasn't the time nor place for such thoughts. Not when violence still lingered heavily around us, not when danger remained present despite our recent triumph.

"Yes,"he agreed right away, stepping back first, breaking contact between us. Disappointment flashed briefly, quickly replaced by relief as space opened between us once more.

We then turned away from the battlefield, leaving behind carnage and chaos in favor of the quiet sanctuary awaiting us at the estate. As we walked side-by-side, I stole glances at him occasionally, taking in his profile silhouetted against the moonlit landscape. Goddamn, he was something else. Something special. Something mine.

And Jesus Christ, I needed to get my mind off that line of thinking fast. Before I did something stupid. Again.

In the meantime, I couldn't stop thinking about my 'rise to power.'

Born in Italy to an American mother and Italian father, I spent most of my childhood bouncing between continents, learning two languages fluently, and adapting swiftly to new environments. My parents were both influential figures in their own rights—she, a diplomat; he, a businessman. Their love story was epic, legendary almost, inspiring tales whispered among friends and family alike.

When they died together in a car accident when I was sixteen, everything changed abruptly. Suddenly, I had no one guiding me, no one teaching me how to navigate the world alone. But I also gained something invaluable: freedom. Freedom to choose my path, forge my own destiny, and become whoever I desired most.

So, I chose the unconventional route. The dangerous one. The one leading directly into the arms of the Nightshade Wolves. Under their tutelage, I learned survival skills, honed fighting techniques, and absorbed every lesson necessary for thriving in a world filled with ruthless predators and deadly games. It was the only choice I'd had. Otherwise, I might have chosen something else.

Years later, after proving myself worthy time and again, an opportunity presented itself—leadership vacant due to 'unexpected circumstances'. Seizing the chance, I rose through the ranks swiftly, earning respect, gaining allies, and eliminating enemies. Until eventually, I claimed what was rightfully mine: control over the Nightshade Wolves.

But power came at a cost. A price paid in blood, sweat, and tears. And sometimes, innocent lives lost along the way. Yet, I never regretted my choices. Because in this world, there were always consequences. Always sacrifices made for greater gains. Always someone willing to pay the ultimate price if it meant securing success. It was the way it was and I couldn't change it.

And so, here I stood, standing tall amidst carnage wrought by my hand, protected by men who respected my rule, and feared my wrath. Surrounded by luxury built upon foundations laid with bloodied fists, stained crimson with enemies' lives spilled willingly in pursuit of dominance.

It was a lonely existence, yes. Isolated and trapped forever in a gilded cage constructed from the bones of my fallen foes. But it was my choice. Mine to claim, mine to keep. Mine to defend fiercely whenever challenged openly or secretly.

Until now, that was. Until meeting Lucas Chen, an omega who threatened everything I held dear, simply because he existed. Simply because he made me want things I shouldn't crave. Things I couldn't allow myself to desire.

We then stepped into the grand entrance hall of my estate, my footsteps echoing loudly on the polished marble floor while Lucas' lighter tread barely registered beside me. Despite the grandeur surrounding us, I found myself focusing solely on him, acutely aware of his presence, his scent, his nearness. After all, there was nothing special about my estate to me anymore. It was just a place to me now.

Everything about him demanded attention, drew me in, and made me want to protect him fiercely even when knowing better.

The moment we crossed the threshold, I felt the urge to take care of him intensify tenfold. He seemed smaller somehow within these vast walls, younger, more fragile than before. Hell, maybe it was just my guilt talking, but either way, I couldn't shake off the sudden impulse to shelter him under my wing, shield him from harm like some precious treasure. Fuck, I hated myself for being that weak where he was concerned. Why couldn't I be stronger?

"Come on,"I urged gruffly, steering him gently towards the staircase leading up to the private quarters."Let's get you cleaned up."

He hesitated slightly, looking around uncertainly before nodding slowly. Good boy. At least he wasn't putting up a fight yet. Not that I expected anything different; despite his fiery spirit, there was still much he didn't know about navigating this world. Or maybe it was just me projecting my own fears onto him. Either way, I wasn't taking any chances.

Upstairs, I led him straight into my bedroom, depositing him unceremoniously onto the edge of the mattress. He glared up at me then, annoyance flashing briefly across those expressive features. Goddamn, he looked adorable when riled up like that. Made me want to kiss that scowl right off his face. I might just do that, I was thinking.

"What are you doing?"He demanded sharply, crossing his arms defensively across his chest. Little did he know, that pose only served to accentuate his assets further, making it harder for me to resist temptation.

I raised an eyebrow, feigning ignorance."What do you mean?"

His glare deepened, eyes narrowing."You know exactly what I'm talking about."His voice dropped lower, almost sultry, sending shivers down my spine despite myself. Jesus Christ, could he be any more fuckable?

"Not really,"I replied smoothly, leaning against the doorframe. Might as well play this game until he called me out explicitly. After all, I owed him that much after bringing him into this mess again.

He rolled his eyes heavenward, huffing softly."Fine. Be like that. Just... stop treating me like I'm five years old. I feel that's exactly the way you are treating me. I'm not a kid, Marco."

My name on his lips sent a jolt straight to my groin, reminding me once again how fucking hard controlling myself around him truly was. Dammit, why did he have to say it like that? All breathy and soft, wrapping syllables around my name like some sweet caress...

Fuck, I needed to focus. Now wasn't the time nor place for such thoughts. Not when he deserved answers, explanations, reassurances even. Anything to ease his mind, calm his nerves, prove I wasn't just another asshole using him for personal gain.

"You're right,"I conceded, pushing away from the door to stand fully upright. No use denying it any longer. Better to address it head-on instead."I apologize. Won't happen again."

His expression softened somewhat, surprise warring with relief evident in those dark irises.He didn't think I could ever apologize for anything. There was so little he knew about me.

"Thank you,"he murmured quietly, ducking his gaze shyly.

"Why don't you tell me why you came here tonight?"I suggested gently, moving closer until I stood mere feet away. Close enough to catch his scent easily, and feel the body heat radiating off him.

He sighed deeply, running a hand through his disheveled hair."It's stupid, honestly,"he admitted, shaking his head."Just... hormones or whatever. My heat isn't over yet, and... I didn't know why I thought that coming back here would change that."He shrugged helplessly, looking sheepish.

Help how? Was he trying to re-experience that moment we had? The thought sent blood rushing southwards, stiffening my cock painfully beneath my jeans. Fuck, this was going to be harder than anticipated. I shouldn't have brought him here with me.

"And your friend?"I pressed, desperate for distraction."Kessia, right? This time, does she know you're here?"

Lucas bit his lip, hesitating briefly before confessing,"Not exactly. I... sort of lied about where I was going tonight."

My brow furrowed instantly, concern rising swiftly."Why would you do that?"

He shifted uncomfortably, avoiding eye contact now."Because she'd try stopping me if she knew. And I... I had to come. Had to see you again."

Jesus Christ, this kid was going to give me a heart attack one day soon. If not from fear, then certainly from desire. Both ran rampant inside me whenever he spoke so openly, revealing emotions hidden behind that stoic facade.

"I see,"I muttered gruffly, struggling internally between pride and worry. Pride because he sought me out despite knowing better, worrying because he put himself in danger willingly. Again. I was sure he would do that many more times in the future. It was in his nature.

Then, I decided to change the subject.

"So, what about your college life?"I asked abruptly. Too many feelings stirred within me already; no need to add fuel to flames burning brightly already. Besides, I wanted—no, needed—to understand more about him. Everything about him. Even mundane details seemed relevant somehow, important even. They were things I couldn't live without.

He nodded, smiling faintly at the reminder."Yeah. It's going okay, I guess. Nothing special. Just normal stuff - classes, friends, parties..."

"Normal stuff,"I echoed softly, envy stabbing unexpectedly sharp. Normalcy eluded me every day; always had since I was born. Yet hearing him talk about it, experiencing it vicariously through his words alone... fuck, it made something ache deep within my chest. Something I refused to acknowledge.

"And you?"He inquired curiously, tilting his head slightly to one side."Your life must be anything but 'normal', right?"

Understatement of the century, but I appreciated his directness. Most people tiptoed around sensitive topics, too afraid to ask outright. Not Lucas. He faced everything head-on, unafraid and unapologetic. It was yet another quality that drew me to him.

"Yeah,"I agreed readily, chuckling darkly."Far from it actually. Dangerous, chaotic, unpredictable..."I trailed off, leaving unsaid words hanging heavy between us.

Silence stretched thick and awkward, filled only by distant sounds echoing faintly throughout the estate. Eventually, he broke it, sighing heavily."So... what are we going to do now?"

Good question indeed. One I wished I had an answer ready for. Unfortunately, I didn't. Not one that satisfied either of us anyway.