Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fourteen

Alessio

Dario is dead in my dream.

The pain and agony of that has me waking up in a cold sweat. I feel frantic to know where Dario is. I'm terrified at the thought Dario truly is dead. Did Dario die in the accident? I thought he was alive, but so much of what happened is a blur.

I seem to remember a moment after the accident with Dario. In this memory, Dario stroked my hair and promised to keep me safe. I trusted him wholly in that instant. The feel of his hand on my flesh comforted me. His gentle voice and assurances resonated with me.

But is that a memory or a dream?

The scent of antiseptic fills my nose. The room I'm in is dark. Cool. It's not Dario's room at Valentino's home. Is this a hospital? I remember the pain I had immediately following the accident. I touch my stomach, wincing as my fingers glide over a small incision. I've had surgery? Why?

Movement near the door to the room catches my eye. A young nurse comes closer, looking distracted. When she sees I'm awake she looks pleased. "How are you feeling?" she asks, fiddling with an IV bag next to my bed.

"I don't know," I admit. "Am I in the hospital?" A dumb question seeing as she's wearing a nurses uniform.

"Yes. Your alpha brought you in. You were in a car accident." She smiles and pours me a small glass of water.

With a trembling hand, I take the plastic cup from her. I gulp the water down, sighing at how cool and delicious it is. I hold the empty cup out to her and she hesitates.

"You had surgery. You shouldn't have too much liquid just yet." She sighs at my dejected expression. "Okay, just a little bit more."

I guzzle the rest of the water she pours and then lie back against the pillows. She said my alpha brought me in. That must mean Dario is alive. Unless someone else brought me in and she just thought he was my alpha?

"What did my alpha look like?"

She frowns. "I don't know. I was in the surgery. That's just what the admitting nurse told me. She said your alpha brought you in, and that he was distraught." She smiles. "Isn't that sweet?"

Sweet isn't the word I'd use to describe Dario. But I'm comforted by her words. I can't think of any other alpha who would be upset if I died. That must mean Dario is okay. It's surprising to me that it matters. I only met Dario because I planned on killing him to get to Valentino. Now, everything has changed. I wear his bite on my neck, and my feelings for him are completely flipped.

I actually care about him.

Even now, there's a dull ache in my gut because he's not here with me. I've fought the feelings I have for him as hard as I can, but there still there. Growing stronger every day. I don't want to run from him anymore. I want to run to him. I don't understand what has happened to me, but I'm sick of fighting it. I don't think I can anymore.

"I was injured?" I ask.

She tucks the blankets around my legs. "During the car accident the seatbelt caused blunt abdominal trauma. The force of the crash caused the seatbelt to put significant force on the abdominal organs and tissues. The exploratory laparotomy discovered a hematoma."

"I don't know what that is."

Her voice is patient as she says, "The abdomen is a large cavity that can hold multiple liters of blood. If blood starts to leak out from the blood vessels into an abdominal organ or wall of the abdomen itself, it can form a pocket. The pocket is termed an abdominal hematoma. It has to be diagnosed and treated quickly before a patient loses too much blood."

"Oh." I grimace.

"It can be very serious. But you were lucky. While there was internal bleeding, it was relatively controlled and minor. That means, if all goes well, the body will eventually reabsorb the leaked blood without the need for extensive medical intervention"

"I see." I touch my tender abdomen. "How long will I have to stay in the hospital?"

"Dr. Brown will discuss that with you when he does his rounds." She gives me a reassuring smile. "He'll be here soon."

I really don't want to stay in the hospital. I've had enough of hospitals from when my father had his stroke. I just want to get out of here. I just want to go to Dario. That last thought fills me with confusion, and also excitement. I instinctively know that being near Dario will calm me.

The nurse leaves the room and I doze off. When I wake up, I hear someone moving around in the room. My pulse races when I think it might be Dario, but then a tall, less bulky figure appears beside my bed. Shock rocks through me as I recognize who it is.

Carlo.

At my startled expression he says, "Don't panic. I'm not here to hurt you, Alessio."

"It's a little late for that, don't you think?" I growl, struggling to sit up. My stomach aches painfully when I do that, but I feel way too vulnerable lying flat with Carlo looming over me. "What the fuck are you doing here?"

"Calm down." He glances around nervously. There are scratches on his face, and he limped when he approached. "Look, things have spiraled out of control. I want to make things right. I need your help."

"That's not possible."

"You haven't even heard what I have to say yet," he rasps.

"You're a snake. I don't want anything to do with you."

He exhales. "I understand why you're upset. If I could turn back time, I'd never make a move against you again. It was dumb. Unnecessary. You and I have always had a good relationship in the past."

"Right. Which is why it was shocking to have you try and fucking murder me multiple times, Carlo." I lean toward him, bristling with rage. "Did you or did you not literally just try to kill me and Dario? I'm in this hospital with a hematoma because of you."

He winces and once more flicks his uneasy gaze toward the door. "I get why you're mad, but just hear me out. I've done a lot of thinking and I've realized you and I don't have to be enemies after all. I… I have a proposition for you."

"Save it," I grate. "I'll never trust you again."

"Do you trust Valentino?" He scowls. "Do you trust Dario? Aren't they forcing you into a marriage, and grabbing your syndicate for themselves? How are they any better than me?"

Shocked he knows about Valentino's strong arm tactics, I don't say anything.

"Don't look so surprised, Alessio." He shakes his head. "I know you'd never have agreed to that marriage if they weren't threatening you into it."

My face warms. "You don't know anything." He has no idea I have Dario's bite, I'm sure. Who knows what he'd say if he knew that little tidbit. I doubt he'd be pleased.

He licks his lips, sweat glistening on his forehead. His desperation is palpable. "Listen to me, Alessio. There are other syndicates that aren't happy about the Abella Syndicate being absorbed by the Black Knives. We all know why Valentino is doing it. He wants to be untouchable. But these other syndicates are willing to fight with me to take down the Black Knives."

"Good luck with that. There's no way you can succeed. The Black Knives are way too big and powerful."

"Even they can't withstand a coordinated effort to destroy them." He laughs gruffly.

"If you have these other syndicates, why do you need me?"

His smile is sly. "Your impending marriage to Dario could be our ace in the hole. With you on the inside, we could rip them to shreds. They'd never see it coming."

"You want me to betray Valentino while living in his home? Sounds like a good way to die. But then, what would you care about that? You've tried killing me twice already."

He winces. "I told you that was a mistake. Can't you see the big picture? Can't you put the past in the past?"

"I'm literally in the hospital because of you. How do I put that behind me?" I grip the railing on the hospital bed, wincing as my stiches pull uncomfortably.

He sighs impatiently. "I should have thought of this plan sooner. It would have saved me a lot of trouble, and you wouldn't be so upset with me. But, there's still time to fix this. If you'll join with us, instead of going along with Valentino, you'll have your freedom and your syndicate back. I'm serious. Valentino will never see it coming. He's so arrogant he assumes your just going to go along with his plan. But if you work for me instead, just think, Alessio, you could be so rich and powerful, no one would ever dare come against you again."

"I'll have that if I join the Black Knives."

His eyes flicker. "Okay, you'll have power but you won't have your freedom. You'll be married to Dario Coppola. Don't lie to me and tell me you want that marriage. I've known you far too long. Dario is a thug. He's not your type. When you pick your alpha, he'll be cultured and powerful. Your alpha won't be a yes man, like Dario is to Valentino."

He"s not wrong about Dario not being my usual type. Still, I have the oddest surge of anger at how he's dismissing Dario. But I hold my tongue. The last thing I want is him knowing I feel bonded to Dario. "I don't trust you. I won't work with you."

Frustration glitters in his eyes. "You're being petty. What I'm offering you is everything you've ever wanted. Plus, in addition to all the power and money, you'll finally get your revenge on Valentino. How can you pass that up?"

I clench my jaw. "It's not as hard as you'd think. You should go, Carlo. I'm certain Dario will come any minute to check on me. If he sees you, he'll kill you."

He laughs. "Are you seriously saying you'd rather work with them, rather than your own flesh and blood?"

I frown. "You mean the same flesh and blood who turned on me?"

"How many times must I tell you I regret that?" He sounds exasperated. "You're like a fucking dog with a bone."

I shake my head at his obtuseness. "Even if I was foolish enough to agree to your plan, how do I know any of what you say is true? For all I know you're making this whole thing up. There probably are no other syndicates willing to work with you. You've proven yourself to be disloyal, cousin. I highly doubt people are lining up to work with you. Especially against an organization as powerful as the Black Knives."

"I'm telling the truth." His face is flushed. "The real question you should ask yourself is how you can join with the man who put your father in the grave," he growls. "Even if I did fuck up, Valentino is still responsible for that. Or have you forgotten?"

I stiffen. "I haven't forgotten. I hate Valentino."

"And Dario?" He narrows his eyes. "You hate him too, right? He's Valentino's second. He's as guilty as Valentino for what happened to Uncle Joesph."

"I thought you understood what Valentino did to my father?"

His gaze flickers. "I've changed my mind. The real issue here is why you don't seem to hate Dario."

I avoid his gaze. "Of course I hate him. I hate them both." It's true I don't like Valentino. But I have very different feelings toward Dario. The memory of his soothing touch earlier comes to me. In that moment, I knew he'd do anything to protect me. I suspect he'd even go against Valentino for me. I didn't see that before, but I do now. Dario has fully accepted me as his omega. I couldn't hate him if I tried.

"I'm offering you the chance to get your revenge. That's what you wanted all along. I can give that to you."

I curl my lip. "You're hiding out in the hospital begging for my help. How much of a threat are you really?"

"I found you, didn't I?" His mouth thins. "I could have gone back into hiding, but I came here instead. I came here to help you end Valentino once and for all. No, I'm not just doing this for you. I also want Valentino gone for my own reasons. And I know trusting me again won't be easy for you. That's why I'm making this gesture. I risked my own safety to come here in person to present this plan. I'm offering you the one thing you really want: revenge."

Revenge against Valentino was all I could think about not so long ago. Now, that thirst for retribution has faded. I don't like Valentino. I still blame him for the stress he caused my father that I believe played a part in my father's death. But I've also seen a different side of the story. Even though Valentino was very harsh in how he punished my father, he thought he was being generous by sparing my father's life. I think he actually believes that.

But most of all, my respect for Dario has softened me toward Valentino. People like to dismiss Dario's loyalty to Valentino as him being weak. A yes man. But Dario is a brave, intelligent alpha. There's a reason he's loyally served Valentino all these years. He knows who Valentino truly is, and he chooses to stand beside him. Dario is my alpha, and his devotion to Valentino has influenced me. I no longer want to kill Valentino.

Carlo must see something in my expression because he curls his lip. "Wait. You don't want revenge anymore?" He sounds incredulous and his expression is one of pure disgust. "How can that be?"

My face warms. "I still resent Valentino."

"That's it?" he growls. "You just resent him now? Nothing more? Have you forgotten how angry you were with Valentino before?"

I scowl. "I haven't forgotten anything. But killing Valentino won't bring me closure. I understand that now. Nothing will bring back my father. Nothing can make that right. But if I go against Valentino, I'll just be embroiled in a nightmare I'd rather avoid."

"So you're just going to marry Dario and live happily ever after, while under the thumb of Valentino Siracuse?" He sounds incredulous.

"Happily ever after might be a stretch. But after what you pulled, I'll never join forces with a fucking traitor like you, Carlo," I mutter. "Never"

He sighs, his expression painted with frustration. "Well, this was fucking waste of time." He pulls a knife out of his suit pocket. "I took a huge risk coming here, Alessio. This is your final chance. Will you change your mind and work with me?"

"I've already told you my answer," I spit out, eyeing the knife.

His mouth thins. "Regrettably, if you won't join me, I can't have you running to Dario and fucking up my plans."

My heart races at the grim look on his face. "I knew you were an untrustworthy snake." I inch toward the edge of the bed. Unfortunately, the side railing is up, making a quick exit difficult.

His eyes glitter with resentment. "I offered you a way out. A way to get your revenge. But it's obvious where your loyalties lie. I can't have you blabbing everything to Dario and Valentino. That must be obvious to you. I'm sure you'd do that same in my position. You wouldn't let me ruin your plans either."

I growl, "You fucked up my plans first. If you hadn't interfered, Valentino and Dario would be dead by now."

There's movement by the doorway and Dario and Valentino enter the room. They both stop in their tracks when they see Carlo standing over me with the knife. I'm relieved to see them, but then I realize odds are they won't be able to stop Carlo from stabbing me. They're too far away. I'll have to save myself, if possible.

Problem is, I'm not at my best and Carlo is bigger than me. Carlo gives them a frustrated glare, but then lunges for me. He stabs the knife down toward my stomach, but I somehow manage to grab his wrist. We struggle for a few seconds, but he's stronger than me. My arm gives under his weight, and the knife slices downward. It misses my abdomen by a hair, and ends up buried in the thin mattress. I grab the railing on the bed and half climb and half throw myself over the railing. I land hard on the ground with a loud oof. Pain zips through the elbow I land on, and my abdomen feels like it's being ripped open.

Dario shouts something, but I'm too busy desperately trying to cram myself beneath the hospital bed to make out what he said. Breathing hard, I lie on the cold linoleum floor, dazed. Intense pain rolls through my aching body. Carlo swears loudly and I see his shoes moving around the bed. The bastard isn't giving up. He's determined to murder me before he can be stopped.

Carlo kneels down, swiping the blade under the bed wildly. I see more shoes join him, and I can hear Dario swearing as he wrestles with Carlo. But Carlo isn't under control yet. Not if the violent slashing of the knife is anything to go by. The base of the bed is thick plastic, and between that and the wheels, he's unable to make contact with my body. I stare at the tiny little blue and white dots that make up the pattern of the floor, wondering if this is my last moment alive. It feels like an hour pass as they try to control Carlo, but in truth, it's only been maybe twenty seconds.

At one point they seem to have Carlo subdued. I peek my head out and see Dario holding Carlo in a head lock. Dario is breathing hard, and there's a slice down the front of his white dress shirt. The white material has a scarlet stain, and it's spreading. Fear that Dario has been stabbed jolts through me, but Dario doesn't seem to be concerned. He's fully focused on subduing a snarling Carlo. Valentino is letting Dario do most of the work, but he's watchful.

As I slowly crawl out from under the bed, the nursing staff comes into the room. The nurse from earlier looks horrified as she watches Dario and Valentino drag Carlo to his feet. Carlo drops the knife, and Dario kicks it away.

"What's going on in here?" The young nurse demands, moving to kneel beside me. She scowls at Dario and Valentino. "Julia, call security."

"Yes, ma'am," An older nurse near the door says obediently.

"Wait." Valentino's voice is strident. "There's no need for that. We'll handle this ourselves."

"But―" The young nurse begins.

Valentino gives her a tight lipped smile. "I said, we'll handle it."

Her eyes go wide and she nods. "R… right." She turns to me. "Are you okay? Did you tear your stiches?"

"I don't know." I press my abdomen, wincing. "It hurts, but it already hurt."

She helps me to my feet and then into the bed. She does a cursory examination of my stiches. "They seem okay." She frowns at my scraped knees. "Did you fall out of the bed?"

"Kind of," I mumble.

I meet Dario's dark gaze. I give him a tentative smile, but he doesn't return it. He pulls his gaze away, his expression grim. He's often deadpan, but he looks almost… hurt? I try again to catch his eye, but he won't look at me.

"Let's go," Valentino says to Dario.

With a curt nod, Dario leaves with him, not even bothering with a backward glance. I watch them go, feeling confused. The last time I was with Dario, he was so protective. Doting. But just now, butter wouldn't have melted in his mouth. Was he simply distracted by having to deal with Carlo?

Did I expect Dario to fawn over me?

No. I didn't expect that. But as my alpha, I am a bit surprised Dario felt no need to come over and check on me. He barely looked at me. Perhaps he plans on coming back after dealing with Carlo. I realize we're not the stereotypical couple, but he's always seemed so protective of me. His lack of attention stands out.

The medical staff filters out of my room. I wait for Dario to return, but he never does. Surely by now they've dealt with Carlo?

Dr. Brown makes an appearance though. He's a middle aged alpha with a bald head, and a few extra pounds. He examines me while the nurse tells him everything that's happened.

He frowns at my stiches. "The skin was pulled a bit when you fell. I don't think it's worth redoing them though. You're scar will possibly be more pronounced, but I don't think there's any risk of infection."

"When can I leave the hospital?" I ask.

"Tomorrow morning should be fine. That gives us a chance to monitor you a bit more. But when you do go home, I don't want you to do any exercising for a while. You'll need to take it easy for a few weeks, to allow the abdominal tissue to heal properly. It's fine to move around, just nothing strenuous. Don't lift weights or anything like that. If you feel the need for exercise, maybe go for walks or something like that."

"Thank you, doctor. I'll do that."

He hesitates. "Did you know you were pregnant?"

I stiffen. "What?"

"It's very early, but it showed up in the blood tests we ran," he says. "You could easily have lost the baby during the accident. You got lucky. The fetus is so small right now, there's a lot of padding around it."

"I'm for sure pregnant?" I don't know what to feel about that. Would I have preferred to lose the baby in the accident?

"Yep." He rubs his jaw, looking thoughtful. "I notice you have an alpha's bite. I'm assuming that's the baby's father?"

I'm still trying to grasp the news that I'm pregnant. He dropped that bomb so nonchalantly. I blink and him. "Uh, yeah. That would be the father."

"You came in with Valentino Syracuse." He gives a nervous laugh. "I heard he put the fear of God into the staff. He was adamant we save your life."

"Valentino was like that?" I was out of it, so I remember nothing about when I arrived at the hospital.

"Yes. I… I don't suppose he's the father of your baby?"

I recoil. "God, no."

The doctor laughs. "No?"

"He already has an omega."

The doctor shrugs. "That doesn't always mean anything. Depends on the alpha."

"The baby isn't his," I mutter. "I can assure you." I don't bother saying who the father is. It's none of his business. I don't want people poking their heads into my room to gawk at the dumb omega who got knocked up by Valentino Syracuse's second.

"You seem surprised to be pregnant." The doctor studies me.

"I'm not entirely surprised." I touch my stomach, feeling conflicted about the pregnancy. "I knew it was a possibility. I've just had a lot on my mind, so I didn't really think about being pregnant. I haven't felt sick or anything."

"Oh, it'll be a few more weeks before that hits you. If it hits you at all. Not everyone has morning sickness."

"Is Morning sickness hereditary?" My mother had horrible morning sickness with me. Am I going to suffer as well?

"Some think it might be."

"Then I'm probably in for it." I sigh. "My mother was deathly ill when she was pregnant with me."

The young nurse laughs. "My mother was too when she had me, but I didn't have a lick of morning sickness with my daughter. You just never know."

Dr. Brown nods. "That's the truth." He sighs and heads toward the door. "You'll want to find an OBGYN as soon as possible. You need to be healthy so that the baby can be healthy. A good OBGYN can keep you on the right track."

"I'll do that."

They leave, and I lie down in the bed, hands resting on my stomach. I'm surprised I don't feel more rattled about the pregnancy. I don't feel repulsed by the idea of carrying Dario's child, like I thought I might. If I'm honest, I mostly feel numb. My feelings for Dario have changed exponentially in the last few days. But just as I start to feel closer to Dario, he behaves in a way I don't understand. Like earlier. Dario was so cold to me when he left. The scowling alpha who disappeared with Carlo bared no resemblance to the alpha who'd been smiling and happily eating cake with me earlier today.

Will Dario be pleased to know I'm carrying his child? I feel nervous about telling him. If I do tell him, should I tell him before the wedding, or after? Will there still be a wedding because of my injuries? I'm surprised when I feel almost disappointed at the thought it might be postponed. How is it that I've come full circle with Dario? I've gone from loathing him, to wanting him to be my alpha. My husband.

Earlier today, I'd have said he felt the same way toward me. But the fact remains he hasn't bothered to come see me. That not only hurts my feelings, it makes me question if I should even keep the baby.