by Marian Tee
Sometimes, I’m scared at how manipulative he can be – how unapologetically ruthless he is when he thinks it’s the right thing to do.
“You’re going away again?” They were having breakfast at their bedroom’s private balcony when Domenico shared with her his plans.
Domenico patted his mouth with a napkin. “I have to. Just for a few days, I have to hunt down more vampires.”
“But…” She put her coffee cup down because her hands were shaking too much. Yes, Domenico was strong. But so were vampires. She had asked the twins about it, and they had not hesitated to tell her the truth since they also feared for Domenico’s life. Vampires were no longer bound by their consciences and were wont to do whatever it took to satisfy their greed and thirst for blood.
“I have to do this myself, Misty. For Matteo.”
She didn’t argue after that. “Just please don’t do anything rash.”
He laughed. “I’m not rash in any way.”
She held her tongue even though she so badly wanted to argue. He wasn’t rash as a rule, but he did tend to do things unthinkingly if it meant giving him another point to score over his father. The twins had told her that Dio was against Domenico’s involvement with the hunt, and that alone had been enough to make her husband decide to join.
Misty bit her lip. “Can’t I go---”
Domenico whitened. “No, Misty. I will worry endlessly about you and I could lose my life in the process.”
She stared at him miserably. “Please don’t go.”
“Misty, for Matteo.”
“But is it really for Matteo?” she cried out.
He stiffened. “What do you mean?”
“Domenico, I love you, but I’m not blind. Or stupid. You can go after his killer without being a part of this hunt.” She grabbed her hand and held it to her heart. “I don’t want you to be a part of this just because your dad---”
Domenico took his hand away at her words. “You forget as well that I am not a child, Misty. I’m over thirty years old. Do you think I still let old family quarrels rule my decision?”
Yes. Because he still hurt.
But she couldn’t say that, not when he was looking at her so coldly. “Forgive me,” she said softly and took his hand again, laying it on her cheek. Turning around to kiss his palm, she said, “Just be safe, please?”
“I will. But you have to promise me the same thing.” Domenico looked at the scenery before them. In the horizon, it was easy to spy the mansion of the twins, the girls, and at the center of it all, his parents. All the Morettis lived in a single estate, but the land was expansive enough to give everyone as much privacy and space as needed.
“While I’m gone, I want you and the others to move in temporarily with Dio and Elena.”
Misty straightened in her seat at that. “Why?”
“Just a precaution. It’s the most protected area in the estate. Can you promise you’ll do that?”
When Domenico left, Misty and her siblings moved in with her in-laws as promised. The first day, she didn’t see Dio the whole time but they all were able to join Elena for dinner. She was pleased to see her siblings and Domenico’s mom getting along well. The twins and the three E’s visited as well, and the meal turned into a full-fledged party.
The next day, Misty caught sight of Dio in the garden and impulsively approached him. “Good morning.”
“Good morning,” he returned civilly enough.
An awkward silence fell.
‘So…we’ve been married for almost a month,” she ventured.
Dio nodded, his gaze remaining at the plants he was watering.
She played with the hems of her floral blouse nervously. “Domenico’s too busy these days so I didn’t think I should bother him with this but…”
Dio switched the hose off. “Do you need money?”
She shook her head, wiping her suddenly clammy palms on her white shorts.
Domenico’s father frowned at her. “Then what?”
“What should I do as his wife? What are my responsibilities?”
“Whatever he says they are,” Dio answered brusquely, turning his back on her.
“But he has no time to teach me. But you could – could you let me know what you had your wife do at the start?”
Dio looked at her again, a scowl on his face. “I told you, there’s no need to curry favor. Your position will not be threatened.”
Misty wanted to stomp her foot in frustration. “I am not doing this to curry favor. I’m Domenico’s wife and I want to be of service to him.”
“Then divorce him.”
She flinched but rallied quickly, “Anything but that.”
“Then I don’t have anything else to say.”
“Why do you hate me so much?” she demanded.
“I don’t hate you. But you’re different from us and you haven’t mated---”
Misty couldn’t believe it would be that simple to solve the issue between them. She started to laugh. “Is that it?” She beamed at Dio. “But we did!”
Dio seemed surprised. “You did?”
“Domenico told me people would ask about it but I never thought you’d care to ask.”
“Because we’re estranged?” he snapped.
“We’ve mated,” she said diplomatically instead. “Does that mean you’ll accept me then?” Privately she wondered how he could even think Domenico and she wouldn’t mate, considering how sexual his son was.
He looked at her thoughtfully. “I thought you wouldn’t be here for good.”
“I’ll be here as long as Domenico wants me to.”
“Do you truly love my son?”
Misty said simply, “Yes.”
Dio’s eyes misted, surprising her.
“Sir!”
He smiled at her, the first he had given her in all the time she had known him.
It made her cry, too.
“I had been so afraid you were yet another choice he made to spite me,” Dio confessed.
“Even if it was,” she said gently, “We fell in love with each other. The past doesn’t matter then – as it shouldn’t between the two of you.”
Dio’s training for Misty to take her rightful place as the next pack leader’s wife began the next day. It involved lessons on physical defense and the social arts of being Lyccan. When it was the full moon, Dio promised, they would try transformation. But at the moment, it was better if they didn’t try since she seemed too weak.
Misty didn’t say anything but she was privately surprised to realize that she had been turned without knowing it. But she didn’t mind. She liked the fact that she and Domenico would have another thing in common.
“Tomorrow is Foundation Day of the Lyccans,” Dio told her. “It’s the day that all packs had made a vow to unite for the defense of our race. I want you to accompany me so that I may properly introduce you as my son’s wife.”
“Are you sure I’m ready?” she asked doubtfully.
“I trained you, did I not?”
“Now I know where Domenico got his arrogance from,” she teased.
The moon was blood red the following night, which had the entire Moretti brood almost skittish. “I thought that was a good sign,” she ventured.
Alessandro shook his head. “It’s the opposite. The very worst omen, like seeing a black cat cross under the ladder while a mirror crashes into pieces and all that,” he said darkly.
She squeezed his arm. “Nothing will happen.”
When they arrived at Lyccan Hall, Misty tried to pretend she didn’t see the speculative looks going her way.
“You look beautiful tonight, daughter,” Dio murmured gruffly.
“Thank you. You’re looking great at well.”” She beamed at him. She had selected the black gown, with its heart-shaped bodice and full skirt that fell just below her knees, specifically to please Domenico, knowing it was his favorite color. But she was glad that she was able to do Dio proud as well.
“Good to see
that you’re in good terms with your daughter-in-law contrary to the rumors I’ve been hearing,” Aurelius remarked as he appeared at their side and shook hands with Dio.
“You know rumors.” Dio ignored Misty’s pointed look.
“Glad to know it wasn’t true. They worried me for a while, especially when I heard that Domenico has been seen with the Hernandez princess.”
Misty stiffened.
Dio glared. “That was in the past.”
“O-of course,” Aurelius said hastily. “You know how senile we old people can be.”
Excusing herself, she headed for the restroom, saw Matilda, and made a quick detour.
“Hey, Mist---”
“I need to talk you,” Misty mumbled, dragging her friend outside the Hall and all the way to a private corner at the back. Looking straight into her friend’s eyes, she said, “Tell me the truth, Matilda. Have you been hearing rumors that my husband has been recently seen with the woman he was supposed to marry before?”
Matilda avoided her gaze. “Honey, it’s not---”
“No lies, Matilda.” Misty shook her head and her friend fell silent.
The other woman looked as beautiful and feisty as ever, in a cocktail dress that was just an inch away from looking more like a sexy lingerie piece. Matilda was notorious for her lack of tact and the fact that she was trying to spare Misty’s feelings was more worrying than reassuring.
She said shakily, “Please, Matilda, the truth.”
Matilda sighed. “Yes. I have heard rumors about your husband and Rafaella being seen together but they were just that – rumors. If it is true, it’s only because her father has long been a Moretti ally and I’ve heard that they’re the two leading our defense against the vampires.”
Misty slowly made herself relax. Matilda was right. The Hernandez and Moretti packs were long-time allies so it wouldn’t be unsurprising if people did spot Domenico and the Hernandez princess together. She had to trust Domenico for what was love without trust?
~~~
“Are you heading home straight away?” Ricardo asked as their plane landed.
Domenico nodded. “I miss my wife,” he admitted.
“I’m afraid you’ll have to miss her a bit more,” Rafaella said, joining them in a nude-colored one-shoulder gown that emphasized her slim figure to perfection. “Today is Foundation Day. Have you forgotten? We’ve promised other pack leaders to report our findings.”
Domenico frowned because he had forgotten about it.
Rafaella laughed when she saw the expression on his face even though inside, she was incensed at the thought that Domenico was so affected by the time he had spent apart from his wife he had forgotten the most important occasion in Lyccan history. How could he bear to choose an inconsequential human – and a poor and unrefined one at that – when he could have her, whose lineage was as pure as his?
“Has marriage changed and weakened you so much that you’ve gone back to who you were before? Does duty mean nothing anymore?” Rafaella taunted, knowing that the words would remind Domenico of how his father had once taunted him similarly as well.
“Rafaella!” Ricardo growled.
He stiffened. “Foundation Day has slipped my mind but now that you’ve informed me, I will, of course, drop by Lyccan Hall first.”
~~~
When Misty rejoined Dio and Aurelius, a sense of excitement had swept into the crowd. A new group of guests had apparently arrived, creating a sensation.
And then she saw Domenico walking into the room with a woman at his side.
Their eyes met.
She saw shock and something else in his eyes that she did not want to think about.
Misty forced herself to smile. Nothing was going on between them. She had to believe that.
Domenico disentangled himself from Rafaella as quickly as good manners permitted and went to Misty.
“It’s not what it looks like,” he said fiercely.
She looked into his eyes and believed him.
From across the room, Rafaella saw the love shining in Misty’s eyes. Oh, no. That would not be there later on. Domenico was hers. She bided her time, waiting for the two to separate, and of course they would for Domenico was a famous figure among them. When he was taken away by other council members, she swiftly crossed the room and stood in front Domenico’s wife.
Misty’s smile froze when she realized who it was standing before her. She said softly, “Hello.”
“You know me then?”
“Of course. Domenico’s told me about you.”
Rafaella smirked. “I’m sure he did.”
Misty chose not to say anything.
“You do know that Domenico married you to spite his father, didn’t you?”
“It was mentioned that was a possibility yes, but it doesn’t matter now.” Misty did not hold it against Domenico. Their marriage might have had the wrong reasons at the start but now, it was fine because they loved each other.
Incensed that she wasn’t getting the reaction she was hoping for, Rafaela tried to look for another way to attack. “When you serve your purpose, you’ll know he’ll drop you like he dropped me.”
Lifting her chin, Misty said, “No, he won’t.”
“He was supposed to marry me, but then he chose you because you’re the perfect little innocent pawn he could use to shore up alliances with other packs,” Rafaella hissed.
Domenico suddenly materialized at their side. “Rafaella---”
Both women ignored him.
Misty said steadily, “If I’ve been of help to him in any way then I’m glad. He’s my husband.”
Domenico felt like he was punched in the gut by those words. He felt like he didn’t deserve them.
Rafaella threw Misty a look of such hatred she knew the other woman would have hit her if she could get away with it. She snarled at Misty, “But when the war’s over, he won’t need you anymore and then he’ll kick you out. Can’t you see? It’s why he hasn’t mated with you.”
“Rafaella, stop this,” Ricardo snapped, embarrassed at the scene his daughter was creating.
“Take care of your wife,” Dio gritted at Domenico.
Temper already frayed and still raw at Rafaella’s earlier taunt, Domenico gritted back, “I don’t need any advice from you!”
Dio whitened. “For God’s sake, when are you ever going to let go of the past? I said something evil in a moment of anger and fear. I would give up my life to take it back. What else do you want?”
Domenico turned his back on his father. He didn’t want to think about his father’s words, didn’t want to even entertain a single doubt about the rightness of his decisions – then and now. If he did, it would mean that his entire quest of revenge against his father would have been for nothing.
He pulled Misty to his side. “Come on, darling. We have enough.” Instinct told him he had to get his wife out of here before something worse could happen.
In a way, Dio was right. His inability to let go of the past threatened his present, his future. But it was Dio’s fault all this happened in the first place. Dio’s fault and not his!
Rafaella was still screaming obscenities. “How can you stand being a second class wife?”
Misty had enough. “I’m not a second class wife. He loves me. We love each other. There’s nothing you can do---”
“Then why was he considering nullifying your marriage when he learned that my father could help him ally with the Caros?” Rafaella challenged.
She paled. “I don’t believe you.”
“Ask him!”
“Cease this quarrel of yours with my wife if you do not want to anger me, Rafaella,” Domenico warned the other woman. He tried pulling Misty away but she refused to budge.
“Ask him,” Rafaella screamed.
Misty shook her head. “I won’t stoop to your level.” It took every ounce of Misty’s self-control not to break down. Rafaella was so convincing. But she had to trust Domenico. She had to. “And jus
t so you’d know, we have been mated.” She lifted her chin. “Every night.”
Someone in the crowd burst into laughter.
Misty paled, knowing that laugh was meant for her even if she did not understand why.
And then Rafaella began laughing as well. “You! God, what an idiot you are! And your mind is in the gutters! When we say ‘mated’ we’re not talking about sexual intercourse, you idiot. We’re talking about mating as the true joining of two mates…of you becoming like us.” Rafaella laughed. “But you’re not, are you?”
She walked away, head held high.
Chapter Fourteen
Dear Diary,
I can’t think of a thing to say except…
It’s over.
“Misty, we have to talk.” Domenico couldn’t believe how hard a time he was having controlling his voice. His heartbeat was so loud it was near to drowning his words.
But Misty didn’t look back. She kept on walking and walking and by the time he caught up with her, they were out of Lyccan Hall, past the front doors and the cynosure of all the guards in attendance.
Misty flinched when Domenico’s fingers wrapped around her arm.
“Misty, listen.”
She shook her head.
“Let me explain---”
“It’s too late,” she cut him off in a whisper. “Rafaella did the explaining for you.” The other woman’s words filled her mind. She couldn’t believe how foolish she had been.
Domenico cursed. “Rafaella---”
He stopped when Misty flinched at hearing him speak the other woman’s name and he cursed. He turned her around so she could face him and then wished he hadn’t.
Misty looked broken.
All the words of explanation he had thought of died in his throat. Suddenly, all he could say was, “Misty, I love you.” His voice was hoarse. “Please…”
“You may love me, Domenico,” she whispered, “but you don’t love me enough.”
“I was wrong. I should have explained about mating---”
She flinched again.
