3. Setting Zander free

Giovanni:

"We-welcome back alpha." The human maid who my mother introduced as Mia stammered before scurrying away.

My mom chuckled at her reaction, turning to me.

"You've chased that lovely girl away with your fierce gaze," she slapped my arm playfully but I only shrugged in response. "When did you become this man?" She stared me in the eyes with furrowed brows but I knew she was being playful. "You used to be all lovey-dovey but after so many years, that cute little boy is gone." She added, raising her hands to pinch my cheeks but she couldn't get past my shoulders and I wasn't about to lower my head and let her do it.

Catching her hands in mine, I lowered my head and pressed a kiss to her palms.

"And of course, you had to grow into a mountain," she rolled her eyes, making me chuckle.

"I'm a man now, Madre(mother). And too old for you to pinch my cheeks as you did back then when I was just a teenager.". I smiled, staring into her soft brown eyes.

Her next move came unexpectedly.

 Removing her hands from my hold, she wrapped them around me, resting her head on my chest. I embraced her back.

"You don't know how long I've missed these hugs."

"Me too." 

Hugging her back then was my little way of consoling her after Lorenzo assaulted her. After the first time, it became a tradition for both of us.

"I'd missed you so much, Giovanni,"

"You won't have to anymore, Madre(mother). I'm here to stay and we have many years to spend together now." I lowered my head and kissed her head.

"Of course we will." She pulled away from the embrace with a dazzling smile etched on her face.

"It's time to address the clan, madre"

"Go ahead, Mio Amore. I know you'll make a great alpha and you'll have the people's support." She tapped my shoulder gently before letting me go.

Making my way past the sea of bodies that have now gathered at the packhouse, I stood at the front of the large room, away from every other person where I could easily be noticed.

As soon as they laid their eyes on me, the room became quiet. 

A smile graced my lips at their sign and show of respect.

Thus, I began my speech.

"Good evening to you all." I paused, allowing my gaze to wander around the room as I searched their faces.

They were all beaming with smiles.

"I highly appreciate your presence and the fact that you all came together to receive me warmly after so many years of being away" I continued. "I am grateful to you for accepting me as one of you even after the brutality that my late father, Lorenzo, and the alpha of this clan had shown you. Thank you all for giving me a chance to prove myself."

A round of applause resounded in the room. Once again, I waited patiently for them to quiet down before I continued.

"I promise to lead you all in fairness. There shall be no injustice nor brutal treatment to any one of you, no matter your rank. As your new alpha, your safety and well being will always be my top priority. And to those of you that suffered one form of viciousness or another during the reign of Lorenzo, I'll try my best to right the wrongs he'd caused in your lives."

Again, the sounds of another resounding applause filled the room.

"And lastly," I began when the room was quiet. "I am aware that some of you worked for my father and supported him but know now that he is no more and if you continue in his ways, you'll have me to contend with. And I'm very sure you wouldn't want that." I added with a smile.

The crowd murmured their agreement.

"The night is still young. So let the merriment continue." I announced my last words.

Just then, my eyes caught sight of Mia carrying glasses filled with drinks into the room. While the people resumed with their chattering, I kept on watching her as she served them.

When she got to a group of men, I noticed the lustful looks on their faces. One of them must have made a comment that angered her because her demeanor changed instantly to fury as she strode past them to serve the next group.

I had the strangest urge to walk up to her, throw her over my shoulders and carry her out of the room away from the eyes of the assholes that were throwing lustful glances at her. But instead, I strolled to my mom, where she was chatting with a family friend, Nina and her daughter, Clarissa who I remembered was once my playmate when growing up.

"And here comes the new alpha" Nina announced to my hearing just as I got to them, beaming with a smile.

"Mio Amore, you still remember Nina and Clarissa don't you?" My mom asked, pointing to the two of them for clarification.

"I do madre."

"He can't forget his childhood friend" Nina piped in, smiling at Clarissa."

"How are you doing Rissa?" I asked, plastering a smile on my face.

Hearing her nickname on my lips, she broke into a wide grin, her eyes gleaming with excitement.

"I'm fine…" she stressed her words, stretching her hand for a handshake which I accepted but her handheld on to mine longer than necessary.

I tried to pull my hand away and she obliged but not before caressing my palm with her manicured fingers.

Zander growled in annoyance at her actions.

When I was approaching them, Clarissa had been the first to notice me as she had made eye contact with me. Immediately, she took her eyes off me and began pulling her v-neck top down to reveal more of her cleavage that was already on show.

Like every other woman in the room, she was dressed to impress me, hoping I'd give her my attention. They all looked like sharks ready to feed on their next prey.

After releasing my hand, she discreetly sent me a wink which I Ignored before lowering my head to whisper in my mom's ear that I was leaving to take my rest.

"It's okay Mio Amore, I'll take care of the guests." She assured me. 

Placing a kiss on her forehead, I turned and exited the room, while ignoring calls from different elders whose intentions were to introduce their unmated daughters to me.

Exciting the packhouse, I made my way to my room at the main house. On entering it, I was surprised at the changes that had been made. 

It was my childhood room and I remembered it being filled with happy memories of my childhood that included pictures and toys but the room I was in was different from what it had been.

The pictures were gone, replaced by abstract paintings, and the blue walls I'd been obsessed with were gone, replaced by grey ones.

My mom must have redecorated the room to fit the one I'd lived in while in New York. From all the times we'd video called, she must have remembered the interiors of the room.

I found myself smiling at her thoughtfulness while I made a mental note of replacing some of the abstract paintings with my pictures.

Thereafter, I stripped off my suit and hightailed for the bathroom to take a much needed cold shower. Emerging from the shower, I pulled on sweat pants and a tee-shirt before heading outside, through the back door of the main house.

Zander had been wanting to run into the woods since I arrived. While in New York, his freedom had been restricted since I couldn't risk disclosing my identity in a place where only humans inhabited

It was one of the major reasons I returned home after my studies. Being a werewolf among humans wasn't a life I wanted for myself. I dreaded the risk of getting discovered and getting killed.

With bare feet, I began to walk into the woods, inhaling the fresh air of nature.

The woods around Blackwood were secured and protected against hunters and enemy packs. So it was safe to run in them at whatever time you wanted.

"Ready, Zander?"

He growled excitedly in response.

As fast as he could, he began dominating my body as I felt the pain that came with bones cracking and cells reforming to that of a wolf. Within minutes, he'd completed the transformation.

As soon as he was freed, he ran into the woods, panting happily.

I sighed, allowing him to enjoy his time and take control.

I noticed he was running towards the direction of the lake in the middle of the woods but what bothered me was, the mixed fragrance of roses and vanilla.

That was when it dawned on me, Zander was tracing the fragrance and there could only be one person wherever he was going.

Mia.

"We are not going to see her, Zander."

"I'd love to see you stop me" he taunted and sped up.

Fucking wolf.