[Massimo’s POV]"Who are you to tell me what I shouldn’t do?"Knight’s voice is harsh, but there is a hint of disbelief and something more behind it. However, I don’t give a shit whether or not this asshole thing is an act or not, because the look of hurt that crosses Tatiana’s face is very real."Do you know speaking against the luna of a pack like that is insubordination?" He continues. "I could…""Could what?" I growl, pulling Tatiana against me. "Where the fuck do you think you are?"If Tatiana wasn’t here, I would have already attacked him and not thought twice about it. But I knew that seeing what I did back at Onyx Falls had left a mark on her, and I didn’t want her to have to see that side of me again."I don’t care if this is your territory or mine," Knight counters. "She is suggesting that the luna of Hunters Moon is planning something and that…""Again, I don’t give a shit," I snap, tightening my hold on Tatiana. "You touch her, and I will cut you down right here and now."
[Knight’s POV]I storm out of Obsidian River’s packhouse and make my way to the car, where Vince sits waiting with his seat back and his eyes closed.As he senses me, he shoots up and eyes me curiously before a look of concern crosses his face."What’s wrong with you?" He asks as I pull my door open and climb into the car. "What happened?"For a moment, I don’t speak as Tatiana’s words replay themselves in my mind again and again.Beware of my stepmother.Frowning, I try to make sense of why she would even say that. Was she aware of something that I didn’t know, or was she already aware of her treachery?Fuck, it was frustrating, and as much as I wanted to question her further about what she was saying, I couldn’t possibly.‘Your attempt at protecting her was for nothing,’ Bane huffs in frustration."Hello?" Vince continues, waving a hand in front of my face. "Are you going to talk to me or keep staring off into oblivion?"Sighing, I buckle my seatbelt and fix my gaze straight ahead.
[Knight’s POV]"You’re welcome to have a seat wherever," I announce, untangling my arm from Anya’s. "My stepmother should be here any…""Wait," she gasps, reaching out and grabbing my wrist. "Won’t you stay?"Stay? Why in the hell would I stay? I was pretty sure I knew exactly what it was that they were going to talk about, and I didn’t need to be a part of it.If that woman had convinced my father to go along with her plan, then that was that, and I had no room to argue."I’m sure the both of you have a lot of catching up to do."As I speak, I begin to move, making my way toward the room's exit, but before I can reach it, I feel my shirt being snagged.Frowning, I turn and take in Anya, who is standing behind me with a pained look on her face."Did I do something to offend you?" She asks quietly, lifting her large gaze to mine. "If so, I apologize."Biting back my initial response, I try to make sense of what the fuck is going on, but before I can, my stepmother enters with Jackson,
[Tatiana’s POV]I stand on the busy street, clinging to Massimo while trying to stop the anxiety that I’m suddenly feeling due to being surrounded by so many people and noises.Since I had grown up in Hunters Moon, I was never exposed to this type of thing, but since Massimo was willing to help me investigate what was happening behind the scenes in Hunters Moon, I couldn’t possibly deny his request for me to go on a date with him.That was why, two days later, I was out here being overstimulated while trying to make it seem like I was fine."Just continue to hang onto me," Massimo says now, snapping me out of my head so that I find our noses are inches apart.Gasping, I stumble backwards but am stopped by his arm wrapping around me."Careful," he hisses, pulling me against him. "You’re pregnant; you need to take better care of yourself.""I’m so…"I don’t finish as Masimo’s gaze narrows on me and our conversation a few days prior flashes in my mind."So…" Shit, old habits really do di
[Massimo’s POV]Desire begins to build within me with every minute that passes, and my little fairy continues to meet my hunger with her own. However, before I can let myself get carried away, I gently pull her back and take in her flushed cheeks and dark eyes."Down girl," I chuckle, running my hands up her arms, which tremble slightly. "I appreciate you trying, but you don’t have to push yourself that much.""Push?" She repeats, seeming confused. "I don’t…""You want me to help you with Knight," I explain, knowing that was the reason she was doing all of this. "And I’ve already agreed by having my beta look into Hunters Moon and Veronica’s background. But I’m not sure if they will be able to uncover anything."As the words leave my lips, I remember just how secretive Tatiana’s own background is. I didn’t know if it was Hunters Moon or Onyx River covering her, but I didn’t put it past either."You think I did that because of him?" She asks quietly, hurt flashing in her eyes. "How cou
[Massimo’s POV]I begin to move, making my way toward the cocky bastard as he continues to watch me in boredom. He really did deserve to have his ass handed to him; maybe then he would realize that he wasn’t as invincible as he thought."Go on then," he announces, opening his arms. "Do your worst."Stopping, I take him in, trying to figure out what he is playing at, but I find absolutely nothing on his face or in his eyes. All I see is a reflection of someone that I knew in the past, and that leaves me unnerved.I recognized that look and that gleam; it was the same exact fucking thing I saw when I looked myself in the mirror day in and day out after my little fairy went missing."Lost your nerve?"As he speaks, a slow smile of amusement begins to spread across his face, and before I even know what I’m doing, my hand is connecting with his jaw, sending him crashing to the floor."Quit playing the fucking martyr," I snap, lifting him from the ground. "Do you think if you continue this
[Knight’s POV]I stare into Tatiana’s silver eyes, trying to process what exactly she was up to. Why was she going through all of this after what I had done to her? Was she stupid or something?"I refuse," I respond, leaning back on my cot. "Leave.""You heard him," Massimo says, reaching out and grabbing Tatiana’s hand.This action alone sends me into a rage, and it takes everything for me not to jump up and stop him from touching what was mine."He isn’t interested in our help," he continues, oblivious to my change in mood or just not giving a shit. "Let him stay here and rot.""I…" Tatiana begins, looking from him to me. "I can’t."Frowning, I take in her expression, which screams remorse and guilt. What the hell was she even thinking, and why did I care so much to know?"He saved me once," she continues, her eyes filling with determination. "And because of that, I have to return the favor."Saved? When the hell had I saved her? All I did was ignore everything she was going through
[Massimo’s POV]I head out of the station while Knight’s defeated expression replays in my head again and again.Fuck, why did it bother me so much? Right, because as long as he was in there, Tatiana wouldn’t be satisfied, and he would be on her mind.I truly was selfish, and despite already having her to myself due to his pushing her away, I still wanted more. I wanted her to be just as obsessed with me as I was with her, but that would never happen as long as that hindrance was around.‘Kill him,’ Zanos suggests. ‘Then he won’t be an issue.’‘If only it was that easy,’ I sigh.Normally, that is exactly what I would do when there was something bothering me, but this was different. This person was important to my little fairy, whether she wanted to admit it or not."Fuck," I huff, running a hand through my hair. "What the fuck am I even doing? Who is this pathetic bastard?""Massimo?"Cursing my timing, I lift my gaze to find Tatiana watching me as I make my way down the steps of the