She is not coming back

Chapter eleven: She isn't coming back

Luca’s POV

“Serafina is gone,” I grunted, as my mother did not even bother to hide her smirk. My brother sat down beside her, and I clenched my jaw as I heard them chatter about how much better things would be now that Serafina was gone.

“Perhaps now you will find a proper mate to produce an heir,” my mother retorted, raising her eyebrows and crossing her arms.

“Serafina was my mate, whether you liked her or not,” I growled, looking away and trying my hardest to keep my anger in check.

It infuriated me that Matteo Bianchi had taken my mate under his wing. She had nothing to do with him, and I knew he had done this out of pure spite due to our long-standing feuds.

“Luca, she is nothing but a useless slut, now she's with your arch enemy. What does that truly say about her?” my brother hissed, jumping up from his seat and glaring at me as if he were ready to go to war with me.

“You think you know better, do you?” I was ready to punch his lights out if he dared challenge me. My mother stood up and got in between the pair of us.

“Stop this now at once,” she ordered.

“You are not worth it anyway,” my brother snapped before sulking off and slamming the door so hard behind him that the wall shuddered and a crack appeared.

“Right, now you need to calm down, my son. Serafina was never good enough for you, and you know it,” my mother insisted, and I did not want to hear it any longer.

Serafina hadn't deserved all this hate and resentment; it was my fault. I should have treated her better and never allowed anyone to make her feel unworthy.

I sank onto the nearest chair, my fists trembling as regret settled. Every moment I failed her, every harsh word, every time I let her doubt herself—those memories haunted me now. Serafina deserved so much better than what I had given her.

My mother’s footsteps receded as she left me alone with my thoughts. The house was silent except for the distant echoes of my brother’s anger and the faint creak of the walls, bearing witness to my torment. I clenched my jaw tighter, fighting back the ache that threatened to break me.

Deep down, I knew Serafina was gone for good. Matteo’s interference, struggles, and mistakes had all conspired to tear us apart. No matter how much I wanted to believe she might return, part of me understood that she had moved on, that she was free from this life of pain and betrayal I had failed to protect her from.

A bitter taste rose in my throat as I stared at the space where she once stood. She isn’t coming back. The words echoed, cold and final, sealing a chapter I desperately wished I could rewrite.

But in the quiet darkness of my despair, a flicker of hope remained—perhaps someday I could find a way to make amends, to earn her forgiveness. Until then, I would carry this weight, a constant reminder of what I lost and could never retrieve.

“Alpha, you have a visitor. She is waiting in your office for you, " an omega announced, and I looked up at the young girl standing in the doorway. She looked extremely nervous about giving me a message.

I frowned and wondered who it was since I was not expecting anyone.

“Who is it?” I bellowed more than I had intended to do.

“I apologise, Alpha, but I don't know her name,” the omega said with widened eyes that looked like we were about to brim up with tears. I rolled my eyes and dismissed her. I had no time for that nonsense.

I got up and went to my study, muttering and cursing under my breath as I walked the maze of corridors.

Finally, I reached the door of my study, it was closed, and as I pushed it open, I was surprised to see that by the window was Bianca, my lover, her expression tense and eyes searching as they met mine.

“Bianca,” I started, my voice strained with emotion. But before I could say more, I raised a hand to stop her. “What are you doing here? I can’t see you right now.”

Her brows furrowed, and she took a hesitant step forward. “Luca, please. You look so tense, and I want to help you. I've missed you so much, baby.” She started to massage my muscles, and I couldn't help but feel myself harden at her touch. She knew exactly what buttons to press with me, but all I saw was Serafina’s face.

“No,” I cut her off sharply. “Not now. I just... I can’t. Not yet.”

She looked hurt, a flicker of pain crossing her face. “Luca, what’s going on? You’ve been distant. I know my leaving before was painful, but I'm back now, and all you're doing is you’re shutting me out—”

I clenched my fists, fighting the overwhelming emotions that threatened to burst free. “It’s not about you,” I said quietly, my voice trembling. I have too much on my mind. I need time to think. Please understand.”

Her mouth fell open in disbelief. “It's her, isn't? It's that Serafina? She finally got to you and your damn mate bond.”

I stared at her, the weight of her words hitting me like a punch to the chest. My jaw tightened, and for a moment, I was speechless. She wasn’t wrong—Serafina’s memory haunted me, and the bond we once shared still lingered, even if I tried to suppress it.

“Bianca,” I finally said, my voice low and strained, “it’s not that simple. I told you—”

“No, Luca,” she interrupted, her voice trembling with anger and heartbreak. “You’re stuck on her. You can’t just shut me out because of her. I’m here now. I’ve come back for you, and I deserve your honesty. What did that bitch ever do for you?”

I looked away, feeling the familiar surge of guilt. I knew she was right, yet I couldn’t deny that massive part of me clung to Serafina—her face, her touch, the memories we should have shared. The bond we had was a part of me, and it was tearing me apart from the inside out.

“Bianca,” I whispered, stepping closer but struggling to find the words. “I care about you. I do. But I’m not in a place where I can give you what you want.”

Her eyes shimmered with tears, and she shook her head slowly. “You’re lying to yourself, Luca. You’re trying to pretend she’s not still there, but I see it. I feel it. You’re holding onto her, and it’s unfair to either of us.”

“Just leave now.” I roared, my Alpha tone clear and authoritative.

Bianca stepped back, her face a mixture of heartbreak and shock. “Fine,” she whispered, voice trembling. “But don’t expect me to wait forever.”

The door slammed behind her as she left me alone with my haunting thoughts.