25

He froze in place, his chest heaving as his dark eyes fixated on the jagged mess spread across the floorboards. The crimson wine was soaking deep into the expensive rug, surrounding the scattered shards of broken glass like a pool of fresh blood.

A dark, unhinged look flashed across his face. Without saying a word, he turned on his heel and strode toward an even larger mahogany table standing near the balcony. This one was stacked high with row upon row of crystal decanters, silver platters, and dozens of delicate wine glasses.

He pulled back his heavy boot and kicked the table leg with explosive force.

The heavy structure flipped into the air with a violent crash. The deafening, ear-splitting sound of shattering glass and breaking crystal erupted through the vast chamber, echoing off the stone walls. Sharp shards flew in every direction, and I instinctively flinched, clamping both hands tight over my ears to block out the unbearable noise.

Once the room fell dead silent again, Alpha Lucien walked slowly back toward his large leather chair. He sank into the plush cushions, resting his elbows on the armrests as he casually raised his cigarette back to his lips, taking a long, slow drag.

"You know..." he murmured, blowing a thick cloud of grey smoke toward the vaulted ceiling, his voice dropping into a chillingly calm register. "You are completely right. I am indeed a pain in the ass. In fact... calling me a pain in the ass is a massive understatement. I am far worse than the devil himself."

He tapped the ash off his cigarette, his dark gaze drifting over to where I stood frozen.

"Let me share a little secret with you," he purred, a bitter, twisted smile touching the edge of his mouth. "No one in this world actually likes me. Absolutely no one cares about me. Do you want to know why? I will tell you why—because I am wicked, and I am evil. I bring nothing but pure pain and death to everyone who comes near me, and I kill people without a single shred of reason."

He gestured vaguely with his hand toward the heavy double doors leading out to the hallway.

"All my workers, all my guards, all my fierce warriors, and all my clever advisors..." he paused, his eyes narrowing as a dark sneer twisted his features. "They all pretend to love me. They smile in my face and bow their heads in fake devotion. But I know the truth. They don't think I know, but I know everything. They pretend every single day, and not a single one of them has the courage to tell me when I am wrong or show me their true feelings. Do you know why they do that?"

He leaned forward, resting his chin on his steepled fingers, his gaze locking onto mine like a predator.

"Because they are utterly terrified that I might snap their necks and kill them on the spot," he whispered, his tone laced with dark satisfaction. "So they have no choice but to pretend to love me just so they can survive another day in this fortress. The only person in this entire world who actually dares to tell me the truth is my brother. He loves me more than anyone else ever could. And guess what?"

A sudden, sharp laugh bubbled up from his throat, completely devoid of any real joy.

"I have attacked and killed him more times than I have ever cared about anyone," Alpha Lucien confessed, his eyes gleaming with a strange, unhinged light. "And every single time, his body heals, and he refuses to leave my side. He keeps trying to save my soul. He wants me to change, to become good and kind just like him. But I am not him. I will never be like him."

He took another deep drag from his cigarette, his expression hardening into pure, unyielding stone.

"If I were kind like him, I would never have survived to reach this position," he growled out softly. "Power is the only thing that truly matters in this life. People will never truly respect you just because they like you. They will only respect you when disrespecting you carries terrifying consequences... when you refuse to let even a single act of disrespect slip away unpunished."

Alpha Lucien slowly lowered his arm, his sharp, menacing gaze pinning me where I stood.

"So, my little Vicenzo..." he purred, his voice dripping with sinister intent. "For every action, there is an equal reaction. You standing there and talking to me so boldly was your action... and this mess on the floor is my reaction. Now go and pick up every single piece of these broken bottles and clean this entire place up thoroughly. I should not see a single speck of glass left behind. I want this floor shining so bright that I can break more glass on it all over again."

I clamped my mouth shut, swallowing down the fierce retort resting on the tip of my tongue. Knowing there was no point in arguing with a madman, I walked over to the corner of the room, picking up a metal trash bin and a flat dustpan to begin clearing the disaster.

I knelt down on the rug near the first pile of broken crystal, holding the dustpan flat against the floor as I reached for the broom to sweep the sharp shards inside.

"No," Alpha Lucien's cold voice cut through the silence, sharp and commanding. "Do not pick up the glass with a broom. Use your bare hands.”