LOGINChiaraâs POV âI almost called Raffaele.â The words slipped out before I could stop them, heavy and raw in the quiet kitchen. Anita froze in the middle of wiping the counter, the cloth hanging loosely from her hand as she turned to stare at me. âYou did what?â she asked, her voice edged with surprise and a trace of disapproval. âI didnât,â I said quickly, dragging my hands over my face. âBut I almost did. When I woke up and couldnât find the kids or Lorenzo, I panicked. My first instinct was to call Raffaele for help.â The admission tasted bitter on my tongue. âI thought⊠I thought Lorenzo might have taken them. That he could just disappear with them, and there would be nothing I could do. Even after you told me they only went out for a walk, I couldnât shake it. I kept thinking maybe he lied, maybe he tricked you too.â Anita set the cloth aside and leaned back against the counter, folding her arms. âChiara,â she said carefully, âyou really thought Lorenzo would just run off wi
Lorenzoâs POV âYou took them without asking?!â Chiaraâs voice cut through the air, sharp and shaking at the same time as she reached for the children. Luca and Sofia immediately shrank behind me, their earlier laughter from the garden dying in an instant. âI didnâtââ I started, but she raised her hand, stopping me cold. âDo you have any idea what went through my mind when I woke up and found them gone?â she snapped, her voice trembling now, not just with anger but something deeper. âI thought something happened to them. I thoughtââ She broke off, her chest rising and falling as she tried to steady herself. âTheyâre fine,â I said, forcing my tone to stay calm even as tension coiled inside me. âI just took them for a walk. They wanted to explore, and I thoughtââ âYou thought?â she cut in again, her eyes flashing. âYou didnât think, Lorenzo. You didnât think to tell me. You didnât think about how I would feel waking up to an empty house.â Luca tugged lightly on my sleeve, his vo
Lorenzoâs POV âWhy are you in Mammaâs bed?â The small voice cut straight through my sleep, dragging me out of it without mercy. My eyes snapped open, and the first thing I saw were two tiny figures standing beside the bed. Luca had his arms folded tightly across his chest, his expression full of suspicion and accusation, while Sofia stood close to him, her head tilted as she studied me with open curiosity. I blinked, trying to gather myself, trying to ignore the sharp glare Luca was throwing my way. The kid had warned me just hours ago, and somehow, I had still ended up exactly where he said I should not be. In his motherâs bed. âWhat are you two doing here?â I whispered, pushing myself up carefully so I would not wake Chiara. We had barely slept before dawn when we finally collapsed back into bed. She was still fast asleep beside me, her dark hair spread across the pillow, her face peaceful in a way that made something tighten in my chest. For a moment, I allowed myself to imagi
Chiaraâs POV âWhy were you kissing him?â Lucaâs question cut straight through the silence, sharp and innocent at the same time. His face was scrunched in confusion, like he could not quite piece together what he had just seen. I opened my mouth, but no words came out. What could I possibly say to a child who had just walked in on his mother kissing a man he barely knew? Lorenzo recovered first. He crouched down to Lucaâs level, steady and calm, like he was handling something fragile. âWell, piccolo⊠thatâs a very good question. Do you think I shouldnât kiss your mamma?â he asked, glancing briefly at me. Luca crossed his arms over his chest, his small lips pushing into a stubborn pout. âYes. Only me and Sofia can kiss Mamma,â he declared. Lorenzoâs lips twitched, amusement slipping through despite himself. I stayed where I was, frozen between stepping in or letting this strange moment play out. âHm,â Lorenzo hummed, rubbing his jaw like he was considering a serious deal. âThat d
Lorenzoâs POV I stepped closer to her, my fingers brushing lightly against her arm, slow and careful, like I was trying to soothe something fragile, something already cracking beneath the surface. I needed her to understand, to feel it, that it had always been her, that it was still her. âGinevra means nothing to me, Chiara,â I said, my voice low, steady, but she let out a bitter laugh that cut straight through me as she pulled away from my touch like it burned. She did not believe me. Not even a little. âNothing?â she shot back, her eyes flashing. âSheâs in your pack, always around you, always close enough to touch. That is what nothing looks like to you?â I exhaled sharply, dragging my hand through my hair as frustration clawed its way up my chest, threatening to spill over. âChiara, I know how it looks,â I said, trying to keep my voice under control, trying not to lose her again right here. âBut it is not what you think.â âThen explain it to me,â she demanded, stepp
Chiara's POV "You're imagining things," I replied, crossing my arms over my chest as if it could shield me from my own lies. "It's not possible. I am past the age of awakening. If I did not have a wolf all this time, I am not going to suddenly get one now," I denied. Lorenzoâs eyes narrowed as he focused on me, and we both stepped out of the twinsâ bedroom. "I know what I felt, Chiara. Youâ" "You are wrong," I interrupted immediately, my voice rising slightly, more defensive than I intended. My wolf stirred inside me. Stop this, she growled, impatient and firm. Tell him. Heâs our mate. No. I shoved her presence away. As I noticed Lorenzo still trailing behind me, I spoke again. "You're reading too much into it. I am still the same wolfless Chiara you looked down on, remember? Nothingâs changed." Lorenzoâs steps faltered. I did not want to start a fight this morning, but his questions were dragging me back to the past, to the way he used to insult me, belittling me for not hav
Lorenzoâs POV Chiara had always been a mystery to me. But now? She was something else entirely. Six years ago, she vanished from Florence like smoke. And when she returned, she wasnât the same timid girl who used to lower her eyes whenever I looked at her. She came back sharper. Stronger. Fier
Raffaeleâs POV I kept my hand resting lightly on Sofiaâs shoulder as we walked through the corridor, ensuring she stayed close. She was a handfulâthere was no denying thatâbut there was also something captivating about her boldness and quick wit. Beside her, Luca trailed silently, his sharp gaze
Chiaraâs POV I immediately connected my charger as I settled onto a chair in my hotel room after being transferred here. Annaâs name lit up the screen. A long string of messages followedâones I hadnât been able to read earlier because my phone had died the moment I arrived. The first one
Lucaâs POV The car was weird. It smelled like old leather and something spicy, like pepperoncino oil, that made my nose twitch. Sofia sat beside me, her legs too short to reach the floor. They swung back and forth while she stared out the window. I could tell she didnât trust these guys any mo







