2.The Don's Home

James

My lips brushed over her beautiful neck as she let out a delicious moan urging me on. My fingers traced the sallow, soft skin of her stomach. She arched up against me hungrily for my touch. She was so responsive to my touch, and I felt an electricity in her that I had never experienced before. Her masquerade mask was still in place, but her piercing blue eyes were alive with passion behind the black lace that concealed her identity. I had left my mask in place, adding to the mystery of this senseless, steamy hookup. Why was I so drawn to this girl, like I would do anything to be close to her, to please her? I was the future royal Beta; plenty of girls threw themselves at me regularly, but there was something so different about this girl. She felt like the air I needed to breathe; she felt like part of my DNA already, even though I had only met her. My mind moved towards the amazing night we had spent making love………

Beeeeeeep!!

Shit, I had nearly run a red light. Not only had that girl infiltrated every moment of my dreams and nights, but she had also begun to invade my daydreams. I rubbed my hand over my face. If I didn’t get a grip, she was also going to be the death of me. I had needed this mission to try to get this girl out of my system. When I had awoken, she was gone, and due to the damn spell that had been on the masquerade ball, I hadn’t even picked up on her scent to track her down. Eoin, my Alpha, and I had gone through all records of those who attended; even Ben and Ash, my best friends, had helped me look, but nothing had led me to the girl of my dreams from nearly four years ago now. So much had happened in that time; my friends had moved on, and I was stuck. Stuck dreaming about a black haired, blue eyed beauty who had imprinted on my soul.  

Beeeeeeep!

“Fuck” I swore aloud as I hit the steering wheel. I was now sitting stationary at a green light, frustrating the traffic behind me.

“You need to get a grip” my wolf snarled in my mind as I drove the car forward.

“I’m trying here, dude, and don’t act like she’s not under your skin.” I snapped back in our inner dialogue mind link. He sulked off into the depths of my mind and put up a block between our minds.

I sighed as I shook my head and pushed any thoughts of my mystery girl away. I needed my wits about me in my current role; the palace had sent me to work with the mafia cartel after we had taken over a pack that had been lacing the mafia’s street drugs with wolfsbane, which had led to the deaths of werewolves and was now a matter for the werewolf king. As the future Royal Beta, I had been dispatched to work with the Angelito family and had been placed with the DON, disguised as one of his Capos, to find out how much of the supply was truly tainted and why it was targeting wolves. It wasn’t a major concern to the mafia if wolves were dying, but it was in Don Carlos’ best interest to keep the werewolf king on his side. Anyone deep enough in the criminal underworld knew enough that there was a paranormal, supernatural faction that existed in the shadows. Old Mafia families like the Angelito family were well aware of the werewolf communities and that they were not to be crossed. It’s how we all lived in relative harmony. The humans had their own issues; in their society, we did not interfere unless it crossed into our world, and wolfsbane-laced drugs were a clear crossover that even the Mafia had to acknowledge.

I kept my concentration on the road long enough to safely arrive at the Angelito family business offices. As a werewolf, I had super healing, but most of my fellow road users did not, so I owed them my full concentration. Don Carlos had a large legitimate business empire that ran in conjunction with his seedy empire. Like most of these Mafia boss types, he was a shrewd businessman. I walked into the building, showing my ID card only once, as they had now all become aware of my unusually large lurking figure, and I had relative free rein as Don Carlos’ supposed private guard. I wasn’t normally required at the office and only dabbled in his after-hours criminal activities, but I had been summoned here after the Angelito Mafia had experienced a run-in with some rogue wolves who had attacked their drug drop and left a vicious message on a badly beaten Mafia henchman, the sole survivor of the raid. The message being now that their pack source was gone; and if Don Carlos and the Angelito mafia didn’t do business with them, his family would pay.

The rogues were desperate now, unaware that the werewolf king had placed an order on all the mafias and underground criminal organizations that anyone dealing drugs to the rogue wolves would feel the weight of his full army, and as scared as Don Carlos was of the rogue wolves, it was nothing compared to how terrified he was of the werewolf royalty.

I reached Don Carlos’ office and paused briefly as a scent I had caught a few times before hung in the air. It was always light and lingering, suggesting the owner or cause of the scent had been and gone. The sweet citrus lemon meringue and green tea scent lingered and made me look around desperately for the source, but ultimately it was drowned out by a new scent: the overwhelming stench of a rogue. Rogues were werewolves who were banished from packs for various reasons or born to rogues. This usually made them the worst of the worst in pack society. Wolves were social creatures, and while a pack may occasionally have some lone wolves, they held onto their individual scent as they too served a place in pack society. However, it was unnatural for a pack wolf to exist in solitude, and rogues deteriorated from within, embedding them with the stench of decaying flesh and garbage to other wolves.

I stared at the man who had appeared next to me; he was one of Carlos’ vicious, most unsavory henchmen and unaware that the scent of a rogue wolf had been rubbed all over him for some reason. He was either up close and personal with some rogue she-wolf, or he had been up close to a rogue for another, less pleasant reason.

“You stink man.” I grumbled stepping back from him and the hot garbage smell wafting from him.

“Must be doggy blood.” He smirked at me knowingly, trying to bait me. I rolled my eyes at this insufferable imbecile as he theatrically wiped imaginary blood from his hands and his garish, cheap suit. I didn’t rise to his statement about werewolves being dogs, which was a known big insult to us. I, however, didn’t give a damn what this man thought of me; his opinions had no importance to me because I had no respect for him or what he did. Henchmen of his level and character who kidnapped people, including women and children, and did unspeakable things to them were very low on my list. He was nothing but a paid mercenary and serial killer.

“Did you learn anything?” I growled, and his bravado melted slightly at the sound.

“Not really just that they were looking to intercept the drug drop and that they were ordered to put pressure on Don Carlos and his family.” He added. I groaned. and scrubbed my hand over my face. It was bad enough I had to endure close proximity to the Don during the day, but now it looked like I was going to have to endure being his personal bodyguard. Only a werewolf could stop the rogue wolves that were now hunting the Mafia boss and his family.  The reason for my requested presence at the office had now become very clear. I fought down my displeasure and knocked before entering the office.

The Don and the capos at his side all looked up as I walked in. I stood tall and confident, allowing my natural Beta aura to wash over them, knowing it made them uneasy. I had no problem letting these men know that I was here, as my job required, but I had no personal sympathy or respect for them. The bravado of the vile henchman, on the other hand, abandoned him in the presence of the mafia boss and reduced him to a sneaky little coward as he slipped into the office with his head down and scurried to press his back against the wall.

“Ah, Mr. James, thank you for joining us.” Don Carlos spoke when everyone had settled into the office, and the click of the door indicated we could no longer be overheard. I folded my arms as I glanced at the man who made my skin crawl. I would love to snuff his very existance out having lived in close proximity to what he does on an everyday basis and the cruelty he displays. However, this was a case of better the devil you know to the werewolf crown to get the drugs off the street and protect the shifters. I swallowed my feelings and listened as they retold the treat left on the Don and his family. I raised an eyebrow at how unbothered they were by the gruesome details. 

"So what do you suggest?" He asked me. 

"In relation to your safety, only I can stop a rogue attack on you and spot any concelled wolves with I am with. You will have to double your gaurds until we see where this threat goes." I replied as he nodded.  I could help him arm his men with silver bullets and weapons dipped in wolfs-bane but I wasn't a fool. I wasn't about to hand the mafia the tools to damage a wolf or kill me if he suddenly so wished. We would have to do this the old fashioned way and hope his men were as vicious and well trained as he claimed. I would do my best to keep this man alive as part of the mission with the drug supply but if things went south I wasn't risking my neck for him either. There was the issue of his family and I now had to endure being up close and persoanlw ith Don Carlos.  

“Who lives in your home?” I asked by way of recon and to break the weird silence that had settled in the room as they pondered my words. 

“My Wife Maria, My son Carlos Jr or CJ as we call him, my daughter Giovanna and her son Luca. Other then that there is various full time staff and security members. If you are to accompany me, you will not stay with my security detail in the staff house, you will stay in the guest wing as I respect your Royal rank.” he added as I nodded. I couldn't help but supress the feeling I would rather stay in the staff house. 

I listen to more macho dripple as the Cappo's barked orders to increase the security details and then trailled the Don Carlos in his blacked out armoured car home to his family house. |In fairness it was much smaller then the palace I grew up in but reminded me of my mother's fathers pack house except for the security walls and fences that made it looked like a lavious prison compond. 

When I parked up the Don stepped out of his car and pausing on the steps he bekonded to me to follow. 

“Come let’s get some dinner. I imagine the ladies are ready by now.” Don Carlos gestured as I followed him inside. I followed him to a dinning room where a woman in a green cocktail dress, her hair and make up perfectly styled was waiting holding out a glass of what looked like whiskey. I suppressed a gag at how 1950’s this all looked as he greeted his wife with a kiss to her cheek. The young man slightly older then myself and who bore a striking resemblance to Carlos I guessed to be his son was already seated to the right of the head of the table. Don Carlos looked around and I could see the displeasure and anger suddenly cross his face.

“Where is Giovanna?” He asked.

“In her room my love, she is feeling unwell this evening.” his wife said sweetly but I could feel the tremor of terror in her tone.

“I expect her here Maria.” He snapped. “ You know we eat together and it is your responsibility to ensure the children are all in line and obedient.” he snarled.

I clamped my mouth shut and blocked out the fantasy of snapping this assholes neck here and now and saving myself and the rogues the trouble. A blonde women seated at the table now looked at her charm bracelet intently as if examining it would tune out what was going on.

“ I know my love but she is really unwell and I knew we had a guest so I felt it best not to be fussing over Giovanna.” she replied apologetically.

“I expect her here for breakfast, Giovanna is lucky I haven’t disowned her over her previous disgrace.” He snarled and I was shocked anyone would speak about their daughter in such a manner never mind in front of company. Maria nodded and now turned to me offering her well manicured hand.

“I am Maria Angelito so very nice to meet you.” She smiled winningly as her husband rested a hand on her lower back. Now suddenly they were the picture of 1950's ettiquette and perfection. 

“Beta James Harris - Shine so nice to met you.” I forced a smile as if I wasn’t disgusted by Don Carlos’s treatment of his wife. I was only on the cusp of twenty years old but never had I witnessed the horrible aura this man enforced on his family and I grew up among Kings and Queens, princes and princesses. I swallowed all the bad thoughts down as Don Carlos officially introduced me to the others seated. The blonde girl turned out to be the Nanny Samantha who cared for Luca. She was quiet and seemed to be unsurprised by any of the proceedings she witnessed. The rest of the meal went seemingly normally and soon I was dismissed in the care of Samantha to show me to my room.

“It’s not as bad as it seems here.” She muttered after we had left the family. "you get used to it and his gruff manner." 

“What is his problem with his little girl Giovanna?” I asked. Samantha gave a sad smile.

“She is not so little.” She sighed.

“What do you mean?”

“She is nineteen, but he treats her like a child. Gigi is sadly in her fathers eyes a damaged mafia princess.” Samantha said sadly. "She is beautifull, strong and smart the perfect daughter for an alliance marriage worth millions but Gigi made a mistake and her value to the Mafia family plummeted" 

“Excuse me?” I asked now completely lost and confused.

“Giovanna fell pregnant at sixteen and had Luca. She was shunned at first because she refused to abort the baby but then suddenly Don Carlos found something in himself that forgave Giovanna slightly. He allowed her keep the baby, but any Mafia political match he could of made with Giovanna was now destroyed as she is classed in their world as damaged goods, a damaged asset to the Angelito family. Gigi is smart though and she found herself a use in his business and works as his personal assistant but Don Carlos treats her like a child and she is not allowed leave the compound without his permission.” Samantha explained as she opened a door to a muted cream large bedroom suite.

“Wow.” I digested the information slowly. “Samantha why are you telling me all this?” I asked realizing I didn’t know this girl who had just given a lot of private information to me.

”Please call me Sam.”  She smiled warmly.

I nodded “So Sam why are you telling me all this?” I asked again not allowing her dodge the question.

“Do you believe in faith?” She asked me and I didn’t answer as she caught me off guard. “I believe everything happens for a reason Beta James , that you were ment to come here and my reason will be clear soon. Goodnight.” Sam smiled as she closed the door leaving me alone in my confusion.

I looked around the luxurious room and sighed. I opened the en suite and gave a content sigh at the huge walk in shower.