Chapter 34
thirty-four
KITANIA
The shadow stretched longer against the wall, moving with deliberate slowness toward me. My mind split in two—survival instincts screaming at me to run, trauma whispering it was useless to try. My muscles tensed, ready to fight, but my feet remained rooted to the spot.
Sweat trickled down my spine, my heart pounding so hard I feared it might burst through my ribs. I hadn’t come this far, found my mates, built a life, just to die like this.
I had to fight. And failure wasn’t an option.
I glanced around frantically, searching for anything that might serve as a weapon. The dead-end was barren—no trash cans, no fire extinguishers, not even a damn crate or picture frame I could break and use as a makeshift shiv.
The bond burned like a live wire in my chest, getting closer by the minute. Panic, fury, and bone-deep fear surged through our connection. But underneath it all, steady and unrelenting, was their promise.
They were coming for me. And God help anyone in their way.
“Looks like you made a wrong turn, micia .” Rocco tsked.
His voice froze my blood as his tall frame came into view, blocking the only way out.
“Did you really think you could hide from me?” He taunted. “That I’d actually let you win my little game?”
My throat closed up, memories of his cruelty washing over me in nauseating waves. The scars across my back seemed to throb in recognition of their maker.
“My mates are coming,” I managed, hating how my voice shook. “You should leave while you still can.”
“Oh, I’m counting on it. Don’t you see? That’s the whole point.” He laughed, the sound sharp and jagged, like broken glass. “What kind of host would I be if I disappeared after sending such a warm invitation?”
He advanced with predatory grace—slow, deliberate, leisurely. Like he had all the time in the world. His eyes gleamed with cruel amusement, lips curving into a mockery of a smile.
I waited until he was close enough—then struck.
A sharp jab to his side, just like Gio had taught me. Elbow in, weight behind it. A hit meant to hurt.
Rocco staggered a step, surprise flashing across his face.
But then it bled into something worse—twisted interest. Like I’d just made it fun for him.
He slammed me back against the locked door with brutal force, hand closing around my throat. My head hit the metal hard, the air choking out of me in a strangled gasp as his grip tightened. Not enough to knock me out. Just enough to remind me who held the power.
“There’s that fire I’ve missed,” he murmured, his breath hot and foul against my ear. “Makes it so much more enjoyable to break you.”
His fist flew.
The first blow cracked across my cheek, sending stars exploding behind my eyes. I reeled sideways, but didn’t fall. More blood bloomed on my tongue—thick and coppery, flooding my mouth.
“You won’t break me again,” I hissed, spitting a bloody spray onto his shirt.
His expression darkened, cutting and angry. “We’ll see about that.”
Then he grabbed a fistful of my hair and yanked.
I bit back a scream as he dragged me through the maze of his own creation, retracing every frantic step I’d taken. The warehouse blurred around me—and I lost track of the twists and turns. My feet scrambled for traction on the slick concrete, but it didn’t matter. Rocco was bigger, stronger, and he dragged me like a rag doll beside him.
I didn’t stop fighting. Kicking. Cursing. Anything I could do to slow him down.
But it was fruitless.
By the time we reached the top floor again—back to where this nightmare had started—my legs were shaking, breath ragged, blood dripping down my chin. He shoved me forward, and I landed hard on the floor, barely catching myself with my palms. Pain rippled up my arms from the jolt of the impact.
I scrambled to my knees and looked up just in time to see him level his gun my way.
“Look at you,” he sneered. “Right back where you belong. A pathetic slip of an Omega, on your knees for me.”
I glared, letting the full force of my hate fuel me. I gathered my strength, biding my time. I was no match against his gun, but Gio had taught me to look for weaknesses, to take every opportunity to escape when I was in danger. I put that into practice now, remaining vigilant, observant, cataloguing Rocco’s every move, every shift of his enforcers at his back, every subtle change in the surrounding scents as I stared down the barrel aimed at my forehead.
Every second I kept him talking was another second I got to keep breathing. No matter how hard I tried to find a way out of this, I was out numbered. Out powered. I knew my odds of surviving this weren’t good.
“You know what the funny thing is?” Rocco continued, gesturing with the gun. “I was going to make you mine. Keep you as a pet. But now?” His face contorted with disgust. “Now you’re used up. Ruined. Only good as bait .”
My stomach lurched. “They won’t fall for it.”
“You and I both know they already have. You can feel them coming, can’t you? Those pathetic Alphas of yours are so predictable. All I needed was their precious Omega, and I knew they’d rush blindly into my trap to save you.” He leaned in close, his bitter, burnt scent making me gag. “Too bad they’ll be too late. That’s what happens when you cross a Valentino. They’ll hear the gunshot that steals you from them before I round them up and slit their throats.”
Horror washed over me as his plan became clear. Rocco was going for total annihilation. Me, my pack, their territory. He wanted everything the Cristenellos had built burned to ash and rebuilt as part of his domain.
I reached out through our bond, desperately trying to warn them.
Don’t come. He’ll kill you. Please, don’t—
Their responses flooded back immediately, iron-clad and unyielding.
We’re coming, Sweetness. Hold on.
Almost there, Butterfly.
Stay strong, Angel.
Nothing will keep me from you, Kitten.
Tears burned my eyes. They were coming anyway, walking straight into Rocco’s lair, tempting death. For me.
I glanced at Rocco’s men, studying their faces. Some looked resolute, but others... others looked uncertain. This wasn’t a negotiation or a hostage situation. This was an execution, pure and simple, against one of the strongest families. Against an Omega. I could see the hesitation in their eyes. Some of them were wondering if they were on the wrong side of this fight.
But not one of them moved to help me; not one raised a hand against their boss. Whatever doubts they had, loyalty—or fear —kept them in line.
Rocco flipped off the safety, his finger twitching on the trigger. “Any last words, micia ? You know how much I enjoy hearing you beg…”
I squeezed my eyes shut, unwilling to give him the satisfaction of seeing me shatter. Through the bond, I sent one last message to my mates.
I love you.
The world seemed to slow down. I could hear my own heartbeat, could feel the sweat beading on my forehead, could smell the bitter scent of my fear and apprehension in the air. I waited for the shot that would end everything.
But it never came.
Instead, there was a growl. A rush of movement. A shout.
My eyes flew open just in time to see Enzo tackle Rocco from the side. That unfeeling mask he’d worn earlier was ripped to shreds. His eyes were fire, his expression set. Rocco snarled as they fought, but the momentum from Enzo plowing in him carried them both toward the window. Their bodies crashed through the glass, sending it shattering in an explosion of grimy crystal shards.
I jumped to my feet between one breath and the next, my heart thundering wildly, my eyes wide. Everything seemed to happen in slow motion. The way they rotated in mid air. Enzo’s eyes somehow finding mine in the chaos of the moment.
I saw it then. The apology. The torture of what he’d done. The atonement .
Time stretched impossibly thin as I watched them fall. Rocco’s scream of rage, of panicked realization, tore through the air as they plummeted five stories down. Then came a terrible silence, broken only by the tinkling of glass fragments hitting the asphalt like freezing rain.
I lurched forward, drawn by some morbid need to see, to confirm what had happened. I clung to the steel frame of the jagged, broken window, peering down at the sprawl of bodies below. Wind whipped at my hair, and then a hand snatched me back, hard and fast.
“Kitten.”
Dimitri’s voice broke through the haze of shock. He crushed me to his chest, arms locked tight, one hand fisting gently in my hair, just holding me to him. His scent wrapped around me just as hard—sandalwood and honey, cut through with blood and the acrid, bitter burn of rage. Tears stung my eyes, and I buried my face against him, clinging to his shirt as if he might disappear.
“I’ve got you,” he murmured hoarsely. “You’re safe. You’re safe, now.”
The sound of metal hitting the ground echoed through the cavernous space as Rocco’s men surrendered.
And then they were all there—Gio, Tommy, Marco—surrounding me, hands reaching out to touch, to hold, to confirm I was real. That I was alive.
Gio pulled me into his arms, pressing his face into my hair. “Dolcezza,” he breathed, his voice breaking. “Christ, we almost—”
Marco lifted my chin gently, his blue eyes scanning my face, cataloging every bruise and cut. “Angel,” he rasped, thumbs brushing away tears I hadn’t realized were falling.
Tommy clutched my hand, bringing it to his lips, his eyes never leaving mine. “Butterfly,” he breathed, the nickname a prayer of gratitude.
All of them were wrecked, shaken down to the depths of their souls—but I was alive. We all were. And we were together.
The danger was over.
I looked around at the flood of Dimitri’s men that had filled the room, their guns trained on Rocco’s crew. Each of our enemies had their arms raised, faces pale, hands shaky.
“Secure the building,” Dimitri ordered, using that familiar commanding tone he’d perfected. “I want every inch checked. Make sure there are no more surprises.”
His men moved quickly, efficiently, taking control of the situation. The war that had been brewing for so long was finally over, ended not with a strategic battle but with a single, desperate act.
With the head of the snake severed, the body fell.
I turned in Dimitri’s arms, looking back at the shattered window. Enzo was gone.
He’d been my friend. Then my worst enemy. And then my savior.
He’d saved my life by sacrificing his own, and I couldn’t understand why. Which version of him was real? Why had he turned on us? Had he been playing a deeper game all along? Or had something changed?
And at the end, when my life was about to be forfeit, what had driven him to make the choice to save me?
I was trembling, the adrenaline slowly seeping away, leaving me weak and dizzy. But I was surrounded by my mates, held in the center of their protective circle, their love flowing through our bond like a healing balm.
I clung to them, needing their strength, when I felt like I had none of my own left.
“Why would he do that?” The question was barely a breath. “Why would Enzo...”
Dimitri shook his head, his expression grim. “I don’t know, Kitten. But we’ll figure it out.”
Marco’s arm tightened around my waist. “All that matters right now is that you’re safe.”
I nodded, and a fresh wave of tears slid down my cheeks—joy, relief, exhaustion. It was really, truly over. I was safe. We all were. And that meant we could finally move on with our lives and build the future we’d dreamed of.
I didn’t have all the answers. Not yet. But I had my mates. I had my life.
The monsters were gone.
And for the first time in a long time... I could finally breathe.
With my Alphas at my side, the pain would ease. The scars would fade.
And slowly, we’d replace all the hurt with healing.
With love.
With good.
It was finally time to live .