Chapter 182
Sandro awoke the next morning, groaning and turning to his side. “Arabella,” he murmured, breathing in her scent before slowly opening his eyes. Using the pad of his thumb, he gently rubbed her cheek to confirm she was really in bed with him. He wondered why she hadn’t left after he fell asleep, maybe because she had dozed off too.
Gripping a lock of her white hair, he swirled it in his fingers. His free hand moved down to her stomach, caressing it. Sandro grinned as he felt a kick as soon as he touched, retracting his hand as Arabella groaned and turned.
“Sandro,” she murmured, gripping his shirt.
Raising his brow, Sandro watched as she began to unbutton his shirt slowly. Her hands slipped into his shirt as soon as she finished unbuttoning.
“Arabella,” Sandro groaned as her hands moved further downwards.All content © N/.ôvel/Dr/ama.Org.
He didn’t know what she was doing, and the thought of stopping her crossed his mind, but he didn’t want to startle her. She seemed deeply asleep, and he hoped she would stop on her own. However, he wondered how to make her do so.
When she reached the waistband of his pants, he finally clutched her hand, halting her. As soon as his hands clasped around hers, her eyes snapped open.
Arabella gasped, yanking her hand off Sandro’s, and she pushed herself off the bed. Her cheeks were red, and she fanned her hands across her face, turning away from him.
“What happened?” she stuttered.
“Nothing,” Sandro replied. Arabella turned briefly to see him gazing back at her with a smirk. “It’s just you trying to have your way with me as usual.”
“What, no!” she exclaimed with a glare.
“You were screaming my name in your sleep. Not that I minded; I enjoyed hearing my name, although I would prefer it in a different context.”
Arabella’s cheeks reddened even more. She didn’t want to dwell on what Sandro was saying.
Yes, she had been groping him, but the reason wasn’t entirely her fault. She had been having a naughty dream about him.
She grimaced, shaking her head. “How are you feeling?” She desperately attempted to change the subject.
“Better. I told you sleeping beside me was the remedy to the situation,” Sandro said.
“I never knew,” Arabella muttered. “Now I am going to…”
Her voice trailed off as a knock sounded on the door. “Who’s there?” Arabella asked, stepping to the door. She opened it, peering out.
“It’s your Beta, Leo,” Arabella glanced at Sandro, then back at Leo, who stood by the door.
“If it’s not the right time, I can leave,” Leo said, brushing a hand through his hair. “I just feel it’s urgent.”
“What is it?” Sandro asked from behind Arabella, making her swirl. She hadn’t realized he was strong enough to climb down from the bed, and seeing him beside her made her aware of all that had happened earlier. She flushed, glancing down as he pulled her into his arms.
“What is it, Leo?” Sandro asked.
“There’s a woman and a man here asking to see you. Although the woman seems familiar with the pack members, no one wants to let her in,” Leo said.
“What do you mean she seems familiar?” Sandro asked.
“She said she’s Janice and brought a word from her father,” Leo murmured.
“That’s frustrating!” Sandro growled, immediately letting go of Arabella. He turned to her. “Stay in, okay?”
“Why? Janice is barely a threat,” Arabella said.
“Fucking listen to me when I say so!” Sandro growled at her, silencing her. Arabella glared but said nothing. When Sandro was done changing into a cleaner outfit, he stepped out of the room with Leo trailing behind him.
“It’s absurd; he’s just making me seem like some invalid!” Arabella paced to the window.
Arabella wondered why Janice had come to see him. Another warning, perhaps? Her head reeled with thoughts and questions, but she doubted she would get any answers if she remained cooped up in the room. Despite not wanting to disobey Sandro, she felt the need for answers.
***
Janice mused on what they thought of her as she stared at the members who had come out to watch her. She didn’t need much thinking as she saw the scorns on their faces. Perhaps she deserved it for all that she did.
If it weren’t for her, if she hadn’t spied on Sandro, Blaze wouldn’t be dead. Blaze. Janice’s lips trembled, and she pushed back the tears that threatened to spill from her eyes. She was beyond traumatized. The moment her father had shot at him, she knew it was finished because the bullets in the gun were meant to kill even the strongest supernatural creature. No amount of cure would have made the victim survive.
Janice sighed, her fingers interlocking. She was sorry, regretting all that she did, but she wondered if it was enough to feel remorse despite all the pain she had caused. Yet, she knew it would be her end and Annalise’s if she hadn’t acted.
Since she was standing outside, she hadn’t seen Annalise, making her wonder if she was in the pack. Maybe Annalise had been locked up to make her pay for what she did. It was Sandro, anyway. He had done the same to Alessia, punishing her in place of Arabella.
“Where’s that little bitch?” Janice heard Sandro growl. Her eyes widened as she saw him stepping towards her. She staggered backward when he neared. “No, please,” she shook her head.
“Did your father ask you to check up on me if I was dead or not?” Sandro said a dark smile on his face. “Unfortunately for him, I killed the rogues he sent!”
“I have no idea about that,” she muttered, shaking her head. “I’m not surprised; you claim amnesia for everything!” Sandro gripped her by the neck, flinging her towards the gate.
Janice gasped, her bones breaking as she slammed into the gate. “I’m sorry,” she cried, her lips quivering. “I’m so sorry!”
“Can that bring my brother back?” Thalia asked sharply. Janice’s head snapped up.
“I swear, Thalia, I never knew that would happen. I told Blaze all about the attack; I assumed he was going to leave before we got there.” Janice sobbed.
“I don’t believe you, bitch!” Thalia hissed, slipping a gun out of her pocket. “Why don’t I send you to where my brother is? I doubt you will ever get there. Hell is more befitting for you, and I will be happy to send you there.”
“Thalia,” Sandro said, but that didn’t stop her from approaching Janice. Annalise, watching from a safe distance, eyes widened. She dashed towards them jumped in front of Janice, blocking Thalia’s path.
“She did nothing wrong,” Annalise said.
“Get out of my way, bitch,” Thalia snapped.
“I can’t let you kill my sister,” Annalise said.
“Then I’ll be happy to kill both of you,” Thalia grunted, cocking the gun.
“Thalia, stop!” Arabella yelled from where she stood. She was glad she had come out to see all that was unfolding. From the moment Sandro had picked up Janice and flung her towards the gate, she had seen everything. She knew everyone was currently furious and looking for someone to vent their frustration on, but she didn’t think it was the right way to go about it.
As much as she was mad at Janice, she believed her being here was meaningful. Arabella stepped towards Thalia, yanked the gun from her, and removed the bullets.
“Why?” Thalia growled. “What did you do that for?!”
“That won’t bring back Blaze. Killing her won’t bring him back. You need to calm down!” Arabella shouted.
“And I choose not to. This bitch is a traitor,” Thalia said.
“But she didn’t do it herself. Her father killed Blaze.”
“I can’t believe this is coming from you,” Thalia said, an incredulous look on her face.
“I know you might hate me right now, Thalia, but I think giving Janice a chance to say what she came for would be better.”
“She has nothing to say!” Thalia yelled. Arabella ignored her, turning to Sandro, who stood watching all that was unfolding. He had been the one attacking Janice first and hadn’t said anything when Thalia continued.
“Are you certain she has something to say?” Sandro asked.
“I am certain, Sandro. Janice won’t be here if she has nothing to say. She knows where she’s coming from,” Arabella replied.
“Fine, let her say whatever she has to,” Sandro muttered.
“Impossible!” Thalia gritted her teeth. Arabella stepped towards Janice. “What do you have to say?”
“I am here to apologize for all that happened. I didn’t want to. If I disobeyed him, he will kill me and Annalise,” Janice said.
“I will be happy when you die,” Thalia said.
“Ignore her,” Arabella murmured. “Is that the only reason you are here?”
“I brought information. I overheard my father and Alessia planning to attack in two days,” Janice said.
“How do we believe you?” Arabella asked.
“You’ve spied on Sandro done a lot of atrocities while acting pitiful. Why should you be believed?”
Janice slipped out her phone, tapping on it before lifting it in the air. “Hey, bitch!”
“Hi, Daddy.”
Arabella’s ears twitched as she heard the voices playing on the phone. It was Paolo’s and Alessia’s. She could recognize Alessia’s voice anywhere. Her brows furrowed as she heard grunting and moaning.
“W-what are they doing?” Arabella stuttered. “Are they fucking?”
Janice nodded, wincing. She never wanted to come to the De Luca Villa to rat her father and Alessia out. Of course, she had played along with all that was happening and wanted to do so until everything ended. But she had caught them in a compromising position.
Alessia was naked on her father’s bed with her ass tilted in the air while her father’s dick was lodged inside her pussy.
It was a horrific sight, one Janice never thought she would see. Her anger flared, assuming she and Alessia were mates. It made her wonder if the mate bond she had felt was fake. Perhaps, at her lowest, she had assumed Alessia was hers.
“That’s disgusting,” Thalia gagged, her nose wrinkling.
“What has them fucking got to do with the war?” Sandro asked.
“Listen,” Janice said, making Sandro narrow his eyes on her. Arabella and the rest suffered through the session Alessia and Paolo were having until they started speaking.
“We should attack them in two days. We need to take over the world,” Alessia said.
“You’re right, darling,” Paolo affirmed. There was a pause before he added, “I need that woman before anything happens.”
“My twin, Arabella?” Alessia questioned.
“Yes, without her, nothing can happen,” Paolo said.
Sandro stalked towards Janice, yanked the phone from her hand, and slammed it into the wall. “Your father needs to get to me to get to her,” Sandro seethed.
“I guess this is the wrong time for me to be in here,” a voice said, interrupting them. Through the damaged gate, a guy about Sandro’s age stepped inside, his hands tilted in the air and a smile on his face.
“Elisha?” Thalia asked, her eyes widening.
“The one and only, baby,” he smirked. Thalia ran into his arms, wrapping her arms around him. “Oh, Elisha.”
“It’s okay, baby, you’ll be fine,” he said, caressing her back. Even though they had only spoken once, when she went to the Rosette Empire to get a cure for Sandro, she felt comfortable with him. His hug was reassuring.
“And who are you?” Sandro asked.
“I am Elisha, one of the guards at the Rosette Empire,” he said, his eyes trailing towards Arabella. “Is that the Rose?”
“She is,” Thalia said.
“She looks even better in person,” Elisha murmured, enthralled by Arabella, who stood next to Sandro.
“That isn’t the question you are asked,” Sandro said.
“Ah, yes,” Elisha nodded. “That isn’t the question. I am like a brother to Blaze, and we’ve known each other for a while. I learned about all that happened to him, and I am here to avenge his death. I don’t mind laying my life down to bring him vengeance; I am ready to do anything.”
“Is that not amazing, Blaze? You’ve got a bunch of people wanting to stand up for you,” Sandro grinned. “Again, why should I trust you?” He turned to Elisha.
“During one of your crises, I was the one who extended a helping hand to Thalia,” Elisha said.
Nodding, Sandro mused. Come to think of it, he had barely had any other crises since he met Arabella again. It was as if all had vanished, and all he could ever think of was a way forward for himself, her, and the children as well.
“Do you believe me?” Elisha asked.
“I do,” Sandro said, then added, “I believe the woman too. But for spying on me, she needs to face the punishment before she can be part of the pack again.”
“I will do anything to pay for all that I did,” Janice said.
“Janice…” Annalise murmured.
Janice shook her head, flashing her a small smile. “That’s settled. Now, can we go indoors to plan how this is going to be?” Sandro asked.
“Certainly,” Arabella said, and they headed indoors while Janice stepped towards where the dungeon was along with two etas and Annalise.