The Moonlit Desires: Bound by Blood

Vincenzo pov

Sprawled on the chair in my study, I sifted through the files when the door swung open, and in walked Colton.

“Hey buddy,” he greeted, taking a seat in front of me.

“Glad to see you here,” he says, his fingers tugging on the collar of his shirt, arranging them.

Confusion flickered across my face as I narrowed my gaze. “How?” I questioned, my voice laced with curiosity.Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

“Because it’s been tough catching up with you lately. You’re always in your own head, dealing with stuff you won’t even share with your best buddy,” he complained, gesturing emphatically with his hands to emphasize each word.

Tossing his hands up in the air as if I had committed the gravest sin, I couldn’t help but chuckle, trying to stifle my laughter. Colton is like a brother from another mother, a bit stubborn but always looking out for me. Maybe it wouldn’t be such a bad idea to tell him, after all, it can be a little secret between us. Ava or any other person won’t know.

“Mmm, you know,” I sighed, running my hand through my hair and awkwardly brushing it back before rubbing my two palms together. “I know it is not about that beast demon,” I sighed again, giving him a knowing nod.

“In a twisted way, it’s connected to him too,” I said, though I couldn’t help but curse under my breath. “I wish for nothing but to end that beast’s life,” I muttered, earning a nod of agreement from him. “We all share that same desire, buddy. Everyone wishes for his demise,” he said, rubbing the side of his ear.

I nodded, attempting to find the right words, but he beat me to it. “I ran into the patrols, they had given up on the search,” he informed me. I pinched the bridge of my nose, feeling a mix of frustration and resignation. “I told them to stop looking. It’s pointless now,” I hummed in response.

“Why? Have you found what you were looking for?” he questioned, his voice filled with curiosity. “I’ve been meaning to ask you what’s been bothering you, but as I mentioned earlier, you’ve been distant, even from me,” he continued, his words flowing in a stream of complaints. As much as I didn’t want to admit it, he was right. These past few weeks, I’ve been on my own, detached from everyone, including him.

“No,” I shake my head.

“Who is that?”

My heart raced as I closed my eyes, feeling the weight of anticipation. I took a deep breath, my Adam’s apple bobbing nervously. Clutching the pieces of paper tightly in my fist, I whispered, “Emma Giovanni, the omega who vanished without a trace. Her corpse can’t be found.”

Colton’s eyebrow arched inquisitively as he spoke, “She wasn’t the only one that was killed so why focus on her or is there something else?”

“Because she’s my damn… mate!” I blurted out, my voice filled with a mix of frustration and vulnerability. Quickly regaining my composure, I took a sharp, shaky breath, swallowing the last word. I realized that he didn’t need to know this part. I turned my head to meet the confusion swirling in his curious gaze.

Sorry, Colton, I can’t share this with you right now. Maybe later, but I’m not ready to reveal that I’m mated to a low-life omega.

I leaned back in my chair, rubbing the shell of my ear as I spoke, “You see, my father wants to give all those who were lost that night a proper burial. The guards have been searching tirelessly, not just inside the building that caught fire, but also throughout the pack territory. We want to make sure that no one is left unaccounted for,” I explained, partially lying but with some truth mixed in. Alpha Matteo had indeed issued a strict order for the guards to search for any other bodies in the pack, but my focus was solely on finding her.

“But you know, burnt corpses are nearly impossible to identify. There’s a chance she might be among those consumed by the fire,” he said, leaning back in his chair.

I pondered on what he said, if she was dead, I could have felt it, right?

“But there’s something off about it. She didn’t show up at the ceremony, and she was the one who announced the invasion of those creatures in the ceremonial hall,” I said, earning an eye roll from Colton that left me feeling puzzled.

“What?” I snapped back, my frustration was evident in my tone. “Why didn’t she attend?” he asked, giving me a long, questioning look.

His sudden question caught me off guard, and I wasn’t prepared for it. “How am I supposed to know?” I responded, a hint of frustration in my voice. “Besides, it’s no longer important. Only she holds the answers to that.” I dismissed the question, wanting to move on from it.

“Alright, well, if she went inside that building, there’s a possibility she got caught in the fire. Running out of the pack is risky, you know? Those vampires and rogues out there would come after her. And being an omega, her chances of survival are pretty much zero percent. So, yeah, I believe she’s most likely dead,” he said, earning a deep sigh from me.

His brow furrowed up skeptically.

“You’re right, Emma wouldn’t stand a chance outside the pack.” I rubbed my jaw thoughtfully. And even if she is dead, I can’t feel it anymore since I rejected the bond. It’s no longer strong or significant.

“So what next?” He questioned.

“We will do it my father’s way,” I hummed, rubbing my jaw, “They will all be buried,”