86. Lorenzo
Everything was unfolding exactly as I had planned. As I had meticulously orchestrated.
Marrying Athena officially was the final step I needed to ensure her protection, to keep her away from my unhinged nephew. Standing here, ready for the ceremony, the weight of that responsibility pressed heavily on my chest but I was happy.
I would finally be able to do right by her side.
I wasn’t sure why I felt such a profound need to guard her—maybe it was the damn mating bond. It clawed at my instincts, demanding that I protect her at all costs. The lengths I had already gone through were evidence enough; I had risked the shadows of my past, the horrors I had buried deep, all for her. Not even my closest confidant, Diego, knew the truth of what I had endured.
But here we were, and w
