werewolf /mafia romance

Chapter 1: A Deal With The Devil The rain in New York was not normal tonight. It was the kind of rain that felt like the sky was angry. The kind that washed away sins and secrets. And I had too many of both. My name is Aria Carter. I am 22 years old. And tonight, I was about to sell my soul. The hospital lights were too bright. Too white. They made everything look like a graveyard. Room 412. That was where my mother was. Cancer. Stage 4. The doctor said she had maybe 48 hours left if we didn't pay. The bill on the counter said $87,000. My bank account said $43.22. I laughed. It came out as a sob. My phone buzzed. Unknown number. "Miss Carter. We know about the debt." "Who is this?" "The men you owe money to. You have 24 hours. Or we take your mother off life support ourselves." I hung up and threw the phone against the wall. It cracked. Just like my heart. That was when the black car stopped. A Maybach. Long. Black. Expensive. The kind of car that didn't stop in front of St. Mary's Hospital. The kind of car that made security guards look away. Two men got out first. Black suits. Black umbrellas. Black eyes. And then him. Luca De Rossi. Even in the rain, he looked like a king. Tall. Six foot four. Black suit. No tie. Hair dark like midnight. And eyes... Gold. Not human gold. Predator gold. The kind of gold you see right before a wolf bites your throat. He walked toward me. The rain didn't touch him. It was like the storm was scared of him. "Miss Carter," he said. His voice was low. Rough. Like gravel and smoke. "I have a proposition for you." I hugged myself. "I don't talk to strangers." "I'm not a stranger. I own the hospital you are standing in front of." My blood went cold. "What do you want?" He pulled out a black folder. Inside was a contract. Thick. Official. Terrifying. "Marry me," he said. "For one year." I stared. "Excuse me?" "You heard me. Marry me. Be my wife. Attend my events. Smile for the cameras. Play the role of Mrs. De Rossi." "And why would I do that?" He stepped closer. I could smell him now. Cedar. Rain. Blood. And something wild. Something not human. "Because in return, I pay your mother's bill. All of it. Tonight." "Because I make the loan sharks disappear." "Because I give you 2 million dollars when the year is over and you walk away free." It sounded like a dream. It felt like a trap. "What's the catch?" I whispered. His gold eyes flickered. "The catch is, I am not human, Miss Carter." He leaned in. I could see his canines now. Longer. Sharper. "I am the Alpha King of the North Pack. And the most feared Mafia Don in New York." My legs gave out. I would have fallen if he didn't catch me. Strong arms. Cold hands. He smelled like danger. "Choose," he murmured in my ear. "Sign the paper. Your mother lives." "Or walk away. And watch her die." Behind us, the hospital doors opened. "ARIA!" Dr. Reynolds was running. "Your mother coded! We need to do something NOW!" Luca held out a pen. "10 seconds." My hand was shaking. My mother was dying. I had no choice. I signed. Aria Carter. The moment the ink touched the paper, his phone rang. He answered in Italian. Fast. Sharp. Orders. "Done," he said. "The best surgical team is in that room now." He showed me a tablet. Live feed. Five doctors. Machines. My mother breathing. I collapsed. He caught me. "Welcome to your new life, Mrs. De Rossi," he whispered. And as he carried me to the car, I saw it in the window reflection. His eyes. They were glowing. Like a wolf in the dark. I didn't marry a man that night. I married a monster. And the worst part? A part of me wanted to. The car ride was silent. Luca sat next to me. He didn't touch me. But the air in the car was heavy. Like before a storm. The Maybach drove through New York. We passed buildings. Lights. People. But it felt like we were in another world. Finally, the car stopped. In front of a mansion. Not a house. A mansion. Black gates. 20 feet tall. Guards with guns at every corner. And behind it... a castle. "This is my home," Luca said. His voice was empty. "Welcome." The doors opened. Servants stood in two lines. All women. All beautiful. All scared. They bowed their heads when we entered. "Take her to the East Wing," Luca ordered. "Her room is ready." One of the maids stepped forward. She looked about my age. Maybe 20. Her eyes were red. Like she had been crying. "Follow me, ma'am," she whispered. I looked back at Luca. He was already walking away. Talking on the phone in Italian. Angry. Cold. The maid led me up a grand staircase. Marble floors. Golden lights. Paintings of wolves on the walls. "This is your room," she said, opening a huge door. The room was bigger than my whole apartment. King size bed. White sheets. A closet full of clothes with tags still on. A bathroom with a bathtub big enough for 3 people. And on the bed... a red dress. "Mr. De Rossi said you need to wear this tonight," the maid said. "There is a dinner. In 1 hour." My stomach dropped. "Dinner? With who?" "With the other Alphas. The other Don's." She lowered her voice. "Be careful, ma'am. They are not like us. They... they can smell fear." She left before I could ask more. I stood alone in the room. Married. To a monster. In a mansion that felt like a prison. There was a knock on the door. 30 minutes later. "Time to get ready," a different maid said. She helped me into the red dress. It was silk. It fit perfectly. Too perfectly. She did my hair. My makeup. When I looked in the mirror, I didn't recognize myself. I looked like Mrs. De Rossi. I looked like I belonged. The maid smiled sadly. "You look beautiful. But remember... don't make eye contact with the guests. And don't eat anything until Mr. De Rossi tells you to." My heart was pounding. Downstairs, the dining hall was huge. A long table. 20 seats. And at the head of the table... Luca. He wore a black tuxedo now. And he was not alone. There were 5 other men sitting there. All tall. All dangerous. All with eyes that glowed in the dark. Wolves. Luca stood when he saw me. "Gentlemen," he said. His voice was steel. "This is my wife. Aria De Rossi." All eyes turned to me. One of the men smiled. He had scars on his face. "So this is the human you married, Luca?" He sniffed the air. "She smells... sweet." Luca's eyes flashed gold. "Watch your mouth, Viktor." The man laughed and leaned back. "We will see how long she lasts." Dinner started. Food was served. But I couldn't eat. My hands were shaking too much. Luca noticed. He leaned over and whispered in my ear. "Eat. Now. Or they will think you are weak." I picked up the fork. My hands trembled. The meat on my plate looked red. Too red. "What kind of meat is this?" I asked quietly. Luca didn't answer. One of the other Alphas did. "Wolf," he said and grinned, showing sharp teeth. "We only eat the best." I dropped the fork. My stomach turned. Luca grabbed my hand under the table. His grip was tight. Warning. "She's tired," he said to the table. "Dinner is over." He pulled me up and led me out of the room. Up the stairs. To his room. The moment the door closed, he slammed it. And turned to me. His gold eyes were burning. "Are you trying to get yourself killed?" he growled. "You don't talk at that table. You don't ask questions. You smile and you nod. That's it." Tears fell down my face. "I didn't know—" "You didn't know?" He laughed, but it was bitter. "You signed a contract with the devil, Aria. Did you think it would be easy?" He came closer. I backed up until my back hit the wall. He put his hands on either side of my head. Trapping me. "You belong to me now," he whispered. "For one year. And I will keep you alive. But you have to listen to me." His face was inches from mine. I could feel his breath. Cold. I could see his canines. "Do you understand me?" I nodded. I couldn't speak. "Good girl," he murmured. And for one second... he looked almost human. Then his phone rang. He answered it. Listened. And his whole body went stiff. "When?" he asked. "Where?" He hung up and looked at me. "We have a problem. The loan sharks you owed money to... They found out you married me. And they are coming for your mother tonight." My blood went cold. "What?" Luca grabbed his jacket. "Get in the car. Now." "We are going to war."The car screeched out of the mansion gates. Luca was driving. Fast. Too fast. Rain was hitting the windshield like bullets. "Who are these people?" I asked. My voice was shaking. "The loan sharks," Luca said through gritted teeth. "They think they can touch what is mine." His. He said "mine" like I was a possession. And maybe I was. We reached the hospital in 12 minutes. It should have taken 30. There were already 4 black SUVs parked outside. Men with guns standing by the entrance. Luca stopped the car. He didn't look at me. "Stay in the car. Lock the doors. No matter what you hear." "What? No, my mother—" "Aria." He turned to me. His eyes were gold again. Glowing. Dangerous. "If you go in there, you will die. Do you understand me?" I nodded. Tears were falling. He got out. And the moment he did, the air changed. The men by the door turned. One of them laughed. "Look who it is. The Alpha King." "You have 10 seconds to leave," Luca said. His voice was calm. Too calm. The man pulled out a gun. "Or what?" Luca smiled. It was the scariest thing I had ever seen. In one second, he moved. I didn't even see it. One man was on the ground. Another was flying through the air. Screams. Gunshots. And Luca... he wasn't human anymore. His eyes were completely gold. His nails were claws. And his teeth... they were fangs. He was a wolf. A monster in a man's body. I covered my mouth to stop from screaming. In less than 1 minute, it was over. 4 men were on the ground. Not moving. And Luca stood there, breathing hard. Blood on his suit. Not his. He walked back to the car. Got in. His hands were shaking. "Is it done?" I whispered. "Yes," he said. "Your mother is safe." He looked at me. "Did you see?" I nodded. I couldn't lie. "Good," he said. "Now you know what I am." He started the car again. "We are going home." The ride back was silent. When we reached the mansion, he carried me to my room. He set me down gently on the bed. "Sleep," he said. "I can't," I whispered. "After what I saw—" "You will get used to it," he said. "Because you are mine now." He turned to leave. "Luca," I called. He stopped. Didn't turn around. "Thank you... for saving my mother." He was quiet for a long time. "Don't thank me yet," he said. "The real war starts tomorrow." And then he was gone. I lay in that big bed, in that big room. Alone. But I wasn't alone. Because outside my window, I could hear a wolf howling. And I knew. My life would never be the same. The night was long. I didn't sleep. How could I? I had just seen my husband kill 4 men. I had just seen his eyes turn gold. I had just seen fangs. Luca. He said the real war starts tomorrow. What did he mean? At 5 AM, there was a knock on my door. Soft. Hesitant. "Come in," I said. It was the maid from yesterday. The young one. Her name tag said "Lila". "Ma'am," she whispered. "Mr. De Rossi wants you downstairs. For breakfast. With the guests." My stomach turned. "What guests?" "The other Alphas, ma'am. They came last night. After... after what happened at the hospital." Lila's hands were shaking. "Be careful, ma'am. They are angry. They think you are weak. A human." She helped me get ready. Black dress this time. Simple. Elegant. But I felt like I was going to a funeral. Downstairs, the dining hall was full. Luca sat at the head of the table. He looked tired. Dark circles under his eyes. But his suit was perfect. His back was straight. Like nothing happened last night. And around him... 7 other men. All Alphas. All wolves. They stopped talking when I entered. Luca stood. "Good morning," he said. His voice was neutral. "Sit." I sat next to him. The chair felt like ice. One of the Alphas, the one with scars named Viktor, leaned forward. "So," he said. "This is the human." He looked me up and down like I was meat. "Luca, are you serious? You married THIS?" Luca didn't look at me. "Watch your tone." "Or what?" Viktor laughed. "You'll do to us what you did to those loan sharks? We are not humans, Luca. We are your equals." The tension in the room was thick. Another Alpha spoke. Older. Gray hair. "I heard she signed the contract yesterday. 48 hours. That's how long it took you to find a wife, Luca?" He shook his head. "Desperate." Luca's jaw tightened. "She is my wife. That is all you need to know." "Is she?" Viktor smiled. "Because the treaty says the Alpha King must have an heir within 1 year of marriage. Or he loses the title." My blood went cold. Heir? Luca turned to me. Finally. His gold eyes met mine. There was something there. Pain. Anger. Fear? "Eat," he said quietly. Ignoring everyone else. I picked up my fork. My hands were shaking. Viktor wasn't done. "Tell me, little human. Do you even know what you married into? Do you know what happens to humans who live with wolves?" "Lila," Luca said. His voice was dangerous. "Take the lady to the garden." I stood up quickly. I didn't want to be there anymore. Lila led me outside. The garden was huge. Roses. Fountains. And a 10 foot wall with guards. "It's beautiful," I whispered. "It's a prison," Lila said. She looked around to make sure no one was listening. "Ma'am, you need to know something." "What?" "Mr. De Rossi... he didn't want to marry you. The Council forced him. Because the old Alpha King died without an heir. And if Luca doesn't produce one in 1 year..." She didn't finish. "What happens?" I asked. "The pack falls apart. And other packs will come. To take over. To kill." I sat down on a bench. My head was spinning. So this wasn't about saving my mother. Not completely. I was a pawn. Lila touched my hand. "But... he protected you last night. I have worked here for 3 years. I have never seen him do that for anyone." Before I could answer, we heard shouting from inside. Lila pulled me behind a tree. "Stay here," she whispered. I peeked. Luca and Viktor were fighting. Not with fists. With words. With power. "You brought a human into our world!" Viktor yelled. "She will get us all killed!" "She is my wife!" Luca roared back. "And anyone who touches her, dies!" For a second, Luca's eyes flashed. And his wolf came out. Just for a second. Big. Black. Terrifying. Viktor backed down. Luca turned and saw me. His eyes softened. He walked to me. "Are you okay?" he asked. Quietly. I nodded. "Good," he said. "Because tonight, there is a ball. And you need to be there. As my wife." That night. The ballroom was massive. Crystal lights. Music. And 100 wolves. All dressed in black. I wore the red dress again. Luca wore a black tux. We walked in together. And the room went silent. "That's her?" people whispered. "The human?" "She doesn't look like much." Luca held my hand tight. "Smile," he murmured in my ear. "And don't let go of me." We danced. He was a good dancer. Too good. "Why are you doing this?" I asked. "Doing what?" "Pretending. With me." He looked down at me. "Because if I don't, they will eat you alive." "And because..." he hesitated. "Because you didn't run last night. When you saw what I am." The music stopped. And the doors opened. 4 men walked in. Not wolves. Humans. With guns. "The FBI," one of them said. "Luca De Rossi. You are under arrest for 12 counts of murder." Chaos. Luca pushed me behind him. "Stay behind me," he said. But I saw it in his eyes. This was a trap. And I was the bait. One of the FBI agents looked at me. "And you. Aria Carter. You are coming with us too. For questioning." Luca growled. A real, animal growl. "Touch her," he said. "And see what happens." The standoff lasted 10 seconds. Then the lights went out. Gunshots. Screams. Darkness. And strong arms around me. Luca. "Hold your breath," he whispered. Then everything went black. When I woke up, we were in a car. Driving fast. Luca was driving. There was blood on his shirt. Not his. "Where are we going?" I asked. "Away," he said. "They know about us now. The Council. The FBI. Everyone." He looked at me. "I'm sorry, Aria. I dragged you into this." I looked at him. The monster. The king. The man who killed for me. "It's okay," I said. "Because you saved my mother." He didn't answer. He just reached over and took my hand. And for the first time, I didn't pull away. Outside, the moon was full. And somewhere, a wolf was howling. Our war had just begun. The car didn't stop. Luca was driving like hell was behind us. Maybe it was. "Where are we going?" I asked again. My voice was barely a whisper. "Safe house," Luca said. His knuckles were white on the steering wheel. "2 hours from here. In the mountains." I looked down. There was blood on his white shirt. "You're hurt." "It's not mine," he said quickly. Too quickly. We drove in silence. The only sound was the rain and the engine. After 30 minutes, my phone buzzed. Unknown number. I picked it up with shaking hands. "Hello?" "Aria?" It was my mother's voice. Weak. But alive. "Mom!" I started crying. "Are you okay?" "I'm okay, beta. The doctors said I am stable now." She paused. "Who are these people here? They say they are with your husband?" I closed my eyes. Tears fell. "Yes, mom. He... he helped." "Be careful, Aria," she whispered. "That man... he doesn't look human." The call cut. Luca glanced at me. "She's safe. For now." "For now?" I asked. "Until the Council finds out I hid you," he said. "Then no one is safe." We reached the safe house at 3 AM. It was a cabin. In the middle of nowhere. Surrounded by trees and mountains. Luca parked and got out. He scanned the area like a predator. "Inside," he ordered. The cabin was small but warm. Fireplace. Bed. Kitchen. Everything we needed. Except peace. Luca locked all the doors and windows. Then he turned to me. "Take off the dress," he said. I froze. "What?" "Not like that," he sighed. "You're bleeding." I looked down. The red dress had a tear on the side. And blood was seeping through. One of the FBI bullets had grazed me. I hadn't even felt it. Luca walked to me. His hands were gentle as he lifted the fabric. "You should have told me," he murmured. "I didn't know," I whispered. He cleaned the wound with a cloth. His touch was cold but careful. "Does it hurt?" he asked. "A little." He tied a bandage around it. Then he stepped back. "You need to rest," he said. "Tomorrow will be worse." I sat on the bed. Luca sat on the floor, by the fireplace. He didn't sleep. He just watched the door. At dawn, he finally spoke. "The Council is meeting today." "About what?" "About me. About you." He looked at me. "They will vote. Either they accept you as my wife... Or they kill you." My heart stopped. "Kill me?" "To protect the pack," he said. "Humans are a liability." I hugged my knees. "Then why did you marry me?" He was quiet for a long time. "Because I had no choice," he said finally. "And because..." He didn't finish. "What?" I asked. "Because when I saw you in the rain," he said, voice low. "You looked like you were fighting for someone. Not yourself. And I haven't seen that in 200 years." 200 years? "You're... how old are you?" I asked. "Old," he said with a small, sad smile. "Too old to feel anything. Until you." The door banged. Both of us jumped. "Luca De Rossi!" a voice yelled from outside. "Council is here! Come out!" Luca stood up. His eyes turned gold. "Stay here," he said. "And whatever happens... don't come out." He opened the door. Outside were 12 Alphas. All armed. All angry. And at the front... Viktor. "Where is the human?" Viktor demanded. "She is not here," Luca lied. "Don't lie to us," another Alpha said. "We can smell her." Luca growled. "Then come and get her." The fight started. I couldn't help it. I ran to the window. Luca was fighting 3 Alphas at once. He was faster. Stronger. But there were too many. One of them grabbed a knife. And threw it. Straight at the cabin door. Where I was standing. "ARIA!" Luca screamed. Time slowed. The knife was coming. I couldn't move. And then a body was in front of me. Luca. The knife hit his shoulder. He didn't even flinch. He turned and roared. A real wolf roar. The other Alphas stopped. "Enough!" Luca said. Blood dripping down his arm. "This is my wife. And I claim her. Under pack law. Anyone who touches her answers to me." Silence. Viktor stepped forward. "You would die for her?" "I already did," Luca said quietly. Viktor looked at me. Then at Luca. Then he laughed. "Fine," he said. "The Council accepts her. For now." "But if she causes one problem... If one human finds out about us... We kill her. And you." They left. Luca turned to me. He was pale from blood loss. "Are you okay?" I asked, running to him. "I'm fine," he said. But he swayed. I caught him. "You're not fine!" He smiled weakly. "See? You do care." I helped him to the bed. Cleaned his wound. Bandaged it. My hands were shaking. "Why?" I whispered. "Why did you do that?" He looked at me. His gold eyes were soft. "Because you are mine now, Aria. And I protect what is mine." He closed his eyes. "Sleep. Tomorrow we go back." I lay next to him. Not touching. But close. For the first time since my mother got sick, I felt... safe. Even though I was sleeping next to a monster. Outside, the moon was high. And the wolves were singing. Our story had just started. The morning came too fast. I woke up to the sound of rain on the roof. And to Luca's breathing next to me. He was still asleep. His face looked different when he slept. Younger. Less dangerous. Almost... human. The bandage on his shoulder had blood on it. I needed to change it. I got up quietly. Found the first aid kit in the bathroom. Hot water. Clean cloths. When I came back, his eyes were open. Watching me. "You should rest," I said. "I am resting," he said. His voice was rough from sleep. "Watching you." I blushed and looked away. Started cleaning his wound. He hissed when I touched it. "Sorry," I whispered. "It's fine," he said. "You're good at this." We were quiet for a while. Just the sound of water and rain. "Luca," I said. "Hmm?" "What happens now? To us?" He sat up slowly. His gold eyes met mine. "Now we go back to the city." "The Council thinks they won." "But they don't know me." He stood up. Even hurt, he looked powerful. "Get ready," he said. "We leave in 10 minutes." The drive back was tense. Luca didn't talk much. He was on the phone the whole time. Speaking Italian. Giving orders. When we reached the mansion, it was different. More guards. More cars. More tension. Lila met us at the door. She looked scared. "Ma'am," she whispered to me. "The Council is waiting in the main hall. They want to see you." My legs felt weak. Luca took my hand. "Stay behind me," he said. "And do exactly what I say." The main hall was full. 20 Alphas. All standing in a circle. And in the middle... a table. With a knife on it. Viktor was smiling. "Ah, the bride," he said. "We were just talking about you." Luca stepped forward. "What do you want?" "We want to test her," Viktor said. "Pack law. If a human marries an Alpha, she must prove she is worthy." "How?" I asked before I could stop myself. Viktor pointed to the knife. "Cut your palm. Let your blood touch the floor of this house. If the house accepts you... you live. If not..." He didn't finish. Luca growled. "No." "Then she is not worthy," Viktor shrugged. "And we kill her." All eyes were on me. My heart was pounding. I looked at Luca. He shook his head slightly. Don't do it. But I thought of my mother. Of the hospital bills. Of being free. I walked to the table. Picked up the knife. It was cold. "Stop," Luca said. But I didn't. I cut my palm. Blood dripped to the marble floor. For 3 seconds... nothing. Then the lights flickered. The walls shook. And a low sound filled the room. Like the house was breathing. The blood sank into the floor. And disappeared. Silence. Then Viktor cursed. "The house accepted her," an old Alpha said. "It hasn't done that in 100 years." Luca looked at me. Shock. Pride. Something else. Viktor bowed his head. "Fine. She stays." "But remember this," he pointed at me. "One mistake. And we are done." They left one by one. When the room was empty, Luca pulled me into a hug. "You i***t," he whispered in my hair. "You could have died." "I know," I said. "But I didn't." He pulled back and looked at me. His thumb wiped blood from my palm. "You're crazy," he said. "And mine." That night, there was a party. To celebrate. To show the pack I was accepted. I wore a white dress. Luca wore black. We danced again. But this time it was different. People smiled at me. Some bowed. "You're doing good," Luca murmured. "Just keep smiling." Then the music stopped. A man ran in. Breathless. Bleeding. "Alpha!" he shouted. "The East Pack is attacking! They say you stole their land!" Chaos again. Luca kissed my forehead quickly. "Stay here. With the guards." "I'll be back." He ran out with the other men. I stood there. In my white dress. In a room full of wolves. And I realized something. I wasn't scared anymore. Because the monster loved me. Or at least... he was learning to. The doors closed behind them. And I whispered to myself. "This is just the beginning." To Be Continued...