Every year, the Marino family of Sacra Corona Unita crew throws a gathering party for Mafias all over Italy to meet and connect and since Scarlett, the younger sister of Alpha Lorenzo graduated from abroad and came back home, her brother was forced to invite her too.
However, this time, Lorenzo was throwing a Masquerade Party in his residence.
Lorenzo became the head of the family at an early age after his parents passed from the attack by his father’s enemies fortunately most of the residence was not damaged and managed to rebuild it again.
I mean, his father made sure to teach him everything at an early age.
Lorenzo never had a chance to attend university or live a normal life like other kids but he made sure that Scarlett completed her studies in the United Kingdom and enjoyed her youth and she did.
Scarlett was in her bedroom fixing herself – getting ready for the party, just so excited to meet everyone especially his brother’s best friend Alpha Leonardo Saint Clair she last saw before she turned 18 years.
Leonardo is the head Mafia Alpha of Saint Clair family of Camorra members in Italy.
Leonardo spent two years in the army sent by his father to train him hard. His father believed that Leonardo would be built like a bulletproof in the army before he could start building him psychologically – to prepare him to take over the sit of the Mafia Alpha in the family, which he did finally at the end before his life was taken away – a natural death.
Scarlett was done with her make-up. She had put her sapphire black high-volume curly hair into a bun and left a few strands falling over her face with a black sparkling velvet tight-fit long dress drew her athletic-slender body and drew the bit of her curves so well with the red matt lipstick complimenting her plump full lips on her vanilla skin tone.
The strands of her hair drew a sharp v-line shaped so well wearing the black flower pattern mask that made her face look like a wild cat.
She strode out of her bedroom, making her shiny burgundy pump high heels make a high-pitched cluck against the black shiny tile flooring.
“Has the party started?” she asked her brother who just exposed himself from his bedroom after a while of her walking to reach the stairs.
Scarlett could hear audible classical instruments orchestra music playing downstairs where everyone would be gathered.
The mansion is enormous, with an enormous space in the lobby hall.
“Yes, but waiting for me, and you look stunning,” Lorenzo said also wearing his mask and a modern tailored dashing matt black tuxedo that fits well his broad - tall body with a crisp white shirt, black tie, and shiny leathered black boots.
His mask was just a simple mask made of a strong black leather subtle with a silver-gray trim.
“Thank you, and you look handsome.”
Lorenzo smiles at Scarlett and hurries when seeing more people coming in from downstairs.
Scarlett followed but took wary strides even when descending the stairs.
She saw that there were a lot of omegas and it was not usually to have female Alphas all over the world, as she thought.
She made it downstairs and heard her brother gather everyone to sit down on the long rectangular table decorated with a few flowers inside their vases, champagnes, wines, and snacks.
But, her walk stopped midway when suddenly her nose for the first time picked a very strong, powerful, yet soft and giving security scent. The scent of smoky leather, musk, and drizzle of Amber made her nostrils flare under her mask.
The rhythm beats of her heart were unmatched and felt a search to scan each male by the table to see which the scent belonged to and her eyes caught the man she was not supposed to even think of having feelings for or even dating.
His brother’s best friend.
Alpha Leonardo Saint Clair. The man she last saw years ago. 5 or 6 years ago? She was not sure about her math. But remembering her brother’s words by telling her that she must not even consider dating his best friend or any kind of Mafia Alpha.
To Lorenzo, Scarlett deserved better than to involve herself in the dangerous world.
Women are meant to be spoilt and taken care of and be married by doctors, lawyers, and legitimate business owners but not police officers.
Lorenzo was not strict with Scarlett but he had laws for her. The laws that she must try hard not to break.
However, Scarlett was certain that Leonardo was her mate, the scent did not lie so now, Leonardo seems not even affected by Scarlett’s presence.
Leonardo did not even see Scarlett she was also in the room with him, while Scarlett was staring at him like a hawk.
Scarlett made her way to the empty seat next to Leonardo to try to see what was wrong with him.
Because his nostrils should be flaring and his bright green eyes turn dark and black and ready to claim her despite Lorenzo being his best friend.
She sat herself down with a glance at him and just loved how his tailored black modern with a bit of classic tuxedo subtle with silver sheen clung so perfectly on his broad shoulder with a body built so strong and tall.
“Hi,” Scarlett greeted while sitting on his right side and seeing how focused he was on her brother.
Leonardo swiftly turned, just giving her a full view of his face.
Scarlett caught that Lorenzo and Leonardo had worn the same shirts and bow ties but different masks.
Leonardo had a sleek black Venetian mask with silver trim on his bronze skin tone, his dark chestnut brown boy haircut exuding his strong jawline face with the dark brown shaved and well-trimmed beard.
“Hey, when did you come back?”
Scarlett thought Lorenzo had told Leonardo about her arrival but she knew very well Lorenzo was something he wouldn’t do so she said, “Two days ago.”
Scarlett scanned the bright green eyes before her, and she saw that they had no hidden mate bond in them and his face and body were just genuine and gave her a brotherly vibe but his scent was engulfing her nose at the moment and it was not giving her brotherly vibe but paired mates.
She felt her body reacting funnily, She found her eyes trailing to his hand on the table while Leonardo grabbed his focus on Lorenzo and saw the solid gold ring with a black onyx stone engraved with his surname crest.
The slight veins that were exposed on his strong and manly hand were doing wonders to Scarlett that she couldn’t help but moan in a flat tone.
But what she didn’t understand and hated was why Leonardo was reacting that way towards her.
Leonardo is her Alpha for god’s sake and she needed him to take the role of being her compatible Alpha.
The urge of her to grab his hand and just inhale his scent right here and right now was building.
And Leonardo didn’t make things easier for her when taking off his blazer to hang onto his chair shoulders.
Mmmh, the black suspenders he was put on, exuded strength through his crisp white shirt, and no, Leonardo rolled up his shirt sleeves and made things harder and harder for Scarlett who had her eyes glued and trailing from each wrist to strong arms of Leonardo.
Her lips slightly parted, nostrils flaring and Lorenzo’s voice was no longer audible to her because the Alpha’s scent was too strong for her to feel anyone’s presence in the room except for him.
Scarlett spaced in when Leonardo swiftly stood up from his chair and she couldn’t understand why, but when her eyes looked up, she saw Leonardo clapping hands, then roam her eyes around and saw everyone stood up and clapping their hands too.
She couldn’t.
Her body was still under control by her Alpha’s scent.
“Play your instruments gentlemen,” she heard Lorenzo saying to the musical crew behind him under the dim light.
Everyone was moving at a fast pace and still except her and that’s when she realised it was dancing time.
All the Alphas were choosing their omegas to dance with and her eyes went to Leonardo who already put back on his blazer and stretched his hand to somewhat omega to dance with him.
How dare he? Her nose scrunched and grabbed a glass of champagne from the table brought it to her lips and gulped twice.
She was not having it.
Her Alpha mate did not ask her to dance.
Her Alpha mate was not seeing her.
She watched her brother too dancing with a brunette and his bronze skin just matching well with her fair white one. She was pretty but certain enough her brother did not have a mate. He would’ve told her.
Even though they were not talking every day over the phone when she was in the UK, Lorenzo was making sure to call her 3 times a week.
Scarlett was pissed and probably planning some mischievous plans in her mind to make Leonardo, jealous.
“A beautiful lady like you being alone?” Scarlett up her eyes to see a fine Alpha wearing a strong black leather mask subtle silver snake emblem smiling at her. “Can we have a dance and tell me your name too, perhaps?”
The Alpha came at a perfect time.
Scarlett seized the opportunity by accepting the white hand.
According to her – making Leonardo jealous would be a fun game.
She smiled and walked by swaying her hips and felt the Alpha placing his hand on her exposed back.
His Minuet dance is perfect with his broad-built, muscular body in his modern tailored black suit subtle with gold trim, white shirt, and black bow tie.
“Oh, you dance so well,” Scarlett smiled from his words.
“You also Alpha,” she said knowing how masculine Alpha’s love being called with that title. It's their weak point.
They synchronized their feet. He swirled her then caught her back with a low gasp escaping her lips and heard, “You have pretty eyes. What’s your name?”
“Scarlett Marino and you are?”
“Wait, do you want to tell me that you’re Lorenzo’s mysterious sister? And I’m Marco Conti.”
“Yes, I am, and lovely to know you, Alpha Marco,” she chuckled a bit.
Marco chuckled back and said, “Nice to know you also Scarlett, and I hope to see more of you.”