And for her, he would do anything.

It took a lot of self-control for an Alpha to stay calm and avoid hurting those who intentionally defied him and his authority. It took even more strength to restrain yourself from beating the shit out of a certain lion that just wouldn't listen.

Luciano growled, stepping out of the apartment and looking down to the unworthy man, who called himself a leader: “Listen here, rat, if I ever find you even near my woman, I will skin you alive in front of every other living relative you have. Got it?”

Everything Luciano saw turned red - his wolf fought for a way up to the surface, demanding dominance over the human form that kept restraining him.

The lion backed up, eagerly nodding his head and raising both hands in surrender. Within a couple of seconds, he turned around and ran for his life, nearly flying down the stairs.

Luciano chuckled in amusement; he couldn't stop enjoying the moments when men feared him to such an extent. Letting out a deep breath, he closed his eyes and ran a hand through his hair, trying his best to calm down.

Seth wasn't supposed to see him in such a state, so he had to get rid of the anger and annoyance he felt. Who knew, Luciano might scare the woman he loved with the look in his eyes alone.

Taking another deep breath, he shrugged and turned around, slowly heading back into the apartment and closing the door as quietly as he could. Hopefully, Seth was too busy taking a shower to overhear anything.

Luciano stomped straight to her bedroom door and tried to open it, facing the fact that it was locked. He tried knocking, but as soon as he caught on the sound of the running shower, he backed away from the door.

Seth would join him whenever she was ready; there were so many more things he still wanted to tell her. Even though technically Luciano was a King, it didn't hold him back from working or dealing with everyday things, just like others did.

One of those examples was cooking; he preferred cooking from himself rather than wait on someone who would do that for him. He wasn't that lazy.

Luciano went straight to the kitchen, did some digging in the kitchen cabinets, and found enough things to cook a healthy, well-balanced meal for Seth. Slicing, steaming, frying, and boiling took him nearly an hour until he could finally look at the steaming plates with a wide smile on his lips. Seth would definitely love his kind gesture.

Taking a glance at the watch Seth had conventionally placed on the kitchen counter, Luciano frowned. She had been in the shower for way too long; there was no way she wasn't done yet.

Stomping back to the bedroom door, Luciano found it still locked, so he started banging his fist against it and calling out for Seth. The woman didn't respond, nor anything changed, so Luciano felt a little worried, silently panicking.

It might be nothing, but he couldn't forget about the possibility of an accident. His mind filled with images of Seth slipping and falling in the shower, hitting her head against the tiles, or, God forbid, bleeding in the shower. His heart started racing, fearing that something happened, and she lay there, unconscious.

Without thinking, Luciano broke down the bedroom door, scanning the surroundings like a maniac. The bathroom door was closed, so he instantly ran to it, knocking and calling out for her. Still nothing.

“I promise, I will cover the costs of repairs, kitten. I'm sorry for the door!” Luciano called out before breaking down the second door in the row.

His eyes took in the steam-filled room, but he couldn't see a trace of Seth. Her clothing wasn't on the floor, as it should be, and the shower was empty. Did she really leave it on while hiding somewhere in the apartment?

What if she intended to play the stupid hide and seek game but passed out after time since he wasn't looking for her?

That's when Luciano's eyes focused on the little piece of paper that was left by the sink.

Slowly, he approached the shower and turned it off before he would grab what seemed to be a note, probably left for him. The nerves kicked in, making the King reconsider if he even wanted to see what was written in the letter.

Walking from one wall of the bathroom to the other, Luciano felt like he was about to explode, worried if the words would be on his side or the opposite - against him. Finally, he couldn't take it anymore, his hand reached for the note, and the male unfolded it, revealing neat handwriting.

“Dear Luciano, I've never thought that I'd come to a point where I would have to leave a note for someone in such circumstances. Seems kind of cliche; the more I think of it, the more I want to laugh and cry at the same time.”

“We have had quite a journey - I've done my best to avoid you, and you wouldn't back down, like a true Alpha you are. I've never wanted to stay near Alphas, mainly because of my father, but the list goes on beyond any expectations. Could we talk about those some other time? Funny, I thought this might work.. But it won't, at least not now.”

“You have so many things ahead of you; it would be unfair to focus on the messed-up relationship we have built. What am I saying? We haven't formed any kind of connection besides the game of chase and pleasure.”

“I need time, and I know that I said that I needed it before, but this time is different. I need time to think and make the right decision. I will find you when the time comes, but until then, please learn how to get along with Dominic, Ryder, and Vlad. They, the same as you, mean so much to me. Don't look for me; I shall find you myself.”

“Remember that I have to learn how to love myself before I truly love someone else. Please, let me figure myself and my feelings out. All of us need some time; this is not something we can decide in minutes, hours, or days. Take good care of yourself and don't feel sad; I will be back, even if you think I won't. You're up for a surprise.”

“Forever yours…”
“Love, Seth.”

Luciano did his best to take in her words, but the more he read, the more he felt like she would never return.

He couldn't understand why she left, but deep down, he knew that Seth must have overheard the conversation between him and the lion.

One part of him wanted to trash the whole place, destroy everything in his way, yet the other part kept whining about Seth. How would she feel if she came back home to destruction?

Sighing, Luciano folded the note and placed it in the pocket of his dress shirt. The appetite and his somewhat great mood were gone.

Now, the King would head back to the castle and wait, just like she said.

“I need two, no three guards upstairs right now.” Luciano mind-linked one of his guys, closing the bathroom window that Seth must have used for her great escape plan.

That woman was something else - her imagination beat people that had to escape places on a daily basis because of their jobs.

While others sought seemingly more difficult backup plans, Seth came up with her own, using the smallest advantages she could notice.

Just like that window - the woman climbed out, yet wherever she went, the guards didn't see her leaving. If anyone did, Luciano would find out about her absence sooner.

“I'm sending the best ones up right away, my King,” the head of the guards answered within seconds, eagerly rushing men to run upstairs.

Luciano took his time, placed everything in its places, double-checking if he would leave the apartment the same as it was when he first stepped his foot inside.

He didn't bother to hurry when he closed the bathroom door and scanned the bedroom.

At this point, the King felt like a housekeeper, making her bed and placing the photo frames back where they belonged - on her nightstand. Only when he finally left the bedroom did the guards arrive.

The men seemed puzzled; all of them expected to see a woman in their King's arms, but instead, they got only the King himself.

“Men, I will need all three of you to stay here. One of you can take the living room couch while one will guard the door and the third one will patrol the perimeter. I need this place to stay in perfect condition, and I expect news if she comes close to the apartment. Now, the one which will take over the responsibility of patrols will be your eyes and ears - as soon as he notices the puma, all of you ditch the place but stay close by. Her safety was and will be my main priority. Do not scare her off, do not think of forcing her to follow you back to the castle. You are allowed to join her only if she asks for directions willingly. Am I clear?” The King was stern, but all of those men knew that Luciano wasn't half as bad as everyone thought.

The new King offered them days off, raised their salaries, and came up with a bonus system, offering more benefits for his warriors, guards, and families. Up until now, nobody cared about guards and their needs.

Things would change drastically around the Kingdom, and all of those men were having Luciano's back simply because he had managed to show kindness.

The three men nodded their heads and silently eyed each other, waiting till the King would leave and they could discuss the plan.

However, Luciano had one more thing to do before he left. Pointing at one of the guards, the King asked him to step closer and handed the male a black card. “Here, you can use this. There's no password nor limit; treat yourselves with good meals, but don't party around. Remember, you're on a mission here. If you succeed, you are to keep the card and buy whatever you like for your families or loved ones. After that, I will want my card back.”

Luciano chuckled, a little amused by the visible shock on the men's faces. Who would have thought that three, fully grown wolf shifters, would ever resemble an ecstatic puppy?

“I'm sorry, with whatever we like, you mean absolutely anything?” The guard, to whom Luciano trusted his card, clenched the piece of plastic in his fist.

Of course, he would give it back willingly whenever the King asked, but he couldn't let go of it right now. He felt as if so many new doors opened right in front of him, all of them unlocked by the card.

No man, working for the old King, had enough money to provide for their families, but they kept fighting, no matter what. Now, they got a leader that was a natural leader and wouldn't fear being generous towards his followers.

Instead of sitting in his castle and sending men to war, Luciano would be the one to walk in the front line, fighting side by side with his warriors. The more time passed, the happier and prouder people became, glad to have someone who cared.

“Correct.” Luciano crossed his arms in front of his chest and nodded his head in agreement.

He didn't care what the guards thought of him - all those raw emotions on their faces were enough to let him know that men did appreciate him.

“Even a house for my family?” Another guard stepped closer, raising an eyebrow at the weird statement.

Whatever was happening was too good to be true - there had to be something the King wanted from them. Besides guarding the empty apartment and waiting for his girlfriend, of course.

“That would be true.” Luciano agreed, smiling at the shocked shifter.

“Can I give up on the gifts and cover medical expenses?” The guard who received the card clenched it with a newfound force. If the King agreed - he wouldn't need to worry about many things. Technically, the new leader would save a woman from a life full of misery and pain.

“For whom?” The King raised an eyebrow in question, eyeing the guard. If the man dared to lie to his face - Luciano would know that.

“My daughter, she recently had surgery, but we need at least two more for a full recovery.” The guard replied sincerely. His voice didn't break despite the look on his face and his stance. It seemed as if he was about to break down in tears.

“What happened?” The King knew what his next step would be, but it didn't mean that he didn't want to know what happened.

They talked about one of Luciano's closest shifters - his guards were as important as his family. As important as everyone else in the Kingdom.

“Rogue attack. We are trying to go through everything to avoid her getting completely paralyzed. She can’t heal as she’s too young, no wolf present yet.” The guard gulped, recalling the terrifying events that took place just a couple of weeks ago.

They needed backup, but the old King refused to send out his best warriors, gladly watching over so many deaths of shifters that needed their King's help.

“I will cover the costs of her treatment, don't worry about that. You still can think of anything you need and purchase that after your little mission succeeds. Protect the Queen.” Luciano stated, nodded his head, and left the apartment, rushing downstairs. He needed the conversation with his men; at least that bit would take his mind off Seth and her whereabouts.

Luciano would get back to the castle and start his work as the King, first - overlooking the paperwork and most important changes he wanted to happen within a few weeks.

Then, no matter how much he hated the thought, he would call a meeting with the rest of the Alphas. Either they found a way to accept each other and live in peace, or Seth left them all. And for her, he would do anything.