21.

Angelo

The meeting with the witch who was ordered, more like demanded, to play tricks on me wasn't what I expected. Heck, I didn't expect her to be my uncle's mate. Her company was welcomed through all of the nervous air around the penthouse. I stood away from the trio near the window listening to their chatter, smiling to myself self-thinking how great of a family I had. I watched closely at my uncle who was now sitting back watching Danielle a small smile on his face as he played with her blond curls. Both of our ladies were talking among themselves, I think it was about a future shopping trip for a new pair of jeans? I was definitely distracted by my blonde beauty. Her smile lit up her eyes which made them luminous like the sun shining on the blue sea. Her whole aura was filled with happiness as she spoke to my new aunt.

I then watched Danielle, Lykos sensed no threat from her only a great amount of power. When I first entered the room, both my wolf and I felt a shift of power, we felt both at ease and filled with questions as to why we felt a bit more confident with our gifts. Seeing Danielle we knew she was the reason but WHY?

"Why did you do it?" I asked bluntly.

All chatter stopped, their movements stilled and all three pairs of eyes turned to me but I was focused on Danielle. She lowered her eyes from my gaze and stood up while taking a deep breath.

"I did it to save my half brother's life. Bryan's right-hand man" she said with a trembling voice when she did she clutched onto her pendant with tightly closed eyes.

"Hakeem is your brother?" Amelia asked a bit confused.

"Yes, he's my little brother. His father was my mother's beloved, they met when I was eight. He protected us when we decided to come out of hiding." she explained. Her body became tense and I knew I wasn't the only one who saw that slight change.

"Danny what is it?" my uncle asked her in a comforting voice. "I can't be out of connection from him for long. I must protect my baby brother. When he told me he was coming to New York I immediately made plans to open up the apartment his father leased for us here. He didn't tell me what was the main reason for his appearance in New York, he only told me so we can be close."

"I understand sibling love but this is over and beyond it. You follow him and he does too, where ever you two decide to make a home?" I asked.

"Hakeem is young still in the arts of witchcraft and easy to pinpoint amidst a coven of vampires by..... by people"

We stayed quiet waiting for her to go on, we all knew there was something big that she was hesitating to tell us but no one pushed. She has to do this on her own. Danielle looked down at her mate and smiled softly at him. " I never dreamed of finding love nor having any sort of relationship with anyone. Safety and survival for my brother and I has always been at the top of my list. Then Bryan came with this merde (shit) and it brought you into my life" She said all of this holding his gaze with a sad smile.

Danielle then turned to me and watched me intently, "I never saw your face when I did it. I only felt your pain but a love that was struggling to set free. You fought it, you knew what was real but the guilt was still there. You are a strong one, Prince Angelo. I am sorry for what I have done. Bryan wanted you to act out on that memory walk. Lash out even. He wanted to break you for some unknown reason to me......" she said.

I turned to look at my Amelia whose head was now bent silently crying, I quickly went to her and brought her into my arms. "You are mine. Remember that" I said to her. She weakly nods her head and held me tightly. Due to our now mated bond, I felt her guilt at the mention of her past abuser's name, she didn't want me to be part of her troubles. I didn't care, she was part of my world now, as a matter of fact, she is my world now and I would slay all her demons. I would do anything to erase that past for her.

"Your memory walk. I wasn't present how did you do it. My brother can do the same but he can only do it with the person near." I asked intrigued at how she did it.

Danielle didn't answer but walked to the center of the room. "There's a reason why my mother and I were in hiding and there's a reason why I can do anything a dark witch or white witch can do," she said reaching into the pocket of her sundress.

"One of the reasons why my father was killed," she continued now bringing her hand out of her pocket then slipping something on her hand and with a snap of her fingers, she was now dressed in a long white gown with a thin gold band around her head with Latin words inscribed on it.

"I'm the last descendant of a pure-blood witch. An Original," she said smiling sadly.

Jonah stood up and went to her taking in his mate in her ethereal glory, she truly looked heavenly as a soft white glow surrounded her. "My mate is the head witch. A pure-blood witch. Can this family be any more powerful?" he said with a wide grin on his face, pulling Danielle into his arms for a kiss.

"Uncle" I called out to him sensing Danielle's fear. He stopped and looked at me then her. "Whoever killed my father knows of me and Hakeem. We are like a threat to the dark witches, well myself. My brother can be a bait to lure me out that's why I stay close to him to shield him. I'm sorry Angelo. I-I didn't know he was so convincing" she pleaded once more.

"It's alright. What we have to do now is be one step ahead of him." I said walking back towards the window. 'How are we going to do that, my human? Isn't Nikolai in cohorts with him. We must keep our princess safe.' Lykos said with worry.

Turning my head back to the trio, my focus was mainly on Amelia. We can't be living in anxiety every single day, I have to trust her to make the right decision, have hope that Nikolai is welcoming to new suggestions when it comes to his own daughter. First I have a rat to flush out.

'Find me the witch's little brother. His name is Hakeem a vampire hybrid. Bryan's second-hand man.' I sent the order to four of my most trusted sentinels. No questions were asked only a confirmation that it would be carried out. If my musings are correct, a brother would do anything for his sister right?







Nikolai



"Did he react as you expected Niko ?" my beta asked as we entered the penthouse we were now occupying in New York.

I didn't answer my best friend of so many years, I was exhausted both emotionally and physically. With a heavy plop on to the sofa, my focus went to the tv which was on for some odd reason.

"This hybrid does not act like a man terribly in love with his mate. He does want her back but I think I know why and afraid to admit it" I answered.

"Niko. We both know the answer to this so why do we play along? Mariya is the reason why we are here."

I looked at my friend, Alexei with his natural unkempt dark hair and bluish-grey eyes sitting beside me with a deep frown of concentration on his forehead. Both of us have been searching for Mariya since my mate ran away after the day I told her my true feelings. I didn't even get the chance to mark her, it was my wolf and I's deepest regret.

"I know my friend. This boy is my only link to my mate and daughter's life. He still hasn't told me who raised my little girl, he only said it was a fellow hybrid, he claims that's all he knew but something dark is within this boy" I commented.

"This isn't right, Niko. I cannot take it anymore. We are losing our American friends with this charade. King Michael would be unforgiving if we hurt young Angelo in this process" Alexei said harshly as he ran his fingers through his hair.

What I was doing may be idiotic and risky but it needs to be done. I have grown weak over the years searching for my pup and no result then came this hybrid Bryan with my daughter in tow. At first, I was hesitant with this 'abduction' by Prince Angelo but knew better due to my close relations with the royal family. The young prince calls me uncle for goddess' sake. I decided to go along with this charade after I did a background check on him. He was truly unsuitable for my daughter and the unconfirmed reports of his relations with my daughter made me even more eager to come back to New York. I would not involve my friends in this personal matter, again I would admit it, I'm being foolish.

"We won't. We keep a distance from the Young prince, though I want my little Mariya we have to play along to this idiot's scheme. I fear what he may do to her if he is crossed."

"Ok, my friend. Okay," he said after a moment of silence between us.

"They can help you know. We have got a little manpower. They rule the Americas, Niko" Alexei said calmly after another moment of silence.

"I know but this is something I want to do for myself. It's my pup let me do it without them" I said with the little confidence I had. Only my best friend knew how strong I really was, my little Mariya has come of age to lead the pack so that means I no longer have full power, nor full leadership over my men. It would be easy for them to overpower me, this is why I need Mariya with me soon. She has a place in Russia.

"Ummmm Niko. You should see this," Alexei called out to me breaking me from my thoughts.

I turned to where he was now standing in front of the television, utter shock was on his face, slowly I went to where he stood and watched at the still on the monitor. There she was my printsessa, a wide smile on her lips as she looks at the young prince. What caught me off guard was the look on Angelo's face, the same look I grew fond of whenever his father looked at his mother.

Love.

Alexei pressed play and the voice of the reporter reached our ears. "The rumors are true. The blonde beauty known as Amelia Starkov has captured the heart of our very own dubbed Silent Prince. As they made their way to Saville Enterprises the two didn't hide the loving gazes nor the intimate touches from us. We can all say that Angelo Saville is now officially of the market. I'm one of the thousands of girls that are truly disappointed with this news. We still wish them luck in their new romance."

The camera did a close up on Mariya and what I saw had me stumbling backward. "Turn it off," I said hoarsely. We both stayed quiet for a moment a ripple of laughter bubbled in my throat before I knew it I was erupting in full knee-slapping laughter. I wanted to keep the royal family out of this crap with the hybrid but it seems they are already in it. Bryan has no chance against the silent prince. He's the deadliest one of all three royal pups, the one who holds them all together.

My friend was now looking at me as if I went off the deep end. "Nikolai...."

"His mate. My daughter is Prince Angelo's mate. And...And he marked her" I laughed out. This whole situation has truly changed things on all of us.

"Do you think the hybrid knows that we know his trick?" Alexei asked with a sly smirk on his lips. "Why don't we sit back and watch it all unfold. It would be very entertaining don't you think" I said watching my daughter once again.

I will see you soon my little pup.