Mated To The Mafia Werewolves

They stood outside in the De Luca’s graveyard. It marked Arabella’s first visit, and she wished it would also be the last.

Despite the daytime, mournful howls echoed before the funeral commenced. She guessed it was traditions.

Brianna and her sisters took charge of the ceremony, as Sandro had handed it over to them.

“Today, we lay to rest Nicholas Armstrong, a fierce Beta, and guardian of our pack. Let’s remember the beautiful things he did for us. He died a hero, sacrificing his life for his friends. He’ll be forever missed.”

Blaze was truly gone, Arabella pondered. She had spent the whole previous day waiting for him or someone to reveal that it was all a joke. To assure her he would wake up, hug her, kiss her, and tell her everything would be fine.

But no one came. She had seen him give up, and not even her tears, which had awakened him the first time, worked this time. Brianna had mentioned something about him running out of luck.

Tears streamed down her cheeks, and though she vowed never to cry, she couldn’t remain silent while witnessing him being laid to rest on the earth.

Through blurry vision, Arabella observed as Sandro guided Thalia toward the casket. Unlike Arabella, Thalia had been crying nonstop since yesterday. Her eyes were bloodshot and swollen, and she hadn’t bothered to run a brush through her hair, though it didn’t look too bad thanks to the cap she wore.

Thalia sniffled, gasping before collapsing on the dug-out sand. “Why did you do this to me, Cole?” she cried. “If you were going to die, why didn’t you do so sooner? Why make me believe you were going to stay with me forever?”

Arabella shared the same questions swirling through her mind, but she had no one to provide any answers.

“I hate you for this, Cole. I won’t forgive you for making me go through so much pain!” Thalia declared.

“Bella,” Arabella’s head whipped to her side, finding Sandro standing there, one hand in the pocket of the tuxedo pants he donned. She couldn’t see his eyes as he wore a dark sunshade, a curious choice given the absence of sunlight. His lips twisted in a smile devoid of amusement, and he extended his hand to her.

“Are you ready to pay your last respects to him?” Sandro asked.

Arabella shook her head. “I am not doing that.” She wasn’t ready to let Blaze go, not while there was a chance he could still be alive. She wouldn’t say goodbye unless she believed he was truly gone. Gripping the locket around her neck, she bit her lower lip.

“I don’t want to say anything to him because I believe he lives,” she murmured as Sandro crouched before her.Property belongs to Nôvel(D)r/ama.Org.

“Bella,” Sandro murmured.

“Don’t tell me he is dead, Sandro. I am a Phoenix, and you should know our tears have healing properties. I made sure there were enough tears on Blaze. He is going to live, believe me. He is going to come awake now,” Arabella said.

“Look at me, Arabella,” Sandro said, pulling off the sunglasses he was wearing.

“I don’t want to,” she muttered, glancing away.

He gripped her chin, forcing her to stare into his eyes. “Look at me,” he repeated.

She had no choice but to do so.

“Blaze isn’t coming back,” Sandro said. “You need to face reality, Arabella. He’s truly gone.”

“He isn’t,” she replied, forcing her chin out of his grasp. “Just because you say so doesn’t mean he is gone, Sandro!”

“Hey, hey,” Sandro murmured. He stood up, pulling her with him. Ignoring her protest, he wrapped his arms around her.

“It’s okay to cry, Arabella. That doesn’t make you weak. It’s okay to cry,” he whispered.

Her body trembled, and she bit her lip, forcing back the tears.

“I am sorry I didn’t do my best to shield him. I was too mad at him for so long, and now that he is gone, I wish I could turn back the hands of time. I wish I could mend the relationship between us,” Sandro said.

“Why are you telling me this?” Arabella whispered.

When Sandro let her go, he looked into her eyes. “As much as I hate all that your father did, we need to work together to put an end to all this.”

Arabella opened her mouth to speak but was interrupted by Thalia’s scream.

“Cole!”

“That’s a reminder that we still have a funeral to finish,” Sandro pointed out.

Arabella nodded. She had wanted to avoid it, to believe she was dreaming, but she knew it was real. She was in her reality, and in it, Blaze was no more.

“Come on,” Sandro said, leading her to where his body lay.

Arabella shut her eyes tightly, placing the red rose next to the casket. She couldn’t bring herself to look inside; she might get nightmares. Partly, she knew it was her fault. If she hadn’t been there, Blaze wouldn’t have jumped in front of her, trying to save her.

“I’m sorry,” Arabella mumbled. “I’m sorry, Blaze.”

“It’s not your fault,” Sandro whispered. “It’s Paolo’s fault.” And Alessia and Janice. She was never going to forgive them and the part they had played.

After it was over, Arabella stayed by his gravestone for a long time. Everyone had left symbolic items, ranging from moonflowers to silver pendants, representing the friendships they had with Blaze.

Arabella didn’t know exactly what she was waiting for, but it brought her a sense of peace. She gazed at the inscribed words, shaking her head.

“In Loving Memory of Nicholas ‘Blaze’ Armstrong

The beta of the MoonStone pack(De Luca Household)

[August 7, 1995] – [November 21, 2022]

A Fearless and Loyal Beta

‘Blaze’- Forever in our heart.”

“He was only twenty-six,” she murmured. He had barely celebrated his birthday three months ago, which she never knew about.

“I never told you this, Blaze. Even though you said it was not necessary,” she whispered, rocking her body back and forth. “I am carrying Sandro’s children. They are his, and I can do anything right now for them to be yours, Blaze.”

Her head was bowed as she continued speaking. “I had the perfect life planned out. We get to live on the beachside, watching the waves while raising the children. We would have many more afterward, a mini you and me. I really wanted a little boy who looks like you, brown toffee eyes, dark brown hair and all.”

“Why didn’t you fulfill your wish for me, Blaze? You made me fall into the hands of my enemy. I am under Sandro’s watch. I am here yet again to endure all the torturous things I endured before you rescued me. How can I escape this?”

Arabella curled up on the grass, close to the stone, her fingers tracing the outline of the smooth wall.

“I wish I did better with the powers I had.” Tears poured out of her eyes more.

She thought she was done crying, but she doubted she could ever stop. She stayed there for a while before returning to the villa on Sandro’s order.