Chapter 8 – The Mafia Luna Decision

Selena

The warehouse exploded into chaos around us. Fires burned wildly, casting an eerie orange glow on the faces of the rival mafia soldiers clashing violently.

"Selena, we have to go now!" Enzo yelled over the chaos, his hand gripping my arm urgently as he tried pulling me away to safety.

But I couldn't move. My feet felt rooted in place as a storm of emotions tore through me. Blaze was here, my fated mate who had tormented me so deeply.

Now that I see him again, it brought up all those complicated emotions I thought I had put behind me a long time ago.

Enzo pulled me towards the darker area, Blaze unexpectedly emerged from the crowd, his intense stare fixing directly on me like a hunter zeroing in on a target.

A low, possessive growl rumbled from him.

"And just where do you think you're going with my mate, Enzo?" Blaze's rough voice sent shivers down my spine as he reached out, seizing my other arm in a vice-like grip.

"She belongs with me, not you," he snarled, his eyes blazing with conviction as he tried wrenching me away from Enzo's grasp.

I felt torn between them, as their fight over me grew more intense every second. Enzo clenched his jaw holding me tightly, looking at Blake with killer eyes!

"I won't let you take her," he said in a dangerously calm voice. "Selena has chosen me, not you."

A tense silence surrounded us, only the crackling of the fire breaking it as the two powerful men glared at each other. My heart raced rapidly, caught in the middle of their battle for control over me.

But then, something inside me hardened with resolve. I was done being treated like a prize to be won, an object to possess. I was stronger than that.

With a sudden burst of strength, I yanked my arms free from their grasps and stepped back, putting space between myself and them both. When I spoke, my voice rang with steely determination.

"I am nobody's possession or plaything," I stated firmly, looking between Enzo and Blaze's surprised faces. "I am Selena, the Thorn Queen. And I decide my own fate - not either of you."

Blaze visibly flinched at my words, a flicker of regret passing through his eyes as he took in my stance. Enzo's grip on me loosened, a look of grudging respect there.

For a long, tense moment, the air was charged with anticipation. But then finally, slowly, the two Mafia Lord stepped apart and lowered their hands warily. Their fight deflating in the face of my asserted independence.

Suddenly the gunfire has stopped at my words. And I felt a surge of power and pride rush through me. I was not the weak girl before.

One thing was clear now - whatever happened, whoever I chose in the end, it would be my choice and mine alone. I was the master of my destiny.

Neither Blaze nor any other would claim ownership over me again. I was a Mafia queen of myself first and foremost.

Firmly, I grabbed Enzo's hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. We didn't have time for this distraction - not when there were important deals on the table with the Midnight Clan.

"We should go," I stated curtly, turning away from Blaze. "He's clearly not interested in whatever business brought us here."

Blaze's eyes widened in disbelief at my dismissal. "Selena, wait!" He reached for me again, desperation creeping into his voice. "Please, don't just walk away. We need to talk."

Part of me, that long-buried piece of my wolf yearned to hear him out, to finally have the closure I'd craved after all these years apart from my mate. His presence awoke primitive instincts I hadn't felt in so long.

But I squashed them down ruthlessly. Too much had happened. I couldn't afford to be that naive little omega again.

Trying to appear calm and unbothered, I turned to face him again. "I don't know what you think is going on, but we have no interest in whatever unrealistic ideas you have. We're here for real, legitimate reasons."

Enzo backed me up, alpha posturing clear in how he positioned himself slightly in front of me. "You heard my queen. We're done entertaining your sad little Act." His lip curled in a sneer as he looked Blaze up and down. "Now back off before I put you down for good, Stronzo ."

A muscle ticked in Blaze's chiseled jaw as he stared between us, struggling to keep his expression impassive even as his eyes blazed with impotent rage. For a moment, I thought he might actually attack right then and there.

But then, I saw his shoulders slumped and had a sorry look on his face, which replace the stern and hard one. Like he was...defeated.

It was such a stark contrast to the brutal, arrogant alpha I remembered from my captivity. Had my vicious mate truly changed this much? A part of me felt a flicker of confusion, even sadness at his broken expression.

But I shoved it down ruthlessly. I couldn't afford to dwell on the past, to open up those old wounds and doubts. Too much depended on me staying strong and focused as the respected Thorn Queen.

Keeping my grip on Enzo's hand, I turned and strode away without a backwards glance. The business deal with Midnight awaited - no time for getting distracted by ghosts, no matter how compelling.

Still, a traitorous glance over my shoulder before exiting revealed Blaze watching me go, despair and longing etched into his chiseled features. His fists slowly unclenched at his sides as our eyes briefly met and held.

Then the door closed behind us, shutting him out as decisively as I'd shut out the part of me that still craved my fated mate's wounded embrace after all this time.

When we exited the warehouse, I couldn't help but glance back at Blaze one last time over my shoulder. His expression stopped me in my tracks.

Why did he look so...broken? Longing and sadness poured off him in waves as our eyes met briefly. It was so at odds with the cruel, heartless alpha I remembered.

The Blaze from back then had zero empathy. He rejected and mistreated me for being a mere Half-ling, barren as he thought. Could he truly regret how he acted? Recognize me now as his fated mate after all?

The idea was almost laughable, and yet his crestfallen look as I walked away nagged at me. Before, I had only ever seen contempt and disdain in those piercing blue eyes when he looked at me.

I shook my head, shoving those confusing thoughts aside as Enzo and I climbed into the limo. We had bigger fish to fry with this Midnight deal.

"Hey," Enzo's concerned voice pulled me from my reverie. "You okay, babe? Who was that psycho back there giving you trouble?"

I let out a short laugh, aiming for nonchalance. "Oh, you know how these mafia types are. He was probably some unhinged lord obsessed with his runaway wife or something."

Enzo frowned, clearly not fully buying my blasé excuse. But he seemed to accept it for now as he reached over to take my hand.

"Well, you know how obsessed I am with you too, right Selena?" His thumb stroked over my knuckles affectionately. "You're my one and only queen."

I felt myself relaxing into a warm smile at his words and tender touch. "I know, Enzo. And you're the best partner a woman could ask for."

We shared a lingering kiss, and I forced thoughts of Blaze from my mind. Enzo showered me with affection and care - everything a mate was meant to provide, without the cruelty and pain.

He was safety, protection, the life I had fought so hard for away from the darkness of my past. Enzo was my present and future. Whatever conflicting feelings still lingered for Blaze, I knew I had to let them go.

"I love you," I murmured against his lips. "No matter what, I choose you."

Enzo's answering grin was brilliant. "And I'll always choose you too, my queen. You're my whole world."

As we lost ourselves in another heated kiss, I determinedly shoved thoughts of Blaze's haunted look from my mind. My life and loyalty belonged here now, with Enzo.

Whatever my fated mate wanted from me, it was too little too late. I was no longer that naive, malleable girl to be claimed. I was the fierce leader of the Thorn Pack - and my heart had chosen its own path forward.

.....

We arrived back at the mansion compound, Enzo's arm firmly around my waist as we strode inside. His men were assembled, awaiting our return from the meeting.

As soon as we entered, the soldiers immediately stood at attention, their postures straightening with crisp discipline. Enzo was all business now, the tender lover replaced by the powerful mafia lord.

"At ease, men," he barked out in that authoritative alpha tone that always sent a shiver down my spine. "Report."

Marco, Enzo's head lieutenant, stepped forward. "The east side warehouses were successfully secured during your absence, sir. However..."

He hesitated, shooting a nervous glance my way. Enzo's eyes narrowed dangerously.

"However what, Marco?" His voice dropped to a lethal register. "You know I despise unfinished reports."

Marco swallowed hard. "Yuri and his team failed to retrieve the shipment from the docks on time. It was... intercepted."

"By who!" Enzo yelled.

A tense silence fell over the room. I could practically feel the waves of fury rolling off Enzo. When he finally spoke, his tone was even more terrifying.

"Bring me Yuri. Now."

The soldier shifted uneasily. "That's just it, sir. He hasn't reported back yet, after the ..."

Enzo's hand clenched into a fist and he stepped forward, his presence suddenly looming over the shorter Marco.

"Find out who dare cross me!" He yelled making the gang stiff, and making me wonder.