Mated To The Mafia Werewolves

Arabella left the room a while later after taking a few bites from the food Sandro brought to her again. He had wanted to stuff her with it, but Annalise had come to her rescue, testifying to bringing her food.

Now, in Thalia’s room, the latter wasn’t present, but her scent lingered. Arabella sat for a few minutes, and when Thalia didn’t surface, she stepped outside, heading towards the garden at the back of the villa.

It was a large space dedicated specifically to gardening, situated near the infirmary. Since Arabella’s arrival at the villa, it was her first time exploring the garden. Sandro had often confined her, not allowing her freedom, but she guessed Mrs. Mabel’s words earlier had influenced him.

However, Arabella doubted that strolling along the garden could restore the iron in her blood. She rubbed her stomach, sighing. Her ears perked up, and she halted, glancing around as she heard sobbing. Tracing the sound, she arrived at a small pond filled with ducks, and Thalia was huddled nearby.

Arabella stepped towards her, frowning. From Thalia’s movements-the trembling of her body and the sniffles-Arabella knew she was crying. She didn’t need to ask if she was.

“Thalia,” she whispered, crouching. Thalia turned, her red-rimmed eyes locking on Arabella, and she shook her head.

“I am sorry, but I can’t help it,” she murmured, wiping her cheeks. Arabella saw a white flannel in her hand, scrunched up, but she recognized it. It was Blaze’s, and it still smelled like him. A rush of emotion flooded through her.

“You don’t have to be sorry, Thalia. I understand how you feel.”

“You’re suffering the same way as me,” Thalia said. She stood to her feet, her gaze casting upward.

“It’s not easy to let go. I tried my best, but his memory keeps coming into my thoughts.”

“He’s your brother, Thalia. You shouldn’t let him go if you don’t want to. You are allowed to keep him as long as you desire in you. No one is going to judge you for that.” Arabella stood to her feet as well.

Thalia regarded her silently before nodding. She stepped towards a bench, sitting on it, and asked, “How have you been?”

“Better now that I see you. I went by your room earlier to see you, and I thought you left,” Arabella said.

“I felt suffocated; I had to leave to come here,” Thalia muttered. There was a brief silence between them before Arabella spoke again, “Blaze would have wanted us not to dwell too much on his thoughts.”All text © NôvelD(r)a'ma.Org.

“You think so?” Thalia asked.

“I know so. I know he wouldn’t want to see us hurt,” Arabella said.

“But he left me. He didn’t care about my feelings and how he was leaving me in this cruel world. Or maybe if I had been a better sister to him, he would be alive. I had not made any effort to be better and always nagged him to death, and now he’s gone,” Thalia bent her head, her shoulders moving.

She was crying again, Arabella mused.

Gripping Thalia’s hands, she wrapped her arms around her. “It’s okay to cry.” Gripping Arabella tightly, Thalia sobbed, coughed, and sobbed.

“I can’t forgive myself,” she said.

“I can’t as well since I am partly to be blamed.”

“I won’t fault you, Arabella,” Thalia shook her head. “I am sure it could have been anyone. It could have been Sandro or me. And I don’t think Blaze did wrong in protecting you. I’m just sad that it turned out the way it is.”

“Likewise,” Arabella breathed out. Then she added, “Can we go back in?” The sky had darkened, hinting at an impending rain.

“Yes,” Thalia nodded, standing. Immediately, the wind turned violent, bellowing, swaying trees, picking up debris in its wake.

Arabella and Thalia dashed indoors just in time before the rain poured down.

“Whew, we are lucky,” Thalia said, a hint of a smile on her face.

“We are,” Arabella said, listening to the pitter-patter of rain on the ceiling.

“I feel relieved somewhat,” Thalia stepped towards her room, with Arabella following closely behind.

“I don’t know; with this rain, I feel Blaze is trying to say something to me. He has always loved the rain,” Thalia smiled wistfully.

Arabella never knew that. It was a surprise she was finding out some little details about him now that he was gone. Even though he had been with her, loved her, and told her things that she believed he only wanted her to know, she never knew about his love for rain.

She smiled, looking at Thalia, “I believe he’s happy now. He’s suffered enough, and he deserves that rest.”

Thalia nodded her head in agreement, “He surely did need all the rest. No one truly deserved him.”

Thalia was right. Even she, Arabella, doubted she deserved Blaze. He was too good for her, too selfless, but he had been made to make several decisions that never favored him in the end.

Arabella and Thalia discussed for more minutes, focusing mainly on Blaze. It was the best discussion she ever had, and it relieved her pain somewhat. Also, she knew it relieved Thalia as well, as she saw her smiling more naturally.

Arabella returned to her room a while later, where she met Sandro sitting on the large mahogany desk near the bed.

“How is Thalia?” Sandro asked, lifting himself off the desk and walking towards the window. His back turned to her. The last person Arabella believed Sandro could ask her about was Thalia, but he seemed genuinely concerned.

“She’s holding up quite well,” Arabella said, sitting on the bed and slipping out of the ballet flat she wore. When she reached for the second leg, Sandro was immediately in front of her, holding her hand.

“Let me,” he said, making her raise a brow. Even as she shot him a questioning gaze, he didn’t stop. He slipped her leg off, caressed it for a few seconds before letting go, and stood.

“I can’t meet her,” Sandro admitted.

“Why?” Arabella folded her arms, waiting for his reply.

“Because I feel stupid,” Sandro said.

“Why?” She asked again. She didn’t understand, and he wasn’t saying much.

Sandro’s shoulders moved as he breathed out, and he turned to her, “Firstly, I never knew about her relationship with Blaze. I mean, they smelled alike, but I guess I was too blinded by lust to have known. I shouldn’t have gotten involved with her in the first place, and secondly, I failed to protect her brother.”

It was strange. Sandro was actually sorry. Also, she heard the disgust in his voice when he mentioned being with Thalia. He must hold the bro code dearly.

“I didn’t lock Blaze up or wish to punish him just for your sake; he lied to me. We were meant to share everything, but he lied to my face. Lied about wanting you, about his rare werewolf gene, and about his relationship with Thalia,” he grimaced, shaking his head.

“He did it for a reason. For Blaze to hide things, you should know there’s a reason. He perhaps didn’t want you to see him in another light like the others,” Arabella said.

Sandro had seen him in more ways-a tainted soul and a traitor. Perhaps, if he wasn’t judgmental, Blaze would have come clean. He wouldn’t stop blaming himself for all that had happened.