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𝑷𝒓𝒆𝒑𝒐𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆

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VINDICATIO reveled in the feeling of his mate's face pressed against his neck, her light breaths bringing him joy as he pulled her closer. He turned his head to see where Odessa, Chaska, Moki, and Talise were standing, watching intently. "Mate," he whispered under his breath, the others able to hear perfectly with their enhanced hearing. All their eyes widened as they looked between Syretia and Vindicatio. Soulmates were unheard of in the werewolf realm, though the Wild Wolves believed in it, they had never witnessed a destined pair in person. They dropped to their knees, as the Domestic pack wolves stood and just watched the scene in bewilderment. Vindicatio felt Syretia's face leave his neck as she peered over his shoulder.

"Why are they kneeling?" She whispered into his ear, her blue eyes scanning over the four kneeling werewolves.

"Because they feel deep respect towards us," Vindicatio rumbled aloud, beginning to stand up, pulling Syretia up with him. She was now face to chest, she craned her neck looking up at the underside of his sharp jaw. Vindicatio looked down at her, he loved that his mate was so much smaller than him. It made him feel more dependable, as a protector and provider, it was the animal side of him. The thought of protecting Syretia with his life brought him back to the big problem he still had to face and abolish. Salvatore Cane was going down. And then he would raise hell in the Royal Werewolf Court in Italy.

𝚁𝚘𝚢𝚊𝚕 𝚆𝚎𝚛𝚎𝚠𝚘𝚕𝚏 𝙲𝚘𝚞𝚛𝚝, 𝙸𝚝𝚊𝚕𝚢

The Kingdom was tense ever since the people had caught wind of Queen Analyn's rumored heart attack. Queen Analyn was currently engulfed in luxurious bedding and feather stuffed pillows, King Vincenzo sound asleep next to her. It was the crack of dawn, the sun hadn't even broken out from behind the hill visible from the window parallel to her place on the bed.

Waking up this early had been a recurring thing, it was the guilt. Every time she closed her eyes she'd see her eldest son's face the day she sent him away.

 Her son's downtrodden expression filling her mind. She hadn't even told him what he was, who he was. He had been living a lie for 16 years and she had selfishly thrown him out the moment her place on her throne was put into question. She had to get rid of the evidence that she had ever been with Salvatore Cane. The evidence of their love and affair; their son. A purebred lycan, that was now no longer stuck in his dormancy.

But now it was all revealed, Vincenzo knew everything. He had berated her relentlessly over her selfishness. He started the conversation with, "to save face, we will be keeping this under wraps. If there is anything left tying the three of you together we must destroy it. If anyone catches wind that you were unfaithful you will be pillaged by the people and cast away. I love you, Analyn, but sometimes you really test me. This is the biggest test: if I can forgive you for your adulterating ways. If I find anything else out, I won't hesitate to reveal you for you truly are, a selfish beast just. like. him. You saw how he was cast out so easily the night we sent Ettore away."

"I know, Vincenzo," was her weak response. 

"Salvatore is a manipulative man, just look at what he's done to you. He lured you into his bed and got you pregnant." She didn't have the heart to tell Vincenzo that there hadn't been a lot of luring on Salvatore's part. She figured she'd have one last rendezvous with Salvatore, how much would it hurt? It ended up hurting a lot more than she could've ever imagined. 

"I bet he made you keep the baby," Vincenzo laughed humorlessly.  "Probably guilted you because he'd be born a pureblood lycan. But you took it upon yourself to ruin the baby's life. You should've just terminated it!" Vincenzo growled out as he slammed his glass of whiskey on the table. 

"All this could've been avoided if the two of you hadn't been selfish and divulging in your traitorous fantasies. But don't fret, love, I'll be sending wolves to the States and around the world to find the two of them. And when they're found I'll make sure that they die by my own hands."

She gripped the bedding in her fisted hands, stressed. She knew that Ett— Vindicatio, would be coming to Italy. It was only a matter of time, she looked over at Vincenzo as he began to stir before rolling over, his back facing her. She couldn't remember the last time he held her. During her near-death experience but that was only because he thought he was losing her for good. He hated that she had lied to him about Ettore; casting a guise upon him making him seem like he was his son. When Ettore was nothing more than a vessel holding the real being hostage. He had put so much time and devotion into him, only to find out from an anonymous letter years ago that the Queen had had an affair, and Ettore had been the Lovechild. He thought it had been a lie until it was revealed by Evanora. He felt a deep betrayal from his Queen, it was enough to slice through his very own armor. He thought he had had a perfect life; a loving mate to rule by his side, and the perfect son to take over when the time was right. But even that wasn't real. And now he was stuck with a son that couldn't even speak properly.

Analyn felt anger emitting off of Vincenzo, her guilt always seemed to impact him into thinking about everything even unconsciously which brought out his anger. After he berated her, he never spoke on it, he did it to not upset Analyn anymore. He felt that her deep ridden guilt and lack of affection was enough punishment.

Analyn got out of bed, her bare feet meeting with the cold marble floor. She walked over to her vanity where her silk morning robe was draped over the plush chair. She plucked it off of the chair and slipped it on, cinching it around her thin waist. She took a few steps towards the door pausing to cast a longing gaze at Vincenzo's sleeping form before leaving their sleeping chamber. She headed to her library, quickly making her way down the long corridor, ever since she first started living here that portraits of past rulers creeped her out, she always felt as though they were watching her. She burst through the mahogany door and shut it, leaning her back against it as she dispelled a breath of air she hadn't realized she had been holding. She walked to a specific bookcase and pulled at a book about Lycanthropy. An unlatching sound filled the air and she pushed the bookcase inward revealing a secret passage. She stepped inside, the passage already illuminated with lit torches. The bookcase closed behind her as she continued down the passageway, taking a sharp turn then another. She ended up in a room, the walls littered with polaroids of her first son. She quickly walked to the far wall and ripped a photo from the wall.

Ettore's face was pictured on it. His sun-kissed skin, dark blonde hair, and a giant smile. She let out a sob, she wondered what he would look like if she hadn't been so selfish and shoved his true form in that living vessel. She selfishly had her best friend perform black magic. She tossed the photo to the ground, going to the next one. It was one of Salvatore and Ettore. He was beside his father and didn't even look like him. She looked closer, Salvatore's dark eyes held an emotion she had never noticed them harbor before. Hurt.

She had always been so focused on her son's gorgeous smile that she never took the time to focus on Salvatore. She tossed the photo to the ground then moved to the next photo that had Salvatore in it. This time it was a family photo, Analyn was huddled against Vincenzo both their arms holding up Ettore. All their faces held beaming smiles; even Salvatore's. But she looked closer, he was turned away slightly, his eyes held longing as they looked over at the three of them.

She moved onto the next, the photo held Salvatore sitting beside her, staring intently down at the bundle of joy she had cradled in her arms. In this photo, Ettore's skin was already bronzed and his hair was dark as Salvatore's; it was when she realized that Vincenzo wasn't the biological father. Salvatore had murmured the name Vindicatio against the crown of her head as their son gripped onto his finger. Later that night she had her best friend perform the spell that would trap Salvatore's Vindicatio inside Vincenzo's Ettore. The next photo pictured Ettore with Vincenzo's dark blonde hair and lighter skin, Salvatore was in the back of the photo, she had never noticed him in that photo. She wiped her teary eyes as she held the photo closer. His eyes were glued onto their son, confusion was evident. It was before she explained everything to him. He had been furious that she would do something so selfish to their son; evidence of their love. She told him that she felt nothing towards him and that he was to be nothing but her friend. 

Salvatore had complied, but he changed a lot. He became colder and meaner. As Ettore got older he'd look at him with disgust. 

She grabbed another photo, this one had Vincenzo holding a three-year-old Ettore on his knee. They had been in the throne room all day, Ettore had finally gotten his first crown and Vincenzo wanted to show it off to the people that came to him with their troubles and concerns. She crinkled the photo in her hand before dropping it to the ground. She grabbed another photo with Salvatore in it, he was holding Ettore up in the air. A dazzling smile on his face, as Ettore was laughing. He had been more loving and caring towards Ettore when he was younger, under the guise as his uncle. Vincenzo would always wonder at night why Salvatore and Ettore had such a better bond than he had with Ettore. Analyn would just sit there, trying not to burst out the whole truth. That Ettore was nothing but a vessel harboring a purebred lycan; that his name was Vindicatio and most importantly that Salvatore was his father.

She sniffled, wondering where both of them were. She knew that Salvatore had been banished shortly after Vindicatio and she had no doubts in her mind that he followed his son to The States. It had been confirmed with Vindicatio's awakening, Salvatore had made contact with their son and was able to bring him out of his dormancy.

She wondered if they were getting along; if they were getting as close as they were back then.

SYRETIA felt Vin's grip on her tighten, his eyes were glazed over as though he was deep in thought. He blinked a few times before loosening his grip. Syretia felt her face heat up as she realized that she was pressed up against his naked body. She closed her eyes, wanting to distance herself from him.

"Put these on, you're making the poor girl red as a tomato," Welma said, and soon Syretia felt a piece of material hitting her on the back of the head. "Sorry, dear these old arms don't toss as high as they used to!" Syretia felt Vin's arms and warmth disappear followed by the sound of rustling material.

"You can open your eyes now, bambolina," his deep voice murmured into her ear, making her shiver. As she opened her eyes, she took a step back from him, turning around to go over to Welma. Syretia felt him grab onto the hood of her pullover hoodie, pulling her back against him. It felt so familiar. Ettore had used her hoodie's several times to yank her around. Syretia stilled as she felt his front press against her back. It felt like Déjà vu. She turned her head to see if he loosened his grip on her hood. His fist had it clenched in a death grip. As though if he loosened it or let go she'd leave him.

"People have got to stop doing this," she sighed, his eyes widened. Syretia looked back to Welma, she looked as though she was trying to piece a puzzle together the gears in her head cranking at full speed.

"Let's head back, it's been a tiresome day," she stated. "I expect the four of you to go back the way you came." Syretia heard the rustling of foliage on the ground then thundering footsteps running across the large log behind them. Welma turned and walked back towards the sanctuary, the other warriors dispersed, running North-West, undoubtedly back to their pack. Darrin narrowed his eyes at Vin before falling into stride beside Welma. Syretia took a step forward to follow them only to be stopped by Vin tugging lightly on her hood again.

"Syretia," He said in warning before lowering his voice, "I've missed you."

"How can you miss me when we've never met before?" He lowered himself and whirled her around so that their eyes were level with each other.

"Does the name Ettore ring any bells?"

"Yes, it rings many," I stammered, feeling slightly intimidated by the intense eye contact.

"I'm him, or he's me..." he started, before pausing as if he confused himself, his sharp brows furrowing as he looked down. "I was trapped inside him, I was his wolf-- his true self."

"Huh?" She blinked, utterly confused.

"Ettore was a vessel that I was trapped in," he stated firmly, more certain. "And now that I'm liberated I'm going to make everything right. But first, I've been dying to do this..." His large hands gripped her face and his eyelids closed hiding his gorgeous amber eyes as his lips descended upon hers. Quickly, Syretia recoiled away. Vindicatio's eyes flew open, shocked, "what's wrong?"

"You can't just kiss girls randomly, what the hell," Syretia sputtered as she moved away from him.

"But you're supposed to want to kiss me?" His question was more so directed to himself as he had a perplexed look on his face. "Don't humans like being kissed?"

"Well, yeah," Syretia replied awkwardly, "but give more of a warning next time."

Vindicatio paused for a moment before he stepped closer to her, leaning in, "I'm going to kiss you now." Syretia let out a groan and she ran her hand down her face.

"It's like you've never wooed a girl before."

"I've never needed to... I've just been a wolf counterpart."

"How can you talk then?" She pointed a finger at him accusingly with her eyes squinted.

"I was an animal not an idiot," he scowled. "I've always had a human form; it just never surfaced until now. I learned everything from Ettore when he was 'in control'."

"Okay, I'll bite," she replied, crossing her arms. "What have you learned from being trapped in a human-werewolf body?"

"I know how to walk on two legs, get dressed, talk... uhhh," he paused to think. "I could know how to kiss if you let me--" Syretia let out a laugh making Vindicatio eye her curiously.

"That was pretty smooth," she smiled. "I'll tell you what, I'll pretend like this awkward 'almost kiss' thing didn't happen. To spare us both the embarrassment."

"Oh? Was I supposed to feel embarrassed?"

"Walk with me, Vin," she shook her head with an amused glint in her eyes as she started heading back to the sanctuary.