“You think she’s ready to go now?”
Giuliana was dressed in her pants and tank top he’d become accustomed to her wearing. Part of him missed her designer gowns and flowing shirts when she was more relaxed. But they’d all been prepared to fight at a moment’s notice.
“She has to be for him to call all combatants. We’ll be moving out soon enough.”
Giuliana nodded and headed to his door, but Pasquale stopped her. “Hey.”
“I’m fine.”
He pulled her into his arms. If he hadn’t learned anything else in his time with her, he knew Giuliana was not fine when she used that word.
“Just focus on the mission.”
“I’m trying. My dreams … they were …”
She let her voice fade, and Pasquale waited patiently for her to continue. She needed to get it out. She had to share what she was going through.
“They are getting longer, and more real.”
“You said you wanted to remember your past, didn’t you?”
“But it’s all fear and blood. Someone keeps pushing me into a closet to hide, but I never get anything more than a sense of red hair before they’re gone. I’m not closer to knowing who there are or what happened than when I started remembering.”
“It will take time, and it will come. I will be here through it.”
“I don’t like not knowing who I am.”
“You’re Giuliana Moretti, niece of Arturo Moretti and Enforcer to Dominic Lombardi. You are my mate and the owner of Touch of Old. That’s who you are.”
Her gaze searched his for a moment. “You’re right. I just wish I remembered who I had been.”
“A step at a time. For now, we go to Dominic.”
Alone, they didn’t use the term Alpha for Dominic. Their wolves didn’t want to seem to respect it, and it was easier not to fight against them. Pasquale still wasn’t ready to continue and flow more into the Alpha world, but he’d take what steps he could.
A screech made him whirl around and face his mate once more, ready for battle. She was swiping at her arms like a crazy woman.
“What?”
She didn’t answer him, stomping on the floor in a circle.
What is wrong?
Spider, Red answered.
A spider?
She’s afraid of spiders.
Pasquale looked to the ground. The eight-legged creature was crawling away, nowhere near Giuliana. He swallowed a laugh, not wanting her to think he was picking on her. He made a big show of stepping on the spider, smashing it beneath his boot.
“It’s dead, Giuliana. Look.”
Her gaze was frantic, searching.
He lifted his foot and pointed. “See?”
She froze, her chest heaving. “Don’t say another word.”
