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Today, they had learned the truth, and their groaning and aching muscles were the answer. Domenico Moretti was possibly one of the toughest taskmasters they would ever encounter. He was a strict instructor, pushing all of them beyond their limits. Perfection was what he demanded, and they found themselves working hard to give it to him. How could they not when, upon asking them to do fifty push-ups, Domenico did a hundred? When they ran five laps, he had run ten, and the heir to the Moretti pack leader hadn’t even broken a sweat afterwards.
After toweling his face dry, Domenico still found the boys staring at him. This was all Misty’s fault, too, Domenico thought in exasperation. She had turned him into a babysitter for cubs and kittens, and all because she thought he needed to be better at P.R. in the shifter world.
Curbing his natural impulse to snarl and frighten all the kids away like a boogeyman, he asked, “What is it?”
The young shifters gulped. The tone was cold and mean, making them feel the alpha wolf was a second away from snapping all of their necks...out of boredom.
Someone from the back asked nervously, “Is it true you killed vampires with your own hands?”
“Yes.”
Ooooooooh. A collective gasp of amazement emerged from the boys.
“Is it also true...you cried when your wife left you for a Faerie?”
At the question, nearly all the boys wanted to cry themselves. They were done for now. Domenico Moretti would go berserk and kill them all, also with his bare hands—-
“Yes.”
This time, the boys looked like they were about to die of shock, and Domenico didn’t know whether he was amused or irritated. He would make Misty pay for this. Domenico knew it would have been better to lie. Unlike other Lyccans, lying was a skill of his, something he ruthlessly used to get what he wanted. But after his last lie nearly cost the breakup of his marriage, he had developed an aversion to it and found himself being more honest than he wanted – like now.
The boys were still looking at him, disbelief written all over their faces.
“You’ll understand why when you grow older,” Domenico said gruffly as he pulled on his pants. It was damn awkward to change in front of dozens of shifters all staring at him. Although he had a shower in his own private quarters, Domenico had joined his students in the barracks, not wanting them to think he was using his position and authority to enjoy privileges. But after this stupid Q&A, maybe it was better—-
“Prince Domenico?”
Domenico was of a mind not to answer, but the quivering note in the boy’s voice told him it had taken the student a lot of guts to speak out loud. Pulling his shirt over his head, he asked, “What is it? And this better be the last question, you little punks.” His words, uttered in a menacing tone, had everyone laughing, albeit nervously.
“A-are you even afraid of anything?”
The question had him pausing. Something he was still afraid of? Domenico frowned as he slammed his locker door shut. The sound had the young shifters jumping, which almost made him smile. They really were still kids.
Only one answer came to mind. “Losing my wife.” He bared his fangs. “It’s my greatest fear, but it’s also my strength because it's what keeps me fighting...even in the darkest times.”
THIRTY MINUTES LATER, Domenico still couldn’t find his wife, who had become exceptionally good at masking her scent. Catching sight of his younger brother on guard at the training field at the back of the manor, he swiftly walked towards Alejandro, unaware that by doing so the young female shifters training in the same area had all stopped to gawk at him.
Calys Adelardi, queen and pack leader of the strongest panther pack, paused in the middle of her instructions about self-defense for women. There was no point talking when every one of her two hundred students wasn’t looking at her.
She sighed. What was new? These Moretti brothers, and that included her own Cavaliere, always caused a sensation wherever they went. Cavaliere basically meant champion, bodyguard, and P.R. man all rolled into one, a role that only Alejandro Moretti could successfully play.
She glanced at the two brothers fondly, the way they looked so much alike with their ebony-black hair and green eyes. For her, Alejandro was the more gorgeous, but the others could be forgiven for thinking otherwise, Calys thought generously. He was, after all, the reason all Lyccan packs had a united front now.
“Have you seen Misty?” Domenico asked with a frown upon reaching his brother.
“Nope.”
Domenico scowled at his brother. “You know I can always tell when you’re lying, right?”
“I have been sworn to secrecy.” Alejandro’s tone was solemn, but the smirk on his lips belied it. However, his amusement became short-lived when his older brother’s gaze narrowed, his arms crossing over his broad chest before he said, “Queen Calys?”
