ALANA

12

ARES

"Caro, have you been by the Caporegime's, yet?" Mama asks, while we are all in the sitting room a few days later. 

"What for?" I question, not looking up from my laptop.

"What do you mean, 'what for'? To see Alana ofcourse." She says as if it's obvious. I look up from the screen, my eyebrows drawn.

"You know you have to bring her to the gala tomorrow night, it is your first and possibly only event as an engaged couple. You will be wed by the end of the week so you absolutely have to make an appearance together." She says, her face stern.

"I am aware, but I do not need to see her twice. I will be picking her up tomorrow, will I not?" I say, going back to looking at my laptops screen.

I had one of my men run a background check on my future wife. I was hoping to find something to use as an excuse not to marry her. But her record was as clean as a new borns.

She had been home schooled her entire life and had never been spotted outside of her residence. There was not even a picture of her on file, due to her lack of a digital footprint or social media profile. Not even a phone number had come up. I thought it was peculiar but our system is too damn accurate, it has never failed.

She also had no friends at all. There was no one she had ever been seen talking to except her house staff and she had minimal contact with men. There were no listed romantic partners either. Nothing that made her unsuitable for me.

Hell, if anything, she was the most untainted person I had heard of.

"But you have to ask her! And she has to prepare, girls have alot to think about when they have somewhere to be you know." Mama hums. "Besides, it has been 2 days now of your engagement. You should get to know her, you already have only a week to court." Mama says, her face looking tense. I groan, throwing my head back, resting it on the back of the couch.

"Mama, I am not going to court her. These are not olden times, and I do not even want to marry her. So no, I will not go to her house." I say with finality.

"I wish I could've taught you to be the husband your Father is to me." she sighs with sadness. I groan. "But I am truly saddened by my incapability-"

"Alright." I cut off her dramatic monologue, making her purse her lips to hold back a smile. I stand up, walking out hearing her say,

"Bring her flowers!" over my shoulder.

Mio Dio, the things I do for my mother.

           _____________________

"Mr. Moretti! You should have summoned me if you needed me sire." Capo Colombo says, greeting me in his driveway.

"My mother wishes for me to court Alana, I am here to see her." His face pales, his expression turning guilty and scared.

That strikes me as odd.

"O- oh she, she is s-sick Capo, not feeling well." he says, his forehead becomes shiny with sweat.

I know when someone is lying, I can smell it from miles away.

"Perhaps I was not clear Colombo, I am here to see the future Donna. I am heading in now." I declare, walking to his door, as he runs behind me like a headless chicken.

"Ofcourse, come and have a seat." he says, nervousness radiating off of him.

I sit down on a couch in the room he leads me to as he runs out, saying he will go get her.

I wonder why he did not want me to see her.

In about five minutes, I see her enter the room so I stand up. She stops a few steps away from me.

She's dressed in another knee length, floral dress. But her face looks different. It looks bigger? Just her cheeks. They look full.

"Alana." I say in greeting. "I am here to ask you if you will accompany me to the Underboss Emilio's anniversary celebration tomorrow night." I say in a commanding tone. It did not even sound like a question. "They have invited the both of us." I inform.

"Ofcourse Don." She says, not looking at me still. She is very short without her tall shoes, I notice.

"You are to be my wife soon, it is better if you address me with my name." I say making her finally look up at me. Her eyes always take me by surprise, they are just so innocent looking.. "Besides, I am not Don yet."

"Y-your name? As in, Ar-"

"Xander" I say firmly. "That may be my first name but I do not allow anyone to call me it. Xander is what you will call me."

"Why?" She blurts, then her eyes widen, with fear evident and she quickly starts talking again. "I'm sorry! I did not mean to question you I promise. I am so, so sorry." She starts breathing heavily.

I take a step forward but she stumbles back, her breath hitching. She smells the same she did last night, like bold flowers.

"Alana, it is fine. I am not going to castigate you for a question." her panicked eyes find mine, searching for any signs of lies or deceit.

Seeing her state, I make the impulsive decision to answer her question.

"My baby sisters last words were my name." I say making her face fall. "The name reminds me of memories I do not wish to recall, that is all" I say. I take a beat, thinking how easily she made me talk about something I have not spoken of in years. To anyone.

I feel uncomfortable with her being scared of me. I am almost never in close quarters with females besides sex partners, this is unusual for me.

It feels like when Mama is upset and I do anything to stop her from being so.

But Alana seems to be like this alot. Maybe she just has a more timid personality.

"I did not know, I am truly sorry." She whispers, but this time, her words sound sincere and genuine, not forced out of fear. Her frown is deep, her eyes soft.

We stand there, staring into the others eyes, trying to find the words to speak.

"I um, is there a certain way you want me to dress? I do not wish to wear the wrong thing." she says suddenly, maybe to break the tension but she seems to genuinely want an answer.

"No, whatever you see fit will I am sure, be appropriate. You have attended gala's before."

"N-no I have not," she tells me. I look at her with a bewildered look. She hasn't? But we all do. "But I will dress accordingly, I am sure Mrs. Fiore knows what I should wear." She seems to be saying that last sentence to herself.

"Alright well, I am going to take my leave now." I say to her. She nods and steps back, her head bowing. "I will be here at 7 in the evening tomorrow."

With one last look at her, I leave the room. Walking to the front door, I see Colombo standing there so I stop infront of him.

"I will be escorting Alana to the Underboss Emilio's gala tomorrow." I tell him then leave without waiting for an answer.

What an unusual girl.