''I don't believe in love''

4

Riccardo sat down heavily, running his hands through his hair as his mind raced. From the moment he laid eyes on Anastasia, he had known deep in his core that she was his mate. It wasn't just her beauty—though it was undeniable—it was the way she carried herself, the way she fought her inner battles with such quiet strength. Even when she tried to build walls around herself, even when she got lost on her walks to distract her mind, Riccardo could see through all of it. He saw her—his equal, his other half. The love of his life.

But now, his heart was weighed down with doubt and fear. There were so many obstacles between them. How could he tell her the truth about what he was? How could he explain that the man she was beginning to trust wasn't fully human? She still didn't know he was a vampire. She didn't know about the hunger, the feeding, the world he came from. And when she did... Riccardo's chest tightened with the thought. She would think he was a monster. How could she not?

He was so lost in thought that he didn't notice Matteo entering the room until his best friend's voice broke the silence. "Ric? What's going on?" Matteo asked, his voice laced with concern. "You look like hell."

Riccardo shook his head, burying his face in his hands for a moment before finally looking up. "I don't know what to do, Matteo." His voice was low, full of the weight of everything he'd been carrying. "I found her. I found my mate."

Matteo's eyes widened in shock, and he quickly took a seat across from Riccardo. "What? Your mate? Ric, why didn't you tell me?"

"I had to be sure," Riccardo said, his voice strained. "I couldn't just throw this at you. I couldn't even believe it myself at first. But it's her, Matteo. It's Anastasia. Every time I'm with her, I know it more deeply."

Matteo was quiet for a moment, letting the weight of Riccardo's words settle. Then he frowned, leaning forward. "So what's the problem, then? You found your mate—that's a good thing, Ric. What's holding you back

Matteo's eyes darkened with concern as he leaned forward, the gravity of Riccardo's words sinking in. "But, Ric... your engagement to the werewolf queen's daughter." He spoke quietly, but the weight of the reminder hung heavily in the air.

Riccardo clenched his jaw, his hands tightening into fists in his lap as he stared down at the floor. "I know," he muttered, his voice barely above a whisper. "But that's just politics. It's for the sake of the kingdoms, for the alliance. My mother arranged it to keep peace between us and the wolves." He let out a bitter laugh, shaking his head. "She'd never let me have a human mate, let alone someone like Anastasia."

Matteo leaned back, crossing his arms as he studied Riccardo's expression. "But you love her," he said, his voice softer now, understanding seeping into his words.

Riccardo's shoulders slumped, the weight of the truth he'd been trying to hold in finally pressing down on him. He lifted his gaze to meet Matteo's. "I love her, Matt. I love her more than I've ever loved anyone." His voice cracked, raw and full of vulnerability. "Every time I'm with Anastasia, it's like nothing else matters. She's my mate, my other half. I can't imagine my life without her."

Matteo watched him, a mixture of empathy and frustration playing across his face. "But she doesn't even know what you are," he said, his voice tinged with disbelief. "How can you be with her if she doesn't know the truth, Ric? What happens when she finds out you're a vampire? And the engagement—your mother won't just let you walk away from that. You know what's at stake."

Riccardo dropped his head into his hands, his voice strained and filled with regret. "I know. I've thought about all of it. Every single day, it's all I think about. But how do I tell her? How do I explain that I'm not the man she thinks I am? That I'm part of this world she knows nothing about? She's already been through so much... and then there's the feeding. What if she sees me as a monster?"