The Wolf's Obsession

Chapter 17: Shadows of the Past 2

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The barn was alive with tension as Alessandro barked orders. Isabella and Elena scrambled to gather their sparse belongings, the gravity of the situation sinking in with every sharp word from him.

"We don't have much time," Alessandro said, his voice clipped. He paced by the barn door, his hand resting on the holster at his hip. "De Luca won't send just one man. That was a warning-a show of power. The next time, it won't be words."

Isabella's hands shook as she stuffed a blanket into the bag they'd brought from the mansion. Her mind raced, not just with fear but with the memory of Alessandro's kiss and the warmth in his voice when he said he trusted her. How could someone so ruthless also be so... human?

Elena interrupted her thoughts, her voice low. "What's the plan?"

"We'll head east," Alessandro said without hesitation. "There's an old safe house in the hills. It's off-grid, secure."

"Safe house?" Isabella asked, her voice sharper than she intended. "You have a safe house, but we've been running through forests and hiding in barns?"

Alessandro shot her a look, his piercing blue eyes narrowing. "The safe house is a last resort. Once we're there, De Luca will know I'm cornered. He'll come with everything he has."

"Then why go at all?" Elena asked, her brow furrowed.

"Because," Alessandro said, his tone cold, "we're out of options."

Silence fell over them as the weight of his words settled in. Isabella's stomach churned. This was no longer just about her captivity or her freedom. It was about survival.

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The journey to the safe house was grueling. Alessandro led the way, his injury slowing him down but never stopping him. Isabella and Elena followed closely, their steps hurried but careful.

Night had fallen by the time they arrived. The safe house was a modest stone cottage nestled in a clearing, surrounded by dense woods. Its simplicity was deceptive; Isabella could see the reinforced windows and the faint outline of surveillance cameras hidden among the trees.

Alessandro unlocked the door with a key he'd retrieved from his jacket. "Inside. Quickly."

The interior was stark and utilitarian-bare walls, minimal furniture, and a single fireplace. Alessandro moved through the space with purpose, checking the locks and activating a panel on the wall. The sound of mechanical locks clicking into place echoed through the room.

"We're secure," he said, his voice calm but firm.

Isabella sank onto a worn leather couch, her legs trembling from exhaustion. Elena busied herself in the kitchen, rummaging through cupboards for supplies.

"Is this what your life is like?" Isabella asked, her voice cutting through the quiet.

Alessandro turned to her, his expression unreadable. "What do you mean?"

"Running. Hiding. Constantly looking over your shoulder," she said, her tone sharper than she intended.

He crossed the room, his steps deliberate, and sat across from her. "This isn't just my life, tesoro. It's the life I chose."

"Why?" she asked, leaning forward. "Why would anyone choose this?"

Alessandro hesitated, his gaze drifting to the fire crackling in the hearth. "Because it was the only choice I had."

His words hung in the air, heavy with unspoken pain. Isabella wanted to press him, to demand answers, but the vulnerability in his eyes stopped her.

"Your mother," she said softly, remembering the fragments of his past he'd revealed before. "She left you, didn't she?"

He looked at her sharply, his jaw tightening. For a moment, she thought he might shut her out completely, but then he nodded.

"She left when I was eight," he said, his voice quieter now. "I don't remember much about her. Just... the sound of her voice. She used to sing to me at night."

Isabella's heart ached at the rawness in his tone. She could see the boy he once was, abandoned and lost, forced to grow up too soon.

"What happened after she left?" she asked gently.

Alessandro's gaze hardened. "I was taken in by the Conti family. They gave me a home, taught me how to survive. But survival came at a cost."

He didn't elaborate, but the darkness in his eyes told her enough. Whatever he'd endured, it had shaped him into the man he was today-ruthless, calculating, and fiercely protective of those he cared about.

"Is that why you took me?" she asked, her voice trembling. "To survive?"

He looked at her, his expression unreadable. "I took you because I didn't have a choice."

The words stung, but there was something in his tone that gave her pause. It wasn't anger or disdain-it was regret.

Before she could respond, a sharp beeping sound echoed through the room. Alessandro shot to his feet, his hand on his gun.

"What is it?" Elena asked, her voice tinged with fear.

"Motion sensors," Alessandro said grimly. He moved to the panel on the wall, his fingers flying over the controls. A grainy image appeared on the small screen-two figures moving through the woods, their faces obscured.

"De Luca's men," he muttered under his breath.

Panic flared in Isabella's chest. "What do we do?"

Alessandro turned to them, his expression calm but deadly serious. "You two stay here. Don't open the door for anyone. I'll handle this."

"You're injured!" Isabella protested, rising to her feet.

"I've handled worse," he said, his tone leaving no room for argument.

He moved toward the door, his gun drawn. Isabella's heart raced as she watched him go, every fiber of her being screaming at her to stop him. But before she could, the door slammed shut behind him, leaving her and Elena alone in the suffocating silence.

"What if he doesn't come back?" Elena whispered, her voice trembling.

Isabella clenched her fists, her mind racing. Alessandro had survived this long, but she couldn't shake the fear that this time might be different.

She moved to the window, peering out into the darkness. The faint glow of Alessandro's flashlight flickered in the distance, and she prayed it wouldn't be the last time she saw him.

The minutes stretched into eternity as she and Elena waited, the silence broken only by the occasional rustle of leaves outside.

And then, a single gunshot rang out, shattering the night.

Isabella's heart stopped, her breath catching in her throat. She turned to Elena, her eyes wide with fear.

"Stay here," Isabella said, grabbing the closest weapon she could find-a rusty iron poker from the fireplace.

"What are you doing?" Elena hissed.

"Finding him," Isabella said, her voice steady despite the fear coursing through her veins.

Without waiting for a response, she pushed the door open and stepped into the night, her heart pounding as she plunged into the darkness in search of Alessandro.
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To be continued...
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