A Deal With The Mafia Chapter 5

Posted by admind, ? Views, Released on January 29, 2025

Chapter Five

Almost two years later…..

Alpha Kadden’s POV.

Pain. Torment. Anguish.

These were my companions these days.

Their presence was a reminder of the horrible events that had taken place in my life, the agony still unfolding in the loneliness looming ahead of me. These were a prelude to the turmoil I’d still yet to face in the years stretching out before me, knowing I’d never be the same again. None of us would.

I stood among the crowd of people gathered around Shadow Creek’s cemetery, having come to pay their respects. There were so many different people among the crowd that’d come out. Their faces had begun to blur together as one, barely able to tell them apart from one another anymore. I didn’t need to see their faces to know who they were, sensing the wolves buried beneath the surface. I’d recognized them all. These were my people, my kindred souls, the pack I’ve faithfully led for nearly thirty years now. Those I’d shed blood, sweat and tears for over the decade, and I’d continue to do so until my death came.

Every one of them had tears misting in their eyes today, even my stubbornly emotionless son. For today marked a day none of us would soon forget, the day the sweetest, kindest and most beautiful woman was laid to rest. Luna Sara Beth Marie Black. My beloved wife, my chosen mate. The woman I’d spent the nearly last thirty years married to had been taken from this earth, the goddess having called her back home.

My heart broke at the thought of what brought all of my people here today, but I didn’t buckle beneath the pain. I didn’t dare allow myself to shed tears fighting to the surface, to express the agony in my heart. I had to be strong for them, to be the immovable unaffected force my people had come to rely on. Especially today of all days. Because if I allowed myself to break or grieve the loss I’ve suffered, then I feared never being pieced back together again.

As the priest closed his book, signifying the funeral service had come to a close, I finally turned to leave. All I wanted to do was return back to the house, lock myself away inside my office and forget the world existed. To drown my sorrows in the bottle of whiskey that was calling my name, where I could grieve privately. It was all I’d wanted since her spirit had left this world and by dammit I was going to be given the chance. I deserved it after everything that had happened, all the pain and anguish I’d endured over the years.

It wasn’t to be..

“Daddy?” a tiny voice called.

Glancing over my shoulder I saw the girl who’d been standing next to me, soaking in my presence during the ceremony. Layla. My beloved daughter. When the twins were born it’d been this child who’d been the apple of my eye, shamefully I had to admit she was any favorite. I knew why too. With her bouncing auburn curls and eyes that glowed like the forest in summer, she was Sara Beth’s mirror image. There was no denying who’d brought this girl into the world as I stared into her face, able to see her mother.

Yes, she was my favorite.

And she always would be.

Even knowing this staring down at that angelic face of hers, looking so much like my recently deceased wife, it created an aching pain inside my soul. How on earth was I expected to move on when she was a constant reminder of all I’d lost? The woman who’d loved and cherished me all of these years, warts and all, despite the odds stacked against her. Oh Sarah, I thought to myself, how am I expected to do this without you? To be a father to our children, protector of the pack, a whole kingdom weighing down on my shoulder.

Kadden Riegn Black, I could almost hear her voice echoing in my mind, it would be curt and exasperated, you know what you need to do, husband. You always knew this day would come, and I had more years than what I believed I’d someday have. Now it’s time to man up, be the leader our people need, the father our children deserve, and stop crying like a child.

“Yes baby,” I finally spoke.

“You’re coming right?” Layla asked the question as she rushed forward, clutching onto the strong arm of her father in the wake of her pain.

‘Coming?” Where was I to go?

Layla pressed her head into my chest, soaking up my warmth and comfort. “To the packhouse with the rest of us. Everyone is getting together, and later there’s to be a meal, followed by a run in the woods.”

Of course, I already knew that. In the days following my wife’s death I’d seen to personally arrange everything, in honor of the woman. Wanting to grant our loved ones the chance to mourn the woman in privacy, knowing it was the only hope for them to move on with their lives. For any of us to. Yet even as I arranged everything I’d never had any intentions of playing a part, needing my distance right now. I didn’t think it would be a wise decision if I was to join the rest of them with the way I was feeling right now.

I shook my head. “I don’t think so, honey, I was going to head back to the house and get some work done. Right now I just need to be by myself for a while, to give me the chance to process everything,”

“Come to dinner? her normally strong voice came out squeaked and a little timid, just like when she’d been a little girl. Layla was in a bad place right now, so scared, confused and unsure of herself, lost adrift in her pain. “Please daddy at least come for dinner. I could really use you there with me.”

“Your brother will be there,” I elected to remind her of this turn of events, just in case she’d forgotten the presence of her twin.

“You,” she stressed. ‘I need you there.”

Setting

14.39

Chapter Five

Sighing wearily at the persistent pleadings of my daughter, I wrapped her tiny frame up into my arms. Helplessly I remembered the last time I’d held a woman aside from my wife, one nearly two years ago. I slammed a door on those thoughts before they could get away from me. “I will try, Layla.”

Twenty minutes later I sailed through the door of my personal office, determined to put the whole mess behind me. Going to my dresser I reached for the bottle of whiskey from the drawer, twisting off the cap. Without thinking of my actions I swallowed down a hefty dose, allowing the liquid to burn away the pain resting inside of my soul. Probably not the wisest avenue to go to cure my sorrow, but the best one that I can think of at the

moment.

I still found it hard to believe she was actually gone, the goddess had taken her home, all at the age of forty–three. Still far too young to be taken from this earth, but I also understood she’d lived longer than expected. When a truly bonded pair were separated either by death or rejection it affected them on a physical level. It left their wolves weakened, almost docile and over time they could even expire from the loss. Sara was proof enough of that.

I might have grown deeply attached to the woman, but she wasn’t the mate fated to spend her life with me. No, I was a consolation prize. Sara Beth was twenty–two when she’d had the fortunate luck of meeting her mate, but he’d died less than a year later. She’d never told me what’d happened to him, other than fate had different plans and he’d been called home from the goddess. Two years later when her father demanded she marry so her husband could become his heir, she’d done that very thing.

It was two nights later when an eighteen–year–old man was running through the woods when she appeared. I hadn’t understood what brought the beautiful pack woman before me, but she’d changed my life. She’d offered me a chance I’d never known to be possible to have a home, a family, a pack to call my own. At this time I’d lived in the Dark Lands for practically my entire life, found abandoned in the woods at the age of three. None of that mattered to her though, Sara–Beth placed her offer before me and I’d snatched up the chance. Her father William hadn’t been entirely confident of her choices, but in the end, had accepted me as her chosen mate. His heir.

Over the years I’d grown to care deeply for the woman who’d changed my life, but I’d never truly loved her. Not the way I should’ve anyway. I was appreciative of the life she’d provided me, adored her faithfulness and loyalty she offered, and admired her pride. But no matter how hard I tried, how much I tried to deny the obvious, I’d never truly loved her. Not in the way she deserved to be. A truth Sara Beth had known for years but hadn’t been bothered, claiming it was meant to be this way. His true mate deserved his love, not her.

My true mate? I gnashed my teeth at the thought. My true mate, if there ever indeed was such a person for me, was undoubtedly already dead. Having died before I’d ever had the chance to meet her, to find the bond that was destined for us. Either way, the absence of her in my life failed to matter to me at the time being, as I’d never wanted one. I was perfectly content with the life that was given to me, Sara–Beth was all the mate I needed. Not that my wife had thought so, but she wasn’t there to force my hand in the decision.

The clock struck eight.

By this point, I was more than a little tipsy from my bout of drinking and reached for the bottle, but stopped. Layla, I thought. By this point everyone would be gathered in the dining hall at the packhouse, prepared to enjoy the feast prepared for them. The absolute last place I wanted to be right now, surrounded by all the members of my pack, listening to their condolences and platitudes. Only to pause as I thought of my little girl, remembering the tears in her eyes and the yearning in her words. She’d wanted me to be there tonight, said that she needed my presence to get

through the evening.

She has Larken, I told myself.

Only for my expression to harden ever so slightly, thinking about my son tended to do that to people. Especially me. At one time I’d been so sure of the path of his life and proud of who he was becoming, but he’d changed so much. I didn’t know what had happened to him, but he’d changed so much the last couple of years. He’d become a spiteful little boy who seemed to care about little else in the world, aside from his drinking and the women brought to his bed. There’d been a lot of both. I knew he was expected to be my heir, the future alpha of our pack, but I was seriously beginning to wonder.

Before I even had the chance to think too hard I found myself storming out the front door, headed to the Pack house. No matter the needs I had for

the evening, I couldn’t leave my daughter in a lurch tonight. Especially not when her brother planned to be in attendance. Not only had Larken developed an attitude I wasn’t fond of, but he’d grown a nasty mean streak too. Especially towards his sister. Every time I turned around Larken was lashing out at her for the smallest thing, cruel in a way I’d never imagined possible.

Like father, like son.

Yeah, I had the tendency to be quite the asshole too, treating people less than I should. That was expected of someone who’d lived out in the wilderness, surviving off the scraps to be found. Not from a boy who’d lived his entire life in the lap of luxury, silver spoon stuck in his mouth and all

that.

Layla sighed in relief when she spied her father moving towards her at the table, her relaxing in his presence. Popping up to her feet she wrapped him into a big hug, that went on longer than usual. “I’m so glad you came daddy.”

“Where’s your brother?” I wondered.

She pointed in the direction. Following the path her finger had gone I spied him leaning up against a wall, drink in one hand and girl in the other. I shook my head, I don’t know why I was surprised. The man was always drowning himself in his two vices, but I’d thought for this one day alone he’d be different. That he’d afford his own mother the appreciation and respect that she deserved. Now in the face of the realization he wasn’t, I was relieved that I’d chosen to come to the dinner at the pack house.

“What’s with all the strangers?” I was a little confused as I spied a face among the crowd that I didn’t recognize, knowing they weren’t from Shadow Creek Only a moment later I noticed two more among them, arousing questions I hadn’t been expecting.

Layla lowered her voice. I know that a couple of them are Lanie Martin’s family, I guess her older brother is visiting for a spell. Now for the girl I don’t have any clue who she was.”