The Magic of Hecate

One year ago,

"Hot lemon and honey, fluffy socks and a warm water bottle for my favourite little girl,” Leo said sitting beside me on the sofa. It was a new moon and I was pregnant with twins (not much fun at all).

"Thank you, Leonardo,” I said resting my head on his shoulder as the lemon and honey soothed my insides. "But soon I won't be your favourite girl. They'll be some competition,” I said putting my hand on my humungous baby bump.

"You've been wanting a daughter for ages and now two are coming along at once,” he replied stroking my head gently and putting his other hand on my stomach.

"Thank God. I've been feeling very outnumbered recently.”

"Well yes, this house is a little male heavy," Leo agreed referring to our three sons.

"And in a few years, they'll be someone to braid my hair for me. I still can't do it myself and I've been trying my entire life," I said with a sigh. "What are you talking about? I can braid hair," Leo stated.

"Shut up," I muttered. "No, you can't.”

"I can!" he said defensively. "My sisters taught me when I was little.” "Show me then," I said.

"Fine," he replied. "I will."

I sat on his lap as he pulled my hair all behind my back and split it in two.

"Ouch," I winced as he started to braid. "You don't have to pull so hard.” "Not my fault that your hair is so knotty,” he replied. "And no pain no gain."

About ten painful minutes later, he was finally done. I handed him some hair bands for him to secure the ends before heading to the bathroom to admire his work.

"Leo, I am ashamed of you," I stated after seeing my braids in the mirror- if you can even call his creations braids. "I look like I a hedgehog that has been dragged through a bush backwards.”

"They aren't that bad," he protested. "I haven't done it in more than a decade so you'd expect me to be a little rusty.”

"They are shocking."

“Let me try again then,” he said as I sat back down on the sofa and he pulled the hair ties out. "I'm going to be a father to two daughters. I should at least know how to do hair."

We spent the rest of the evening sat on the sofa as Leo meticulously perfected his braiding skill on my head. It took him hours but he got there in the end and the result was a stark contrast to his first attempt. "You can officially add braiding to the extensive list of things you are good at," I said looking in the mirror at the perfection he had created. Soon enough I was dragged out of my dream by my body finally deciding to regain consciousness. I slowly sat up from the hard floor with all parts of me in pain. I held my throbbing head in my hands and tried to ignore the fact that every muscle in my entire body aching like they were filled with poison- which they were.

"Fucking wolfsbane can go to fucking hell.”

"Welcome back," Max said from the other side of a small room. "Where are we?" I groaned as I looked over at Max, who had taken to throwing a stone up into the air and catching it continuously.

"The Mafia’s holding cell,” he said in a bored tone.

"Why?"

"Because we're being held by the Mafia.”

"Yes, thanks, Max. At least I can always count on you to relentlessly point out the obvious," I replied saltily.

He looked up and shot me a glare.

"Ask a stupid fucking question, get a stupid fucking answer."

"Shut up,” I snapped walking to the bars of the cell.

"Sorry, little Miss Grouchypants.”

"Hey, guards!" I called.

"What are you doing?" Max asked.

"Unlike you, I'm trying to get us out of here,” I hissed and he rolled his eyes.

A few seconds later a big man appeared wearing a balaclava.

"Can I talk to whoever is in charge around here?" I questioned.

"No. He's busy," the man replied monotonously.

"Please."

"I said no," he growled.

"I can make it worth your while," I said seductively placing a hand on his chest through the bars. "State your price," I said leaning my body against the bars and using my sexiest tone.

His eyes flickered with lust and a smirk slipped onto his mouth

"I'd like to taste your lips," he said placing his fingers under my chin. Max made an immature gagging noise from behind us whilst I rolled my eyes.

"And if I agree you'll take me to see the boss?" I questioned as he removed his hood revealing a menacing face.

"That all depends on the quality of the kiss," he said placing his lips on mine as I tried my best not to throw up in his mouth. I ran my hand down his chest and to his belt where there was a selection of keys which I had already eyed out to contain the correct one for our cell. Having easily unhooked it, I slipped it into my pocket before breaking up the repulsive kiss.

"S02"

"You could be the best kisser in the history of the world, sweetcheeks, and I still wouldn't take you to the boss," he replied with a smirk. "Thanks though,” he added tucking my hair behind my ear. "That was beautiful." Sᴇaʀ*ᴄh the Find ɴøᴠel.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

"Pleasure doing business with you, Sir," I remarked as I watched him walk away whilst putting the balaclava back on.

"Congrats. Now not only are we still stuck in this place but I feel sick to the stomach. You kissed him for nothing,” Max commented.

"This doesn't look like nothing to me," I replied throwing the key in his direction.

"You got that from him?!" he asked taking a good look at the key. "You think I really thought he'd bring us to his boss in exchange for one kiss?" I questioned.

"I thought that maybe you just wanted to kiss him. He kinda looked like the Alpha,” Max replied.

"Um no, he kinda didn't. That is so revolting," I snapped.

Max laughed to himself so I took the courtesy of shoving him roughly in the chest.

"Shut the fuck up, Max.”

"Or what?"

"I'll cut your tongue out and force feed it to you," I threatened. "Now are you going to help me or what?"

"Fine. Let's get out of this fucking place.”

"And how do you plan on doing that, pretty boy?" A voice said from the dark corridor.

Max quickly shoved the key into his pocket just before the Descendent of Hecate appeared with two men in balaclavas.

"My boss thinks it is finally time the three of you had a little reunion,” he said deviously as he unlocked the cell door.

"Reunion?"

"I believe you have already met. Many years ago,” he replied and I furrowed my eyebrows before exchanging confused looks with Max. "One of you take the girl," he ordered to the two men. "The other can help me with the more challenging prisoner," he added looking at Max. "They're doing that thing where they underestimate you again,” Max teased as the men came towards us.

"Whatever," I replied.

"Just a weak little girl unable to defend herself..." he muttered under his breath in a provocative manner.

He was obviously in need of a little entertainment.

Good job I am willing to provide.

He allowed the Descendent and the other man take him easily but I, however, was determined to show them what they are really dealing with.

I easily fought the guy off me and left him groaning on the ground. "Oops! sorry," I said in a girly tone as the Descendent turned to me shocked.

"Giovanni! Eduardo!" he shouted down the hallway before two men appeared wearing hoods just like all the others.

"Seize the girl and follow me. And be careful -she's feistier than she looks,” he warned as I smiled sweetly.

I saw Max roll his eyes and give me an amused smile as I allowed Giovanni and Eduardo to hold me without a single bit of resistance. We walked for a few minutes up a staircase and then through a series of corridors until we reached a huge wooden carved door.

The descendent knocked loudly before a voice from inside the room finally spoke.

"Come in, Diego," it said to who I assume is the descendent of Hecate. But I weirdly recognized the voice. The way it sent shivers through my spine and caused the hair on my arms to stand on end seemed

oddly familiar to me.

Diego pushed open the door and dragged Max into the room. In the corner by a large window stood a tall dark haired man with a strong scent of authority surrounding him. At first, he didn't turn around but I knew who he was immediately.

"Hello again, cousins.”

“Luciano,” I growled. "I thought you were dead. I hoped that you were dead."

"Well, here I am, as alive as ever. What can I say? I can survive almost anything,” he said shrugging his shoulders.

"Just like a cockroach,” I remarked under my breath.

"I have to say, Ella, I am impressed. How did you escape the infamous Leonardo Loren for so long?" he said.

"Let us go," I demanded. "We have something important to do.” "What can be more important than your children? Your mate? Being Luna of the largest, most powerful pack in the world?" he said placing a finger under my chin and slowly kissing my cheek. His lips lingered uncomfortably on my skin for a second as I was rendered totally immobile. I wanted more than anything to kick him where the sun doesn’t shine but I couldn't.

It appears that he is the only one left in this world that I still fear.

"Rot in hell, you perverted piece of shit," I hissed finally able to jerk my head away from him.

"And you Maximus," Luciano said moving to Max. "It's been years and I miss our times spent together, however, this wasn't quite the get together I had in mind for our reunion. What brings you to Venice and why have you two been stealing from me?" he asked a hint of betrayal in his eyes as he looked at Max.

"Milly is sick and she needs Hecate's amulet,” Max replied honestly. "Milly...your little witchy half-sister,” Luciano said. "Then why didn't you just ask?" he added with a smile.

"You would have given it to me?" Max asked.

"Anything to help my favourite second cousin out," Luciano said. "Release him, Diego."

"We had no idea you were even alive let alone the boss of the Mafia, Luciano.”

The two men holding Max then let go of him and Luciano pulled Max into a manly hug before slapping his chest and handing him the amulet.

"I've missed you, my friend,” he said before turning back to me. "1 believe you have already met some of my guys. Including Diego, second in command around here," Luciano added gesturing to the descendant. "It would be great to have your help around here too. But as for your sidekick, take her back to her cell," Luciano ordered. "She's my ticket back into the Stella pack and I can't risk any chance of her escaping.”

"Leonardo will never let you back into the pack,” I snapped.

"Not even if I return his mate safely back to him?" Luciano questioned. For once I didn't actually have anything to say. He has a good point. "That is what I thought," Luciano said. "When I have finished making you pay for the trouble you have caused, I will personally escort you back to your mate.”

"Making me pay? We were trying to help a thirteen-year-old child. We had to do something before she got herself killed and you want to punish me for that?" I argued.

"Ella, my dear," he began smelling my hair in a very creepy way. "l am the leader of the Mafia now. I don't give a shit whether you had good intentions or whether you are my family or not. Nobody messes with me and gets away with it. Also, I just don't like you and watching you suffer will bring me great pleasure. Two months should be plenty.” "You disgust me, Luciano," I spat. "Two months?! Are you fucking kidding me? I have six kids that I need to get home to!"

"You should have thought about that before you left.”

"You are a piece of cow shit, Luciano! You know that, right?"

He crouched down to my height and smoothed out my creased shirt. He then tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear. Excuse you, but did I could say you could touch me?

"Such as pretty face yet such a filthy attitude. It is a true shame," he said with a sigh. "Take her away," he ordered in an emotionless tone after standing up and turning away from me.

"And when you eventually do take me back to Leonardo, what is going to stop me telling him that you really found me two months before? I'd like to see you try and win back his trust after he knows that.”

As his men dragged me out, I didn't hear a single word of response, probably because this time I am the one with a good point.

"Is this really necessary, Luciano?" Max interjected. "I have committed the same deeds against you as her. Why does she deserve to be punished and held in a cell and not me?”

"Because 1. like I have already mentioned, I can't risk her escape and 2. she is the reason Leonardo kicked me out of his pack. She has that to pay for too."

"That was three years ago now. Three years ago, I wanted nothing more than to see her suffer and now look at us," Max argued.

"So you know exactly how I feel then,” Luciano chirped slapping Max on the chest again in a half friendly, half assertive manner. "I said take her away," he ordered his men. "Don’t make me say it again.”

The men dragged me out of the room and back through the hallways and down the stairs.

"Do you have to be quite so rough?" I questioned. "This is a lady you're handling.”

"A lady that knows how to use her fists. I'm not taking any chances, woman," he replied before we reached the cell.

It was only as I watched one of them lock the cell door that I remembered who had the stolen key.

Max.

That's just great. Not only has he wangled himself out of this mess but he has also taken my chance of getting out with him.