THE LUPINE MAFIA

JAXON VOXX

The old Lupino estate in Ashwood was wrapped in shadows,dark wood paneling, ancient wolf sigils etched into the stone walls, and the kind of silence that only came with centuries of blood-stained tradition. I sat at the long, polished dining table, my expression as cold as the steel I kept tucked in my coat, listening yet again to my grandfather's rant.

"You lack discipline," Dante Lupino barked, his voice sharp with disappointment. "What have you been doing since her death? Drowning in guilt? Partying? Hiding behind your empire of clubs and smoke? This is my fault, I spoiled you. You are incomplete, Jaxon. Without a mate, you can't inherit the Lupino Mafia empire. You will never be Lord of the Pack. So either get yourself one, or forget the family business."

I didn't flinch. Just stared, stone-faced, letting the words flow past like they always did. Same damn speech, same worn-out threats. The old man never got tired.

A Mafia heir without a wife is a disgrace. Rafael is married. Rafael has heirs. Rafael knows his place. Blah. Blah. Blah.

Grandpa sighed, his voice lowering as he added, "You know I love you and your brother. But if you don't step up, I'll hand everything over to Rafael. And you need to move on from her. I know it's hard, but you have to forgive yourself ,especially after killing her."

That one hit. My fist clenched beneath the table, jaw tight. Must he always bring her up?

The meeting ended with me storming out, fury simmering in my chest. I shoved past Rafael in the hallway. He smirked at me like a smug bastard, and I barely restrained myself from slamming his face into the wall.

My phone buzzed. Luca.

"The delivery deal went to hell," he said. "Your guy ran off with the stash. We found him. Basement of the club. He's waiting."

Perfect. I needed a release.

I made it to the underground club in record time. In the basement, the traitor sat strapped to a metal chair ,sweaty, shaking, pathetic.

"Where's my product?" I asked, lighting a blunt as I sat across from him.

"I-I don't know, Jaxon. I swear I don't know what happened."

I reached out. Luca placed a pistol in my hand. I shot him in the foot.

"I want answers. Not stuttering."

"He's not ready to talk," Luca muttered. "Should I give him the Jaxon treatment?"

I took a slow drag and nodded. "But roll me another blunt first."

Luca handed me a fresh one, lit it. Then called in one of the boys. The Jaxon method my personal signature wasn't for the weak. We started with fingernails.

Still, the bastard held out.

I lost my patience. Shot him straight in the balls.

That did it.

He screamed, then cracked spilled everything. Turns out, he was a goddamn spy. Working with Rafael. Trying to sabotage my operation from within.

My blood boiled. My veins pulsed with rage. I emptied two bullets into his skull and walked out without a second thought.

"Clean it up," I ordered Luca.

By the time I reached Rafael's house, I was fire and fury. He was lounging on the couch like the smug prick he was. Laughing.

I didn't even speak. Just punched him so hard he hit the floor.

"You out of your mind?!" he roared.

"No. I'm crazy," I snapped. "Crazy enough to bury you. Next time you mess with my business, I'll put you six feet under before Grandpa even realizes you're gone."

I left him stunned, slammed the door on the way out, and drove home with blood on my knuckles and a storm in my chest.

At the penthouse, I washed up, collapsed on my bed, and like always my mind went to her.

Aveline Storm.

She was my mate. My anchor. The only one who ever loved me for who I was monster and all. She never judged, never ran. But I ruined everything. I hurt her. And when she slept with him, I broke. I did the unforgivable.

And now she's gone.

I must've fallen asleep thinking about her, because the next thing I knew, I was wide awake and aching.

I pulled on casual clothes and headed straight to the underground club. My distraction. My sanctuary. The club was one of the biggest in Milan famous for its exclusivity, its indulgence, its secrets. Celebrities, politicians, sex, and drugs all under my roof.

I entered through the back, headed to VIP.

And that's when I saw her.

Behind the bar, laughing with another woman. Her eyes sparkled, and when she looked up, our gazes locked. Time froze.

She didn't know it yet.

But tonight... she's mine.

I gave a subtle signal with my fingers, and she walked toward me ,confident, graceful, and even more stunning up close.

She was 5'6", slender but with soft curves that made my wolf stir. Her creamy caramel skin glowed under the low lights of the club, smooth and warm like silk. Her hair was tied in a high ponytail, and those almond-shaped hazel eyes, with flecks of green and gold stared back at me, curious. A heart-shaped face, high cheekbones, small nose, and a full pink mouth completed the view. She wore a black corset, dark jeans hugging her hips, and boots that clicked softly with each step.

I didn't hide the fact that I was checking her out. I didn't care to.

I was mid-thought, devouring her with my eyes, when her soft voice pulled me back to the present.

"Ermm... are you done? And what should I get you?" she asked, flashing a warm smile.

"Vodka," I said coolly, locking eyes with her.

She nodded and disappeared behind the bar. I watched her walk away, her curves swaying effortlessly. After a minute, her coworker approached my table to deliver the drink. I slipped her a note and nodded toward the girl in the corset.

I watched as the note reached her hands. She read it. Her gaze flicked to me with an unreadable expression before she whispered something to her friend and they both burst into laughter.

Interesting.

She approached me slowly and smirked. "I'm in."

Without another word, I led her to one of the VIP rooms.

The door clicked shut behind us.

I cupped her face and kissed her like my life depended on it ,like I needed her to breathe. She broke the kiss briefly and whispered against my lips, "What do you want from me?"

I gave a lazy smile. "It's in the note. One drink. One hour. One hundred dollars. And the chance to find out if you taste as sweet as you blush. You've given me the drink. Why not the rest?"

She hesitated for a moment, eyes flickering with thought, then pushed me gently until I landed fully on the couch. Climbing onto my lap, she kissed me again ,hungry this time.

I groaned as her fingers tangled in my hair. I kissed down her jawline, her neck. Her moans filled the room, soft and sweet.

I lifted her from my lap and carried her to the bed.

"I want to watch you undress," I said, my voice thick with command.

She hesitated, then nodded. Slowly, she removed her corset, then her boots. The jeans came off last, leaving her in a black lace bra and matching panties. She stood still, letting me take in every inch.

I stepped toward her and turned her around, letting her backside press against my bulging cock. She rubbed harder, letting out a soft moan.

Her fingers worked their way to my belt, unbuckling it with purpose. The moment her hand touched me, I growled low in my throat,the kind I hadn't made since mating Aveline.

I spun her around, grabbed her ass, and pulled her to me. Our mouths crashed together in a rough kiss.

My hands roamed her body, one sliding between her legs, teasing her slit. She gasped and bucked into my fingers as I trailed kisses down her stomach.

I slipped a finger inside her, curling it just right while she jerked against me. When I pulled away, I offered my finger to her.

"Taste yourself," I said.

She did ,eagerly.

I dropped to my knees, placed her legs over my shoulders, and buried my face between her thighs. Her fingers clutched the sheets as she screamed my name and came hard on my tongue. I licked her clean and kissed her deeply, letting her taste the pleasure I'd drawn from her.

She reached for my trousers and helped me out of them. I took one of her nipples in my mouth, sucking greedily. She wrapped her fingers around my cock, stroking it with skill that made my body tense and my breath catch.

Her eyes widened slightly when I was fully exposed.

I handed her a condom. "Put it on," I said.

With shaky fingers, she slid it on, and I guided myself into her, thrusting deep into her wet heat.

She screamed, "Harder ,please, harder!"

"Say it," I growled, gripping her hips tightly.

"Say what?"

"Say you belong to me."

"I belong to you. You and you alone," she cried out, squirting around my cock as she came again.

But I wasn't done.

She pushed me onto the bed and straddled me, eyes locked with mine. "Tell me how to please you," she whispered, her voice sinful.

"Ride me."

She did, and I watched every bounce of her body, the way her breasts moved, the way her moans filled the room.

I grabbed one breast in my mouth, palming the other. She leaned in, kissing me wildly, then trailed kisses across my face, down to my neck and ears. When she sucked on my nipple, I growled louder than before and spilled into her with a deep, shuddering climax.

We collapsed beside each other, breathing heavily. No words.

Sleep came quickly.

When I woke before dawn, she was still asleep ,naked, tangled in the sheets.

I got dressed, dropped a hundred-dollar bill.

Then I left.

By the time I got to the penthouse, Grandpa and Rafael were waiting for me.

I sighed under my breath.

"Of all the people I didn't want to see this morning... it had to be these two."