14.

Al ran through the forest, his heart pounding in his chest. He had just overheard a shocking news from Natalia. She had kids. Three of them. Vitale might not know the kids were his, but Alessio does.

He had loved her, he had wanted to make her his mate, but she had disappeared when V rejected her, breaking his heart. He had never forgiven himself for losing her, and he had never stopped loving her.

He loved her even more now that she was back, when he found out she was his true mate. He felt the bond between them, the pull that he couldn't resist. He hated himself for wanting her, for needing her, for feeling jealous of Vitale. He hated Vitale too, for taking Natalia away from him, for having kids with her, for being the father of her children instead of him.

He had hated them all, including himself, and he wanted to make them pay. He wanted to ruin their happiness, to destroy their family, to take away what they loved the most. But now she's back, he had to prevent them from finding