The Mafia King's Deadly Returned

Chapter 3

Early in the morning, I am lying beside Seraphina, quietly watching her peaceful face as she sleeps.

The room is completely silent except for soft sunlight falling through the window. For a moment, I just observe her, her calm breathing, her soft features, and the way she finally looks relaxed after everything.

Slowly, her eyelids begin to move and she opens her eyes. The moment she realizes how close I am, she quickly becomes shy and tries to move away.

  gently hold her wrist and speak. "Don’t be shy now… everything is already done." She looks at me in confusion and embarrassment, then suddenly pushes me slightly and sits up. "Please move," she says nervously.

I notice something unusual in her expression before she even gets a chance to say more. Her face turns pale. Without another word, she quickly gets off the bed and runs toward the bathroom. A moment later, I hear her vomiting. My expression immediately changes with concern.

"Luna!" I say quickly and move toward the door. After a few minutes, she comes out looking weak and pale. I gently help her sit down and wipe her face with a cloth. "What happened?" I ask seriously.

She shakes her head slightly. "I… I don’t feel okay." I immediately turn toward the guard. "Call the palace healer Now." My voice is firm and urgent. Within minutes, the healer arrives and begins checking her pulse and condition carefully.

The healer carefully checks Seraphina for several more minutes while I continue standing nearby with growing concern. Finally, the healer looks up and smiles slightly.

"Congratulations, Luna,"  The healer continues, "These symptoms do not confirm pregnancy. But your body is showing signs of a strong mate-bond reaction and emotional bond changes. You should rest and avoid stress."

I freeze for a moment. Mate bond reaction? My mind immediately goes back to everything that has happened. Does this mean the bond is becoming real? Did she truly start accepting me?

The healer gives a few instructions before quietly leaving the room. Seraphina slowly places her hand over her stomach absentmindedly before looking toward me with a small smile.

Then unexpectedly, she wraps her arms around me again. "You don't look happy," she says quietly. I look at her for a moment before answering, "That's not true. I'm... relieved." She pulls back slightly.

"You know," she says softly, "maybe what we have isn't as terrible as I thought." I stay quiet while watching her smile.

She gently places her hand over her stomach again before looking toward me. I slowly stand up and move toward the door. "I have some work to finish," I say quietly. She immediately looks at me. "You're leaving?" I nod. "I'll come back in the evening."

I stop near the door before looking back at her once more. "Take care of yourself until then, Luna." She smiles softly while looking down at herself again. Then quietly, almost shyly, she says, "This is the sign of our love after all." I freeze for a second. "Love?" I repeat while looking at her. She slowly nods with a small smile.

"What else would you call it?" I stay silent for a moment, unable to answer immediately. Finally, I simply nod slightly before turning away. As I walk through the palace corridors, only one word keeps repeating inside my mind again and again. Love?

I stand inside the temple facing the oracle while relief finally fills my chest for the first time in weeks. "So everything is fine now, right?" I ask. "The mate bond is complete, she accepted me, she's pregnant, my heir is inside her now... so the curse will disappear?"

The oracle quietly looks at me before nodding slightly. "It is good that your Luna becomes pregnant so quickly. Your curse has already started moving inside her."

The oracle walks toward an old shelf and returns holding a small bottle filled with silver tablets before placing it in my hand. "Give these medicines to your Luna," she says calmly. I stare at the bottle in confusion. "Why?"

The oracle finally looks directly into my eyes. "Because your heir will survive inside her for only three months." My breathing stops. "What are you saying?"

The oracle continues calmly, "The curse cannot disappear without taking its price. After three months... your Luna dies."

The bottle almost slips from my hand. "No... that's impossible." My voice shakes slightly. "You told me this would save me." The oracle quietly replies, "I told you there would be a sacrifice."

My hands tighten around the bottle. "There has to be another way." The oracle remains silent. "THERE HAS TO BE ANOTHER WAY!" I shout. Finally, she quietly says, "Sometimes fate asks cruel things from those it chooses." I stand there frozen because suddenly, for the first time, losing the curse no longer feels important losing Luna does.

The oracle watches me silently before finally speaking again. "This is not the first time your Luna becomes a sacrifice." My eyes immediately move toward her. "What?"

The oracle slowly walks toward the glowing moon symbols beneath our feet. "You think this story begins now?" she asks calmly. "No, Alpha Xander. This story begins long before this life."

I stare at her in confusion. "What are you talking about?" The oracle turns toward me. "In your previous life... this exact curse exists." My entire body becomes still. She continues as if she does not hear me.

"You are cursed before. Your Luna finds you before. And when the time comes." She pauses. "She sacrifices herself." I slowly shake my head. "No..."

The oracle points toward the moon symbols. "Do you know why you see those strange dreams? Why your wolf reacts to her immediately? Why your bond forms so quickly?" My hands tighten into fists. "Tell me." The oracle quietly says, "Because this is not the first time your souls meet."

The oracle nods. "Yes. The same soul returns." I take a step backward. "Then our meeting..." The oracle interrupts, "Is not coincidence."

"Then why?" I ask quietly. The oracle looks toward the moonlight shining from above. "Because the Moon Goddess chooses this path herself." My eyes widen slightly. The oracle continues, "Your Luna does not become sacrifice accidentally. The Moon Goddess herself ties her destiny with yours."

I look down at the medicine bottle. "You mean..." The oracle nods slowly. "From the moment you are born again... fate already chooses her."

My voice becomes quieter. "So she never truly has a choice?" The oracle remains silent for a few seconds before finally speaking. "Sometimes destiny gives choices." She looks directly into my eyes. "Sometimes destiny simply repeats itself until someone becomes strong enough to change it."

I remain standing there while holding the medicine bottle tightly in my hand. My mind refuses to process everything the oracle tells me. After a long silence, the oracle looks directly into my eyes. "Your feelings for your Luna are changing." I immediately look away. "No." The oracle slowly shakes her head.

"You may lie to yourself, Alpha Xander but not to fate." I stay quiet. She continues walking around the glowing symbols before speaking again. "Listen carefully. You already know your choices."

The oracle's voice becomes serious. "Either complete what destiny demands." She pauses for a moment. "Or face the Moon Goddess's anger." I slowly raise my eyes toward her. "And if I refuse?"

My expression hardens. The oracle continues calmly, "Your pack may fall. Your kingdom may disappear. Those you protect may suffer." Silence fills the temple again. Then she quietly says, "You must choose, Alpha." I stare at the floor. "Choose what?" The oracle speaks softly. "Choose your life... or choose this Luna."

I turn and begin walking toward the temple exit.  Then suddenly, the oracle's voice echoes behind me. "But remember one thing." My steps stop.

I slowly turn back. The oracle looks toward the moonlight before quietly saying, "If her love becomes stronger than your curse,  she may find her way back to you." My breathing becomes uneven. I stare at her silently for several seconds before finally speaking.

"After what I'm about to do to her..." My voice becomes quieter. "I don't think I'll deserve her love anymore."

I finally return to the palace while the oracle's words continue repeating inside my head. Even my mind refuses to calm down. The medicine bottle hidden inside my pocket feels heavier with every step I take.

The palace manager quickly approaches me and says, "Alpha, your pack members send invitations. They organize a celebration tonight because their Luna finally arrives."

Without thinking much, I immediately answer, "I am not going." Right now, celebrations feel meaningless. I begin walking away when suddenly a voice stops me. "I want to go." I slowly turn around and see Luna standing near the stairs looking at me with hopeful eyes.

"You never introduce me to anyone," she says softly while walking closer. "I stay inside this palace all day... I want to meet everyone." I remain quiet while looking at her excited expression.

"Please?" she asks again. "If I am really your Luna... shouldn't I know your world too?" For a few seconds, I simply stare at her before finally giving up.

"Okay," I say quietly. Her face instantly lights up. "Really?" I nod. "Get ready." She almost smiles like a child hearing good news. "I'll be quick!" she says excitedly before suddenly turning back. "What should I wear?" she asks. I look at her for a moment before answering, "Anything you like." She smiles mischievously. "Then don't complain later." Before I can reply, she disappears upstairs.

The manager asks, "Should preparations continue, Alpha?" I look toward the staircase where Luna disappears and quietly answer, "Yes." Everyone leaves, I stand alone touching the medicine bottle hidden in my pocket, realizing something painful, seeing her happy somehow hurts more now.

After standing alone for several minutes, I slowly take the small bottle out of my pocket again. Under the palace lights, the silver tablets shine faintly inside the glass bottle.

I keep staring at them silently. Such small things... yet somehow they feel heavier than anything I have ever carried before.

My fingers tighten around the bottle before I finally start walking toward Seraphina's room. When I enter, she is sitting near the mirror while fixing her hair.

She notices me, she smiles. "You're back already?" she asks softly. I nod and walk closer. My eyes immediately fall on her face again. She looks happy. Completely unaware of the truth.

I slowly extend my hand toward her while holding the bottle. "Take these," I say quietly. She looks confused. "What are they?" For a second, my throat feels dry. Finally, I answer, "The healer gives them. They say it will help... for the baby's health." Her expression instantly changes. "For the baby?" she repeats softly before carefully taking the bottle from my hand.

She gently places her hand over her stomach and smiles softly. "Then I should take care properly now," she says quietly.

After a few seconds, she looks toward me again, excitement clearly visible in her eyes. "You know... I'm actually really excited." I remain silent while listening. She continues smiling. "I want to give this baby every happiness that I never get."

She slowly looks down again. "I always want to build something myself one day... maybe start my own business... become successful... but life never gives me that chance."

She smiles while rubbing her stomach gently. "Now I want our baby to achieve everything." Her eyes shine with dreams. "I want this baby to become rich... successful... maybe even a billionaire." I immediately look at her. "But I already am one," I say calmly. She immediately shakes her head while smiling.

"No." I raise an eyebrow. She continues, "I don't want this baby to become something because of power or inheritance. I want this baby to achieve everything through hard work by their own strength."

TO BE COUNTINUE...!!!