Chapter Nine

Tatiana had excused herself from the dining room, and she went out to smoke, she felt suffocated in there and had to leave to take a breather. There was just something about that man, "Angel Salvino '' that made her feel constrained.

Angel Salvino, the head alpha of the country.

He was considered the werewolf king and every other pack in the country was under his leadership. He was the top boss, but the man acted as if he was just a normal billionaire and walked all over the globe without the protection of anyone, but the truth was that Salvini was more than enough protection for himself.

Tatiana scoffed, that wasn't any of her business.

Lycans didn't mingle with weres and the supernatural world thought of them as myths, and it was better like that, less of a problem for them and if Salvino ended up butting into her business, Tatiana would simply kill him.

"What are you thinking so deeply about?"

Angel asked, Tatiana chuckled.

This is what she is talking about, Salvino was something else. No one could sneak up on her without being detected from a mile away, but Salvino managed to get close to her without her senses detecting it.

Tatiana glanced at him. "Nothing much, just thinking of how to take care of some things for Tristan." Angel bobbed his head in understanding.

"What happened was sad, wasn't it? Mother and son killed in a house fire, bodies burnt beyond recognition."

Tatiana wondered what the man was getting at, why was he talking to her about this and acting as if he had known Tristan's sister and child?

"Yeah, it is sad," Tatiana replied dryly, the corner of her mouth quirked up. "Tell me, are you an acquaintance of the deceased?"

"No, I'm not. Just feel emotional, thinking of the poor souls."

Tatiana snorted. "Bet, that could have fooled me."

She didn't believe him one bit, and her need to help Tristan made her act without thinking.

Tatiana called out for her powers and her eyes changed to a green color, and she looked into Angel's eyes.

"What is your link to Summer and her son's death?" She was using her power of compulsion to coax the alpha into telling her what he knew about the incident.

Angel's body went stiff and his eyes looked blank as he seemed to have fallen into a trance.

"Summer and her son were…" Tatiana looked at him expectedly, but Angel's body shook and he burst into fits of laughter. Tatiana's eyes widened.

"Oh my gosh! You should have seen your face, you looked at me like a kid on Christmas waiting for Santa to give him his gift… So cute."

"H.How d.did you-" Tatiana couldn't believe her eyes, Angel shouldn't be able to resist her powers.

Angel smirked. "I never expected that you would try to put me in a trance, but I'm glad we're both on the same side, Lycan."

Angel chuckled as Tatiana's eyes almost bulged out of their sockets from his revelation that he had known the identity of the woman.

"Who are you truly?" Tatiana asked.

Angel wasn't just the head alpha, there was something deeper going on under the surface, and he said he was on the same side with her. Does that mean that he was aware of everything?

"Well, I'm Angel Salvino, head alpha of this country, and I'm guessing you already know that, right?" Angel asked, playfully and the lycan kept quiet confirming Angel's words. Angel chuckled.

"If you want to know what's going on, come and meet me at this address," Angel said and stretched out a notecard to her, Tatiana hesitated for a second before taking the card.

"Well that's done with, come in before they start wondering what's taking us so long," Angel said, then turned around and walked back into the apartment.

She clenched her fist. How did Salvino know her identity, and why was he immune to her? What was his link to Summer and Damien's death? She'll find out even if it meant entering the Alpha's den.

********

"Did you call Tatiana? What was she doing outside for so long?" Tristan questioned Angel as soon as the man walked in.

Summer was thankful for Angel, it had been so awkward with only Tristan and Lucien, and they couldn't make a proper conversation, so they just ate in silence.

Angel pulled out his seat on the right of Summer and sat down, he smiled at them.

"Yes, I did call her. She was smoking outside." Angel informed and Tristan groaned.

"How many times have I told her not to smoke?!" Tristan whined, Summer thought it was funny because he sounded like a nagging wife.

Tatiana walked in and Tristan sent her a glare, it made Summer nostalgic. It was the same glare he gave her when she was doing something he didn't approve of or when she was doing something wrong.

"Really, Tati? You went out to smoke?!"

Tristan complained, and Tatiana gave him a sheepish apologetic look and glared at Angel who chuckled.

She walked up to Tristan, bent over, and placed a kiss on the man's cheek.

"Sorry, baby. I know I promised, but you know I've been trying to quit, but I couldn't help myself." Tatiana apologized, it was indeed the truth.

Tristan wasn't much of a fan of smoking, and he had always gone on about how she would destroy her lungs, and it was cute to see him go on his rants but for Tatiana's peace of mind, she tried to quit, but sometimes couldn't help it.

It was a good thing that her lung was never going to be affected by this, most supernaturals were immune to things that harmed humans or were bad for human intakes, like alcohol, drugs, and diseases.

Tatiana had forgotten to tell Tristan about this when she was revealing her secret to him. She was so happy that Tristan did not reject her or else she would be forced to compel him and make him forget all their memories as the law of the Lycans ordered.

Tristan pouted. "You're lucky you are cute," Angel scoffed, who the hell was Summer's brother calling adorable? Not that giant sloppy beast.

Tatiana smiled at him and bent down and kissed him, it was for a brief second, but Tristan's lips tingled. Tristan smiled at her, meanwhile, Summer tried to hide the shock that had almost shown on her face.

"So, the two of you are a couple? Are you married?" Lucien asked, trying not to be left out of the conversation. Tatiana sat beside her boyfriend, she picked up a spoon and dived into the meal in front of her.

"Yes, we are a couple," Tristan confirmed, smiling. He clasped his hand in Tatiana's hand that was on top of the table, and they glanced at each other, it was dreamy and dazzling.

Summer had not seen her brother with that look before.

"When did you begin dating?" Summer asked, curiously. Tristan looked at her and smiled, there was just something about her that was comforting.

"It's already been three years in the making," Tristan replied, Summer was very surprised by this news. Why hadn't he told her anything? Was he scared that she wouldn't like his girlfriend? She had so much to ask him, but Summer was dead to him, and she just had to stick with the little information he provided her.

"Did your sister approve of you dating a woman like this?" Lucien quipped.

Summer was baffled by how vile this man was. How did he manage to act as if he had no clue about their murder and act like the good friendly mayor?

Lucien was the definition of disgusting and Summer would kill him with her own hands.

Tristan's face switched up into a frown. "I planned to come home with Tatiana after our last phone call and I planned to tell her, I'm sure she would have loved Tati."

Tristan took in a deep breath and then out. "Well, that can't be impossible any longer seeing as she is dead alongside my nephew."

The dining room went quiet after Tristan's word, the lawyer ignored them and bent his head, and quickly ate his meal.

"I'm very sure wherever she is, she is proud of you and happy that you found the one that makes you happy." Summer said, smiling. She was speaking genuinely from the bottom of her heart, she was happy for her brother.

All his life, because their parents died early, he had to grow up quickly and had learned how to ignore his feelings and emotions, to accommodate other people's own. Summer was happy that he had someone he loved and cherished.

Tristan smiled politely at her, before focusing back on his food, eating very quickly before he would burst into tears.

"So, Miss Hadrian, I heard you were the empress of Idris," Tatiana began, changing the topic. "Can you tell us what it's like being the empress of a kingdom?"

Tristan was very grateful to his grandmother who easily saw that he was about to break down if they continued talking about his sister. He tried being strong, but it was hard…

After the diner, Tristan and Tatiana saw their guest out and before Angel and Summer could get into their car, he walked up to them.

"I'm so sorry head alpha, but can I talk to Miss Hadrian? It won't take up to five minutes." Lucien promised.

"I have no problem with that, but you have to talk to Miss Hadrian… I'm not her keeper." Angel pointed out, amused.

Lucien looked at Bela, sheepishly. "Miss Hadrian, can I please talk with you?"

Summer felt like punching the dude in the face.

What did he feel like? So, he thought he had to speak to another man to have permission to whisk her away in a situation concerning her…

Yuck!

"Of course, Mr. Hamilton. It would be my pleasure." Summer said with a fake smile.

Angel nodded and got into his car, winding up the windows.

"So, what did you want to talk to me about, Mr. Hamilton?"

"I know this isn't very appropriate since we just went to a funeral, but I've wanted to ask you this for a long time, but my duties have been hectic, and I haven't got much time," Lucien explained to her, if not for his mayor duties… he would have asked her out a lot earlier.

He felt his heart light up as Bela smiled up at him. "It's okay, Mr. Hamilton. I know how busy these things can get, what were you going to ask me?"

"I would love it if you could come to join me at an art workshop tomorrow, it's for a charity case, and it would be exciting if you were there," Lucien said. "We can go have dinner after and get to know each other more."

Summer smiled at him, it was high time that he asked her. What was more fun than having fun and making the evil vampire fall in love with her?

"I'm glad you asked me, Mr. Hamilton and I would love to join you tomorrow." Lucien smiled at her as if he had won the lottery.

"When are you picking me up?"

"The program starts at two, and I'll pick you up by one," Lucien replied, Summer nodded.

Summer eyed him up and down as if he was her favorite steak."Fine then, looking forward to seeing you tomorrow Mr. Hamilton."

She opened the car door and got in, Angel glanced at her and smiled.

"Well done, Empress."

Summer smirked.

The vampire didn't know what was coming for him at all. The driver started the car and drove off into the road, with Lucien watching as it drove far away into the distance.