Page 75 of The Alpha's Forbidden Heir

He stands in the doorway, flanked by his men, his presence commanding and electrifying. His eyes lock on Vittorio, a predatory grin spreading across his face.

“Vittorio!” he roars, his voice echoing through the hall like thunder.

Before anyone can react, chaos erupts. Bane and his men charge forward, their movements swift and precise. Guests scream, scrambling to get out of the way. Vittorio steps in front of me, his expression twisting into one of fury.

“Stop this madness!” he shouts, but Bane is already closing the distance.

Lorenzo grabs my arm, yanking me behind him as he tries to shield me. But I can’t take my eyes off Bane as he grabs Vittorio.

"Long time no see, brother-in-law.”

Chapter Twenty-Three

Bane

"Long time no see, brother-in-law."

I grab Vittorio by the neck before the smug smirk on his face can even fully form. His guards tense, their weapons trained on Elias, whose small, terrified cries cut through the chaos. Aria’s fiancé has her in a vice grip, his fingers digging cruelly into her arm as she struggles against him.

“You’ll want to think very carefully about your next move, Alpha,” Vittorio rasps, his voice strained but taunting. His lips curl into a dark smile, even as my fingers press harder against his throat.

“One wrong twitch, and your precious boy over there won’t see another sunrise.”

I glance at Elias, held by two of Vittorio’s guards. His tiny chest rises and falls rapidly, tears streaming down his cheeks. The sight makes my blood boil.

“You breathe one more threat against him, and I’ll snap your neck,” I growl, tightening my grip slightly.

Vittorio chuckles despite the pressure.

“Still temperamental, I see. Alessia always said you couldn’t control that anger of yours. Maybe that’s why she never wanted to stay with you for long.”

My vision blurs red. “Don’t you dare speak her name.”

“Why not?” he mocks, his steel-blue eyes gleaming with malice. “You’ve been holding onto her memory for years, haven’t you? Poor little Bane, blaming me for her death when, deep down, you know she feared you just as much as she feared the world. She would’ve left you behind eventually.”

I slam him against the nearest wall, the crack of the plaster echoing through the room. Vittorio grunts but doesn’t lose his composure. His guards shift uneasily, clearly waiting for the command to end Elias’s life.

Aria screams. “Stop it! You’re going to get Elias killed!”

I don’t dare loosen my grip. “Say it again, Vittorio. I want to hear you choke on your lies.”

Vittorio smirks. “Lies? Alessia told me herself that you couldn’t protect her. She came to me that night, begging for a way out—”

“She came to you because you rejected her!” I roar. “You were her mate, and you turned her away like she was nothing!”

“True,” Vittorio says casually, though his voice cracks slightly under the pressure on his throat.

My claws extend, digging into his skin. “You don’t deserve to live.”

“Careful,” he wheezes. “The boy is still alive, for now. Are you willing to gamble his life for your pride?”

I hate that he’s right. His guards are watching my every move, ready to strike at the first sign of his distress. My only advantage is keeping him pinned.

“You want to know something else?” Vittorio adds, his tone oily.

“Aria walked to me willingly. She begged me to take her in. She handed herself over without a fight.”

“That’s not true!” Aria shouts, her voice trembling with fury. “You manipulated me! You forced me!”

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