Alpha's Bite Between My Legs
Chapter 532: The Man Behind The Shadows

Chapter 532: The Man Behind The Shadows

Gastone returned to his restaurant’s office and opened the cabinet, which was filled with wine. He opened one and drank it straight from the bottle as he settled himself on the sofa, overlooking his dead restaurant.

"I put so much effort into this..." Gastone whispered in defeat while shaking his head. He leaned back and felt he was done with his job. "Giselle just needs time... What should I do in the meantime?"

Gastone considered rescuing the children under Giselle’s care, but he was concerned that doing so might cause her to reject returning to the Werewolf realm. So, it was out of his option.

"I have nothing to do but wait... how long am I stuck here?" Gastone muttered to himself. His mind recalled Lucia’s face and the urge to see her, but he knew it was out of his options as well.

Gastone brushed his hair as he finished his first bottle of wine, but he wasn’t satisfied. He grabbed another bottle, opened it, and drank it in one gulp.

"I guess I’ll be a drunkard for now," Gastone whispered to himself. He chuckled loudly before throwing the empty bottle next to him to the wall, shattering it to pieces.

For a week, Gastone lived as a shadow of himself, drowning his sorrow in the wine that lined the cabinet of his abandoned restaurant.

Each morning began with a bottle, and each night ended with shattered glass strewn across the floor. Gastone’s office reeked of fermented grapes and despair, the air heavy with unspoken regrets.

"Ugh, I feel like sh*t!" Gastone groaned while rubbing his eyes from drowsiness. Lucia’s smile haunted him like a ghost. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw her face—her lips curved softly, her eyes crinkled with warmth.

The memory both soothed and tormented Gastone, a balm and a wound in equal measure.

On the seventh day, Gastone found himself talking to the empty room.

"Why did you have to smile at me like that, Lucia?" Gastone murmured, holding a half-empty bottle. His voice cracked, though he quickly drowned it with another sip. "You’ve no idea how much you’ve ruined me. Or saved me. I don’t even know anymore."

Gastone stared at the mess with bloodshot eyes, his mind oscillating between anger at the world and himself. He clutched a nearly empty bottle and sat by the window.

"Why am I even thinking about her? She’s f*cking married! Haha!" Gastone laughed out loud, tossing the bottle on the wall.

Gastone clutched his hair as he tried his best to forget Lucia, but the more he did, the more he could feel the broken mate bond.

"Oh, goddess. I finally accepted that our mate bond is broken, but why is the pain still there? It should have vanished by now!" Gastone yelled, brushing his oily hair back while he stared at the ceiling. "Don’t tell me she..."

A thought came into Gastone’s mind that perhaps Lucia still thought about him, which was why the bond was still active, even if it was broken.

After all, Gastone was the only one who acknowledged the bond, and Lucia had no idea about it.

"Maybe I should... go check on her," Gastone whispered, thinking deeply about the idea of seeing Lucia again. A part of him was afraid he would experience immense pain, but he was willing to risk to get a glimpse of her face.

Without hesitation, Gastone stood up and went to the shower to clean himself. Since he hadn’t bathed for the whole week, he stank. He pulled up his spare clothes in his drawer and put them in after he was done.

Gastone went to his car and drove to Lucia’s flower shop. He parked a bit further but close enough to see the whole place. He gripped the stirring wheel tightly, and his heart started beating faster.

"Is she even here in the first place?" Gastone questioned as he became anxious. The flower shop looked like it was closed, but no sign indicated it was closed at all.

Gastone’s gaze fixed on the flower shop. It was early evening, and the warm, amber glow from inside spilled onto the sidewalk, painting the scene in a serene light.

After fifteen minutes of waiting, Gastone sighed deeply. "Maybe she’s staying in Daniel’s residence now," he stated dedicatedly. He was about to drive away when the lights inside the flower shop opened.

Gastone spotted Lucia moving gracefully between the bouquets, arranging stems with a care that made his chest ache. She was humming a tune he couldn’t hear but imagined it was as gentle as she was.

"Lucia," Gastone whispered, his eyes softened. He sat there, frozen between longing and self-reproach. His wolf stirred within him and urged him to get out of the car. "Should I go?" he questioned.

However, before Gastone could act, his sharp eyes caught movement across the street.

A man in a plain coat stood partially hidden behind a lamppost, peering intently at the flower shop. The man’s focus wasn’t on the flowers—it was on Lucia.

"Who the hell is that guy?" Gastone hissed. His instinct flared as his left hand steered the wheel, flexing with tension as he continued to observe.

Gastone didn’t know the man, but he got a feeling deep in his stomach that he was dangerous.

Standing like a sentinel in the shadows, the man didn’t move for several minutes. Then he suddenly shifted, adjusting his stance as if preparing to approach the shop, but then hesitated.

Then, Gastone’s patience snapped. "I’m not letting this creep get near her," Gastone muttered, stepping out of his car. He made sure Lucia wouldn’t see him as he approached the man.

Gastone’s boots crunched against the gravel as he crossed the street. Each step was calculated, and his senses were on high alert.

The man noticed Gastone approaching and stiffened, glancing around like a cornered animal.

"Hey!" Gastone called out, his voice firm and demanding. "What’re you doing here?"

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