Hooded Wolves

+++ 12 - KING'S DEATH +++

NICOLO

The first time I found Vittoria at that bus stop with those inebriates, I knew right that moment that she will become a very important person in my life next to my wife. We took her in and guided her. We taught her everything except our real line of work. All she knew was that we were in a textile business. I preferred that because with my position, anyone can use her against me because they cannot touch Morrigan. She was born and raised in this world. She can protect herself, Vittoria cannot. She was a sweet, innocent girl that we promised to never stain with our world. So we kept her safe and without any knowledge about anything. Or so we thought.

When she went to visit Akrotiri, she met Lucas who became her first boyfriend. She fell for him too hard. She defended him too much. She made me swear not to do anything to him because she knows that when I make a promise, I keep it. She didn’t believed me when I told her he was the one who crashed our servers and put a virus on it to prevent us from finding him out. She didn’t believed me when I told her who Lucas really was. I was saddened that she picked the wrong person to believe in but I am not mad at her. She has been through a lot and this was the first time she fell in love. And we all know that young love might be exciting and yet also foolish and disappointing.

When she learned about his true motive, that was when we realized we never really knew her. Her transformation was so swift we were all stunned. She may be a naïve and innocent girl in our eyes, but her mind is a fortress. We never knew what she really thinks.

After I was locked up here and Jacques told me that I had 4 years to serve in prison, I immediately called Morrigan to let her know and ordered her to make the necessary action required for Sovran. I will not be able to do my job while I am here so someone else had to take my place and I saw in Vittoria the same tenacity a true Arcadi should have in order to command such dangerous organization.

We also found out that after my girls left, Lucas tried finding them and even planned on following her to Naples. I knew he loves her, his eyes showed the truth, but his betrayal wounded Vittoria and our family too deep. If only his father was not avaricious for power then we might not see how much pain our little girl had to suffer.

He was the reason Vittoria cried herself to sleep for the last months. She may be tough on the outside but she was broken on the inside. He was the reason Vittoria froze her emotions out and became cold-hearted.

Morrigan told me how Vittoria transformed from her innocent nature and became a tenacious woman. For the past weeks that they were in Sicily, Morrigan called me every day to update me with the status of the mafia. Her reports gave me hope that Sovran will not turn into dust just like Skotádi. My regret that I wasn’t able to save my wife’s gang became my ruin. I forgot to protect myself because I was too caught up with what happened. My men tried to pull me out of my guilt. Morrigan insisted that it was not my fault her mafia collapsed. But my disappointment with myself vanished when I found out that Vittoria is trying her best to make sure Sovran stays on top.

Vittoria wanted me to be proud of her work and she did this for Morrigan, Skotádi and me. Her unyielding determination and focus is going to make her the best Don ever to take over Sovran. I pride myself to be her brother. I always knew she is going to be something more.

Because of that, I couldn’t let her know what was happening to me here in prison. I don’t want her to worry about me when she needed to focus on her new role. I specifically told Morrigan not to let her know about the threats I had received in the last few days. I knew this is going to happen. I had thought of it even before I got here. I knew my life was not as benevolent as it appears to be but this is what I was raised to do. This is my way of living. And this is how I will also die.

As I lay here on the ground, bloodied and hardly breathing, with all the commotion going around the yard; the blares of the sirens and warning shots sounded so loud in my ears; I knew my time has come. The brawl that happened earlier was evidently staged and I found out too late who the real enemy is.

With the silent whisper my attacker muttered to me as he stabbed me in the stomach, I plead to whoever is out there to protect my girls from that person. I can no longer tell what I know to anyone. I will take the secret to my grave but I hoped that someone will find out the truth and save my wife and sister from that man’s evil scheme.

The sky was so bright and clear. The soft calming breeze soothes me. It is time for me to leave so I prayed that my girls will be strong and overcome whatever comes their way.

I am so sorry, Angelo. I promised to protect you but this is the end for me. Become strong and steadfast. Become better than I was. And stay away from him for he may become your downfall.