Mated to the Werewolf Mafia

could see the conflict within him, the tension that coiled in his every muscle as if he were constantly ready to spring into action. He was a man caught between duty and desperation, and it

y became. "But why the wolves?" Aria asked, her voice trembling. "Why not some other creature?" Julian shook his head, his expression grim. "The creature that cursed us had a connection to the wolves. It was one of them, or something like them. The details have been lost to time, but what remains is the curse. It turned us into what we feared most, into the very thing that haunted the night." Aria's hands trembled as she closed the book, unable to read any further. The story was too much, too overwhelming. It was one thing to hear about the curse, to know that it existed, but to read about the agony and horror that came with it was something else entirely. "And now," Julian continued, "the curse is reaching its peak. The creature that cursed us is waking, its power growing. We've seen the signs-the wolves are becoming more restless, more aggressive. It's only a matter of time before it consumes us all." Aria's mind raced, trying to piece together everything she had learned. The curse, the wolves, the creature that had started it all-it was like a nightmare she couldn't wake up from. But there was one thing she still didn't understand, one question that gnawed at her. "Why me?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. "Why am I involved in this? I'm not a Blackwood, I'm not part of your family. So why is the curse drawn to me?" Julian's eyes darkened, a shadow crossing his face. "That," he said slowly, "is something I'm still trying to figure out. But I have a theory." Aria waited, her heart pounding in her chest as Julian hesitated. He seemed to be struggling with himself, as if what he was about to say was something he had never spoken aloud before. "I believe," Julian finally said, "that the curse recognizes something in you. A connection, a bond. The Blackwoods aren't the only ones tied to this curse, Aria. There's another family, one that was bound to the curse alongside us. A family that was meant to balance the darkness with light, to keep the curse in check." Aria's breath caught in her throat. "What are you saying?" Julian met her gaze, his eyes intense. "I'm saying that you might be part of that family, Aria. That you might be the key to stopping this curse, to breaking the cycle that has bound us for centuries." The room fell into a heavy silence, the weight of Julian's words sinking in. Aria could feel the world around her shifting, the pieces of her life falling into place in a way that both terrified and exhilarated her. But before she could respond, a loud crash echoed through the mansion, the sound of breaking glass and splintering wood. Julian's eyes widened, and he grabbed Aria's hand, pulling her to her feet. "We need to go," he said urgently. "They're here." "Who?" Aria asked, her heart racing as Julian led her out of the study and down the hallw