Author's note: this is from Seraphina's point of view

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I was flabbergasted. How did Duke reach from sleeping in my bed to cohabiting? And he was talking about the two of us buying a home like it's a totally normal thing.

It's not that I was against it. Of course, I dreamed about Duke and what the future might bring if we were together, but even my wildest imagination didn't go beyond steamy nights and traveling the world, yet his talk was going toward the possibility of settling down.

All this was too sudden and too fast and, I was unable to keep up with him.

I let out a long exhale. "We are not house shopping."

Duke nodded obediently. "I agree. It's too soon." He smirked. "Until you are ready to pick a house for us to live in, we can crash here. I don't mind mooching off you. After all, what's mine is yours and what's yours is mine. Or you can come to my place. It's much smaller, but it's enough to…"

"Stop!", I disrupted his banter. "We are not going to live together!"

Duke looked at me like I said something silly. "Are you sure? You know it's only a matter of time, right? Why are you postponing the inevitable?"

His innocent expression told me he really meant it, and I rubbed my forehead helplessly. "Duke, did you forget…"

"Mateo.", he interrupted me.

I was about to remind him that he needs to prove himself and that we are not even dating, but then this unfamiliar name caught me by surprise. Did I hear him right?

"What?"

Duke sat on the bed and looked me in the eyes. Determination in his gaze hinted that I'm about to hear something important.

"Mateo. I told you, no more secrets. My real name is Mateo."

I blinked in confusion. "I thought your name is Drago."

"I grew up in Italy, as young master Mateo. My father was a big-shot businessman. When I was fourteen years old, he ended up in some trouble. My mother was killed, and everything was a mess. My father sent me to London with a guardian and a passport with my photo and name Drago Orsini."

I stood frozen and stared at him. Just before we met, Duke lost his mother and everything he knew as his world flipped upside down and I had no idea.

We never spoke about families, probably because mine was a shitty one, but I assumed that his parents are rich celebrities and that they assigned him a guardian so that he can enjoy a normal life as a high schooler, away from the limelight.

I couldn't imagine that a boy who smiled at me and made my days better went through all that and he kept it in. I saw him as a carefree boy, perfect in everything he does, and I was unable to spot any sadness in him.

I sat on the bed next to Duke and held his hand in mine.

"I'm so sorry. Why didn't you tell me?"

He smiled while lacing his fingers with mine.

"There was nothing you could do about it. You and my guardian are the only two people who know about this."

Wow! I had a hunch that it will be something important, but I never thought it will be this big. Only me and his guardian know about his past before he came to London? "What about your father?"

Duke shook his head. "I didn't hear from him since I left. The company and all assets are gone as well. They were sold on public auction about one year after I came to London, since no one claimed them as the heir."

Oh, is his father dead also? "You didn't go searching for him?"

"He sent me away to protect me with words that I should keep a low profile and not look back because it's not safe."

I stared at Duke as the information sank in. He told me a secret, probably his biggest one.

His family's business got into trouble, his parents died, and he fled the country with a different identity.

Mateo. It suits him. I never saw him as Drago, and that's why I always called him Duke.

Some things clicked in my mind. The sudden mess, his mother's death, company and assets gone together with his father, staying out of Italy with a different name and staying lowkey… All this didn't sound like problems with the government or mafia, and when I added into that a werewolf who is an assistant and used to be a bodyguard, there was only one more thing to confirm.

"Was Sergio your guardian?"

Duke nodded. "How do you know? I never spoke about him. Sergio told me that the fewer people know about us being connected, the better it will be, so we didn't reveal our relationship unless absolutely necessary."

With this, I was confident that his father did business with creatures and things went South.

No wonder he had a werewolf as a guardian. Sergio was probably working for his father and when things got dangerous for young Mateo, his father sent him to safety with the protection of the most powerful person he knew. Even if Mateo's father didn't know that Sergio is a werewolf, he would know that he is stronger and faster than an average human.

This reminded me. "Was Sergio the man who was chasing you on the street today?"

Duke looked at me guiltily. "I'm sorry I didn't clarify that. Sergio doesn't meddle in my private affairs, but today he went crazy, telling me not to go after you."

"Why was he stopping you?"

"He is convinced that Aldus Mezzanotte is dangerous. I don't know how Sergio connected that you are Seraphina."

As a werewolf, Sergio should know a thing or two about Aldus and with Marius delivering his warning, Sergio got a hint who my father is and who I am. But the most important thing was... "And you still went after me."

Duke squeezed my fingers gently, reminding me that we are holding hands.

"Serina, I lost everyone I cared about. I will not lose you, no matter who your father is."

My heart shook from the emotions that filled his words, and my eyes prickled with tears that threatened to fall.

I never realized how lonely he was, like me, or probably more because he grew up with a loving family and he lost it suddenly.

Duke came to a foreign country, as a teenager. He was scared and angry and dejected, and maybe in all that mess, I was his refuge, just how he was mine.

Guilt swelled inside me for being blind. At that time, I was focused on my problems, hoping that I will cruise through my school days and get a degree that will grant me freedom. I didn't notice when or how I started relying on Duke to make my days better and fill them with good memories, and he did all that without letting me know how much he was hurting inside.

I scooted closer and hugged him with all my might, hoping that my presence will alleviate some of the grief he is holding in because, despite his smile, the pain of losing his family is something that will never be forgotten.

"You will not lose me, Duke. Not if you treat me right."

Did he understand that I loved him from the first day we met and that my life doesn't have a meaning without him in it?

I didn't care about the last seven years, and I didn't care about the future. The only thing that mattered was right now, the two of us together, and I didn't want to spoil it, not even a little bit.

His arms were already around me, and he hummed into my hair. "I will treat you as my Goddess because that's what you are."

I smiled at his words. A Goddess. Isn't he talking big?

Maybe he would take those words back if he could see me creating a tornado and call me a walking calamity instead. I thought of having some fun with it.

"I might require some sacrifices."

I was confident that he will say something witty, but he responded seriously, "I will do anything for you, Serina."

I believed him. Maybe because I would do anything for him. Anything.

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