The marble floors echoed with the sharp click of Alessio's shoes—measured, deliberate, ominous. He didn't walk like a man; he moved like inevitability.
At the far end of the grand dining hall, three members of the Romano legacy awaited him. The old patriarch, Enrico Romano, sat at the head, regal in age and menace. Beside him, Alessio's mother—elegant and frosted with too many pearls—sipped her espresso Like it was holy water .On the other side, his father, Marcello, reclined lazily, his gaze indifferent but calculating beneath heavy lids.
And then there was Oliver—Alessio's eighteen-year-old younger brother—cross-legged on a velvet loveseat, eating popcorn like it was opening night of a circus show.
"Finally,"Enrico snapped, cane tapping once against the marble. "The king arrives. Late, As usual."
Alessio's lips didn't so much as twitch. He took his seat at the opposite end of the table with glacial grace, clasped his hands together, and stared down the table like a predator bored of its prey.
"I was interrogating a traitor," He said flatly"He screamed louder and unexpected"
His mother shuddered. "Must be so crude, caro ?"
Alessio gave her a look that turned the room ten degrees colder.
"Your summoned me," he said. "Say what you must."
Marcello leaned forward. "You're twenty_ nine, Alessio. And still unmarried."
"So?"
"So, its time," Enrico barked. You carry the bloodline. The Romano empire needs an heir"
"I'm the empire," Alessio said, voice like steel drawn slow. "and I don't breed on command ."
Oliver snorted behind his popcorn. "Kinky phrasing, Ale."
No one laughed—except Oliver, who continued munching happily.
Marcello sighed, rubbing his temple. "We've indulge your.... eccentricities. But we are no fool's. Your enemies are watching, The media is watching. Our allies are asking questions. Your strength means nothing if your legacy ends with you ."
"There are many Omega's ready to marry you ," his mother added, eyes gleaming with polished calculation. "Well_bred. Obedient. Clean."
"I don't want a pet," Alessio replied coldly.
"Then what do you want?" Enrico thundered, slamming his cane against the floor. "To die alone? To Leave this family with nothing but blood and ash?"
Alessio stood slowly, deliberately. The silence was brutal. When he finally spoke, his words were ice shards.
"I've killed men for less then this lecture."
Marcello stiffened. His mother paled. But Enrico met his gaze without flinching.
"And we've killed kings for Disobedience."
A beat of silence passed—Heavy, Electric.
Then Oliver popped a kernel and muttered, "This is better then Netflix."
Alessio's gaze shifted to him, glacial and unimpressed. "Leave."
Oliver blinked, tilted his head. "Me? Why? I'm just an innocent bystander."
"Out."
"RUDE." He stood, brushing nonexistent crumbs from his silk shirt. "Try not to murder anyone before dinner."
He disappeared down the hall with a careless wave, humming to himself.
When the door shut, Alessio's voice dropped to something darker.
"I don't need a mate who flinches everytime I raise my voice," he said. "I don't need an heir. Isn't the empire I raise enough for you. What I need is from this family to stay out of my bed and my throne."
"That throne isn't yours alone," Enrico growled. "It was build by your forefathers. It belongs to the bloodline."
Alessio's eyes gleamed with something lethal. "And I am the blood line. Every piece of this empire stands because I keep it standing. I bleed for it. I killed for it. I've sacrificed more then any of you."
His voice, though low, struck like Thunder. "But fine. You want an heir? I Will take a mate. On my term. No love no partnership. No interference."
His mother looked startled. "You're agreeing?"
" I'm conceding," he corrected coldly. " You want a warm body to carry my heir? I will choose it myself. But don't confuse duty with devotion"
Enrico narrowed his eyes. "What kind of omega do you intend to chose ?"
One who won't speak unless spoken to. who won't cry or cling. Someone untouched. Someone I can mold."
Marcello exchanged a glance with his wife. "You mean a___"
"I mean exactly what I said ."
Silence fell again.
Finally, Enrico exhaled, satisfied. "We will arrange it ."
No I can arrange it myself.
Then, without another word, he turned and walked away—cold, silent, unbothered. The decision had been made. Not with warmth. Not with hope.
But with blood.
Like everything else in the Romano empire.
---
Author's Note: Character Introductions
ALESSIO ROMANO
Age: 29
Role: Mafia King / Head of the Romano Family (Alpha)
Background: Groomed from birth to inherit the Romano empire, Alessio took full control at 18 after orchestrating a bloodless coup within the family. Known for his ruthless efficiency, he restructured the entire organization, favoring precision over chaos. He has no known lovers, no scandals, and no weaknesses—at least publicly.
Personality: Cold, calculating, emotionally detached. Believes in loyalty over love and silence over sentiment. Feared and respected in equal measure.
Likes: Order and control, Classical music (especially cello solos), Sparring alone at night, Expensive suits, leather gloves, Silence
Dislikes: Emotional vulnerability, Disobedience, Crowds and loud environments, Unpredictable people, Being touched without permission
ENRICO ROMANO (Grandfather)
Age: 76
Role: Former Mafia Don, now acts as an advisor
Personality: Fierce, authoritative, old-school. Obsessed with legacy and appearances. Proud but critical.
Likes: Control, Cigars, Discipline and respect, Historical war books
Dislikes: Modern behavior, Sentimental weakness, Oliver's jokes, Omegas with too much opinion
MARCELLO ROMANO (Father)
Age: 53
Role: Former Consigliere, now semi-retired
Personality: Cold, politically savvy, passive-aggressive. Not as harsh as Enrico but just as dangerous.
Likes: Wine, Strategic games like chess, Classical poetry
Dislikes: Loud people, Oliver's disrespect, Being ignored by Alessio
LIVIA ROMANO (Mother)
Age: 50
Role: Mafia Matriarch
Personality: Elegant, passive, but emotionally manipulative. Very traditional. Has high standards and a cold heart.
Likes: Luxury, Family dinners (regardless of how dysfunctional), Obedient omegas
Dislikes: Rebellion, "Common" people, Oliver's antics
OLIVER ROMANO (Younger Brother)
Age: 22
Role: Unofficial heir-in-waiting / Chaos child
Personality: Playful, rebellious, dangerously clever. Hides his brilliance behind jokes. The only one Alessio tolerates (barely).
Likes: Popcorn and drama, Flirting, Being underestimated, Breaking rules in subtle ways
Dislikes: Boredom, Being told what to do, Alessio's coldness (though he'd never admit it)
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