Fated reborn - Chapter 269: Chapter 269

Luciano's Pov.
We stood there for another minute, neither of us making a move to leave. The fight was over, but we were still caught up in the rush of it, replaying moments in our heads. The way the crowd roared, the way the fighters moved, the sheer unpredictability of it all.
"Alright," Victor finally said, pushing off the car. "Let’s get out of here before we end up staying all night just talking about this."
I chuckled. "Too late."
We both laughed, finally getting into the car. But even as we drove off, the conversation didn’t stop. The night had been unexpected, but in the best way possible.
The ride back home was quiet, the hum of the engine filling the silence between us. The city lights blurred past, and my mind kept drifting back to the fights we had just watched. The way that last guy moved—the precision, the control—it was still replaying in my head.
Victor must’ve been thinking about it too because every now and then, I’d catch him glancing at me like he was about to say something, but then he’d just shake his head and smirk to himself.
By the time we reached the pack house, it was already late. Most of the lights were off, the pack settling in for the night. The guards were still posted at their usual spots, but everything else was calm. Peaceful.
We stepped inside, and I stretched my arms with a low sigh.
"I'm gonna take a quick shower," I said, already heading for the stairs.
Victor nodded, cracking his neck. "Same here. Feels like the smell of sweat from that place is stuck on me."
We walked up the stairs, our footsteps light against the wooden floor. As soon as we reached our floor, I veered off toward my room while Victor continued down the hall to his.
I pushed the door open and stepped inside, the familiar scent of my space grounding me instantly. Without wasting time, I peeled off my shirt and tossed it onto the chair before heading straight for the bathroom. The moment I turned the shower on and felt the warm water hit my skin, my muscles relaxed.
The night had been good—different. It wasn’t something I did often, but it had been a nice break from the usual routine.
After washing off, I grabbed a towel, dried myself off, and wrapped it around my waist before stepping back into my room. The air was cool against my skin as I walked over to the window, reaching up to drop the blinds. With the room now closed off from the outside, I moved to my nightstand, picking up a small container.
I popped the lid open, took out a pill, and swallowed it dry. It wasn’t anything serious—just something to keep me steady, something I had gotten used to taking at night.
Pulling on some fresh clothes, I ran a hand through my damp hair before heading downstairs. I expected Victor to already be there, probably eating halfway through his meal with mine set beside him. But when I got to the dining room, he was just pulling out his chair, sitting down at the exact moment I reached the table.
I smirked slightly. "For once, I thought you’d actually be early."
Victor just chuckled, shaking his head. "Took my time. Wanted to actually enjoy the shower."
We both sat down, and a moment later, one of the maids came in, placing our plates in front of us before bowing slightly and leaving the room. The silence that followed was almost deafening.
The pack house was quiet now, the maids and guards who weren’t on duty already in bed. The only sounds were the distant rustling of the trees outside and the soft clinking of our utensils as we started eating.
The tension wasn’t necessarily uncomfortable, but it was there—lingering in the air between us, thick with unspoken thoughts.
Halfway through the meal, I glanced up at Victor and decided to break the silence.
"You know," I started, setting my fork down. "If I used my wolf abilities, I could probably take down fifty guys like that wrestler without breaking a sweat. I am the Alpha, after all."
Victor let out a sarcastic chuckle, wiping his mouth with a napkin. "Yeah, yeah, I know," he said, but I could tell from his tone that he had something else on his mind.
I watched him as he leaned back slightly, a smirk tugging at his lips. "You mean the same Alpha who couldn’t even save himself when Henry betrayed him?" he teased.
My expression hardened slightly, and I paused, gripping my fork a little tighter before exhaling slowly. "That was different," I said. "I was overwhelmed. It wasn’t just about strength. It was about trust."
Victor raised an eyebrow but didn’t push further. He knew me well enough to know when to back off.
"Okay, fine," he said after a moment. "I know you’re strong. Probably the strongest Alpha we’ve had in a long time. But let’s be real—if you had to fight that guy in the ring tonight without your wolf abilities, just relying on pure strength and tactics, do you think you’d actually win?"
I leaned back in my chair, thinking about it. It wasn’t a question I had considered before, but now that he said it, I had to admit—it was a good one.
I ran my tongue over my teeth, thinking carefully before I answered. "Yeah," I finally said, meeting his gaze. "I would. I've been training since I was born, not just to be strong, but to be capable. To protect my people."
Victor nodded slowly but didn’t look entirely convinced. "Yeah, but that guy has been training for survival," he pointed out.
I sighed, running a hand over my face. "Whatever," I muttered, not in the mood to keep going back and forth.
Victor just smirked, clearly satisfied that he had gotten under my skin a little.
The conversation died down after that, and we finished our meal in silence. But even as I pushed my plate away and leaned back, I couldn’t shake the thought from my head.
If it came down to it—no powers, no pack, just raw skill and experience—would I really win?
I didn’t like that I wasn’t completely sure of the answer.