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

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I thought I am going to explode from frustration and embarrassment when Lazarus mentioned that three years ago I passed out after blowing up half of the villa. And he even said it was related to Duke!

Lazarus crossed the line and I was never this angry.

Who gave him the right to act as my protector?

Why did he talk about my emotional meltdown?

Doesn't he know that he is exposing my ability?

How am I supposed to face Duke after this?

Lazarus's behavior was so out of place that I nearly slapped him, and I had to get him away from Duke in order to clarify a few points.

I stomped inside the room on the first floor while trying to ease my frustration.

"What's wrong with you? Can't you tell that Duke is human?", I asked as soon as I closed the door behind us.

Lazarus sneered. "I don't care if he is a human or a gargoyle. What I do care about is that he is the same guy who put you into a week-long coma because he broke your heart, yet now he is here, holding your hand. Do you want him to hurt you again?"

Was he jealous or worried about me? Maybe both.

"What happened three years ago was a misunderstanding and we clarified many things. I appreciate your concern, but I am not a child and I know what I'm doing."

"Do you?", Lazarus challenged me. "Why are you snapping at me? I didn't lie."

What is that supposed to mean? Doesn't he get my point? It seems not.

"You didn't say anything wrong, but that was not the time or the place. What happened that day was my private matter and you had no right to bring it up. If you had any concerns you were supposed to talk to me in private. I'm confident that over time I found things about you others don't know. Would you be happy if I go and run my mouth when others are present?"

Lazarus exhaled sharply and ran his hand through his hair.

We both stared at the carpet for some time until I decided to break the silence.

"Listen, Laz… I don't want to explain my history with Drago or what happened three years ago, but I hope you will understand I left that behind and I hope you don't bring it up again. Try to see Drago for who he is, and you will realize that he is a good guy."

Lazarus frowned. "Do you expect me to be friends with him?"

I took a deep breath to calm down. I really didn't want to argue with Lazarus. I'm not the confronting type and I usually avoid quarrels, but this was about Duke, and I couldn't stay quiet.

"I don't expect anything of you except to keep in mind that Duke is my guest, and he is a human."

"He has quite a grip for a human.", Lazarus grumbled.

"What is that supposed to mean?", I snapped.

Instead of answering my question, Lazarus asked, "Do you like him?"

I thought it was obvious. "I always did."

Lazarus pressed his lips into a line and gave me a stiff nod which I understood as a sign that this discussion was over.

Lazarus said more than once how he is fine with us being friends, and this was his chance to prove it. Well, if he can't take it, he is welcome to leave.

I returned to the pool area and saw a scene of Zoe shaking hands with Duke.

Even with a t-shirt on, Duke was visibly the most handsome guy.

"Deal.", Zoe said with a victorious smirk.

It was suspicious that Duke wanted to buy meat for a barbecue tomorrow, and his condition to do it personally was odd, but I didn't mind spending a morning with Duke. Just the two of us. It will be a date.

"What is Zoe going to do in exchange for the barbecue treat?", I asked Duke when Zoe and Cristina walked away.

"It's a thing between me and her.", Duke said mysteriously.

Mona rolled her eyes dramatically. "Zoe will rat on you. Drago wants to hear what you are saying about him when he is not around."

"Reeeeaaaally?", I threw a fake-glare in Zoe's direction, but I was not mad. Other than identifying Duke as the man I like, there was nothing much she could say (without making up things).

The truth was that I enjoyed seeing Duke bonding with Zoe, and I was confident that he will get along with Luca and Ash as well. All four of them are part of my life, and them being on good terms would be wonderful.

Dinner was lively. Everyone sat in the dining room and enjoyed a hearty meal the staff prepared for us.

Mona was chatting with the girls who would burst into giggles every minute or so. Zoe, Cristina, Violet, and Chiara were absorbing every Mona's word about a lifestyle London can provide, and Mona's vivid descriptions made the stories super-entertaining.

Lazarus didn't talk much, and I was grateful that Hugo and Emilio were focused on him. They heard about Lazarus, a mighty werewolf with the power of an Alpha, and the boys were trying to get into Lazarus's good books. In the world of werewolves, one's standing is determined by his (or her) strength and having mighty friends and backers is another way of achieving strength.

Luca was his quiet and observant self, as always.

As much as I feared that Duke will be all over me, I was pleasantly surprised that he balanced it out. Duke cut the meat for me, and we held hands under the table whenever possible, but other than that, Duke spent quite some time talking to Ash who was visibly interested in finances and Eclipse.

Ash is a high-energy teen who enjoys thrills (that get him into trouble), but he is also very good with numbers, and I could see the moments when his expression would light up while Duke spoke about the stock market and investments.

I was pleased to see Ash looking up to Duke and soaking in his every word, and I decided to give them a push.

"Ash is about to finish high school courses online. Do you think you can set him up with an internship at Eclipse?", I asked Duke, and Ash's eyes widened in anticipation.

"Absolutely.", Duke responded to me and then turned to Ash. "Send me your resume and we will figure out something."

"Thank you!", Ash exclaimed.

"Don't thank me yet.", Duke said with a smirk. "Before you earn your millions, you will start from the bottom. I can get you in, but you will need to work like any other intern. Expect long hours and doing menial tasks for people who will not thank you. That will be your chance to observe and learn, and only when you prove your commitment you can climb up the ladder, one step at a time. A college degree is not necessary, but I would expect you to take relevant college-level courses while working if you want to be more than a helping hand in the office."

I squeezed Duke's hand under the table. He will be a wonderful mentor. I liked that he didn't promise Ash a sparkly future right away but was warning him that he needs to work for it.

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