3. A warning!

As Gio was walking into the woods, he relaxed. He closed his eyes with his hands in his pocket feeling the fresh air after many days. He found peace here… in the woods. This is where he feels alive, safe and at peace.

He was unable to hold his human form any longer. The woods were his domain, no human would dare bother him here. The world where powerful creatures like him ruled here.

Suddenly, he started running and the next second, his body grew big making his clothes tear apart and suddenly hair started to grow. It was so fast that the man’s entire body got covered with it. It grew even further and bent down making several cracking sounds that echoed in the background. His tail grew from the man’s tailbone. It was fluffy and big. At the same time, his face changed as it formed into the shape of a wolf. Fangs grew from his mouth as nails shone on his fingers that looked sharp enough to kill anyone in front of him and before he knew it he started to run off his four legs.

Twigs snapped under his foot as he walked through the woods. The sound of leaves rustled in the heavy wind.

His wolf took over and he started running towards his territory. He ran at high speed until he couldn’t run anymore and his wolf became exhausted.

It was the first time Emer, his wolf, ran that much. The first time so much confusion and conflict resided within him.

Stopping at a lake he happened across he decided to take a dip in the water to let his mind process everything that happened that day and that’s when a car stopped in front of him. Knowing very well who it is, Gio got out of the lake and transformed into his human self naked.

Butt naked.

He wasn’t even wearing underwear at this time. His clothes were torn apart when he was transforming into a wolf. His entire naked body glistened in the sunlight peeking from the leaves. All the parts of his body were visible, even his private parts that they shouldn’t see but Gio cared less about his 2 guards staring at him who were standing in front of him with a new pair of clothes in their hands. This is pretty normal for them and they have seen Gio like this many times.

As soon as he landed in New York after 16 hours of his flight. He was jet-lagged and his mind was not at peace. The only thing that popped up in his mind was that one woman who captured his eyes. He wanted to relax his mind and so the only place that can relax was the woods. Roaming around the woods gives him peace and makes him calm.

“Did you find him?” Gio asked as he took his pants from one of the guards and wore it.

“Yes, Boss.” The guard answered as Gio pulled his pants up.

“He is in his house right now. I have our men follow him.” The other guard said as Gio buttoned his shirt.

“Let’s go.” Gio replied as he grabbed his coat from him and the guard opened the car door for him.

He got into his car and they drove off from there.

•••••

“You should stop this lunacy joseph, or else you will end up in a hole you can’t get yourself out of.’’ Isabella's mother warned Joseph. This very conversation always reiterated Itself in their marriage over and over again. Joseph never listened to a thing that his wife told him and it has been the very thing that has always brought him down. He had lost count of the many times he stood on the brink of bankruptcy because of his addiction to gambling addiction. He did not pay heed to his wife's advice especially when he had such a large debt that he had to pay off. Joseph saw the only way to pay out the large Accardi debt that he had, was to gamble some more.

He always put his hope in the possibility of winning some money. “Come down dear, This time it will be divergent. the results should not be like all the other times, I strongly feel that my luck will change,’’ he said confidently. No matter how much his wife would have tried to warn him or Stir him away from the direction that he was heading to, the man was grown up and was well-versed with making his own decisions. He could as well walk into a fire in hopes that it will not burn him.

“I’m not going to argue with you anymore on this matter. you can do whatever you want, it is your life and your money.’’ His wife said angrily, getting fed up with the entire situation and walking away from him. Joseph picked up his keys that had been lying over the dining table and proceeded to put on his shoes. He was going back to the club but this time he would be gambling his money on something bigger. He had faith that this would be successful and he would go home with tons of cash. Even though he was already successful and very wealthy, the funds to pay off the huge debt that he took from a very dangerous family were catching up with him.

He had no idea how he would work it all out but he wanted to try it the way that he was used to. He knew no other way to pay off the debt than to invest in a silly bet. To him, Michael saw this as an opportunity to make much more money. “To re-argente vicente.’’ He said to his driver as he threw the keys to him and entered the Porsche car. everything was going to be fine’ he kept telling himself. but repeating those words could not really change the situation. would it make it better to tell himself that over and over again? Joseph could sense that things were not alright and he wanted to make a better attempt at saving his family’s wealth.

Suddenly, as he positioned himself inside the car properly, he heard the tinnitus buzz of his phone. As he stared at the screen, his heartbeat radically as he contemplated on whether or not he was going to pick that call. He was afraid, for the first time Michael was afraid of what to say to a man equally as powerful as him but just as dangerous. He understood that he was definitely calling to collect his debt but Joseph understood clearly that he would not be able to pay that in due time or anytime soon.

He watched the phone ring but he did not attempt to pick it up. He had decided to ignore his call and try to work things out on his own. When the Ringing died down, Joseph sighed in relief as he signaled for his driver to start driving. The gates to his Mansion were slowly opened. He looked back and noticed his wife standing on the balcony watching him. He understood that he had angered her but there was no way that he would just stop gambling especially on the verge of such a huge debt. His phone rang again and he hoped it was his daughter calling since Isabella always calls at this dispossessed time of the day but unfortunately, he saw the same unknown number.

As the car was driven outside their family mansion, Joseph noticed a fleet of other luxurious cars That had been waiting just outside his house. He did not need any special kind of intelligence to know that he was the one they were waiting timelessly for. Joseph knew that he would have to deal with this, perhaps some other time, or escape them. He did not need any special kind of intelligence to know that he was the one that kept them waiting.

When he finally answered the ringing phone, he was made silent. “Hello.” He spoke out gaining confidence. “It’s funny how important it is to maintain a business profile that reflects on your entire personality. I hate waiting for people and I hate reminding people about the business agreements that they signed. So, Mr. Smith, come out of your car and we can have a little chat about the large sum of money that you decided to borrow but are unable to pay back.” The disposition of Joseph could not deny the fact that he always got chills every time he spoke to Giovanni. It was very rare to find someone that dangerous bringing himself to such venues so it clearly showed the man that he had just gotten on the bad side of a dangerous man.

A muscular man dressed in a black suit made his way towards Joseph's car. all the other cars have been blocking his exit and he was not able to go anywhere. When the man knocked on the window, Isabella’s father had the courage to roll down the glass and stare at him directly. “The boss wants to have a word with you.’’ The guard said.

Joseph saw no sense in resisting or trying to find his way out of the entire situation and so, he opened up the door to his car and alighted moving forward, As The Bodyguard stood beside him, the old man was guided toward Giovanni's awaiting car. There was a guard who was standing just outside the Porsche, and he immediately opened the door for Isabella's father. It was funny to see how courteous these men were and yet the situation was burning from underneath. who knows what would have happened if he entered that car, who knows if Giovanni would have lost his patience and decided to end him right there. but he understood that businessmen never did anything dirty in plain daylight.

“Mr. Smith, to what do I owe this visit.’’ The extremely handsome man who had been seated comfortably in the backseat of his Porsche spoke out in sarcasm. Joseph looked around the car and wondered why Giovanni and decided to not come with his limousine instead. He wanted to focus his attention on anything else but the man seated next to him simply because he did not want to show the fear in his eyes. “I will pay back your money. I just need a little more time,’’ he said confidently but avoided eye contact.

“You seem to assume that what we are playing here is a game of a rat and a cat. I have way better and more important things to do than sit around chasing a full-grown man who took a debt that he knew he would never be able to pay. Are you forgetting what I am capable of?’’ Giovanni asked Isabella's father. Even though the old man was way older than Giovanni, he was afraid of him.

Giovanni did not talk much and when he did, he meant every word that he said. finding him right here at this moment meant that he had come to make a statement and show that it was time he got serious with the business that they were entangled in.

“I will not give you any more time, You have until the end of this day to pay back the debt, failure to which I will rain fire and agony unto you and your family,’’ he said to him.

Joseph understood very well that Giovanni meant every word he just said. The imagination of his family suffering because of his transgressions and mistakes was what made him act rationally. “You dare bring any harm to my family and I will…’’

He did not even finish his statement according to the stern stare that Giovanni gave him. He gulped loudly, a lump growing in his throat as he stared at the threatening man. Did he just try to threaten Giovanni?

“I am going to remind you to know your boundaries, old man. I could have ended your life in a Snap and have the authorities off my back in just a whoop of cash. Now get out of my car and don't forget, you pay back the money tonight! No excuses allowed!’’