Stefano can barely stand to look at you and not itch for revenge. Guilt gnaws at his throat just as much as anger clouds his mind. He needs to breathe.

"I'm sorry," Stefano speaks through gritted teeth, bringing his hand up to ghost his fingertips over the left side of your head. It's the only part of your pretty face that isn't wrapped in bandages. "Had I been honest to you from the start, this..."

He swallows, unable to let the words on his tongue spill. Had he been frank with you, then you wouldn't have been wrapped into this mess. You were attacked by a rival gang, and it's all because of him.

As a teenager, Stefano believed he would present as an alpha. Curse his luck for making him present as a beta instead. His parents had been just as equally disappointed. The universe took pity on him, though, giving him the physical traits alphas often had.

It's why he took to pretending he was an alpha at the fresh age of fifteen. Twenty-one years later do the consequences of his actions look at him in the eye.

Stefano had met you years ago. You should've run when he opened up to you about his line of work, but you didn't. Had he revealed he was actually a beta, maybe you would've looked the other way. Omegas went for alphas, not for those of his secondary gender.

He found himself too enthralled by you and kept his secret hidden. It's cost him taking your wounded body into the hospital a few days ago.

Stefano had done the same to another omega before he met you. When he revealed his status, the omega took to dumping him. Not once did he think Emiliano would stoop as low as to take revenge six years later. This is why Leonora always warned him to not get into relationships with someone in another mafia group. It leads to messes like these when things go South.

"I'll help you pack your things and pay for an apartment," The words feel like nails going down his throat. Stefano assumes you'll end things now given that you know the truth.

He'll deal with those bastards too, but you don't have to know that.