Trapped by Seven Mafia Wolves novel Chapter 33

**Dead Weight**

**Nico’s POV**

As I tread cautiously down the elongated, dimly lit corridor, the faint sound of shuffling reaches my ears, pulling my attention like a moth to a flame. My gaze drifts toward the library door, and there she is—Aurora.

She emerges from the shadows, resembling a specter from a chilling horror film, clutching a mug as if it were the last remnant of her existence. Her petite frame seems to shrink further with each passing day, a fragile silhouette adrift in a world that feels overwhelmingly vast and unwelcoming.

I halt, leaning against the cool wall, stealing a moment to observe her. She remains blissfully unaware of my presence, lost in her own turbulent thoughts, wrapped in a cocoon of isolation.

Not that I particularly care, honestly.

If anything, she’s just another hurdle in an already convoluted landscape, an unwelcome complication that no one asked for—a broken soul demanding attention while the rest of us are struggling to stay afloat in our own chaos.

Her eyes flit around the hallway like a timid puppy, filled with uncertainty, taking slow, cautious steps as if she believes that even her mere existence might provoke someone’s ire.

Which, if I’m being honest, isn’t too far from the truth.

I catch her muttering something under her breath, her voice barely rising above a whisper, barely audible against the oppressive silence.

“This place needs a GPS…”

I can’t help but roll my eyes, shaking my head in disbelief. Pathetic, really.

But then, from the far end of the hallway, a sharp voice slices through the air—Matteo.

His tone drips with cold irritation, laced with something darker, something that churns my stomach in discomfort.

Though I can’t catch the exact words, the contempt woven into his voice is unmistakable.

I hear Aurora’s soft, hesitant reply, her words almost swallowed by the heavy atmosphere that surrounds us.

Let Raphael take care of her. Let Andrei play the peacemaker. Let Leon don the role of her savior.

I won’t waste my time on someone who can’t even hold a simple mug without looking like she’s on the verge of collapsing. There are far more pressing issues at hand—real problems, real threats that demand my attention.

Aurora? She’s nothing but dead weight.

As the echoes of Matteo’s cruel words linger in the air, a weight settles heavily on my chest. The disdain I feel for Aurora runs deep, rooted in my own struggles and the chaos that surrounds me. Yet, beneath the layers of indifference and contempt, a flicker of something I cannot quite grasp begins to stir. I watch her retreat, a small, broken figure swallowed by the shadows, and for a fleeting moment, I wonder if she is truly as insignificant as I insist. The realization that her pain might reflect my own—an unspoken connection forged in the fires of our shared suffering—creates a crack in my hardened exterior.

As I continue down the hallway, the frustration bubbling within me morphs into something more complex. The notion that Aurora is merely dead weight begins to feel like a lie I tell myself to shield my own vulnerabilities. In a world where everyone is fighting to stay afloat, perhaps it is not her weakness that threatens to drag us down, but my unwillingness to acknowledge the humanity in her struggle. With every step, I grapple with the choice to remain detached or to confront the uncomfortable truth that compassion may be the only lifeline we have left. In the end, I am left standing at a crossroads, faced with the haunting realization that sometimes, it is the broken that teach us how to heal.

**What to Expect in Next Chapter?**

In the next chapter, tensions are bound to escalate as the dynamics between me, Aurora, and the rest of the group shift under the weight of our unspoken conflicts. With Matteo’s harsh words still echoing in the air, Aurora’s fragile state will be put to the test, forcing her to confront the harsh reality of her situation. Will she find the strength to stand up against the cruelty that seems to surround her, or will she continue to retreat into the shadows, where the light feels too harsh?

As I grapple with my own demons, my icy exterior may begin to crack, revealing the complexities of my character and the internal struggle I face. Moreover, the arrival of a new threat looms on the horizon, one that could force our group to reassess our alliances and priorities. With the fragile balance of our lives already teetering, the introduction of external danger may compel me to confront my feelings about Aurora and the role she plays in our chaotic world. Will I remain steadfast in my belief that she is a liability, or will I discover that even the most broken among us can possess a strength that could change everything? The next chapter promises to delve deeper into our psyches, igniting a fire of conflict and transformation that could alter the course of our intertwined fates forever.