“You’re totally screwed, Zoey. That was the worst decision ever. Didn’t you see how he treated me?” Giuliana joked. “Oh my God! I’m going to have a little cousin. Sweet.”
Romano raised his hand. “Oh, did I mention they’re having a girl?”
Dominic whipped around. “How do you know this?”
“Felt it in the weird kumbaya circle. She is strong, too, and already feisty. Laughs like her mother, demands like her father.”
He should have thought about it before he said it. Dominic’s chest swelled with pride, but a stone-cold shutter slid down over his face. Arturo was no better, his elegant hand sliding into his pocket. Both gazes locked onto Zoey’s stomach.
“I have accepted this child as my blood, and she will come as heir if there are no other children of my line as she is for yours,” Arturo began.
“I hear and accept,” Dominic answered.
“She will be protected in all things, and as heir, given place within both packs.”
“I hear and accept.”
“When she is marked, she shall be with the print of a Born Wolf and female Alpha.”
Dominic sucked in a breath. “Is that possible? I’m a Made Wolf and her mother is a mage.”
“Is she a pup in the womb?” Arturo clasped his hands in front of him.
“Yes,” Zoey answered.
“Then she is a Born Wolf. However it may have happened, it is so.”
“And a female Alpha?” Dominic clenched his fists at his sides.
“It is rare, but is has been done.”
Dominic swallowed. “I hear and accept.”
“Good. The Moretti Pack will join with the Lombardi Pack to protect the heir’s home and Kalinda. The well-being of her mother is paramount.”
“What if she wasn’t an heir?”
Leave it to Zoey to ask the hard questions.
“I would have helped anyway, but now I’m willing to destroy the entire Council if it comes to that.”
And he fucking meant it. It was in his eyes, the way his grin was more wolf than human. Arturo meant to face any battle that came their way, and Dominic matched him.
“The Council will be coming for Kalinda. They won’t let this slight go,” Dominic cautioned.
“Then so be it. I’ll have men stationed here by the end of the day.”
Dominic slid his hand in his pocket. “And what about Moretti lands?”
A harsh, predatory smile spread across Arturo’s face. “There will be enough to keep us covered, but they won’t be looking to come at us. Attacking my pack would only give me grounds to petition the National Council against them. Coming to help protect you is within my right. We will be here. And I’ll send men to check out the Viscount Pride. They started this, did they not?”
“Yes, and faked an allergy to do it,” Romano answered.
Arturo snorted. “It only worked because they were facing low-level mages. But we’ll find out what their stake is too. Focus your men on the compound here. We’ll cover outside and the perimeter.”
Dominic nodded. “Agreed. Once we have everyone in place, we can meet to discuss measures and what we may have found in the morning. I have a feeling Romano may have a battle on his hands tonight.”
“Oh?”
