Ugh.
He chuckled, and as one, the group moved, he and Giuliana at the center. She was the only female in the bunch, not because there weren’t other strong women in the Bianchi, but because Red couldn’t stomach them too close to Pasquale. She was still in mating heat, pushing them to mark each other permanently. They’d been in bed every night, denying themselves to keep from risking an accidental bite that would go too deep, and the wolf was not happy about it.
They slipped from the Bianchi area and onto the main street sloping toward Dominic’s home. Other wolves in human form passed them in cars. Since the moment Giuliana knew Pasquale couldn’t travel like that, she didn’t either. It took longer for them to reach the central area, and by the time they did, men and women were lined in front of the Alpha’s house.
Some were clad from head to toe in weapons, glittering guns and knives. Others were in their lupine form, ready to rend and tear with their claws. Pasquale’s wolves followed Giuliana and him to the front of the pack before standing at the door to let them continue.
They would protect their Alpha and his mate—from Lombardi wolves if necessary.
He saw the statement and was humbled by it, even if he worried they may trigger the others with their show of force. But no one was concerned about them, and Dominic swung open his front doors.
“In here, now.”
Pasquale growled a warning at Dominic’s biting tone directed at Giuliana but followed him inside.
I am his Enforcer, mate. Cool it.
When he learns to speak to you properly, I will.
Then forget the wolf part. He’s our Capo di tutti Capi. He has earned the right under the Code to speak to me like that.
Fine.
Giuliana’s feminine chuckle filled his head and warmed him. She’d become more accustomed to speaking with him and allowing their relationship to flow. He couldn’t say that didn’t make him happy.
“Silva has healed,” Dominic said.
Romano stood next to Silva. He looked like shit. His eyes were bloodshot, his hair stood on end, and the rumpled slacks he wore with his shirt and tie looked like it’d seen better days. He could barely contain the wounded and angry growls leaking from him constantly.
I would be no better if Giuliana were taken.
“The Boulder Alpha gave some information on the Renegades, confirming what you told me, Pasquale. The leader is Alexi Borgia, and he’s one of the most powerful shifters they’ve seen in a long time. And he’s also old. Old Country and older wolf.”
“Meaning he ties to the old ways,” Giuliana surmised.
Dominic nodded, sliding his hands into his pockets. “He is originally from the Ukraine and identifies as a Cossack. His men who follow him are, too, and are some of the most highly trained combatants in the world.”
“It won’t matter. I’ll kill them all,” Romano vowed.
“And I will help. But we get Kalinda out first. The letter this Kieran left, and his demands since, are all for Silva to come alone and meet him. But he has realized he’s caused an incident by taking a wolf mate.”
Romano rolled his shoulder. “If I feed him his dick, he’ll remember.”
“We will, brother. Silva has agreed to meet his demand, but we won’t let her go alone. Her team will be Pasquale, Giuliana, the wolves from the Bianchi, and Zahara, in case anyone needs healing. The rest will come with Romano and me so we can ambush them if anything goes wrong. Romano won’t focus on doing anything but getting his mate, and we will give him the opportunity to do so.”
The wolves nodded in agreement as Zahara slammed through the front door. “I’m here. The path has been warded as much as I can, directly through to Scorched Earth. I contacted Amalia, and she’s also had it cleared, so we have no interference heading into the area from officials. It seems your mate has them scared shitless,” she added to Romano.
The large wolf smiled a vicious smile. “As they should be.”
“We’ve got everything in order.”
Dominic unfurled his Alpha call, and it raced out, spreading over the land. Pasquale stood tall against it. His own Alpha skill kept him protected from feeling the sting, but Giuliana grunted. Without being mated to him, she wasn’t protected by Pasquale’s power. He pulled his mate closer to him and helped her stay on her feet.
She would kneel to no man.
“Let’s move. I want that location fucking surrounded, like, yesterday. I will remain with Zoey for protection. Don’t fuck this up.”
At Dominic’s order, everyone moved at once. Silva streaked out the door and into the sky, hovering as Pasquale readied on the balls of his feet.
