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How many? I mouthed the question to Stefano. Dozens? Scores?
Stefano shook his head. Hundreds.
My jaw dropped.
Alejandro’s voice became silky. “You were saying, prince?”
Pasquale’s face was white with humiliation, but it was clear Alejandro wouldn’t let him go so easily.
Behind him, one of the older panthers said nervously, “Your Highness, we wouldn’t want a war on our hands with the Morettis.”
It was true. No sane alpha would want a war with the Morettis. The Lyccan pack alpha’s heir might be persona non grata right now, but it didn’t mean the Morettis were poorer or weaker than they were before. If the periodic reports my father commissioned were correct, the Morettis had one of the strongest shifter armies in the world.
Alejandro said mockingly, “Your Highness?” He dropped the man he was holding, as if finding him no longer interesting. The panther fell to the floor and curled into a ball. His pack members rushed towards him, exclaiming over the huge bleeding bump on top of his head.
“Prince Pasquale?” Alejandro was slowly and steadily walking towards my fiancé while the panther prince backed away.
“Stop. I command you to stop!” Pasquale was clearly freaking out.
Alejandro didn’t. “I’m truly interested in what you had to say earlier. What was it? Damn you, let him go—-” He lifted his hand.
Pasquale’s eyes widened, and he yelled, “Dugong!”
Silence fell.
Alejandro’s hand froze in the air.
Slowly, I covered my mouth. Dugong...like...the cousin of the manatee, a heavy, slow-moving creature that was so ugly it was considered terribly cute?
Stefano just as slowly looked at the ceiling, as if suddenly finding it fascinating.
In my mind, I was imagining Pasquale saying those very words. Damn you, let him go, dugong! Oh God, was that better or worse, calling a Lyccan royal like Alejandro Moretti a...dugong? Did dugong shifters even exist?
I looked at Alejandro, and again the words replayed in my mind. Damn you, let him go, dugong!
I tightened my hold over my mouth. Dear God, please do not let me laugh.
ALEJANDRO
Alejandro bent over the sink and splashed cold water on his face several times, hoping it would work like a dose of reality. He had always prided himself for being able to keep his cool. Unlike his twin Alessandro, he preferred to be more subtle when fighting. Or at least he used to be all that before Calys came into his life.
Switching the tap off, he straightened and glared at his reflection on the mirror. What the fuck are you doing, Alejandro Moretti?
He had sworn to himself he would no longer be emotionally involved in any way with Calys Adelardi, but no, he had done the opposite earlier. He came to her defense, even knowing she didn’t really need it, and ended up adding Pasquale Hernandez to the already long list of enemies of his pack.
His phone rang, the screen showing his older brother’s name. “Domenico,” he greeted.
“Alejandro. I’m sure you know why I called.”
Even though the heir to the Moretti pack’s tone was lazy, Alejandro could still feel himself flushing. Only Domenico had the knack of making him and his twin feel like they were adolescent boys again.
Alejandro tried to sound blasé. “I have no idea what you mean, brother.”
“The last time you were here, you told me you were just trying to cure your boredom, and that’s why you became the princess’ Cavaliere. But now I’m receiving reports that you’ve just made an enemy out of the Hernandez pack.”
When Alejandro didn’t say anything, Domenico continued in a sober voice, “I know you don’t want to hear this, but you will hear it anyway. You and I both know the princess means more to you than you’re willing to admit.”
Alejandro’s jaw clenched. “Let’s just put it this way. Your wife was – is – nice, but look what happened. My princess? She isn’t half as nice as Misty is, so we’re better off this way.”
There was a moment of silence before Domenico spoke again. “No. You’re not, but I think you have to learn that the hard way.” His voice turned brisk. “Just take care of yourself. Hernandez may seem like a wimp, but I’ve always considered him cunning. He would never have maintained his position among the Panthera if he wasn’t.”
“Understood. I appreciate the warning.” Ending the call, Alejandro was about to leave the restroom when he heard voices outside the hotel’s men’s room. He recognized the voices immediately and he stopped, his hand falling from the doorknob.
“Be serious, princess.” It was Stefano, his voice a mixture of exasperation and anger.
“I am being serious, and that’s why I am commanding you to go back to our den and stand guard. I have the rest of Pasquale’s pack with me.” This was Calys, her tone adamant.
Alejandro grimaced. He knew that tone. When his hellcat used it, there would be no way of getting around her.
