Chapter One
Zoey’s scream dragged Dominic out of his sleep, and he reached for his gun. Things had been on edge with Kieran—Heath—and the changes happening around them. Zoey’s pregnancy had been marked with vicious attacks, near-war, and too many issues none of them wanted to even count. Not to mention her pregnancy itself was special, being the union between a Made wolf with his own odd make-up and her earth mage blood. Anything coming for her now would meet a swift death; Dominic would make sure of that. His warning snarl filled the room as he searched with his Alpha call to find the intruder.
None.
Pain.
Mate.
His wild eyes found hers, and the diamond tears glistening across her lower lashes sent a jolt of anger and fear through him. “What’s wrong?”
Zoey franticly gripped her stomach. “The … baby.”
The soon-to-be Alpha-born female, in fact. The first of her kind.
More uncharted territory after everything they’d been going through.
Their bedroom door slammed open just as Dominic ripped off the covers to check Zoey, and Romano streaked in wearing a lopsided shirt, his pants askew. When he wasn’t with Kalinda at Council Headquarters, he stayed with Dominic and Zoey in the main house. Romano searched the room, his eyes glowing with preternatural light until they rested on a very exposed Zoey.
“Alpha,” he acknowledged Dominic, turning his face away. “Are you okay?”
“I will be the moment I rip your eyes from your skull.”
“You can’t because then I won’t be there to watch your back. Admit it, you love me.”
Dominic growled but knew Romano was only trying to lighten the mood. There was no doubt their wolves were picking up the scents of pain and fear permeating the room.
A ripple danced over Zoey’s stomach, and Romano gasped. “Did her stomach just move?”
“There’s a baby in there, asshole.”
Zoey groaned as another ripple made its way from one side of her belly to the other, this one punctuated with a very distinguishable hand.
“What the fuck?”
Dominic ignored his second. There had been complications with Zoey in the final portion of her pregnancy—things they hadn’t shared with anyone. She’d been more tired, agitated, and afraid. Her belly was large and swollen, much larger than should have been possible for a singular babe.
But there was no indication there was more than one.
“Romano, call Zahara. Now!”
Romano spun on his heel and left the room. The Witch Doctor had moved her home into a pocket of another plane right over Dominic’s house, a feat none of them could explain. Zahara had set up a call altar in the corner of their living room. All anyone had to do was ring the bell resting on the alter if they needed her.
“Baby, I need you to breathe,” Dominic whispered to his mate.
Zoey took a shaky breath, a mewl of pain slipping past her clenched lips, and his heart broke.
For all the deadly skill he possessed, he couldn’t take this away from her. He had no gift of healing, no power the dull her fear. All he could do was be here for her. He slipped from the bed, already reaching for his phone to call reinforcements, and grabbed one of Zoey’s nightgowns from the floor. There would be many people here, and she wouldn’t want to be exposed in front of them. If this were any other delivery, he’d calm the pup with his Alpha call, but his unborn daughter was already powerful. He feared she’d react on instinct and hurt Zoey in the process—purely by accident, of course.
Back at her side and his phone at his ear, Dominic fitted the gown on Zoey’s arms as he waited impatiently for Pasquale to answer. She fought against him as she held her stomach, but he used his strength to maneuver her as safely as he could.
“Alpha?” Pasquale growled.
It’s late. Keep your head straight. His tone is of no consequence.
Dominic took a deep breath to keep from lashing out at the other wolf. “I need you and Giuliana here.”
“Giuliana, we’re being called … What’s the situation?”
