“No. I need to be here.”
And there went his wolf, howling in satisfaction.
Arturo nodded. “Then she stays with you, Carlo, as your responsibility. She’s your mate, and it’s your job. With preparations and an unknown in our midst, I expect you to stay close to her. Eiravel and Cynes, you will be with Isadora?”
Zoey squeaked. “First a Fury, thenanother‘to-the-death’ scenario, and now you want me to keep the Unseelie men near her? I will protect my daughter, thank you very much.”
“They will be with her, Arturo, on detail twenty-four seven.”
“Dominic!” Zoey admonished.
“You will be with her. And we will add Fabiana, since Pasquale and Giuliana will be busy. You are strong, my love, but this is stronger. The Unseelie are the best to be with her while I’m protecting the pack.”
“Good.”
Her prim smile made Carlo groan. Dominic walked right into that one, and easily.
Dominic blinked. “What?”
“I already knew that. You’ve been the one complaining. Eiravel and Cynes? Thank you, guys. There’d be no better hands other than my mate’s.”
The men bowed. “Of course, Zoey. Anything for Isadora.” Eiravel cut his glance toward Dominic, and the Alpha growled.
Zoey smacked Dominic on the arm. “Cut it out, Dom. You can punish me for it later. They have been protecting her anyway. They were obviously telling the truth that the bond is only half complete and nothing will change on that untilIsadoracan make the choice. Deal with it.”
Carlo coughed. “Then we have our orders?”
“We’ll send for another meeting if we have to. Thank you all for coming,” Arturo said, dismissing the meeting.
“It’s nice to sit at the table with the others. I may do this again.” Adonis’s gaze traced over the table before they stopped on Pasquale. He took a deep breath and frowned, his eyes glazing over.
“What is it, Alpha of the Moonstone?”
Pasquale talked less than even Arturo when he was watching, and his mate had taken on the trait since becoming the Alpha female of the Bianchi. Giuliana stepped forward, a united front. If Carlo hadn’t been watching them, he’d have missed it.
“I don’t know,” Adonis answered, shaking his head. He sniffed again. “I have no idea.” His eyes cleared, and he looked to Arturo. “I’ll be in touch as soon as prep is done.”
“As will I,” Torin agreed.
Arturo nodded. “Then we face what comes.”
As they all stood, Nanshe came to Carlo. “It seems we shall be together.”
“Almost as if it was planned,” Carlo hissed.
Nanshe lifted one brow. “Because I’d plan world annihilation just to be with you.”
Yeah, it sounded silly to him too, but he was grasping at straws. Proximity to Nanshe during the preparation time would not be easy. And with the saucy smile the minx gave him as she waited at the elevator, she knew it.
Goddess save him from a persistent woman.
“You’ve said that before. Funny, why would a Goddess save you from one of her own?”
Yeah, he should have thought about that, but men, just like a god, would have been too stubborn to see it.
“As I’ve said, stubborn male.”
