The old wolf chanted some more and then opened his eyes and smiled. “The wolfgods delight in your joy. May you walk in their light forever.” He chuckled. “And to satisfy all expectations, may I say I now pronounce you a married couple, and you may kiss the groom.”

  Rome swept Jules up in an embrace and whirled him in a circle, despite the fact that Jules was taller by an inch so he barely cleared the ground. Rome did have an enthusiastic nature. Then he kissed Jules madly, despite the presence of the old wolf master.

  “We’re married, Jules. Do you hear me? They can’t marry us to anyone else.” He threw his head back and laughed. “It’s the law. Let them deal with that.”

  Jules smiled and kissed Rome again. Gods, I love his courage.

  Lawrence said, “Sadly, I must now take you back to sit vigil with Yolanda, Rome. I think we have to see what happens next before you can reveal the truth of your relationship.”

  “You’re sure we aren’t dishonoring the gods by pretending to perform a ritual under false pretenses?”

  “Rome, the ancient tradition says that marriage will be between those who gladly pledge lifelong dedication, preferably with love and affection. Out of this grew the legend of the mate. Today, leaders dishonor the tradition by using marriage as a political tool.” He grinned. “I think it’s fair to give them a little of their own back.”

  Jules shook his head. “Man, when they find out, shit is going to be hitting a lot of fans.”

  “And I’m sure we’ll all get some on us, but truth is truth, my boy. And love is love.” He turned to Rome. “We have to go.”

  Rome stepped to Jules’s side, cradled his face between his hands, and gently kissed his lips. “I love you, husband, and will to the ends of time.”

  “Me too, sweetheart.” And I hope the end of our time doesn’t come too soon.

  ROME fidgeted. Going on ten hours of vigil, with only a short break in the middle, had definitely gotten to his butt. Funny. The first five hours, with Jules, had vanished in an expansion of bliss and wisdom, followed by fifteen minutes of pure joy. These five hours were just torture, hips creaking and ass aching—and not in a good way. Was it just because he didn’t want to be here? Or because the wolfgods agreed?

  Still, a piece of his brain wanted this vigil to last forever so he didn’t have to face the music. Music? Ha! As if there’d be anything musical about his father’s explosion. Gods, what will he do? He can hurt me if he wants, but nobody lays a hand on Jules. He felt his fists clenching and lip curling in a snarl. Calm down before somebody notices.

  Unlike the last vigil, this one was observed. It was supposed to be overseen by five pack members—each of them a docent in the church of the wolfgods—but Benedetto didn’t want to include other members of the pack in his alliance plans yet, so he’d picked his own observers. Federico and Anthony were there, probably called away from preparing the pack for possible war. Rome could smell his brothers and feel their eyes examining him. To report back to Father, no doubt. Anthony would giggle occasionally. Not a male to take religious ritual too seriously.

  Rome could also scent Yolanda sitting cross-legged a few feet from him. While she seemed less restless than he, she wasn’t really meditative, but then probably few vigils really amounted to more than painful buns. He desperately wanted to glance down at his watch, but that would screw the pooch for sure. Literally.

  “Rome.” It was Lawrence’s soft voice.

  Don’t open your eyes too fast. He fluttered his lids theatrically, then slowly opened as if emerging from a deep dream. His grandfather grinned at him conspiratorially. “The vigil is complete.”

  Rome looked across at Yolanda, who was moving around in the long white dress they’d provided her for the vigil. She stretched, clearly as full of kinks as he was. She was the one factor in this whole mess he felt badly about. He liked Yolanda. She was a smart, courageous wolf, and while ambition no doubt played some role in her decision to collaborate with the enemy, he believed she wanted the best for her pack. When this wolf doo-doo hit the fan, some was bound to splash on her. What would his father do when it became clear that Rome couldn’t marry her? Would he wed her to another Siracusa? Would she go along with that? Oh shit, he didn’t want to be terrified. Tough luck.

  “How are you feeling?” Lawrence smiled at him.

  “Okay.” Rome lowered his voice. “What happens now?”

  He whispered, “I’ve arranged a private meeting with your father, where the situation can be explained.”

  Rome swallowed.

  Lawrence walked over to Yolanda and spoke to her quietly. A door opened, and Merrick walked in. His expression was—odd. He strode to her and extended his hands. She took them. That finally seemed to light up the Merrick smile. Hooking her hand through his arm, he escorted her from the room. Anthony shot Rome a look and followed them, with Federico behind.

  Rome finally took a deep breath. “What did you tell my father?”

  “That there had been an important development in the alliance issue and we needed to speak to him as soon as you completed your vigil.”

  “He’s going to freak.” Rome bit his bottom lip.

  “I’m hoping that he’ll see the wisdom in a marriage between you and Jules. There’s no reason why that can’t form the basis of an alliance between the packs—a more powerful bond than you marrying Yolanda.”

  “Wow.” He pressed a hand against his chest. “I never thought of that.” Was it possible his father would see the truth in his marriage? Yes, he personified homophobia, but he really wanted this alliance. This way he could get everything he wanted—even his alpha son.

  “Yes, I think that approach could be the answer to everyone’s problems.”

  “Father won’t accept it easily.”

  “We’ll persuade him.”

  “Oh gods, Grandfather, I feel like I can breathe for the first time in—well, a long time.” He laughed a little.

  “Good. The gods wouldn’t give you such power without a path to express it.” His grandfather glanced at his watch. “We’d best go. Your father’s expecting us soon.”

  Whoa. Showtime! I wish I could tell Jules.

  They walked out of the Wolfgod Temple to Rome’s car, and Rome drove to the Siracusa mansion. As he parked, Rome’s whole body covered in goose bumps. Lawrence must have sensed it, because he put a warm hand on Rome’s arm. “Don’t worry. Marriage is absolute. Regardless of what else happens, your father can’t change the law.”

  “It’s not absolute if we’re dead.” He said it under his breath, but Lawrence gripped his arm and squeezed.

  The walk to his father’s office felt like his last mile. He wanted to be hopeful, but his sick stomach didn’t believe it. Outside the door, Lawrence gave him a smile and knocked.

  “Come.”

  Oh gods, shoot me now. Wait, I take that back. He grabbed the door handle, and the next second they stood in front of his father, the door closed behind them.

  Benedetto leaned back in his chair, his powerful barrel chest straining at the buttons of his conservative dress shirt. “So, my son, any great revelations emerge from your vigil?” He grinned. Even as an alpha, he barely believed in the gods. Like all divine-right kings, he liked to accept the gods’ favor while claiming the power as his own.

  “I’m afraid most of my realizations related to my boney ass, sir.”

  His father laughed and slapped his desk. “Quite right. I remember my vigil when I married your mother, may she dwell with the gods forever, and between my butt hurting and my cock anticipating my wedding night, I doubt I had a spiritual thought.” He looked at Rome’s grandfather. “Forgive me, Lawrence. So, what did you want to tell me about the alliance?” He waved at his guest chairs and they sat, though Rome really perched.

  Thank gods Lawrence started, because Rome couldn’t have gotten a word out of his mouth if his life depended on it—and it did.

  “Benedetto, you’re aware that marriage is absolute according to wolf law.”

  “I’m counting on it. That’s why I want to get them married as soon as possible. Once that’s behind us, Gerard can deal with the reality.”

  “You’re also aware that the Havilland son, Jules, is to be married to Donald Anderson?”

  His father sighed softly. “Of course I know that, Lawrence. I also know that they’ve moved up the timetable, and that’s why we have to act fast. I don’t want Anderson hooked into the Havilland pack any more than he is.”

  Lawrence glanced at Rome and frowned. “Yes, that’s why we want to speak to you.”

  Benedetto glanced at his watch. “I don’t mean to be impatient, but what’s this about? You’re not telling me anything new.”

  “As you know, gay marriage is legal.” He leaned forward in his chair, and Rome’s heart slammed.

  “In the United States, idiot country that it is, maybe, but this is Dark Harbor. Our law makes no provisions—”

  A loud slamming bang on the door made them all gasp.

  “What the hell—?”

  The door burst open and Anthony ran in, red in the face and sweating. “Ty Montgomery caught Merrick with Yolanda. They’re fighting.”

  Rome leaped to his feet. “Shit! Merrick. Where is he?”

  “Outside the fence by the club.”

  Which meant no one from the club was likely to interfere with the fight.

  Benedetto scowled. “What the hell was Merrick doing there?”

  “He said he was taking her there so she could blend back in with the Havillands.”

  Rome didn’t wait to hear more. He ran out the door and leaped into his car. His foot pressed the accelerator the second the door closed, and he screeched through the Siracusa sector toward the club.

  Blocks before the club, pack members ran down the sidewalks, all headed the same way. Right. Bad news traveled fast. The first major fight between a Havilland and a Siracusa was big bad news.

  Sick feeling about this. Merrick was a good fighter, but Ty was mean as hell and maybe, just maybe, had some advantage over Merrick.

  Too many cars clogged the driveway toward the club. Rome pulled over the red curb onto the grass, scattering pedestrians, stopped the car, leaped out, and locked it as he ran toward the fence. Crowds had gathered, but he pushed through, bumping wolves as he went. Angry voices raised in objection until people saw who he was; then they made way. Everyone knew Rome, and everyone knew Merrick was his best friend.

  When he burst through the last line of onlookers, he stopped, a bolt of fear shooting from his belly into his heart. Ty and Merrick circled each other, neither of them looking even slightly like they were kidding. Blood poured from Merrick’s nose and eye. Ty appeared unmarked. Weirdly, two Havilland males held Yolanda, who struggled against them, baring her teeth. “Ty, get the fuck away from him. I told you it was my choice to be with him.”

  Ty narrowed his eyes. “As if I care. This asshole knew the consequences when he dared lay a hand on my sister.”

  Yolanda shrieked. “You don’t own me, you idiot!”

  Merrick used that instant to leap toward Ty and throw a right hook. Ty instantly blocked the punch and powered one of his own, catching Merrick hard in the gut until he staggered backward and vomited bile.

  Ty’s move was so fast, pack members around Rome gasped and whispered. Right. No way that asshole was using regular wolf speed and thrust. Dangerous. Merrick tried to pull himself together, circling as Ty padded in the opposite direction, but Merrick’s skin was gray. Blood ran in rivulets down his jaw and dripped on his torn shirt.

  Rome’s fists clenched and the muscles in his jaw jumped, but so far it was one-on-one with no weapons, so wolf law said no interference. If Ty happened to be alpha, so what? That’s how alphas kept their power.

  Ty clearly saw his advantage, jumped forward, and slammed his fist upward under Merrick’s chin, snapping his head back so hard Rome heard the sound. So did everyone else. Havillands cheered, Siracusas growled, and members of other packs groaned at what had to be shocking pain. Merrick truly staggered now and crumpled.

  Holy shit!

  Yolanda screamed and ripped herself from the hold of the two Havillands. She leaped into the center of the circle and threw herself at her brother, landing on his back and literally biting and scratching.

  “Yolanda, gods! Get off me. Quit it.” He thrashed and threw her on her back, but it became clear she wasn’t totally overmatched. She leaped to her feet, moving like smoke, and her slaps and punches did real damage. Ty almost cowered. Damn, an alpha female. The whole crowd murmured and gasped.

  Ty backed up but Yolanda kept coming, punching and kicking. He bared his teeth, his skin rippling with the urge to shift, but every time he slapped her, she hit him back harder. His yells became shouts of pain and fury until he stepped in, grabbed her smaller, lighter body, raised her over his head, and threw her into the crowd.

  Merrick, barely conscious in the arms of two pack members, moaned, “No. Yolanda. No.” He staggered to his feet, flailing his arms.

  Ty grabbed Merrick around the throat, shifted his hold, and raised him overhead, then threw him toward where Yolanda had landed. “You want her? Go be with her!”

  Merrick fell to the ground and folded like a broken doll.

  Like a blaze of fire, red heat flamed in front of Rome’s eyes. He stalked into the circle. “Want to take on someone your own size, asshole?”

  Chapter Seventeen

  BLOOD boiling took on new meaning. Heat flowed under Rome’s skin like lava beneath the surface of the earth. Ty turned toward him and must have seen, because his breath caught. No one else could have heard it. Rome could.

  Somewhere behind him a voice said, “Rome, no. Stop.” Give no shits. He stalked and circled. No one else had guessed, but Ty knew. It was all over his face. His eyes widened. Fear? His hands clenched hard and he swallowed convulsively, tripping on a rock as Rome just kept coming.

  Almost flailing, Ty jumped forward and threw a punch. Rome blocked it and thrust his fist, short, hard, and deadly, into Ty’s solar plexus, once, twice, three times before Ty fell back, gasping for air.

  “Give up, Ty.” Rome stayed where he was in case Ty wanted to comply. As if.

  Ty leaped across the space and slammed a fist into the side of Rome’s head, catching his ear, but Rome roundhouse kicked and caught Ty full in the gut. The sound of air escaping preceded the vomit that poured from Ty’s open mouth.

  “I said give up!”

  Still doubled over, Ty narrowed his eyes. His hand shot behind his back and then he jumped toward Rome, a knife in his hand reflecting the sun.

  Wolves leaped back and shouted, “No!”

  “Not fair.”

  Two Siracusas started toward Ty, but four Havillands grabbed them. There were far more Havillands in the crowd, partly because there were more Havillands to begin with, and also because Siracusas were being gathered to prepare for Rome’s wedding—though they didn’t know it.

  But bottom line, nobody was saving Rome from Ty’s knife.

  Ty swiped and slashed as Rome ducked and countered. Rome kicked madly and slammed into Ty’s arm. With a yell, Ty dropped the knife, but pounced on it fast and rolled, so he jumped up still holding it.

  Shit. Ty’s arm slammed down and Rome’s white shirt ripped, turning red along the cut. Rome twirled away, but Ty ran after him until Rome crashed into a wall of Havillands who pushed him back toward Ty.

  As Rome stumbled forward, the blade descended straight toward Rome’s heart.

  Someone screamed.

  Heat flashed through Rome’s head as he thrust his arm toward the knife—and stabbed Ty straight through the forearm with his claws.

  Females shrieked. Some males too. Then the whole crowd became silent—as Ty stood there and bled, still connected to the claws on Rome’s single shifted hand.

  He’d just displayed a level of alpha advantage even his father couldn’t match.

  Fuck.

  The silence morphed into whispers.

  “Rome Siracusa is alpha.”

  “I didn’t know that was possible.”

  “Wow. That’s scary.”

  “Somebody help Ty, for fuck’s sake!”

  A Havilland male took a step toward Rome, and Rome bared his teeth. “Back up, asshole.” He turned toward Ty and slowly released the shift. The claws dissolved as they let go of the arm, and Ty fell to the ground. Rome jerked his head, and the Havilland male grabbed Ty and dragged him out of the circle.

  Rome just stood there, breathing hard, and staring at the wide-eyed pack members who gazed at him with fear and suspicion. He called, “Is Merrick okay?”

  “He’s pretty messed up, Rome. He needs a doctor.”

  “Then get him one.”

  As the Siracusas gently lifted Merrick and began to carry him away, a scuffling sound came from behind Rome.

  “Get your hands off me.” It was Yolanda.

  Rome turned to see two Havilland males trying to drag Yolanda away and getting the bad end of it. He snarled, “Leave her alone. She can go where she wants.”

  “No, she can’t.”

  Who the fuck? Rome turned and watched Donald Anderson walking from the crowd, hauling Jules beside him. Jules looked frantic, but two Havilland males walked beside him and more of their pack closed in behind. Jules gave Rome wide eyes and a slight shake of the head. What did he know?

  Anderson paused a few feet from Rome. “So, I see all kinds of theatrics have been occurring. But it’s a waste of talent, Siracusa, because I’m the one you have to deal with when it comes to Havilland matters, and I say Yolanda needs to return to her home and get some rest—under careful supervision. Perhaps she thought she could find a solution to the weakness of the Havilland pack, but that’s been handled. I’m sure we can put a female of her skills to good use.”

  Yolanda hissed, “Get over yourself, asshole. You’re nobody’s alpha.”

  Anderson stared at her, an amused turn to his lips but his eyes were icy. “Perhaps I can’t perform silly magic tricks with my hands, but believe me, I can out-alpha any alpha in Dark Harbor.” He thrust his jaw forward. “Take her to the mansion.”