Free Return of the Real Italian Alphas by Bonnie Burrows

“Over time I have learned that not all werewolves are evil. That they are not spawned of Satan as once I thought, but they too have a special purpose on this Earth. It is only those like Lupo, who let their powers go to their heads and commit atrocities as a result, who are truly evil. Justice will be exacted upon him by the will of God.”
    Their little side conversation was interrupted by a large pair of claws slashing at their faces. “Join the party, boys,” said the owner with a toothy grin.
    “With pleasure,” Gabriel told him, and shot him right in the face.
    The body fell backwards and transformed back into a man. Gabriel didn’t know him. Nor did he care, he just started shooting every enemy in sight, wolfed out or not. His bullets joined those of the others until all but one enemy had fallen. But this last one was running for the elevator at full speed.
    “Stop him!” Rico shouted. “He’s going to tell Lupo we’re here.”
    “And you don’t think he knew that already?” Gabriel pointed out, but he still shot the guy anyway. “Lupo probably knows exactly what we’re doing right this second, you know that. We’re in his world now.”
    “Just because he knows that we’re coming doesn’t mean he knows that we are here,” Rico pointed out. “But I’m still trying to work out how he knows what he does. Unfortunately, I don’t like the ideas that I’m coming up with in the least.”
    “Bugged the plane?” Gabriel suggested.
    “There is that,” Rico agreed. “Or it could have a homing beacon on it. Probably both. But that wouldn’t have told him he needed a bigger number of guards than usual to wait down here because of our increased numbers. Somehow he knows more than we expected him to. Desmond, you’re sure the pilot was properly disposed of?”
    “As sure as I can be,” the man replied. “Maybe there’s a snitch at your complex.”
    “Or maybe you told him?”
    “Why would I do that?” Desmond protested. “I’ve been trying my damnedest to keep Gabriel’s kids safe from the man. Why would I then turn around and rat Gabriel out?”
    “Money? Goods? A cushy new job?”
    “Never,” said Desmond. “Loyalty is greater than any amount of that stuff.”
    “Are you wearing a wire, Desmond?” Rico persisted. “I’ll bet anything that you are.”
    “No!” he insisted. “I would never willingly help Lupo like that.”
    “Not even to save your own life?”
    Desmond was shaking his head, but sweat had begun to bead on his face, and he pulled at the uncomfortable tightness of his collar around his neck. Rico tore open the front of his shirt and pulled the wire free. He tossed it down and smashed it under his still wolf-like foot and snarled viciously.
    “Leave him alone, Rico,” Gabriel said then. “He’s the only one who knows where our daughter is. He had to stay alive if he wanted to keep her safe. I would have done the same thing. Besides, it doesn’t really matter if Lupo knows that we are here. It’s much more important that we reach him than it is that he is aware of the attempt.”
    Without another word, Rico turned away again. “The elevator is designed to hold ten people at a time tops. I think in this case we should send up the fighters first so they can clear out half of the problem before we even arrive.”
    “Desmond, you can lead the first team,” said Rico with finality. “If you’re truly as loyal as you say you are, you’ll make sure they do a good job.”
    “All right,” he replied. “Gabriel, if I don’t see you again, look for a woman named Esrelda Gomez. She is keeping Maria safe. You must tell her you were sent by her little wolf-man. That’s the only way she’ll tell you anything.”
    “Thank you for everything, Desmond,” Gabriel said then. “I hope that you will still be alive when we reach the top and we can go retrieve my daughter together.”
    Half the group split off from the rest of it and entered the elevator. It remained fully