Page 30 of Lured By the Cartel

Fuck. The Albanians too? Of course this was happening now. The muscles in my jaw clenched as I processed the information. "Casualties on their side?"

"Four confirmed dead, but they're still pushing. They're targeting the warehouse district, specifically the arms depot." Antonio's eyes darted to Lucas before returning to me. "They're testing us, boss. With the DeLuca situation, they probably think we're vulnerable."

A growl rumbled in my chest. We weren't vulnerable. These fucking vultures, always circling, always waiting for a momentof perceived weakness. "Get the cars ready. I want our best men assembled in ten minutes."

"Marco?" Lucas's voice was small, uncertain. I turned to him, noting the fear in his eyes.

"It's okay, love. I need to handle this, but you'll be safe here. I've doubled the security, and-"

Lucas suddenly doubled over, a pained gasp escaping his lips. My heart stopped as he clutched his stomach, face contorted in agony. What was happening?

"Lucas?" I caught him as his knees buckled, panic rising in my throat. "What's wrong?"

"It... it hurts," he whimpered, and then I smelled it—the distinct scent of his waters breaking. No. No, no, no. Not now. It was too early. I wasn't ready.

"Get Dr. Morris here NOW!" I roared, scooping Lucas into my arms. Antonio was already on his phone, barking orders as I carried Lucas inside.

"Boss," another of my men appeared in the doorway. "The situation in the East is escalating. They're moving on the second warehouse."

"FUCK!" I wanted to break something, preferably several Albanian necks. Instead, I focused on getting Lucas to our bedroom, laying him carefully on the bed as another contraction hit him.

"Marco," he grabbed my hand, squeezing hard. "Don't leave. Please."

The panic in his voice tore at my heart, but my phone was already buzzing with updates from the territory dispute. My men needed direction, needed their leader. The Albanians were counting on me being distracted—and they were right, damn them. They also got lucky with my omega giving birth right now.

"Dr. Morris is ten minutes out," Antonio reported from the doorway. "But boss... we're losing ground in the East. They've breached the perimeter of the second warehouse."

I ran a hand through my hair, fury, and frustration building inside me. Years of carefully maintained control and territory management were at risk of crumbling because these bastards thought they could take advantage of this moment. And if we didn't do something soon, they might get everything they wanted.

Lucas cried out again, his grip on my hand tightening. The omega in distress called to every alpha instinct I possessed, demanding I stay, protect, and comfort. But the boss in me knew that if I didn't handle this situation now, everything I'd built would be at risk—the very empire I needed to keep Lucas and our child safe.

"Marco," Antonio pressed, "we need a decision."

"I know!" I snapped, the weight of leadership never feeling heavier than in this moment. Looking down at Lucas, I saw tears in his eyes, pain and fear that made my chest ache.

Dr. Morris burst through the door a few minutes sooner than I expected, medical bag in hand. "Mr. Rossi, I need to examine him immediately."

Another call came through on my phone—more casualties reported. The Albanians were getting bolder by the minute, thinking my absence meant weakness. It didn't and soon I would prove that.

"Listen to me, love," I cupped Lucas's face, forcing myself to stay calm. "Dr. Morris will take care of you. I need to handle this situation, or everything I've built to protect us will be at risk."

"But-" Lucas's protest was cut off by another contraction.

"Antonio," I barked, "you stay here. You're my eyes and ears. Anything happens, anything at all, you call me." I turned to Dr. Morris. "Keep him safe, or your life is forfeit."

The doctor nodded, already setting up his equipment. He knew that he couldn't fail me.

I pressed a kiss to Lucas's forehead, then his lips. "I'll be back as soon as I can. I promise."

Forcing myself to let go of his hand was one of the hardest things I'd ever done. Each step toward the door felt like I was fighting against my own nature, every fiber of my being screaming at me to stay with my omega.

"Have the cars ready," I ordered as I strode down the hallway, my voice cold with barely contained rage. "The Albanians want to play? Let's show them exactly why nobody fucks with the Rossi family."

Lucas's pained cry echoed behind me, and I had to ball my hands into fists to keep from turning back. The Albanians would pay dearly for this—for making me choose, for daring to challenge me on this of all nights. By morning, they would understand exactly how costly their mistake had been.

But even as I climbed into the waiting SUV, my heart remained in that bedroom, with my mate and our child. God help anyone who stood in my way tonight—I had a territory to defend and a family to return to.

Chapter 15

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