"We know the territory and the pack," Zayden added.
"I don't want you to go!" Queen Lilah stood and gripped the table edge with white knuckles. "They almost killed you once! This time, they might finish the job!"
"Lilah, we're fighters. It's what we were born to do." Zayden leaned down and kissed her cheek. "Sorry, but that's our final decision."
"Sorry, Lilah," Zayne echoed and kissed her other cheek. "Ranger may be her mate, but we need toseeJunie to know she's safe and well."
Luke put his arm around the queen's shoulders, and she sank into the comfort he offered her.
"Be careful, you two hellions," he told them.
"Ariel said her cousins accept your help," Tristan told the Maxwell twins. "Apparently, their flock has an alliance with the king."
"Who all is in her flock, anyway?" Matthew asked. "Do you need a second vehicle?"
"Besides Ariel and her sister, there's her eldest cousin Angelo, his sister Sara, and their cousin Marie. And they don’t need another vehicle. Sara and Marie shifted to their bird forms and flew ahead. Angelo is going to pick them up along the way."
"Wait. Angelo? Angelodel Vecchiois her cousin?" Luke clarified.
"Angelo del Vecchio!" shouted Zayne, Zayden, and Crew.
I jumped, startled by their volume.
"How do you know him?" Tristan asked.
"You know him, too," Crew smirked. "You just don'tknowyou know him."
"Well? Who is he?" Matthew demanded.
"He's better known asAngelodella Morte,"Luke said.
"Dude! For real? And he's cominghere?" Matthew squeaked.
"What?" I looked at Crew. "What's that mean?"
"It's a play on his name.Angelo della Mortemeans angel of death," he said. "Angelo del Vecchio has gained a reputation in the supernatural community for taking care of those who ... don't want to play nicely with others anymore."
"What, like rogues?" My forehead wrinkled in confusion.
"Among others," Luke explained. "Vampires, warlocks, sasquatches. I even heard he took out adragona couple years ago, although I think that's an exaggeration."
"But Ariel said he's almost human," I said with a frown. "How does he stand a chance against shifters, let alone magic users?"
"Same way human hunters do," Zayne grinned. "Silver bullets when hunting wolves, garlic-soaked stakes for vamps, all that old-school stuff, plus the advantage of his cousins making him amulets for magical resistance and protection."
"And his reflexes are insane. He might not be a true shifter, but he moves like one," Zayden added.
"Then it's fortunate the king has an alliance with him, right?" I asked.
"It is, indeed," Crew agreed.
"Well, I don't like this," Queen Lilah sighed, "but at least you're going in with allies. I'll let Julian know that you're coming."
"Thanks, cousin," Zayne and Zayden again spoke as one.
Five minutes later, a huge silver SUV came roaring up the drive, and the twins flew out the door. I followed, which meant my three betas did, too, and the queen and Luke tagged along.
As Zayne and Zayden ran for the vehicle, the driver's side window zoomed down and a guy's head popped out.