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“Just had an update that the plane is waiting on the airfield. We’ll be there in twenty minutes,” the pilot said.

Mack closed his eyes.

He was one step closer to Ella.

To think he was a gym owner and personal trainer not long ago. Now look at his life. He was a Moretti warrior, a hybrid wolf shifter and about to bond with the beautiful girl next door that he’d loved all his life.

Only one of those things was on his vision board—which he didn’t actually have.

Pulling out his phone, he flicked through photos of her that he’d taken over many years. Most when she didn’t notice. Sitting on a jetty, kicking her legs. Blowing bubbles with her friends at a pool party when she was wearing a yellow bikini, looking so damn sexy he’d almost left the party.

It hadn’t been easy ignoring his feelings for her.

He was glad he’d had a conversation with his father and said he loved him. Now they were in safer territory, he was able to process what was happening and it was stirring emotions.

Everyone—every fucking one—in the United States was in the firing line. Mack had only overheard what the prince had yelled through the phone, but everyone knew that a nuclear war was catastrophic.

Tears prickled his eyes as he lifted his fist to his forehead and rubbed. He locked gazes with Kurt, who looked just as haunted.

“They’re all going to die.” His voice sounded a little insane even to him.

The SLC nodded.

“And we can’t do anything.”

Logan clamped his hand down on Mack’s arm and squeezed. “Let’s just get to Italy.”

He glanced at Oliver and Ben, who were expressionless.

“It’s not just the US, is it?”

Oliver shook his head.

As Ari’s head assassin, he’d taken over Ben’s role when he became an SLC. They were closer to human politics than the royal army and had been extremely helpful during the past months.

“Nine countries have nukes. Russia, China, and North Korea will partner, leaving the United States, United Kingdom, France, Israel, and India. Then there’s Pakistan.” Oliver shared.

“Fuck me.” Mack felt sick, physically, like he was going to throw up.

“It will happen fast. No one will suffer for more than a split second.” Logan added. “If it’s any consolation.”

“Yeah, but...the planet will be fucked. Species wiped out. Vampires. Humans.”

Kurt kicked out his legs and crossed them. “Yeah, well, if we created it, then we all deserve it. Maybe the next intelligent species will be...more fucking intelligent.”

Mack thought about Ella, about his mom, brother, all the millions of people on the planet who weren’t involved in politics or crime like the Nikolay’s of the world.

They didn’t deserve it.

These powerful people were deciding life for everyone else. It wasn’t right.

Thirty minutes later, they were running up the stairs of the plane. It took another ten minutes to get in the air.

I’m coming Ella.

Mack had never prayed in his life, but he did now.

Please, God, Budda, whoever, please let me get back to her in time.