Page 47 of Broken Wolf Heart (Mafia Pack #3)

LEXI

Two weeks later

T he sign above the door still reads Altobello’s, but only until a new one is ordered.

Crow says he hasn’t decided on the new name yet, but I catch him scribbling things in a little notebook he keeps in the kitchen—recipes, ideas, possible contenders.

Andy swears she saw “Crow’s Nest” written at the top of the page the other day.

He denies it. Razor says he’ll boycott if it sticks.

Mia suggested “La Famiglia,” but Dutch said that sounded like a pasta sauce.

Crow called him an uncultured idiot and threw a breadstick at him.

For now, it’s enough that the place smells like fresh bread and garlic, not strippers and cigars.

Tonight, the restaurant glows in the warm light of dusk. The dining room is empty except for us—our found family—seated around two pushed-together tables near the windows. The glass is new, after the explosion across the street blew them all out. The street outside is quiet.

Safe.

Bobby is at the bar, polishing glasses. Claire is bustling between the kitchen and our table, topping off drinks, stealing bites from Razor’s plate, and teasing Crow mercilessly about his inability to run this place without her.

“You missed the garlic on table three,” she says, even though there is no table three tonight.

“Keep talking back, and I’ll demote you to dishwasher,” Crow warns.

“You’d have to pay me first,” Claire shoots back.

“I do pay you.”

She winks. “Is that what that envelope full of ones was?”

Snickers and hoots follow that. Then more jokes. Laughter breaks across the table, the sound of it like sunlight in my ears.

I watch it all, soaking it in. It’s the first time I’ve ever seen Crow genuinely relaxed. There’s no edge to his voice, no shadow under his eyes. It’s almost like peace. He wears it well.

Across from me, Dutch sits next to Andy, their shoulders brushing every few minutes, and each time it happens, Andy pretends not to notice while blushing so hard I’m worried she’ll combust. Dutch keeps passing her bites off his plate like a love-struck idiot.

“I swear, if you two don’t stop making heart eyes while I eat these cannoli, I’m leaving,” Mia says, pointing her fork at them.

“I’m not making heart eyes,” Andy protests.

Dutch just smirks and holds out his last bite for Andy.

Razor leans back and mutters, “Whipped.”

But Dutch just gives him a shit-eating grin and says, “It’s called romance, Razor. Look it up.”

“I think I’ll pass and retain my dignity,” Razor fires back.

Grey chuckles beside me, his hand resting on my knee under the table. Every time he looks at me, I feel like I can breathe a little easier. Like maybe, just maybe, the storm is finally passing.

“We should do this every week,” Mia says, refilling her wine. “Dinner. Laughter. Light trauma bonding.”

“I’m in,” I say.

“Okay, but only after I’ve hired some help for the kitchen,” Crow adds, wiping flour off his apron as he finally takes a seat to dig into his own plate. “You guys are pigs.”

“My wolf resents that remark,” Razor says.

“Your wolf resembles that remark,” Mia corrects.

Razor throws his napkin at her.

The jokes keep coming, the food keeps disappearing, and for a while, it really does feel like we made it. Like the city is finally ours.

It’s been two weeks since Vincenzo’s lab fell.

Like, literally the building came down a few minutes after we all made it out.

Vincenzo’s body was never recovered in the rubble, and I can see the way it fucked with Grey the way it all ended with his father.

Or, more accurately, I can feel it. But I’m hoping it’ll heal with time.

Since then, most of Vincenzo’s loyalists have either gone into hiding or surrendered. The next step for the ones in custody will be exile. As soon as we find a hex witch who can help us gain control of the wards. Davina wasn’t in the lab, and no one has been able to find any trace of her since.

The other hex witches left in the city have all disappeared too, though no one knows why. I tell myself it’s a good thing. Davina was a prisoner, and now she’s free. She deserves to be left alone. They all do.

Besides, we have our hands full with other things.

Elections are scheduled for next month—a mayoral race and a council of delegates that will provide oversight on budgeting and city policy.

Grey and I plan to keep out of the governance of the city, especially in the ways that Vincenzo and Franco weaponized for so many years.

In the interim, money has already been reallocated.

Schools are being repaired. New after-school programs are launching, the kind that keep kids off the streets and give them something to believe in.

Crow’s restaurant is even donating meals to local shelters once a week. Shelters I hope to volunteer at just like I used to do before coming to Indigo Hills. Serena, Grey’s mom, is heading up the non-profit efforts. She’s invited me to come help, and I plan to take her up on it.

I promoted Donahue and Camila to team leaders—we’re not using the term generals anymore—so they share an equal position with Andy, Mia, Dutch, Razor, and Crow. We hold meetings now. Actual meetings. With agendas. And donuts. Razor keeps showing up late and eating all the glazed.

We’ve been rebuilding from the inside out. It’s starting to feel more and more like family, a feeling that’s less and less foreign with each passing day.

A knock on the restaurant door pulls me from my thoughts.

Razor calls out, “We’re closed!”

But the knock comes again.

Grey and Dutch exchange a look.

“I’ll get it,” Razor grumbles.

He pushes to his feet and stalks to the door, turning the lock and yanking the door wide. Whoever’s on the other side has him reaching out. He grabs them with a grunt and spins to face us.

“Uh, guys, anyone know who this is?” he asks.

No one speaks up.

When I see who it is, I jump up, recognition and fear hitting me in equal parts. “Violet?”

She’s bruised. One eye swollen, her lip split. It’s clear she can’t stand up without Razor’s help. The scent of blood radiates from her human body, and my wolf whines at the way she’s been beaten.

She manages to lift her head and meet my eyes. “Hi, Lexi.”

“What happened to you?” I ask, my voice cracking as my heart breaks for my friend and what she’s clearly been through. Whoever did this to her will pay.

“I’m supposed to deliver a message,” she whispers, the effort of talking clearly causing her more pain.

I go cold. “What message?”

“There’s one more alpha you forgot to include… when you took the city for yourselves… and he’s pissed.”

“Who?” Grey asks, appearing beside me, voice low and dangerous.

Blood trickles down Violet’s chin as she says, “Ramsey. And he’s coming for you. Starting with the people you love.” Her eyes water as she says, “Starting with me.”

Then she passes out in Razor’s arms.