Adrian accompanied Lavinia downstairs when they heard voices in the kitchen.

Berlizzi was awake and strapped to a chair. Two darts dangled from his thigh and arm, but the man still bucked against the restraints and spat when Lavinia entered the room.

Hands already fisted, Adrian moved toward the werewolf before he even realized what he was doing. Lavinia’s gentle touch on his elbow stopped him.

We need him alive. His testimony can bring down the Caliban Clan.

Of course. He pulled her closer to him, and they moved to the opposite end of the kitchen, as far away from the werewolf as possible.

“Did he say anything else?” Lavinia asked, looking at Mark.

“Not yet, but I’m sure I can convince him it would be better if he talked to us,” Mark answered, his stare cold as he looked at the man.

Although Berlizzi attempted to laugh, he looked more subdued than before. It was difficult to judge his expression after what Adrian had done to his face.

“He’s looking at thirty years in a maximum-security jail at the moment,” Mark continued. “And it won’t take long to prove that he is behind Carolina’s murder as well. DNA doesn’t lie.”

The man strained against the chair and managed to give Mark the finger. “Maximum security is like a nice vacation for me.”

“I’ll make sure that you are thrown in vampire gen pop,” Mark said.

The man tried to open his swollen eyelids to no avail. “I’m not a vampire—”

“You are what I write you are in your transfer papers.” Mark crouched in front of the man. “Imagine. Thirty years among vampires. You know what they do to vampire assassins there?”

“They won’t kill you. No, that would be merciful.” Adrian leaned against the wall, cradling Lavinia to his side. “They wait for the full moon when you are stronger, your senses are sharper, and you heal faster. They take time torturing you, cutting you piece by piece. They usually start with your manhood. They do that once a month, every month, for thirty years.”

If he’s the one who killed Carolina, he deserves every bit of it, Lavinia thought.

Adrian dropped a kiss on the top of her head.

The werewolf shook. “You can’t put me in vampire gen. It’s against the law. I have rights—”

“I represent the Directive, and I decide which race you belong to.” Mark turned toward his men. “What do you see here?” he asked them.

“Looks like a vampire to me,” one of the agents answered.

The others promptly agreed.

“You can’t do that,” the werewolf said, sounding less and less sure as he repeated the words.

“Practically done it already.” Mark patted the man’s thigh, making him tremble. “It’s a wrap, men. Let’s go. I need to be in Rome before dawn.”

“Rainier ordered us to torture and kill the girl,” the werewolf said all in one breath.

“Why?” Lavinia’s hands went to her stomach.

Adrian felt her pain and wanted to kill the man for causing it, but Mark subtly shook his head at him.

The werewolf grunted. “The Caliban Clan has been cleaning Rome from half-breeds and vampire lovers for a long time. That slut—” Mark jerked the dart on his thigh, making him moan in pain. “She,” he said, “was seen with both a vampire and a werewolf. We couldn’t permit that. The purity of our race—”

“Spare us the racist propaganda,” Adrian said, sick to his stomach because Lavinia had had enough.

“I discovered where you lived thanks to her,” the werewolf said, his gleeful intention to hurt Lavinia difficult to miss.

Adrian was at the man’s side in a heartbeat. Before he could strike the werewolf, Lavinia asked, “What do you mean?”

Adrian dropped his hands and stepped aside.

Mark played with the dart once again. “Answer the lady.”

“Rainier has been looking for his son for years, but we could never find him. When I smelled a she-wolf’s scent on that girl, I knew who she was right away, because you—” the werewolf’s nostrils flared, and he turned in Lavinia’s direction “—smell very much like a Caliban. I’ve been fighting for the beta position for years, and I knew that if I brought him his son, he would have finally seen that I am worthy of the position.”

A moment of silence followed before Mark said, “We have enough to convict him.” He showed his phone to Adrian and turned off the recording app. “You have just confessed to the murder of Carolina Fini, attempted kidnapping of Lavinia Rossi, breaking and entering—” He listed all the werewolf’s counts before commanding his men to take him to the helicopter.

After saluting Adrian and Lavinia, the Special Unit men filed out, dragging the werewolf by his arms.

“What’s going to happen now?” Lavinia asked when only the three of them were left in the kitchen. “Do you have enough to put Rainier behind bars as well?”

If they don’t, I’ll kill him myself, Adrian thought.

Rome would be a better place without him, but he deserves to rot in a cell, Lavinia said, siding closer against him.

“My recording will build a compelling case against him. Even the Wolf Council won’t be able to obtain an extradition. The Directive will see that the Caliban Clan and their alpha pay for the crimes committed under his orders,” Mark answered. “Contrary to popular belief, we don’t allow hate and racism to go unpunished.”

“Good.” She nodded. “And since you’re at it, see that the Half-Breed Census is abolished, so that people like me don’t suffer racial profiling and constant harassment.”

Mark smiled. “I’m on it already.”

Lavinia finally relaxed her stance, and a genuine smile appeared on her tired face. “Thank you.”

“The Directive is here to serve and protect.” Mark bowed, saluted them, and walked to the door. “You should come with me to speak with Collins, but we don’t have enough room in the helicopter. I’ll send it back tomorrow to give you a lift sometime after lunch.” He winked at Adrian. “I’ll see you in the afternoon at the Directive’s headquarters.”

Adrian smiled at his friend. “We won’t be late.”

He waited for Mark to leave before taking Lavinia in his arms and kissing her.

It’s over, he said telepathically.

Yes, it’s over. I can’t believe it.

We can finally have our honeymoon. He scooped Lavinia up and walked out of the house.

“Where are we going?” she asked, laughing.

“To take a long swim in this beautiful sea where I have every intention to make love to you for hours,” he answered.

“It’s a fantastic plan.” She brought his face close for a long kiss.

Running all the way down to the beach, Adrian whirled her around, making her squeal in delight. “I love it when you laugh,” he said, and promised himself that he would make her laugh more often from now on.

But first, he would make her moan and cry his name for the rest of the night and part of tomorrow.