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Fucking snake. “Yeah, yeah, the company will pay his medical bills and he’ll receive a very generous solstice bonus this year. Is that everything then?”

She put her glasses back on and leaned forward in her chair, tilting her head slightly. “If you don’t want the directors’ meetings to be full of sexist alpha males, then you need to start including some betas and females. And…” she held up her hand to stop me from interrupting as I opened my mouth. “I don’t mean Marlowe. I have no doubt she’s a smart, capable shifter, but it’s just going to look like nepotism—at least until she’s put in some time here and proven herself. In the meantime, if you’re actually interested, I can put together a short list of candidates that have been recommended for promotion and have received glowing reviews from their supervisors.”

I ran my tongue along the bottom of my teeth in thought. As much as I’d like Marlowe to work with me, there was so much of our future we hadn’t really gotten the chance to discuss yet. Did she even want a job here? I alone could easily foot the bill if she wanted to stay at home, so between the five of us—well, six, including her inheritance—she’d never have to work another day in her life, if that was her choice.

But regardless, Jordan’s reasoning was sound and fair. And the last thing I wanted was to create more animosity towards Marlowe by handing her a job she hadn’t earned or wasn’t qualified for, even if she’d be amazing at it. “Okay, let’s do that. We can start once we return to the office next month. Can I go now?”

Jordan awkwardly gestured towards the door. “Yeah, you’re the boss.”

I nodded and walked back to my office, ignoring the pinprick on the back of my neck from the feeling of people watching me.

Isaac had probably been wheeled out on a stretcher down this hall, so of course, everyone likely knew what had happened.

Patricia was already waiting by my door. “Is it true? Did you beat the crap out of Isaac?”

She had worked at the company longer than I had. As a kid, I’d come in sometimes with my dad after school, after my mom passed, and Patricia would let me sit at her desk and color or do my homework. She was the one who had taken me to the kitchen and found me treats, and had let me make copies and shred documents when that had seemed like the most fun thing to do in the world.

So her disappointment always hit the hardest when I’d fucked up. I swallowed and looked down at the floor. “Yes, I did. He said something vile about Marlowe I don’t wish to repeat.”

I braced myself for one of her trademarked “I’m not mad, I’m disappointed” sighs but instead Patricia patted me on the cheek. “Good boy. James and your father would be proud.”

12

EZRA

King Alaroth’s long, silver hair was braided today. He sat shirtless in his throne, his pale skin and chiseled muscles making him look like a carved Renaissance statue come to life. Various necklaces hung down his chest, and he cooed at the two-headed black snake crawling across his shoulders and down his arm.

“What news do you bring me today, Ezra?”

I rose to my feet from my position of supplication on the floor, folding my hands behind my back. “Word of my skills and Marlowe’s pack’s ability to shift has spread, Your Majesty. Shifters and vampyrs alike are suspicious, and I worry for her safety.”

His eyes remained on his pet, flicking his tongue and smiling. “Yes, I suppose they would be. Fools, what did they expect would happen after they cursed the portals? Within a few generations they’ll be just as powerless and weak as humans. Serves them right, as far as I’m concerned.”

It was well past breakfast, and half his court was still sleeping off the effects of last night’s festivities, while the other half had never stopped celebrating. I sidestepped as a female reached for my cock, letting her fall in a drunken mess at my feet.

Alpha knots still fascinated these fae endlessly. When the royal seer first delivered the prophecy about me and Marlowe almost a thousand years ago, the king had begun rounding the shifters up to ensure the crown could inspect any twin pups as soon as they were born. A few managed to escape the shifter camps over the years in the Earthen realm, such as my parents, but most of them still lived incontained havens, far from the types of people living here at the capital.

“Will my beloved be ready to make the crossing soon?” the King asked, glancing longingly at the empty throne beside him. “I’m so tired of waiting.”

“Yes, Your Majesty,” I replied. “I can feel the Aetherium building inside her. It won’t be long until she’s ready to access it.”

“Excellent. And have you brought me my token?”

Something didn’t sit right with me about his request, and it felt like pimping out my sister. Then a sharp pain ripped through my skull, and I clutched my temples and winced.

Alaroth’s gaze narrowed. “Something the matter, alpha?”

Was something the matter? What had I been thinking about? Oh, right, the token.

I turned and nodded to the guard holding a small chest. He brought it to me, and I took it the rest of the way, kneeling on the edge of the dais as I opened the lid and presented my gift to him.

The king snatched the scarf out, bringing it to his nose and breathing deeply. “Oh… oh my.” His aqua irises disappeared as his pupils dilated. “This is the most exquisite thing I have ever scented.” His hand slowly began stroking the growing erection in his pants, and I held my breath to keep from vocalizing my disgust, my head beginning to throb.

It had always been difficult watching males lust after my sister, and now that she was off the hormone suppressants, I was going to have to get used to the way fae-born creatures reacted to her potent perfume.

Thankfully I was immune, otherwise things would be really awkward. She just smelled comforting to me.

The King snapped his fingers at an omega concubine and pointed at his cock. The female rushed over, giddily removing it from his pants and lifting her skirts to slide on top. He closed his eyes, breathing in my sister’s lingering scent with the scarf in one hand, the other holding the female’s waist as she rode him into oblivion.