Page 1 of Celestial Alphas (Nexus #2)
SEVERI
E verything screams “I’m better than your race” in this shitty, bright and rich city. I aimlessly wander around the frigid office, which is a snug room filled mostly with a supercilious desk that no doubt cost thousands. The rich wooden desk matches the endless bookcases, the rich brown leather chairs, and the old navy rug under my muddy boots. It smells like the potted plant in the corner, which is half-dead. I use one of my powers to make it grow and heal, turning the brown leaves into a vibrant green and blooming a white peace lily flower in the centre. The fragrance of the flower chases away the stale smell in here as the door slams open behind me, and an angry Nexus stomps in.
My body tenses. “Where’s the daughter?” the Supreme Alpha growls, his new title thanks to me, and the fucker seems to have forgotten that tiny fact. He looks at me like I’m a young kid unable to follow commands. Little does he know he is the pawn in this game, just as much as I am. We both always have been, but the queen is on the board now, and it’s time to make sure she lives at the end. “I know your kind struggle with self-control, but I don’t want Annie hurt. She is a powerful bargaining chip, even with her father dead.”
I cock my head to the side; my dark hair is cut short now, and I’m not sure I like it. “She won’t be a problem. Annie will be kept alive and well.”
His shoulders drop in his pricey dark suit. I would put money on him actually caring about Annie. Interesting. He sits down, the most powerful man in Starlight City, and he doesn’t look it. He looks like a complete and utter asshole. But one that will be useful to me…for now. This dipshit can get me near her, without those stupid other mates in the way. They are as good as dead when I track them down. They didn’t protect her. The fucking fools. “Good. I want weekly photo updates of her. I’ll let you into the prisons once at night to visit Gwenieve, like you desire, but do not kill her.”
I nearly blanch at the thought. Kill her? Fuck no. I’m not a danger to her here, but she hates me, and she should. Fuck, I hate myself for the past. For not being stronger.
The asshole is still talking. “You’ll get about two free hours, but only up to the trial, which is next week. After the trial, they’ll decide to kill her because there won’t be another option. She is too dangerous to our kind, and we never take change well. Once they see the footage of the house and the warehouse…and the murders, nothing will change their mind.”
They won’t get that far. No one will. The asshole continues, “I’ll make it look like she’s dead, then you can have her. We both agree that she’s better off with you. For our plans going forward it has to be like this. But, in exchange for her, you will wear a rune from me that keeps Starlight and its people safe from your kind. You can have everything else, but our city is untouched.”
I smirk, leaning on the wall in the shadows. “As long as she is mine and you make sure she hates the others…then we have an agreement. She’s my mate.”
“She’s a Nexus, and your kind do not have mates with us.” He can’t hide the disgust in his voice, even when the fucker is lying. He knows the truth, and all the lies in this city are disgusting.
“You sure that’s all she is?” I walk over, pressing my fists on the table as I lean down. “Careful labelling my mate…she is far more than you know.”
His eyes flash with fear, and I know it’s enough to make him second-guess hurting her. It’s the best I can do for now. She hates me. She’s always going to fucking hate me because she doesn’t know the truth, but some time with her…perhaps she will…fuck, I don’t know. I walk to the door, but he stands from his seat. “Wait!” I look over my shoulder, boredom etched across my face, a look I’ve perfected. “I’ll need the Vian that you promised. I have several councilmen that could do with being disposed of overnight, as they are asking too many questions. They have interesting powers that you might make use of if you want to do it yourself.”
He is vile. Betraying his own kind. I don’t let him see my true feelings on the matter. “I will send my commanders. They always like to collect powers, and I’m picky.”
The fucker doesn’t let me leave. “Does your father know you’re here? He hates our kind, but you working with me was always a bit of a surprise, boy.”
My blood runs cold at the thought of my father. If he knew I found Gwen again…game over for all of us. We are all lucky he doesn’t watch me that closely anymore. “No. But he would do anything to get to her, and he will be happy when I bring her to him.”
It’s just a lie. Everything I say is a fucking lie. I don’t remember the last time I didn’t lie. One day, she’ll know the truth, and then it won’t matter. It can’t. This can’t be all for nothing. “I’ll be back at nightfall.” I walk to the door and let a power I picked up years ago pull me through time and space like stepping through a door, until I’m outside the city limits. I stand on a hill, watching the massive city stretched out for miles in the burning sunlight that affects my kind but not me. The city is beautiful… Shame it will be nothing but dust soon.