Page 108 of Rejected By the Shifter King

“I’ve found a mate whose compatibility score would be an asset to our pack.”

“We really need to work on your choice of words,” Brandy said with a wince. “Will it kill you to say that you’re in love with your mate?”

“I’m not.”

“You and Alphonse are more alike than you think.” Brandy looked at him soberly. “It’s only a matter of time before Vaughn also finds out Samira. He’s not thinking clear lately, and I’m worried he might think of harming her, to keep you from becoming more powerful.”

“I’ll have someone tail Vaughn.” While Hexius would never let anything or anyone harm Samira, only an idiot would fail to appreciate being forewarned.

“How...how did Alphonse react to the news?”

“He told Samira to turn me down.”

“Hewhat?”

“He’s still convinced I’m in love with you, and the only reason we’re not married is out of misplaced loyalty to him.”

“That idiot!” Brandy threw her hands up and started pacing the length of his living room. “I’ve tried everything to make him listen to me, but he’s just so stubborn.”

Hexius was starting to get impatient. Not once in his life had he desired to be a therapist to idiots, not even to the two people he had grown up with. But before he could tell Brandy to stop wasting his time—

“I think I’ve got it,” Brandy suddenly exclaimed. “Since trying to talk sensibly to him all this time hasn’t worked, I think I’m going to pretend I’ve lost my memories, and then I’ll act all vulnerable and make it hard for him to resist me.”

What the—

Brandy blew him a kiss. “I knew I could count on you. Thank you!”

Hexius pinched the bridge of his nose once Brandy was out of his home.

That woman, dammit...

That woman was proof that God existed, and he now knew he had escaped a fate worse than death, not to be married to the kind of idiot Brandy turned out to be. The sooner she and Alphonse sorted out their mess, the better.

His chest felt noticeably lighter as he headed down the hallway, and all he wanted to do was lose himself in his future wife’s body.Tomorrow, Hexius decided. Tomorrow, they would go toL’Allianceand—

What the hell?

Samira was not in his office, and the broken bottle of professional scent remover automatically made her untraceable for the next few hours. Even worse was when he accessed his home’s security system, saw her accidentally discovering the messages on his phone, which was then compounded by seeing Brandy in his living room, touching his cheek like a returning lover—

Merde.

He accessed the vicinity cameras outdoors next, and that was when he saw...

Alphonse.

His fingers shook as he made the call, his chest gripped by emotions he could not name. All he could think of at that moment was how vengeful his brother had been lately, and how desperate straits could lead to desperate measures.

If anything happened to Samira...

If anyone were to hurt his future wife...

Even if that someone was his own brother...

“That took longer than expected,” were Alphonse’s first words upon answering his call.

“Where is she, damn you?”

“Tell me, brother.”