Invading Alpha Read online

  I woke half lying over Brian again, Jonik spooning my back. We had some easy but very satisfying fun before we got up and showered, ready for the day. I dressed in a suit and packed clothes for a raid in my bag after checking my harness and weapons. It was going to be a bit of a back and forth day with what roles I was playing, so it was smart to be prepared.

  Axel and Eugene had the same idea of spoiling me with awesome breakfast, as a shifter’s stomach pretty much ruled them. The frowns they gave each other showed they didn’t like the other had thought to do the same. Luckily for me, they had gone in different directions.

  Axel had hit up a place he loved, Dough, and had boxes and boxes of awesome donuts to share in all sorts of flavors.

  Eugene had gone to his favorite New York breakfast place, Ess-a-Bagel, and had bags of all sorts of breakfast sandwiches.

  “You are both so my favorite right now,” I groaned, reaching for a donut first as we loaded onto the elevator. I bit into a hibiscus donut, which I would never have thought was good but it was, and I about stuffed the other half into Brian’s mouth, which he found amusing. Next I went for a bacon, egg, and cheese bagel sandwich on an onion bagel. “Oh my god, this is my new favorite breakfast sandwich. I’m not sharing.”

  Carter was quietly outlining the updates and where we had agreed to start right as we got off the elevator.

  “Hugene!” someone greeted loudly.

  Eugene flinched, and I could feel Axel’s unhappiness as well. I followed their gaze and saw a rather large man, a bear shifter my wolf told me, and a group standing with him. The council had sent another team to work with us. Awesome.

  Except apparently the people already working with us weren’t a fan of the team.

  I burst out laughing, forcing it and delayed like I just got it and it was for someone in my group. “I get it. He’s huge. Hugene.” The guy smirked at me like no shit and I was slow to get that. “Wow, that is—did you come up with that all by yourself? Do you tell him he’s got good genes too? Or you’d use that as a pickup line if you had his name, right?” I rolled my eyes and looked at Eugene. “So you know this clown?”

  “Yes, Barry is another team lead,” he answered, giving me a funny look I didn’t understand.

  “Oh, right, like Beary, right?” I snickered, giving another eye roll. “Is that his real name, or is he just the pun fun dork?” I raised an eyebrow when Barry growled at me, flooding the lobby with my power. Immediately he and his team bared their throats to me. “Right, so remember your place. Thanks for the morning chuckles. Eugene is head of the teams since he’s most familiar with New York and we’ve already been over what’s needed.”

  That wasn’t exactly true, but I could tell it was more than dislike coming from Eugene, like the guy had seriously bullied him or something. I couldn’t not turn the tables on the guy then.

  “Alpha, I have the most experience and my team is ranked higher,” he told me firmly.

  “Then you’re old enough to roll with what’s best for the team and situation,” I replied, gesturing to all of us to say we were one big team at the moment. “And you’re ranked lowest with me. I know Axel and Eugene and their teams. I don’t know you. If they give you tasks to help, I know they’ll trust you to get that done. I don’t have time to vet you otherwise. So that’s the deal. If you don’t like it, you can walk out the door you came in through.”

  I walked towards those doors, going back to my bagel sandwich and not even officially greeting them. He wanted to try and pull shit, push me around with rank or whatever crap I didn’t get, he’d learn fast how life really worked.

  I had a moment to realize the fairies were missing as someone opened the door for me… Only to find them all outside.

  “I should have seen this coming,” I chuckled, shaking my head and handing off the rest of my sandwich to Carter. I dipped my head in greeting, doing the whole acknowledging her and her rank while saying we were friends but both powerful.

  “Yes, but you have been busy,” Laila replied, returning my head dip before coming towards me. She kissed my cheek when I hugged the smaller woman. She gestured to the line of vehicles waiting. “Come, let me take some things off your young shoulders. I know you have much to do today, and it will bring you more heartache, but let us start with the good.”

  “Sounds good,” I agreed, nodding to Melicent and her party a few vehicles down. Right, so this was like a whole thing and not something I could brush off for work.

  “We will be quick,” Laila quietly promised. “You need to show your face for the start of this as Alpha.” She waited until I nodded. “Consort Brian and Eugene, ride with us. I would like to spend more time with the men up for being my friend’s mate that her parents have approved of.”

  I went to say something, but noted the surprise coming from people around us. Okay, so she said that for a reason… What I didn’t know.

  At least she answered the moment we were in the SUV and heading to whatever came next. I had my sandwich back along with another few and coffee so I was a bit calmer at least.

  “There has been some confusion as to who your alliances are strongest with,” she told us. “People know Dain mated you, and they wrongly assumed he is your mate and thus—”

  “She’s tightest with the fae,” Eugene filled in, sighing when she nodded. “And we started a ton of crap with people running their mouths about the ploy I was a mating candidate from the council.”

  “Yes, and while unintentional, it has had wonderful consequences, as some of your council who still railed against you and your ways have changed their tune.” She nodded her head when I growled. “Yes, they see it as some way to mate into the family or have one of theirs standing behind all the power as you focus on FBI matters first.”

  Eugene’s eyes filled with rage. “I am loyal to the council, as I believe in order, but I am no one’s puppet. I went to work for them to get away from that. There are several council members I respect and work well with, but I would never do anything behind my mate’s back. Not ever.”

  She gave him a kind look, which worried me. “I believe you, and I can see in your aura that your feelings for Seraphine are true and pure. There is a caste system among shifters even as we have as fae.”

  “And wolves rank low,” I explained for Brian.

  “Yes, but while dire wolves are rare and protected, pushed to make lots of babies because of it, most extra look down on them for letting themselves become close to extinction. It is the same opinion most will have of your gulls you rescued, as if it’s their fault there are not more of them. Rabbits are forgiven, as they have been hunted since forever, but others did not do their duty to their people by keeping the numbers up.”

  “How would they want me to mate a rare dire wolf if I’m infertile?” I blurted, getting there was more to this than I knew.

  “That is not common knowledge,” she said gently. “Plus, those of us who do know believe something can be done with Elder Jezebel’s help or even the pixies I have at court.”

  “I don’t want kids,” I whispered, feeling a bit lightheaded as it got hard to breathe.

  “Hey, hey, Sera, no panicking,” Brian cut in, moving so he was hugging me from behind. “No one’s saying you have to do any of this, babe. Alena and Zeno haven’t put one ounce of pressure on you to mate or have babies. Okay? You’ve got all the time in the world. I’ve had the same crap when I took over the Chicago office, people giving me lectures I needed to marry and settle down with babies for my career.”

  “And I do not want babies with the current climate and worries shifters have,” Eugene added. “Axel is of the same mindset. We wouldn’t even know what species we would have with you. None of that matters to us or most of your men. Babies can come much, much later if it’s meant to be.”

  I felt the confusion coming off of Brian, so I explained. “I can’t have a child with Dain or any fae, nor vampire because their swimmers are undead. No one really knows about witches as it’s a bi
t taboo I think. But shifters, the strongest animal is what the baby is born as. So wolf vs. tiger, it’s a tiger shifter baby. It’s nature’s way of making sure there are as many shifters being born as possible but not crazy mutant animal shifters.”

  “Except you are a siren wolf and from the most powerful bloodline,” Brian surmised. “And I would bet no Dorcus has ever mated with anyone outside of siren wolves.”

  I shrugged. “No idea. I knew Alena and Zeno had mentioned liking the twins as my mates or you if you became a wolf, but they have not said anything more than in passing. Or now that Zeno approved of Eugene. Everything I get from them is noting it, but for later, much later when I can breathe. I want easy and light and some more easy with all the ways I’m being tied down and chained to things in the rest of my life.”

  “Of course, and the people who care know this. Others put the pressure on, but we’re warning you, saying to ignore them,” Laila said gently, covering my hand with hers. “And maybe not let two councilmen pee on you so much.” I blinked at her, and she burst out laughing. “Oh, Seraphine, you are so innocent and kind. Yes, Jonik told me how they showed up and made it clear you were with them.”

  I frowned. “Apollo and I play, he’s visited and we’ve had fun before, but he’s giving protection. I know that.”

  She clucked her tongue. “You know protection comes with ties. He’s trying to strengthen them along with this other councilman so you are more friendly with them than you are with Haton, as many know of your friendship with her.”

  I shrugged. “I like her professionally most times. I don’t know her all that well. I mean, we really only see each other when there’s shit to handle.”

  “But she adores you,” Eugene assured me, smiling when I gave him a surprised look. “You are rather charming, Sera. Yes, she likes you a lot. You also have done a lot for the council that I believe you now understand better. The vampires would prefer you do that for their council.”

  “Oh boy,” I sighed, stuffing the rest of my sandwich in my mouth. “No good deed goes unpunished. I feel like a damn chew toy.”

  “Yes, but I love you too, and I came to remind the vampires of your alliance with the fae,” Laila murmured, squeezing my hand.

  I shrugged. “You I like. You’re my friend. You’re friends with me and the Dorcuses and you don’t pee on us. Plus, we work well together. Stake whatever claim you want.” I was glad when she nodded she understood.

  Glad someone did because it all confused the shit out of me.

  12

  I winced when I saw where we pulled up at, and the second we were out of the vehicle, I pulled Brian off to the side. “So, I know you heard me say I bought a place to build an apartment building and we’re opening another Siren’s Kiss.”

  “What did you forget? I heard greenhouses.”

  “Yeah, but Alena handled all of this, and it’s Alena.”

  “So she went way over the top,” he surmised, nodding. He leaned in and kissed my cheek. “Sera, I already know you’re loaded. I saw the chest of everything and the cases.”

  I swallowed loudly. “That was sort of just the tiny tip of it all. And like really tiny.”

  “How tiny?” He blinked at me a moment and then kissed my lips. “Are you saying we can buy a yacht and sail off into the sunset if everything goes tits up ever?”

  “Yeah, like a fleet of them,” I chuckled, rubbing my neck nervously. “You didn’t see that whole storage unit Noah got for a bunch of Igor’s stuff, but that was just some of it from the main estate. He had… He was over four thousand years old, Bri. People like that don’t get ranked in Forbes magazine or whatever.”

  “Why are you so nervous? I get it. You’re loaded.”

  “We were kind of sneaky,” I admitted, bracing for impact.

  Except he just shrugged. The boy scout shrugged. “If you didn’t break the law, but skirted it on tax shit and business whatever, I don’t care. You get paid less than me and all kinds of everything dumped on you, Sera. You’re giving jobs and doing tons for the economy while still doing your very full time job. I’d be upset if you stole from crime scenes. This is just Dain using his lawyer magic and being smart. Go for it.”

  “Thank you,” I sighed, leaning my forehead against his chest.

  “Oh, babe, I wouldn’t judge you or get upset over this. I do find it adorable you’re so worried like you’re telling your husband something you thought you should.” He hugged me tightly when I flinched. “Screw that mating candidate stuff, Sera. We’ll take our pace. I think you should be a brat and name five of us as your mate. You’ve never stuck to tradition or normal. Why should you now?”

  “Okay, that helps,” I admitted, snuggling against him. “So, ready to see all Alena bought with the money she got selling a ton of Igor’s stuff? And then sold it to me for a dollar?”

  “Sounds fun.”

  We went back by the others, and Laila gave me a curious look, but I was distracted by Apollo and Dubois joining us… Along with the mayor of New York, someone who looked high up in NYPD brass, and Deputy Director Galvin.

  “Oh, so you two weren’t told about this, were you?” he teased us, shaking his head. “This should be fun.”

  “We live to entertain you, sir,” I muttered, moving over to shake hands and meet people. One of the other surprise guests was a witch who was in charge of New York’s coven. I glanced at Laila when I put the pieces together. “Do you sleep either? You, Nina, and Alena were just waiting for me to take over or what?”

  “Yes, we were,” she answered easily. “The moment you do and your teams make the system work as it should, paranormals are safe to not only live, but thrive as you have done in Chicago and under less than a year.”

  I felt my cheeks heat at all the eyes on me. “I didn’t do like any of that, Your Majesty. I just…”

  “Was the bull in a china shop that broke through every obstacle and made the rest possible,” she finished for me. She nodded to some of her people, and they handed over tablets to the big dogs. “These are numbers from the mayor’s office in what they have already seen since she started making the system work to protect and punish paranormals. Crime has gone down. Jobs have increased.

  “Income for the city has increased. Tourism has increased, as people always want to see something different and spectacular, and Siren’s Kiss is spectacular. And contrary to rumors and whispers, they have not taken jobs from anyone. We have not either. We have added to the community. Yes, they have had more come to Chicago on the visas, but there were paranormals out of jobs that are still Chicagoans.”

  “The mayor called me personally and said this was about the best thing possible for New York, but I’m just not seeing it from one club or a new apartment building to protect paranormals,” the mayor said, handing the tablet to his aide. “What am I missing, and why are we here?”

  “Seraphine and I bought a foreclosed development and started building greenhouses before winter hit. We haven’t even put in half, and already we have recouped our startup costs and are turning a profit,” she started to answer, but Brian cut in.

  “Wait, you own those?” he asked me, grabbing my arm. “You say ‘ours’ or ‘they’re ours,’ but I thought you meant like paranormal owned and the wolves have jobs that way. Or like the buy in with the original greenhouses for food. The boys were talking about all the flowers that were sold for Valentine’s Day and the insane number of rare and cool flowers already ordered for wedding season.”

  “It was her idea,” Laila informed him, trying not to laugh as she realized what our aside was now. “And her mother negotiated that she is ten percent owner of the tea business and more. Alena Dorcus is unquestionably talented and intelligent and took several ideas of Seraphine’s to create more jobs and ran with it. Which is why Seraphine now owns this foreclosed facility and another ten in the area.”

  “You what?” Brian whispered, his eyes going bug wide as he took in the huge, hundred thousand square foot or more warehous
e. He glanced from it to me. “And ten more? And all those greenhouses?”

  I winced when he started breathing funny, knowing what was happening. “It’s fine. Alena got all excited and—Bri, chill or you’re going to pass out.” I grabbed his arms and shook him. “Don’t make me kiss you in front of all these people. I don’t know how else to help.”

  Carter did one better and gave him a paper bag to breathe into and made him squat down, giving me an amused look. “You can officially say you drive men to have panic attacks.”

  “You’re walking home,” I grumbled, crossing my arms over my chest. “It wouldn’t have mattered if everyone didn’t keep talking about mating and marriage and someone being the guy behind the power controlling it all or whatever. That’s why he’s freaking. He’s realizing there’s a lot more to being me and Alpha besides opening a cool club. He’s seeing the numbers and how many are out jobs again if something goes wrong.”

  Brian gave a thumbs up that I nailed it.

  “You get how amusing that is when you both don’t even blink to run into situations when people will be shooting at you, right?” Melicent asked, sounding amused as well. “You were shot yesterday, and neither of you seemed surprised that happened, but he’s freaking at realizing you have trillions of dollars to your name?”

  That didn’t help. He got worse when she gave that number.

  “It’s not that much,” I argued, squatting in front of him. “It’s—she’s teasing.” I shot Apollo and Dubois a dirty look when they both snorted. Yeah, they more than anyone would know how much Igor had been worth. I snapped my fingers in Brian’s face until he focused on me. “I’m still me, Bri, and we’ve got work to do, okay? Let’s get through this part so all the adults can handle this stuff and we can go do our job. There are people waiting on us.”

  And I didn’t mean the people standing there.