Chapter 8

Keiran’s POV

I know the basics of territories and pack hierarchies and all that, but I’m beginning to think I don’t know half as much as I thought I did. My pack—my former pack—was fairly small and isolated. They could trace their bloodlines back to sometime in the 1800’s and we hadn’t had an

outsider join in a couple decades.

No one who left came back. None of us went to human schools and there was no internet or other connections with the outside world.

Sure, we had books full of records and we met up with a couple of other nearby packs once or twice a year, but I wouldn’t exactly say we were up to date with the norms of shifter society. And, since I spent the last four years avoiding other shifters, I’ve never remedied that lack of knowledge.

Something tells me that was a bigger mistake that I thought. No one is reacting how I expect and that leaves me with no way of knowing how to navigate my situation.

For example, I expect murderous rage from the Chicago Alpha. After all, that’s how the last Alpha who found out what I am reacted and that’s what I was always taught a male omega would face. But this Alpha—whose name I still don’t know—goes weirdly polite.

And I have no idea what to do with that.

He releases my arm and smiles. “I apologize for my zeal.”

“No problem,” I squeak out, taking a step backward as I rub my wrist with the opposite hand. The Alpha is no longer trying to crush me with the force of his power, which is nice, if a bit confusing. Whatever’s going on, he might still kill me, but it’s clearly not happening this second. “No, um, damage done.”

“Sir?” asks Jake, his brow furrowed as he glances from me to the Alpha.

“Are we still taking him downstairs?”

“No.” The Alpha steps toward me, a strange, hungry expression on his face. “You don’t know, do you?”

“Me?” I say, pointing at my chest. “Don’t know what?”

“How valuable you are.”

Sounds like selling me is still on the agenda, just not maiming me. I force a bravado I don’t feel. “More valuable with my claws, I’m assuming.”

“You can keep them for now,” he says. “Provided—”

The phone sitting on the desk rings, interrupting whatever he’s about to say. He picks it up. “Yes?”

The person on the other end is frantic enough that I can hear them from where I stand.

“Matisse is here,” says the tinny voice.

“Alone?”

“Yes,” replies the voice on the phone.

“Fine. Send him up. He and I have things to discuss anyway.” The Alpha places the phone down, a self-satisfied smile tugging at the corners of his lips. “It appears my luck has already improved.”

I’m not sure exactly what he means by that, but I don’t like the sound of it.

We all stand in silence, waiting, until the elevator dings down the hall and the Alpha says, “Jake, go escort Mr. Matisse back here.”

Jake dips his head, then runs off to do his Alpha’s bidding. A few moments later, the most gorgeous man I have ever seen walks into the room. Jake’s probably back too, but I can’t see anyone else but the new arrival.

He’s somewhere in his mid-twenties and clearly related to Remy with that same angelic beauty, but where Remy has the cute cherubic thing, this guy—Remy’s brother, Julian, I assume—is more like a deadly archangel. His hair is blond, a few shades darker than Remy’s, and it falls in artfully messy waves to his lightly stubbled chin. He has the same bright blue eyes as his brother, but the similarities end there. Julian’s features are sharper, giving that prettiness a more severe edge, and he’s at least six four with broad shoulders and muscled arms.

Julian Matisse reminds me of a young Brad Pitt mixed with a bit of Thor. And I kind of want to climb him like a tree, a desire I’m going to catalog under the heading ‘what the fuck’ because I’ve seen all sorts of attractive guys and never had that kind of urge. Hell, I’ve had sex with guys I wasn’t this into.

Of course, I’m over here falling deep into lust, and Julian’s completely ignoring me. He hasn’t even deigned to send so much as a glance my way.

Ouch. That hits right in the self-esteem.

On second thought, though, it’s probably a good thing he’s concentrating on the hostile Alpha shifter in the room instead of me. I’d very much like the newfound object of my desire to avoid being hurt or killed. And if he can get me out of this too so we have some time to get better acquainted, all the better.

“Have you come to offer amends for your brother’s trespass, Matisse?” asks the not-Julian Alpha.

“No, Rossi,” replies Julian, addressing the Chicago Alpha. “I’m here to retrieve my pack’s guest.”

“Guest?” Rossi’s eyes narrow.

“Keiran.” Julien jerks his chin in my direction without taking his eyes off the other Alpha. “The one your goons grabbed and dragged here against his will.”

Rossi sweeps his arms outward. “Grabbed? Dragged? I think you misunderstand the situation.” He turns to me. “Isn’t that right, Keiran?”

His power presses into me, trying to force an answer, but there’s a big difference between forcing submissiveness or a shift and forcing someone to act completely against their will.

“No.” I cough out. “That’s not right.”

Rossi’s eyes go hard. “But you were trespassing. My men had every right to—”

“Actually, they didn’t,” says Julian dryly. “Omegas have free passage in any territory.” The words are confident, but his tone makes it sound like he’s repeating something he heard someone else say.

Rossi’s nostrils flare. He clearly does not like the fact Julian knows what I am. Does this have something to do with me being valuable?

“That’s true,” says Rossi in a conciliatory tone that in no way matches his expression. “But my men took custody of someone thought to be a trespasser, something they have a right to do. It wasn’t until Keiran was here that I realized his status. How was I to know?”

Julian’s lips curl into a wide smile as he bares his teeth. “Then I suppose Keiran is free to go?”

Rossi scowls in response, his mouth twisting with distaste. He practically spits his response. “Of course. I wouldn’t dare to hold an omega against his will.”

For the first time, Julian turns his full attention to me. His eyes widen and his body goes stiff for a beat. If I hadn’t already been watching him so closely, I would have missed the split-second reaction and I’m pretty sure everyone else in the room did. As it is, I’m not sure what the reaction means except that he’s just as affected by me as I am by him. He’s just better at hiding it.

“There’s still the matter of your brother,” says Rossi, breaking me and Julian out of our little stare off. “He is not an omega, so his trespass still stands.”

“To avoid any further ‘misunderstandings,’ I would like to officially notify you that Remy is here acting as my procurator and as such he is permitted to travel within your territory during the summit.” Julian narrows his eyes. “Though I believe you already knew that.”

Rossi shakes his head sadly, eyes wide with feigned innocence, as if he can’t believe he’d be accused of such a thing. “I had no idea.”

Julian scoffs. “Sure you didn’t.” He tilts his head toward the door and gestures for me to follow. “Come on.”

He doesn’t have to ask twice.

We’re waiting for the elevator when Rossi pokes his head out of his office. “And Julian? You might want to keep a closer eye on your ‘guest.’ Who knows what could happen to him if he wanders too… freely.”