June

**Blake’s POV**

She said yes without hesitation. 

I stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, the city stretching beneath me like a kingdom waiting to be claimed. 

June Harper. A human. A complete outsider. And yet, she had walked into my office, looked me dead in the eye, and agreed to date a man she had just started working for.

That alone made her dangerous.

Most people faltered when faced with raw power. She didn’t. 

Interesting. 

The meeting should have held my attention. Numbers, projections, damage control, the usual corporate routine.

The minute it was over, I reached for my phone just as it vibrated against the mahogany desk. The name flashing across the screen was expected.

I answered with a single word. “Mother.”

“You’ve lost your mind.” No greeting. No pleasantries. She went straight for the throat.

I leaned back in my chair, entirely unbothered. 

“Good morning to you, too.”

“Do not play games with me, Blake. I just read in the papers that you’ve rejected the arrangement.”

*Arrangement.* That was her word for it. 

“I didn’t exactly reject it,” I said calmly. “I replaced it.”

“With what?” she asked, her voice dropping an octave.

“With someone more suitable.”

“The other girl was chosen for a reason, Blake. Bloodlines matter.”

“And so does competence. This one was chosen for a reason, too.”

Another pause stretched through the line, longer this time. “You’re certain?” she asked finally.

I didn’t hesitate. “Yes.”

A slow, weary exhale came through the speaker. “You’d better be right,” she warned. “Because if this fails, it won’t just affect you. It affects the entire dynasty.”

“I’m aware.”

“You’ll arrange a meeting,” she commanded. “I want to see her for myself.”

“You will.”

The call ended without another word.

I set the phone down, my gaze drifting toward the closed office door.

June Harper had no idea what she’d stepped into. She had no idea who she really was in this world, or how long the gears had been turning to bring her here. And yet, she had accepted the deal. That courage or perhaps that desperation—made her more valuable than any bloodline could.

The thought of her alone made my pulse jump, and I hated that it did. I looked down at my already bulging cock, screaming to be let out. I hated that her scent could do that to me.

A quiet knock sounded. “Enter.”

One of the staff stepped in, his posture rigid as a stone pillar. “Sir… Miss Harper is no longer in her room.”

I didn’t look up from the tablet on my desk. “I know.”

A brief, nervous hesitation. “Should we—?”

“No.”

That was all it took. He bowed his head and left immediately.

I pushed away from the desk and straightened my cuffs. Nathan had returned earlier than expected. And June… she was exactly where I knew she would be.

The hallway was quiet as I moved through it. Everything was exactly as it should be, except for one thing, the door ahead was slightly ajar.

I pushed the door open.

The room wasn't empty; it was tense. June was on her knees, hands tied behind, her attention locked on the man in front of her. Nathan was standing with his dick on her face. His posture was relaxed, amused, and entirely predatory.

He didn’t move when I entered, neither did he step back or acknowledge me. Of course he wouldn’t.

I didn’t look at him at first. I looked at her. Her breathing wasn't steady, and her shoulders were tight, but she wasn't panicking. 

Only then did I shift my gaze to my brother. Nathan met it easily, a faint, mocking smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth.

“You’re early,” he said, his voice a low drawl.

“I’m on time.”

Neither of us moved. Neither of us needed to.

“You’ve been busy,” Nathan added, his tone light, though his eyes remained sharp as glass.

“I could say the same for your work in the North.”

His gaze flicked briefly toward June, then back to me. “She’s interesting. Small. Fragile.”

“I’m aware.”

The silence became charged, the air thick with the scent of ozone and old rivalry. Nathan tilted his head slightly. “You didn’t tell me you were bringing a human into the house, Blake.”

“I didn’t need to.”

That earned a quiet, jagged laugh. “Right. King of the castle.”

He didn’t step away from her.

I let the silence stretch just long enough to let the weight of my authority settle over the room. Then, I spoke.

“Step away.”

My voice wasn't raised. I didn't repeat myself.

Nathan held my gaze for a heartbeat longer, challenging me in the silent way only he could. Then, slowly, he moved. Not because he had to, but because he chose to. That was the game we played.

My attention returned to June.

“Come here.”

She scrambled to her feet in a hurry. I could hear her heartbeat, she was scared even though she managed to hide it.

Her face flushed pink as she walked toward me. Her scent hitting me immediately made my cock twitch in my pants.

She was embarrassed and walked past me before I held out my hand to stop her.

“I apologize for my brother's rudeness."

Nathan scoffed as he picked up a towel.

"He has no regard for humans, he sees them as mere play things. Do try to avoid him as much as you can.”

I turned my gaze to my brother. “As for you, show some respect to your In-law."

That got his attention.

"What?” 

"You heard me, Nathan.”

"Since when, she isn't even… well mother won't approve." 

“That's my business and not yours.”

I turned my attention back to June who by the way was both wet and confused. 

“Let's go, you don't want to be late on your first week.” 

She nodded and walked out of the room hurriedly without another word.

I had to admit, it wasn't really looking good for her. But it's what she signed up for.