by Nora Phoenix
When Lucan stayed quiet, Palani shot a quick look in the rearview mirror. The other beta’s mouth had dropped open.
“Sorry,” Lucan finally said. “I did not see that coming.”
“It’s unusual now, but it wasn’t before,” Grayson spoke. God, his voice was rich, the kind of voice you wanted to listen to for hours as he told captivating stories of times past.
“Before what, Dad?” Lucan asked.
“Before we stopped shifting. Back then, threesomes, foursomes, and even more sharing one omega were normal.”
“Really?” Lucan asked.
Palani thought back of what Melloni had explained, about the fated mates and how there would be all kinds of combinations. He hadn’t realized it at the time, but the man had mentioned only combinations with one omega. Apparently, the common factor was to share one omega. Their combination with Vieno wasn’t so abnormal, then. Huh. That offered an interesting perspective.
“Someone else explained to me that poly relationships occurred far more back then,” he said to Grayson.
“It was how packs functioned,” Grayson said. “One alpha who led the whole pack and who formed a poly relationship with three or more others, but always with one omega. The pack itself consisted of any alpha-beta-omega combination but usually not more than three.”
It fit what Melloni had said.
“So your foursome isn’t something to be ashamed of,” Grayson said with a finality that left little room for discussion. The little smile that played on his lips showed his approval even more.
“Thank you,” Palani said, amused. He was gonna love having this man around. He would certainly shake things up.
“And I’m not surprised to see Lidon Hayes in a relationship like that.”
“You've heard of him, Dad?” Lucan asked, the surprise in his voice clear.
“I’ve never met him, but I know his name and family. I did some research into his bloodline. His grandfather was a good man, well respected in the community and with strong ties to his family. It seems his grandson takes after him.”
Palani frowned. What Grayson said confirmed what Enar had told him, though the omission of Lidon's father caught his attention, but there was an undertone he couldn’t place, something that sounded a lot like reverence. “Why does it not surprise you of Lidon specifically?” Palani asked.
“He’s the strongest alpha I've come across, and his family history is legendary.”
“Dad,” Lucan said with a mix of embarrassment and begging.
Grayson huffed. “You and Bray, always telling me to pull my head out of the clouds. I love you both, but you are so focused on science and facts that you forget there are things that can’t be measured, that can’t be known with any scientific method. One day you’ll find out what you’ve missed all these years.”
Palani couldn't pinpoint how and why, but something in what Grayson said connected with him. “I’d be very interested in learning more about Lidon’s history, and I think he’d be as well.”
Grayson nodded. “Good. We’ll talk.”
Palani opened the gate with the app Lidon had installed on his phone. A strange car stood in front of the house, but Lucan sighed as soon as he spotted it.
“He’s already here,” he said miserably.
Palani parked right behind the vehicle. “Who is?”
Lidon came walking out, a tall, bulky alpha next to him.
“This should be entertaining,” Grayson commented. “Come on, Lucan, let’s see if we can calm your brother down.”
Ah, Lidon had worked fast, then, if this was Bray Whitefield. Fuck, that alpha was badass. He was taller than Grayson and a lot more muscular. For an alpha, Grayson's build was a bit on the lean side. Not that it looked bad on him, but he wasn’t as imposing as Lidon or Enar or this guy.
Bray hugged Grayson first, a manly but loving hug. “Dad, always good to see you.”
“You too, son. Cut your brother some slack, will you? He did the right thing.”
To his credit, Bray hugged Lucan as well. “Glad you got here safely,” he said. He let go of him, then put both hands on his shoulders and shook him a little. “What the hell were you thinking?”
Palani stepped in. “Hi,” he said, extending his hand. “Palani.”
It was ballsy as fuck, of course, to interrupt an alpha like that, but he didn’t care. This was his turf, and his own alpha was standing right there, an amused smirk on his lips that told Palani Lidon knew exactly what he was up to.
Bray released Lucan and grabbed Palani’s hand for a strong handshake. “Bray Whitefield, which you knew already, of course. Nice try interrupting me lecturing my brother for being careless with his safety.”
“You have no idea what’s going on, so maybe you should try listening to him first,” Palani said, crossing his arms.
“Lidon filled me in already, and besides, I don’t take orders from a beta.”
Palani looked past Bray to Lidon, who nodded to him with a twinkle in his eye, knowing without words what Palani was asking. A rush of adrenaline flowed through Palani. “You will have to if you’re gonna lead security here. This is my home too.”
Bray’s initial amusement died when he spotted Palani’s face. Lidon walked over and, in front of everyone, claimed Palani’s mouth for a bruising kiss. Palani surrendered to his demanding mouth, led by a deep desire to show everyone he belonged to Lidon.
Lidon broke off the kiss, leaving Palani almost out of breath. He dropped his arm around Palani’s shoulder and pulled him close. “He’s right,” he said casually. “You can consider anything he tells you an order from me.”
Palani fought hard not to gloat. He didn’t want to make enemies with Bray, not if the man would be around. But he was giddy with how Lidon had set him straight. Palani didn’t have the time or the patience to deal with that alpha posturing anymore, especially not in his own home.
“My apologies,” Bray said. “I wasn’t aware of these dynamics.”
Palani caught Lucan holding a hand in front of his mouth to keep from laughing, though his eyes showed his mirth. No wonder, he’d just witnessed his younger alpha brother being dressed down. That had to feel good. Grayson’s eyes sparkled as well, though he succeeded in keeping somewhat of a poker face.
Grayson stepped forward. “Lidon Hayes, it’s an honor to meet you. Grayson Whitefield.”
Lidon let go of Palani to shake the man’s hand. “Mr. Whitefield, the honor is all mine. I apologize for the circumstances.”
“Call me Grayson, alpha.”
Palani watched Lidon freeze, and like Bray and Lucan, he stared at Grayson. Why had the older alpha used that title for Lidon? Custom said Lidon should call him alpha because of his seniority, not the other way around.
“I… Why are you referring to me like that?” Lidon asked, as confused as everyone else.
Grayson’s look was steady and his voice calm as he spoke. “Because you are the alpha of this pack.”
It took a little getting used to, having strangers in the house, but after a few hours, Vieno was comfortable having Lucan and Grayson around. Lucan’s dad didn't protest when Lidon asked him to smell Vieno and report anything strange. Like his son Bray, the alpha only detected Vieno’s men on him with a faint trace of his own scent, but nothing other than that.
It reassured him, but it also triggered Vieno's curiosity. Would he still be irresistible during his heat? They’d have to find out, but Palani and Enar seemed to suspect it would be much less because of the interaction with Lidon’s and Enar’s alpha hormones. Or maybe the alpha claiming, Enar had explained. It seemed that resulted in effects the famous Dr. Melloni had studied before becoming an expert on the gene that carried his name.
They finished dinner, and the others retreated to the living room while Vieno loaded the dishwasher, his mind wondering why Bray was here. Lidon had only mentioned he wanted extra security, but why? He’d given Bray a thorough tour of the house and the land, and after that, Bray had stated
he wanted to call in some extra men. Lidon had agreed instantly, sharing a look with Palani that worried Vieno. Bray had waited for his men to arrive, and then they had set up a circle around the house, making sure no one got in.
What the hell was going on? His heart rate sped up, and his heart clenched painfully. It had to have something to do with Lucan and Grayson, but Vieno couldn’t figure out how or what. He wasn’t even sure where Palani had met them and why Lidon seemed to know Lucan as well. Were they in danger, somehow? From whom?
“Let me help,” Palani said, startling Vieno from his worries.
“I can do it.”
Palani kissed him quickly. “I know, baby, but you don’t have to. You already had your hands full taking care of us three, and now there’s two more. That means we need to pitch in.”
Vieno put the plates he’d been holding on the counter and turned toward Palani for a hug. He always felt better when he was being held by one of his men. Palani’s arms came around him, and Vieno rested his head against the beta’s shoulder, melting against him.
“I’m worried,” he said.
“We’ll explain everything, baby.”
“Do I have reason to be worried?”
“A little. You know I never lie to you. But you have a lot of men around you whose single focus is to protect you, okay?”
He felt Lidon’s presence before the alpha’s strong arms came around them both. “He’s right, sweetheart. We won’t let anything happen to you.”
“Enar,” Palani said, letting go of Vieno to pull their fourth man into the embrace. Enar apparently had wandered into the kitchen as well.
“We’ll protect you above all, little one,” Enar said.
Vieno’s eyes welled up. He had three men surrounding him, holding him, all focused on making sure he was okay. How had he gotten so lucky to have them in his life? It was nothing short of a miracle. His fears floated away as his body responded to the strength his men exuded.
They settled in the living room after the kitchen had been tidied, with mugs of coffee and tea and a big plate of the pecan cookies Vieno had baked earlier that day. Vieno sat tucked away against Lidon on the couch, as he often did when they were sitting here. The alpha’s physical proximity always had a calming effect on him.
“It’s a wonderful home you have, Lidon,” Grayson commented.
“Thank you. I’m glad to see it being restored to its former glory. It’s been in my generation for a long time.”
Grayson nodded. “The PTP ranch, I'm familiar with it.”
“Grayson told me in the car he researched your bloodline,” Palani said to Lidon.
“Really? Why mine, specifically?”
“Dad does a lot of research for his books,” Lucan said. “Shifter legends, that kind of thing.”
There was a not-too-subtle stress on the word legends that Vieno picked up on. “But your books, alpha, they’re fiction, yes? These are legends, not reality.”
Grayson’s sharp blue eyes looked at Vieno with kindness. “So my son would like to stress, as you noticed. He feels that what he calls legends belong firmly in the fiction category. I disagree. And call me Grayson, please.”
“You don’t think they’re legends?” Enar asked, leaning forward.
“No. Well, some of them, sure. But I think many have a kernel of truth in them. If you dig deep enough, you discover what that truth is.”
“There are legends about Lidon’s family?” Vieno asked, intrigued.
“God, yes. Too many to count. Lidon may remember some himself, though most likely as stories he was told as a kid.”
“Can you tell us one?” Vieno asked.
Grayson’s eyes shifted from him to Lidon. “Only with the alpha’s permission.”
“Why do you keep calling him that? You said it outside when you called him the alpha of this pack. What are you referring to?” Palani asked.
“Do I have your permission to explain?” Grayson asked Lidon.
Lidon’s arms tightened around Vieno for a second before he answered. “Yes, please.”
“Let me start with a question. What happened half an hour ago? Vieno was in the kitchen, and we were all here. First Palani got up and went to the kitchen, then Lidon, and then you, Enar. Why?”
Vieno frowned. What did that have to do with anything?
“I sensed Vieno needed me,” Palani said. “I was sitting here chatting with you, and suddenly I had this urge to check on him.”
“Same here,” Lidon said.
Vieno looked up at him, and the alpha’s face was filled with wonder.
“My rational mind says it’s not possible, but that’s what I felt. I wasn’t even in the living room but in the bedroom getting changed,” Enar said, his face displaying the same look as Lidon’s. “What are you saying, Grayson?”
Grayson leaned forward and met their eyes one by one. “What I’m saying is that you’re a mated foursome, tuned in to each other but above all into your omega. He’s at the core of who you are, and over time, you’ll be able to sense his emotions even stronger. My guess is that Palani feels them the most, as he responded first, so maybe he mated first with you, Vieno?”
Vieno couldn’t do anything else but nod. How was this even possible?
“I came second and Enar third,” Lidon said, his voice filled with the wonder Vieno was experiencing himself.
Grayson nodded. “That’s what I suspected. You’re new together, so it’s only getting started, but ultimately, all of you will be able to sense when one of you is in danger, and you’ll be able to feel Vieno’s emotions above all.”
Vieno’s head dazzled with the implications of what Grayson was saying. Was that even possible, that they had sensed his stress, even when they weren’t in the same room? It sounded impossible yet strangely true at the same time.
Palani and Enar looked at each other. “Would Melloni know more about this?” Palani asked.
“Doctor Melloni?” Grayson asked. When Palani nodded, Grayson said, “He should. He’s doing groundbreaking research into this, even wrote a whole book about the effects of alpha claiming that was based on research he did on fated mates.”
Enar nodded. “It’s out of print, and he doesn’t own the copyright, so he can’t make it available as an e-book. For some reason, his publisher doesn’t want to republish it.”
Grayson’s face tightened. “That, I believe. There’s a powerful lobby against anything having to do with the old ways. I have the book, so you’re more than welcome to borrow it and read it.”
“The old ways?” Palani asked. “You mean the shifter ways?”
Grayson nodded.
“But how do you explain the rise of the Conservative Wolf Party?” Palani asked. “I interviewed George York, and their ideas are revolutionary. They’re making no secret they want to reinstate many of the old ways, as you call it. If there’s such a lobby against this, how are they gaining so much ground?”
“I’ve read your series about George York.” Grayson’s voice was sharp, and it startled Vieno. “You’ll want to be careful with him. He’s charming, but underneath, he’s ruthless. I don’t trust him.”
Palani grinned. “I’m naturally inclined to distrust anyone.”
Grayson relaxed. “Yeah, I’m sorry. I should’ve known, since this isn’t your first rodeo, so to speak. I didn’t mean to go all alpha patronizing on you. It’s just…he worries me. That whole development baffles me because as you pointed out, I can’t understand what their appeal is and how they gained so much popularity. That they’re interesting to betas and omegas I can believe, but alphas? I can’t see that happening.”
“I’d love to talk more with you about this ‘cause I still haven’t figured out how they’re doing so well in the polls,” Palani said. “But right now, I’m more interested in why you keep calling Lidon alpha.”
Grayson smiled first. Then they all did, and Palani held up his hands. “I know, I’m a little pitbull with things like this, but my mind won’t
let it go. So, please, Grayson, enlighten us?”
“Let me show you with a little experiment, with your permission?” Grayson looked at Lidon, who nodded. “Palani, can I use you for this?”
“Sure.”
Grayson stood up, then looked at Palani. “Kneel!” he suddenly spoke, his voice booming through the room.
Everyone froze for a second, and then Lucan dropped to his knees, a startled look on his face. “What the hell?” Palani said, looking from Grayson to Lucan.
“Sorry, son,” Grayson said. “I couldn’t warn you, or the experiment would have failed.”
“You fucking alpha compelled me,” Lucan muttered as he got up.
“I don’t understand,” Palani said. “I should have… Why didn’t it affect me? And Vieno? We should’ve at least felt it, so why didn’t we?”
“Because you’re Lidon’s, and his alpha outranks mine. Your beta and Vieno’s omega know who they belong to. Lucan is my son, so he’ll always respond to my alpha. But allow me to do one more experiment to show you?”
Vieno had shot up into a sitting position when Grayson had given his command, and so had Lidon. Now, Lidon’s face showed his curiosity with what was happening.
“Lidon, give us a command and use your full alpha powers. We’ll all try to resist.”
Something tingled in the air, a ripple that made the hairs on Vieno’s skin stand on end. What was happening here?
Lidon rose to his feet and closed his eyes for a second. Vieno felt the power before he heard the word, and he was already on his feet before Lidon had finished speaking. “Bow!”
As one, they bowed to him, everyone, including Grayson, and they did not move until he released them.
“Holy crap.” Palani was the first to speak. “What the fuck just happened?”
They looked at each other in stunned disbelief, Lidon as confused as the rest of them. The only one who seemed unaffected was Grayson. His voice was calm and deep when he spoke.
“Pack, meet your alpha. Alpha, meet your pack.”
12
Vieno took a deep breath. He had this. The roast was in the oven, the potatoes for the mashed potatoes were almost done, the salad was ready to be served. What else did he need? Beans. He wanted to serve green beans as well.