“He was hired by Verdune, but we managed it so he reported to Margot and me. It was wrong of us to give him as much power over Heidi’s welfare as we did, but at the same time, in some respects, he was easy to manipulate, so we believed and still do that we’d be able to rein him in if needed.”
“It was needed!” I argue. “A fair few of my issues in life stem from him!”
“Like I said, I live with a deep regret knowing I effectively manacled him to you. Ayden is the bastard child of the Verdune Chairman, Leigh.”
“Pardon?” I spit out.
“I used that connection against him, blackmailed him into answering to us. I discovered it during a routine HR check, and then I found my way to have him reporting to me. The Board were starting to play games, not telling the truth of situations but nothing that involved you but in his position he was bound to hear things. Of course, he failed to disclose his lack of integrity.”
“He’s missing.”
“Not sure I care, Heidi,” Allan admits coolly.
The triplets are getting upset and antsy on my behalf. Without thought, my scent rolls over the three of them, holding their anxiety back. Darius cracks his neck, his eyes locked on mine. He’s showing me how deep my distress feeds his. He is pissed off on my behalf but he’s also happy to show me how much he enjoys my display of touching him and scenting up for him.
“If I agree to undertaking a comprehensive evaluation of the stability of triple Alphas, I do it on the provision that you stop using any and all chemical influences.” Allan interrupts my silent conversation with Darius, his eyes locked on me despite including all of us.
And in the space of a couple of seconds, we’ve clearly abandoned any normal conversation as we start doing backflips on what we were talking about.
“Pardon?” I splutter.
Allan tips his head slightly. “If I undertake the study on the triplets and how they interact around Omegas and other Alphas, it needs to be done properly. To do that, I need to see them in as natural an environment as possible, where there are limited external factors and influences as I evaluate their behaviours and mannerisms. There will be no chemical suppressors including scent blockers or anything else you use to control your pheromones or natural heat cycles allowed during the duration of my study and reporting.”
“We were talking about Ayden!” I hiss, not holding back on the snark. And once again the triplets react at the mention of his name.
Allan doesn’t go to reprimand my loss of control like he used to when I was growing up, instead he pretty much starts glowing like a damn glow stick in his enthusiasm.
“Whatever he was is nothing compared to the obvious and pure connection you share with these Alphas, Heidi. I’d already be confident in my hypothesis, judging by the interaction I’ve witnessed this morning along with your natural affinity to each other; you are scent-matched to each of them as they are to you. They are your pack.”
Darius flies up out of his seat, and I watch half horrified as he starts dragging his seat over to sit next to Allan.
“Darius, sit your ass down!”
He ignores me, kind of. “Little moon, your dad is a dead-set genius. Everyone functions better with verbal and physical encouragement; I’m going to give him a hug and let him know I think he’s doing great. And PS, Allan, you can add to your report your daughter is a slut for praise.”
“Darius!” I roar, looking frantically around for something to throw at his head to knock him unconscious.
Allan continues to surprise me today and breaks into a laugh. And that’s what stops Darius in his tracks because my father seldom laughs, and when he does, it’s like a honking goose.
“Bro, what the fuck?” He side-eyes Allan like he’s suddenly contagious.
I lean over the table and fill up Allan’s glass of water. “That’s Allan laughing.”
“No shit? I thought he was choking.” Darius says, still looking at my father shocked.
I throw my hands up, returning my ire at Darius. “You’re the only one at risk of choking!”
“Incorrect, little moon. And you know it.” He fucking winks at me while taking a rather large and intentional step out of Allan’s line of sight, to grab his junk, letting me know the meaning of his insinuation. As if I couldn’t figure it out for myself.
It is funny and endearing in a Darius way. And I’m not going to lie to myself that I don’t love it. I’ll hide it from them though, that’s easy. I blink my eyes until I lock away my giddy brains.
I’m interrupted by Kai chuckling under his breath, and I laser my attention to him. He throws his hands up, and he tries to stop laughing, making him look like he’s smirking. “Rohi, my brother is a lot of things, but he’s not a liar. I have to agree with him in this instance.”
I clutch my chest in an attempt to put out all these little spot fires in my Denali brother dilemma. I eventually find a way to talk, without my purr bubbling out. “Are you serious right now?! It was your night to stay over tonight.”
“I know, but Allan just changed the rules. We have to stay together. He’s the most educated out of all of us so we’re going to do what he suggests. Besides, it might be a risk if we’re separated.”
I swing away from the two Alphas making me swoon, hoping for some sensible reinforcement. “Ramses! Control your brothers.”
