“That’s what I said too,” her voice replies from my phone. “It’stabes. I have my staff calling everyone who hasn’t been in for a booster in the last ten years. We’ve got three babies with symptoms.”
Fuck me sideways. “Did you test my grandfather?”
She blows out an audible breath. “I didn’t because there weren't any symptoms, but I’ve already tested the samples I had in storage, and based on that, I’m revising his death certificate. I think he hid the symptoms and it killed him.”
I take a deep breath and let it out. I should be relieved that he wasn’t actually murdered. Why am I angry?
Well, shit.
“I better come in,” I warn her.
“Yeah, you’re one of the people who’re behind on your boosters.”
If I’m infected, which is likely considering how contagioustabesis, it’s going to mean I can’t travel for another week. My men are going to be pissed when I do get home.
“I’ll be there in a few minutes,” I tell her and end the call.
I pull up the latest text message from Sin to reread. It’s hard to read the messages from him and Phin, but it's harder to contemplate responding. I’m so hungry for them. If I hear their voices, I don’t think I could stop myself from going home. I’m certain I would be on the first flight back as soon as I heard either of them. The need to be where they are overwhelms me so much, and I force myself to drop my phone into the desk drawer to stop myself from booking the flight now.
It takes more energy than I really have to get up and walk out of the office, but I manage it. I head to the kitchen to grab the keys to my grandfather’s car, and I stop by the chair where my grandmother is sitting with a cup of warm tea and a puzzle book.
Seeing her helps mitigate the overwhelming urge to leave, and I kiss the top of her head. “Uncle Ron hastabes, and it’s spreading through the clan. Are you up on your boosters or do you need to come with me to the clinic?”
She hums softly. “I’m fine, love. I got all my shots about three years ago when I went back to Bolivia with your parents.”
“Ok. I’ll be at the clinic if you need me. Don’t let Mom send any more men in here to try to feed me. I’ll throw up on the next one.”
Grandma pats my hand sympathetically. “You have to eat something.”
I step away, pulling the keys out of the bowl next to the door to the garage. “I’ll eat when I get home. You know how picky I am.”
She eyes me critically but drops the subject, and I head out.
I am picky, but I never learned to eat properly regardless of my attempts in the last few years. The way I’m reacting to the idea of eating anyone but Sin or Phin is abnormal. It might be thetabes, if I’m infected, but this has been going on longer than I’ve been vulnerable to the deadly disease. This feels like I developed an intolerance for everyone but Sin the moment I met him. The only way anyone else is palatable is if they’re sharing energy with my Sin, and the only exception I’ve ever found is Phineas. It’s embarrassing how impossible it is for me to eat properly. I’m starving, and if I could stomach the energy around me, I’d eat, but I can’t do it.
It’s only another week, and then I’ll head home, and this time, I’m going to tell them everything important because no one can fucking stop me anymore. That’s the one benefit of beingthe presumptive species leader: no one can force me to take an oath of silence.
Present Day
Phineas
Anja is going to be so mad at me, but my heart is telling me that this is the right decision. She has already been taking care of our clan for years, mitigating the most destructive rules and commands that Arden ordered. Everyone respects her, and no one wants a stranger taking over as species leader, even if he’s already undone some of the most damaging aspects of Arden’s rule.
I lead Gael and Sin into the community center, where I’ve asked Anja to gather as many of the clan as we could. The place will hold a thousand people, and it’s packed when we arrive. Anxiety almost makes me stop in my tracks as soon as I see everyone, but Gael’s hand on my lower back helps me keep moving forward to the front of the room where someone installed a raised platform so everyone has a good view of us.
I really hate having so many people’s eyes on me, but I remind myself that it won’t take long to do this.
Since everyone knows me, I step up to the microphone first with Gael and Sin flanking me. Their hands on me help me stay grounded and in the moment, though I stare at the floor instead of looking at the crowd, because this is pretty much my worst nightmare.
“Hello Clan Oleander. I think everyone knows me, but just in case, my name is Phineas Mathan. I am the grandson of our previous species leader, Arden Mathan. My fated mate,Gael Fuin, is the one who killed Arden and is currently the presumptive species leader for both the mare and the shifters.”
A rumble of discontent rises from the crowd, and I raise my hands to quell the noise. “I know, and we are here to fix that. I think many of you noticed that your mate marks have been nullified, and that happened because Gael said that any mate mark forced on a person is null and void. He did that for us, and he wants better things for us all, but he doesn’t want to lead two species, so we are here to change how our leadership is chosen.”
I step back, giving Gael the microphone, and squeeze Sin’s hand as soon as he threads our fingers together. I absolutely hated doing that, but now my part is mostly over. Gael is going to talk to the clan and they’ll work out the rest of the details.
“Hello, shifters. I do apologize for taking the position of species leader; I assure you that was not my intention when I came to talk to Arden about my mate.” A wave of Gael’s magic brushes over me, and I give myself to his thrall. I’m sure his magic is just reacting to the atmosphere in the room, giving him the leg up he was born with, but I love that I get to experience it every day. Having his magic seducing me is a vital part of my life now. I can’t imagine trying to live without this deep feeling of being loved and loving him.
“In the traditions of the mare, our species leader elects a successor, and the people vote to confirm the choice or deny it. I would like to introduce this system to the shifters, because being a species leader shouldn’t be a lifetime sentence. Our leaders should be able to retire from the position if they want to, and the idea that might equals right to rule is antiquated at best and literally deadly at worst. I don’t usually judge other cultures, but this tradition of the shifters needs to change for everyone’s benefit.”
