A SILVER PUBLISHING BOOK

The Alpha King

Copyright 2013 by Vicktor Alexander
E-book ISBN: 9781614957300
First E-book Publication: April 2013
Cover design by Reese Dante
Editor: Monti Shalosky
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DEDICATION
The entire Passion's Hero Series is dedicated to Thorny
Roe, who told me that I had a new career, inspired me to
keep writing and more importantly gave me hope again.
This is for you and Jazz, may your love continue to inspire
us all.
Thank you to all of my Vicksters, Tweeplings and
Tumblings and those who follow me on Blogger who
encouraged me to write a M/M romance book and to the
Goodreads M/M Romance Group who helped me when I
was still floundering in this genre.
In Memory of Justin Thomison, you were my best friend
since freshman year of high school. You never stopped
believing in me and you have always been my biggest fan.
The world is a lot more boring without you and your large,
but superbly talented energy and personality around. I will
continue to spread information and continue the fight to
end AIDS and find the cure to the horrible disease that took
you from me, my friend. I will never forget you. Je t'aime
mon amour.

The Alpha King

Vicktor Alexander

PROLOGUE
"Please, we beg you. You have to save us!" the
former President of the United States of America pleaded
with the leaders of the Galaxy Peace Allegiance.
He visibly trembled, his image blurring a little on
the monitor. Torqran, the Commander of the planet
Strawxig, glanced at the screen with look of apathy. The
other members of the GPA as well as a few advisors,
elders, and planetary leaders watched the human scream for
help from the other planets. The humans had been
amazingly arrogant up until the very last possible moment,
certain they could save themselves, heal their planet, and
do it all without any help from those they termed 'aliens'.
However, when all of their efforts proved fruitless and the
whole of the planet only contained 300 remaining
individuals all from different countries, speaking different
languages, having different religions and ethnicities, the
leaders finally knew they had to ask for help.
"We cannot survive if you don't save us. We need
your help. Please help us. Please!" the former president
shouted.
Torqran, a snake shifter, pressed the switch to stop
the vid stream with the pad of his scaly-skinned finger.

The Alpha King

Vicktor Alexander

With a sigh, and a brief flick of his forked tongue against

his bottom lip, he shifted his finger and tongue back into
their male form and turned his chair to face the rest of the
leaders and those who had the ambition to become such.
"And as you know, we helped those filthy creatures
over two centuries ago. The only way to completely
eradicate them was to help and breed them with our species
in order to phase out the human species. Those ignorant
bastards didn't follow the protocol, however, and instead of
the humans dying out, we have four new breeds of
humanoids. While they're little better than those squalid
Earthlings our ancestors helped centuries ago, they are a
vast improvement over the sniveling, arrogant, selfdestructive assholes they once were."
Everyone nodded in agreement and understanding.
The humanoids were not a universally liked breed, but they
were much better than their predecessors. Perhaps because
they had procreated with the established races of the GPA
planets. Whatever the reason, the former race from Earth
no longer existed, having been replaced with the
humanoids that now existed.
Torqran glanced up when his second-in-command
walked into the back of the room. Lorthander inclined his
head, letting Torqran know everything was ready and in
place. He gave the merest hint of a nod in acknowledgment
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to his secret lover and his wife's brother.

Turning, Torqran smiled at the rest of the room. "As
you all know the real reason we are here is because of one
specific breed of humanoid." He met Lorthander's gaze and
signaled him to begin.
Torqran continued speaking, watching the larger
man, a warrior of Strawxig, pass out folders to everyone in
attendance. "In this packet is the information we have
received about a particular breed of humanoid. The
Vermithians. Our scientists have been studying the
offspring of Vermithian parents and they have a genetic
anamoly that puts them beyond their expected gifts of
being able to talk with nature and animals, beyond that of
being able to heal others. There is a new strand of
Vermithians whose blood is infinitely more corrupted with
that of their ancestors. While we know their bodies adapt to
that of their mates in order for them to all get pregnant and
have children, we didn't have the evidence years ago that
we have now."
"What the hell are you trying to say Torqran?" A
voice spoke up from the back of the room, the tone low and
laced with anger and annoyance.
Torqran knew who spoke, knew what planet the
man came from knew he didn't want to piss the guy off,
because the man would be crazy enough to try and kill
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Torqranright here, in front of everyone.

"I'm saying the Vermithians have the ability to save
the human gene. And more than that, a family exists."
Torqran grit his teeth against something he hated to admit.
"One so powerful and so special we haven't been able to get
close to them. But we do know this particular family has
the ability and the power to create a pure human race
regardless of with whom they mate."
Torqran waited for the gasps and cries of shock,
outrage, and dismay to die down before he continued. "Our
best chance is to completely kill off this family of
Vermithians and then find every documented and even
undocumented Vermithian and kill them, too," he advised.
Heads nodded in complete agreement and he got
ready to hand out assignments and lay out the details.
Without a soundwith no noticeable movement at
allthe man from the back of the room appeared to stand
in front of Torqran, covered head to toe in all black.
Torqran tried not to gasp when he took in the man's large
frame and hard, cold, emotionless eyes.
Standing his ground, Torqran tilted his head and
tried to seem much more confident and laid back.
"What is the name of this family you want to
dispose of?" the large, scary leader asked in a low voice,
his tone menacing, though everyone could hear his
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question.
All occupants in the room froze, no one breathed,
no one spoke as they all awaited Torqran's response.
With a cold, calculating smile Torqran replied with
seven words, two sentences that would dramatically change
the universe, the GPA and history, forever, "The
Versuthions. We must kill the Versuthions."
A gasp came from the other leader, Algonoquin, the
Alpha King of the planet Tumaro. Torqran chuckled darkly.
He ignored the speculative looks from the other members
of the room. Everyone knew the story of the connection
between the Versuthion family and the Roughshires, the
current ruling family of Tumaro. A prophecy had foretold
of the Versuthions bringing about the pure human race after
one of the descendants mated with the Roughshires, but
Torqran's position as leader of the GPA and the unease and
prejudice that most had for Vermithians protected him in
his current campaign against them. Only Algonoquin's
arrogant belief he could protect the Versuthions stopped
him from killing Torqran where he stood, and he while
grateful for it, he also flicked his gaze towards Lorthander,
sighing in relief when he saw the other man brandish the
vapier in his hand. Algonoquin's time would come, Torqran
would see to it, but not before he made Algonoquin feel
helpless while Torqran took out the entire Versuthion
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family.
****
Talon Versuthion whispered to his pet flower. The
stalk swayed and the petals bobbed in reply, and then Talon
smiled up at his parents when they rushed into his room. He
loved talking to the flowers and plants his parents had put
up all around. His younger brothers had pet animals, most
of which had to be kept outside, but Talon's flowers were
with him. He loved the fact that when he woke up every
morning they were right there, waiting to talk to him. It
made him feel special and loved. Well, more so than he
already felt. His parents were pretty awesome.
His father, Taltrentuvaro, knelt down and put his
hands on either side of Talon's face and Talon smiled again.
His father didn't return the gesture and Talon tilted his head
to the side. Why didn't his father seem happy? Known for
always being happy and laughing, his father looked
almost broken. He looked away as his mother rushed
around the room, the distant sound of crying and sniffling,
beeps and slamming noises indicating she opened his
drawers and toy chests for some reason.
Looking back up, Talon found his father's eyes were
filled with tears. Talon lifted his own hands and put them
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on his father's cheeks to wipe away the drops. He had never

seen his father cry and it scared him like never known
before.
"Papa? What's wrong?" he asked.
Taltrentuvaro shook his head and then turned to kiss
the palms of Talon's hands. "Nothing, my son. Your mother
and I are merely going out for a drive. We're going to send
you over to Mrs Lorankia's house for a while."
Talon gasped and backed away. He hated Mrs
Lorankia! They all did, especially his two younger brothers.
Trenton said she smelled like the replicas of the ancient
humans they saw in the museum, whereas Tuvarion
thought her just as stupid as the ancient humans. Talon just
thought her mean. She spent a lot of time telling the three
Versuthion boys they were abominations and their parents
were going to get what they deserved one day. Mrs
Lorankia wasn't Vermithian like they were. Being
Edifician, Mrs Lorankia should have been more at home in
her own skin, especially in a galaxy that looked down on
Vermithians. But she always acted like the sky would fall
on top of her, even though she also looked down her nose
on anyone who didn't have Edifician blood running through
their veins. Most people of her race believed in equality,
they were known for it, and his parents told him her point
of view didn't make her better, just different.
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Talon didn't too much like different right then.

"No, Papa! No! We hate Mrs Lorankia! Please don't
make us go! What if she tries to eat Tuvarion again? She
says he's way too pretty to be a boy," Talon pleaded,
distantly aware of the looks of grief and horror passing
between his parents. It confused him. Didn't his parents
know how Mrs Lorankia felt?
"Well, no worries there, my son, Trenton and
Tuvarion aren't going to stay with her. Only you. They
have already left to go visit some friends and that's
where your mother and I are going right now, to pick them
up," his father reassured him.
Talon didn't miss the looks passing between his
mom and dad. If he didn't know better, he'd think his
parents weren't being honest. But they never lied. If Talon
had asked, his father would have confessed his younger
brothers had been kidnapped for a ransom amount. Only
Talon's fascination and obsession with his pet flower had
rescued him from the unknown fate his brothers currently
suffered. His father would have told Talon that he and his
mother were heading out to go and save their children but
that they didn't have a good feeling and because of that they
were choosing to hide what might be their only surviving
son with their dreaded neighbor. But Talon didn't question
his father.
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Instead he nodded, because as long as Tuvarion

didn't have to go and deal with Mrs Lorankia and listen to
her say mean things that made him cry, Talon guessed it
would be okay if he went alone. His father kissed his
forehead and then his mother came over and clutched him
fiercely to her chest. She hugged him so tightly he flushed
hot and the air left his lungs. She had never embraced him
so hard and instead of filling him with love and a feeling of
security, it scared him. Not because his parents weren't
affectionate. Vermithians, in fact, were very affectionate
people. They were known for being overly sexual and
loving, oftentimes being arrested for breaking public
indecency laws. Talon's parents, however, weren't this
overly demonstrative. They were only going to go and pick
up his brothers, right? Why were they acting as if they
would never see him again?
Filled with a gripping fear that he just couldn't
shake, Talon grabbed hold of his mother and sobbed.
"Please, please. Take me with you. I'll help with the boys. I
promise I'll be good," he pleaded.
"No, son, no. You must stay with Mrs Lorankia. We
couldn't bear to lose" Taltrentuvaro began and then his
words cut off abruptly.
He sighed and started again, clutching his son by
the shoulders, "You must stay here. We will return for you
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with your brothers, but you must. Stay. Here."

Talon hated being left behind. He didn't like having
to go to Mrs Lorankia's all by himself, but he wouldn't want
Tuvarion there. His baby brother was too fragile and
sensitive to deal with Mrs Lorankia. Tuvarion felt and
sensed the emotions of everyone around him and had the
power to change those emotions. Trenton always laughed
when Talon tried to tell him their baby brother had this
power, but what did Trenton know? At six years of age,
Talon was practically a man already, while Trenton at four
and little Tuvarion at two were still just children. Neither of
them old enough to know anything about life or people yet.
Not like Talon. He had pointed out they could talk to the
heavens, animals, and plants even at their young age. With
that thought in mind, Talon squared his shoulders and
nodded at his father once again. Before being rushed out of
the room, he grabbed his pet flower and held it tightly
against his chest. He would need his precious little friend,
he didn't know why, he just knew he would.
His parents hurried him over to a reluctant Mrs
Lorankia's care and then with a final hug and kiss, they left
to go and pick up his brothers from wherever they were.
They would return soon but he couldn't seem to shake the
bad feeling that had taken up residence in his stomach.
He waited and waited for their reappearance. So did
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Mrs Lorankia. When the miserable old woman turned to

him days later and accused his parents of deserting him on
her doorstep, Talon lashed out verbally. He never saw Mrs
Lorankia's hand reach out to slap him and when he fell he
had no time to stop his head from connecting with the edge
of the glass pot that held his pet flower and he had no
control over the memories that left his mind. Of his
brothers, of what occurred moments before leaving his
parents' home, or even the faces of his parents. They seeped
out like the blood from the wound on his head.
When the Interplanetary Children Defense Services
came and took him away from Mrs Lorankia, he left the
only home he'd ever known. He didn't see his parents again,
and he learned he had brothers no one could find, brothers
he couldn't remember and would forget existed. He'd been
abandoned and from that moment, Talon decided he'd
never give someone else the chance to leave him behind
again.

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Vicktor Alexander

CHAPTER ONE
Farbu 18, 2456
Talon Versuthion, affectionately called "Tal" by his
adopted sister, Josepire "Josie" Laungford, had not set out
to become a history maker. In fact, he had been questioned
many times about his plans for the future, and surprised
many people by adopting an almost glazed look in his
golden eyes and letting stuttering words emanate from his
mouth. Tal just wanted to live in the moment. He didn't
have a life's goal. And living didn't have to be exciting or
filled with parties and drinking, or sleeping around with as
many men, women, or species as he could. For Tal, living
equaled just that living.
Although he did enjoy parties and drinking
Vamprincian Flow, the most potent drink around, and of
course, the endless parade of men that flowed in and out of
his apartment, he didn't crave either. They were things to
do and to experience to pass the time in between the
endless deliveries from his shuttle to other planets, things to
take his mind off of the loss of his parents thirteen years
ago and the huge chunk of his memory he just couldn't
recall. Tal only wanted to wake up every morning and

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breathe and move, eat, shower, sleep, and occasionally read

a book or watch a vid.
His family didn't understand. At nineteen passings
they expected him to be experiencing the galaxy, exploring
the different planets, excited about the prospect of having a
family and settling down. They definitely thought he
should at least have a serious boyfriend. They didn't
understand Tal didn't care. He didn't want a serious
relationship. He didn't care about finding love or even
settling down with a career. He only cared about living
living alone.
Wendiford and Markaela Sothsberg adopted him
and Josie, since Markaela couldn't give his father children.
They decided the death of his birth parents caused him to
be so apathetic about his own future. Because they never
got a future of their own, Tal never considered having one
either. In essence, he waited to die and be reunited with his
parents in the Great Beyond.
Tal simply smiled and nodded, indulging their need
to explain his behavior. His lack of a personal drive had
nothing to do with the untimely death of the two people
who had by some twist of fate created him. Their deaths
had left him at the mercy of the ICDS, and that led him to
being adopted by two upstanding leaders of the Edifician
Branch of the Galaxy Peace Allegiance. But none of those
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reasons had anything to do with the fact he only wanted to

live and everything to do with boredom.
Bored. Utterly and unbelievably bored. Of the
small, two-bedroom apartment he shared with his older
sister Josie in the city of Grulion on the planet of Edifice.
Bored of his job as a delivery boy for the GPA, and of
having to always be so careful when it came to having sex
with a man. He'd even grown tired of having sex with men,
and for Tal that definitely said something.
Coming out about being gay and telling his parents
hadn't been all that hard for Tal. At the age of fourteen, he'd
simply told them over breakfast. They'd looked at him, then
at his sister, then at each other, and said they understood,
still loved him anyway, but they needed to talk to him later.
He hadn't really questioned their response to his
declaration. While their planet, Edifice, like Volantic,
Doral, Tumaro, and Zeelith, had a lot more tolerance for
and was accepting of homosexual relationships than other
planets, like Strawxig, Prinktakium, and Bolauntiq, his
parents had kept a vital piece of information from Tal. A
life-changing piece of information. In their defense, they
thought he'd known his heritage, his bloodline at least, and
at most his destiny, but it hadn't taken them long before
they realized Tal had lost much of his memory. He knew
his name and that his parents were dead.
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So when he walked into the family room of his

parents' home that morning for breakfast, their faces
indicated they were about to tell him something big and
he'd completely called it. The information his adopted
parents shared rocked him to his core and forever changed
his outlook on his future. He found out about his birth
parents and what they looked like; though the details on
them had been sparse, stopping right after Tal's birth. He
learned his medical history, his species, and most of all
about his species' secrets.
In short, Tal discovered his Vermithian heritage.
Vermithians had secret abilities, all were able to
communicate with nature, the heavens, and animals, and all
had the ability to heal and conceive all of them, male and
female alike. The Vermithians were one of three forms of
humanoid species that were descended from ancient
humans, born when a few surviving humans had offered
themselves up to both the gods and to the inhabitants of
other planets when Earth had been on the verge of complete
destruction.
Journals had been found and passed down from the
first Vermithian, and Joshua Roughshire, a Tumaron royal,
made them public centuries before, detailing the fact that
the humans had ignored the cries of their planet. The cries
and voice of a planet were to be cherished and listened to
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intently, at least the rest of the galaxies saw it as important.

The humans' apathetic attitude towards their planet caused
them to be looked down upon and disparaged at every turn.
The fact Earth had turned on the humans surprised no one
in the least. Tal had heard countless stories about the
'common' human who had mated with both a Tumaron and
a Volauntician becoming the first known Vermithian, a
man able to give birth, able to talk to the heavens and
plants, able to heal people, and how he survived the
destruction of Earth, even though his Tumaron mate didn't.
From the old to the young, the humans had been
slowly dying off and the GPA had to step in to do
something. They were saved and three different breeds of
humanoids were created as part of the terms of their
agreement.
The remaining three hundred humans were taken
from Earth and then separated and spread out among five
different planets. On two of those five planets all of the
humans died in childbirth or after breathing in the air of the
planet's atmosphere. On the other three, they thrived and
the humanoids were birthed from the unions that took place
there, something the GPA had not planned on or intended.
The Vermithians were the biggest shock of all, in no
small part because of the Versuthions. Namely, Traven
Versuthion, the first Vermithian in existence and his mates,
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Joshua Roughshire and Paris Luklinn. Traven's relationship

with Joshua and his mating with Paris had sparked the
prophecy that had driven fear in the heart of the GPA and
even some of the other humanoid breeds.
Tal grew up learning the history of the three races,
starting with what he thought of as his, Edifician. The
Edificians, humanoids whose skin color seemed to vary and
change with age. were born with skin so pale they were
almost translucent, but when they died, their skin was
blacker than the darkest of nights. The Edificians were the
strongest breed of humanoids around, all of them born to be
warriors or soldiers of some kind. They were also the most
tolerant. It could be because their skin color changing as
they aged prevented them from truly hating the physical
differences in others. The planet of Edifice had a reputation
for being the strongest and most accepting in the GPA.
Talon had grown up there and never left, even after
the death of his birth parents. While his adopted sister,
Josie, was Edifician, Tal had always known he couldn't be
the same type as his sister and their father. His mother had
explained that some Edificians had a rare gene that slowed
the varying of the shade of their skin. Tal had assumed she
meant herself. She had a golden-tinged hue whereas
Wendiford carried a deep, dark bronze color and only a
year separated them. Tal had always assumed that perhaps
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he carried the deformed Edifician gene because he couldn't

be Vermithian or Nam.
He might have heard a small voice in the back of
his mind telling him he could be Vermithian but Tal held
firm to the idea he belonged to the Edifician race. He didn't
care to find out otherwise.
The Nams were based on the planet Namprince and
known for being pacifists and seemed to bring peace with
them no matter where they were. Nams were all extremely
tall humanoids. They were often referred to as gentle
giants. Wherever they walked, rested, slept or placed their
hands, gold glitter dust remained behind. They were very
intimidating to look at, their bodies large and their voices
extremely deep, even the women. Talking to them could be
an experience. But after getting to know them, however,
most people left with a strengthened belief in the basic
goodness of all species. Tal had slept with a Nam before
and while he had walked away from the experience feeling
as if the entire galaxy was full of rainbows, sunshine, and
happiness, he'd had to scrub his body for weeks before he'd
finally rid himself of all of the gold glitter.
Being Nam never crossed his mind as a possibility.
His short stature belied the possibility. Not to mention he
didn't leave gold behind when he touched something. And
Tal would never be known for keeping the peace, more for
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stirring up trouble most of the time.

Vermithians were the last breed of humanoids
created by the evolution of the human race that took place
after the destruction of Earth in 2408. While many were
spread out throughout the galaxy, they were mainly found
on the planet Volantic. Vermithians were also known for
being extraordinarily beautiful.
Tal having been told he's beautiful most of his life,
still never suspected he was of Vermithian heritage, largely
due to the fact an opportunity had never arisen for him to
heal someone. His parents didn't have any pets and lived in
the city, and he'd always communed with nature and the
heavens alongside his foster mother. It never truly occurred
to him he had the special abilities to heal.
Wendiford and Markaela shared one last key piece
of information with Tal. Aside from being able to conceive,
no matter what gender, Vermithians could only get
pregnant by or impregnate the mates fate had chosen for
them.
In short, Tal discovered everything he'd thought
about himself had been a lie. And he could remember the
horrible conversation like it happened yesterday.
****

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Five Years before the Crash

Sephirscism 29, 2451
Tal stared at his adopted parents in shock, his mind
unable to wrap around the idea he could get pregnant. Josie
had gone upstairs to watch a vid of her favorite movie
Lover Against Lover, a popular gay film. Tal would never
understand why his sister had become so obsessed with and
in love with movies about gay men, but since she supported
him the most and had been the only one who had known
about his sexuality up until that point, he couldn't begrudge
her of her obsession.
He shook his head. "But that's impossible! I'm a
guy!" he blustered, his eyes darting from his mother to his
father.
He turned and looked around for a camera crew to
come out and tell him everything he'd learned had been a
big joke, just one big mistake. But no one came out and Tal
began to accept his parents just might be telling him the
truth.
"B-but how?" he wailed, realizing he whined, but
thinking the occasion called for it.
He thought he'd show his parents how adult he
could be when he came out to them and for the most part he
had achieved his goal, but he even his online friend 'Mail S'
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from Tumaro would agree his new situation warranted

some whining and sulking.
"You're Vermithian, honey. For your people, being
born a man is merely a formality, not a fact," Markaela
stated, her voice soft, sweet, and oddly soothing to
everyone that she met.
Tal instantly began to calm down. Realizing
Markaela used her 'nature communing voice' he jerked out
of the peaceful trance he'd found himself in and sat up in
his chair quickly, ignoring the sighs of his parents.
"What does that mean?" Tal asked, the words
wrenched from his throat.
"If you weren't gay then it would mean nothing.
You would marry a woman and your genetic DNA would
alter the very first time you mated with her so you would be
able to impregnate her. Since you are, in fact, gay, then
your DNA will alter to allow you to become pregnant when
you mate with your husband," Wendiford explained.
Tal looked at his father in confusion, shaking his
head.
"Tal, Son, you will, in essence, grow a womb the
moment you mate with someone else for the first time."
Tal stiffened and an icy heat flowed over his body.
Flashes of two people, two older, beautiful people, a man
and a woman, passed through his head, the two of them
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laughing and talking with two men, both of them equally as

beautiful as the first couple, and one of the men had been
pregnant. Tal could see them as if looking through a fog.
And with that picture he heard the sound of children
laughing. Blinking his eyes rapidly when the pictures
dissipated, he saw his parents still gazing at him awaiting
his response.
Tal blinked, whether from the memory or the
information they'd just given him he didn't know. Firmly
aware of the fact they were warning him of something that
would be life-altering.
"Wait mate? What do you mean? You mean like
have sex with?" Tal questioned, remembering the last thing
his adopted father said.
"Not really." Markaela sighed. "Tal, I am
Vermithian as well, and our people are created, hard-wired
if you will, by the fates, the heavens, to recognize, to
submit, to love, and be bonded to one or two other people
for the rest of our lives. We can have sex with however
many people, whatever species that we want with no
adverse effect, but something happens to our DNA when
we experience the release of our mate's orgasmic fluids in
our bodies. Our hearts pound in our chests, our bodies fill
with warmth, but we don't even have to wait for that
moment to know that we have found our mate or mates.
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The minute we hear their voice our bodies are instantly

drawn to them, everything about them calls to us."
Markaela took Tal's hand within her own, her bright brown
eyes wide. "However, after we are mated, that very first
time, our bodies shift and adjust to accommodate itself to
our partner so that we can continue our genetic line and
heritage. The good thing is that we only carry for six
months and can become pregnant again a year and a half
after having delivered."
Tal looked at his adopted mother and nodded,
finally understanding. Although
"Why didn't you and Dad ever have any children of
your own then?" he questioned, raising an eyebrow when
he noticed his parents' shared look of trepidation.
"Because Dad isn't my korlisdian and he's unable to
father my children. My mate died when we were both
eighteen, before we ever had a chance to bond officially,"
Markaela stated, her voice choking on a sob.
She turned into Wendiford's arms and he pulled her
close, holding her while she sobbed harshly. Tal felt
horrible. He made his mother cry, which hadn't been his
intention, but what should he have thought? He and Josie
had always known they were adopted. Tal had been
adopted at the age of six, according to the documents on the
table, a mere three months after being orphaned. They had
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taken Josie in, at the age of nine, the year before him.
Tal glanced briefly down at the open folder and
noticed it stated his parents had been chosen especially for
him by the leader of another planet. Why would the leader
of another planet care about him? And who the hell was
Alpha King Agnistion? Tal turned back to his parents when
he heard his mother sniffle, reminding himself to ask about
his unknown guardian angel later.
"Oh, Mom, I'm so sorry." Tal wrapped his arms
around her after his parents separated and she turned back
to him.
"It's okay, honey, it was during the Destruction of
2410. He'd enlisted to fight for the GPA and had barely
taken off in their shuttle to go to the training camps when a
shock ray missile collided with it." Markaela inhaled
deeply, exhaling on a shaky breath. "I felt it when he died.
It felt like my heart, my mind, and my soul were being
ripped in half. It was horrible. It could have been much
worse had we completed the mating fully and had I been
carrying his child. A piece of me would have died with him
and I would have felt disjointed, incomplete for the rest of
my life. And to be honest, I did for a time, but" She
looked up at Wendiford and smiled. "I met your father
three years later and it was love at first sight. He was the
first true humanoid that I could tolerate outside of other
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Vermithians. We met in GPA Academy and Leadership

University. We were married four months after meeting."
Tal smiled slightly when his parents kissed each
other softly, his own worries easing momentarily in the
face of their obvious affection for each other. Even at the
age of fourteen, Tal knew his parents had something special
and something he wanted. They weren't true mates, yet
seemed to still be made for each other in some way. Could
it be possible that being with his true mate would be even
better than being with someone that he just fell in love
with?
When their gazes returned to his face, however, the
reality of his situation came crashing back down on his
head and his heartbeat sped up and his hands became
clammy with sweat. He had a mate out there. Some man
created just for him and they would get together and he
would get Tal pregnant pregnant. And what if fate didn't
know he was gay and his mate ended up being female?
What the hell would he do with a girl?
"So, how am I supposed to know who my mate is,
exactly? And what if they're a female?" he questioned
hesitantly, his voice wobbling and at a higher pitch than
normal in the face of his fear and uncertainty.
"I sincerely doubt fate would have you be gay and
then bond you with a female, Son." His father pointed out
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with an indulgent smile.

Tal blushed, but it had been a genuine question. He
grinned when his father leaned over his mother to
reassuringly pat his knee.
He shrugged when his mother chuckled softly.
"You'll be able to tell as soon as you're around
them. Their smell, their presence, their voice, all of it will
feel like a blanket being wrapped around you, making you
feel warm, safe, and protected. Also, you'll be able to tell
when you touch for the first time." Markaela smiled softly.
Tal could tell that she was remembering her
korlisdian and he looked over at his father to see if he
reacted. Seeing nothing but love shining in his father's eyes,
Tal's heart clenched even as he sighed in relief. His parents
loved each other fiercely and a part of him wanted that
himself a very small part. His mother took in a deep
breath and Tal refocused his attention on her.
"After that it will be nearly impossible for you two
or you three to be apart from each other, without feeling as
if you are going to climb the walls and destroy everything
around you. It's pretty hard not to know who your mate is.
And you will find yourself not caring about where you are
or who is around you because all you'll want to do is to
make love to them or have them make love to you," she
pointed out.
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Wendiford gasped and Markaela merely lifted a

shoulder.
"Don't you think he's a little young to be thinking
about making love, darling?" Wendiford asked, giving Tal
a small smile.
Markaela laughed in delight and patted her
husband's cheek with the open palm of her right hand. "Oh,
stop being a prude Mr Edifice. You know we Vermithians
talk about sex frequently. It's like talking about the weather.
I know you've never been comfortable with it but Talon is
Vermithian and he's going to talk like this himself. Besides,
he needs to know; he could meet his korlisdian at any time
and he's going to want to know why it seems as if he needs
to always be with that person, why he seems to crave them,
and why it seems as if they aren't making love, or touching,
or talking, or even in the same room together in some way,
he'll feel the need to hunt his mate down. If we don't tell
him, someone else will, like Josie, or maybe he'll ask one
of his friends, or go and look up the details. He could get
the wrong information. He might even ask his friend from
that chatroom, what's his name?" Markaela snapped her
fingers. "Mail S! He might ask him, and what will that
Tumaron boy be able to tell him about being Vermithian
and finding his mate?"
Markaela looked back over to Tal and smiled
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lovingly. "Talon, honey, meeting your mate is the most

amazing thing in the world."
Tal nodded and smiled, but he determined he'd
never find his mate. He loved his family, but nothing lasted
forever. People died, and people left. They especially left
him, so it would do no good for him to have a mate he
wouldn't want to live without, knowing one day that mate
would do the same and leave him behind.
He also had that whole men getting pregnant thing.
He couldn't wrap his mind around it and utterly refused to
do so. It might work for some other people, but at the age
of fourteen, the thought of carrying a child scared the everloving shit out of him and he would not consider the
possibility.
From that day onward, Tal refused to get
emotionally entangled with anyone. He might be
Vermithian, but he didn't have to let fate decide his destiny.

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CHAPTER TWO
It might be years later, but Tal still shuddered at the
thought of carrying a child so he required every boyfriend,
every meaningless fuck, every one-night stand or bathroom
hookup to wear a condom even if a mutual jerkoff or
blowjob might be the only thing they did. He'd gotten a
reputation for being overly protective and safe when it
came to sex, even though most of the STDs from centuries
past were completely eradicated. People still used
contraceptives to prevent pregnancy and while Tal hadn't
met anyone he felt inexplicably drawn to, he wouldn't be
taking any chances.
Of course, Josie, being a nosey older sister, refused
to let his behavior go without remarking on it. His online
friend, 'Mail S' did the same, the two oftentimes ganging up
on Tal over the years telling him to stop being so fearful.
But he ignored them. He had his reasons and they didn't
understand.
He should have known Josie wouldn't give up so
easily. The day they loaded their shuttle for their most
recent expedition and delivery, she decided to speak to him
about the direction his life had taken.
"You know what? I think you never look for

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anything serious and are so cautious about the whole

condom thing because you're actually afraid of any type of
committed emotion," Josie stated when she stored her case,
filled with clothing, toiletries, electronic books and music
in her private cabin before turning to face him.
Her thick black hair swung back behind her
shoulders, the tight curls never losing their spring.
"What the hell are you blathering on about?" Tal
murmured and sauntered away, putting an exaggerated
swing in his hips, smiling when Josie giggled.
He didn't need much room to slide past her in the
narrow hallway, his height and weight almost matching
Josie's small but curvy frame. He walked towards his own
quarters on the rather luxurious shuttle and put away his
travel items. He loved traveling with his sister, he really
did, but she'd become horribly focused on him finding his
mate and having a bunch of 'little Tals' running around.
Josie more than likely tried to live vicariously through him.
It had been a year since she'd broken up with her last
boyfriend, a disgusting blue bird shifter named Oponkian,
from the planet of Bolauntiq. Josie had met Oponkian when
she'd gone with Tal to make a delivery of Vamprician Flow
to the planet's kingdom. Tal had never regretted a delivery
so much before.
Josie followed him to the shuttle's flight deck and
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sat in her chair next to his. "I'm talking about you, Tally.
You and your fear of your mate, whomever he is, and your
fear of having children of your own." With a final wave to
their parents through the forward viewing window, she
helped him prepare for liftoff.
"Josie, where the hell are these children supposed to
come from if my mate is a man and I get pregnant? I sure
as hell won't be shooting them out of my ass, my mouth, or
any other small hole on me," Tal growled his usual, rather
silly defense, hoping she would be put off while he focused
on inputting their destination's coordinates into the shuttle's
computer navigational system.
"Mom already told you when it was time for you to
give birth a line would appear on your stomach and open so
the doctor would be able to deliver the baby. That's not an
excuse anymore," Josie pointed out.
Tal shot her a glare and turned his head back to
focus on flying. He set the coordinates for Strawxig and
turned his mind to the delivery they were making to Leader
Torqran of the GPA. He had no idea why he had
specifically been asked for, but he wouldn't look a gift
horse in the mouth. He'd to make enough money with this
one delivery to get his own place so he wouldn't have to
keep sharing an apartment with his sister. Hell, he'd be
making enough money to move to the affluent planet of
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Printakium, even if the planet had been overrun with

vampires. He'd gotten to the point where he'd rather live in
an area surrounded by rich, undead snobs than to listen to
his family drone on and on about his lack of goals,
ambitions, dreams, and how he needed to look for his mate.
His family had hit on his last nerve and he was on
the verge of a freakout. Or a major mental breakdown.
Whichever happened first.
"Doesn't matter anyway, with all the men and
women I've met and been with, none of them were my
mate. Not one. So, I'm thinking my mate died before I had
a chance to meet them, and since I have no desire to settle
down and have a bunch of little Tals running around, I
figure it's all for the best," Tal stated emphatically.
"Bullshit," Josie scoffed, raising her eyebrow when
he shot her an incredulous look. "You want all of that, the
husband, the kids, you want to have someone to cook for
and take care of. You're wired that way. When we played
as kids, you always wanted to be the mom or the wife or
the nurse."
Tal flipped her off and Josie laughed.
"Face it, Tal, the only reason you say you're so
opposed to the idea is because you don't have it right now
and you don't think you'll ever have it, but if you were
faced with the reality of your mate and a lifetime of love,
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happiness, and children, you'd jump at the chance."

Tal swallowed deeply and closed his eyes at the
brief flash of a life with his mate and their children before
he mentally shook the image awayan image of a large
muscled man with black hair and blue eyes fading from his
mind. He'd been dreaming about the man every, single
night for the past three years, and found it a bit unnerving.
"Not even a little," Tal lied, smoothing his hands
over his thick, long brown hair, making sure he wasn't
sitting on it, and turned his mind back to the task at hand.
They talked about all manner of things as they flew
farther away from their home planet and closer to their
destination. Tal laughed when Josie described the Doralian
she'd met online and slept with. Josie had a soft spot for
large menthey shared that turn-onand she couldn't get
much larger than a bear shifter. Everything on target as
they flew towards Strawxig to deliver their goods and
engage in a little exchanging for their family, Tal figured
they'd never had such an easy delivery before.
The notion got cut short, when without warning, a
massive space storm arose and he and Josie found
themselves thrown 25,000 light-years off course and came
out of warp headed to a totally different planet.
"What the hell?" Josie yelled, clutching at the arms
of her chair, her hair flying around her face, her eyes wide.
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Tal would have laughed at how frightened she

looked had he not been trying to keep the shuttle in line,
and had he not been scared shitless himself.
"I don't know! That storm came out of nowhere;
we've been rerouted to Tumaro by the shipboard
computer." Tal felt both frustration and a little fear as the
shuttle sputtered and whirled around, his systems shutting
down one by one.
His hands moved frantically over the board, Josie's
fingers moving in rhythm with his as the two of them did
the best they could to keep from crashing.
"Isn't that where all of those fucking dog shapeshifters live?" Josie asked, anxiety creeping into her voice.
"Not all of them, but yes, it's like the wolf shifter
planet and they don't have a democracy like we do, they
have a monarchy," Tal explained before angrily pounding
his systems board when the shuttle's brakes cut off. "Shit,
we're going to have a crash landing a hard crash
landing," he warned when they passed through the
atmosphere of the planet Tumaro. "Oh fuck, oh fuck, oh
fuck, oh fucking shit balls!" He swore loud and long when
the shuttle's shields crashed completely.
Tal lifted his hands to his head momentarily and
grabbed his hair before thumping the useless brakes again
in the hopes they would reboot. What the fuck? How had
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Vicktor Alexander

this happened? Things had been going so well. How had it

gotten this bad? He returned his hands back to the shuttle's
control board trying to bring the systems back up.
He yelled out to his sister. "Josie, I hope you
weren't being an idiotic bitch and unhooked your safety
belt, because when we crash, anything not strapped down is
going to go sailing through the front viewing window and
Mom and Dad would kill me if you died!" he shouted over
the sounds of the shuttle hurtling through the air towards
the ground.
"Well let's hope that when we land the shapeshifters will be in human form and not puppy form or
whatever they are," Josie joked, "so they can use their
hands, and not their paws, to help us."
Tal and laughed at her attempt at humor. Josie joked
when she got scared, but he'd never been so thankful for
her absurdity at that moment. He reached out a hand and
clutched hers tightly, only then noticing her unbuckled
safety belt.
"Josie, your bel"
Tal's words were abruptly cut off as the shuttle
crashed violently to the ground and the shuttle ripped apart
as they bounced, rolled, and spun to a halt. His head
snapped forward and back, his body shook with the ship
and his hands flew forward towards the front of the shuttle
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Vicktor Alexander

as his life flashed before his eyes. He thought about his

parents and the day he'd come out to them. He turned to
check on Josie, noticing her empty seat just as
unconsciousness claimed him.
****
The horrific shuttle crash didn't change history. But
people remarked upon, debated, and mentioned the damage
to the small shuttle for decades after the fateful event. Not
even the cargo the shuttle carried, over sixteen zillion malui
worth of gems and natural stones altered the course of
destiny. The two passengers who flew in the shuttle weren't
found among the gems, stones, money, clothing, and the
broken and shattered remains of the space vessel. Instead
they were found several feet away from the broken vessel,
among the foliage, inside the walls of the Tumaron palace
and their identities were remarked upon for centuries after
the One called them home. A strangera humanoid, not a
Tumaron werewolf shape shifterlay injured, brutally so,
in a location far from his original course.
That one man changed the history of Planet
Tumaro. He so completely altered an entire planet, her
people, and their ruler. Though Tumaro had not been his
original destination, fate had brought him almost 50,000
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light years away from of his original destination of

Strawxig. The crash would have killed a lesser being, and
maybe he would have accepted the option over fate
stepping in and taking over. His destiny awaited him on the
planet of Tumaro and the big payoff he'd expected from his
delivery to Strawxig would have led straight to his death.
The man found didn't happen to be just any
humanoid, either, but a Vermithian. One with a price on his
head and a prophecy to fulfill.

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CHAPTER THREE
Alpha King Blazell Roughshire waved goodbye to
his cousins, Anglania and Freud Lang, and breathed a sigh
of relief. He hated it when Anglania and Freud came to
visit. He couldn't put his finger on it, but something about
them always smelled off. Anglania hoped he would
eventually give up on his quest to find his mate and if she
knew how close he'd come to giving in to her not quite so
subtle hints and attempts at flatteryin her journey to
becoming the Alpha Queenshe'd be relentless. Blaze
counted himself lucky she didn't know.
Walking into his sitting room, he closed the door
after sending away the guards who had stepped inside with
him. He needed some time alone. He didn't want to wear
the constricting mantle of Alpha King at that moment.
With a sigh, he pulled off his crown and robe and
placed both items on the coffee table in the middle of the
room. Walking over to the electronic bar, he pressed the
button for a glass of Vamprincian Flow. Once it had been
poured, he picked up the glass and took a deep gulp of the
intoxicating liquid. Smacking his lips, he savored the
aftertaste on his tongue and massaged the back of his neck.
Walking back over to the large sofa facing the vid screen,

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he sat down heavily upon the cushions and put his feet up
on the coffee table, the glass of Vamprincian Flow hanging
from the grasp of his right hand. He lifted his right foot and
pushed off the black boot on his left foot before repeating
the action with his left foot and right boot. He grunted
when the boots hit the ground.
He groaned and leaned his head back, closing his
eyes as he inhaled deeply. Bone tired. He really needed a
vacation. Having been in the role of Alpha King for over
ten years, he'd grown tired of the bickering of his people,
tired of the women who threw themselves at himwhether
they were mated or notand tired most of all of having to
hide the fact that he preferred the company of the male
Tumarons to the females. With another groan he sat up and
leaned forward, reaching for the remote that lay on the edge
of the table and pushed the gold button in the center to turn
on the screen and play the vid he'd watched every day since
his parents had both passed away.
His heart clenched in pain when his father's face
appeared on the screen. His father had been a man larger
than life. One of the strongest Tumarons in history, he'd
ruled the planet and his kingdom with dignity, respect,
strength, and justice. He'd instilled that same sense of duty
and leadership in both of his sons. Blazell snorted when he
thought of his brother, Buckington. He didn't know what
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his younger brother had going on, but he had been

suspiciously absent for weeks on end, and he and Blaze's
assistant, Percy, seemed to be more and more at odds with
each other. Blazell had some suspicions about those two,
about the true nature of their relationship, but he wouldn't
butt in. Besides, Buck never stayed in one area long enough
for Blazell to talk to him.
Shaking his head at his inability to do anything to
help his brother and the behavior of said brother that was
influenced by a certain unspoken of event. He wouldn't
think about his inability to help his brother or stop the
heartbreaking attack and brutal rape Buck had suffered a
decade prior. The sight of his brother's injuries and the
smell of his blood along with the various scents of different
shifters comingling in Buck's system still haunted Blaze to
this day. He'd done all he could to help Buck, to show he
cared and deal with his sorrow, his part in his brother's
harrowing experience, but to no avail. His guilt had become
a heavy burden to carry especially when he added his own
betrayal of his brother that had led to the rape.
Shoving away thoughts of Buck and the past, Blaze
blew out a frustrated breath and shook out his arms before
once again looking at his father on the vid screen. His
father had made the secret video for his heirhis son,
Blazellthirteen years before, and he had been solid as a
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rock as usual, his voice deep and authoritative, resonating

with power. Blazell practically had the words and nuances
memorized. He knew every gesture his father, Algonoquin
Roughshire, made in the vid, but he still, for the life of him,
could not understand what it all meant.
"There are dark forces at work, my son, they seek to
completely wipe out every existing humanoid, either by
death or phasing out their DNA and overrunning it with the
genetic makeup of other species. You must beware of the
GPA leadership, Blazell, for there are many on that board
who will seek your demise when I am gone. Above all, you
must find your mate. It was foretold, my son, that the mates
of both my sons would be special, but your mate will be the
one to help change history. Do not stop looking for your
mate, no matter who it turns out to be."
"It is imperative you do your best to locate all three
of the orphaned Versuthion boys. They are a special family,
my son, and their continued existence is necessary for the
continuation of the humanoids. Their futures are tightly
interwoven with ours and the survival of our own people.
By extension the entire galaxy is based on their ability to
exist and stay alive. Find the Versuthions and bring them to
Tumaro. One of the boys was adopted by a mixed race
couple, friends of mine, Wendiford and Markaela
Sothsberg. When he is older, they are to send him your
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way. But the younger two were kidnapped as children. I

looked frantically, everywhere that I had access to or
wherever my intel gathered information, but couldn't find
them. I'll leave you all the information I have on their last
known whereabouts and possible locations, but I fear they
may be a part of the undercover pleasure slave movement.
In which case, they must be found sooner rather than later.
I implore you, my son; you must find and help them, take
them into your care.
"I attended a GPA meeting two weeks ago and
heard their plans for the Versuthions. I did not act in time
and the three boys were split up. They must be reunited and
they must be protected at all cost. If you are watching this,
my son, then the burden must fall to you. You must do
what I could not. Be ready, my son, for I fear you will have
an intergalactic war on your hands when these three young
men are finally found."
The video ended and Blazell swallowed back the
sob that threatened to break forth from his chest. Gods he
missed his father. More now than ever before. He needed
his father's wisdom and guidance, his support, but more
than that he needed for his father to take over the throne so
he could find his mate. Blazell closed his eyes and the same
image appeared in his mind, as if he'd conjured it, The man
had long, sun-streaked brown hair framing a delicate face,
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plump lips, a slim nose, and golden eyes. The man had to
be Blazell's mate. He'd been dreaming about him for the
last three years and over the past week the details had
become sharper. He had a feeling it wouldn't be long before
he found the guy, and he could only hope it happened soon
because the Elders weren't going to hold off much longer
on making him mate with someone anyone or rather,
any woman.
Blazell turned at the sound of a loud crash and leapt
to his feet, rushing to grab his weapons and royal military
garb moments before the door burst open and the room
swarmed with seven of his Gamma guards. He quickly
turned off the vid screen and made his way to Rico Suavez
and Gregor Malvechio, his two most trusted guards.
"What the hell was that?" he asked.
"A shuttle crashed just inside the palace walls,
Alpha King," Rico responded.
Blazell nodded. "I want two guards to go check for
survivors and see what the hell that ship was doing trying
to land inside the palace walls," he commanded.
He watched as the guards all looked around at each
other, Rico and Gregor shooting each other a nervous
glance, one that made the blood run cold in Blaze's veins.
Gregor shuffled his feet hesitantly and Blazell had a feeling
he already knew who had gone down to investigate.
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"Gregor, where the hell is my brother, Beta Prince

Buckington?"
****
Buck approached the damaged vehicle slowly, his
eyes looking for any possible attackers, his years of training
with the GPA Peace Corps and Marines kicking in when he
stepped closer, his phasers raised and ready to fire on
anyone who made any sudden moves. Stopping after a few
feet, he sniffed the air and then raised his hands to get the
four guards who had come with him to stop. He smelled
something vaguely familiar. Almost as if he were
smelling a sweeter version of his brother.
"Beta Prince? Is the Alpha King out here?" One of
the guards asked.
Buck rolled his eyes at the guard's stupid question.
"Don't you think you would know if the Alpha King was
out here?" He shook his head at the guards' overenthusiastic
words of comprehension and understanding.
He opened his mouth to remind them to stop being
so idiotic when the sound of a moan reached his ears. He
froze and listened for the sound again. He'd have to rely on
his sensitive wolf hearing as he couldn't rely on his sense of
smell. Blaze had obviously walked in the area because he
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could smell, the Alpha, even if a more delicate, softer

fragrance of Blaze. As if Blaze had been sitting out among
the flowers, something Buck couldn't really see happening.
Blaze didn't really strike Buck as a picking-flowers type,
but Buck trusted his sense of smell. He smelled Blaze but
lighter, tinged with a softer, almost different aroma, which
could possibly be because of the crushed flowers
underneath the ruined space shuttle. Still strange, for scents
were as individual as fingerprints.
Something niggled at the back of his mind, an
ancient story his mother had told him when he'd been
younger, but he pushed it away. He would try to recall it
later. He had to focus at the moment. Especially since he
also smelled blood and the distinct scent of a female
Edifician. Since he couldn't see her, he could only presume
she'd lost her life. He would send out the Elders to read the
final rites and have her body returned to her family, though
why an Edifician, and a female at that, would be all the way
out on Tumaro alone baffled him.
Shaking his head at the horrible loss of life, he
turned to the left when he heard the groan again. His black
hair swung behind him and momentarily blocked his view.
He gestured to the guards and they flanked him when he
approached the sound. When he finally found the source he
gasped, along with the rest of the guard, at the sight of the
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gorgeous man who lay among the palace flowers, his body
battered, bruised, and bloody. Buck could hear the
stranger's heart beating, slowly, but he still clung to life.
With no other thought but that the small man
needed immediate medical attention, he lifted the gorgeous
person into his arms and turned to head back into the
palace. Neither he nor the guards noticed the slim, brown
hand that lay covered by the debris of the shuttle, the palace
flowers, and the branches from the beautiful Tundle tree.
****
Elder Mailon Saungfreid finished up his latest cyber
mail message to his online pal 'Tal Vers' and sat back with
a sigh. He loved his buddy TV. They'd been chatting for
over six years and although they hadn't sent any images or
holograms of themselves to each other, he knew TV was
the best friend he'd ever had. It was just too bad they both
sort of knew that they weren't mates. Fated best friends?
Definitely. But fated life partners? Nah not so much.
They both loved to have a bigger, stronger man holding
them down or to be holding down a larger man riding his
thick hard cock.
Mailon cleared his throat and discreetly adjusted
himself under the table before turning his attention back to
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Elder Bryce Morgasein. He hated Elder Bryce. Mailon

always had the distinct impression Elder Bryce's words
were not really true, but no one listened to him when he
tried to point it out. Mailon, the smallest of the elders,
pretty much didn't exist to the guards. The only ones who
really paid any attention to him were his parents, the king,
his friends Percy, Buck, and TV. The other Elders noticed
him, but only because they oftentimes needed a deciding
vote.
He wished he could go to Edifice, leave all of the
Elder business behind, and go visit his friend. He'd much
rather be with TV and listening as the other man rambled
on about his sister 'Fire', and dreaming about their mates, or
at least Mailon would be dreaming about his mate, TV
would be mocking him for it. All of those things would be
better than to be sitting in the conferences where he listened
to Elder Bryce plot and scheme against the humanoids. The
man also underhandedly tried to usurp Alpha King Blazell's
authority. Mailon wanted Elder Bryce out of the picture, for
good. He'd need a miracle to make it happen. Something or
someone to fall out of the air and help Alpha King Blazell
remove Elder Bryce, and to help make treachery within the
Elder an issue never to return again. The Alpha King
wanted to get rid of the problem Elder but there were laws
and steps involved to prevent any Alpha King from
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removing an Elder just because they didn't like them.

Mailon had to find cold, hard evidence that would stick and
could not merely be considered hearsay. The Alpha King
had informed him of exactly what he needed and expected
and Mailon had the job to uncover it. He wouldn't fail his
Alpha, his King, even if it became the last thing he did.
The sound of two crashes, not far off, pulled
Mailon's attention away from Bryce's treachery. Without
thought, Mailon took off out of the room. He ignored the
shouts and commands for him to come back to the meeting
filled with stodgy Elders. The Alpha King would want to
find out the truth immediately and, because of his position
in the palace, both the known and unknown, and his true
status in the wolf shifter hierarchy, Mailon would be the
best one to do the investigating. He pulled off his clothes
and quickly shifted into a small gray wolf, and then with a
quick and almost silent howl, he allowed the other part of
his change to flow over him and he became the image of a
large gray wolf with a large black dot on his ass and took
off towards the sounds of the crash.
****
Tal opened his eyes and looked around, wincing at
the harsh glare of the light above him. Turning his head
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slightly, he glanced around the room and realized he lay on

a bed, a very soft bed, and the room dcor and furnishings
had been done in soft golds and greens. Tal instantly felt at
ease, not only the colors but, inexplicably, also by the
presence of someone in the room, which didn't make any
sense because Josie knew not to enter his guest quarters
when they were given rooms to sleep in. He sighed and
closed his eyes to return to sleep. His brain clicked into
gear. He been headed off course towards Tumaro and his
shuttle had crashed. Josie had been with him
Josie!
"J-J-Josie?" he croaked.
Clearing his throat, he raised his voice and tried to
sit up in bed, which he seemed incapable of doing. "Josie!"
The doors to the room flew open and Tal found
himself blinking up at the massive, hulking man who'd
rushed inside.
"Are you okay? What's wrong?" the gorgeous man
asked.
Tal's brain effectively shut down again and he let
his gaze rove over the man's features. Tall, really tall,
gorgeous, with long black hair, a pair of the lightest blue
eyes ever. While his skin had a darker shade than Tal's, it
still appeared paler than that of other Tumarons.
Shaking himself out of his reverie, Tal answered,
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"J-Josie my sister, where is she? She was with me on the

shuttle. Where is she?"
Reaching out, he grabbed onto the front of the
man's gray shirt and held on as tight as he could, which in
his weakened state wasn't all that tight. What if Josie hadn't
survived? What if she had and tried looking for him? What
if the Tumarons had found Josie and made her their slave?
Were they about to do the same thing to him? What if he
never saw his sister again?
Tal looked around the room frantically and realized
what he'd thought had been a bedroom, actually appeared
to be a clinic. He began to panic, his breath coming faster
when he imagined all of the horrible things that could have
happened to Josie, while he'd been lying in a hospital bed,
apparently being taken care of.
The big man frowned when he sat down on the bed.
Tal noticed and appreciated the look of concern on the
other man's face but he had to find his sister.
"There was no woman when we found you, beauty,"
the stranger said, his voice low and full of confusion.
Tal's brain paused momentarily at the endearment.
The man didn't know him and while Tal found him
attractive, he felt too stunned to really appreciate it. Then
the other man's words sank in.
"What? No. No. No! No, you have to be wrong! She
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was sitting in the seat next to mine, she was there! You
have to go find her! You have to go and find my sister!
Josie! Josie!"
Frantic, Tal sat up swiftly, swaying a bit and
pushing away the hands of the mysterious man who seemed
determined to try to make him lay back down in the bed.
"Let me go! I have to go and find my sister! Josie!" he
screamed and got out of the bed and tried to race for the
door, stumbling along the way.
The solid wood swung open in front of him and he
barreled into a very wide, very firm chest.
"Whoa there, where are you running off to?" the
man attached to the chest spoke.
Tal flushed with warmth. He wanted to wrap his
arms around the body before him. He wanted to wrap his
legs around the bigger man's waist and never let go. Tal
raised his eyes up, past the thick, muscled, tanned neck to
the square jaw, dusted faintly with a dark, stubbled shadow,
to the aquiline nose that spoke of an aristocratic heritage,
and finally to a pair of the most gorgeous, dark blue eyes
Tal had ever seen. The man's long, black hair that hung to
just below his shoulders and his large frame turned him into
Tal's walking wet-dream come true.
Tal quickly reconsidered the crazy notion when the
man in question growled low in his chest and clutched Tal
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fiercely to his chest before burying his face in his neck. Tal
squeaked in surprise but amazingly did not pull away. He
felt safe in the man's arms, even though he didn't know his
name, and he never wanted him to let go.
Tal's world spun when the man in question quickly
jerked him behind him, pressing Tal against the door.
He growled at the other man in the room, "Mine."
His voice sounded low and forceful, growly and full
of authority and power. He would not be one to be messed
with. He ruled in the room at that moment and Tal kind of
felt happy the guy seemed to be on his side, even if he
didn't exactly know why.
"Blaze? Are you saying that this humanoid is
your mate?" the first man asked incredulously.
The man named Blaze turned to look at Tal, his
eyes softening rapidly, a slow smile coming to his fac. He
inhaled deeply, breathing in Tal's scent, his eyes closing in
rapture before he turned back to answer the question.
"Yes Buck, he's mine my mate."
Tal's eyes widened, another squeak escaping at the
word mate. His mother's words about how he would feel
upon meeting the person destined for him came rushing
back. He stepped away from the man called Blaze and
backed into the door behind him, his eyes wide and his
body quivering in fear. Blaze met his gaze, his eyebrows
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raised in question
"Fucking shit balls," Tal breathed. "Hell no." He
shook his head quite forcefully before he slipped back into
unconsciousness.

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CHAPTER FOUR
Hours later, Blaze looked down at the delicate
features of the man lying next to him. He had never used
the term 'beautiful' to describe a man before, but when it
came to this man it seemed the only word that truly fit. He
smiled when his mate sighed in his sleep and unconsciously
moved closer to him, snuggling into the curve of his body.
His mate. He'd been searching for years for the one created
and destined by fate to belong to him, made just for him,
and had begun to despair of ever meeting him. When his
brother and Percy told him of the humanoid who had been
rescued in the copse behind the castle, he'd only come to
the palace's clinic to check on the man. He'd wanted to
inquire of his home, his destination, his name, but instead
he'd caught the marvelous scent of his mate.
Blaze had never been so thankful for a shuttle crash
before in his life. He carded his fingers through the man's
thick, soft brown hair streaked with gold strands, and his
inner wolf settled down into a ball, at peace to have found
its mate and to know him to be safe. Right there. With him.
Blaze had been shocked when his mate's body
glowed with a bright red light that faded to a dim white
shine then ebbed away, leaving the smaller man's body

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healed of his numerous injuries. He would have to talk to

his other half about that soon, but not before he enjoyed the
wonder of his body and bonded them forever.
When the smaller man's eyes fluttered open, Blaze
smiled softly. He wanted to treasure the man, cherish,
protect, provide, care for, and love him, and he planned to
do that exactly. No one could stop him, no one. With this
man, his mate, he didn't have to be the big bad Alpha, he
didn't have to be the king. He could just be Blaze. He
longed for the opportunity to be himself and that counted as
one of the very reasons the man would now be the most
important person in the world to Blaze. He would give
Blaze the freedom to be himself. The man would become
the other half of Blaze and once they had fully mated, he
would feel whole complete. He grinned when his mate
began to squirm around on the bed and realized from the
frown that appeared on the man's face he wasn't used to
sleeping in the bed with someone.
"J-Josie? Are you in the bed with me? Are you
trying to braid my hair again? Why are you in the bed with
me? Get out," the man grumbled sleepily, pushing weakly
at Blaze's chest.
The knowledge his mate didn't usually have
someone in bed with him filled Blaze with possessive joy.
Blaze chuckled softly and grinned when the other
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man's eyes widened and truly focused on him. "Who is this

Josie that you speak of?" he asked carefully, trying to keep
the amusement out of his voice.
"M-m-my sister" his mate answered, swallowing
nervously.
Blaze struggled not to growl at the fear he could
smell coming off his mate. Why would the man fear him?
They were destined to be together. This man could be
considered the safest man in the world with him and yet he
almost quaked with fright?
But perhaps he feared for his sister? In which case,
he'd be justified and Blaze couldn't blame him.
"And what is your name?" Blaze resisted the urge to
stroke his fingers through the man's extremely long hair
again, especially now that he'd fully awakened.
"Talon Versuthion, but most people call me Tal.
What's yours?" Tal asked.
Blaze stopped breathing and his heartbeat locked up
inside of his chest. Talon Versuthion? His mate? The oldest
son of the Versuthions? The man his father implored him to
find and protect and the man the fates had created for Blaze
to protect and love were one and the same. What were the
odds of that?
Had Blaze fallen into some sappy romance novel?
He looked down and realized his mate awaited his
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response. Shaking out of his inner musings, determined

now, more than ever to protect the Versuthions and to find
the younger two brothers, he focused back on his mate's
face.
"My name is Blazell Roughshire, but everyone calls
me Blaze or rather, my close friends, my inner circle,
call me Blaze," Blaze explained, his voice hesitant when he
struggled to explain his identity.
"What do the people call you who are not your
close friends or a part of your inner circle? Like me, what
shall I call you?" Tal's gaze focused directly on Blaze's.
Blaze found he admired the smaller man's direct
stare. "Others call me King Blazell or King Roughshire or
if they're really feeling brave King Blaze, but you"
Tal's eyes widened when he realized a king stood
before him.
Blaze held back a chuckle. "You may call me Blaze.
Baby. Sweetheart. Honey. Love. Darling. Sweetie. Or mate.
Any of those would suffice." Blaze smiled.
Tal's eyes narrowed. "Mate? Who said I was your
mate? How do you know?" His voice had gone tight with
emotion and confusion.
Blaze felt pretty sure Tal knew they were fated to be
together, but he would indulge his mate and answer the
question. "One such as I always knows his mate," Blaze
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explained, his head tilting slightly to the side. He sniffed

the air, detecting fear, resignation, and yes arousal, on
his mate's skin. "As do you. You know I am your mate, do
you not, Talon?"
"What the fuck? How the hell do you know what I
know? I know no such thing!" Tal protested loudly,
pushing against Blaze's chest when he sat up quickly and
noticed his completely nude state.
"Where the hell are my clothes?" he yelled, pulling
the bedcovers up to his chin.
Blaze laughed heartily not deterred at all by his
mate's little freak out. "Your clothes were destroyed in the
crash, my love, and I took the liberty of removing the
hospital gown you wore when I brought you here to our
bedroom," he stated.
"Our bedroom?" Tal questioned, a small quiver of
fear and suspicion in his voice.
"Yes, love, our bedroom. Where we will sleep and
make love, more so the latter than the former."
Tal shook his head, bewildered. "But you don't even
know me and I certainly don't know you!" he argued.
"My soul knows yours, my heart embraces yours.
My life and I were made for you as yours was made for me.
I know you in the deepest parts of me, even though my
mind may not." Blaze placed his hands on either side of
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Tal's face, his thumbs delicately caressing his cheeks, "We

were made for each other."
****
Tal blinked in confusion and the large wolf shifter
smiled softly. "I understand this may be a little new and
unexpected for you, but I assure you, after we are mated
you will become much more at ease with our bonding."
"We can never ever be bonded!" Tal declared
furiously, leaping out of bed, ignoring his state of undress
and marching towards the bedroom door.
He'd spent most of the last five years trying to not
find his mate, only to discover him because of a stupid
accident. He had to get out of there. He had to get away
from Alpha King Blazell Roughshire and find his sister so
they could get the hell off of this planet full of arrogant
wolf shifters. A stupid shifter, who would try and mate with
him even when he would end up leaving Tal in the end, just
like his parents had left him. Tal wanted to get back home
to Edifice. He also desperately wanted to throw himself
into the man's arms and ask him to protect him, to hold
him to fuck him and then never let him go. Tal ignored
the pull he felt to turn around and return to his no, no, he
refused to even think of the man as his mate. Dammit! He
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growled internally.
Exasperation flowed off Blaze in waves when the
other man rose from the bed and quickly snatched Tal up
into his massively huge, sculpted arms.
"Where the hell do you think you're going?" he
growled low in his throat.
"Don't you dare growl at me!" Tal huffed. "I'm
getting out of here and going to find my sister! She may not
be important to you, but she is damned important to me!
She's the only person I have on this godsforsaken planet
and I have to go and find her right now! She could be dead
or really hurt." His voice caught on a sob. "Or she could be
looking for me. I have to go and find her." Tal smacked
Blaze on the shoulder.
****
Blaze blinked in fascination. No one had ever dared
to strike him or speak to him as his mate did at that very
moment. Even his parents had ceased to discipline him
once he'd shifted for the first time and his wolf had outsized
his father's. His mate seemed to not be afraid and the idea
made Blaze happy. Talon would be his equal in all things,
and it seemed as if his man would also prove fearless as
well.
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"Did you just hit me?" Blaze asked.

Amazement and amusement vied for dominance.
His mind locked on the fact Tal had struck him more than
the reasoning behind it.
"Yes! I'm not afraid of you, you know. I'm not one
of your puppy servants and you will not growl at me!" Tal
exclaimed, his voice trembling.
Blaze sniffed the air and growled at the acrid scent
of his mate's unease. He wasn't sure if his sister's still
missing status caused the trepidation, or if Tal feared Blaze.
He didn't think he frightened Tal though. Perhaps the whole
mate thing bothered Tal. Blaze decided to not comment on
the scent and to respond only to what Tal had said.
"We're wolves, not dogs. And I am glad you aren't
afraid of me, love, but you can't ever hit me in front of my,
our, people. It's the height of disrespect and would be seen
as a challenge for the position of Alpha King," Blaze
explained.
He tried not to think of the ramifications of anyone
in the pack ever seeing Tal strike him. The kingdom would
be in an uproar. The more stringent Elders, namely Elder
Bryce and his cronies, would demand Blaze fight his own
mate for the throne. For the first time ever in his life Blaze
felt genuine fear about his mating. He had to make sure Tal
understood. His mate meant no disrespect, hadn't meant for
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the slap to his arm to be anything but a way of making

Blaze stop growling. But Tal couldn't do it in front of
anyone else. Blaze opened his mouth to hammer the
knowledge into Tal but got cut off when the other man
spoke first.
"There's no one here except us, Blaze, and as long
as you don't growl at me in public, I won't hit you in
public," Tal rationalized. "I mean you determine my actions
in that area. You don't get to snarl at me like I'm your
servant or something. I mean, I'm your mayour guest for
the time being and you should really treat me as such."
Blaze smiled at Tal's slip of the tongue. How
delightful. One moment the gorgeous man yelled and
attempted to run off on a fool's mission and the next he
reprimanded his Alpha mate. He didn't fear Blaze, which as
his mate, he shouldn't.
Unable to control his wolf, which desperately
wanted to claim their mate, any longer Blaze lowered his
nose to Tal's neck, sniffing and rubbing his face in the
crease and shoulder; spreading his scent all over the smaller
man, nuzzling him. He grinned wolfishly when Tal
squirmed to get away then frantically clutched Blaze closer.
Blaze's wolf howled within when Tal's hands began
moving rapidly over the back of his head and shoulders.
He wanted to growl when Tal pushed him away and
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shook his head.

"We have to find my sister," he stated firmly.
Blaze nodded. He understood the importance of
family and would never try to keep his mate away from his
sister. Blaze couldn't be so unfeeling and callous, but his
wolf desperately needed to mark and claim their mate.
He'd send out word later for everyone to up their
quest to find Tal's sister in order to make up for their
brief delay. "We will find her. I promise," Blaze reassured
and lowered his lips again.
Tal's protests grew weaker and weaker when Blaze
trailed his fingers along the skin of the younger man's back
and over the curve of his ass.
Blaze licked a line from Tal's shoulder to his chin
before he took his mate's lips with his own. The kiss started
off gentle, a seductive meeting, but it didn't take long
before the smell and taste of Tal caused Blaze's wolf to
burst free. He ripped his shirt off over his head. Tal's hands
worked at the black pants Blaze wore, attempting to shove
them down. Blaze pulled Tal flush against his body and
claimed Tal's lips again, stepping quickly out of the
lowered pants and kicking them to the side. He never once
broke the embrace. The kiss then became hard, hungry, and
demanding, full of lips, tongues, and teeth. Tal whimpered
and moaned, his erect cock sliding over Blaze's equally
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hard but much larger erection. Their combined pre-cum

coated their shafts, making the movement much easier
against each other.
Blaze wrapped his arms around Tal, his hands
palming the globes of his ass before he circled the puckered
entrance with one finger. He then lifted it up to Tal's mouth
and groaned when the other man sucked the digit in deeply,
coating it with his saliva. Blaze moved it back down to
Tal's clenching channel and made a slow but deep insertion
within the opening while his mouth devoured his mate's.
Tal moaned again, tearing his mouth away.
"Blaze" he panted, ready for more.
Blaze removed his finger from Tal's ass and
grabbed onto one firm cheek with one hand and lifting his
other to push his fingers into Tal's open mouth. If possible,
Blaze grew even harder when the smaller man lapped at his
fingers, making them slick with spit. Blaze returned to
probe at Tal's hole and sucked in a harsh breath at the same
moment Tal did, both enjoying the feeling of Blaze filling
Tal's entrance with two of his fingers, stretching him into
readiness.
"Fuck, love, you're so tight," Blaze rasped, before
slowly thrusting a third digit deep inside his mate's hot,
tight channel.
Tal's ass seemed to suck Blaze's fingers in and
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Blaze knew he absolutely had to be inside his mate soon.

He needed to claim Tal and make them one.
He had never been as happy for the copious
amounts of pre-cum all male Tumarons produced that
allowed for easier penetration. It helped to have the selfmade lubricant. Lifting Tal high into the air, Blaze grabbed
the globes of his mate's ass, spread apart the cheeks, and
slid the head of his eleven inches long, seven inches in
diameter cock within the other man's pink star slowly. He
groaned and pushed against the muscles that were
clenching and unclenching and finally the head of his cock
popped through. Tal yelled out from the intrusion and
Blaze stopped for a moment. He would never do anything
to hurt his mate, but it felt so godsdamn good to even have
a tiny part of his cock inside of him. He shuddered when
the first connection of his soul with Tal's occurred,
savoring the feeling. When the muscles of the Tal's ass
relaxed, he nodded for Blaze to keep moving and he
pressed upwards, fully impaling his mate on his admittedly
huge cock.
"Oh. God!" Tal yelled when Blaze filled him fully.
Blaze growled with passion but held himself
immobile deep within his mate. He'd never felt anything
like it. Tal's tight, hot entrance clutched his cock as if to
never let him go and Blaze shuddered when the muscles
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fluttered around his erection. Tal felt like heaven wrapped

up in a hot, velvet dream. Blaze became instantly hooked
on the feeling of his mate's ass surrounding his cock.
"Move, dammit, move," Tal grunted, all coherent
thought apparently gone from his mind.
Blaze lifted Tal and then lowered him back onto his
shaft slowly and walked towards the wall. Thrusting deeply
into the younger man, Blaze pressed him against the wall
and pulled out slowly. His movements quickly grew frantic,
the feel of his mate short circuiting his brain and ruining his
plans for a slow, thorough loving. Blaze wrapped one
muscled arm around Tal and grabbed Tal's hand, removing
it from his cock. Blaze held Tal's wrist above his head and
pounded into his mate's ass. Tal moaned and squirmed
against the wall.
"Come for me, baby," Blaze rasped.
Tal's channel clenched around his pumping erection
and Blaze struggled to hold back his own impending
orgasm.
Tal threw back his head, unmindful or uncaring that
it hit the wall, and yelled Blaze's name when his seed burst
forth from his throbbing cock. Leaning forward, Blaze
swiped his tongue lovingly across the skin of Tal's neck at
the juncture of his shoulder, preparing him for the mating
bite. Sinking his teeth deep into the skin, Blaze gave the
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smaller man the bonding mark that would declare to

everyone he'd been mated to the Alpha King.
Tal groaned and exploded into another orgasm.
Blaze savored the sweet and slightly bitter taste of the
essence of his mate's release when his blood rolled over
Blaze's tongue. Their souls entwined, their hearts beat as
one and their mating link slid into place. Blaze slowly
pulled his canines free, flicking his tongue over the
puncture wounds to close them before he could no longer
hold back his own orgasm. He threw back his head, his
mouth opening with a loud shout of Tal's name, his legs
shaking slightly when he gave into the feelings rushing
over his body. They stripped him bare, leaving him
vulnerable to the exposure of his raw emotions for his
smaller mate who clung to him and rested in his arms. His
cock expanded and the mating knot extended to grab hold
onto Tal's prostate and Blaze felt his knees weaken as
another, smaller orgasm ripped through them both.
Blaze panted heavily, breathing in sync with Tal,
and their hearts pounded. He struggled to regain his focus
after such an amazing release. Blaze had never had such a
strong orgasm. Never felt so close or open to another
person while having sex. He'd craved that connection for so
long but now that he had it, he didn't know if he could live
up to the responsibilities that came with it. With a deep
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heaving sigh, Blaze turned and walked back to the bed, still
buried inside Tal, his cock growing hard again with each
little movement.
"Wow, seriously?" Tal chuckled. "We just finished
and you're ready to go again?"
Blaze laughed in response. "What can I say, my
mate? My body is insatiable for you."
Tal purred in delight at the compliment and Blaze's
eyes darkened with passion. "Did you just purr at me?" he
asked.
Tal blushed furiously and attempted to hide his face
in the larger man's shoulder.
"No," he mumbled.
Blaze grinned. How could it be possible for his
mate to get more and more adorable the more Blaze got to
know him?
"Yes, you did," Blaze said and bounced the younger
man on his hard shaft.
Tal shuddered and moaned, causing Blaze to
chuckle. That laugh quickly became a groan when Tal
clenched his tight hole around Blaze's erection. Oh yeah, he
could definitely go another round.
"Stop laughing and fuck me, wolf man," Tal
growled.
Apparently his mate could go for more also. Blaze
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laid him down upon the bed and did exactly as ordered.
He would never let it be said the Alpha King didn't
know how to listen to his mate.

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CHAPTER FIVE
Hours later Tal opened his eyes and groaned when
he stretched. Something had woken him up. He felt
alone, as if something were missing, or someone. Suddenly
his mother's words about not being able to be away from
his mate rushed through his mind and he sat up swiftly. He
had all but forgotten about his sister in his desire to be with
Blaze and he felt horrible, but the guilt became small
compared the itch he felt underneath his skin, an insistent
yearning to find Blaze right there and then.
He hurt all over. His neck throbbed from the mating
bite Blaze had given him and his ass ached from their
continuous bouts of sex. The physical hurts paled in
comparison to the thought his mate might have left him or
worse, gone out and gotten killed. Tal tried to think of
where Blaze could be at the moment. Tal hadn't really
received a tour of the palace, or even of the room he now
shared with Blaze. After they'd had sex a second time,
Blaze had declared he needed a shower and Tal had readily
agreed.
Once in the expansive bathtub, complete with jets,
settings and different mineral options, which Blaze carried
him to since he'd only been semi-conscious, he

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remembered mentioning Josie again. But he couldn't

remember what he'd asked or what Blaze's response had
been. They had then returned to bed shortly thereafter,
where they'd had sex twice more, effectively ruining the
bath they'd shared, before finally falling asleep.
"You are absolutely gorgeous in the morning,"
Blaze growled seductively from the doorway separating the
bedroom from the sitting room.
He walked towards Tal with a tray laden with
breakfast food items. Tal looked at the array of fruits,
cheese, ham cakes, sugar patties, and glasses of what
appeared to be juice mixed with Vamprincian Flow.
Hmm his mate wouldn't be trying to get him drunk so
early in the morning, would he?
"Really?" Tal blushed, reaching forward to snatch
off a piece of fruit and popped it into his mouth.
"Really," Blaze assured him and lowered the tray
over Tal's legs, where he still lay underneath the gold
sheets. "The only thing sexier than you in the morning is
you when you're coming on my hard cock, or down my
throat, or when my cum is spilling out of your ass." He
finished his assertion with a leer.
Tal's skin flushed hotly at Blaze's explicit words
before he broke out in a cold sweat and gasped.
"Oh my god, oh my god," he whispered, panic
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surging.
His legs moved frantically underneath the sheets
and he reached out towards the tray to push it away, his
breath bursting forth from his chest in panicked pants. He
couldn't believe after all this time, after being so careful
no, no, no! He couldn't be that stupid! He didn't even know
Blaze! Even if he they were mates, it didn't mean anything.
"What is it, love?" Blaze asked and cautiously lifted
the tray from Tal's legs.
Tal immediately leapt from the bed and paced,
ignoring the painful twinges in his body. All thoughts of
Josie flew from his mind and he frantically tried to
remember what his mother had told him when she'd given
him the talk all those many years ago.
"Maybe I'm notwe didn't usenot even once
maybe they were wrongI can't beWhat am I going
to" He stammered and walked, wringing his hands.
Blaze grasped his shoulders and halted him. Tal
jerked to a stop, but his mind continued to swirl with frantic
images

and

conversations

with

his

mother.

The

consequences of his mating with Blaze, the mating bite,

and the copious amount of sex they'd had made his fingers
twist and twitch in each other.
"Talon, what the hell is the problem?" Blaze asked
in a low growl.
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Tal blinked, no recognition in his mind before he

realized who stood in front of him.
"I am Vermithian!" he yelled, tossing his hands into
the air as if that explained it all.
****
Blaze's mind whirled and he gasped when the
implications of Tal's statement flooded his mind. "You're
Vermithian? You mean, you may even now be carrying my
children? My heirs?" he whispered in wonder.
Had his father told him that the Versuthions were
Vermithians? Wouldn't he have thought it important?
Blaze's mind raced and he tried to remember the entire vid
his father had left him. But he couldn't focus on anything
other than what Tal had just told him.
His mate, his male mate would be bearing their
children.
He struggled to remember every lesson he'd been
given on the different species within the galaxies. He
thought about the things his tutor had explained to him and
Buck about Vermithians and their gestational periods,
about what it could be like for them to be pregnant. If there
were things they couldn't eat, anything they shouldn't do.
He had always suspected he would either have to have a
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surrogate if his mate turned out to be a male, or he would

have to mate with one of the females from the pack in order
to have a few cubs a few litters of cubs to carry on the
royal line. He wondered if Tal would be like his mother
when it came to procreation. His mother had been the only
wolf shifter in history to give birth to single living cubs
with each litter. Blaze had been the only cub of five in his
litter to live past five months and Buck had been the only
one to survive his litter of six past three months. His
parents had been devastated by the loss of their other
children and had treasured Blaze and Buck maybe to the
point of being slightly overprotective, but Blaze could
remember rolling over in bed as a young cub expecting to
feel his litter mates, and finding himself all alone.
Tumarons had a special gift in having their memories start
from within the womb and unless they were diagnosed with
givab, a disease that made them lose chunks of their
memory, they held those experiences until they were called
home by the One. Blaze remembered being in his mother's
womb, kicking and rolling, and the day they were born. He
remembered lying in a cub pile with his litter mates as they
slept and he remembered the horrible moment when he
couldn't sense their energies anymore.
He hoped he and Tal never had to experience
anything like that. He could remember how brokenhearted
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his parents looked after having to bury nine of their

children, Blaze's four littermates and Buck's five, how they
had mourned for them and how his mother had sat in
darkness for an entire year. He never wanted to see Tal that
sad. He could only hope that every cub that they gave birth
to survived.
"My children," he breathed again, his mouth open
and his eyes wide with shock and awe at the very idea.
"Our children," Tal said and pouted.
"Yes, our children. Yours and mine. Ones that we
make together. Not through a surrogate or technology. Our
children. This is amazing!" Blaze exclaimed and picked up
Tal, still stiff with shock, into his arms and twirled him
around in excitement before realizing that his mate may
even be pregnant at that very moment and put him down
swiftly.
"You're not angry or freaked out I didn't tell you
before we mated?" Tal questioned, his eyes narrowing
suspiciously.
Noticing his mate's consternation, Blaze leaned
forward and kissed him on the lips. How could he tell Tal
he'd just given him the greatest gift on earth?
"No, baby. I'm ecstatic," Blaze assured, "What man
doesn't want his wife, his partner, his mate, to give him
children?" Blaze grinned widely and then chuckled. "I am
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at this very moment, even luckier than I was yesterday

when I found you."
"A wife? Did you just call me your wife?" Tal
asked.
Blaze winced. They were going to argue over
Blaze's use of the word 'wife'. He got ready to prepare his
apologies when a firm, but almost hesitant knock sounded
on the door. Blaze hastened a still naked Tal to the bed
before climbing in after him. He jerked up the covers and
bid the person on the other side of the door to enter,
knowing who would be there by the scent and hoping
nothing urgent required him to leave his mate.

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CHAPTER SIX
The door opened to reveal a slim, blond, and tanned
young man. He looked like the perfect image of one of
those human surfers who had existed centuries before on
Earth. The young man's hesitation by the door had Blaze
smiling. He considered Percy the perfect assistant. His
presence instilled peace and he always acted so respectful
and almost shy of others. Well everyone other than
Buck. Percy's usually peaceable wolf only exhibited any
type of angry reaction when Buck showed up.
"Y-your Majesty? Would you like me to bring
anything for you and, um, the queen?" he stammered out
the question, blushing furiously when Tal raised an
eyebrow in Blaze's direction.
"Queen?" Tal questioned, with barely concealed
annoyance.
Blaze cleared his throat nervously at the look in his
mate's eyes. He might be the Alpha and king of Tumaro,
but his wolf did not want to upset his mate. He had a
feeling it would be unavoidable this time.
Looking both embarrassed and resigned, Blaze
answered his mate's question. "You see, love, I am king,"
he hedged, trying to stall and ignoring Percy who still stood

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in the doorway, observing them with unconcealed curiosity.

"I am the first king to have a male mate in quite some time
and the mate of the king is always called the queen, so"
"So I'm the fucking queen? Seriously? As if being
Vermithian wasn't enough of a hang-up for me?" Tal huffed
in exasperation. "Now I'm a fucking queen? Blaze you
better be glad you're hung like a horse and fuck like a
dream because I'll tell you what, between the whole
possibly being pregnant, my sister still missing, you being a
fucking Alpha and king, and now finding out that I'm
considered the fucking Alpha Queen, this mating thing has
been a bust from the start! I'm being reminded of why I was
so against this whole union thing from the beginning."
Blaze cringed and wondered what he could possibly
do or say to make his rather angry partner a little happier
and he tried to think quickly, because he didn't know Tal
well, but from his rant, Blaze wouldn't put it past the other
man to take off running. He didn't want to upset Tal further
but the younger man's words had gotten him to thinking.
Unable to stop himself, surprising considering he
usually exercized the Alpha King steely control at will,
Blaze blurted, "Why did you agree to the mating?"
Tal turned to stare at him and Blaze swallowed
audibly.
"What?" he asked.
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Tal's surprise came through their mating link. His

question had caught Tal off guard and he felt bad, but he
also knew they needed to discuss the abrupt change.
"Why did you decide to allow me to claim you?" he
repeated.
Tal shrugged a shoulder. "Because you were hot
and growling and your muscles made me drool?"
Disappointment squeezed Blaze's chest and he
nodded, Percy forgotten at the door. He didn't do emotions,
not really. The last time he'd cried had been after Buck's
attack over ten years ago, but he suddenly wanted to whine
in sorrow. Determined not to sob like a girl in front of his
mate and assistant, Blaze huffed out a long, slow breath.
"Blaze, I'm joking," Tal grabbed onto Blaze's
forearm.
Blaze turned to look at his lover and raised an
eyebrow.
Tal

snorted

in

part

annoyance

and

part

embarrassment. "I said yes to our mating because my sister

is missing, I almost died, and I was born to be with you.
Life is too short, Blaze, way too short and if Fate, or the
One, or whatever deity you worship saw fit to make me
worthy of you and you worthy of me, then who am I to
protest? I love my sister but she doesn't always get me. You
will, because we are created for each other. No one else in
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this world will care for me, protect me, want me, need me,
or understand me as much as you and vice versa." Tal
smiled sweetly and Blaze felt his heart swell. "You are
perfect for me Blaze, who else would get excited about
mating a Vermithian but someone who was supposed to
mate one? I thought about running away but I got this pain
in my chest and I couldn't breathe and I realize that leaving
you meant leaving a part of myself and I just couldn't do it.
That's why I agreed to mate with you, because I didn't want
to leave a part of myself behind and feel incomplete for the
rest of my life."
Blaze nodded again. He could understand Tal's
words and his hand shook at the feeling behind them.
Without Tal, he would be incomplete, just a shell of a man
until he died and he didn't want that for himself either. He
didn't want that for anyone. Even if Tal had tried to run
away, Blaze would have just found him and brought him
back. He wouldn't live without his soul ever again. He
would be whole and complete, with his mate by his side,
ruling over Tumaro together. As one fated pair. The Alpha
King and his Vermithian male Alpha Queen.
"Thank you," he responded, before kissing Tal on
the forehead. He looked up when he heard Percy's gasp and
quirked an eyebrow.

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****
"You're Vermithian?" Percy breathed out in
wonder. "That is so awesome! Can you heal and stuff too?"
Percy had always been fascinated by Vermithians.
He didn't know if the knowledge that even the men could
get pregnantand he'd always dreamed of giving his mate
childrenor if the fact they could heal and commune with
animals and nature intrigued him more. Growing up, he had
always been the student writing papers on the history and
current state of affairs for Vermithians. He'd always
thought maybe his mate would be Vermithian and that
would explain his fascination but he'd been wrong. He
gave himself a mental shake and shoved away all thoughts
of his fated half that bastard.
Tal laughed and Percy had a feeling his expression
of childish delight was quite evident on his face.
"I guess." Tal shrugged. "I know I heal really fast,
but I've never had to heal anyone else."
Percy stepped forward excitedly, forgetting palace
protocol, and his eyes widened when he realized he finally
had the opportunity to question a real-life Vermitian. He
had to make sure he didn't do anything to annoy Tal, not
just because of the Alpha Queen status and being Blaze's
mate, but also because he smelled Buck walking up the
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hallway and he needed to be as far away as possible before

he got there.
"Isn't it true all Vermithians can be impregnated?
Male and female?" he asked inquisitively.
Percy watched Tal swallow nervously and slide
closer to Blaze but he nodded his head. Percy had scared
the Vermithian and opened his mouth to apologize, but
stopped when Tal breathed a sigh of relief when Blaze's
arm slid around his waist.
"Stop pestering my mate, Percy. We're newly
mated, he's recovering from being newly claimed, he's still
worried about his sister, and he may even now be pregnant
with my child. He doesn't need to deal with your questions,
too," Blaze growled protectively.
Percy took a fearful step back, knowing Blaze could
be harsh and extremely violent when angered and while he
had never taken his rage out on Percy, he still got scared
whenever his Alpha got angry.
Tal placed his slim hand on Blaze's chest and
stroked him lightly when he saw the fear on Percy's face.
"Down boy, don't growl at him, he's just curious about his
new queen, that's all. And perfectly understandable too,"
he stated and Blaze calmed immediately.
"You're right, my dear. Will you forgive me, Percy?
I find myself being very protective of my sweet little mate,"
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Blaze apologized.
Percy blinked, stupefied. He had known Blaze and
his brother, Buck, for years and had never heard Blaze
apologize, not even when he slammed open a door into a
servant's face. He'd merely growled and told the servant to
watch where they were fucking going next time. Percy
opened his mouth to reply when his entire body heated up
as if it were on fire, his cock hardened, and his eyes slid
shut when he smelled fresh wood, melted chocolate, and a
deep musky scent that made his mouth water. The greatest
smell ever, and he instantly knew Buck, the Beta Prince
his unclaimed and unacknowledged mate had walked up
behind him.
"Hey, Percy, how's it hanging?" Buck asked.
His deep velvety voice wrapped around him and
hardened his cock further. Percy hated how Buck always
pretended as if everything was fine between them. He hated
how Buck seemed to have no problem with them not being
mated. Most of all, he hated the fact he still craved the
bigger man. If Buck so much as crooked his finger at him,
Percy's wolf would wag his tail and rush towards the other
man. After all this time, the excuses, the false starts to their
claiming, the kisses that always ended abruptly, the lies, the
arguments and worst of all, the hurtful words thrown at him
by Buck, Percy hated knowing he still loved the other man.
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Gods, he'd grown sick of loving Buck.

Biting off a terse reply, he bowed towards Buck,
"Hello, Your Highness, all is well. Is there anything I can
get for you? I'm heading to the kitchens to have my own
breakfast, but I can bring something back, if you so
require?" Percy used his most formal voice.
****
Watching the tension-filled conversation from the
bed, Blaze decided to test the mental link he shared with his
mate.
"Don't freak out on me, but are you noticing the
tension between my brother and Percy?" he asked.
Tal stiffened slightly and turned wide eyes towards
him. "Holy shit! Are you talking to me in my mind?"
Blaze winced when the shouted words reverberated
in his head.
Blaze grinned and chuckled softly through their link
before answering. "Yes, it's another of those mating a
Tumaron wolf perks."
"Maybe you can sit down and share all of these
'perks' with me someday soon." Tal raised an eyebrow in
Blaze's direction. "As far as your brother and Percy go"
Tal glanced back at the two men who seemed to be having
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a very silent, very heated discussion. "It's obvious they're

mates like us and that they're both hopelessly in love with
the other, but something is holding your brother back from
claiming his fated half. I wish I knew what."
Blaze nodded. He completely agreed. "Perhaps we
could look into it? I want my brother to be happy and I'm
afraid that will never happen as long as he's denying
Percy. And he's making my assistant miserable at the same
time, which is not a good idea. I need Percy at his best and
I need Buck's head to be in the right place, neither of which
will happen if they continue in this fashion. Besides, my
brother is always sad and angry and Percy is always
brokenhearted. It puts me in a very awkward position. I feel
torn between my brother and my assistant, who is also my
ward. I want them to be mated so this will stop happening.
We'll definitely have to look into it. There's more to their
story than what we know."
****
"Why so formal, Percy?" Buck asked, his voice low
and frustrated.
"You are royalty and I am a servant, as you so
kindly reminded me last night, how else am I supposed to
speak to you if not formally Your Highness," Percy
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pointed out, a slight thrill going through him when he heard

Buck's frustrated growl.
It served him right. Buck wanted him. And Buck
knew they were fated to be together. They had been hours
away from becoming mates, over a decade before, in truth
when Buck suddenly changed his mind. Percy had grown
tired of trying to get the Beta Prince to tell him, what had
made him change his mind. He wouldn't to do it anymore.
Buck could growl, and sound upset, and feel rejected. He'd
made the situation. He'd just have to deal with it. Percy
wouldn't sit and wait for some crumb of affection from the
other man, tired of waiting for Buck to pull his head out of
his ass and finally claim him. He was done and Buck would
just have to deal with it.
Percy turned towards the bed, snubbing, dismissing,
and ignoring his errant mate.
"You know we don't consider you a servant, Percy,"
Blaze stated.
Tal placed his hand on Blaze's elbow and slightly
shook his head, stopping whatever tirade the Alpha had
been about to get into. Percy could tell Tal advised Blaze to
not get involved, but Percy could have saved Tal the effort.
They had nothing, nothing to get involved in. Ignoring the
re-breaking of his heart at the realization he would truly
never be with his mate, Percy squared his shoulders and
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mentally put up walls around his fragile emotions to guard

himself from any further run-ins with Buck. They were
unavoidable. They both lived in the palace. The Beta Prince
and the assistant to the Alpha, and the pack'swell, his
secret role within the pack wouldn't be significant. No one
suspected him of being such a precious member of the
pack. Nobody had ever stopped to wonder why his
presence would always be requested and why their feelings
seemed to be controlled or tempered by it. They thought
him an orphan, taken in by the royal family after the
untimely deaths of his parents, and for the most part people
pitied him. The pity and their own egos kept most of the
pack from discovering his real value, which Blaze had
discovered within five minutes of meeting him. Percy didn't
care about the pack and their view of him, however. The
only thing that mattered? His fated mate didn't think Percy
worthy, and he would be destined to always be reminded of
that fact.
Every. Single. Day.
"Thank you for the kind sentiment, Alpha King,"
Percy bowed, going overboard with the formalities, but
using them to distance himself from the Roughshires.
He would bide his time until he either met someone
else or he could leave Tumaro. He couldn't stay, not now.
"You know we consider you a member of our
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family, Percy, don't be ridiculous," Buck said in a tight

voice, his hands clenched by his side.
"And anyone that tells you different is a liar and I
want you to bring them to me so I can deal with them,"
Blaze interjected.
Percy struggled not to turn accusing eyes in Buck's
direction. It would be so easy to tell Blaze how Buck had
been the one to say those very words the night before.
Given it as the reason why they couldn't mate. But Percy
couldn't do that, because regardless of all of the hell and
bullshit his mate put him through, he still loved him. He
would do anything to protect Buck, even keep his pain
buried as much as possible, as well as the secrets he held
within himself. He'd planned on sharing the secrets he held
with Buck when they mated, but that would never happen
now it seemed.
"You made it perfectly clear last night that I'm
nothing more to you than just a lowly servant," Percy
hissed underneath his breath so only Buck could hear him.
Quickly composing himself, he turned to formally
bow to Blaze and Tal. "I'll return shortly with a fresh
breakfast tray for you," Percy bowed again before throwing
an angry glare at Buck and rushing back through the door
and out into the hallway.

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****
Blaze watched Buck when Percy rushed off. Blaze
felt extremely sorry for his brother and Tal's own sadness
filtered through their mate bond.
He followed his brother's gaze when it swiftly
turned towards Tal who couldn't contain his sniffles.
"Baby, what's wrong?" Blaze asked, pulling Tal to
his chest.
Tal gulped and Blaze knew it was in an effort to
soothe his wayward emotions. "How can you deny your
mate like that?" He whispered in a broken voice, his eyes
boring into Buck's.
Hearing someone voice his suspicions out loud,
Blaze felt confusion swirl through his mind. Buck wanted
Percy. Blaze could smell the arousal and need on his
brother's skin whenever he got within Percy's vicinity, and
yet Percy remained unclaimed. A blind man could see they
wanted each other. So why the hell were they still apart?
Now that he'd found and claimed his own mate,
Blaze couldn't understand why Buck would deny his. A
great guy, Percy would be perfect for Buckthey would be
perfect for each other. Blaze was confused by his brother's
reticence. A memory of his brother, battered and bruised,
smelling of different species, blood, semen, and urine
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niggled at the back of his mind and Blaze wondered if

perhaps Buck's hesitation had something to do with what
happened to him at the age of sixteen. Not wanting to bring
up such a painful subject, especially in front of his new
mate, Blaze kept his mouth shut.
"It's not that simple. There are complications,
problems, things I can't get into or explain." Buck sighed
and stared at Tal, his face open and vulnerable, his eyes
filled with grief, despair and hopelessness, begging for
understanding. "I would like nothing more than to claim
my mate, but it's too dangerous for him if I do. And his
safety is the most important thing to me," he explained then
added, "Your Highness."
Though Blaze couldn't understand denying a mate
for any reason, especially when he'd found his own, he did
understand the need to go to any lengths to keep your fated
life partner safe and did not comment on the matter further.
He knew Buck. There would come a time when he would
explain all, just not now. Blaze could feel Tal's need to
press Buck for more information, the questions swirling
through their mating bond, but Blaze squeezed the younger
man in his arms and breathed an unnoticed sigh of relief
when Tal merely closed his mouth.
"Did you need something, Buck?" he questioned
instead.
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"Oh, yes, of course. Elder Mailon Saungfreid has

requested a private audience with you and your new mate,"
Buck informed them. "At your earliest convenience, of
course."
"Wow, word sure does travel fast. Blaze only
claimed me yesterday," Tal exclaimed. "No one knew
except you, me, and Buck, that we were mates. Unless you
went and told everyone this morning. But I don't think that
would have been enough time for it to reach an Elder. What
do they have? Cameras and sensors watching or
something?"
Blaze smiled, finding Tal's freedom in speaking his
mind very refreshing. "Whenever the Alpha King is mated,
when he has found his true mate, the candles in the temple
flame blue and then red before turning white. They then
flicker out until the mating is complete and then they light
again. That won't happen again until a new Alpha King is
named and has found his true mate," Blaze explained.
"Oh! That sounds so cool. I would love to see that."
Tal exclaimed, blushing when he realized the impossibility.
Blaze gazed down fondly. "Maybe with our
firstborn son, baby," he told Tal, kissing his temple.
He cleared his throat and sat up at the sight of Buck
raising his eyebrows in shock at the open display of
affection.
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"Your son?" Buck asked incredulously. "You two

have already discussed finding a surrogate? Blaze! You
only mated him last night. I mean Your Highness, don't
you think you were being slightly hasty in speaking about a
surrogate with your mate of twelve hours?"
"Tal is Vermithian," Blaze stated proudly, pulling
his mate close to his side and chuckling at his brother's
amazement.
Tal smiled sheepishly, his fingers nervously
plucking at the golden sheets covering the huge king-sized
bed.
"Really? Congrats, bro! Vermithians only have a
gestational period of six months." Buck clapped Blaze on
his bare shoulder.
Blaze became extremely aware of his bare chest as
well as Tal's state of undress. Unable to stop the growl
emanating from his throat, he glared at his brother, blinking
in surprise when Tal giggled. How could his mate laugh
when Blaze growled about another man being in the room
with him while he was naked?
"Your growl is so sexy, Blaze." Tal grinned and
pressed his lips against Blaze's softly.
Unable to control his lust for his mate, Blaze kissed
him back deeply and passionately, dimly aware of his
brother leaving the bedroom and closing the door behind
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him.
"God, baby, you're so beautiful," Blaze rasped,
gazing down at the features of his gorgeous mate.
"You don't have to say that, I'm already your mate,"
Tal joked.
Blaze had despaired of ever meeting his true mate.
He had to hide his sexuality and love for men from the
Elders since they didn't approve of a same-sex mating by
their ruler. He'd come so close to finally deciding to find a
female to marry, genuinely considering Anglania, in order
to obtain heirs when he had been told of the crash and had
walked into the clinic to find his true mate. A man so
beautiful he took Blaze's breath away and to show the crazy
wisdom of fate, his mate turned out to be Vermithian, more
than capable of providing him the heirs he wanted, while
still being a man which he so desired.
"I know I don't have to, but you are beautiful. And
since I'm not using flattery or compliments to entice you to
mate with me, you know I'm speaking the truth. And as the
Alpha, I have to speak the truth, and since I am king, you
must never doubt my words," Blaze pointed out, pleased
with his brilliant, quick thinking.
"Yes, Your Highness," Tal responded cheekily,
before sticking out his tongue.
Blaze grinned when Tal squealed after Blaze
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swooped down to plant a smoldering kiss on his mate's lips,

drifting down over his chin before Blaze placed his nose in
the crook of the smaller man's neck to sniff deeply. His
wolf growled and panted happily at the scent of his mate,
wanting to mark him again. He detected the smell of his
wolf on his mate, but it wasn't enough. Rubbing his face on
either side of Tal's face, he spread his scent all over him,
smiling when Tal giggled.
"Blaze! What on Edifice are you doing?" Tal
gasped out in between bursts of laughter.
"Covering you in my scent," Blaze stated before
raising his head.
Tal smiled, then jokingly asked with a sarcastic
tone, "Did you mark me enough or would you rather piss
around me just to be sure?"
Blaze's eyes widened at his mate's words before a
startled laugh escaped his throat. "You are absolutely
delightful."
"Glad you think so," Tal stated cheekily before
climbing from the bed and walking naked towards a closed
door on the other side of the room.
"Why are you going to the closet, my love? Have
you no desire to shower before you dress?" Blaze teased,
aware the other man probably didn't remember the location
of the en suite bathroom.
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Tal paused and gave a sigh of exasperation, "Well,

where the hell is the bathroom?"
Stifling his laughter, very aware it could cause his
mate to retaliate in an unwelcome fashion, Blaze rose from
the bed and strode forward. Taking Tal's arm gently, he led
him across the large master bedroom.
"This is our en suite bathroom"he directed the
younger man before gesturing to the set of double doors
directly across from them"those lead to our sitting area
which is right next to our library and on the other side of
that is the nursery."
Tal stiffened at the mention of the nursery before
turning slowly to face Blaze. "Why is the nursery so far
away from our bedroom?" he asked.
"So the nanny won't be scandalized by our
lovemaking," Blaze informed him honestly, seeing no
problem with the distance between the nursery and their
bedroom.
It had always been the tradition. How things were
done. Why change things set up before he'd even been old
enough to experience his first shift? His father had been the
greatest Alpha King that Tumaro had ever known,
everyone always said so. It had even been recorded that
way in the history books. He followed his father's
instructions to the letter and nowhere in there had it said for
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him to question anything.

"What nanny?" Tal asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Our nanny. The one who will raise our children,"
Blaze explained calmly, aware his mate had not come from
royalty and might not understand.
He escorted Tal into the bathroom with a hand on
his elbow.
Tal stopped their forward movement and peered up
questioningly. "Why is someone else raising our children?
Someone other than us?" he queried.
"That's the way it has always been done, love,"
Blaze explained. "The Alpha King and Queen of Tumaro
are too busy to raise their own children. They birth them
and then the nanny raises them for the most part. They visit
occasionally of course." He shrugged and tamped down the
deep-seated hurt at the non-existent relationship he'd had
with his parents until he'd come of age at fourteen and
could be trained and educated to be an Alpha. He had
vague memories, flashes of images of his mother singing to
him and rocking him to sleep, but until he'd reached
puberty, his life had been filled with nannies, tutors, and
Elders. Buck had received more attention from their
mother, which had made Blaze extremely envious, but by
that point, he'd finally become useful to his father and spent
most of his time with the then Alpha King. It could have
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been much worse. His parents had regaled him with stories
of royal Alpha families from centuries past and he'd been
lucky, but he still felt as if he'd missed out on so much
those first fourteen years because of tradition. He missed
his parents a lot now, missed the fun times they'd had
together once he'd come of age, but perhaps he missed the
times he could've had with them even much more.
He wouldn't mope or complain about it though. His
father had been raised the same. Besides, Blaze hadn't been
adversely affected by it. He'd become well learned, welltraveled, and now mated. Even now he could be expecting
his first litter. His people weren't revolting. As a matter of
fact, most said he'd become just as good an Alpha King as
his father. Blaze couldn't possibly hope for anything better.
His children, his and Tal's, would be fine being raised by a
nanny.
"How horrible!" Tal gasped before stepping into
fully into the massive bathroom. "That's not how we're
going to do things. There will be no nanny. No one raises
our children but us. I guess we'll just have to start a new
tradition."
Blaze stood looking at his mate in amazement, the
thought they could just do that, raise their own litter and
change tradition, had never occurred to him. Perhaps he
could start a new way of living, create a new standard of
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rules and practices. Perhaps they could. They were the

royal Alpha family now and they could practically change
any law or tradition they wanted. No better place to start
than with their own family. Things would be different, be
better for the people of Tumaro, but also for their family
because they would make things better.
He and his Alpha Queen.

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CHAPTER SEVEN
Tal had been too busy being fucked by his mate the
night before to take much notice of their bathroom but this
time his eyes took stock of all the details. The room
sparkled. The tiles were gleaming silver and the walls
shone as if covered in diamonds. Upon closer inspection,
Tal realized they were indeed, covered in gems. Then
again, diamonds were in abundance on Tumaro, unlike
other planets. Against the right wall rested the largest tub in
history well, the largest one he'd ever seen. Big enough
to fit five adult Tumaron shifter males and their mates.
Opposite the tub stood a large shower with three nozzles on
every side, one at the top, one waist high, one at ankle
height. A small door in the center of the left wall led to the
toilet and 'his' and 'her' vanity counters, overlaid in black
and silver granite built on either side of the doorway.
"Holy shit," Tal breathed, his eyes wide when he
took in the luxury of the room, drifting down until they fell
on the emblem of a wolf carved into the floor. "This is a
fucking palatial bathroom," he whispered, shaking himself
mentally when Blaze chuckled.
"Of course, this is a palace. Where else would a
king live?" Blaze asked. "Now, about the whole issue with

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the nanny."
Tal gave him a brief scowl before returning to their
earlier conversation. "I don't care how they used to do
things, but if I am going to have to give birth to our
children, then I'm damn sure going to have the pleasure of
raising them the way I want them to be raised, to have my
influences and nuances. No ifs, ands, or buts about it," he
declared emphatically before turning towards the shower
and stepping inside. "I don't care if you are the damned
Alpha King. I'm the Alpha Queen and that makes me the
Queen Bitch."
Tal laughed, sure if Josie had heard that statement
she would have been quick to agree whole heartedly.
Sobering at the thought of his still missing sister, he turned
to the many different nozzles surrounding him and made a
promise that before he even thought about settling down
into his new role as the Alpha Queen, he would make sure
he fulfilled his role as 'Tally, younger brother to Josepire'.
"Now, come show me how to work this damn
shower so we can meet this Elder, and you can show me
around my new home before we go find my sister," Tal
commanded, determined not to think about the fact he'd
been fucking and orgasming, sleeping, eating, and learning
about his new mate, while his sister might have been
suffering through god knew what.
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Josie would never let him live it down.

If they ever found her.
****
Blaze nodded and without another word stepped
forward to shower with his mate.
He admired Tal, feeling pride at the firm stance he'd
taken on the rearing of their children, and Blaze's cock
grew hard at his mate's commanding tone and unflinching
declaration. Damn, but his little Vermithian could be sexy
as hell. He knew Tal worried about his sister and Blaze
hesitated to tell Tal the news he'd been given when he'd
gone to get their breakfast tray earlier. There had been no
one else among the wreckage of the shuttle. He didn't think
his mate had lied about his sister being with him, a wolf
shifter could smell a lie on a non-shifter a mile away, but
he thought maybe his mate probably didn't remember
everything, which meant his sister either died in the
crash or she'd never made it to Tumaro in the first place.
****
Josie groaned and opened her eyes, looking around.
What the hell happened? And why did her body feel like a
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hover-craft had landed on top of her? Slowly images of Tal

flooded her mind, their conversations, the space storm that
had arisen, being thrown out of warp into the pull of the
Tumaro atmosphere. The crash landing. The. Crash.
CRASH?
Tal!
Pushing herself up, she clawed her way through the
plants and overgrowth of bushes and flowers, glad Tal
couldn't see her killing all of nature's beauty around her
when she pushed her way free and up onto her feet.
Swaying, the blood rushed to her head and as she struggled
to regain her equilibrium. She put a hand to her temple and
groaned again. She had to find Tal. He had so much beauty,
if she didn't find him quick some big, ugly puppy shifter
would discover and claim him for his own sex slave or
something. She hesitated in taking a step, her mind flashing
with images of papers she'd found in her father's office.
Papers about a sex slave ship and two young Vermithian
boys onboard. She didn't think her father had any interest in
purchasing the boys, the guy defined straighter than
straight. And he'd always been a fine, upstanding member
of the GPA and Edifician community. But he'd been
investigating that particular ship with those particular boys
for a reason, and she'd wanted to know why.
Turning to the left, she saw the remains of the
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shuttle and a sob caught in her throat. What if she found

Tal among the rubble? How would she feel if she
discovered her brother dead? She shook her head and
stumbled towards the debris. She wouldn't think that way.
She'd search for her bag with the files in it and the hidden
vid disc that had been made for Tal by his secret
benefactor, AKARshe'd love to know the real name of
said benefactorand then she'd worry about the rest.
Pulling with all of her strength, she lifted and
pushed aside wires, charred metal, destroyed seating,
panels, door fragments, and motherboards until she saw
jewels, gems, Malui, and the food they'd brought on board.
Holding open the velvet-lined box that Tal used to keep his
most prized treasures in, she filled up the bottom of the box
with the items. She breathed a sigh of relief when she
noticed Tal's pet flower, lying safely on its side underneath
an arch of debris as if it had rolled under the twisted metal
to hide itself. Tal would tell her the flower had done that
exact thing.
She picked up the pet and set it alongside
everything else in the box she had placed just outside the
broken shuttle remains. Wiping away the tears that had
somehow managed to escape, no doubt spreading soot and
grime on her cheeks, she turned back to her search. Giving
a small cry of triumph at the sight of her bag, she pulled it
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free of the piece of shuttle it had been trapped under then

opened it and exhaled slowly when she saw everything still
intact. Thank the gods for a small favor. Turning back to
the box, she started to lift it up, but decided at the last
minute to cover it with a blanket previously twisted around
the column of the shuttle's destroyed roof frame, keeping it
from the elements and prying eyes of others
She turned to leave and hadn't taken two steps
before she heard shouting and the pounding of what
sounded like a pack of animals rushing towards her.
Bracing her feet, she reached into the bag slung over her
shoulder and pulled out her electron phaser, hoping had
enough charge to do some serious damage.
"Halt, in the name of Alpha King Blazell! Who
goes there?" a loud voice yelled out.
Josie turned to look at the man who stood before
her. Over six feet, broad shouldered and tan, with long,
black hair, he was be gorgeous and she would be flirting
with him, if he weren't holding a GPA-issued molecule
phaser aimed directly at her. She glared. She wouldn't tell
him anything, not until she found her brother.
"What's your name and what planet do you come
from?" he asked and stepped closer to her.
She lifted her head to maintain eye contact and
maintained her glare. "Did you find anyone else out here
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with this shuttle?" Her voice sounded raspy and scratchy

from smoke inhalation and thirst.
The taller man hesitated for only a second before
leveling the phaser on her more directly. "You are within
the walls of the palace of the Alpha King of Tumaro. You
are a trespasser. You don't get to ask questions. I do. Now,
who are you?" he asked again.
Josie wouldn't be deterred. She didn't know this
man from the next one, but he could have Tal or know
something about him. And he didn't need to know her
name. Besides, if she told him, he might kill her to get
information out of Tal. She didn't know much about the
shifter race but she'd heard stories about their rages and
violent tendencies. And her ex-boyfriend, while not
Tumaron, but a different kind of shifter, used to explode in
anger at the slightest provocation. And Tal did a lot of
deliveries for the GPA, which meant he possessed a wealth
of information about other planets. She wouldn't do
anything to put her brother in further danger.
She'd keep it simple. "Did. You. Find. Anyone.
Else. Here?" she asked through gritted teeth.
When they remained still, their expressions angry
and low growls emanating up from their chests, she
answered with a growl of her own. "Where is he? Where's
my brother? He was with me! Where is he?"
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She hissed when the man in front of her grabbed her

arm furiously, nodding to one of the other guards to take
the box and her bag. She yelled out and tried to keep her
possessions, but her arms were forced behind her back and
magnetic cuffs restrained her wrists. She struggled harder
and yelled obscenities at the backs of the guards when they
led her away from the rubble and to gods knew where.
"Give me my fucking bag, you godsdamn puppies!"
she spat.
Had Tal been there, he would have said her mouth
would get her in trouble again. No sooner had the thought
crossed her mind than she felt the sudden zap from the
phaser, and promptly passed out.

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CHAPTER EIGHT
Torqran grunted when his orgasm swept over him,
biting down on his lip when the top of his aching erection
exploded with the white liquid of his release. Lorthander's
cock jerked and then spewed its seed deep within Torqran's
bowels and he groaned, enjoying the feeling of the other
man inside him. Sometimes he wished he and Lorthander
could be together officially in front of everyone but it
would never be possible, because that would make him
gaysomething unacceptable in their society. Being gay
on Strawxig would be grounds for incarceration or
execution, depending on if the offense had been committed
before.
If he and Lorthander were caught, they'd both be
executed, they'd been having sex every single day for the
last twenty-five years; since the day they both turned
eighteen and discovered their feelings for each other. But a
public relationship between them would be seen as wrong
and the fact they felt as if they were mates put them in an
impossible situation. So they stole away to enjoy each
other's bodies, to enjoy each other, and then they went on to
the rest of their lives. Back to their wives and children.
He grinned when Lorthander collapsed over him,

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the larger man gasping for breath. Torqran closed his eyes
and breathed in deeply before coming to his senses at the
sound of his communicator beeping. He and Lorthander
hissed when the other man pulled out of Torqran and he
reached for his communicator, placing it on his ear before
answering.
"Go," he said.
He didn't need to introduce himself. As the head of
the GPA, he didn't need a fucking greeting or introduction.
"Master Torqran, it's Nortuvious," the man on the
other side of the communicator answered.
Torqran tried not to show his distaste for the
vampire. The vampires and snake shifters were distant
relations after all, but Torqran just couldn't stomach them.
They were always so much stronger than they appeared and
Torqran couldn't tolerate people whose appearance belied
their reality.
"Update," he replied tersely.
He wanted the call to end quickly. He needed the
call to end quickly. He shivered and held back a groan
when Lorthander kissed up his spine. He loved how
insatiable his bigger mate always proved to be for him.
Lorthander stood at six foot eight inches with muscles on
top of muscles, gold snake eyes, short brown hair, closely
cropped to his head, a square jaw, dimpled chin, and a
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crooked nose that hadn't healed properly. He'd gotten it the

day he and Torqran had slept together the first time. It had
been a major fiasco and an almost dismal failure, but they'd
gotten better at it over the years. Lorthander also happened
to be hung like a bear shifter, long and wide, and he'd been
teased about having some bear in his family tree during
their years at the Academy.
Lorthander had merely smiled and called the other
guys jealous, and they had been. Lorthander had enjoyed
telling a then twenty-year-old, thin, red-haired Torqran
about how many guys had asked to suck his cock or asked
to have Lorthander fuck them. It had always made him
laugh when Torqran would leap on him and rip the clothes
from his body in an effort to reassert his claim over the
other man.
Torqran remained thin, still had red-hair, but he'd
left twenty behind a long time ago. He never felt the need
to reassert his claim. Lorthander belonged to him.
Torqran bit his lip when Lorthander's tongue traced
its way down his spine to the middle of his ass cheeks.
About five seconds away from hanging up on Nortuvious,
he jumped slightly when Lorthander gave him a small bite
on the top of his right ass cheek. Okay two seconds.
"We have located the exact slave ship holding the
two younger Versuthions and are monitoring its progress,"
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Nortuvious stated.
"Good, we need to make sure nothing interferes
with that ship. No one boards it without us knowing about
it," Torqran commanded.
He gasped when Lorthander turned him onto his
back quickly and then gave a small groan when Lorthander
took his weeping cock between his lips and began to suck.
"Are you okay Master Torqran?" Nortuvious asked.
Torqran nodded his head frantically before he
realized Nortuvious couldn't see him. He had a hard time
focusing with his cock being enveloped in the hot, wet heat
of Lorthander's mouth.
"Y-yes, Nortuvious. I'm fine. If that's all, then very
good," Torqran panted.
Lorthander swallowed his cock fully and the head
entered the other man's throat. He clutched the bedsheets
beneath him. Lorthander had to be trying to drive him
crazy! But what a way to go.
"No, Master Torqran, it isn't! I um well"
Nortuvious hedged, his agitation and fear penetrating the
wavelengths of the communicator.
"You what? Just spit it out, Nortuvious, otherwise
get the hell off of my com link!" he yelled and then
groaned when Lorthander chuckled, his mouth still full of
Torqran's cock, the vibrations sending waves of pleasure
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washing through Torqran's body.

"Yes, sir! You see. The oldest boy. The oldest
Versuthion. He's not going to show up in Strawxig, sir. His
shuttle crashed," Nortuvious stated.
Torqran rolled his eyes. "I know this Nortuvious,
we gave him the exact coordinates for the space storm we
saw coming. He was supposed to have a shuttle crash and
die in it. And that's what happened, right?" he asked.
Lowering his hands to the back of Lorthander's
head, he lifted his hips and began thrusting his engorged
cock within the other man's mouth.
"Um no, Master Torqran. He did crash. He and
his sister both, but according to our spies, they both
survived," Nortuvious replied.
Torqran froze and pushed Lorthander away from his
groin. "What the fuck do you mean they survived? They
were supposed to die in that crash! Then where the hell are
they?" he yelled into the com link.
He could almost hear Nortuvious's wince. He didn't
care. The stupid clowns were fucking up his plans.
"They apparently came out of warp during the
storm and crashed on Tumaro, right within the palace
walls," Nortuvious responded, his voice filled with
trepidation.
Icy heat flared up in Torqran's veins and his breath
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locked in his lungs. Tumaro? How the hell did that

Vermithian freak and his Edifician sister wind up on
Tumaro? The one place Torqran would never want them to
end up. There were way too many 'moral' and 'upstanding'
factions in play in Tumaro, not to mention the former
Alpha King. Torqran shivered again, this time in fear as if
the man stood right in front of him.
"Please tell me that they were arrested," Torqran
pleaded.
He couldn't let Tal and Blaze meet. It couldn't
happen at all.
"Well the girl, Josepire, was taken by the guards,
but Talon he was taken to the clinic, met Alpha King and
from what our sources say, the two of them have already
mated," Nortuvious stated.
Torqran yelled out in anger and swept his arm out
furiously, grabbing the first thing he could get his hands on,
a glass figurine given to him by his wife of convenience.
He tossed it against the wall and watched with satisfaction
when it shattered. He ignored Lorthander who immediately
pressed the button on the wall for the maid bot to come in
and clean the mess. Once the offending machine left,
Torqran had calmed down enough to speak again.
"Now you listen to me, you little shit. I don't care
what you have to do, how much you have to pay him, but
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you get in contact with Elder Bryce on Tumaro. He hates

Alpha King Blazell, wants the throne for himself, and he
especially hates gays. You get him on board and let him
know it's up to him to get rid of the Vermithian."
Without waiting for a reply Torqran turned off his
com link and looked up at Lorthander who smiled.
Standing, he lifted his hands to the other man's face.
"I'm sorry Thander, but I must go and sort this. Forgive
me?" Torqran asked.
"Of course, love," Lorthander responded.
Torqran struggled not to shiver at the sound of the
other man's deep voice. With a smile at his lover, Torqran
grabbed his robe and quickly slipped it on before striding
quickly out of the room.
****
Lorthander breathed a sigh of relief once Torqran
left. He didn't know how he could still love the man,
especially after all the horrible things he'd already done, but
love him he did. But sometimes, love wasn't enough. With
a determined glint in his eyes, he walked over to his bag
beside the bed and pulled out his encrypted messenging
device. With a few taps of his fingers, he sent a quick
command to someone who would get him killed if Torqran
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ever found out about it.

****
The man looked down and read the message before
nodding with a grim smile. Just as he suspected, Elder
Bryce had become a pawn of the corrupted GPA. He would
do everything he had to do to keep the new Alpha Queen
safe.
Closing out the message, he deleted and scrambled
his cyber footprints within the Elder's system before
checking his own personal messages. He still hadn't
received a response from his friend. He hoped nothing
majorly bad had happened to him. Hearing footsteps
approaching, he lifted his head and smiled at the man
before him.
"Elder Mailon? You called for this meeting since
you were the one who noticed the candles. Aren't you
coming?" Elder Prixton Foeul asked with a smile.
Elder Mailon nodded and gave him an answering
smile. He had to make sure he attended that meeting. He'd
now unofficially become the new Alpha Queen's personal
bodyguard.

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CHAPTER NINE
Tal squared his shoulders and lifted his head, trying
desperately to look taller than his five foot six inch height
when he walked beside Blaze to the Hall of Elders. He
couldn't remember the last time he'd felt so nervous
okay, more than nervous, he was scared out of his fucking
mind. This counted as worse than when he snuck off to
have sex for the first time with a lion shifter. What had
been his name? Oh yeah, Frank Mufariso. He calmed down
somewhat when he thought about how sweet and gentle
Frank had been, although the fear still permeated his pores.
He also pretty figured it would be the height of impropriety
to be remembering your first time with another man with
your mate right next to you.
"Calm down, gorgeous, I can smell your fear and I
don't like the way that it smells on you," Blaze whispered
when they stopped before a large wooden door. "It's
making my wolf nervous and he's trying to get out in order
to protect you from whatever is threatening you. Just take a
deep breath and ease your mind."
"Easy for you to say," Tal mumbled. "You aren't the
humanoid about to be in a room full of wolf shifters."
Blaze chuckled and grasped the handle of the door.

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"Don't worry, baby, I'll protect you."

Tal opened his mouth to give his mate a scathing
retort only to be cut off by the loud introduction given by
the servant standing right inside the room.
"Elders, behold Alpha King Blazell and his newly
mated um husband, Alpha Queen Talon!"
Tal rolled his eyes at the reference of him being the
Alpha Queen but maintained the falsely peaceful smile and
what he hoped to be a serene look on his face. His eyes
took in the opulent surroundings and furniture of the Hall
of Elders. Not so much a hall as a giant room where
conferences were held, treaties and negotiations were
carried out, and where the Alpha King could meet with his
trusted advisors. Tal started to see the Tumaron pack and
kingdom still ran under a lot of the traditional rules and
standards, and while the buildings had grown and changed
and advanced, it seemed as if the laws and titles and
mindsets hadn't done anything to grow with the times. Then
again, he based that particular perception on the fact they
called him the Alpha Queen. Also, the archaic ideas
regarding the royal heirs being cared for by a nanny
wouldn't be something Tal could put up with and he had
direct control over how his children would be raised.
Although as the 'Alpha Queen' he had control over a lot of
things, right?
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The walls gleamed silver, a dark brown trim around

the ceiling and floorboards. The room appeared completely
sparse otherwise, except for the large conference table
sitting in the middle of the room, surrounded by cushioned
chairs. Turning his head to the right, Tal noticed two large
thrones that sat against the wall facing the conference table.
An indefinable something drew him in that direction and he
fought the instinctive need to go and sit in one of the chairs.
It didn't make sense, but he felt as if he belonged up there,
that the space belonged to him. Like the chair called for
him.
"It is," a tiny voice said, one that didn't belong to his
mate.
Turning his head slightly to the left he saw a tall,
living, Totchoo plant in its glass pot resting beside the very
doorway he'd just entered. He hadn't seen a Totchoo plant
in years. They were some of the rarest, most treasured
plants in the galaxy. Their branches were covered in leaves
so dark green as to almost appear black and they flared out
like spades and on each branch nestled between each leaf a
brilliant red Totchi flower bloomed. The Totchi flower
never withered, its color never faded, and they never fell
off of the branches. They could only be removed, and once
removed, the Totchi flower had the ability to heal within
seconds, if placed directly on an open wound; the ability to
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bring someone back to life if their entire body could be

covered with flowers and if they had been dead for no more
than an hour; and the flowers also had the ability to compel
someone to tell the truth, but only if it were brewed and
made into a tea.
Tal had always been fascinated by the Totchi
flowers and the Totchoo plant. As far as he knew, since
he'd a lot of study about the Vermithians over the past five
years, only the most special of his kind were able to talk to
them.
"How am I able to speak to you?" he asked the
plant, ignoring Blaze while he accepted the greeting of each
Elder and offered one in return.
"Do you still not know who you are, Vermithian?"
the plant responded.
Tal glanced subtly back at the chair. "I am the
Alpha Queen." His statement sounded more like a question.
The plant chuckled. Wow, Tal didn't even know
they had a sense of humor.
"Oh my dear Vermithian, it goes beyond that. You
are special, very, very special. But you will learn all that
you are in time, for you are one of many and together you
will all change history. Only when it is time will all be
revealed."
Tal blinked at the cryptic message from the Totchoo
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plant. "How do you know this?" he asked.

"The One tells us all. Nature, animals, the winds,
the sky, the suns, the moons, space, the stars, the galaxy,
we know all, as the One tell us all. She used to speak to all
life forms, to every species, but you all have just stopped
listening."
Tal blinked when he realized the Totchoo wouldn't
be saying anything more. With the words of the plant
burning in his heart, he turned his mind back to everything
happening around him, and not a moment too soon. It
seemed as if every eye had all turned to look at him.
His gaze took in the appearances of the Elders
standing around the table. There were fifteen no, sixteen
Elders, he amended when another one, much smaller in
stature than the others, rushed towards his chair from a
door at the back of the room. Tal shivered slightly with
arousal when Blaze's hand came to rest on the small of his
back. He allowed himself to be led to the smaller of the two
thrones, the one made for the 'queen', no doubt. He snorted
internally before a nod from Blaze in the direction of the
throne had him taking a seat.
"That was perfect, love. You handled that as if you
were made to be the Alpha Queen," Blaze complimented
him.
He still stood with his back to Tal, but he
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communicated his pleasure with his mate's actions.

"Although, since you are my mate and born to be with me
and I was born to be the Alpha King, that means you were
born to be the Alpha Queen," he amended.
Tal sent Blaze a mental image of him rolling his
eyes before he replied, "We are seriously going to have to
find another title because I am so not cool with the whole
queen thing. Even if I can be a bitch from time to time."
He smiled when Blaze laughed, although physically
the Alpha did not move. Tal's left eyebrow quirked in
confusion. Blaze and the Elders stood perfectly still, none
of them moving, barely breathing.
"Um Blaze?" he asked mentally.
"Yes, love?" Blaze responded, still not turning to
face him.
"What the hell are you doing? Why haven't you sat
down and why is no one moving or talking? I thought I
came here to be introduced and interrogated or
something?"
Blaze sighed through their link and Tal grew
concerned.
"When the Alpha King finds his mate, they are
brought before the Elders. The queen sits and the king
stands, along with the Elders as the One weighs the bond
between the mated pair. If the One finds they are indeed
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true mates, a sign will be given, something pleasant,

something visual. If they are not a true mated pair"
Tal waited for Blaze to continue, his heart pounding
in his chest, his instincts screaming he wouldn't like the
punishment.
When longs seconds went by with no further word
from Blaze and no sign from the One, a deity he couldn't be
sure actually existed, Tal shouted through their mental link.
"Blaze! What the hell happens if they are not true mates?"
"If it is discovered the Alpha King tried to pass off
someone as Alpha Queen who was not his true mate, they
will both be consumed by fire for all eternity," Blaze
whispered the words to Tal's mind.
His body frozen in fear, Tal began to look around
frantically, his eyes searching for a sign from the One,
hoping these wouldn't be his last moments alive. He hadn't
found Josie, his parents were probably worried as hell, and,
if he was being honest with himself, he'd like to have sex
with Blaze at least one more time. He suddenly gasped
when a warm heat surrounded his entire body before
settling in his stomach. He glanced up at Blaze, struggling
not to show fear, to not jump out of the seat and go running
back towards Edifice. Certain the One had found his mating
with Blaze to be lacking, he had no way to be prepared for
the feeling sweeping over him, the feeling of a warm hand
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that settled over his flat abdomen. He felt as if he were

being rocked or caressed from the inside out. The hand left
as quickly as it had appeared and on the floor before his
chair an array of flowers and gold appeared as if they were
placed upon an altar as an offering. An offering to him? Or
from him?
Tal lifted his gaze to Blaze, only to see his big
mate's eyes swimming with tears. Very scary. He hadn't
known his mate longer than a day, but he didn't seem the
type to cry. They had received a visual acknowledgement
from the One, hadn't they? Or were they about to be
consumed by fire even as they stared at each other?
"What happened?" he whispered to Blaze, ignoring
the mutterings and murmurings of the Elders before him.
He wanted Blaze to explain everything, no one else.
Blaze swallowed thickly before responding, "The
One has blessed our mating and gave us a gift of flowers.
We were also given gifts of congratulations to the children
growing within you," he explained.
Tal's eyebrows flew to his hairline, "Children?
What children? As in multiple?" Forgetting his need for
decorum, he leapt out of the seat and gestured wildly,
"What the fuck do you mean children, Blaze? How do you
know? How would the One know? And how the hell can
you tell that from some flowers and gold andThis. Is.
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Bullshit! How do you know?" he asked frantically, only

vaguely aware of the room full of Elders taking their seats
while they observed the royal couple.
"I watched as your belly glowed as if from within,
which means the One was aware of the fact you are
pregnant," Blaze began.
"But we don't know that! How could he she
it the One know, when I, the person actually having the
baby, didn't know it?" Tal exclaimed, slightly hysterical.
He paced back and forth in front of his chair, aware
that everyone was looking at him but not caring. "This
cannot be happening. I just met him yesterday. We just
mated yesterday. I don't even know him. He doesn't even
know me. How can I be pregnant? I can't be pregnant. And
he said children. Not child children. How can this 'One'
know?" he muttered beneath his breath before collapsing
back into his abandoned throne.
"The One knows all," the small and tardy elder said
with a small smile towards Tal.
Tal tried to smile back but found it slightly
impossible.
"This is true Elder Saungfreid." Blaze nodded to the
small elder with a smile. "It's just an accepted fact. Just as
our being fated to be mates is an accepted fact."
"Okay, so how do you know it's children and not
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child? And how many children?" Tal asked dazedly. "Did

the One tell you how many children I'm carrying?"
Tal sounded exhausted, but only because he felt that
way. His emotions were scattered all over the place. He
wanted to blame it on his apparent pregnancy, but he
couldn't. His life had so dramatically changed over the last
thirty-six hours. He wanted Josie. She always knew how to
calm him down he wanted his mother, he needed his
mother. He'd even take his father or his cyber friend 'Mail
S', anything to regain a sense of normalcy again.
Blaze nodded towards the gifts at Tal's feet. "There
are six crowns there, one of them, the biggest one, is for
you, all Alpha Queens receive their crowns directly from
the One. The other five are for our children. The One has
provided their crowns, and the flowers are given as
blessings also. All one color, purple, with only one flower
being pink, that means that we are having four boys and
one girl," Blaze interpreted, his voice filled with
excitement.
"F-f-five! You're trying to tell me I'm pregnant with
five babies? Five?" Tal screamed.
The Elders all covered their ears at the high pitched
sound but Tal didn't care. He'd like one of them to find out
they were pregnant with five children all at the same time,
and see how they reacted.
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Blaze quickly knelt before him and Tal's face

flushed hot, seconds before he got lightheaded and woozy.
He had been passing out a lot lately well, ever since he'd
crashed landed on Tumaro. He never used to pass out on
Edifice. It had to be either the atmosphere on the planet or
all the changes occurring in his life, new mate, new title,
new pregnancy he'd have to go with the latter reason.
"Tal? Love? Are you okay?" Blaze asked.
Tal had to reassure his mate, the concern and worry
pouring through their mental link wouldn't be an image
Blaze should be putting forth in front of the Elders.
"Yeah sure I-I just I need s-some air," Tal
stuttered as he stood, before promptly passing out into his
mate's arms.

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CHAPTER TEN
Blaze closed the door to the bedroom and massaged
the back of his neck. With a sigh, he turned to the other
occupant of the room.
"How's he doing, Alpha?" Mailon asked.
Blaze shrugged and walked over to the electronic
bar. "Drink?" he asked.
"Please," Mailon responded
Blaze nodded before pressing the necessary buttons
to get two glasses of Volauntic Fire; sweeter than
Vamprincian Flow and not quite as potent, it still did a very
good job of calming the nerves. He walked over and
handed a glass to Mailon before sitting in armchair next to
the couch in the sitting room. He so wanted to take off his
boots and his button-down blue shirt and black pants. He'd
already tossed off the royal robe he never left the suite of
rooms without, but no matter how close he and Mailon got,
he never got too comfortable or in this case, too casual, in
front of the man.
Blaze took a healthy gulp of his drink and Mailon
did the same. He grinned when Mailon swirled the pale
blue liquid around in his glass at the exact same time Blaze
did, neither speaking as they both gathered their thoughts.

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"Any word?" Blaze asked after a few minutes of

silence. Mailon nodded before leaning back heavily into the
cushions.
"Got a message from Lorthander. Master Torqran is
planning to use someone here on Tumaro to carry out his
plan," Mailon responded. He sighed and Blaze shook his
head. "You know who he's using."
Blaze nodded. He appreciated Mailon not naming a
name. Both knew who Torqran would use. Elder Bryce.
Fury rolled in Blaze's gut at the thought of the Elder's
betrayal and he took another sip of his drink to calm his
anger.
"He tell you what the plan is yet?" Blaze asked
before taking another healthy swallow of his drink.
"Nope. Just keeps saying that he can't fully betray
his mate and that we just need to stay on guard." Mailon
lifted a shoulder and shook his head, his lips lifting in a
sneer.
Blaze sighed in frustration and annoyance. Mailon
kept things held very closely to the chest and getting details
sometimes felt like trying to squeeze blood from a turnip.
He smirked at the old Earth saying that seemed to work so
well in this situation. He knew, subconsciously, Mailon's
refusal to be forthcoming protected Blaze and while
grateful, he just wished sometimes Mailon would share
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everything that he knew when he knew it.

He looked over at Mailon. The smaller man smiled
back and it took Blaze back almost a decade. Mailon's
smile had drawn Blaze in from the very first. The long
black hair, thick and soft to the touch, and Mailon's full lips
coupled with the small, firm body only added to the
package. Blaze immediately tried to hook up with Mailon,
but had to stop almost as soon as he got started. He hadn't
been aware of what type of shifter Mailon was, but
discovered it almost as soon as he'd entered him. He had
certainly felt the pull of power from the other man, but it
hadn't been until the very moment of penetration when it
had become clear why. Not even Mailon had known his
true nature or position in the pack. Now they both knew,
though no one else did, and they were using it to their every
advantage.
"He doesn't know you're an Epsilon, right?" Blaze
asked and used a warning tone.
The other wolf scoffed and tried to hide his grin. Of
course Mailon hid his true nature from everyone just as
much as Blaze did. Epsilons were rare, even rarer than
Omegas, and before the Great Destruction, when Tumarons
and wolf shifters were spread out over the galaxy and all
over Earth, Epsilons had been hunted by their Alphas.
Blaze had never understood why, but his father explained
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that because Epsilons were small but deadly warriors and

more powerful than Alphas, most Alphas felt threatened.
They didn't realize Epsilons were to be used to help the
pack, to strengthen the Alpha. Most could be used to gain
power as spies, or secret weapons. Their small frames
usually lulled their opponents into a sense of security, and
most Epsilons were thought to be Omegas for that very
reason. But once the opponent had been drawn into a sort
of false peace, the Epsilon could get all of the information
they needed and then were able, if necessary, to dispose of
the informant with little to no fuss.
Omegas were peacemakers, oftentimes changing the
atmosphere of an entire room just by walking into it and
willing it to be so. Omegas were small in stature, wolves
full of emotion and a special power that allowed them to be
able to control the feeling of a person by touching them.
While there weren't many who knew it, Blaze's father had
left notes suggesting Omegas were extremely fertile, with
the men capable of getting pregnant. There hadn't been
many Omegas born on Tumaro, perhaps due to the fact
they had been mistreated centuries before, held against
their will, raped, and beaten by the Alpha King in power
and his beta. The One had obviously seen fit to prevent
Omegas from being born on the planet until they could be
appreciated and when Blaze had discovered he had one in
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his own kingdom, he'd been beyond excited. Having an

Epsilon as well as an Omega exceeded anything he could
have hoped for.
Now if only he could have a Zeta, Delta, Iota,
Kappa and a Theta or two, his kingdom, his 'pack' would be
the strongest in the galaxy and he wouldn't have to worry
about trying to keep his mate and their children safe.
Blaze might enjoy having an Epsilon in his pack,
but he didn't want Mailon being used against him, so it
remained imperative Mailon's true identity always be kept a
secret.
"Of course he doesn't know. No one knows except
you and me, Alpha. As a matter of fact, I wanted to ask you
a question about that. If I get matedor you know
when"Mailon gave a self-deprecating smile"should I
tell him?"
Blaze smiled in return. "I wouldn't tell him at first.
Only if you need to. There are some things our mates just
don't need to be aware of," he responded.
"Oh really? And just what are these things?" Tal
said from the open doorway.
Blaze's head swung around. The younger man had
obviously changed and now wore a shimmery gold shirt
with tight, form fitting brown pants, though his feet were
bare and his hair hung loosely about his shoulders. In one
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hand he held the messenging device Blaze had given him

earlier that morning and the other hand rested on his hip.
He stared at Blaze awaiting a response.
Blaze grinned sheepishly. "Matters of royal
business, my dear. Things that even the Alpha Queen can't
be privy to," he lied.
Tal nodded but Blaze knew the other man didn't
believe him and he'd landed in trouble again. He seemed
doomed to keep fucking up when it came to his mate.
Tal merely smiled before he lifted up the
messenging device. "Look, Blaze! My friend Mail wrote
me. He must be really worried that I haven't written him
back yet."
Blaze opened his mouth to respond when he noticed
Mailon's face had paled and the other man stood to his feet
slowly.
"Tal Vers?" Mailon whispered in wonder and Tal
froze in place.
"No shit! Mail S?" Tal exclaimed.
Blaze watched in bemused amusement when both
men nodded and then he growled possessively when they
raced towards each other and embraced in a fierce hug. He
rose to his feet quickly and pulled them apart, wrapping his
arms around Tal from behind and growling at Mailon. He
looked down at Tal when his mate started to laugh.
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"Forgive him, he's a little possessive," Tal chuckled.

"No, no. It's my fault. Forgive me, Your Highness. I
forgot myself for a moment," Mailon apologized.
Blaze nodded in acquiescence though he couldn't
stop the growl that still rumbled in his chest.
He also couldn't keep the possessiveness at bay.
"Mine!" He rubbed his face in the crook of Tal's neck, his
hands moving all over the other man's body, and he became
aroused by the feeling of his mate in his arms.
"Blaze! Cut it out, I want to talk to my friend and I
can't do that if you're making me horny," Tal admonished
Blaze gave a wolfish grin before playfully nipping
the side of his neck and stepping away. Without another
word he returned to his chair, dragging Tal along with him
by the hand, before he sat down and pulled the smaller man
down into his lap.
"So you two know each other or something?" Blaze
questioned, unmindful of the way his hands caressed Tal's
stomach.
Tal bounced in his lap and muffled a groan of
aroused agony. Blaze struggled to focus on his mate's
response, but found it hard to do with the other man
wriggling up and down on top of him.
"Yes! We met in this teen chat thing over five years
ago. I was nervous about coming out to my parents and he
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didn't know if he should. We've been friends ever since."

Tal smiled.
Blaze's wolf howled within him. Tal had never
smiled at him like he did Mailon. Tal belonged to Blaze,
not the Elder, so why didn't Tal smile at him like that?
"I was so worried when I didn't hear back from you,
I know how attached you are to your messenging device. I
thought something might have happened to you," Mailon
admitted.
"Something did. My sister and I crashed landed here
on our way to Strawxig, then I met Blaze and well you
know the rest." Tal shrugged and smiled shyly up at Blaze.
He grinned back. He liked the smile much better
than the one Tal had given his Epsilon. He had to fight the
childish urge to stick out his tongue at the other wolf.
"Your sister? Josie's here? Where is she?" Mailon
asked with a grin, "I've always wanted to meet her. She
seems so cool."
The room went quiet and Tal looked away from
Mailon for a moment. Blaze felt his mate's grief and anger
over the fact his sister still hadn't been found and more than
that, he felt his mate's guilt over the fact he smiled and
enjoyed his mating when his sister's fate remained
unknown. Mailon obviously noticed his friend's reaction
and said nothing, merely looked at Blaze in confusion.
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Blaze discreetly shook his head, letting the other wolf know
not to say anything. Tal had to get himself under control,
no one could do that for him.
"Josie still hasn't been found yet," Tal finally
responded, lifting a hand to brush away a tear. "But Blaze
is doing all he can to find her. Right, honey?"
Tal held so much hope in his eyes and Blaze felt his
throat tighten, but he only nodded in the affirmative and
hugged his mate gently.
"I sure am, baby. We'll find your sister. I'm doing
everything I can to bring your entire family back together
again," he whispered.
Tal wouldn't understand what he meant by the
cryptic statement and Mailon's left eyebrow lifted in
question as well, but as he'd just finished telling the Elder,
there were some things he couldn't tell his mate. The fact
Tal's younger brothers, two teens Tal obviously didn't
remember, were somewhere out in the galaxy, but he
couldn't be sure where exactly, or what they were doing, or
even if they were still alive, happened to be one of those
things he had to keep to himself. Even if his mate got angry
with him about it, Blaze would willingly make the
sacrifice.
****
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Elder Bryce Morgasen walked into his home and

slammed the door angrily. Livid didn't begin to describe his
feelings. How dare Alpha King Blazell walk into the Hall
of Elders with that that abomination and claim him as
his mate! And then for the One to bless the union and to
inform them all that thing carried the heirs of Tumaro?
He felt ill, physically ill. He pulled off his jacket and tossed
it over the nearest chair in his sitting room, his house
surprisingly quiet even though it had gone past the middle
of the morning.
He poured himself a shot glass of the illegal brew of
Volcanic Volauntic Moonshine, angrily tossed the liquid
back and drank it down with one gulp. Hissing at the burn,
his eyes filled with angry tears when the liquid made its
way down his esophagus, feeling like claws scraping down
the delicate lining until it landed with a firm kick in his
stomach. The drink had been banned on Tumaro and on
most planets affiliated with the GPA, because its effects on
the body were akin to drinking poison straight. But he liked
burn. He liked the way it made him feel, but more than that,
he loved doing something he shouldn't.
Throwing back his head, he yelled, "Anglania! Get
your ass out here!"
He waited for the younger woman to appear,
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pouring himself another glass. He caught her intoxicating

scent before she even walked fully into the room and gave
a growl of pure, masculine pleasure. God, he loved the way
the voluptuous blonde smelled. Almost as much as he loved
the way that she looked.
She approached him, her hips swaying delicately,
her blonde hair blowing with the flow of the wind coming
in through the window. She stopped before him and put her
hands on his chest, sliding them up to his shoulders, and
then behind his head before pulling him down into a kiss.
He growled and grew aroused at the heady taste of her.
After a moment, she pulled back from the kiss and grinned
up at him seductively.
"You bellowed, my mate?" she asked.
Her blue eyes twinkled and she smiled, but he knew
her smile to be almost as false as the rest of her. Anglania
lived to connive and manipulate, just like him. Probably the
reason they were fated mates. No one would ever know that
fact. It wouldn't be conducive to their plan, and at that
moment, their plan, along with the orders he'd been given
from Master Torqran, were the most important things in the
world.
Way more important than staking his claim.
"Yes, call your brother, love, we're going to have to
step up our plan to get you bonded with the Alpha King.
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He's found his mate, some filthy Vermithian named Talon

Versuthion," he spat out angrily.
Anglania gasped. "Isn't that the name of" she
whispered, anger filling her voice.
"Yes,

that's

him.

The

Versuthions

are

the

prophesied saviors of the humanoid races. They're also the

ones who are supposed to help bring true harmony to the
galaxy. And as we both know, that harmony would destroy
any chance we have of truly ruling Tumaro as we were
meant to do," Elder Bryce stated, wrapping his fist with her
long, blonde hair and pulling her head back, her neck
stretched, waiting for his tongue, his bite just waiting.
His wolf panted within him. It had been fifteen
years and still he had not claimed his mate and he wouldn't
do it just then either. Not until they were ruling the
kingdom.
Instead he swiped the length of her neck with his
tongue. "I have been given my orders from the master and
so I now give them to you."
"What are the orders, Bryce?" she asked.
He grew harder at the sound of her ambition and
drive. Nothing turned him on more than a ruthless, singleminded, low morals woman.
"We are to get rid of the Vermithian, by whatever
means necessary. Have you mate with the Alpha King and
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then we are to get rid of him. But you must be forewarned.

The Vermithian is already pregnant, so security will have
increased around him," Elder Bryce pointed out.
"Let me handle it. Tal is as good as dead and so is
Blaze. And then you and I will rule Tumaro together,"
Anglania promised.
Elder Bryce grinned before pulling her down to the
carpeted floor.
****
Buck lifted the cigarjoint to his lips and took a deep
drag of the smoke before exhaling it out slowly. He looked
around discreetly to check out his surroundings, the
darkness of the night wrapping around him tightly. He'd
grown so sick of clandestine meetings, sick of being at the
man's beck and call. Not for the first time he wished he'd
never taken the first job. If he hadn't, he wouldn't be at the
very edge of Anglethow, the city were the palace stood,
waiting to meet a wanted criminal, hoping he wouldn't lose
his life before he got home. Instead, Buck would be back in
the palace, mated to Percy, the man he loved, the man he
wanted more than life itself, but the one he'd sworn to
protect. He sighed and thumped his head back on the wall
behind him. Maybe if he just ended his life now Percy
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would be safe forever and this whole business, all of his

secrets would die with him, no one would be affected, and
his brother's claim to the throne would be fine.
"There now, why are you trying to bash your head
into the wall, Prince? Problems got ya' down?" a lilting
voice called out from the darkness.
Buck shivered. He hated that voice. With every
fiber of his being, he hated that voice. He opened his eyes
and breathed out a frustrated sigh. Too late to leave now.
He'd been spotted. His opportunity for suicide, for escape,
for blissful peace and rest had ended.
Eyole stepped forward into the dim illumination
from the only streetlight at this part of town and stopped.
He loved to watch Buck look at him and Buck couldn't help
himself from doing so. Eyole had to be the most beautiful
blue bird shifter Buck had ever seen. His long blue hair
hung down in thick waves to right below his ass. He had
beautiful hazel eyes, full pink lips, a thin nose, high pale
cheekbones, and a long graceful neck. But those things
didn't make Eyole stand out. Not even his pale skin stuck
out drastically on the planet of Tumaro while surrounded
by tanned wolf shifters. His firm, mouth-watering bubble
butt that could bring full-grown male shifters to their knees
and made female shifters burn with envy didn't top the list.
Eyole could be considered beautiful, stunning, downright
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punch-you-in-the-gut gorgeous, but the truly remarkable

thing that made him stand? His voice.
Seductive and sensual, even when he only spoke,
Eyole made the person he conversed with horny as hell and
he used it to his advantage. One of the reasons he'd become
one of the best criminals ever born. It also made him the
most wanted criminal in the galaxy. One of the most loved
and most hated men ever created, he never had a shortage
of men or women lining up to sleep with him.
Buck slept with Eyole because of his voice, once a
week, every week, for the past ten years, to get information,
to bring the men blackmailing him to justice, to keep his
mate safe, even if he had to betray his mate to do so.
"Any word?" he asked, dispensing with the niceties.
"My, my, aren't we testy? Could it have something
to do with your brother, the Alpha King, finding his mate in
a Vermithian orphan who is already pregnant with the
Tumaron heirs?" Eyole asked with a teasing lilt to his voice
when he trailed his fingers up over Buck's chest to the back
of his neck.
"Just tell me, Eyole," Buck growled between
clenched teeth, reaching up to jerk down the other man's
hand.
"Uh uh uh," Eyole tsked.
He puckered his lips and tilted his head back. "Kiss
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first, information second, fuck me third, and then what you

really want to know last."
Buck growled low in his throat before he yanked
Eyole forward, mashing his mouth down on the other
man's, sucking at his lips, forcing his tongue between, not
caring about the blood he drew, just desperately wanting to
get the kiss over with so he could return to the palace.
To Percy.
After a few minutes of kissing he pulled away and
restrained himself from spitting out the taste of the bird that
lingered in his mouth. Eyole smiled with his eyes closed,
the smaller man smoothing his hand down over his chest to
his groin where he blatantly adjusted his rock-hard cock.
Buck didn't have to, he remained as soft as a wet noodle in
his own pants and Eyole knew that as well. But it wouldn't
last, the bird loved to make Buck get hard against his will.
"You've had your kiss, give me the information," he
gritted out.
Eyole licked his lips for a second before opening his
hazel eyes and gazing at Buck unflinchingly. "I certainly
hope your precious little Percy is worth all of this. I almost
got shot today finding out this information. Is he?" He
crossed his arms and stared at Buck.
Buck sighed. "You ask me that every week," he
breathed. "And every week I tell you he's worth my life,
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your life, my brother's life, everyone and everything. Trust

me, he's worth it. Now tell me what you know."
"I can tell you that he hasn't changed his mind. He
also hasn't engaged in anything criminal recently, not him
or his mate, to warrant you killing them or even arresting
them, though I know you would rather neither of them
breathed again. They did have a young girl come and stay
with them for a bit, but I don't know why she was there.
And I also know one of them is looking into slave ships
that have been spotted in the galaxy. Don't know why and I
don't know who it's for, but they have a lot of money put
aside for two different reasons, in two different accounts
and I definitely know I heard one of them say something
about checking up on your precious Percy to see if he knew
anything."
Buck froze in place before, with a loud howl, he
turned to leave. He had to go and protect Percy. He
growled angrily when Eyole grabbed his arm.
"Hey! What about my fuck?"
"Do it yourself!" Buck snarled, attempting to pull
away without hurting the other man too badly.
"Don't you want to know about your brother's new
mate and his younger brothers?" Eyole teased, stepping
back and unbuttoning his shirt.
Buck watched him, his cock hardening in spite of
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his revulsion. If he ran off to check on Percy while one or

both of Buck's blackmailers were there, it would do more
harm than good. Blaze would also want whatever
information Buck could get on Tal's brothers. Slamming his
fist into the wall with an angry howl, he turned to follow
Eyole into the darkness, unbuttoning his own shirt on the
way.
****
Neither shifter noticed the grim-faced man who
stood completely hidden in the shadows, his scent masked,
his eyes narrowed and his hand resting on the butt of his
molecule phaser. They didn't notice when he followed in
their direction. An hour later after having a reluctant
orgasm while screaming out Percy's name as Eyole lay on
top of an abandoned table in the alley, Buck didn't notice
him when he walked away.
Eyole noticed him however, seconds before the
molecule phaser turned him into a shell of his former self.

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CHAPTER ELEVEN
Tal came awake slowly and he winced at the harsh
light shining in his eyes. Lifting his arm to cover his face,
he turned his head when the bathroom door opened.
"Good morning, beautiful! I trust you had a nice
nap?" Blaze smiled.
Tal could tell his big mate teased. He and Blaze had
spent the entire night before with Mailon and then Percy,
who had promptly left when Buck showed up later on.
They had gone over where Josie could be and the best way
to find her. They discussed Tal's parents and then Buck had
taken Blaze out of the room, while Tal and Mailon chatted.
Tal had shared his fears with Mailon about the children,
being pregnant, his sister, his parents, and the weird dreams
he'd been having about two young boys since he'd crashed
and woken up in the clinic. Each time the dreams had come
Tal felt as if the two meant something to him and his heart
always pounded when he struggled to remember who they
were. They weren't his children, but they felt tied to his
past. He wished he knew why.
Mailon left soon after Blaze had returned,
promising him and Tal they would have lunch together the
next day, reassuring him that his sister would be fine. He

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nodded towards Blaze and mentioned he would look into

'that situation'. Blaze had been in a playful mood ever
since, which didn't upset Tal. Blaze seemed like the type to
take things a little too seriously, so Tal found himself glad
he could change that, even if only when they were alone.
Tal grunted before flinging the pillow next to him
towards his semi-nude mate. Blaze laughed and dodged the
object before making his way over to the bed. He leaned
down and placed a gentle kiss on Tal's lips that soon turned
deeply passionate. Scion, his mate could kiss and he tasted
like the sweetest of berries and the thickest of creams. Tal
thought he might be addicted to the flavor and smell of
Blaze and could probably spend forever in his arms and
never grow bored. But he had a feeling Blaze wanted to
talk about something. Pulling away from his mate's
delectable lips, Tal lowered his hands from Blaze's hair
how did they get up thereand made room for Blaze to sit
down on the side of the bed.
But first, Tal had a question he needed to ask. "How
are you not freaked out by the thought of us having five
children at the same time?" His fingers nervously tangled in
the silver sheets of the bed, his eyes downcast as he nibbled
on his bottom lip.
Blaze grinned widely and gently tugged Tal's lower
lip from between his teeth. Tal rolled his eyes and folded
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his arms across his chest. He wanted to know why Blaze

hadn't curled up into a ball in the corner to bemoan the
fates he'd been mated to a Vermithian who would be giving
him five children.
"I'm nervous and excited, but I've always wanted to
have a whole lot of kids. I knew I was gay, so I merely
hoped my mate would be a woman and that I could endure
laying with her once in a while to get her pregnant, maybe
while I fantasized about being with a man the whole time,"
Blaze confessed, looking ashamed.
Tal's eyes widened. He found Blaze's admission
shocking and a little sad. Blaze had been willing to
mentally cheat on his expected female mate, just to have
some children. Tal couldn't remember a time he wanted
something so much he would have been willing to settle
just to have it. The only thing he'd ever wanted had been to
live, to survive He looked over at Blaze, okay, not
completely true. He'd also wanted someone to love him, but
how far would he be willing to go to have that love and
what would he sacrifice to keep it?
****
Blaze prepared himself for his mate's words of
scorn. Instead he ended up being surprised by the smaller
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man.
"You're gay? Oh my gosh! How could it be? How
will I ever deal with being mated to a gay male Tumaron?"
Tal asked dramatically. "How will I ever hold my head up
high when all of the other queens talk about their straight
husbands when I, Alpha Queen Talon Versuthion, am
mated to a gay Tumaron?" Tal placed the back of his hand
to his forehead and pretended to swoon.
Blaze's mouth hung open at his mate's teasing
before he threw back his head and laughed. He thought Tal
amazing. Only Buck and Percy teased Blaze, and they did it
sparingly, always respectful of the position and his title.
But it seemed as if his mate didn't care one twig about the
'Alpha King' and Blaze found that utterly refreshing.
Gathering his mate close in his arms, he kissed him before
releasing him so he could laugh again. He'd laughed more
in the last few days with Tal than he ever had before.
Definitely something to be said for mating the right person,
regardless of race or gender, and Blaze would be a much
better man with Tal in his life than without him.
****
Tal lifted his head and smiled. His mate's face still
brimmed with amusement. Tal might be slightly freaked
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out about the thought of being pregnant with five babies

who were half Vermithian and half Tumaron, but the shock
slowly faded and teasing his mate went a long way towards
easing the frantic beating of his heart. He lifted his lips
when Blaze lowered his, yearning for the kiss when a
frantic knocking sounded at the door.
"Fuck!" Tal groaned, grinning when Blaze growled.
Glad to know someone else got frustrated with their
interrupted lovemaking. Quite annoying. He wondered if
romance readers knew that when someone mated to a king
or a prince they were always getting interrupted. He should
write a letter.
And he might well become a virgin again if his
mate didn't fuck him soon.
Tal glanced down at the obscenely large erection
protruding from the loose gold silk drawstring pants Blaze
wore. It looked like Blaze's cock might fall off.
"I'll take care of that later," he promised the still
growling man when the knocking sounded again, this time
a little more frantically.
"Promise?" Blaze asked, placing a quick kiss Tal's
lips before quickly snatching up his black silk royal robe,
trimmed in gold, and jerking it on, not bothering to tie the
belt.
Tal nodded at his mate's back, thinking it a shame
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that all of his man's gorgeous body had to be covered up by

clothes. Noticing the wide grin on his mate's face when the
man turned back around to look at him, Tal realized the
wolf had heard his thoughts. He smiled and shrugged. Only
the truth, after all.
Blaze strode angrily to the door, wrenching it open
to yell in the face of the person knocking. Thankfully, Buck
stood outside and the Beta Prince could take it. If it had
been Percy, Tal feared the little blond man would burst into
tears, or if it had been Mailon well, something about his
friend seemed a little scary. If Blaze had yelled at Mailon,
Tal had a feeling Mailon could slice the man's throat before
he had a chance to finish.
"You better have a damn good reason for knocking
on my fucking door so early in the goddamn morning when
I am trying to spend some time with my pregnant mate
before court," he roared.
"Yes, Alpha King, I do," Buck snapped back,
clearly annoyed with Blaze for yelling. "I've just been
informed the female prisoner, arrested close to the crash
site, is indeed the Alpha Queen's sister, Josepire."
Tal's mouth dropped open. "You found Josie?
Where is she? I want to see her."
Buck reddened. "Well, um, she's been sedated in the
infirmary. She wouldn't tell anyone her name or how she
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got inside the palace walls, but she kept asking if anyone
else had been found. She was actually quite um
insistent that we give her answers. We thought perhaps she
was the Alpha Queen's sister, but" He glanced in Blaze's
direction. "The guard kept her arrest from you and the
Alpha Queen until they could verify her identity. No one is
taking any chances with your safety, especially with the
royal heirs involved."
Tal opened his mouth to blast Buck for keeping
secrets, but a quick head shake from Blaze made him settle
down. Fine. The whole royalty thing could be a big pain in
the ass.
Tal needed to know if Josie had been injured. "Is
she okay? You said she's in the infirmary."
He would never forgive himself if his sister had
been hurt. He might be younger, but his parents would be
disappointed with him if anything happened to Josie. He
really needed to contact them, they were probably worried.
"She's there because of the sedation. Once the
Elders had verification, they ordered the medical team to let
her wake up." Buck squared his shoulders and shot a look
of apology in Tal's direction. "She's demanding to see you.
Very loudly. Your sister is loud and demanding and
loud."
Tal chuckled in spite of being upset with the
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secrecy. "She's a bitch. You can say it. She knows she is."
He laughed at the look of shock and apprehension covering
Buck's face.
Apparently, Josie had been her charming self again
and had Buck scared of her. She had intimidating people
down to an art form. It would take a very special manor
womanto handle Josie. Tal wanted to leap out of bed and
race to his sister. He bounced anxiously as he wondered
what to do. He wanted to tell her all about his mating and
the children he'd be having, but he could already guess her
reaction to his new position and his new, what should he
call Blaze? Husband? Partner? Alpha Lover?
Blaze made the decision. "Good job, Buck. Why
don't you have her brought here?"
Tal leapt naked from the bed, unmindful of his nude
state, excitement overcoming him. He couldn't wait. His
sister survived, she was alive and looking for him. He knew
Josie. If she didn't see him soon, she would tear the palace
apart.
Luckily for Buck, he averted his eyes as Blaze
swept his mate into his arms.
"You are never to allow someone to see your nudity
besides me! Never, Talon! Do you understand me? My
wolf will not allow anyone to look upon his mate's nude
flesh and live. I'm extremely possessive and jealous and
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allowing Buck to see you this way would have caused me

to want to kill him, my own brother, had he not wisely
lowered his eyes," he explained furiously as he dumped Tal
back upon the bed like a sack of potatoes.
Tal's eyes widened. "Really? But yesterday he and
Percy both came in while we were in bed together naked,"
he pointed out.
"Yes, together. And we had just coupled. My scent
was still heavy upon your skin. Besides, they were together
and my wolf could smell their arousal for each other. This
time Buck came alone, I was clothed and you were nude,"
Blaze struggled to explain.
Tal nodded, feeling nervous and extremely anxious
as he mentally warred with himself over not biting his lip
and consciously keeping his hands at his sides. "I'm sorry. I
didn't know," he apologized.
"I know, baby, I know. That's why I'm telling you."
Blaze kissed his temple. "Now, get dressed please, so you
can see your sister properly."
Tal smiled up at his mate and smoothed a hand over
his still flat stomach. He didn't know why he suddenly had
the feeling his reunion with his sister would be lifechanging for each of them.
****
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Blaze chuckled when all trace of nervousness fled

Tal's face and was replaced by excitement at the prospect
of seeing his sister again. Buck left to retrieve Josie and
bring her to Tal. Grateful for the brief reprieve, he didn't
understand his own nervousness at meeting the woman
whom Tal so admired. But perhaps he'd stumbled upon the
reason. He wanted to make a good impression on his sisterin-law and that definitely counted as a new thing for him.
As the son of the former Alpha King and now as the current
Alpha King himself, he'd never needed to impress anyone.
Everyone tried to impress him. The tables had turned and
Blaze found himself overcome with a need to look his best
and be on his best behavior. His mate smiled before racing
over to grab one of the outfits Percy had bought for him. A
pair of green silk pants, a brown silk tunic, gold slippers, a
gold necklace that bore the crest of Tumaro on it, a wolf
with a crown upon its head, and a pair of gold bracelets
with the crest emblazoned on them, were all placed upon
his mate's beautiful form.
Blaze decided to change and dress similarly to his
mate, wanting to present a united front when they entered
and presided over court that day. He'd be honest and admit
he also did it for when he met Tal's sister for the first time.
He pulled on a pair of brown silk pants, a green silk tunic,
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gold slippers, and his gold necklace with the crest of

Tumaro, the medallion resting between his pecs. Instead of
a pair of bracelets, he added his gold armband, the symbol
of the Alpha King. He also wrapped the gold sash,
signifying his right to rule the planet of Tumaro, around his
waist and pulled his long black hair into a ponytail at the
nape of his neck. He turned to watch Tal brush his
extremely long brown and blond streaked hair until it shone
in beautiful waves down his back. Tal smiled shyly, his
golden eyes shining with happiness. Blaze's blue gaze
reflected that happiness right back.
"I can't wait for you to meet Josie. She's the
strongest, fiercest, warrior woman I know. But she's
hilarious! She has a wicked sense of humor," Tal babbled.
Blaze grinned at his mate's excitement.
"I'm so glad she's okay. I would have been lost
without her. She's my best friend," Tal stated softly, his
eyes growing soft with love.
Blaze's throat thickened and he flushed with
jealousy. He wanted his mate to speak of him that way, and
only him. He wanted to be his best friend, and he hated that
the position had already been filled. He knew it was
irrational, and if he tried to explain it to Tal, the younger
man would only point out the fact they'd only known each
other for a few days, but he couldn't help the jealousy
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roiling through his gut at that moment.

****
Sensing his mate's turmoil, Tal opened his mouth to
ask him about it. "Blaze"
The door flew open and the maelstrom that was his
sister Josie barged into the room.
Her gaze searched frantically before landing on him
where he stood off to the side of the sitting room.
With a squeal, she launched herself into his arms,
wrapping hers around him tightly. "I am so glad you're
okay! I was so worried about you! I woke up and I couldn't
find you." She dragged in a breath. "I had been thrown off
into some bushes or woods or something. I mean, I was
okay, but I was so worried that you were dead or lost or
something worse, like arrested or eaten or raped or
something." Her words rushed together and she frantically
kissed his cheeks, nose, forehead, and eyelids.
Blaze growled furiously before turning to leave the
room.
Pushing Josie away gently, Tal rushed towards his
mate, grabbing his muscled bicep. "Blaze?" His voice was
filled with confusion and a hint of trepidation.
His mate was upset with him or about to harm his
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sister. Tal didn't understand what had just happened. They'd

gone from teasing and smiling to Blaze storming off in
anger. It had to be some sort of shifter nonsense and Tal
needed to be aware if it was so he'd know if he should be
prepared in the future. He poked around Blaze's thoughts,
trying to reach out to his mate that way, but Blaze cut him
off. Tal didn't know what hurt worse, that Blaze had been
about to storm off or that he didn't want Tal in his head.
The larger man stopped and turned to look down at
him with a small smile.
In a gruff, emotion-filled voice he replied, "I'm
going to give you some privacy and time to reunite with
your sister. I have to go downstairs to the main floor so we
can have court today. I have to meet with the people, hear
their requests and settle disputes. It's the responsibility of
the Alpha King." He stopped and ran his hands through his
hair.
Tal realized the gesture would be the only
indication of annoyance his mate would show right then.
Blaze growled softly before pulling his hair back into its
original ponytail. He sighed and then raised a hand to
caress Tal's cheek.
"When you are finished here, grab your robe, the
one I pointed out to you that was for court, put that and
your crown on then send for Percy and he will bring you to
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the throne room where we hold court." With a bow to Josie

and a small peck on Tal's cheek, he turned and strode from
the room, a small entourage of guards surrounding him.
Tal watched him go, his heart pounding in his chest,
feeling slightly nauseous and uncertain. A part of him
wanted to stay with his sister and catch up with her.
Another part, however, wanted to race after his mate and
demand an explanation for what had happened and make
sure everything would be okay with them. He hated being
confused. Fortunately for him, or unfortunately maybe,
Josie took that decision away from him.
"Your robe and crown?" she whispered.
Tal knew, in that moment, what would happen and
he turned back to look at her, bracing himself for her
onslaught when she pounced on him verbally.
"What the hell? Your robe and crown? Holy shit.
Everything is finally starting to make sense." She paced
back and forth, the pieces falling into place. "They wouldn't
tell me anything after I woke up. Only that I'd be taken to
the royal suite to meet the Alpha couple. The Alpha
fucking couple as in two people, my brother being one of
them. What the hell is going on Tally?" Josie's voice rose
and her chest heaved angrily against the silk bodice of the
borrowed dress she wore.
Tal bit his lip nervously. He hated it when Josie got
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mad, or when he had to explain something he didn't

understand himself. His sister had to be the nosiest person
born and she wouldn't rest until she knew everything she
wanted to know. He'd have to tell her something.
"Well um Blaze that is, Alpha King Blazell
Roughshire is um sorta like my mate," Tal
stammered, his eyes darting around the room, his hands
moving together in a nervous gesture.
Josie crossed her arms over her massive chest.
"What do you mean, 'sorta like'?" She narrowed her eyes.
She didn't like it when Tal beat around the bush. "Either he
is or he isn't. Spill, little brother, or I will use my tried and
true way of making you talk."
Tal sighed and closed his eyes on a groan, he so did
not relish having Josie press his face into her chest while
she pulled his hair. "The Alpha King is my mate."
The room went silent for a full blissful two minutes
before Josie whooped for joy and launched herself into
Tal's arms again.
"You found your mate! Well, that's wonderful! No
wonder you weren't out there looking for me. Although,
that was still pretty shitty. I mean you're here being
pampered and I was trying to hide from the scary Tumaron
army. Then they totally arrested me, threw me into a cell
and when I wouldn't stop shouting and screaming, they
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took me to the infirmary and knocked me out." Josie

paused long enough to drag in air. "I mean I get you were
probably a little preoccupied and I'm sure you were the
reason they were looking for me anyway. I mean, that's
what the one really gorgeous guy told me. He said his name
was Buck, but he's gay. I'm pretty sure of it. I mean, I can
practically spot you gay guys a mile away now." She drew
in another breath. "I bet Blazell wouldn't let you out of his
sight, huh? Have you two already had sex? Well, of course
you have. Duh, Josie, what a ridiculous question! No
wonder he went all growly when he first saw me hugging
you." Josie jabbered away and Tal patiently led her to one
of the couches.
There were three white, overstuffed sofas and one
white loveseat, all trimmed in gold, a cherry wood table,
which Tal knew had cost quite a bit, since it had come from
the now almost uninhabited planet Earth. Mostly
overgrown with plant life and overrun with wild life, Earth
was inhabited by only a few thousand humanoids. The cost
to harvest then ship the resources totaled more than Tal
wanted to think about. Blaze's armchair provided the only
bit of true color in the room, being a dark blue. A large, flat
vid screen took up half the space of one wall, with a state of
the art entertainment vid system, electronic bar and liquor
cabinet; an electronic food bar that made snacks, but not
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full blown meals, was sitting directly below the screen. A

large window overlooking the palace grounds took up the
rest of the wall space. Tal settled down next to Josie and
continued to let her yammer on while his mind wandered
over Blaze's strange mood.
"What's his name? Blazell, you said, right? Right,"
Josie answered her own question and Tal chuckled softly.
"No wonder he seemed so upset to see me. Tumarons are
extremely possessive. He must want you all to himself."
Tal perked up at her statement. "So you saw that,
too? How standoffish he seemed?" Tal inquired.
"Of course I saw it, honey. A blind man could've
seen it. Everyone knows how possessive and jealous
Tumarons can be. I think the fact he didn't strangle me or
rip me to shreds as soon as I started kissing and hugging
you and monopolizing your attention says a lot about his
self-control and his feelings for you," Josie remarked and
tapped Tal's chin right under his lower lip that he'd drawn
between his teeth. "You're mated now, honey. Mated to the
Alpha King, you have got to stop doing that. Besides, it's a
little annoying. You're too old to be acting like some young
centuries-past earthling female."
"Blaze would never harm you," Tal stated
confidently, ignoring Josie's insult, "He's so gentle and
sweet with me. He wouldn't hurt you because that would
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hurt me."
"And your feelings for him would be affected
apparently," Josie murmured before giggling at the look of
shock frozen on Tal's face.
He hated she could read him so well, even more
than that, he hated that she could pick up on the fact he had
feelings for his mate when he hadn't admitted to himself
yet. How could he though? They barely knew each other.
He wanted to protest, but the heated truth rolling through
him made a lie of the thought before he could even put it
into words. Damn Josie and her perceptiveness.
"So, besides being mated to the Alpha King, what
else happened while we were separated?" Josie leaned
back, putting her black slipper-clad feet up on the coffee
table in front of them.
Tal murmured under his breath, "I'm carrying five
babies." His cheeks flamed red because everything had
happened so fast and he still couldn't quite believe it
himself.
How the hell would he be able to handle five
babies? And even more than that, how big would he get
carrying five Tumaron-Vermithian hybrids? Wolf puppies
were a lot bigger than humanoid babies, weren't they?
"I'm sorry, what? I didn't catch that. But it must be a
doozy if it's got you blushing," she pointed out, her
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eyebrows rising in speculation.

"I'm apparently pregnant with five children," Tal
stated a little louder, then covered his ears and waited for
Josie's impending scream. Josie didn't just scream,
however, she caterwauled! A blood-curdling, glassshattering, Tumaro-shaking scream of pure delight. Tal had
a moment to somewhat prepare for the pounding footsteps
of the other guards posted outside when they ran down the
hallway. He even expected the door to be kicked open
when the guards burst in to save him from his sister's
enthusiasm. He did not have time to be ready, however, for
one of the guards to be overzealous, grab his sister, and
throw her over his shoulder, growling low in his throat.
"What the hell are you doing you big oaf! Put me
down!" Josie yelled, pounding on his back. "I am not going
to be your chew toy! Put. Me. Down!"
Without hesitation, Tal rose to his feet, pointed to
the guard, and with all the authority that he could muster,
commanded, "As Alpha Queen, I demand you put my sister
down this instant!"
Everyone in the room froze when the shockwaves
of the pure power in Tal's voice ran through them. All ten
of the guards were huge, twice, some even three times,
Tal's size, in fact. However, the guard holding his sister
hostage, would have to be larger than the rest, almost the
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size of Blaze.
And Tal knew he shouldn't be noticing, but he
found the guard slightly attractive with his military haircut,
stormy gray eyes, and huge tattoo that appeared to cover
his entire body, including his face. Only patches of his
tanned skin actually showed. He only hoped Blaze hadn't
heard his thoughts because then he'd have two big,
overbearing, overprotective wolves in his room. All of the
guards wore the royal attire of green tunics and black
breeches, both edged in gold. Their swords, which would
usually be sheathed at their sides, were out as the rest of the
guard prepared to defend the order and safety of their
Alpha Queen. The heavy thud of their black combat boots
went silent as they prepared to engage what appeared to be
their insane comrade.
The guard in question slowly lowered Josie to the
floor, very carefully, treating her like a delicate flower.
He growled low again when Tal stepped forward.
"Mine!" His voice went low and rumbly, reminding Tal
fondly of his mate in his protective, possessive role.
The

guard

clearly

struggled

between

being

respectful of Tal's position as the Alpha Queen and his

current role of protector, but apparently he'd gone from
protecting Tal to protecting Josie?
"Are you saying my sister is your mate?" Tal asked
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in surprise and stopped moving instantly, the implications

of the guard's single declaration and actions finally sinking
in.
Easing the tension in his shoulders slightly, the
guard replied, "Yes, Your Majesty." He bowed his head.
"Wow," Tal breathed out the word simultaneously
with Josie.
"Holy. Fucking. Shitballs." Josie grinned when Tal
narrowed his eyes.
"Well wait, what the hell is your name?" Tal
asked, ignoring the feeling of nausea that suddenly
overwhelmed him.
"Gregor

Malvechio,

Alpha

Queen,"

Gregor

responded with another bow.

Interrupting Tal before he had a chance to speak,
Josie punched Gregor in the shoulder. "I don't care who the
hell you are! You will not go around tossing me over your
shoulder like I'm some damsel in distress. You will stop
and talk to me first. Got it?" She all but yelled at the man,
even though he towered over her.
Tal grinned when Gregor swallowed nervously and
nodded his head.
Inhaling deeply, Tal fought to force the nausea
down, wondering why he suddenly felt the urge to hurl. He
hadn't eaten yet, maybe that caused it? He turned to dismiss
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the guards when he noticed Percy hovering in the doorway.

"Percy? Can you show me where my robe and
crown are so I may join my mate at court? Can you prepare
a room for my sister and show her there? Also, find her
some suitable attire. She looks like a wretched vid whore in
what she currently has on," Tal said with a smile. "And I
need something to eat, something light, I'm feeling a little
sick." He noticed almost immediately how everyone looked
at him with concern and he smiled wanly. "I'm fine. I swear
it."
"Right away, Your Highness. I can bring out your
robe and crown from your bedroom if you would permit
me?" Percy offered with a pleasant smile.
Josie pounced again. "A wretched vid whore? I
mean, I know I look tired and maybe even like I've been in
a crash, abducted, arrested, brought here to the clinic and
then like I ran to find you, because I have been! And I
know this dress is a little small for me, but that's exactly
what happened. I don't look my best, but I don't think I look
like a wretched vid whore," Josie mumbled under her
breath to herself and Gregor rubbed her arms in
consolation.
"You look gorgeous, my sweet," Gregor assured,
and Tal smiled at the affection and protective instinct the
larger man already displayed for his sister.
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He nodded towards Percy. "That will be fine,

Percival." Tal smiled before turning back to his sister.
Percy bowed and walked off to grab Tal's royal robe
and crown who would have ever thought that Talon
Versuthion would have a royal robe and a fucking crown?
"So you found your mate, too, huh, Josie? I didn't
think you had one. Didn't realize that Edifician harpies
could have mates. However will Mom and Dad react by
this bit of news?" he teased, laughing when Josie flipped
him off.
Josie laughed then sobered quickly.
"Mom and Dad!" They yelled simultaneously.
"I'll bet they are so worried. We've never been gone
this long on a shipment without checking in," Tal
exclaimed.
"They're probably going nuts. They've probably
already contacted the GPA, not to mention we never
actually completed the trip. We need to contact them
immediately and figure out some way to get that stuff
where it's supposed to go." Josie nodded.
"I can't right now, Josie. I have to meet Blaze at
court," Tal declined, frustrated as he allowed Percy to wrap
the robe around his shoulders, tying it tightly around his
neck, before placing the crown atop his head and quickly
brushing his extremely long, sun streaked hair.
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"I can have the communicator set up for you as

soon as court hours have finished, Your Highness. Your
sister can speak to your parents now and you can speak
with them later. We can also have a scouting crew go back
through the wreckage and see if they can find the rest of
your shipment. I understand your sister already has some of
it, and we can have it sent to its destination from here,"
Percy offered demurely.
Tal turned to glare at Josie who grinned sheepishly.
"I wasn't going to keep it Tally, honest. But I also
couldn't leave it there. 'Sides, I figured if I had to pay
someone for information about where you were I'd use
what I took to do it with. But, you know, you didn't need
finding or saving. Remember? While you were here
becoming the mate to the Alpha, I was left outside,
arrested, sedated, and finally brought here," Josie stated.
Tal cringed in guilt. Nodding his head briefly, he
kept his mouth shut. She kind of had a good point.
Turning back to Percy, Tal nodded with a wide
smile. "Your help would be wonderful, Percy, thank you so
much for thinking of it. Can you show me how to get to the
throne room before taking Josie to her room and setting up
the communicator? I'll just come back with Alpha King
Blazell. And maybe on the way, can we stop to get me
some food?" Tal asked, using Blaze's full title in front of
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the royal guards who remained to escort him.

"Certainly, Your Majesty. Right this way." Percy
bowed formally before turning to lead Tal to court.
Josie, Gregor and three of the other guards were left
waiting behind.

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CHAPTER TWELVE
Tal followed Percy through the halls of the palace
trying to ignore his upset stomach and hoping that once he
ate he'd feel better. He listened with half an ear as Percy
droned on about the history of the Roughshire family, the
Tumaron people, and the palace. Tal really worried about
Blaze. Could his mate really be upset about Josie hugging
him? How stupid. His sister would hug him a lot. It didn't
make any sense. And the fact he couldn't speak to Blaze at
that moment? Well, even more frustrating. He stopped
when he felt the feeling of nausea increase and covered his
mouth with one hand, the other hand dropping to his
stomach.
Percy's hand landed on Tal's shoulder, propelling
him through one of the doors. They ignored the shouts of
the guards and Tal promptly became sick in one of the
toilets. It took him five minutes before he felt well enough
to push away from the basin and then he smiled up in
thanks at Percy who produced a towel and a glass of water.
Swirling the water in his mouth, he spit it out before wiping
his mouth with the towel. The water had a slight mint taste
to it and Tal was thankful for Percy's quick thinking. He
handed the items back to Percy and rose to his feet before

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taking the glass back and drinking all of the water. He

wiped the sweat from his brow and took a deep breath.
"Your Highness? Are you okay?" Percy asked
fearfully.
The younger man's concern warmed Tal and he
nodded.
"Yes, thank you, Percy. I think it's just the cubs
babies, inside of me," Tal responded unsure of how to refer
to the children.
The thought disturbed him. His children would be
half Tumaron, would they be referred to as 'pups' as he'd
heard some of the young Tumarons described? He grew
angry at the thought of anyone referring to his children that
way and started when he felt a hand on his arm.
Turning sharply, he saw Percy looking at him in
concern.
"Your Highness, you smelled well, I sense that
you're angry. Would you like to return to your rooms? I can
inform the Alpha King you are not feeling well if you
would like," Percy offered.
Tal calmed almost instantly. Why did it seem as if
Percy had the ability to instantly make him feel peaceful?
He knew he'd have to ask Blaze about that. As soon as he
thought of his mate he grew instantly anxious to see him.
"No, no, Percy. Please take me to Court? Is that
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how I would refer to it?" Tal asked, and fought the urge to
bite his lower lip nervously, suddenly aware of how
provincial and common he sounded.
Percy smiled consolingly and reassuringly at him.
"Court is held in the Great Throne Room. So you would
ask to be taken to the Great Throne Room to hold Court,
should you ever need to make that statement to anyone
else," the blond man informed him.
Tal smiled and breathed a sigh of relief before
nodding for Percy to lead the way. "You know, Percy, I
may need you to give me some quick 'How to Be the Alpha
Queen' lessons over the next few weeks. You know,
protocol, titles, dos and don'ts, how to walk, talk, dress, act,
who to suck up to, who to ignore, stuff like that. I know
you're my mate's assistant, but do you think I could get you
to help me as well?" He shot a quick look at the younger
man.
Percy's grin of delight at the question made Tal sure
he'd done the right thing.
"I'd be honored to help you, Your Highness, and
really, your mate doesn't need me much. The title of
assistant is purely an honorary one. We can begin whenever
you want."
Tal quickly gave Percy a one armed hug, not
wanting to smell too much like the other man for fear of
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how his mate and Percy's unacknowledged one would

react.
"Thanks PC." He grinned, giving the other man a
new nickname. "You've just made yourself a friend for life.
Now, can we also plan a time for us to plan a wedding
ceremony? Because I know my mother, when she finds out
I'm mated to an Alpha King and my sister's mated to a
guard, she's going to demand a wedding for me, because
she knows she'll never get one out of Josie."
Percy joined in Tal's laughter when they continued
their journey towards the Great Throne Room.
****
Three pairs of eyes watched as the two men,
surrounded by guards, made their way down the stairs
towards their destination. Filled with hatred towards both,
the three plotted the death of one and the misery of the
other. They promised both men would suffer, that both of
their lives would end. One in death and one in being sold as
a sex slave. Neither man would get the happily ever after
they both dreamed about.
They didn't see the powerful Zeta wolf who stood
across the hallway, completely invisible, his scent masked,
his eyes narrowed while he observed them. He had been
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born to protect the Alpha Queen because he had been

promised to one of the children the Vermithian carried. His
mate had not yet been born, but their souls had already
been connected. Oamon, the trusted Tumaron shaman, had
foretold of a son, to be named Maximillion Roughsire, a
son half Vermithian and half Tumaron, his fated mate. And
for certain, he had smelled the distant aroma of his mate,
not fully developed. The age gap bothered him a little, he
would soon turn twenty-seven, but fated meant fated, and
nothing would stop him from protecting his mate. Nothing.
Turning away from the conspirators, Kazumi went
in search of his cousin Mailon. If anyone could help him, it
would be his cousin, currently the only living Epsilon in
existence. Between the two of them, they could help keep
the Alpha Queen alive, because the Vermithian carried the
first Iota half-breed in existence and Kazumi's mate.
****
Tal's mouth dropped open in wonder when he
stepped into the Great Throne Room, where court
convened. The massively huge room intimidated Tal as he
took in his surroundings. The walls were a burnt sienna, the
floors were a dusky gray tile; Tal did not understand the
color combination there. There were tall columns down the
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middle of the room, evenly separated, dividing the room

into three equal sections, the middle space had a long white
carpet that ran down from the throne out the doors,
symbolic of the purity of the Alpha King's decision to their
problems. From what Tal understood, the carpet got
cleaned every morning and evening since the dirt of the
kingdom's inhabitants often stained it, but the Tumarons
were nothing if not rigid in their traditions. In each of the
other sections, hundreds of Tumarons stood waiting and as
Tal made his way towards his mate, he noticed two men
arguing with each other on the white carpet. His mate sat
on his throne, two of his guards, three Elders, including
Mailon Saungfreid, and Buck, all seated or standing around
him. They were surrounded by smaller, less royal looking
thrones. An empty throne sat next to Blaze's, almost as tall,
but slimmer and Tal knew that particular chair had been
reserved for him, the Alpha Queen.
He still hated that title.
He made a decision to talk to someone about
changing the 'Queen', seconds before deciding he couldn't
go and sit in the seat reserved for him in front of all of
those people.
"Your Highness, is everything okay?" Percy
questioned and Tal shook his head to rid himself of his
musings.
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"Yes Percy, I'm perfectly fine," he answered with a

smile.
Percy gazed intently for a moment, his eyes intense
as if searching for an answer to an unspoken question. Tal
assumed Percy saw the answer he wanted because he
smiled and nodded.
"All right then. Follow me please, Alpha Queen."
His lips curved upward.
Tal cringed internally at the form of address, but
smiled back and nodded before following the other man to
the throne left especially for him.
"You will pay a monthly allowance to your
neighbor until the debt is paid in full," Blaze commented
when they walked up.
The two arguing men, burly and looking angry and
unkempt, nodded and bowed in deference to Blaze's ruling
and after presenting their monetary offering to the
kingdom, turned to leave.
"Alpha King, I do not understand. For a case such
as that one, where two men enter into a contracted business
together and one reneges on his part of the deal, you would
normally have them go out into the combat fields and battle
for judgment," one of the Elders stated.
Tal couldn't remember the man's name but he did
remember he'd thought the man in question would be better
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suited as a lion shifter with all of the hair covering his thin
body and the thick mane of hair that billowed around his
face.
"Elder Clouston, I am aware of how things were
once done, but I am now mated and expecting my first
pups. How can I condone violence when my life is filled
with such joy?" Blaze asked.
Tal's heart clenched at his mate's words. He'd never
heard Blaze speak in such a way, not even to him. Perhaps
his mate hadn't been upset with him because of Josie?
Maybe he really did just have to rush off to hold Court? By
the looks of all of the people waiting to be heard by the
royal Alpha couple, a pretty fair assumption could be made
that being on time for Court was imperative. Tal would
have to ask Blaze to make sure he let Tal start getting ready
an hour before Blaze did if he planned on being on time.
He grinned when Blaze finally noticed him and
grew hard behind his pants at the smoldering look in his
mate's eyes. Blaze smiled with affection, obviously happy
to see him.
Without taking his eyes off the smaller man, he
addressed the entire room. "Tumarons! Just days ago the
One, our holy and omnipotent Goddess, saw fit to bless me
with my mate, and you with your Alpha Queen! May I
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Roughshire!" Blaze announced in a booming voice filled

with authority, power, awe, joy, happiness and another
warmer emotion Tal couldn't seem to place.
Tal tried not to visibly react to his new name. When
had it been decided he would take his mate's last name?
Versuthion had special meaning for him. At least it did
now. After almost dying in the crash and then finding his
mate and carrying their children, Tal realized his past had
importance. It connected him to the future. Instead of
considering his birth parents as a biological twist of fate, he
wanted to honor them. And now he should what? Stop
being known as Talon Versuthion because his mate wished
it so? Tal sighed. The happiness shining in Blaze's eyes
showed how much he loved announcing the new moniker,
so Tal would accept the hyphenated version. But he would
so make Blaze give him a wedding nowa big, huge,
extravagant wedding.
Tal turned and looked out over the throng of people.
Silence reigned for but a moment before thunderous
applause, cheers, whistles, and hurrahs sounded around the
room. Tal smiled fondly, feeling in that instant a deepseated love and protective instinct sweep over him for the
people of Tumaro. As Alpha Queen, he would now be
partly responsible for them. He would help to ensure they
had homes, jobs, food, transportation, safety, healthy
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families, and good lives. A large task, slightly daunting, but

not impossible and Tal embraced it with both hands.
"And that is why you were chosen to be my mate,
my queen, the Alpha Queen to my Alpha King. The other
part of me, the better part of me. It's because of your big
and all-encompassing heart," Blaze whispered through
their mating link.
Tal smiled, his heart thudding wildly in his chest as
his groin swelled even more. He couldn't understand how
the Tumaron Alpha could turn him on so quickly and make
him feel so much, but he wouldn't trade it for all the Malui
in Edifice.
"Thank you for believing in me." The return of the
link with his mate, allowing him to speak so freely and
privately with Blaze, filled Tal with gratitude. He found
himself doubly thankful for the crash that had brought him
to his mate and beyond appreciative for his mate.
"You're welcome, love," Blaze responded and
squeezed Tal's hand before helping him back to his seat.
They turned to smile at their subjects and began
listening to their pleas for help and requests for judgment to
be rendered in their disputes.
They were a united front.
A mated Alpha pair.

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CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Tal woke up alone. He sat up quickly and looked
around for Blaze, concerned that perhaps the events of the
past few days had been all a dream. Sometimes events,
people, and places got jumbled up in his head, especially
when he first woke up. He would find himself wondering
where the two young teens from his dreams were or if he
would see the beautiful Vermithian couple when he stepped
out of his bedroom door. And now, now there were images
of a tall, broad shouldered, gorgeous Tumaron Alpha King
with blazing blue eyes thrown into the mix. Happy he had a
few minutes by himself, he got everything straight,
remembering which events from his dreams had actually
happened and which were just the fanciful notions of his
unique brain.
His eyes took in the dcor of his royal bedroom,
seconds before his stomach roiled and he leapt from the bed
and rushed to the bathroom and became violently ill. The
door to the sitting room opened and closed and he heard
voices, but he couldn't even begin to be worried about who
had entered and who they were looking for. Too busy
throwing up everything he'd ever eaten in his life, and a
few vital internal organs as well, he was so grateful when it

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ended that after flushing, he laid his flushed face against

the cold floor tile and whispered prayers of thanks to the
One, the Two, the Three, the Four, every single numbered
deity up until ten. He heard footsteps and then his mate's
deep throaty chuckle.
"I came to see if you wanted breakfast in bed or out
at the table in the sitting room, or even downstairs in the
formal dining room with the others who live here in the
palace, but perhaps you would rather I brought it into the
bathroom for you and served it on the floor?" Amusement
laced his voice.
"Shut the hell up you mangy wolf and help me to
the bed," Tal grumbled miserably, groaning when Blaze
walked over and lifted him into his arms. "Where were
you? I woke up and you weren't there."
"I had an early morning meeting with some of the
Elders and leaders of the different branches of the
kingdom," Blaze placed Tal gently upon the bed.
Tal gasped. "Was I supposed to be there?" He
worried he'd already screwed up in his duties as Alpha
Mate.
Yeah, he liked that title much better. He'd have to
remember to suggest it to Blaze so it could be changed on
the books.
Blaze chuckled. "No, babe, you never sit in on what
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is pretty much considered a diplomatic meeting, mostly

you're in meetings that deal with Tumaro only."
Blaze

walked

back

into

the

sitting

room,

presumably to get food or to call for it, and Tal thought

about what his mate had just said. Indignation flooded his
body and he shoved back the covers on the bed and
hurriedly pulled on the first pair of pants and a shirt he
could find, both were lying on top of the large oak trunk
that sat at the foot of their bed and both belonged to
Blaze, which meant that Tal swam in them. He probably
looked like a little boy playing dress-up in his father's
clothes, but he didn't care in that moment, he had a bone to
pick with his mate and his entire antiquated thought
process. With one hand holding up the oversized pants he
stormed into the sitting room, ignoring the others there, his
eyes focusing in on his mate who stood at the travel food
cart preparing a plate for him.
"So wait, let me make sure I'm understanding this
correctly. As the Alpha Queen I'm your equal in all things
dealing with our people, the Tumarons, but I'm not
important enough, or smart enough, to deal with matters of
the galaxy? What sort of fucked up bullshit is that, Blaze?
Anything happening in the galaxy that affects Tumaro
means I should be in every, single, fucking meeting from
here until the day I fucking die as the fucking Alpha Queen
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and your fucking mate!" he yelled, his chest heaving, anger

flooding him as he faced his mate.
"Maybe we should go," a hesitant voice said and
Tal turned to see who spoke, groaning mentally when he
saw Buck, Percy, Elder Mailon, Josie, Gregor, Rico, and
another man who seemed to be staring at his stomach
intently.
"Hi guys. Sorry about that, um, pregnancy um
hormones. You know carrying a full load inside of me,
they've got my body all haywire and woo-wee-woo-wee,"
he laughed, making the noise used for a mentally unstable
person and slowly backed away from the room towards the
door. "You all stay. I'll go into the other room and hang
myself from embarrassment." Without another word he
turned and raced back into the bedroom, Blaze fast on his
heels, stopping to address their guests.
Blaze uttered a quick word of apology and everyone
left, Elder Mailon saying a final statement before shutting
the door. Tal waited for his mate to finally appear and
realized he should probably talk to his old friend and see if
he could call him 'Mails' like he'd been calling him since
they were kids. He paced back and forth in the middle of
the room, wringing his hands together and biting his lower
lip nervously. Tal looked up when Blaze entered the
bedroom and firmly closed the door. He swallowed when
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Blaze twisted the lock on the door and began to stalk him
across the room. He tried to read Blaze's face and see if the
other man was upset with him or if maybe, just maybe,
only annoyed.
"We had a conversation when we first mated about
my needing to be respected in front of my people. Do you
remember

that

conversation

Talon?"

Blaze

asked

menacingly.
Tal could do nothing but nod.
"Do you think what you just did showed respect in
front of them?" Blaze stepped over to the trunk at the foot
of the bed.
Tal swallowed thickly and wondered what the trunk
held and if it would hurt him. Did Tumarons beat their
mates when they were upset?
"I'm not going to beat you," Blaze responded with a
mild chuckle.
He then turned around and Tal got a look at what
the bigger man held in his hands. In one he held a
blindfold, two pairs of leather restraints, and a silk tie, in
the other he held a small paddle.
"I am going to discipline you, however."
Tal shivered, though from arousal or fear he
couldn't be sure.
Tal looked at the items in his mate's hands and then
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back up. He and Blaze had never tried this before and Tal
didn't

really

consider

himself

into

the

whole

dominant/subservient game, scene, whatever they called it.

However, some part of him must really like it. He looked
down at his traitorous cock, moments before the organ in
question left a very apparent wet spot on the front of
Blaze's pants. Blaze's nostrils flared, his eyes closed and he
savored the smell of something. Tal wondered what?
"I can smell your arousal from here love and it
smells delicious, absolutely, delicious," Blaze stated
obviously having heard Tal's unspoken question in his
mind.
"Really?" Tal breathed.
Blaze walked closer. Tal released his hold on the
pants around his waist and let them fall to the floor, before
he reached up around his mate's neck and pulled the larger
man's head down to his own.
"We don't have to do anything you don't want to do,
love. If you don't want to do this, we don't have to," Blaze's
voice spoke in Tal's head.
Tal pulled away and looked into Blaze's eyes. "I
want to."
****

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Blaze shivered when his mate accepted then

allowed the dominant headspace to fill his mind.
He stepped away from Tal and gave him a stern
glare. "I want all of your clothes off and you up on that bed
on your stomach, with your arms and legs spread, in two
minutes." He filled his voice with authority and dominance
then smirked when Tal rushed to do his bidding.
Oh, he would so enjoy this. He'd wanted to do
something like this since the first time he and Tal had
mated and he fully planned on taking advantage of the
opportunity. He watched with barely concealed amusement
when Tal scrambled to pull off his clothes, tossing them all
over the room. Blaze slowly began peeling off his own
garments. When he finished he strode slowly over towards
the bed, where Tal quivered with excitement. Dropping one
hand to the back of his mate's leg, he slowly ran his
fingertips up a muscled thigh, over Tal's firm left butt
cheek, over the left side of his back and up his arm to his
wrist. Tal's breath quicken with his arousal. Blaze inhaled
deeply and his eyes slid closed when the smell of his mate's
pre-cum filled his nostrils. Tal's cock already leaked and
they hadn't even done anything yet.
Taking Tal's left wrist in hand, Blaze fasted one end
of the electronic cuffs to the metal fastening he had
concealed in the headboard. Tal gasped.
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"You never noticed that before did you, baby?" he

asked with a grin.
Tal's head shook back and forth and Blaze pulled
his hand away and brought it down firmly on his mate's
backside. Tal yelped and his body jerked. The handprint on
his mate's ass had a fierce growl rumbling up from Blaze's
chest when another sign of his claim to his mate appeared.
Tal's free hand come back to cover the abused flesh, and
Blaze spanked his ass again.
"When I ask you a question, Talon, I want a verbal
reply, and you don't move unless I tell you to. Do you
understand me, mate?" Blaze pitched his voice low.
"Y-yes, Blaze," Tal responded.
Blaze brought his hand back down upon his mate's
ass again.
"Sir! Y-yes sir!" Tal corrected.
Blaze grinned. "Good job, baby." He praised his
mate before walking around to the other side of the bed and
fastening Tal's other hand.
He stroked the stretched skin of Tal's arms and
smoothed his hand down over the planes of his back and
over the globes of his tight ass. Scions, he loved the way
his mate's skin felt. Drawing his fingers lightly down to his
mate's ankles, he pushed and prodded Tal's legs until the
younger man rested on his knees, his chest pressed against
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the bed, his arms spread with his wrists shackled to the
headboard and his knees spread wide, the restraints on his
ankles stretching to accommodate his new position yet still
keep him bound.
Blaze stepped back to look at his handiwork, his
eyes continuously drifting up to the sight of his red
handprint on his mate's ass and a small shiver of delight
coursed through him. He stepped forward until he could
reach the globes of Tal's ass with no hardship. He took one
firm butt cheek in each hand and spread the globes apart
then bent over to blow across the pink star that seemed to
wink at him. Delighting in the shudder that wracked Tal's
body, Blaze blew once more before sticking out his tongue
and dragging it across the tense flesh. Tal's moan fueled his
own desire and he leaned forward to lick again.
"Scion, you taste so good, baby," Blaze groaned
before he reapplied himself to the task of licking and
sucking on Tal's hole.
Tal's sphincter began to relax and Blaze pointed his
tongue before easing it inside. Happy to be the Alpha male
and thereby able to shift different parts of his body at will,
he allowed his tongue to morph into that of his wolf's and
began to thrust the muscle in and out of Tal's welcoming
orifice, the raspy feel of his tongue obviously driving the
other man crazy, if his whimpers, moans, and pleas for
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'more, more, more,' were anything to go by.

Blaze pulled his tongue out and brought down a
swift slap to Tal's right ass cheek.
"No talking, baby," he admonished before returning
to his earlier treat of eating Tal's ass.
"Y-y-yes s-s-sir," Tal stammered before pressing
his chest down as far as it could go into the mattress
beneath him, his ass stretching upwards as if searching for
something.
"Are you ready for me to fuck you, mate?" Blaze
asked, his voice slightly more growly than before, his
hands shaking slightly as he tried to restrain himself.
"Yes, sir. Please fuck me, Alpha King," Tal
pleaded.
At the sound of his title, Blaze's tenuous control
began to slip. He lifted his large and leaking cock, spitting
on it generously before leaning forward to repeat the action
on Tal's hole. He brought his fingers to his lips and sucked
on them, coating them with saliva. Rubbing the pad of one
finger around Tal's entrance made the Vermithian relax,
and with the realization his man wanted him as much as
Blaze wanted Tal, he pushed two fingers into the slightly
stretched, very lubed entrance of his mate. Tal hissed, quite
possibly from the burn, before he thrust those fingers in and
out, Tal's cries and pleas lifting up to the sky.
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Blaze's head spun with the sound of his mate's

pleasure and when his control snapped, he pulled out the
four fingers and replaced them with the head of his cock,
pressing in deeply and quickly, bottoming out inside his
mate. Both cried out as if in agony, though anyone who
heard the sound throughout the palace would know they
were the sounds of lovemaking, and so, no one disturbed
them.
"Being inside of you is one of my favorite places to
be," Blaze confessed as he began to fuck Tal in earnest.
He loved the feel of Tal's velvet channel squeezing
his cock tightly as if to never let him go. Squatting slightly,
he thrust deep within his mate and Tal let out a high pitched
scream. Blaze had found the other man's prostate and
adjusted his thrusts to peg the gland with every stroke.
Blaze gave into the grunts and groans that fought to
explode from his chest.
The room filled with hisses of pleasure and the
sound of flesh slapping flesh as Blaze pounded his thickly
engorged cock into his mate's ass.
"Fuck!" he groaned when the muscles of Tal's tight
opening squeezed his erection.
"Yes. Yes! YES!" Tal yelled.
His mate's sphincter clutched Blaze's dick in a tight
vise when Tal gave into the pleasure overwhelming him.
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Blaze sped his thrusts up and his own orgasm approached.

Tal rode out his orgasm, his ass fluttering around Blaze's
shaft, plunging him headlong into his own release. Leaning
forward, his canines elongating, Blaze pushed his cock in
deeply at the same moment he sank his teeth into Tal's
neck, marking him come yet again. The act triggered a
tingling at the base of his spine and he withdrew his
canines, threw back his head, and howled. A very
distinctive, very loud howl of pleasure, one heard
throughout the palace. His seed burst forth from his cock
deep within his mate, copious amounts of the hot liquid
flooding Tal's insides. Not long after, Blaze's mating knot
extended and grabbed hold of Tal's prostate, pleasantly
pushing each man through another, smaller orgasm.
"Fuucckk," Tal groaned.
Blaze couldn't do anything but grunt in response.
After a moment had passed, Blaze's knot released Tal's
prostate and, with a shudder, he pulled his now softened
cock out, still covered with his seed. Tal hissed when Blaze
came free from his body and with a satisfied grin, Blaze got
up and walked around the bed, releasing Tal from his
restraints. When finished, he sat on the bed and gathered
Tal up into his arms tightly, the other man curled up against
his chest, his body still shaking slightly.
Their breaths and hearts in sync, Blaze's heartbeat
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slowed and his body filled with peace. He belonged right

here. With Tal.
****
Anglania stood in the shadows of the hallway, her
lip curled up in disgust after listening to Blaze and the
Vermithian having sex. How disgusting. Two men. What
the hell could another man give Blaze that she couldn't?
She didn't actually want the Alpha King. He would only be
a pawn to what she really wanted. The throne, the crown,
the title the money. She shivered with arousal, thinking
of all of the jewels and nice clothes she could have. The life
she could, should, be would be living as the Alpha
Queen.
Just as soon as she got rid of the stupid Vermithian.

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CHAPTER FOURTEEN
"And then you'd turn to speak to the person on your
right," Percy stated and demonstrated the proper dining
habits of royalty.
Tal sighed. Bored, hungry, tired, cranky and he
felt well, he felt fucking pregnant. He didn't really care
about dinner etiquette. He wanted to eat the food sitting in
front of him but Percy wouldn't let him.
Stupid Tumaron law dictated you had to have ten
minutes of conversation before eating with each person
on either side of you. That equaled twenty minutes of
waiting to eat when the food right in front of him. How
stupid?
"Fucking puppy shifters," he grouched.
"Hey now, we're wolf shifters. I've told you that
before," Blaze responded, the amusement clearly evident in
his tone.
Tal's heart pounded with excitement. He loved
talking to his mate through their link. It made him feel so
much closer to Blaze. It also gave him a chance to gossip
about people without them knowing.
"I know, I know. But Percy is making me talk when
all I want to do is eat," he sent Blaze an image of the food

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in front of him followed by one of him pouting.

Blaze's answering chuckle had Tal grinning widely
and he ignored Percy who droned on about some particular
member of the Tumaron military and how he liked to spit
when he talked.
Tal rolled his eyes. "Can't you send Buck this way
to distract Percy?" he pleaded with his mate.
"Buck is already on his way to you, baby, something
about taking you around the kingdom. I would do it, but
Elder Mailon and I have an important meeting," Blaze
reassured him.
Tal tried to tamp down his disappointment. He'd
wished Blaze would be the one to show him around the
kingdom, but over the past few weeks, Tal had seen very
little of his Alpha mate. While they'd settled the dispute
over Tal wanting to be a part of the meetings Blaze found
himself engaging in, heated debates cloaked as discussions,
Tal would gladly sit in on one if only to spend time with his
mate. He failed dismally to hide his letdown when Blaze
sighed through the link.
"I would much rather it be me as well, love, but this
meeting is very, very important. Trust me," he said.
Tal echoed Blaze's sigh. Blaze had as much
frustration as Tal. Unfortunately, that did little to ease Tal's
mind.
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"I know you would rather it be you as well, baby. I

trust you," he reassured his mate and returned his attention
to Percy, just when Buck walked through the door.
Had Tal not known who should be coming, he still
wouldn't have missed all the little signs Percy made and
would have been aware of who had arrived. The flaring of
the younger man's nostrils, the tenseness seeping into his
frame, the darkening of his eyes, and the way he tried very
hard to not turn around.
Percy had it bad for Buck. Tal turned to look at
Buck with a smile, noticing how the Beta Prince watched
Percy with unconcealed longing and hunger. Ugh! It drove
Tal crazy. He wanted to know why the two men weren't
mated already. He wanted to know right then at that
moment. Because the only two people who were more
made for each other than him and Blaze would have to be
Buck and Percy, and mates should be together. Regardless
of anything else.
"Why, Buck! I hear you are taking me on a tour of
the kingdom? That sounds delightful! Shall we be away
then?" he asked, trying for the snobbish accent of the
Doralians and the air of one of the Tumaron elite.
Buck blinked in confusion and struggled not to
laugh. "Why the hell are you talking to me like that?" Buck
asked warily.
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Unable to help himself, Tal giggled. "I am trying to

be the epitome of the perfect Alpha Queen, did that not
come off?" he asked with a smirk, grinning widely when
Buck threw back his head and laughed.
"Not at all, Tal. I mean, Alpha Queen. I'm afraid
you missed the mark there," the Beta Prince responded with
a grin.
Percy stood up from his chair quickly and with a
hastily worded excuse, muttered under his breath, he turned
and hurried from the room. Buck watched Percy race from
his presence.
Sighing, Tal stood up from his chair and walked
over to join Buck where he'd stopped just inside of the
doorway. "You know it would just be easier if you would
just mate with him," he stated.
Buck shook his head and returned Tal's look of
exasperation with one of his own.
"Don't look at me like that, Beta Prince," he said
acerbically, "I am not the reason you are standing here
miserable and your mate is brokenhearted you are."
With the best 'queen' move he could imitate, he
turned with a flip of his hair, a swish of his robe, tilted his
nose into the air, and walked out of the room. When Buck
didn't immediately follow, Tal turned back around and
crossed his arms over his chest in vexation. Seconds later,
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Buck wandered out of the room, trying to mask the despair

on his face.
Saddened and confused, Tal whispered, "Buck,
what's going on? Seriously. Why are you making yourself
and Percy miserable by not claiming and mating with him?
Why are you being so stubborn about this?"
Buck's eyes slid closed slowly, his shoulders
drooped as if the weight of the world had just been placed
upon them, and he shook his head. Tal didn't know if Buck
would finally tell him the problem, but the man's reaction
had Tal thinking it would be a doozy whenever he did
finally spill. Before Buck could answer, however, his eyes
widened and then darkened with anger, fear, and finally,
resignation before he sighed and shook his head again.
"I can't tell you, Tal. I can't tell anyone. This is my
burden. My issue. Just know that I love Percy. More than
I ever thought I'd love anyone. I love him enough to make
him miserable and not have him, and would never put him
danger for my own selfish reasons," Buck's face switched
from one that oozed heartbreak to one that radiated
determination. "Now, no more talk about my life, my mate,
or my decisions. It's time for me to introduce you to your
subjects Alpha Queen," Buck said with a teasing glint in
his eye.
Tal barely managed to restrain himself from
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growling in frustration, not only from Buck's refusal to talk

about Percy and their situation, but also from the
insufferable title. He gave the other man a regal nod and
followed him out towards the waiting royal hover-carriage.
Tal snorted and grinned when Buck raised an eyebrow in
his direction. Really, could the Tumarons be anymore
pretentious? He thought for sure hover-carriages were last
season, but apparently, the Tumaron monarchy thought
they were still relevant. Tal would have much rather ridden
in one of the sleek Zeels hover-convertibles, whose edges
were smooth and slick, they glided through the air and even
on the streets with no sound and no hassle. He'd have to ask
Blaze about getting a ZHC X-class, the newest model
maybe in aquamarine blue?
So focused on what color he wanted his ZHC to be,
Tal walked right into the broad and firmly muscled back of
his brother-in-law who had stopped directly in front of him.
"Oof," he said and bounced back slightly from the
impact. "Sorry, Buck, I mean Beta Prince," Tal said.
He had to correct himself, forgetting for a moment
they were in the presence of other palace staff and Tumaro
subjects and he had to address everyone by their formal
title, if they had one, or by their last name if they didn't. He
thought it all pretty stuffy and obnoxious, and knew for
damn sure he found it completely irksome to constantly be
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referred to as a fucking Queen, but he didn't want to do

anything to offend his mate or his mate's people so he
smiled shyly at Buck, struggling not to laugh at the
expression of shock that crossed the other man's face at
Tal's use of his title, and allowed himself to be escorted up
the stairs into the hover-carriage.
Settling down into the surprisingly soft, green and
brown cushions, Tal sighed in pleasure and relaxedthe
first real chance he'd gotten to do so all damn day. Turning,
he watched his guards assemble themselves in their
positions. Two climbed into the carriage with him and
Buck, four climbed on top of hover-cycles in order to ride
alongside them, while still two more would follow them
wherever they were going. The gates opened and Tal pasted
a smile on his face when a voice bellowed loudly from
outside of the palace gate.
"Make way for the Alpha Queen. Here ye! Hear ye!
Make way for Alpha Queen Talon Versuthion-Roughshire.
Tumarons, all hail the Queen!" the man declared with a
toothy grin.
Grinning widely at those who waited outside the
gates of the palace, either to get inside the palace walls, on
the off chance they may have an audience with him, and
others who waited outside because they had nowhere else
to go or nothing to do. And still some were waiting to catch
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a glimpse of the Vermithian who had mated their Alpha

King. Before Tal could worry he perhaps didn't present the
best image of a mate for the Alpha King, his mouth
dropped open at his first real and true sight of Tumaro.
"It sort of takes your breath away, doesn't it?" Buck
chuckled.
Tal could only nod stupidly, no words forthcoming
as he got his first glimpse of paradise. All around him were
homes of families pack homes. Surrounded by trees and
land, abodes far enough away from their neighbors so as to
maintain a modicum of privacy and also to allow each
family the opportunity to have steam pools, playgrounds
for the children, and enough space for each individual's
wolf to run around freely, they were still close enough so
the families were able to get to know each other better.
There were stores scattered throughout the streets.
Vid stores, food stores, clothing stores pet stores? Tal
turned to look at Buck in confusion.
"Pet stores? What the hell kind of pets do Tumarons
have? From what I understand or was taught, the GPA had
not rescued any type of human pets. So why the hell am I
counting three pet stores?" he asked and watched as
Buck's lips twitched.
"Would you like to see what they sell?" Buck asked,
not waiting for a response before signaling the driver to
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stop the carriage and to land them safely in the street.

Tal waited as his guards and then Buck stepped
down before him and then, rolling his eyes at Buck's
impudence, allowed the other man to take his hand, help
him down off the carriage, and lead him inside the store.
He ignored the stares and gasps of the people he passed,
many of whom had only seen images of him on the
Tumaron Daily Vid News or in the Tumaro Daily Paper,
distributed to every district on the planet, and walked
towards the display wall and let excitement fill him.
"Are those Maltipompions?" he asked, his voice
filled with awe and wonder.
Someone chuckled and Tal turned in their direction.
"Yes, Your Highness. We provide only the purest
bred of Maltipompions on the entire planet," the store
owner stated with pride.
Tal tilted his head to the side slightly at the sound of
the man's lisp.
With a gasp and his eyes widening, he covered his
mouth in shock. "You're a vampire?" he questioned,
amazed a vampire would be living on Tumaro.
Doralian vampires and Tumaron shifters hated each
other. To find a Doralian living on Tumaro, free, happy,
proud, and owning a business, a very lucrative business,
counted as more than just a shocking, it practically equated
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as a fucking miracle.
"Yes, Your Highness," the vampire said with a grin.
"You sound just like my mates did when I first met them."
Tal opened his mouth to apologize only to watch in
amazement when two very large, very attractive Tumaron
men walked from out of the back of the store and towards
them. While Blaze definitely had to be the most attractive
man Tal had ever seen in his life, he could freely admit the
two men were definitely tied for second.
"Just be sure you are only admiring aesthetics,
love," Blaze's voice sounded in his head.
Tal grimaced slightly. He kept forgetting about the
stupid mental link he had with his mate.
"We Tumarons are very, very possessive and can be
very jealous, I'd hate to have to leave my meeting just to
come over and kill three businessmen."
Distracted for a moment, Tal noticed Buck seemed
to be talking with the three store owners about something
very important, if their rapid-fire words and big, wild hand
gestures were anything to go by.
Tal sent Blaze an image of himself rolling his eyes
before he replied. "How far does this whole mental link
thing extend? I mean can you be on an entirely different
planet and still hear my thoughts? Not that it's a bad thing,
but I'll tell you what, sometimes it might be nice to keep
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some shit to myself, like how hot I find another guy, even if
he's not as hot as you and my dick doesn't get hard over
him whatsoever," he quickly reassured his very large, very
possessive, Alpha mate.
Blaze chuckled before he responded. "It gets fainter
the farther apart we are from each other. But the closer we
get to each other, the clearer and more distinct it becomes
as well. Now, I do believe I should devote my entire
attention to this meeting before I sign away the palace or
something. Do have fun, Tal," Blaze said.
Tal laughed underneath his breath. It always tickled
him how Blaze could go from a sexy, playful, lustful Dom
who could also be all sweet words and snuggling and
caressesTal could almost guarantee that at night when
Blaze thought he slept, his big, strong mate gently rubbed
his stomach and talked to their unborn childrento a
formal, cold, indifferent, almost snobbish Alpha King in
five seconds flat. Tal found it quite an amazing feat. Not
one he wanted to accomplish at all, but it amazed him that
his mate could do it and do it so well.
Buck and the store owners headed back towards Tal
and he shook himself out of his mental musings before he
smiled and prepared himself for whatever scheme Buck had
hatched up.
"Your Highness, the Beta Prince has informed us
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you would like to purchase a Maltipompion. We would be

happy to assist you," the smaller of the two Tumarons said
grinning.
Tal quickly catalogued his features. He stood about
five feet eleven inches tall, had short brown hair, gold eyes,
and while broad shouldered, he didn't appear as wide as
some of the other Tumarons Tal had come in contact with.
Tal wondered if maybe he might be a half breed Tumaron
and thought of the children growing inside of him. Looking
over at the tallest of the three, Tal glanced back and forth
between the two men. He sensed one had mixed blood,
some instinct within him assured him, but he couldn't tell
which one. The tallest man seemed to be all Tumaron, but
almost too Tumaron. While it wouldn't be a problem with
Blaze or anyone else within the kingdom, Tal compared the
men to his own children, the ones he currently carried and
the ones he would carry in the future. He wondered if the
half-breed status, and falling in love with a half-breed, was
the reason the men owned a pet store.
Tal's chest tightened and his head swam from panic,
he forced his mind past the thoughts of babies, children,
and how the hell he could be pregnant while trying to learn
how to be an Alpha Queen, and focused on the sight of the
pets before him. Maltipompions were a hybrid breed of
animal crafted by the GPA after the humans had been
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rescued. A mix of maltese, pomeranians, poodles and lions,

the Maltipompion was a tiny animal with a huge mane of
fur that fluffed around its face. Everyone wanted one,
especially a purebred, and Tal couldn't get over seeing an
entire display cage of the beautiful animals.
He noticed one of the creatures in the corner, his fur
a beautiful mixture of brown, gold and white and Tal felt
instantly drawn to him. He ignored the chattering of the
men behind him when they asked him which animal he
wanted and stepped closer to the glass. Raising a hand, he
watched in astonishment as the beautiful, lonely creature
opened its eyes and looked at him before walking over to
the window to lick at the hand he'd placed there.
"Have you come to take me home?" the creature
asked.
Tal gasped in shock. How could he have forgotten
he could speak to animals? How many other creatures had
he ignored or brushed aside because he'd forgotten he could
hear them?
"Would you like to come home with me?" he asked.
The tiny fur ball stood up on its back paws and
began to whine.
"Very much so. The other pets don't like me very
much I'm afraid. I think it's because I don't really play all
that much."
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Without another thought, Tal gestured to the shop

owners and indicated which one he wanted to purchase. He
smiled when the tiny pet panted happily and hopped around
on two legs as if dancing for Tal's amusement. He chuckled
and unconsciously placed a hand on his flat belly.
I wonder if my children will like to dance and have
fun.
Blaze's chuckle sounded seconds before the man's
arms wrapped around Tal from behind and he placed a kiss
on the back of Tal's head.
"Our children will be the happiest children in the
entire galaxy. They will dance and laugh and have fun,
because they will have you for a daddy," Blaze murmured
in his ear before releasing him and stepping back.
Taking a deep breath of happiness, Tal turned with
a smile. "Thank you," he whispered. Pulling back, Tal
cocked his head to the side and placed one hand on his hip.
"What are you doing here? I thought you had meetings all
day."
"Well, my Queen. Imagine my surprise when I was
told that you were in the pet shop looking to purchase a
Maltipompion," Blaze stated with a raised eyebrow.
Tal wanted to nibble on his lower lip, but stopped
himself, uncertain if he had overstepped. This nervousness
only lasted a second, and then he remembered that although
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he hated the name of his title, he loved the power it gave

him. The fucking Alpha Queen could buy a pet if he
wanted to. With a grin, he walked over to the counter
where his new pet was loaded into a green carrier with the
seal of Tumaro upon it.
"Yes, I have decided to purchase a pet for our
unborn children. I thought it would be fun, don't you, Alpha
King?" he queried with a smirk.
Blaze inhaled sharply. Tal enjoyed what it did to the
other man when he called him by his full title. He began
pointing out items he wanted to buy for his new pet and
Blaze walked up to settle behind him, placing one hand at
the small of Tal's back.
"I think it's a perfect idea, mate. And when you are
finished here, we shall see as much of the kingdom as we
can before we head back to the palace for dinner," Blaze
stated.
Tal detected his underlying tone of sex and arousal.
He wondered if the other Tumarons could smell Blaze's
excitement as well as he could. He didn't think he'd ever
have been able to say he could do that, but he seemed to be
able to smell Blaze's body heating up, a musky, almost
heady smell of man, sweat, and sex. It made him ache. It
made him want to throw caution to the wind, rip the clothes
off of his hunky king, and mount him right there in the
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store, in front of everyone.

He groaned underneath his breath his shaft
hardened in response to the smell of his mate's skin and
Blaze chuckled. Tal had never had such an acute sense of
smell before mating with Blaze before getting pregnant
with five wolf shifter babies. He turned to glare at the other
man before accepting the carrier being handed to him from
the shop owner. At that point, he realized he didn't even
know the man's name.
"I'm sorry. We weren't formally introduced," he
apologized, realizing he'd ignored protocol.
The three men smiled at each other before turning
back to answer him.
The vampire held out his hand and answered first,
"I am Christienson Markoff. Everyone calls me Chris or
CM."
Tal shook his hand before turning to the shorter of
the two Tumarons.
"I'm Ralph Jorgolowsin. Everyone calls me RJ," he
stated.
Tal shook his hand, aware of Blaze's low growl
when the other man seemed to hold onto the embrace a
little longer than necessary. Tal turned to the tallest of the
three men. The tall, broad Tumaron man, with short black
hair, and whose eyes glowed a beautiful amber color. The
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tall man grinned and Tal blushed slightly at the sexy and
sinful action as the Tumaron stepped forward and bowed
low. He cleared his throat when Blaze stepped closer to
him and tried to control his wayward thoughts. He didn't
think he would ever be attracted to anyone else other than
his mate, ever again in his life, and for the most part that
was true. It wasn't so much that he was looking at this man
with lust or desire, but when he smiled, Tal felt a definite
something.
"I'm Stiving Hoyler. You can call me Sty or Styve, I
get both. And in case you were wondering, I'm half
Tumaron and half Namprincian," he explained and Tal felt
awareness and clarity wash over his mind. Well that
explained it all perfectly. With a giggle at being so obvious,
he shook Stiving's hand and stepped away.
"It was a pleasure to meet all three of you. Thank
you so much for assisting me with finding" He realized
he didn't even know his new pet's name.
Lifting the carrier slightly he looked inside and
decided to ask the animal for himself.
"What is your name little one?" he questioned him.
"Farthing," the animal responded.
Tal grinned. What a cute name.
Lifting his eyes back to the men behind the counter,
he finished his sentence, "Farthing. I am truly happy to
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make him an addition to our family and to have a new

'baby' of sorts before our own children come along."
With what he hoped was a regal nod, Tal gave a
friendly wave and said goodbye, turning towards the door
to leave. Blaze said his own goodbyes and Buck picked up
the large velvet lined box of items that looked much like
the box he'd kept aboard his shuttle before it'd crashed and
followed them out to the hover carriage.
Tal smiled down at Blaze when the larger man
helped him up into the vehicle before climbing up behind
him. Buck followed him in shortly thereafter, taking the
carrier from Tal and placing it on the seat next to him.
"So what's next?" Tal asked excitedly, glad to
finally be able to see the planet he now helped to rule, but
more than that, happy to be spending time with his mate.
He refused to examine the feelings of peace and
extreme happiness that flooded his being whenever the
other man came near, choosing to attribute it to being
mated and expecting children. His emotions weren't
involved at all they couldn't be because he hadn't even
known Blaze that long and they weren't in one of the stupid
romance novels Tal read.
He completely discounted what his mother and
father told him about mating, even after he'd overheard
conversations between others about mated couples falling
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in love quickly. Tal wasn't like other people. He didn't fall

in love just because some chemical in his body and brain
told him to, just because 'fate' or 'the One' decided he and
Blaze were made for each other.
If he fell in love with Blaze it would be because he
knew the other man, because they knew each other. Fate
and mating be damned. He wasn't in love with his mate, he
was in infatuation. Yeah, all the peace and happiness, the
contentment, had to be about infatuation.
With a determined huff of frustration, he turned his
attention to the windows and watched as the landscape of
Tumaro drifted past. He and Blaze waved to the people
they passed on the streets. Some were walking. Some stood
in front of their businesses and as they traveled into the
residential areas, some hung out with their neighbors in
front of their homes, kids playing out in the yards or with
their own pets, and at one point they even saw a group of
Tumaron teenagers, who were obviously in a band,
practicing on their roof. Tal smiled at the people he now
felt responsible for in some way. He smiled as he saw them
going about their daily lives and living their regular
routines. He grinned at those who waved at him frantically.
He waved at those who seemed almost too shy to wave to
him. He inhaled the fresh air that seemed to surround him
and seep into his pores and he lifted his face to the sun that
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seemed to infiltrate his essence.

Blaze took out his communicator and began to
discuss matters of the kingdom with Percy and Tal looked
over at Buck in sympathy. The Beta Prince's eyes filled
with anguish and longing and Tal felt sorry for him. He
wished he could do something to help Buck and Percy find
their way to each other, but with Buck clinging to his secret
so tightly, Tal feared a mating between the two of them
would either never happen, or be forced upon them by
tragedy.
Tal prided himself on always being right. He
usually gloried in the fact and he often smug about the way
he could almost foresee the future based on people's actions
and reactions to different events, but this time was
different. This time he didn't want to be right.
He'd never hoped to be wrong more in his life.

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CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Tal blinked his eyes open with a groan, the sunlight
streaming in through the windows, hurting his already
throbbing head.
"What the hell?" he grumbled in annoyance,
wondering whose ass he would have to kick for opening the
blinds while he still slept.
He squeezed his eyes tighter together, turning over
onto his stomach to go back to sleep, only to be
encumbered by the small bump in his belly. His breath
locked up in his chest and his eyes flew open. What the hell
had happened while he slept? As a matter of fact, what the
hell had he eaten last night? His mind raced and he tried to
figure out the reason for the lump in his stomach. Finally,
his mind caught up with the present and he gasped.
Sitting up quickly, he looked down at the now very
apparent evidence of the children that he carried within
him. "Oh. My. Scions. I can't believe it. I-it's real." He
gently laid his palms over his stomach.
The sheer magnitude of what he carried within him
weighed heavily on his mind and his heart. It had been two
and a half months since he'd been to the Hall of Elders and
discovered his pregnancy. Except for some queasiness,

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extreme exhaustion, weird cravings, and those horrible

bouts of vomit that he had early in the morning, and then
promptly forgot about, he'd been able to ignore being
pregnant for the most part. Once those symptoms had
passed he had felt practically normal. Well, as normal as
someone in his position could feel.
A moment of sudden clarity rushed over his mind,
and he gasped again, his right hand flying up to cover his
mouth. Pregnant. Mated to a wolf shape shifter. Who just
happened to be a kingthe Alpha of the pack. The fucking
ruler of an entire plane. And pregnant with five halfbreeds. Oh wow. Just fucking wow. Wonder and
awe filled him, moments before confusion filled his every
pore. Intense, extreme confusion, the kind that usually
made him say something stupid.
"What the hell am I having?" he questioned aloud,
aware of being alone in the room, but needing to have the
question out in the open.
His couldn't even ask his pet flower. He'd had to
remove it from the bedroom because the damn thing had
been making him feel sick and freaking him out as well.
After all these years of close companionship, he couldn't
even stand to look at the godsdamn plant.
He should feel bad about it, but he just couldn't
drum up the needed emotion. Too tired, too sick, too
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fucking pregnant with whatever he'd be having, to care

about his old plant friend. Gods, what a bastard he'd
become.
"You're having a litter." Josie giggled from the
doorway, a noise that effectively pulled him out of his
depressing musings.
Tal swung his eyes her way to observe her color
shrewdly. Edifician, just like their father, Tal always found
himself checking to see if her skin grew any darker,
something he'd been doing since they were kids, when he'd
first noticed her tone changing shades. Her skin would tell
him better than she ever would if she was sick or not. He
didn't necessarily obsess over it, just checked on it
periodically, but they'd barely seen each other over the last
two months, both settling in with their mates.
If the beautiful brown color of her skin grew black
it meant imminent death. When it happened as a result of
age it would be of no concern. From an early age, Tal
wanted to make sure Josie wouldn't die too soon. He didn't
know why he'd always had that fear, though it could have
something to do with losing his parents. He didn't think it
the only reason though. An image of Josie, holding her
belly and throwing up, flashed across his mind, followed by
one of her covered in blood.
He gasped and shook his head, trying to rid himself
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of the vision. He reminded himself Josie had a mate now

and while they didn't spend much time together, Gregor
would never let anything bad happen to her. They both had
very attentive, very overprotective mates. Not necessarily a
bad thing, Josie with her royal guard and Tal with his
Alpha King, but definitely strange for each of them. They
had spent so many years practically living in each other's
back pockets, always looking out for the other, and now
they barely saw each other, unless they were passing in the
hallway and then they merely waved and continued on their
way.
If their parents could see him and Josie right now
they'd be completely surprised by the huge change in their
relationship, but they would understand the natural
progression of life. Tal tried to take comfort with the notion
whenever guilt crept up on him about neglecting his
relationship with his sister. Or when he grew angry with
her neglect of him. He once again pulled his mind from his
musings and focused on her, making a mental note to check
with the palace doctor about why he was having such a
hard time concentrating.
"Ha ha ha. Funny, bitch," he teased back.
She sauntered over. Her hair had been braided back,
and her eyes twinkled with happiness. She wore a skintight,
black, one piece leather pantsuit. Her heeled black boots
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came up mid-calf and were tightly laced and pulled over

the legs of the suit. She looked like the perfect image of a
Dominatrix, like the kind he saw on the vids he'd snuck and
watch as a teenager. He'd never been interested in the role
of the person wielding the whips and floggers, but he'd
found himself very intrigued by the role of the subservient
one. Well I guess that works out pretty well as Blaze is very
obviously the Dom in our relationship. Although, knowing
that my sister fancies herself a Dominatrix, even in dress is
very disturbing.
"Well, don't you look beautiful and fierce all at the
same time?" he mused, raising his voice and adopting the
accent of the Doralians who all had very musical tones.
Josie sat in the chair next to the bed. He raised his
eyebrows at her choice of seating and she smiled. They'd
always sat cuddled up, even when they were teenagers and
their boyfriends came over. Probably why they didn't have
boyfriends for too long, he realized. He shrugged. It
worked for the best in the end. Those guys were assholes,
and he had Blaze and Josie had Gregor now.
"I passed Blaze on my way in. He told me I could
sit in the chair but his wolf would probably go feral if it
smelled any scent other than his on the bed mixed with the
scent of his pregnant mate," she explained to his unasked
question.
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Tal nodded, not the least bit surprised she knew

exactly why he'd raised his eyebrows. She'd always known
him so well. As children, they'd been able to have entire
conversations without ever speaking. He missed they didn't
do it as much as they used to.
"Aahh," Tal replied in understanding, just a little
thrilled by his mate's possessiveness.
He didn't doubt Blaze cared for him, but maybe he
did to a small degree. When they were alone, Blaze was so
attentive, but out in public "He has gotten a little more
Alpha possessive over the last few weeks, since we found
out about the babies" His words faded and his mind
returned to its earlier dilemma.
"What's the matter? What are you thinking about?"
Josie asked. "You look like you're trying to figure out the
exact light year equation from Edifice to Namprince or
something."
Tal snorted. No one had ever been able to figure
that out. Namprince was a very weird planet and seemed to
jump in the galaxy rather than rotate like all the other
planets.
Tal gave himself a mental shake, not wanting to be
teased by his older sister over his insecurities. "It's nothing.
To be honest, I'm surprised to see you without your
shadow. Where is Gregor anyway?" he asked slyly,
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changing the subject.

"He's doing kingdom patrol this week rather than
palace patrol, and don't try to change topics. I taught you
how to do that. Don't forget, I know all your tricks. What
were you thinking about that made your mouth pull down
into that frown?" she asked, crossing her arms across her
chest, her face turning into its stubborn lines.
Tal sighed deeply, aware she wouldn't let it go until
he answered, and answered truthfully, since she could
always tell when he lied. It was just as annoying now as it
had been when they were kids.
Closing his eyes he resigned himself to answering.
"I was thinking about my children. You know, my unborn
children with Blaze. What exactly am I giving birth to?
Humanoid children or wolves? Vermithians or Tumarons?
Will they come out looking like humanoid babies or will
they come out half human, half wolf? Or, am I actually
giving birth to a litter of dogs?" he admitted, ashamed, tears
filling his eyes at the slight edge of hysteria he heard in his
words.
"Love? Are you okay?" Blaze's concerned voice
spoke through their mental link
Too ashamed, Tal couldn't respond. How in the
world would he be able to tell his mate he feared giving
birth to his children because he was afraid he would be
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giving birth to monsters? Babies who would come out

looking like half Vermithians and half Tumaron wolves?
Blaze would be furious and disappointed, but worse, he
might think he had the wrong mate in the end.
"Oh, honey," Josie whispered in sympathy.
He refused to lift his eyes to hers, not wanting to see
the pity or the disgust on her face at his vanity.
"Have you asked Blaze?" she questioned, sighing
when Tal merely shook his head no. "Tal, you need to ask
Blaze. I'm sure he knows. Besides, he needs to know you're
struggling with this, that this is a fear for you, that"
The rest of Josie's words were cut off by a hesitant
knock on the suite doors. They turned their heads in the
direction, neither entirely sure who would be knocking on
the doors to see Tal.
"I'll go see who it is while you get up and get
dressed," she offered.
She stood up and made her way through the
bedroom doorway to the suite entrance, closing the door
firmly behind her to give Tal some privacy. Tal scrambled
from the bed and rushed over to the armoire in the corner to
pull on some clothes, hoping they would still fit. Blaze had
hired a personal tailor and the man had been working
around the clock to create a new wardrobe for him, but with
his new baby bump, he didn't know if anything would fit
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his formerly thin frame. Tugging on a pair of royal blue silk

pants, he was happy to find the waistband stretched to fit
around his waist. He settled for slipping on a black tunic,
embroidered in royal blue around the collar, the cuffs of the
long sleeves, and the hem. Hearing Josie talk with whoever
had arrived out in the sitting room, he rushed over to his
new vanity Blaze had purchased for him just the week
before and quickly brushed through his hair, which had
grown thicker and longer during his pregnancy. He'd
teasingly told Blaze he had his own version of wolf fur,
which had caused the bigger man to roar with laughter. Tal
loved to make his mate laugh and after hearing his chuckle
that first time all of those many weeks before, he'd set out
to make sure that Blaze made that sound as often as he
could.
He often thought Blaze took being the Alpha King
way too seriously, but Tal understood. His mate did very
serious work. Well, if the things Tal had responsibility for
could be anything to go by, he could only imagine the
stress of his mate's position. The word position sent his
mind into a very vivid image of him and Blaze making love
the night before and Tal struggled to keep from groaning,
more than aware wolves could scent arousal. Clenching his
fists and squaring his jaw, he tried to think of something
that would get his mind off of his mate unclothed and
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waiting for him in the bed or wet and in the shower

Grunting, he imagined his father in the small pair of
blue shorts that he loved wearing back home and his
erection promptly deflated. Thanks, Dad. Slipping his feet
into the black slippers he'd left beside the bed, he walked
towards the door, prepared to greet his visitor. Unless it
might be Mailon or Percy, or hell Buck, it would be a long
time before he'd be ready to deal with anyone else. Taking
a deep breath to calm his racing heart, since he had no idea
who could be waiting on the other side, he placed a hand
over his just noticeable bump and murmured softly to the
babies who lay within.
"Okay, Daddy's gotta go out and act like an Alpha
Queen, which is a title he still really hates, so no making
him nauseous, okay?" he pleaded.
He hadn't had morning sickness in a while, but
according to his mother, Vermithians were sick during their
entire pregnancy. Opening the door with a smile, and a
final plea for composure and a visit free of nausea, to the
One and whatever deities existed that listened to the
prayers of mated Vermithians, he stepped into the room and
saw Josie talking with one of the Elders what was his
name again? Oh yeah, Elder Bryce Morgasen. The one who
always wore a perpetual scowl on his face and had his long,
gray hair braided tightly down to his waist. Tal didn't really
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like him, Mailon didn't either, but whenever Tal had asked
the other Elder about it, Mailon just grinned and said
something along the lines of differing personalities, and
had left it at that. Elder Bryce stood in the middle of the
room, silently watching Josie when she turned her attention
to the other two visitors, both of whom were almost as
startling beautiful as Blaze and Buck. Almost. Tal would be
very hard-pressed to think anyone more beautiful than his
mate except the vid star Bohn Jarrowman, that man was
beyond beautiful. Tal had to watch him when Blaze wasn't
around. Blaze had destroyed two large vid screens because
Tal had sighed when Bohn had appeared on the screen. He
absolutely didn't understand the big deal. Bohn might be
nice to look at, but Tal knew he belonged to Blaze and
wanted it just that way. Maybe he should tell Blaze the next
time he went to watch Bohn on the vid screen. It might just
save them from having to buy another one.
Tal noticed the two strangers looked similar,
hauntingly similar, and wondered if they were related. Then
he realized they had to be related or clones. Either way,
they were practically twins, though one definitely seemed
like a more masculine version of the other.
"Aahh.

Alpha

Queen

Talon,"

Elder

Bryce

welcomed him, the words sounding as if they were choked

out of him.
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Tal didn't know if it was the whole Alpha Queen

thing, which admittedly, he choked on himself, or maybe
the whole 'Talon' thing. Making a mental note to talk to
Josie about it, he returned his focus to Elder Bryce.
"Let me introduce you to Freud and Anglania Lang,
they are distant cousins of Alpha King Blazell and Beta
Prince Buckington. They were not in the planet's orbit
when you were introduced to the kingdom as Alpha King
Blazell's mate. They had, as a matter of fact, left only hours
before you arrived at the palace, and have been
extremely busy with family matters since returning, but
they wanted to make sure that they came by to meet you
and welcome you to their family and to Tumaro," he
explained and expression of pain crossing his face.
Tal wondered what family matters they had to
attend to and if the reason had the Elder so distressed. He
hoped it would be nothing that would cause Blaze to leave
him for any extended period of time. Feeling extremely
guilty over his selfish thoughts, Tal would have to make up
for that brief flash of self-centeredness and be extra kind to
Anglania and Freud and try to help them as much as he
could.
Tal smiled and stepped forward to shake hands with
his new cousins-in-law. Freud appeared large, almost as
large as Blaze, but then again Tal had begun to discover all
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the Tumaron men were large, except for the Elders. Freud's
hair had a gorgeous blond color, cut extremely short in the
military style. His blue eyes seemed shifty, extremely
untrustworthy, and not too intelligent. Freud stared at Tal
as if weighing him as possible competition for something;
or to assess him as a threat for some inexplicable prize. Tal
wondered what the prize could be and if he'd come up
lacking in the other man's eyes. Freud had tan skin, which,
once again, Tal had come to expect of all of the Tumarons.
Freud smiled thinly and shook Tal's hand and
bowed deeply, almost mockingly. "It's a pleasure to meet
you, Alpha Queen Talon," he said with a sneer, his lips
twisting sarcastically.
Picking up on some underlying jealousy and thinly
veiled contempt, Tal pulled his hand back and nodded
regally to the other man. Definitely not a member of Team
Talon then, he thought jokingly, very happy to not be
projecting his thoughts and feelings to Blaze, because these
people were his cousins, his family members. He didn't
know how Tumarons viewed mates versus blood kin and
which relationship would be more sacred. Mentally
squaring his shoulders, Talon turned to face Anglania.
Anglania Lang was the feminine version of her brother.
While shorter and smaller than Freud, she still towered over
Tal and had more muscle. She looked like a warrior
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princess with her long blonde hair braided in one long plait
to the middle of her back. Her blue eyes were wide and
held such innocence in them that Tal instantly went on
alert. Beautiful, with a pert nose, high cheekbones, and
curvaceous body, she looked like one of the supermodels
from Earth, hundreds of years before the time before the
Great Interplanetary Awakening. Josie used to stare at
pictures of them as a teenager. Tal's mind scrambled for the
model's name but found it completely empty. With a
mental sigh at the further destruction of his brain because
of his pregnancy, he gave himself a stern mental talk.
Look Tal, you can't be an Alpha Queen based on
looks alone, you're going to actually have to bring
something to the table here. So straighten up and focus!
Get your mind right or they're all going to think that you
aren't worth a single Printakius.
Tal smiled at Anglania and shook her hand also,
shocked when she squealed and hugged him fiercely. He
tried not to choke on the cloying scent of flowers, sugar
and no way dirt? How gross.
"No shaking hands! You're family now, Alpha
Queen Talon. Family! I mean, we're all just so happy Blaze
has found his mate! We were beginning to despair for him."
She lowered her voice. "Although we were a little surprised
to hear you were a man. I mean how would Blaze get his
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heirs you know? But then"Anglania's body shivered in

what Tal supposed was delight"then we find out you're
Vermithian so you can actually get pregnant and Blaze
didn't waste any time getting you with his child." She
giggled and lightly squeezed Tal's arm, which she still held
in her grasp. "Or should I say children? Elder Bryce filled
us in on everything. We are just so excited and happy for
the both of you. We really are, and you know, if you have
any questions about palace etiquette, events, politics or the
like, do not hesitate to ask me. Really. I'd be beyond happy
to help you with anything that you need help with. I'll bet
you didn't know if Blaze hadn't found his mate this year,
the law would've required he marry me in order to produce
heirs for the royal line, so I pretty much know everything
you should know," she offered with a large smile. "But can
you imagine Blaze mated to me? I know I can't!"
Tal blinked in surprise at the rapid flow of words,
and by what she'd said, and the way she'd said it. Either she
counted as one of those women who found gay men sexy
and arousing or just weird. He leaned towards the latter.
"Uh" he stammered, "t-t-that would be great.
Thank you." He accepted her offer of help in confusion,
still baffled by her exuberance.
Bemused and amazed, he wondered where she kept
her energy cell pack and his legs quaked in exhaustion in
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the face of her bubble of liveliness.

Anglania shook her head, her blonde braid moving
around her shoulders enchantingly. "Don't mention it,
really, it's the least I could do. I mean, we are family,
right?" she asked humbly, shrugging one elegant, tanned
shoulder.
Josie grunted from the other side of the room.
"Right," Tal returned with a genuine smile.
Smiling broadly, for the first time Tal had ever
seen, Elder Bryce clapped his hands to get everyone's
attention as if they were a rowdy bunch of adolescents.
"Right, well, I'm glad everyone's met and getting
along, but we really should let the Alpha Queen rest. She is
carrying quite a litter," Elder Bryce stated with a chuckle at
his joke.
Tal forced a laugh from his lips even as his hands
fisted in anger at the man's idiotic words.
Ass.
Everyone rapidly agreed and Tal and Josie walked
the visitors to the door. They said goodbye and Tal
promised he would call Anglania if he needed anything.
The door closed behind them and the two adopted siblings
breathed a sigh of relief as they leaned back against the
door side by side.
"Bitch. Pale, wolf shifting, conniving bitch," Josie
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breathed, glancing at Tal.

Probably to gauge his reaction. "Don't forget
underhanded, fake, sneaky, and manipulative," Tal pointed
out, "as if she ever had a shot with Blaze."
He shot her a look before collapsing into hysterical
laughter, Josie joining in.
"I'm so glad I wasn't the only one who saw it!" Josie
chuckled.
"Oh no, sweetie. I saw it too. We're going to have to
be on our guard with those three," Tal stated with foresight
of the trio's motives and shady dealings.
He didn't know what they wanted, exactly. Anglania
wanted to be mated to Blaze, but he couldn't figure how the
other two played into it. Too bad for the skinny witch, she'd
never come in contact with a Vermithian before. Otherwise,
she'd know better.
"Right you are," Josie nodded before slipping her
arm through Tal's and pulling him away from the door.
"Now, let's get you showered, dressed in something a little
more comfortable, and fed so we can go shopping in your
kingdom," she suggested, walking him away from the suite
door towards the bedroom.
****

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Standing outside the door, Freud and Elder Bryce

growled at the pair's astute observations. Anglania merely
smiled. No surprise Josie had picked up on Anglania's
stellar performance as the helpful familial relation. The
Edifician might be too smart for her own good. If her
horrible Vermithian brother didn't happen to be standing in
the way, and she didn't have to get rid of him, the two of
them might have been friends.
Oh well, she didn't live her life full of regrets or
'what-ifs'. The Edifician woman would have to be dealt
with as well. Just maybe, she would deal with her a little
nicer than she would the Vermithian scum. Patting both her
brother and the Elder, her obedient and loving mate, on the
top of their heads, she smiled when they both groaned
happily. Men were so easily appeased, and so easy to
control. She began walking down the hallway towards her
own chambers.
"Those two just may be trouble for us, but boy, will
it be fun to kill and tear them both apart. Especially the
Alpha Queen. Then, after Blaze has grieved sufficiently, I'll
make him claim and mark me. Then I'll get pregnant, and
as soon as I do, you, Freud will make sure both he and
Buck have a fatal accident," she explained her plan, not
looking at either of them until they were all ensconced in
her chambers.
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Her horrid guest chambers. It wouldn't be long until

she would be in the chambers for the Alpha Queen, just as
soon as they dealt with their current distraction. Walking
over to the liquor cabinet tucked in the corner of the sitting
room, she opened it and pulled out three glasses and two
bottles, one filled with Namprincian Whiskey and the other
filled with Strawxigian Snake Venom, the most illegal
liquid drug on the market. She mixed both liquids in the
glasses before offering them to her partners in crime. Only
then would she finally look at both in the eye, with a
twisted smile, before sinking gracefully into her seat.
"And then the kingdom will be ours, as it should
have always been," she stated.

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CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Tal and Josie stepped out of the royal carriage
shuttle, Tal's laughter joined with his sister's as he entwined
their arms and began walking away from the vehicle. While
it was extremely difficult for him to allow someone else to
get his bags, and Josie felt the same, if they tried to grab
their purchases on their own, it would cause problems with
the palace servants. So the Tal dragged his sister around the
palace yard chattering about everything from their mates to
his unborn children.
He rolled his eyes when Josie rattled off possible
baby names for his 'litter of puppy hybrids' and tried not to
laugh when he realized every name was a variation of hers.
He and Blaze had only discussed baby names once before
Tal had magnanimously told his mate that when the time
came Tal would be too out of it to name anyone and would
leave that particular task to Blaze. He'd made the right
decision. Blaze's face had erupted in a huge grin. Tal didn't
share the information with Josie, however, letting her
chatter on about Josine, Josina, Josephiro, Josien and
Joseph instead.
Extremely happy he had this time with his sister,
Tal hadn't realized exactly how much he'd missed her until

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they decided to spend the day together. There were just

some things his mate couldn't give him, though he'd never
tell Blaze. The man proved to be extremely jealous when it
came to anyone giving Tal something Blaze felt he should
be doing. Tal thought it completely ridiculous, but Mailon
had warned him it came down to a wolf thing and to not
question it at all. Tal readily agreed. There were quite a few
things Tal agreed with Mailon about: his mate, being the
Alpha Queen, and the fact that Mailon's cousin, Kazumi,
seemed to spend an awful lot of time staring at his stomach,
which was probably the creepiest thing that had happened
to him since he'd shown up at the palace.
Well, outside of the 'Wonder Cousins', as he and
Josie had dubbed Anglania and Freud.
"So what do you think we should do now? Can your
stomach handle us going out to the barns?" Josie teased,
rubbing Tal's stomach.
Tal pushed her hand away in feigned annoyance and
huffed. "My stomach is fine, oh Mighty-Pain-In-My-Ass,"
Tal said, laughing when his sister opened her mouth in
shock and put her hand to her forehead in a false swoon.
Tal took Josie's arm in his again and the two walked
on towards the training fields.
"Gregor said the Alpha Kings used to let the
Tumaron people come out here and settle their disputes
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with violence and by fighting and whoever forced their

opponent to submit won the judgment. He even said Blaze
was doing this up until about a month ago. I wonder why
he changed it. It sounded like it was a pretty old tradition,"
Josie mused.
Tal grinned sheepishly before answering. "He
changed it because of me," Tal responded, his left hand
drifting absentmindedly to rub at his stomach.
Josie glanced over at him, once again, waiting for
him to tell her all.
"The first time I appeared in Court there were two
men who were fighting about their children, both boys,
both of them at the age of consent they were found in
bed together having sex, by one of the fathers. Now, I
didn't see what the big damn problem was, obviously, and I
knew Blaze didn't either, but he was just letting these
fathers argue in front of him. No one asked the boys what
they wanted or how they felt. It had come down to the
fathers arguing and demanding retribution from each other
for their son being corrupted and being made 'unfit' for
whoever their mates ended up being and then they'd come
to the Alpha King to get him to decide who was in the
wrong. I was shocked when Blaze said they could go out
into the training fields and have the decision made there. I
followed along behind him and everyone else and sat in the
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seat they gave me and, Josie" Tal sighed, his entire body
collapsing in on itself as if he were reliving some
unspeakable horror.
His arms trembled when he placed them over the
top rung of the gate surrounding the training area.
His eyes slid closed and his breath burst forth from
his chest, a harsh sound of emotion and anger. "Josie, Blaze
had these two men fighting. Physically fighting each other
over whose son was gay and had turned the other one gay. I
sat there watching them in complete horror. I kept looking
to Blaze but he just had that look on his face that he gets
when he finds something disgusting but isn't going to fight
against it, or anything, and I knew he wouldn't be any help
whatsoever. So, I did the only thing that I could do"
Josie groaned aloud, allowing her head to fall
forward onto Tal's shoulder from behind, before stepping
up beside him. "What the hell did you do, Talon?" she
asked, her voice filled with exasperation and a touch of
fear.
Josie would never understand. She hadn't been
there. She hadn't been there to look up and see the two boys
with their arms wrapped around each other, the taller and
older one kissing the temple of the younger one. She hadn't
been there to hear the trees all tell him that the two boys
were mates. She hadn't seen the two boys planning to run
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away if the wrong father won. He had done what he had to

do. He'd stepped in as the Alpha Queen and put a stop to it.
"I had to protect those boys Josie. They were mates
and one of the fathers knew it and was fighting it, the other
father didn't know it and that was the reason he was
objecting. One was objecting out of ignorance, the other
one was objecting out of hatred. And if he had that kind of
hatred for his own son being gay, can you imagine how he
felt about his gay Alpha King and his mate, a man who can
and did, get pregnant?"
Tal turned back to face the fields after glancing over
at Josie. He didn't exactly know how to explain what he'd
done and how it had been for the best of all of Tumaro.
Couldn't explain how he even knew what was best for the
planet full of wolf shifters. Yes, he'd become the Alpha
Queen, the mate of the Alpha King, but inside he still felt
only moments away from being the same orphaned delivery
boy of the GPA, the same boy whose only goal in life had
been to live.
He didn't know anything about ruling a planet, or
even a country, of being diplomatic, neutral, or royal. He
certainly didn't know anything about having a wildly
possessive mate who got him pregnant the very first time
they had sex. But he did know about family, and mates, and
that deeply burning desire that rested in the pit of every
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living organism's being that longed for and pined for its
other half. That person, that being, that shifter, that Dom,
that sub, that something or someone who completed them,
who made them feel something they never expected to feel,
and feel it so deeply it took over their life, haunted their
dreams, filled their every waking moment. A need that
caused wars and drove children to defy their parents and
full grown adults to throw away everything they'd worked
so hard for. He knew about that need, that yearning, that
desire. He knew about that obsession. The obsession to
have something or someone no matter the cost, no matter
what he had to do or give up, who he had to be
The two young men needed their families, but being
mated himself, he instinctively understood the importance
of being with his mate. Sometimes the family one ended up
being born into didn't matter as much as the family they
created and any family created with the mate they were
destined to be with was the ultimate. Not every person
received a family that truly deserved them.
Josie should understand. She'd been taken from her
parents at a young age because they were hooked on
Printakium Acid and then shortly after she was removed
from the home, they passed away. So while she would get
the idea of biological families not always being the best, he
didn't know if she would understand why he'd done this.
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"I just stood up for what was right, Josie. You

always told me to do that," Tal said. "Before those fathers
had a chance to really get into it, I stood up in my chair, so
they could see me, because you know, I'm vertically
challenged and they were yelling so loud; and called a halt
to everything." He grimaced when he remembered the look
on Blaze's face.
The Alpha had flushed dark red with anger, his
hands clenching into tight fists and he moved to the edge of
his own seat but didn't stand up at that precise moment. Tal
didn't know at the time if he'd been happy Blaze trusted
him enough to not rise, or if he'd been afraid Blaze would
watch him make a fool of himself before stepping in. His
mate trusted him in some things dealing with Tumaro,
not all things, but a lot more than he had before. If Blaze
had stood up in that moment and spoken, or had asked Tal
to sit down, Tal figured everything would be a lot different
now. But he hadn't.
"I told them the two young men were mates and
both were adults," Tal picked back up with the story not
looking in Josie's direction.
He dropped one hand down to his stomach and
rubbed soothingly at the babies resting there, his other hand
reaching up to play with the ends of his hair. Josie would
see it for the nervous gesture it was, but he didn't care. That
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whole situation still gave him the shakes, and it had been
weeks ago.
"I told them fighting over who was culpable was
archaic and beneath the Tumaron people. Then I told them
fighting because their sons were gay was insulting to both
their Alpha King and their Alpha Queen, who are both
men, and who are both obviously gay." Tal remembered
groaning in embarrassment, and his eyes slid shut slowly.
He couldn't believe he said it and from the sound of
his sister's scoff and the way she rolled her eyes, she
completely agreed. Tal lifted his arms, shook them slightly
and tossed them both back over the top rung of the gate
before lowering his forehead to rest on them. He was tired.
Not just physically tired, but emotionally drained. That day
still had the power to utterly and completely drain him, and
Tal didn't mind being drained, he just preferred to have it
be done in a much more pleasurable way. Like with Blaze
standing over him naked hard and doing the sexy
little growling thing that always made Tal shiver with
delight. He shuddered now as he thought of his mate
growling in his ear and considered for a moment sending
the image to Blaze when his sister's voice penetrated the
haze of lust currently trying to take over his brain.
Godsdamn pregnancy hormones. Emotional one minute,
tired the next, and then unbelievably horny right after that.
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"You kids better so be worth this hassle," Tal

bitched affectionately at his unborn children.
"Oh god, Tal," Josie breathed in horror. "I'm so glad
you're still alive, but how in the world are you still standing
in front of me and not completely ripped apart by a wild
crowd of Tumarons?" she asked, her voice trembling in
fright.
Her fear wasn't completely unfounded. Moments
no, seconds, after he'd made his speech, he'd stepped down
shakily from his seat, the implications of his words, the
accusations he'd bandied about finally sinking into his
addled brain. He'd fucked up in that moment. He'd well and
truly fucked up, and not only did he fuck up, he was
fucked. He'd turned to face his very livid mate. The
startling amusement he'd had to shove away from his mind
when he took in Blaze's face, so dark red with a volatile
anger it almost appeared purple. He'd never seen the Alpha
King's visage looking such a way before and while Tal
feared for his life he felt strangely fascinated to see what
other shades his mate's face could turn. In that moment,
he'd well and truly lost his mind and he didn't know if he
could blame the unborn children that were inside of him.
Blaze shook with rage and for a moment, a brief
flash of time, Tal thought that anger had to be directed at
him, but he quickly noticed Blaze wasn't looking at him at
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all. In fact, Blaze looked past Tal to the two fathers. Tal
realized Blaze wasn't angry with him, he was angry at the
fathers and his purple face wasn't because Tal had
overstepped, but because the men were homophobic
assholes. His ruddy countenance had to do with being in
the presence of said homophobic assholes, and seemed
completely justifiable to Tal. As a matter of fact, had Tal
been able to, he would have matched his mate's purple
visage. Tal quickly squashed the thought or else he would
have been doubled over in laughter at the image of his and
Blaze's matching faces.
"Blaze was livid, Josie," Tal picked the story back
up, bringing his mind back to the present and his
conversation with Josie and off his reaction and that of his
mate. "He didn't know the two young men were mates. He
didn't know they were the age of consent, adults. He was
furious the true reason the fathers were fighting was
because their sons were gay and it was something neither
man approved of," Tal muttered.
The disgrace he'd felt at doubting his mate flooded
his body again like hot lava coating every insecure,
unworthy nook and cranny inside of him. He lifted his head
and turned to look at Josie. This part of the story always
made him smile, even though the parts leading up to it
always filled him with shame, fear, anger, and yes, just a
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touch of amusement.
Tal grinned brightly before he concluded his tale,
"Blaze declared that disputes would no longer be handled
with violence. Judgments shall be made by either the
judges of each city or the Royal Alpha Couple. Then he
turned to the two fathers and said finding a mate is a gift, a
treasure, to be cared for and gender is not an issue, never
should be, when it came to claiming one's mate."
Tal laughed in an almost childish delight, smacking
his hands down on top of the top rung of the gray metal
carbonate gate with glee and wrapping his fingers around
the top rung and pulling back slightly, his toes lifting just a
fraction in his slippers as he rocked back onto his heels.
"Then he asked the two boys if they were truly
mates and both stepped forward and said yes. Blaze asked
how they knew and the younger, smaller boy said he felt
the mating knot extend after he came inside of the other,
taller boy. Blaze said that meant that they were truly mates
and then he encouraged them to give each other the mating
bite." Tal grinned even wider, his white teeth gleaming in
the yellow green Tumaron sun.
He had never been prouder to be mated to Blaze
than in that moment, because Blaze had shown himself to
truly be worthy of the title of the Alpha King in Tal's eyes.
"Wow," Josie breathed and Tal glanced over at her.
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"Yeah, I know," he responded with a happy sigh.

"He's so amazing."
Josie's eyes landed on him and Tal knew what she
would say before she even opened her mouth. He'd been
fighting with himself about it for days, weeks even.
"You love him. You totally love him," she
whispered in a voice full of awe and wonder.
"Don't be ridiculous, Josie. We haven't been
together long enough. I haven't even known him that long.
People don't fall in love that quickly, not true love. Mates
or not, love takes time to grow and develop. Anything that
happens this fast is most likely lust," Tal debated with her,
ignoring the almost painful pounding in his chest.
"Maybe for some people, but when something is
meant to be, when it's been created and fused together by
the gods, then love isn't restricted by time, it comes a whole
lot quicker because it's supposed to," Josie pointed out.
"Stop fighting this Tal, you're supposed to be with Blaze,
and when it's right"
Tal sighed in defeat. Josie had it right, but he
refused to admit the possibility, even a slim one, he might
be in love with his mate after only a couple of months. It
just couldn't be true. He refused to be like every other
newly mated sap out there. A good fuck did not make a
good mate. Regardless of Blaze's care of him, his
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gentleness towards Tal, Tal absolutely refused to believe he

loved Blaze until after the babies were born. Maybe then he
could believe it didn't have anything to do with being
newly mated or having an emotional pregnancy brain. He
once again ignored the clenching in his chest and focused
on his sister's face.
"What about you?" he asked, deflecting the question
and homing in on his sister's slightly reddening face.
Fascinated by the hue, much as he'd been with
Blaze, he'd never seen Josie blush before. He'd always
thought his mother and sister were the prettiest women ever
born, but his sister blushing was a sight to behold. Her eyes
shone with an unnatural light, her lips pulled up into a
glorious smile and her skin glowed with happiness. Not
only did his sister love her mate, but she'd accepted and
claimed the emotion. He felt slightly envious of her
freedom to do so and wondered why he hesitated to admit
the feelings he had for his own mate. Remembering Blaze's
standoffish attitude towards him from days before, Tal gave
himself a mental shake. He'd figured out why. He felt
something for Blaze and had he been having this
conversation with his sister days before he might have even
considered the possibility that he loved his mate, but now?
Now he felt as if he were walking through a fog in
conjunction to his feelings for the Alpha. He cared about
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Blaze and Blaze cared about him, but what did Tal know
about loving someone? Anyone? Besides his parents and
Josie, Tal couldn't remember loving anyone. The dull
pressure in his head almost made him believe perhaps he
had it wrong about that assessment, but then again, maybe a
headache was just a headache.
"I love Gregor and he loves me. You have no idea
how amazing it is to just embrace and accept it, Tal.
Knowing you're with the person you were born to be with
and being in love with them, it's almost magical." Josie
sighed wistfully.
Tal stared at her and tried not to scowl in the face of
her apparent joy. He was glad that Josie was happy, he
really was, but Tal found himself feeling slightly ripped
off. He may have gotten the Alpha King as a mate, become
the Alpha Queen, gotten pregnant on the first try, but his
sister apparently got the love match. What kind of justice
was that?
"There you are." Gregor's low booming voice
sounded from behind them.
Tal

watched

his

sister

give

completely

uncharacteristic, girlish squeal of delight and run to launch

herself into her mate's arms.
"I missed you, baby," Josie said.
Tal tuned the two lovebirds out and turned back to
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face the empty fields. While happy he'd done away with the
violent, physical judgment competitions, with Blaze's help,
of course, he'd grown so bored he wished he had something
to look at. Allowing his mind to wander through images of
his mate in various states of undress, he pulled himself out
of his naughty daydreams when Josie yelled his name.
Turning only his head, so he didn't display his current state
of arousal, he observed his sister held in Gregor's arms,
cradled against the large man's chest.
"Do you want us to walk you back into the palace,
Alpha Queen?" Gregor asked.
Tal grimaced at the title again. Gods almighty, he
had to remember to tell Blaze to change his title to Alpha
Mate or even Alpha Consort if they wanted to keep with
the whole royalty angle.
"No, Gregor, it's perfectly okay. I think I'll just
spend a little more time out here before I head back inside
myself," Tal reassured the man with a smile. "And you're
mated to my sister, which pretty much makes you my
brother-in-law. Don't you think it's time that you call me
Tal?"
Tal tried not to laugh when Gregor's eyes widened
comically, his mouth dropping open in shock before he
gently set Josie down on her feet and dropping to one knee
before Tal.
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"While I am honored, Your Royal Highness, that

you would consider me worthy enough to speak to you in
such an informal manner, I am also extremely aware how
inappropriate it would be for me, a Gamma guard, to call
you anything other than your title," Gregor debated, before
adding as an afterthought, "brother-in-law or not."
Tal nodded at the Gamma, very aware of the truth
of what Gregor had said. There were very few people
outside of Blaze, Buck, and Josie who called him anything
other than the dreaded title of 'Alpha Queen'. He'd become
sick to death of the blasted title and anything else that
reminded the Tumaron people he was supposed to be a
woman. Tal nodded slightly at the Gamma as he and Josie
turned and walked away. Tal refused to give into the
boiling heat of envy and jealousy that bubbled in his veins,
swallowed down the large, hard lump of tears that arose in
his throat and prayed to the Goddess of the Edificians, a
deity he had long since lost all faith and belief in, that his
errant mate had not picked up on the tumultuous storm of
emotions that currently raged through him.
Long moments passed, or it seemed that way to Tal,
but truly no longer than five minutes after his sister and her
mate had left to go and do whatever mated couples who
were in love did, and Tal felt the rushing tide of exhaustion
sweep over him. A heaviness of spirit settled over his
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shoulders, causing his eyelids to droop, his shoulders to

sag, and his body to sway. Hell, even his hair felt sleepy.
Two things were about to happen, the guards assigned to
him were on their way, probably running, towards him to
be his protection, and he would soon promptly collapse
from the sudden force of energy-draining hormones that
leapt to life within his body. With a heavy sigh and a long
yawn, Tal pushed away from the gate and turned to meet
the guards halfway.
The sound of other footsteps, as the guards came
from behind him to protect him, were just one second too
late, unfortunately. Rough hands pushed him, too quickly
for him to do anything other than shout and try to stop his
fall with his hands, and too roughly for him to do anything
but curl up into a ball when he felt the entire front of his
body, including his newly discovered, but still barely
noticeable pregnancy belly, collide with the hard ground.
Sounds of shouting, of footsteps running both away from
and towards him and then he felt the strength of the arms
surrounding him and picking him up.
"B-Blaze? I hurt, Blaze" Tal whimpered,
clutching his spasming belly. "Don't let anything happen to
our babies, Blaze. Don't l-let them die."
"Don't worry, Alpha Queen." A man's voice
Rico's voice, comforted him. "You're gonna be fine. You
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and all of those babies. You're going to be fine."

Tal heard nothing else before he finally gave into
the warm feeling of oblivion that had threatened to
overtake him, and with a soft, almost silent sob, he closed
his eyes and faded away.

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CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Blaze felt it. Not the moment his mate's life had
been threatened, not the moment his mate and their children
were hurt, nor the moment his mate had been rescued, but
the exact moment his mate stopped fighting, the moment
Tal's heart gave out. Blaze felt it like a sharp Prinktakium
blade through his heart. With a loud roar, his hands flew up
to his chest, his eyes closed and his body shuddered.
It only lasted a moment. A second. A flash in time.
Because Tal's heart started back up only seconds after
Blaze had felt it stop, but those seconds were all he needed.
He'd been fighting what he felt for his mate for days, weeks
even, but in that moment, that brief moment of a reality
without his mate, Blaze knew he loved Tal.
He jumped up from his chair in his office and took
off running towards the infirmary, waving away the servant
frantically attempting to tell him about his injured mate. He
knew where Tal was and even though he didn't know
exactly what had happened, he definitely knew it would
never happen again. His growl scared off many of the
servants hovering outside the door, doing much more to
clear the area of nosy passersby and concerned members of
the palace household, than the small contingent of Gamma

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guards who were trying to get rid of them.

"Your Highness, we were on our way out to the
Alpha Queen, were only a few minutes away when" The
Gamma guard's words were abruptly cut off.
Blaze grabbed the front of his shirt and with a jerk
turned and pinned the smaller man up against the wall. His
lips pulled back in a ruthless snarl, the growl of an
infuriated, feral Alpha rising up in a hotly violent rush from
his chest and out of his mouth. His face shifted partially,
his nose elongating into a snout, his eyes turning lupine, his
hands shifting into the deadly claws of a predator. His
fangs displayed prominently, his hair thick and shaggy, and
growing even more so.
No one in the hallway moved, none dared to
breathe. Their Alpha King had gone into the protective
mode of a wolf whose mate had been threatened. None of
them wanted to cross him. They were all extremely aware
one wrong move would cause the almost feral man to turn
and attack. Blaze also would not stop until he felt his mate
had been vindicated. No matter who ended up hurt or killed
in the process. Alpha King or not, Blaze in that moment,
had turned into the most dangerous, most unpredictable
Tumaron on the planet.
"Blaze?" a soft voice called out from within the
infirmary.
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The antidote to the virulent poison of rage and

revenge pumping through his veins, Blaze quickly returned
to his normal state and he dropped the guard from his
deadly grip. Without another word to anyone standing in
the hallway, he turned and stormed into the infirmary, his
eyes searching frantically for Tal. His heart raced in his
chest, and his hands clenched, still in their shifted form. His
wolf snarled and hissed, pounding against the walls of his
body, clamoring for a way to get out. Blaze struggled to
keep a tight rein on the beast within him, not wanting to
upset his injured mate, but wanting revenge, wanting blood,
the broken, battered, and dismembered body parts of the
person foolish enough to hurt what belonged to him. His
eyes fell on his very pale mate, lying in the same hospital
bed he'd been in only a few months before.
Seeing his mate okay, alive and well, his eyes
opened and staring, Blaze let the shock of almost losing Tal
finally hit his system. His every cell shaking and vibrating
within him, still growling low in his throat, he rushed over
to Tal's side and buried his face in his mate's neck, sniffing
and nuzzling, letting the smell of his man wash over him.
Blaze's eyes slid close and he took in a shuddering breath,
his hands, still partially shifted, moving gently over the
injured man's arms and legs.
After a moment Blaze sat back but his hands
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continued to rove over the other man. Amusement lurked in

Tal's beautiful, golden eyes, his hair in wild disarray around
his head, but Blaze smelled the fear still lingering on his
mate, although Tal thought he hid it well.
"Who did this?" Blaze asked him, his voice gruff
and harsh sounding.
"I don't know," Tal admitted.
Blaze smelled the despair clinging to his man and
didn't like it, not one bit.
"How many of the children did we lose?" Blaze
asked.
For every child he lost he would make Tal's attacker
pay for it. He thought perhaps he would ask around and see
if anyone had any of the ancient torture devices rescued
from Earth centuries before. The humans may have had a
problem with being kind and tolerant towards each other,
but they were very good with torture.
"None," Tal whispered.
Blaze's

eyes

swung

down

to

still

shaken

Vermithian. "What?" His eyebrow raised in amazement.

"We didn't lose any of the children. When Doctor
Polarnsky checked me out, he checked on the children as
well. They're all still there, all still alive. I was completely
amazed, Blaze, but Doctor Polarnsky said that while a
Vermithian can be killed, it's hard to make them stay that
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way. Our bodies naturally heal the injured area, and since
our babies are half Vermithian and half Tumaron, they're
almost indestructible. All five of them are fine."
Breathing a sigh of relief, Blaze dropped to his
knees beside Tal's bed, letting his head drop forward to
land on the bed close to Tal's fingertips. They were okay.
His kids, his mate, they were all okay, no thanks to the
bastard who had tried to kill them. Shaking off the rage
threatening to consume him again, Blaze turned his mind to
more important matters.
Lifting his head, he stared at Tal, his jaw clenched.
"You will have four guards assigned to you. They will be
with you whenever you're not in our suite. Every single
time," Blaze said, effortlessly cutting off Tal's protests.
He slipped his hands up and cradled Tal's face in his
hands. "I lost you today, Talon," he pointed out, his heart
losing its rhythm when he remembered the sensation of
Tal's heart stopping and then beating again moments later.
"I lost our children. Don't ask me to give in on this. I won't
do it. I won't agree to anything that puts you in danger. So
you will have four guards with you at all times. Whether
I'm with you or not, you will have four guards. I will find
out who did this to you and I will make them pay," he
promised.
"Yes, Blaze," Tal nodded and then exhaled as Blaze
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climbed into the bed with him.

Blaze pulled his mate, and his still living but yet
unborn children Tal carried, into his arms tightly and with a
final sigh that echoed Tal's earlier one, joined his mate in
sleep.

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CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Tal braced a hand on the wall and struggled to catch
his breath. His chest tightened and he inhaled deeply, his
lungs expanding when they thirstily drank in the sweet
nectar of oxygen. Being pregnant sucked. It sucked big,
hairy monkey balls. No one had told him how much it
sucked to be pregnant. Or about the weird cravings. Who
actually ate Boulantiq cheese with Edifician beef? The
combination was already weird but then when Vermithian
chocolate got added on top of that strange concoction, it
made it disgusting to everyone around him. However, Tal
couldn't get enough of it. Which made him feel like a fat
cow Vermithian, instead of a beautiful slender one. He
couldn't even hurry down the hallway without needing to
stop, rest, and catch his breath every few feet, not to
mention all of the little 'accidents' he'd been having lately.
Of course, Blaze invented the term, always with a
small patronizing smile on his face. Tal hated that smile,
with a fiery passion, deep within his soul. Between almost
falling down the stairs, to almost being run down by a city
shuttlecraft because he had to walk too slowly, he'd begun
to agree with Blaze. Maybe he did need to go on bed rest
until the babies were born. The only thing of concern? It

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couldn't just be clumsiness on his part or even his

massively huge belly that caused him to feel off center. It
had to be something else.
Someone wanted to kill him. He felt certain of that.
He hadn't wound back up into the clinica good
thing for all involved. Not just for him or Blaze, or the
babies, but for every guard and every Tumaron that lived or
worked in the palace. Blaze already acted fierce and
slightly murderous when it came to Tal anyway, but throw
in his five unborn children and the fact he'd already had to
deal with the overwhelming blow of having lost them once
before, even if briefly, and the levelheaded Alpha King
definitely became more Alpha than King.
Either Anglania or Freud had to be behind his
numerous 'accidents'. Maybe even both. Josie felt sure
Elder Bryce was in on it also, but they couldn't prove
anything, even though they'd tried. Repeatedly. Every time
he'd almost fallen to his death or almost been run down
while out and about in the kingdom, he'd felt as if someone
were there, watching him, closely and with anticipation.
Like someone had shoved him from behind, but whenever
he turned around, no one was there and neither Anglania
nor Freud were ever in the vicinity.
So, while his gut said they were guilty, and he had a
very good gut, regardless of who currently resided in it, it
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didn't seem as though he would ever be able to prove it,

unless he caught them in the act. Which of course he had
no plans of entertaining such an idea much. Inhaling
deeply, his nostrils flared slightly before he stood upright
and began walking again. His steps were slower this time,
though he continued towards his earlier destination.
"Your Highness, are you sure you wouldn't rather
just wait in your chambers and have Alpha King Blazell
sent up to you?" one of the guards assigned to him asked,
almost hesitantly.
Tal couldn't understand the man's hesitation, all of
the guards seemed as if they were scared of pissing him off.
He only pulled the phaser on that one guard because he'd
tried to touch his stomach without permission. The guard
had learned his lesson, but now they saw Tal as being
almost as scary as Blaze. He ignored the niggling feeling of
guilt when he remembered the guard saying he only wanted
to prevent Tal from falling forward.
It didn't matter. It was a past issue.
"No, no, Chase," Tal disagreed, hastily trying to
remember the guard's name, happy and pleased when he
did.
He deserved a Zeelithian cookie. He'd have to tell
Blaze. His mate always teased him about forgetting stuff.
"I want my husband, the king, to see me walking
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without difficulty," he stated, ignoring the way the four

guards all remained suspiciously quiet.
He could walk without difficulty. Walk. Breathing
had become a totally different thing.
"Besides, this couldn't wait for one of you louts to
find him, wait for him to finish, and then bring him to me."
He pouted then mentally jumped in glee when they finally
came upon the doors of the conference room.
He would never tell the guards but he'd been about
two minutes from turning around and walking back to his
suite of rooms. He was exhausted and out of breath. And
hungry. And always so tired.
Tal rubbed his stomach when the babies started
kicking furiously, they always got hyper and excited when
he thought about food and sleeping. Tal totally blamed their
Tumaron half for that. He prepared to knock on the door
and interrupt the meeting for his big surprise for Blaze. He
could have used their mental link, but when Blaze got
sequestered in conference, he tended to put up a mental
wall so he wouldn't be distracted by all of Tal's disjointed,
unintentional mental projections. Tal snickered when he
remembered accidentally sending Blaze the image of the
two of them having fast, hard, and dirty sex over the
conference table, one morning while the Alpha met with
the Elders. Tal cleared his throat and attempted to
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discreetly adjust his rapidly filling cock when he recalled

Blaze slamming open the door to their bedroom, his black
hair wild, his chest heaving and nostrils flaring, to take in
the sight of Tal lying on the bed, one hand on his hard cock
and three fingers in his ass. It had been a very nice
distraction for them when Blaze had pulled Tal's fingers
from his ass and then shoved his shaft in their place. It
hadn't taken long before both were trembling from the force
of their mutual orgasms. Knocking once, Tal smiled when
his mate bade him to enter, knowing the large wolf had
smelled him through the door.
****
Blaze leaned back in his massive chair. He
suppressed a small shiver of pleasure threatening to race up
his spine, and the fabric of his new red Doralian shirt
rubbed across his already sensitive nipples. Just the smell
of his mate had the nubs tightening and his cock stretching
and hardening. A slightly unnerving experience, knowing
the little Vermithian had the power to make him feel so out
of sorts, but when the door opened and the man in question
stepped inside, Blaze thought it worth the slight loss of
control. He ran his hand over his braided black hair,
another influence of his mate, and knew without asking his
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blue eyes would show his obvious affection and happiness

at the sight of his very pregnant man.
It seemed as if every day Tal's belly became more
swollen and larger than the night before. Blaze figured it
had something to do with the fact Tal carried five halfbreed cubs within him, but regardless of that, Tal remained
perfectly beautiful. Blaze made sure to tell the man every
chance he got.
Blaze smiled warmly and pushed his chair back,
gesturing for Tal to come sit on his lap. They ignored the
guards, the Elders, diplomats, advisors, councilors, and
even the servants who filled the room, and sat at the table.
Tal sat cuddled with Blaze in the chair, and Blaze kept his
eyes and attention only focused on Tal.
"To what do I owe this extremely unexpected but
still very pleasant visit?" he asked.
Tal shivered at the sound of his deep smooth voice
before the smaller man sat down in Blaze's lap completely.
"I just wanted you to feel something," Tal said with
a smile.
He grabbed Blaze's hand and placed it on his
swollen belly. Blaze shoved away lecherous thoughts of his
mate spread-eagled on the massive table, moaning while
Blaze pounded away in his ass, and tried to focus on the
moment. Tal smirked meaning he had received the image
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Blaze had inadvertently projected. Blaze sighed mentally,

hating how he couldn't corral his amorous thoughts
regarding his mate, but it made him slightly mollified when
he realized Tal had just a hard of a time controlling his
thoughts as well.
"What am I feeling?" Blaze asked in an amused
voice, flexing his large fingers slightly.
He looked down at Tal's stomach, his hand
caressing the round belly where his unborn children
currently resided. Something about touching his mate
soothed Blaze. He finally understood why his father
couldn't seem to keep his hands off his mother. His mate
acted as a balm to Blaze's tired soul. He mentally rolled his
eyes at the poetic sappiness flowing through his mind.
Apparently having a mate meant he turned into a
sentimental fool.
"Just wait for it," Tal gently reprimanded, grinning
when a series of kicks and movements from their unborn
children began.
Blaze couldn't believe their strength. His heart
clenched in his chest at the official sign his children were
alive and still well. His mind swirled with all the
possibilities for his unborn cubs, all the things they could
accomplish one day, the laws they would change, the
history they would make.
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"Oh, baby!" Blaze exclaimed happily, his eyes wide

and filling with moisture.
He blinked rapidly, willing the tears not to fall
down his cheeks. He would not allow himself to appear
weak in front of his mate, no matter how much he
desperately wanted to wrap his arms around Tal and bawl
like a baby in the presence of this miracle.
"They're our babies, Blaze. They're actually real,"
Tal whispered, wiping tears from his eyes before discreetly
swiping at the ones on Blaze's face and leaning forward to
kiss him.
Blaze blinked in amazement that any tears would
dare to fall down his cheeks and then smiled fondly. How
could he stay fierce in the face of feeling his children kick
for the first time.
"Did you doubt they were real?" Blaze asked,
settling Tal more firmly on his lap, leaning back in his chair
and pulling his man gently against his chest.
Out of the corner of his eye, he caught the looks on
the faces of the other men in the room. Some were
uncomfortable and a few looked slightly envious. Blaze
turned his full attention back to Tal when the other man
sighed. He could talk to the other men later. He would
firmly remind them Tal was the Alpha Queen and that in
light of the meeting they were having before the man in
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question walked into the room, it wouldn't really be

appropriate for him to be there.
Tal shrugged and blushed prettily. "Not really, but
this just drives it home, you know? They're actually there,
just waiting to be born."
Blaze smelled the happiness on his mate and felt
that same emotion permeating his own skin. The emotion
seemed to be infectious and Blaze wanted to roll around in
it some more. The truth, the realization their children were
still alive and healthy and real, felt almost as amazing as
finding out exactly what they were having.
After much research, talking with doctors and
inquiring of the Elders, Tal and Blaze had found out their
children would be born looking like regular humanoid
babies, not wolf cubs just like with other Tumaron births.
Though his father and mother had been determined to teach
their children everything they needed to know about
running the kingdom and mates, the subject of Tumaron
births hadn't been something they had ever broached.
The one and only time Blaze had asked his father
about Tumaron births, he'd been told he didn't need to
worry about it. The process would only affect his mate and
the doctor. Blaze had wanted to argue, but his father had
resumed his lesson on interacting with the GPA and Blaze
dropped the subject. Even after his parents had passed
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away, Blaze had forgotten about the whole Tumaron birth

thing. As a matter of fact, while both Mailon and Percy had
each experienced a Tumaron female going into labor, Blaze
had never seen a delivery before. For that reason, he hadn't
been able to reassure his fearful mate. He deeply regretted
his inability and could offer no excuse.
But he could ask questions, and because he had, he
knew so much more about Tumaron cubs as well as the
possibilities that could arise from Tumaron-Vermithian
hybrids. Their babies would experience their first shift
when they hit puberty and would have all of the powers
that many Vermithians were born with. The power of
healing others, talking with animals, and of course they
would have the ability to get pregnant from their mate, or
mates, no matter the species, no matter the gender. As the
expectant parents, Blaze and Tal couldn't be happier. Blaze
returned his mind to the present when his mate shifted in
his arms and sat up in preparation to leave.
Having apparently accomplished what he'd waddled
so far to do, Tal kissed Blaze's nose affectionately before
turning to address the room. Blaze scrunched his nose at
the ticklish feeling and grinned like a happy wolf when he
saw Tal put on what they'd teasingly termed his 'Alpha
Bitch Faade'.
"Good afternoon all," Tal said cheekily and leaned
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forward, placing his folded hands on the table.

"Good

afternoon,

Alpha

Queen,"

the

room

responded.
Tal made a move to get up, but Blaze tightened his
arms around his man's waist to stop him. He didn't want Tal
to leave just yet. He refused to look too closely at the
reasoning behind that feeling, merely settling Tal more
firmly on his lap.
"Okay, let's get back to what we were discussing.
Do we know where this fleet of slave ships is currently
docked?" Blaze asked, his voice turning brisk with business
and authority, even as one hand played with the strands of
Tal's hair and the other hand rubbed his mate's distended
stomach.
Tal's face scrunched up in confusion. "Slave ship?
What slave ship?" he asked through their mental link.
Answering his mate's question would only lead to
more queries. Maybe he should have let Tal leave when
he'd tried earlier? Of course he couldn't ask the other man
to do so now, so Blaze prepared himself to answer
whatever Tal asked him.
"No, Your Majesty, it hasn't docked yet, but it
seems to be making its way into our stratosphere from our
neighbor planet Namprince," Rico answered.
"There have been a few sightings of a slave ship in
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GPA planetary airspace with a new shipment of slaves:

pain slaves, breeder slaves, labor slaves, and pleasure
slaves. It's come into our orbit a few times and we've been
tracking it. We even planted one of our own soldiers aboard
as a crew member and it's finally heading our way again,"
Blaze explained, hoping the smaller man wouldn't ask any
more questions.
He had a feeling Rico had left out a bit of
information when he'd originally told him about the ship.
"Good, good. Let's get a few teams together. I want
us to commandeer that ship and free the slaves on board,"
Blaze commanded the room at large.
Preparing himself to rise he was stopped when his
head Gamma guard, Rico Suarez, cleared his throat to gain
Blaze's attention again. Rico certainly lived up to his
reputation for seduction. Blaze had heard many of the
guards laughing and talking about Rico's many different
conquests and all the men and women who had fallen in
love with the gorgeous, tanned guard only to have their
hearts broken when he told them he didn't plan to settle
down with anyone who wasn't his mate. To others it made
the man somewhat of a jerk, but Blaze could somewhat
understand the need to scratch an itch and pass the time
with a stand-in until the real thing came along. Regardless,
Blaze was glad his children were unborn. He would hate to
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lose his best Gamma guard because he'd broken the heart of
one of Blaze's children. He only hoped Rico found his mate
soon, though he felt sorry for whomever it would be; Rico
seemed incapable of being faithful.
Sighing, Blaze settled back in his chair again,
keeping his arms around Tal and pulling the man tighter to
his chest when he thought about how completely lucky he'd
been to have found his mate. "Yes, Rico, what is it?"
"Forgive me Your Highnesses, but I think you'd
want to know our intel has gotten the names of all of the
passengers aboard the slave ship and there are two young
men aboard who might be of interest to the Alpha Queen,"
Rico explained hesitantly.
****
Tal's eyes widened considerably. His gaze darted
around the room quickly before he clutched at one of his
mate's arms that had tightened around his waist, certain
whatever the Gamma guard had to say would be life
changing in some way.
He finally met Rico's gaze. "Me? Why would they
be of interest to me?"
He didn't know why two young men on a slave ship
would be of any meaning to him. Besides the general
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humanitarian concern of course. Tal shook his head when

the sound of two boys laughing filled his mind and two sets
of golden eyes, one more brown than gold, and the other
almost a pure amber, flashed before his mind's gaze.
Without moving too much, Rico pulled forth a red
folder, embossed with a gold Tumaro emblem, from the
inner lining of his uniform jacket and walked over to hand
it to the royal couple. Tal watched the guard warily as he
walked towards them. He couldn't understand what was
going on in that moment. Turning his head, he looked into
Blaze's eyes and saw something he'd never thought to see
Blaze knew. Blaze knew who the young men were and he
hadn't told Tal. He also knew why they would be so
important to Tal.
Turning back to face Rico, Tal decided to have it
out with Blaze later about the secrets. He'd thought they'd
been doing so much better and were actually building
towards something. Apparently he was the only one
building towards anything. Blaze was still being his highhanded, domineering, controlling Alpha King self. Tal
would have to let the older man know that, while he didn't
mind being dominated in the bedroom, he'd be damned if
he'd let Blaze dominate him outside of it as well. Alpha
King or not.
"Because their names are Trenton and Tuvarion
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Versuthion, Your Highness. We checked into their

backgrounds, and their files, and they're your biological
brothers. They were stolen away from your family home on
Volantic the morning of your parents' death and sold into a
slave camp," Rico explained, his eyes downcast, his voice
filled with compassion.
Tal appreciated the compassion and sympathy the
guard showed him, hearing sadness in Rico's tone. Tal felt
pretty sure it wasn't just because his younger brothers had
been kidnapped. Rico had a story and he could fully
understand what Tal experienced. Tal's heart seized in his
chest. He had younger brothers? How the fuck did he not
know? How the fuck could he have forgotten? How could
they even be sure the two young men were related to him?
Maybe they were imposters and had just heard about Tal
being mated to Blaze and were looking to cash in. Yeah,
that made a lot more sense than the idea Tal had two
younger siblings he'd completely forgotten. He swallowed
the lump of tears threatening to spill forth and felt his very
essence begin to shake.
Tal blinked stupidly in shock, blocking out the
words of surprise being tossed around the room by the
other members and tried to make sense of what Rico just
told him. He had two younger brothers who had been
kidnapped and sold into slavery? If true, something had to
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be wrong with him because he couldn't remember them.

Emotions he couldn't control rolled over him and he started
to shake, which made Blaze growl. Confusion, anger at
himself, grief at what his brothers had experienced, fear
they would hate him, and a renewed sense of grief at the
realization he'd lost his entire biological family all in one
day.
Yep, life had pretty much screwed him over
again.

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CHAPTER NINETEEN
"Leave us!" Blaze roared and the room quickly
emptied.
Blaze looked down at his small mate shaking like a
leaf. "Talk to me, baby," he whispered.
Gods, he hated Tal had found out the way he had.
He didn't want his mate to feel the way he did at this
moment. Blaze would do anything in his power to spare his
man the pain of knowing his younger brothers were
imprisoned on a slave ship, being forced to endure all
manner of things.
He discovered Tal to be upset, in shock, amazed
the swirling, disjointed thoughts and images the smaller
man sent him through their mating link informed him of
that much.
Leaning forward, Blaze kissed Tal's forehead and
closed his eyes. "Please talk to me, Tal," he pleaded,
choking slightly on the need to ask for anything.
But his mate hurt and he needed to talk, and Blaze
would do whatever he had to do to get the man to do so.
"I don't remember them," Tal whispered brokenly.
"Why don't I remember them?" Tal looked up, his eyes
filled with tears, his voice soft, shaky and broken with

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emotion.
Blaze's heart clenched in his chest and the breath
stopped in his lungs. The last time he'd seen such an
expression on his mate's face it had been in the clinic after
his attack. Blaze had vowed to never see that look on his
mate's face again and he had failed.
"Who? Your parents or your brothers?" Blaze
questioned his voice rough with emotion.
He pulled the smaller man closer to his chest,
rubbing his pregnant belly gently in an attempt to soothe
him.
Tal sniffled. "Any of them. All of them," he burst
out with frustration.
The emotions rolling off his mate had Blaze roughly
shoving his wolf back. The animal sensed its mate's upset,
anger, and hurt and it wanted to get free and rip to shreds
the person who had caused its mate to feel that way. Since
they weren't positive who the culprits were, the wolf had no
one to seek out and go after, and for that reason the animal
would just go around and unnecessarily frighten and
antagonize anyone and everyone in an attempt to get
revenge for its mate.
"I can't remember anything about any of them," Tal
said.
Blaze released a deep breath and his wolf backed
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off slowly in order to listen and understand what had Tal so

upset, what so distressed him. Tal didn't remember his
biological siblings, but the tears racing down his cheeks
implied something more going on. Blaze's wolf snarled and
snapped, whining when Blaze pushed him back harder. He
needed to be there emotionally for Tal. He couldn't try to
fix the wrong, even if it pained him not to do so. He needed
to figure out Tal's heartbreak and maybe in that he could
find some way to encourage and uplift him. Hopefully.
"I don't even remember my parents having other
children. All I remember is the day they died. They sent me
next door to the neighbor's and told me to stay there until
they got back. They were really upset. I don't remember
their faces just their voices. My mom kissed my forehead
and my dad hugged me and told me to be a good boy.
They're just blurry shapes to me. They never came back.
Three days later the neighbor I was staying with told me
my parents had died, right before she called the GPA and
they picked me up. I lived in the GPA group home for a
few days before my adoptive parents appeared out of the
blue and took me home." Tal lowered his eyes in sadness.
Blaze hated how Tal struggled to remember the
horrible moment in his childhood. Blaze rubbed his mate's
back and wondered exactly what to tell him. What could he
say in the face of his man's distress and lost memory? How
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could he fix it and make it better? Why did he have a strong

memory of his father on the phone with an Edifician couple
telling them to adopt a young Vermithian male? He'd
watched the video with his father telling him about
Wendiford and Markaela Sothsberg hundreds of times, but
the current visual imagery played in his head like he'd
actually been there, in the room with his father when he
wired money and information to the couple on the phone.
Someone else had been in the room with the former Alpha
King, but Blaze couldn't recall who. His father had paced
the room back and forth and Blaze tried to bring up the
image of the other person who had also been there. No
clear picture came forth, the other body was nothing but a
blur, but Blaze knew someone else had been with his
father.
He wracked his brain and finally decided helping
Tal remember his family would probably be the best way to
proceed. Help Tal remember, let him know he hadn't failed
anyone and even more than that, find the younger brothers
Tal couldn't remember. Once he'd done that he could go
through the rest of his father's things, things he'd
overlooked before, and find out everything he could about
his father's involvement with Tal's parents. Perhaps he
would also remember who the other man had been. The
smell of snake suddenly filled Blaze's nostrils, disappearing
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just as quickly and he gave himself a mental shake. He

needed to focus on Tal, everything else could wait.
"They were probably trying to go out and find your
brothers. How old were you when this happened?" Blaze
asked before he kissed Tal's temple, breathing in deeply to
replace the scent of snake with the sweet scent of his mate.
"Six," Tal whispered then collapsed against Blaze's
chest and sobbed.
The sound of Talon's grief ripped a hole through
Blaze's heart and he swallowed thickly, trying to hold back
his own tears. He couldn't recall the last time he'd heard
something so devastating and the fact the sound came from
his mate did not make it better.
"Sshhh," Blaze soothed, "you were six. Of course
it's hard for you to remember. You were practically a baby,
and then with it being a traumatic experience no one really
expects you to remember everything." He hoped he said the
right things and gently tried to probe Talon's mind for a
better understanding of his thoughts.
He rarely invaded Tal's mind, but it usually
remained open to Blaze. However, it seemed as if Tal didn't
want to remember the incident, and Blaze couldn't really
sense anything at all through their link.
Tal shook his head, and Blaze stopped attempting to
probe his mate's mind, and violating his privacy. But with
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Talon refusing to excuse or forgive himself for some

misdeed he couldn't be held responsible for, Blaze would
have to do something soon.
"No, how could I forget my younger brothers? I'm
the oldest, right? I was supposed to protect them, keep them
safe, make sure they were cared for and especially never,
ever forget them!" Tal pressed his face into Blaze's chest
and sobbed harshly.
Blaze held Tal tightly and soothed the younger man,
loosening his embrace when Tal calmed down.
Tal pushed against Blaze's chest until he could get
to his feet. Tal grabbed the folder holding the information
about his brothers and held it close. His eyes were wide,
filled with grief, horror, and a steely resolve. Determination
filled Blaze, too. Whatever his mate asked of him, he
would do.
"Find them, Blaze. Find my brothers and bring them
back to me. I'll never be at peace until we're reunited and I
can see them. So I can remember and be the brother I
should have been. Please, my mate, my king, my alpha, my
husband, my love," Tal whispered, but Blaze heard him
nonetheless.
His heart pounded furiously in his chest before he
stood up and gathered his mate in his arms. They had never
really discussed their feelings for each other, neither of
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them giving voice to the emotion thrumming through their

veins. The emotion propelled them to continue giving their
all to each other. Tal might have mumbled his confession,
but Blaze heard it nonetheless and knew nothing but
intense relief. His man loved him.
"Please find them Blaze," Tal pleaded, clutching the
front of Blaze's shirt.
"I will, my love. I promise," Blaze vowed with
sincerity.
He lifted his man in his arms and carried him back
to their bedroom, letting him cry on his shoulder the entire
way.
****
"So, you're saying they've discovered the other two
Versuthion boys?" Torqran asked, glaring at Lorthander.
He was surrounded by incompetent fools. How the
fuck had he become the leader of a bunch of idiots?
Weren't they supposed to improve with a skilled leader?
The thought left a nasty taste in him mouth, like an already
moldy pan of Zeelithian Rhumbar pie. With an angry hiss,
Torqran swept his hand across the top of his desk, feeling a
sort of sick satisfaction when he heard the crash and
destruction of millions of maluis worth of GPA equipment.
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He stepped back, and with a narrowed gaze, watched

Lorthander bend over and begin picking up all the ruined
pieces.
"How the hell did they know where those boys
were, Thander?" he asked quietly, seeking any tiny bit of
indication that would implicate the man, the only one he
truly trusted, of betraying him. When Lorthander's
shoulders didn't tense and his hands didn't hesitate, Torqran
decided his suspicion of his lover was misplaced.
"I don't know, Torq. Perhaps we should interrogate
those here in the compound a little more thoroughly, just to
make sure that no one here is a spy for the Tumarons,"
Lorthander suggested.
Torqran nodded."You are very wise, Thander.
Meanwhile, I should call Bryce and let him know the time
to grab the fucking breeder Vermithian and dispose of him
draws extremely close," Torqran stated, turning to contact
the Elder.
****
Sadness filled Lorthander's being, bile rising in his
throat when he stared at his lover's back. His eyes filled
with unshed tears but he immediately blinked them back.
For once he counted himself grateful for Torqran's
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preoccupation. Lorthander pulled out the package he'd

received from the Epsilon days before.
He'd been shocked to find out his Tumaron contact's
real status, but his fear the Elder wouldn't be able to put a
stop to things before the Vermithian got killed led him to
question the other man. The Elder's reassurance he could
handle things, with or without royal guards or backup, had
pushed Lorthander to ask for more information. It took
pointing out that Lorthander essentially had to betray his
mate for a family he'd never met, before the Elder revealed
his Epsilon nature. Lorthander had almost collapsed from
the relief pulsing through him.
He would save the Vermtihian brothers, maybe not
directly but with his help they were going to be saved. It
wouldn't be full restitution for what he'd done to the
Tumaron prince, the young man's screams and tears still
haunted him, but perhaps it would be a step in alleviating
his guilt. He'd felt honored the Elder had revealed his true
status in the Tumaron pack, especially when he'd been
ordered to keep silent about it, which had led Lorthander to
take his help one step forward. Reaching forward slightly,
he placed the small, undetectable recording device under
the edge of Torqran's desk then stood to his full height and
turned to walk out.

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CHAPTER TWENTY
"Whoa," Josie breathed.
Her eyes had widened with the beginning of his
story, and now blinked in stupefaction. "So wait, are you
telling me you have two younger brothers you don't
remember who were kidnapped and sold into slavery the
night your parents were killed?"
Tal nodded and took a sip of the fragrant black rose
tea. Blaze had brought him back to their suite of rooms
where he'd made slow, passionate love to him, effectively
refocusing his attention from the past, to the present, before
bathing him in their luxurious bathtub. He'd then brought
Tal back into the bedroom and laid him down upon the bed
where he'd been ordered to stay and relax for the rest of the
day. Blaze left to go prepare for the rescue mission for Tal's
two younger brothers. Brothers. Tal's mind still spun with
the knowledge he had two younger siblings who had not
been as fortunate as he to be adopted by a wonderful
family, but had instead been kidnapped and sold into
slavery.
Tal also struggled with the guilt the same bit of
information gave him. He felt like such a little shit. He'd
spent much of his life complaining, choosing only to

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survive. His major goal had been to live. Meanwhile, his

younger brothers had probably been hoping and praying for
rescue, for a savior or a hero for over a decade. He'd been
absurdly glad when Josie had shown up in his room, hoping
his sister would either be able to distract him from his
thoughts and feelings of guilt or at least be able to shed
some light on what had happened. She hadn't done either.
Tal tried really hard not to resent her for that and failed.
"The crazy thing is that I looked at their pictures
and they look just like me, Josie. I mean Trenton is thinner
than I am, but that's to be expected, you know? Tuvarion is
the biggest shock though. If they hadn't told me he was a
young man I would have thought he was a teenaged girl,"
Tal said with a smile, chuckling when Josie laughed. "He's
so heartbreakingly beautiful, Josie. They both are. I wish
I'd been able to grow up with them. Tuvarion might have
been able to help me with my hair when I cut it really short
that one year."
Tal laughed hysterically with Josie as they both
remembered the day that Tal had taken a pair of their
mother's hedge scissors to his head and cut his hair uneven
and all the way up to his shoulders. Tal had been
devastated. He'd been trying to get his hair like his favorite
musician Jinxon Bisber. The young man had been all the
craze when they were younger and Tal had obsessed over
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either looking like him or dating him. When he hadn't

succeeded at either, he'd thrown himself onto his bed and
had cried out in major teen angst. Definitely a moment he
could now look back on fondly. He sobered quickly, his
eyes taking on a distant look. "I love them already and I've
never even met them. Just like my babies," he said as he
ran his hand gently over his belly. "I want them to be found
and brought here now, so I can take care of them," he
admitted. "I know that probably doesn't make any sense to
you."
Josie nodded in complete understanding. "No, it
makes perfect sense to me. It's how I feel about you," she
confessed. "It's why I always want you with me or want to
be with you. I don't trust your care and well-being to
anyone else. Not even Mom and Dad. I barely trust Blaze
to take care of you properly. They may screw you up even
more than you already are. Only I can be trusted to do it
correctly."
Tal's mouth fell open in shock until he saw the
mischievous gleam in his sister's eyes. Picking up one of
the pillows he put behind his back to help with the feelings
of discomfort, he threw it at her head, smiling when it
connected. He knew Josie would help him to feel better.
Laughter was definitely a good thing. Besides, he couldn't
remember the last time he had a really good pillow fight
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with his sister.

"Wench!" He teased and chuckled as she stuck out
her tongue.
"Bitch!" She laughed and threw the pillow back.
They collapsed into laughter again, Josie finally
resting her head in his lap, obviously not caring if Blaze's
wolf went all feral-psycho or anything. Tal was happy she
knew he needed this final feeling of comfort.
"I'm going to miss Blaze when he goes to get them.
I mean, I don't really want him to leave, especially with it
getting closer to the time when the babies are supposed to
be born, but he said he wanted to be the one to rescue them
for me," he said softly, fighting the guilt eating at him.
Josie

lifted

her

head

and

looked

at

him

sympathetically. "I know, honey," she consoled him.

Tal swallowed back the tears threatening to erupt. "I
mean Buck will be here, you know, so I won't be
completely alone. Then there's you and Gregor, Percy,
Mailon but it's not the same." He sighed, dejected,
hoping Josie didn't feel too insulted at his lack of
enthusiasm at having her there with him. "He's my mate.
I'm pregnant with his children and I want him here. Then
again, I want him to bring them home. I just love him so
damn much and I'm afraid when he leaves, I won't ever see
him again." Tal looked at Josie, finally giving into the tears
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he'd been battling against for the past hour.

He let out a soft sob, feeling his heart breaking a
little. His cheeks got wet from the tears that streamed down
his face and he cried for his mate leaving, the possibility his
babies might never know their father. He cried for the
parents who had been brutally murdered, the brothers who
had been kidnapped and sold into slavery and he cried
for himself and the little boy he'd been. The one who'd lost
his entire biological family in one day. Now that he had all
the pieces, he just couldn't seem to let go of the pain.
****
Out in the hallway three pairs of ears eavesdropped
on the Alpha Queen. The time had finally come to do away
with the Vermithian. They had managed to sneak inside the
sitting room without the guards knowing, just in time to
hear Tal say Blaze would be leaving him behind while he
went on his rescue mission. The three interlopers and
schemers stood up slowly and walked out, nodding to the
guards they passed farther down the hallway, who looked at
them suspiciously and in confusion, letting them know the
Alpha Queen still slept, and made their way down to the
room that had been generously set aside for Anglania's use
by the royal alpha couple.
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She hated being relegated to a guest room, or even a

guest suite, finding it completely unacceptable. Every room
in the palace should be under her command, under her
power. Soon they would be. She would make sure of that.
"He's been like those damn humans, so resilient, so
strong, so hard to kill, but with his precious mate gone, off
on a rescue mission for more of those abominations, it will
be easy to take care of him." Freud smiled with evil glee.
"Indeed. It's time to rid the kingdom of his
perversity and corruption. It's only too bad we cannot get
rid of Blaze while he's on this little expedition," Elder
Bryce agreed and shared a grin with Freud.
Anglania rolled her eyes when the two men kissed.
She hated sharing her mate with her brother. She hated it
even more that the fault lay with her for the two men
getting as close as they were. At least they hadn't started
having sex. She wouldn't tolerate it. A kiss here and there, a
mutual jerk-off session did not a gay Tumaron make.
For the first time ever, Anglania almost regretted
her actions. She probably shouldn't have set Freud's mate
up to take that fall for kidnapping and smuggling.
Remembering the sight of the young man crying and
assuring the Tumaron officers that he had nothing to do
with either filled her with a small bit of happiness.
However, she made it a practice to never regret anything,
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even if it meant her brother lost the one person fated to be

his. She could share her mate with Freud if it meant the
sniveling twit her brother had been in love with would no
longer be in the picture. Malcolm had been too good and
decent and Freud had started to change his ways. That
wouldn't work for her plans, hers and Bryce's, and honestly,
their plans and wishes were the only ones that mattered.
Her smile widened, her gaze shifting to the
monochrome colors of her wolf's eyes, her canines
extending at the prospect of finally killing the Vermithian
and taking her rightful place as the Alpha Queen. She'd
been born to the position. The thought of once again
watching another man's face filled with shock, anger, and
fear when he realized he'd crossed her and she'd exacted
her revenge made her shudder. Almost better than sex with
her mate. Almost.
"Yes, it's time for us to take back our kingdom," she
commanded with a low growl.
She laughed when Bryce shoved her brother away
before striding over and kneeling before her. She ran her
fingers through his thick, soft hair, relishing in the purr
emanating from his throat, and she smiled deviously at her
brother. Freud's head lowered and a shiver of pleasure
raced up her spine at his look of submission. Her brother
was weak, he always had been. He needed her to tell him
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what to do. She didn't know how in the world fate had
screwed up by giving him a mate who'd been as weak as
Freud, but she she'd solved that little problem. The last
she'd heard, he'd been found dead in some back alley.
Anglania didn't care. She only cared that her brother had
been brought to heel just like she wanted. Besides, what did
it matter if her brother got off with another man? Hell, she
and Lorjenasea, her best friend since birth, were often
together, but she and Lorjenasea wouldn't be caught dead
falling in love or getting mated. Just not in the cards for
her. She liked being fucked by Bryce and while she often
felt the pull to mark or mate Lorjenasea, she wasn't gay, she
couldn't be gay, and she wouldn't let her brother or her
mate act gay either.
And it shouldn't be in the cards for anyone
especially someone professing to be the Alpha King.
Enjoy your title now, Blaze, because soon I'm going
to take away your mate, your kids, and then I'm coming
after your life.

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CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
When Tal woke the next morning, his body felt
encased in pleasure. Struggling to figure out the exact
location of the incredibly good feeling, it didn't take long
before he moaned passionately when his cock was
enveloped in wet heat. Aahh. He shivered, electricity
zinging through his veins when the suction continued. Not
wanting to awaken from his pleasant dream, he squeezed
his eyes closed and forced his tense muscles to relax. His
hands lifted to grab hold of the back of Blaze's head
well, he could only hope it was Blaze. He lowered his hand
to the covers at his side and clenched the sheets in his fists.
His feet flexed, his toes stretching and bending and he
began to thrust his hips slowly, pushing his cock deeper
into his very own mysterious, morning-alarm-clock's
mouth, all while keeping his eyes shut.
"Uh-uh," a deep voice said from above him.
Tal allowed his eyes to slowly open, smiling
sleepily at the appearance of his big, strong, muscled, and
completely naked mate leaning down over his groin. He
was so happy it was Blaze, especially since he'd been
dreaming about said Alpha King. Blaze smiled wolfishly
and Tal's small grin widened as the rest of his body awoke

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fully. Nothing like a morning blowjob by a gorgeous man

to wake him up. Definitely something that should be a
requirement for all couples.
"It's time to wake up, my love. I'm leaving in three
days to return your brothers to you, and with the time we
have, we will make love, talk, cuddle, make love, decorate
the nursery, make love, take a visit around the kingdom
together, make love," Blaze stated, planting a trail of kisses
up Tal's body after speaking each activity.
"And did I mention make love?" Blaze teased.
Tal giggled, always happy when his mate was in his
playful mood. "Yes, you may have mentioned that a time or
two," he replied. "This make love thing seems to be very
important. Perhaps it's something that needs intense
concentration and much practice? Perhaps we should get
started on it right now, you know, just to make sure we're
both doing it properly. I know I want to make sure I am
'making love' in a way that is pleasing to my Alpha and my
King."
"Ah." Blaze nodded in mock agreement, his lips
quirking as he tried not to laugh. "I see. As your Alpha and
your King, I must say I very much admire, and indeed,
encourage your endeavor to please me. So, yes, thank you.
This is definitely something we should focus on in as
thorough a manner as possible. You are very kind to point
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that out to me."

Tal's retort got cut off with a gasp when Blaze
licked one of his extremely sensitive nipples gently. Gods
almighty, Blaze knew what that did to him. Blaze flicked
the hardened nub with his tongue before sucking it deep
into his mouth. Feeling the pull of desire race from his
nipple deep and down towards his already leaking cock,
Tal's head went back and he keened with pleasure. So
overcome with passion for his mate by just that one small
move, Tal's hands fluttered, drifting between clenching the
bed sheets and gripping his man's shoulders, pulling him
closer and pushing him away. His actions confused his
mate, Blaze's low chuckle was proof of that, but Tal
couldn't bring himself to care. When Blaze released the
stimulated nub, Tal relaxed back down onto the bed with a
sigh of relief, only to feel the muscles in his legs tense
when Blaze's fingers drifted up the inside of his legs.
Tal tilted his head back and Blaze's lips nuzzled up
one side of his neck, before brushing lightly against Tal's
then trailed down the other side before latching onto the
neglected nipple. Tal's breath hitched in his chest, his lungs
unable to fully pull in air. He couldn't speak, unable to form
a coherent thought when fire raced through his limbs. His
ass clenched searching for something, anything, to fill it.
He babbled and pleaded with his mate for relief, some sort
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of release.
Blaze knew Tal's nipples had become so sensitive
he could almost come just from having them sucked and
played with, but Blaze ignored Tal's pleading and
continued to tease and torment. Tal hissed when one of
Blaze's fingers pressed against his clenching channel. It
didn't take long before the finger slid deeply inside of him
and twisted, searching and seeking, before it homed in on
his prostate. Tal jerked, his cock leaking pre-cum as Blaze
thrust his finger in and out of Tal's body, inserting two
fingers after a moment, focusing on the one spot with
precision and determination. Tal's head swam with
pleasure, flashing with images of the things Blaze did to
him. None of the images made sense popping up and
disappearing in a rapid rate.
His head thrashed back and forth on the bed when
Blaze added a third finger deep into his ass and he began
cursing his mate. He swore at Blaze, begged him for
release, and told him how much he loved him, in quick
succession. His body tightened and he groaned loudly. His
orgasm quickly approached and he could do nothing to
hold it back. Reaching out with one hand, he grabbed onto
the back of Blaze's head and pulled him closer. He kissed
Blaze deeply before tearing his mouth away when his back
arched. He panted and huffed, one hand still holding onto
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the back of Blaze's head, the other holding onto the bigger
man's biceps, the muscles bunching and moving as the
fingers attached to them thrust into Tal's tight, puckered
entrance.
The tingle started at the base of Tal's spine,
signaling his impending orgasm. Tal's mouth opened in a
soundless cry of release before air returned to his lungs and
power to his voice and he called out Blaze's name in
wonder and passion, his seed erupting and splashing up
between them. His spirit lifted from his body and soared
around the room in ecstasy, the wind and beautiful energy
from the moment washing over him. He released the back
of Blaze's head when his spirit rejoined his physical body
and with a deep sigh he settled back into the pillows.
Unmindful and uncaring of the coolness of his spunk that
had been released onto his chest and his very distended
stomach.
Drifting back down from his orgasmic high
moments later, Tal became aware of Blaze's head resting
on his belly, his hand lightly stroking as he crooned softly
to their unborn children. His voice deep, powerful, quiet,
and soothing, he told their unborn children about the
history of Tumaro, the universe, the GPA's discovery of
humans, who actually thought they were discovering the
rest of the universe. He told them about values, ethics,
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responsibility, the palace, their inheritance and just when

Tal felt himself drifting off to sleep again, he heard his
mate, the father of his unborn children, the most
sophisticated and appropriate person Tal had ever met,
begin to tell them about mates, love, pleasure, and
shockingly, about sex.
"And you want to always make sure your partner is
satisfied," Blaze stated wisely.
Tal covered his mouth to stifle a giggle that tried to
escape. Blaze sounded like a very sage elder in that
moment, one who had ventured on a long journey and had
discovered the very meaning of life and had come to
bestow it upon the servants of the gods. Satisfy one's mate,
or mates, and life will be filled with happiness and
prosperity. Tal chuckled mentally at the thought, sobering
quickly when Blaze began to describe the ways to know
whether their mate or mates had been satisfied in the
bedroom.
"Don't you think this conversation is better suited
for when they're older, sweetheart?" Tal suggested gently.
"Like when they've already met their mate and we're about
to send them away to live with whoever it is?"
Blaze grinned up fondly, as if he found Tal's
ignorance very endearing, and then shook his head. "No,
we must begin to teach them and train them now so that
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later it will be a refresher course and not new material," he

stated emphatically. "It is much easier to relearn something
than it is to learn something for the first time."
Tal nodded and nibbled on his bottom lip, thinking
about his lover's words and how to talk him into waiting on
having the 'sex talk' with their children. Maybe at least until
they could walk and talk. Tal wondered if he'd stumbled
onto a weird Tumaron tradition. Tell children about sex
before they even knew where their own organs were?
Maybe tell them what goes where before they even know if
they want to be the pitcher or the receiver? He grinned at
his own special brand of 'Tal inspired silliness' before a
lightning bolt of brilliance smacked him upside his head.
He knew of one sure-fire way to divert Blaze's
attention away from Sex and Mate Sexual Gratification
Education 101. It had proven quite successful before and it
would be equally satisfying to both this time. Drifting his
hands down his torso, the fingers of one hand flicking his
still hardened nipples and the other sliding down to grab
what he could of his now throbbing cock, he moaned in
both pleasure and frustration. Okay, so he may have
exaggerated his frustration, it didn't really take much to
send him off in a sexual tangent these days, but he had to
play it up for Blaze's benefit. And their children's, they
would already be slightly traumatized with being the
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offspring of a Tumaron and a Vermithian, the royals of an

entire planet. So if he could save them any extra
horrification then he'd certainly try.
"Please, Blaze, please. I want to come again. I need
to come again," Tal whined theatrically, hoping his eyes
conveyed appropriately his overwhelming desire for his
mate.
Not a total lie, of course. His passion for Blaze had
always been strong, only reaching new heights and force
the longer they were mated, but the desire began to claw at
him. His skin felt stretched too tight and he stroked his
hands over his overly sensitized flesh, realizing his plan to
distract Blaze had become a double-edged sword.
"I need you, but I need you to be inside me this
time. I want you pounding your huge, thick cock in my ass.
I want you to dominate me. Please, my love, my mate.
Please, my Alpha. Please," he pleaded and bit back his
smile when he saw how quickly Blaze shot up to grab the
lube.
Grateful for the action, Tal seemed to need more of
slippery oil since he'd become pregnant. He could only
hope he would be able to keep up with his mate when they
made love. He wondered briefly if he should tell Blaze he
had to do all of the work and he might also need to stop at
some point so Tal could breathe. The feeling of his mate's
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erection against the inside of Tal's thigh convinced Tal he

wouldn't say anything. He'd just have to remember to
inhale a lot more than usual since exhaling, sighing, and
gasping were things that just came naturally whenever he
was stuffed with Blaze's delicious cock.
****
Blaze quickly stroked the lube over his length
before drizzling more of the pre-warmed liquid over his
shaking fingers. His nervous tension confused him. He and
Tal had been making love frequently since they met and
mated, but for some reason it felt like the first time. With a
brief thought of going to get his rope and restraints, Blaze
circled a finger around Tal's tight, pink entrance. Tal hissed
when Blaze slowly but firmly pressed two fingers into Tal's
quivering channel, twisting and thrusting in and out,
stretching his hole. His wolf growled with the need to be in
its mate again, but Blaze wouldn't rush preparing Tal's ass
to accommodate his length. His heart beat a steady rhythm
with the rumble of his wolf's chant of 'Inside, inside,
inside'. Blaze continued to push his fingers deep into his
lover's ass. He added a third, slowing his movements when
Tal moaned with need. Blaze grit his teeth against the urge
to jerk his fingers out and slam his cock into his much
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smaller, very pregnant man's tight sphincter.

Sweat gathered on his forehead, slowly flowing
down his face before dripping onto Tal's stomach. Damn
lucky sweat, he thought momentarily before Tal whined, a
powerful sound, intoxicating and breath-stealing. Blaze
inhaled deeply and closed his eyes, savoring the fragrant
scent of his mate's arousal, perspiration, and the slight
musk of his ass. Tal had always smelled amazing, but since
he'd become pregnant, Blaze walked around in a state of
perpetual arousal.
It had to be because Tal got more easily aroused
than before he started carrying their children although,
he'd really only known Tal a few hours before he'd gotten
pregnant. Shoving away the thoughts swirling in his mind,
Blaze leaned over and licked at the top of Tal's weeping
cock, collecting the pearlescent liquid that had formed
there. The taste of Tal exploded on his tongue and Blaze
groaned, his fingers speeding up within Tal's ass and he
began pounding away inside of his man's tight entrance.
"Please, Blaze, please. Oh gods, I need you so
much. Please," Tal begged, one hand tangling in Blaze's
hair, the other pinching his nipple.
Blaze's cock jumped at the note of pleading in his
mate's voice and he inhaled deeply to soothe his racing
hormones. He'd actually done nothing more than to breathe
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in more of Tal's earthy scent.

Blaze groaned and looked up at his partner. "You're
not ready yet, baby," Blaze stated, nipping Tal's hip gently.
"No, now Blaze, now," Tal pleaded his voice rising
on a higher pitched whine, a sound Blaze had never heard
come from his lips.
Finally giving into his mate's pleas, wanting to
please the man who meant the world to him, but also
because he didn't think he'd be able to hold out much
longer, Blaze removed his fingers from the smaller man's
stretched hole. He turned Tal over onto his side, his belly
making it impossible to fuck him face to face. Lying down
behind his man, he lifted his mate's left leg and moved it
forward before quickly lubing up his hard, aching cock
again. Leaning in, he placed a gentle kiss to his love's
shoulder. Ignoring his mate's moans at his emptiness, Blaze
took his time and lined up the head of his cock with Tal's
entrance.
"Are you ready for me, baby?" Blaze asked, not
waiting for an answer before pushing in only the tip of his
shaft into the tight muscles of his mate's puckered hole.
"Yes, please Blaze, please. Stop talking and fuck
me already," Tal demanded, his voice taking on a slight
growl.
Blaze blinked in surprise for a moment at the show
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of aggression before he chuckled softly. His cock throbbed

and if it were at all possible, got just a little harder than
before. He pushed his dick slowly and deeply within his
mate. Blaze, and Tal, groaned at the feeling of being so
intimately joined again. Blaze's throat grew thick and he
exhaled slowly at the feel of his mate surrounding him.
Nothing existed in the world like the feeling of Tal's ass
embracing his cock. Gods, if he could choose how he
would die, he would so choose to die buried inside of Tal's
tight hole.
"Mmm gods, baby, you are so fucking delicious,"
Blaze growled low in his throat and thrust deeper and faster
into the warm, tight channel of his husband's rear.
"Harder, Blaze, please," Tal pleaded.
Blaze watched the younger man's hands clench the
sheets underneath him. Seeing the pleasure so affect his
Vermithian caused Blaze's hips to slam forward and he fell
forward to surround Tal's body, his hands gripping the
sheets underneath his pregnant mate's body. Blaze reached
for a bit of control, hoping against hope he wouldn't end up
losing his battle with his will and end up coming before
he'd had a chance to get Tal off.
Blaze grit his teeth. "I don't want to hurt you or our
babies." He pulled his lips tight before biting his lower lip
and mentally reciting the Tumaron laws of alliances and
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negotiations in an effort to prevent premature ejaculation.

It really didn't help much.
"We're fine. I'm fine they're fine just do it!
Fuck me hard, Blaze! Now! Or I won't be fine in a moment
and I'll finish it myself. Now fuck me!" Tal demanded.
Shocked at the urgency and desperation in his
mate's voice, Blaze stopped for a minute. What the hell?
Had he missed something?
****
Tal couldn't explain his reactions. He had an
overwhelming need to feel his mate for the next few days
while he went away. How could Tal explain the foreboding
spreading over him at the thought of his man being gone?
Of Tal being left at the palace without his wolf? He didn't
know why, but he had a feeling it would be the last time in
a long time he would have with his shifter and he wanted to
make sure he remembered it.
As Tal crested the wave of his passionate encounter
with his mate, his voice rose to the heavens, joining with
Blaze's roar of satisfaction. And still, the heavy feeling
enveloped him fully. He tried desperately to exult in the
rapture soaring through his blood, but he could only think
of Blaze leaving in three days. Pain began to shoot through
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his chest and he swallowed back the tears threatening to

fall. The grief clutched at him so much, and once Blaze's
cock softened and he withdrew his now flaccid member
from Tal's ass, Tal shivered slightly. Tal turned over,
unmindful of his mate's seed leaking from his still fluttering
hole, two matching wet spots underneath him, and pulled
his mate close. He clutched Blaze tightly, his arms and legs
wrapped around his big wolf, clinging to him desperately,
even after they both fell asleep.

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CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
"What do you mean you're going with me?" Blaze
hissed softly to his brother as he stood before him. He
looked over at Tal and gave his mate a small smile before
he turned back to glare at his sibling. His very upset, very
haggard looking sibling
Shit.
"What the fuck happened?" Blaze asked with a sigh
and instantly felt like an ass when Buck's eyes filled with
tears.
He knew Buck had something bad going on, but
whenever he asked his brother, the other man always blew
him off. He hoped this time Buck would tell him the
problem.
"Look." Buck swallowed deeply and Blaze watched
as he struggled to compose himself. "I just can't stay
behind, Blaze, okay? Please don't make me stay behind. I
have to go. I need to get off Tumaro. Do something. Go
somewhere. I've got a lot of shit going on right now and if I
stay here I'm afraid it's all going to blow up in my face or
I'm going to blow up. And then there's Percy" Buck's
words cut off abruptly as if realizing he almost gave away
something he thought a closely guarded secret.

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"I know you know Percy is your mate and Percy

knows he's your mate. I know you made a promise to him
to mate him when he turned eighteen and that you changed
your mind about the whole thing. I also know you think
you're doing the right thing by not mating him. You think
you're protecting him, but Buck" Blaze sighed and put
his hand on his younger brother's shoulder in consolation.
No matter how old Buck got or how broadshouldered he got, Blaze would see nothing but the little
boy who used to follow him around all the time. Or the
young man devastated by the fact he'd not only revealed
royal secrets but had been brutally assaulted as well
neither image easy to handle for Blaze.
"You're hurting him each and every time you deny
him. Each time you refuse to mate him. You're killing him
a little more each and every time. I know that's not what
you want. So you need to choose. You can either claim
your mate like you so desperately want to, or you can move
out of the way and let someone else claim him," Blaze
reasoned, ignoring Buck's warning growl.
No wolf wanted to hear about their mate being with
someone else. No wolf wanted to know they were in danger
of pushing their mate towards someone else, but Buck
needed a major reality check and Blaze would give it to
him.
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"But if you really want to come with us you can,"

Blaze assured his brother, watching Buck's shoulders sag
with relief.
Blaze returned Buck's grateful smile with an
indulgent one of his own. Turning to look at Mailon, Blaze
nodded towards him and then back at Tal. Mailon would
get the clue and stay behind to keep an eye on Blaze's very
expectant Vermithian. Clasping his brother's shoulder once
more, Blaze turned and walked towards his pouting mate.
"My love, I promise to contact you once we are
safely in orbit," Blaze reiterated once again.
Their mental mating link would work as long as
they didn't venture too many light years away, and he
comforted his mate with the knowledge that once they were
in orbit, he would be contacting him, and keeping in touch
with him. He leaned over and pulled the smaller man into
his arms for a final farewell hug. He smiled down at his
small, pregnant mate as he gently pulled free of the almost
choking hold the younger man had on his neck. Since
waking up the morning after their intense lovemaking
session, almost three days before, Tal had been unusually
clingy. Blaze didn't mind too much, if Tal always remained
with him then he could be assured of his man's safety.
However, he had to get into the shuttle to leave and he
wouldn't be able to do that as long as Tal hung onto him
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like some sort of snake or Strawxigian clinging vine.

Standing up to his full height he gently ran the backs of his
fingers over Tal's cheek.
Tal sighed and then muttered, "You better."
Blaze couldn't understand Tal's sudden reluctance
for him to leave. They were going to rescue his brothers.
Tal had been passionate about finding his younger siblings,
and had become just as passionate about Blaze not being
among those who made sure it got done. He quirked an
eyebrow in a silent question, growling in frustration when
the smaller man merely shrugged one shoulder. He leaned
forward and kissed his mate's forehead before turning to
board the awaiting space vessel without another glance
back.
"I will miss you my precious Vermithian," Blaze
communicated through their mental link.
He smiled when Tal's happiness shone through.
"Just make sure you come back to me, my big, bad
Alpha King," Tal replied.
He flooded Blaze's mind with images of them
locked in numerous passionate embraces and positions.
Sending back a loving growl, Blaze received a happy
giggle and an image of Tal and their children to take with
him. It made him all the more determined to rescue his
mate's brothers and return back to Tal's arms where he
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belonged.

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CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Tal sighed sadly and walked through the palace
gardens, one hand touching the flowers and plants that were
in bloom, the other resting upon his very large belly. "I'm
very glad that all of my royal attire only calls for loose
pants and a tunic," he stated to his unborn children with a
smile. "I would never leave the room if I had to wear
anything even remotely form-fitting. Not that I'm not
excited to have you all there, even if I did have a slight
freak-out at first. I'm very excited about you all. I'm merely
stating the fact I am extremely happy I don't have to wear
anything seen even remotely as being sexy." He chuckled
then as an unbidden image of him in a black form-fitting
leather pantsuit arose in his mind's eye.
He thought of sending the image to Blaze through
their mental link but remembered the Alpha had told him
the day before they were going onto the slave ship that day
and he wouldn't be able to talk with him until they were
done. He would tell Blaze about the pantsuit when the man
returned if he returned and he'd make sure he wouldn't
consider putting Tal in the leather contraption from Hades.
One of the babies chose that moment to kick and
Tal rubbed his stomach soothingly over that spot. "Don't

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worry, your daddy would never do that" His words

drifted off as a sudden question arose to his mind. "Well,
what would you call me? Would I be Daddy or would
Blaze be Daddy? I mean, technically I would be Mommy
since I'm the one pregnant and the one giving birth, but I
have a problem being called Mommy. I mean, I already get
the Alpha Queen around here, and that's never going to
change, not unless your father decides to finally do
something about that. And honestly? I think if one of you
called me Mommy I might just scream" He sighed and
he sat down on one of the garden benches Blaze had placed
within the lush gardens after he'd discovered Tal's love for
walking through them.
Tal closed his eyes and turned his face up towards
the sun. He really did love being outdoors, feeling at one
with nature, releasing the problems of the kingdom and just
being. He loved communing with his natural surroundings.
It was a part of genetic makeup as a Vermithian. He let the
different conversations from the plants and bushes around
him wash over his mind. He wondered where Mailon had
gone off to. Very aware Blaze had sent the Elder back to
watch over him, Tal became impressed at the different
ways Mailon explained why he showed up at certain spots
trying not to look as if he were watching over Tal. They
were probably some of the most enjoyable conversations
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he'd had in a long time.

Tal laughed gently when he felt a series of kicks
and rubbed his belly again. "Boy, you guys certainly got
active quickly. Is it because you miss your father? Huh"
He grinned, his eyes still closed. "I guess he's father and
I'm daddy, right?" he teased the babies.
"My love," Blaze's voice broke through.
Tal figured they had returned into the planet's orbit,
which meant they were either on their way back with Tal's
brothers or the ship had passed them as they departed to
meet up with their contact. He was happy their mental link
was still intact as long as they were within a few light years
of each other. It had been lonely in his mind without his
mate.
"Yes,

dearest,"

he

replied,

so

intent

on

communicating with Blaze he missed the danger lurking

nearby, ignoring the plants and flowers when they began to
move without wind in an effort to warn him.
He blocked out the sounds of the trees yelling about
getting to safety and wouldn't hear their desperate attempts
to save him.
"The ship passed us, but we turned around and have
tracked it within our orbit. We have received word your
brothers are still onboard. We are going in soon to rescue
them," Blaze responded.
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"Good. Then you will be home, in what, a few

hours?" Tal happily questioned.
He didn't notice how still the air had become around
him and missed the fact the two guards who had walked
with him, now lay dead their throats quickly and efficiently
cut, in the grass feet away in the very bushes that had tried
to warn him only moments before.
"Yes, my heart, in a few hours I will be home and
with your brothers." Blaze chuckled, then asked, "You are
still pregnant then?"
Tal giggled and rolled his eyes. Every time he'd
spoken to Blaze, whether through their mating link or with
a communicator, the man always asked the same question.
And every single time, Tal returned, "Of course I
am. If I weren't, you would know. I would send you every
pain, every"
****
Blaze waited for Tal to finish his usual statement,
growing worried when Tal's words cut off, assuming his
mate had actually begun labor at the very moment they
were discussing it. The One wouldn't let that happen to
him, would she? Fickle bitch.
"Tal?" he called. "Talon? Baby? Answer me! Talon
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Versuthion Roughshire! My love! Answer me!" Blaze

became more and more agitated when he still received no
reply from his mate.
After a few minutes of frantically calling for his
mate mentally, he calmed when he realized perhaps his
mate had merely fallen asleep, remembering the younger
man happened to be pregnant with a very large litter. Or
rather a lot of babies, he corrected himself, since Tal hated
it when Blaze referred to their children as cubs or litters or
litter mates, insisting they were babies and children first,
shape shifters second. Sighing in relief at the idea his mate
probably just fell asleep and trying to calm his racing heart,
Blaze prepared himself to board the slave ship and rescue
his brothers-in-law. He wanted to swiftly return home to his
pregnant mate. While his head said Tal hadn't responded
because he'd fallen asleep, his heart had a different idea.
He looked over at Buck and nodded before turning
to observe the other soldiers that had come along. Rico,
Kazumi, Gregor, and Waylorg all volunteered, in addition
to many others. Tal had become much loved among many
of the Tumarons, and almost every soldier and guard had
wanted to help rescue the Alpha Queen's long lost brothers.
From what Blaze could smell, the various scents of
Vermithians, Edificians and other races, they'd be rescuing
a whole lot more than just the Versuthion brothers.
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With a nod and a gesture to Kazumi, someone

whose smell Blaze couldn't place in a room full of people,
even though he knew the younger man, the Alpha King
stormed into the room where all of the slaves were held
with the rest of the Tumaron rescue force. Looking around
the area, Blaze struggled not to vomit. Some of the slaves
were covered in bruises, some had been interrupted in the
middle of servicing patrons, some were tied up and being
raped, spit on, brutalized. Swallowing down the bile
threatening to explode from his mouth, Blaze's wolf snarled
at the surface, wanting to get free. He smelled traces of his
mate. What the hell? At that moment, Blaze realized his
mate's brothers had to be in the room, close by and
secreting fluids. Without another thought, Blaze let the shift
roll over his skin.
His skin prickled when fur covered his flesh. His
face elongated into a large muzzle, his body went from
standing on two legs to resting on four. His body grew
larger, broader, and more menacing in size. Stronger as a
wolf, he became more vicious. Unrepentant, intimidating,
vengeful, and fucking dangerous. Following the almost
familiar smell of his mate to a corner, he spied a young
man with dark brown hair cowering in fear and being
kicked by a bigger man who yelled at him.
"This is your fault! You and that fucked up female
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brother of yours! You godsdamn Vermithian! I knew you

weren't worth the trouble it took to get you!" the man
shouted and raised his arm to hit the young man.
Blaze let his muscles bunch, ready to fly at the man
but was prevented from being able to when a large brown
wolfRicojumped and attacked the man, ripping out his
throat. Blaze turned to look at the other wolf that had gone
almost feral and huffed before he made a move to ease
forward and release the young man who looked almost
exactly like Tal. Trenton, the older of the two boys. The
sound of Rico growling low in his throat stopped Blaze. He
froze. He knew that sound. Rico had found his mate.
Fuck me sideways. Tal would shit kittens when he
found out his little brother would end up as the mate of the
palace slut. Nodding slightly at Rico to let the guard know
he understood, Blaze turned to follow his nose to the other
'Tal-like' aroma. The scent led him out of the room with the
other slaves and a feeling of dread creeped up Blaze's
spine. He caught a whiff of Buck and Gregor behind him
and was grateful for the back-up. The ship had gone into an
uproar and everyone ran from the enraged Tumaron
shifters. Stopping outside the closed door, Blaze shifted
back to his human form and tried to open the entrance.
Finding it locked made him angry and suspicious.
"Alpha? If I may?" Gregor asked.
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Blaze turned and noticed Gregor and Buck had

shifted back. Moving aside, Blaze allowed Gregor to shove
his massive shoulder against the door until it popped open.
Stepping inside the room, Blaze stopped and looked
on in horror. His eyes widened before he shifted again into
his wolf and launched forward with a massive roar. The
five men torturing his mate's baby brother had no time to
flee or even consider running before he'd slaughtered them
all. Feeling the rage still bubbling under the surface, Blaze
turned away from Tuvarion, who'd been chained and
covered in all manner of unspeakable horrors.
He shifted back and growled out at Buck and
Gregor. "Get him the fuck down! Right now!" he yelled.
He rubbed his right hand over his chest and inhaled,
gagging over the smell of blood, spunk, tears, andoh
gods Prinktakium aphrodisiacs? Had they been trying to
force Tuvarion to orgasm? Blaze swallowed thickly in
order to prevent himself from shifting back to his wolf and
tearing apart the remains of the men in the room. He rubbed
his chest again, his heart throbbing within. He had a
desperate urge to get back to Tal. His heart pounded in fear
for his mate and it unnerved him.
Blaze's heart had it right. Moments earlier, a trio of
interlopers made their move against his very pregnant mate.
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Tal had been drugged and kidnapped, not for ransom, but
for extermination.

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CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Mailon, the 'not-so-elder, Elder', watched from the
bushes and quickly but quietly followed Anglania Lang,
her brother Freud, and Elder Bryce Morgasen, along with
two traitorous palace guards, as they drugged and
kidnapped Tal. He mourned briefly for the two guards who
had fallen in the line of duty, unable to offer their slain
forms the proper acknowledgement before he tried creeping
closer. He desperately wanted to leap forward and rip out
the throats of everyone involved with putting the Alpha
Queen in his predicament, but he had to tread carefully just
in case he reacted hastily and Tal ended up being killed
anyway.
On the one hand, he should probably alert Blaze and
Kazumi to what had unfoldedTal had been kidnapped,
but he couldn't. The timing wouldn't allow it. He didn't
have the minutes to spare to head over and grab his
communicator from his pants all the way around the side of
the palace wall. He had to stick with Tal. Another reason he
couldn't stop to get help. Tal was his friend, his best friend,
and he wouldn't let Idiot, Stupid, and Evil just walk off
with him. Especially since Siron, Tal's newly appointed
assistant and personal guard, had to have disappeared

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somewhere. Blaze had introduced Tal to the EdificianVermithian half-breed, and the two had instantly bonded.
And it relieved Percy from trying to assist both Tal and
Blaze. Siron proved to be faithful and always at Tal's side
when needed. The fact Tal had been out in the garden alone
could only mean Siron had been missing since very early
that morning.
He put his muzzle to the ground and silently
followed them, very happy they wouldn't be able to identify
him. For the very first time since he'd shifted and realized
his Epsilon status, he truly appreciated not being easily
identifiable even when he close to someone.
He only needed to follow the trio to where they
were going to hold Tal and then he could go get help, or
rather, extra help and probably a doctor for Elder Bryce,
Anglania, and Freud, because once he finished with them,
they would all need one. Either a doctor or a coroner.
Huffing out a satisfied breath through his nostrils, at
once very pleased by his rationalization and his plan, he
continued to follow the group of kidnappers. They would
pay. Even if he had to rescue Tal all by himself.
****
Tal woke up, agony tearing apart his insides, his
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back bowing when an intense tightening sensation

shuddered through him. His mouth opened on a loud
scream, though his ears heard no sound. Pain fiercely
ripped through his back and stomach. Feeling as if a steel
band wrapped around his belly, squeezing and crushing his
ribs and pressing forward, he frantically tried to push away
the torturous device his kidnappers had placed around his
stomach. He had to save his babies. Finding no band, he
began to panic. Why did he have so much pain?
He began panting, struggling to catch his breath
from the massive pressure on his back and abdomen. He
grabbed the edge of the pillow he lay on and shoved it into
his mouth and struggled not to scream again at the vicious
torment rushing through his body. He didn't want to alert
his kidnappers, but fuck if he didn't want to pick up the bed
he lay on and throw it across the room. His eyes took in his
surroundings. He tried to find something to focus on, sweat
beading up on his brow and his hands shaking. His body
felt as if it were being ripped in half. He forced himself to
focus on the damp cement walls, the cold bare floor, and
the aged cot he lay on.
His limbs trembled when the pain begin to slightly
subside. Obviously, whoever had decorated this particular
room had done so with dungeon cells in mind, he thought.
When the pain eased away to just a dull throbbing
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sensation, Tal breathed a sigh of relief.

He snarkily panted. "Tacky." He referred to his
surroundings, before placing his hand over his belly. "You
guys couldn't have waited until after I found out a way to
get us out of this mess?" he hissed in agony to his unborn
children.
Life had taken much joy in finding the best ways to
screw him over. Having him go into labor after being
kidnapped? Score five thousand one hundred thirteen for
Life, zero for Talon Versuthion-Roughshire.
"Don't worry, guys. Daddy is going to figure out a
way to get us out of this and then when I see your Father
I'm going to kick his big, muscled, Tumaron ass for leaving
us behind. But everything's going to be fine," Talon assured
his babies through gritted teeth when pain began to zip up
his spine.
He pulled up an image of his mate and tried to
soothe himself and his unborn children who seemed to be
desperate to make an appearance. He would seriously
strangle Blaze. Who left their pregnant mate in their last
month of pregnancy? Yes, he'd wanted his brothers back
and yes, he'd wanted Blaze to be the one to bring them
home, but dammit, hadn't Blaze figured out a way to clone
himself? Tal would have snorted at his ridiculous thoughts
but another burst of pain squeezed his midsection.
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"No need to worry about your filthy half-breeds,

Your Highness, you'll all be dead soon enough. As a matter
of fact, if your disappearance hadn't been noticed so
quickly, you would be dead already," a deep, raspy and
almost inhuman voice slid from the darkness.
Tal turned his head towards the sound, his body
shaking in fear when the jagged pain began to swell again.
Tal kept his voice steady when he spoke. "Who are
you?" he asked.
Shoving his wrist into his mouth and biting down
hard in an effort to muffle the earth-shattering scream that
wanted to erupt from his throat, the coppery taste of his
blood flooded his mouth and his eyes slid shut. Whoever
was in the room with him could smell his blood. He heard
the deep inhalations when the scent flooded the room.
"Oh, Your Highness. Why I am deeply offended
and very disappointed hurt really. With all the time
we've spent together and you still don't know me?" The
voice chuckled moments before Anglania stepped into the
pool of light surrounding the bed.
Freud and Elder Bryce entered right behind her.
"Anglania? Freud? Elder Morgasen? What the fuck
are you three idiots doing here?" he questioned, his voice
wavering and squeaking at the end.
He knew what was going on, but he tried to buy
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some time and think up a way of escape.

"I would think it obvious, Alpha Queen," Elder
Bryce sneered, his upper lip curling in distaste.
"But w-w-why would you want to kill me?" Tal
asked, the words catching in his throat when another jolt of
pain lanced through him. "You crazy motherfuckers! If you
were going to kill me, you should have done it already.
Stupid fucks!" he growled.
Angered at their actions, angry he'd gone into labor,
angry Blaze had left. That stupid bitch. How dare he not be
there? How dare he leave Tal to deal with these crazy, shitstupid fuckers who were determined to kill him?
The one thing Tal hadn't been able to figure out.
Even if they killed him, Blaze wouldn't mate again, and
Buck would be his heir. So why kill him and not him and
Blaze together.
"Blaze! Blaze!" He shouted out through their mental
link hoping his mate would be on his way back home and
would rescue him and their babies in time.
The big, dumb idiot better rescue them in time or
Tal would never speak to him again.
"Oh, is that what we're doing? You want us to
monologue and tell you our evil, nefarious plan in the
hopes to buy you some time so you can get away?"
Anglania mocked.
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"How could he? He's too fat to run. Blaze is still

trying to rescue his"Freud finally spoke, pointing an
aggressive finger towards Tal"two brothers and he took
his best warriors with him. Plus with his sister being locked
up in that trunk in their room and Siron off on that wild
goose chase to a false location, no one is available to save
him."
Tal winced when he heard the futility of his
escaping or being rescued laid out before him. He closed
his eyes and once again felt the sharp pain rip across his
abdomen. His back arched and this time he couldn't stop
the harsh cry from tearing from his throat. He would
fucking kill Blaze for doing this to him! He would tear
apart the three idiot wolves in front of him as well. He
glared when they all chuckled at his painful labor. He
would die. He just knew it. He would die having these
babies.
"My love? Where are you? What's wrong?"
Blaze's voice, his blessed voice came through Tal's
mind and he almost sobbed in relief, seconds before a white
hot rage lanced through his chest. How the fuck could
Blaze be talking to him through their mating link now?
Where the fuck had he been when Tal had really needed
him? Quite irrationally he refused to answer Blaze at first.
Stupid, but in that moment he couldn't give two shits.
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"You are right, my boy. I guess you aren't so useless

after all," Elder Bryce commented, a thoughtful expression
on his face when he looked at Freud speculatively.
He turned to Tal, his eyes instantly filling with
anger, hatred and an unholy gleam. "You were not
supposed to be here. You were not a part of the plan,
especially not pregnant within the first year of mating the
Alpha King," he stated, his voice flat and emotionless as if
teaching a college course. "You see, Anglania and Blaze
were supposed to marry. Blaze would then make Freud and
I his top advisors, at the request of the new Alpha Queen,"
he amended with an almost courtly and regal nod in
Anglania's direction. "Anglania would have the unfortunate
task of sleeping with Blaze to ensure the royal line
continued pure and untarnished through their cubs. Once
we were sure Anglania carried the heirs"Elder Bryce
continued pacing back and forth in front of the bed"we
would kill the Alpha King, and Anglania would then take
the throne and marry me. And we would rule Tumaro
together." Elder Bryce's eyes softened somewhat when he
looked at Anglania, reaching out to pull her up tightly to his
body. "As we were meant and born to do." His voice
sounded awed and almost reverent when he ran his fingers
through her unbound blonde hair.
Tal wanted to vomit at their display. The babes
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within him apparently agreed because the pain raced up his

spine again and he turned to his side, retching and gagging
from the extreme force of the excruciating contractions.
"Eeww! Gross!" Anglania bemoaned his actions.
Tal began panting again, remembering how it eased
the pressure before and used the momentary reprieve to
finally respond to Blaze. He wanted the whole labor thing
to be over with. He wanted his mate and he wanted his bed.
He really, really wanted his own bed. Tears welled in his
eyes when he thought about the softness of the mattress he
shared with his mate and cried softly.
"Anglania, Freud, and Elder Bryce Morgasen have
kidnapped me, Blaze. I don't know exactly where I am, but
I'm in a room that looks like one of those human prisons we
saw pictures of when we went to the museum a few weeks
ago. Please hurry, Blaze, I'm in labor and our children are
desperate to be born," Tal pleaded with his lover. "And this
shit really, really hurts."
"What?" Blaze roared.
For the first time, Tal felt the rush of heat flow
through the telepathic link when Blaze shifted into his wolf
form. No longer afraid of the trio, Tal found temporary
relief from his own pain as he realized his mate was on his
way to rescue him and Blaze was furious.
"Blaze? Can you still talk to me?" Tal questioned.
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A stronger and more painful contraction ripped

through his stomach and Tal experienced a different kind of
fear. For their children. He also couldn't be more disgusted
when he watched Anglania and Elder Bryce make out. If he
hadn't been gritting his teeth against the almost mindnumbing pain, he would have vomited at the image the two
made together. He couldn't believe they were getting
passionate instead of killing him as they'd threatened to do.
Seriously, what the hell? They acted as if they had
all the time in the world. He looked over at Freud and
found the man glaring at him, but still unmoving. So
apparently he acted as the brawn, not the brains.
"Yes, my own, you can still talk to me. Just hold on
for me, love. We have retrieved your brothers and were at
the palace to introduce them to you when you contacted
me," Blaze responded, his voice deeper and more gravelly
that usual in his wolf form. "I think I know where you are
underneath the home of Elder Bryce. He has an avid
interest in ancient human practices of discipline,
incarceration, and torture. I will be there soon, love, it's
not far, just hang on for me and don't give birth until I get
there."
Tal rolled over onto his back with a sound of
disgust. Yeah right, like he'd really do that. He absolutely
refused to have their babies until Blaze got there. Period,
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end of sentence. Tal noticed the stupid, disgusting, odd

couple had stopped kissing and had returned their menacing
glares back on him, and Freud gave him a sadistic smile as
if imagining all of the ways he could torture him. Tal's
mind raced with a way to stall them so Blaze could get
there to rescue him and the babies.
"So, what will you idiots do now? I'll be dead, so
will Blaze's heirs, but I doubt he will marry you, Anglania.
He'll be in mourning. And he'll never want to be with
someone else," Tal pointed out, his voice slightly shaky,
but his words confident.
He grew slightly concerned when the pain from his
labor slowly changed to a bone-crushing pressure. What the
hell was wrong now?
Anglania merely smiled as if she found him both
annoying and entertaining. "We're going to kill him also.
Oh, not right away, maybe as soon as his mourning period
is over. That will give me enough time to seduce Buck,
who will be next in line for the throne. That way when
Blaze commits suicide because he just can't live without
you, it will be my new husband Buckington who will take
the throne and everything will go on as planned." Anglania
detailed their scheme, her blue eyes wide and almost
innocent looking, a small smile on her face.
If Tal had been in his right mind he would have
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snarkily pointed out she'd been doing the whole 'evil,

villain monologue' thing for quite some time, but he wasn't
in his right mind. His brain flooded with images of ripping
her head off and killing everyone in the room so he could
get out safely. Had he been straight, he might have found
her appealing and fallen for her evil charms. He had never
been so happy he preferred dick to breasts before in his life,
because he was very aware that had the two of them mated,
he would have been the victim of a murder-suicide.
Tal opened his mouth to respond when the biggest,
hardest, and sharpest contraction of his intense labor tore
through him. He screamed in agony, his head thrown back,
the sound deafening and chilling. Something had to be
wrong. He didn't know how he knew, but he knew
something had gone wrong with his babies.
His scream worked as a great distraction. So
fascinated and thrilled by the idea of Tal's immense pain
and suffering, none of the occupants scented or noticed the
gray wolf until he silently leapt and ripped out the throat of
Freud. The man never saw it coming and never had the
opportunity to shift.
The same could not be said for Anglania and Elder
Bryce, both of whom quickly ripped off their clothes and
changed form. Even while he struggled to breathe through
his labor pains and not deliver his babies without their
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father, Tal found he couldn't stop the crazed words of pain

from launching from his mouth.
"You stupid cocksuckers! I hope he kills you all!
FUCK! Where the hell is Blaze?" Tal screamed.
He didn't even care about being ignored as his hero
faced off against Anglania and Elder Bryce.
Anglania became a very beautiful, but very vicious
small white wolf that snarled, growled, and seemed more
extremely angry than Tal thought she had any right to be.
Elder Bryce didn't pull off a complete shift, however, for
while his legs, arms, and face went to wolf form and he had
a tail, he still had the body of a man, though he stood on all
fours. The sight horrified Tal and he pleaded with the One
and the Scions that his children would be able to fully
change. He watched in fear as Anglania and what used to
be Elder Bryce circled the small gray wolf that had
attempted to rescue him. He wrapped his arms around his
convulsing stomach as the pressure increased and caused
him to curl into a ball.
He didn't know who his savior was, but Tal pleaded
with every known deity he'd ever heard mentioned for the
gray wolf to survive the fight and they would be saved. No
sooner had he completed his prayer than he watched in
terror when Anglania turned and leapt forward towards him
and Elder Bryce lunged for the gray wolf.
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Neither of them caught their prey. Two extremely

large wolves, both black, one much larger than the other,
leapt through the air and collided with the smaller
animanls. The wolves savagely attacked Anglania and
Elder Bryce, both of whom tried to fight back with little
success. Tal's eyes connected with those of the gray wolf
and he shifted back into the male form of his best friend
Mailon.
"Mailon!" he exclaimed. "You saved my life!" he
panted.
The first of his children attempted to push their way
out of the birthing slit. Holy fucking hell, should it happen
that fast? And gods almighty did it have to feel as if
something wanted to thrust its way out of him? Although,
in a way, exactly that would soon happen.
Mailon shook his head modestly. "I had to protect
you, Your Highness. You're too important to too many
people. Besides, you're my best friend," he remarked as he
quickly assessed Tal for any bruises or wounds.
"Please Mailon, get me out of this room. I'm about
to deliver these babies and I will not do it in a sadistic
man's prison cell," Tal panted again.
He glanced over in the direction of the earlier fight
and discovered the two wolves had killed his kidnappers.
Blaze and Buck stood, drawing in heaving breaths, nude,
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and covered in blood.

"Whenever you're ready to stop fucking around with
those flesh covered bags of shit and be my mate again,
please join me outside. Or wherever I'm going because I'm
about to give birth to your children," he admonished the
larger man.
"Now?" Blaze rasped and quickly scooped Tal into
his arms and carried him out of the room, up the stairs,
through Elder Bryce's home, and towards the waiting
palace shuttle.
Buck followed close behind, Mailon leading the
way out of the home as they left the dead bodies of Talon's
would be assassins behind to rot and decay in shame.
"No, dumbass, tomorrow," Tal groaned.
The hand of one of his children pressed upwards at
the birthing slit.
Tal looked up and growled. "Hurry the fuck up,
Blaze! Or I swear I'll give birth outside on the front lawn!"
****
"I am having these babies right here, right now,
Blaze, I don't care!" Tal shouted.
Blaze winced at the shrill tone his lover's voice had
taken, almost like a woman's. Not that he would ever tell
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Tal. Blaze liked his balls right where they wereattached

to his body.
"I really think it would be best if we wait until we
return to the palace, my love," Blaze hedged nervously.
Tal punched him. Hard. Blaze grabbed his mouth,
squaring his jaw against the pain.
"You think we should wait?" Tal yelled angrily.
He furiously pulled off his pants and lay back on the
cushioned bench in the shuttle. "You don't have to wait for
shit, Blaze! These babies are going to be born now! So I
suggest you make yourself useful and prepare to deliver
your own children!" he commanded and lifted his dirty
tunic up to his neck.
Blaze's wolf possessively growled at the sight of his
nude mate in front of everyone. Tal blithely ignored the
furious animal. Blaze glared at the soldiers who surrounded
the outside of the shuttle and watched in satisfaction when
they all turned their heads away in embarrassment.
"Alpha?" Mailon spoke up timidly. "I have studied
the birth of children to a Vermithian male along with Percy.
It was something I started reviewing when I first met Tal in
the chat room and I continued studying once I found out he
was expecting. Percy's fascination with Vermithians has
been an obsession for him since he was a kid. I took him
with me to the library and we studied not only the
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pregnancy of Vermithians and the birth of Vermithian

children, but the labor of the fathers. I can assist if need
be," he offered.
Blaze sighed with relief, his eyes closing briefly.
He'd never been more thankful for the Epsilon Elder than at
that moment, hell during the entire day. He'd saved his
mate's life and now he would help deliver his children.
"Yes, yes, Elder Mailon. You will assist in the birth of my
children, the heirs to the throne. The rest of you" He
pointed to the four other guards and Buck, all waiting
anxiously, all looking pointedly away from Tal's sweating
and heaving nude body.
Luckily for them. The blood lust still thrummed
through his veins and had they been looking at Tal, he
would have had to kill them all his brother included.
"Prepare for a quick return to the palace and burn
this home to the ground and all of the bodies within it. I
want that basement demolished as well," he ordered.
He turned back to Tal and watched in fascination
when a raised line, which he hadn't noticed before,
appeared to darken and grow longer vertically from below
Tal's belly button to the top of his groin. The line divided
and Tal's belly opened as if sliced. Blaze's mouth dropped
open in fascinated horror when his mate's body worked to
deliver their firstborn child.
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"Your children are coming, Your Highness,"

Mailon breathed.
Tal grunted and pushed, and the first baby appeared.
A squalling, bloody pink baby boy.
Tal began crying and Blaze looked up in confusion.
"I'm so, sorry Blaze. I didn't mean what I said. I
love you so much. You know that, right? I love you," Tal
babbled.
In that moment, Blaze realized he'd felt the emotion
for his mate for quite some time, but he had never said it to
him before.
Leaning over to wipe away Tal's tears, Blaze let his
mouth stretch into a smile. "I know, Tal, I love you, too."
"Your heir, Alpha," Mailon interrupted, his voice
filled with awe when he passed the screaming baby into his
father's arms.
Blaze looked down at his eldest child and his heart
clenched when the newborn boy continued to scream and
try to fight his way through of some imaginary battle, his
tiny fists waving in the air. In that moment, Blaze knew his
eldest son, his heir to the throne would be a warrior, a
fighter, and so he named him accordingly.
"His name is Runequio Joshua Roughshire, Alpha
Prince of Tumaro," Blaze loudly proclaimed before gently
wrapping the newborn in one of the cloths sitting on the
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shelf beside the shuttle's window.

He'd have to make sure he thanked Josie the next
time he saw her. She'd encouraged him to always keep
extra cloths and clothes in every mode of transportation Tal
would take, due to his mate's constant need to eat and his
habit of spilling food.
"You named our son Runequio?" Tal exclaimed,
sounding horrified. "That's a terrible name! He's going to
get teased in school. It sounds like a name for an old man!
What the fuck were you thinking, Blaze?" Tal's words got
cut off and he groaned again, gritting his teeth and pushing.
His mate leaned forward, towards Mailon, before he
reached up and grabbed Blaze's free hand to squeeze. Blaze
maintained a stoic expression on his face, even though he
wanted to wince because Tal developed some sort of superVermithian strength and almost crushed the bones in
Blaze's hand. The line in Tal's stomach opened once again
and their second child, another boy, appeared. Blaze
gathered his second heir close to his chest, after Mailon
handed the squirming, squalling newborn over.
He looked around frantically for a place to put the
babies. No way would he be able to hold five babies in his
arms and Tal didn't seem to be in the right frame of mind to
hold their children, especially since he still delivered them.
It took Blaze a moment to realize the shuttle had started
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moving and he could only hope they would get back to the
palace soon.
No sooner had the thought crossed his mind, than
the panel leading to the front of the shuttle opened and
Buck stepped into the small seating room where they all
gathered around Tal. Buck's eyes stayed trained on the very
large, velvet-lined, and cushioned box he held in his hands.
Blaze thought it looked as if it had been cut in half and only
contained the bottom section. Buck gazed at the box rather
intently and Blaze wondered what significance it held.
"I thought you may want to put the babies here until
we arrive at the palace," he said and offered the box to
Blaze.
"You want to put my children in a box? Like they're
animals? Are you crazy?" Tal exclaimed in the highpitched wail Blaze had quickly grown to hate.
Then he groaned in pain.
"Tal, it's your box. The one from your shuttle?
When I heard you were in labor and we were coming to
rescue you, I grabbed it. I thought you'd appreciate it,"
Buck said in aggravation.
Blaze could have happily throttled his brother in
that moment. Didn't he know that no one should make the
monster angry?
"What's the second baby's name, Blaze?" Tal asked,
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effectively ignoring Buck's reasoning. "I'm not pushing out

this third baby until the second one is named. So get on
that, like, now."
Blaze allowed himself a second to bristle at the
commanding note in his mate's tone and then realized Tal
had experienced a very traumatic day and happened to be in
labor. With that thought in mind, Blaze looked down at the
second baby. He noticed the slight differences between the
newborn second son and his older brother. Whereas
Runequio had been a large, pink baby, the second appeared
slightly smaller and his skin much tanner than his brother's.
Runequio had hair so light it almost seemed transparent and
his second son had a head full of black hair.
"Samuei Roughshire," Blaze named the baby who
had ceased crying the moment he heard his father's voice.
Blaze's heart clenched and grew to make room for
the newborn boy who seemed to be pressing his body
closer to his father's chest.
With a quick and apologetic glance in Tal's
direction, Blaze placed the two newborns in the cushioned
box and turned back to Tal, ready to receive their next
child. Blaze leaned over Tal to kiss his forehead, his lips
barely grazing the other man's clammy skin, when his air
supply got cut off. His eyes widened when he realized Tal
had his hand around Blaze's throat. It only lasted for a brief
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moment before Tal eased his grip and clutched Blaze's

shirt, hauling him closer. Blaze looked over at Mailon in
shock and noticed the Elder pointedly looking away from
him, soft snorts emanating from his throat as if he were
trying not to laugh.
Two more sons were born, extremely close
together, holding hands, in fact. Tal screamed when he
pushed them through the opening in his belly, neither one
of them wanting to let go of the other. Blaze named them
Maximus and Maximillion, to the disappointment of his
mate who said Blaze would never be known as a 'naming
genius or even a name wizard'. Blaze didn't quite
understand the phrase and decided to ignore it, rather than
ask his already temperamental mate about it. He wondered
at the sound of growling he heard coming from the front of
the shuttle, where the other guards sat, but pushed it from
his mind when Mailon looked at him with a worried
expression.
They had arrived at the palace but still their
youngest baby, the last of the bunch and their only
daughter, had not yet been born. Blaze grew concerned, for
with each passing minute Tal groaned in more pain, panted,
bled from the slit in his stomach, and grew weaker. Blaze
refused to lose his mate. Something had to be done, and
quickly.
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"What's wrong with the last baby? Is she okay?" he

demanded.
His skin stretched taut across his bones as his wolf
demanded that he shift in order to handle the situation.
"I

am

uncertain,

Your

Highness,"

Mailon

responded.
"You're uncertain?" Blaze exclaimed. "Are you
fucking kidding me? You know what? You're fucking
fired," he growled.
"What?" Mailon asked.
He might be slightly irrational, but in that moment,
Blaze didn't care. His mate hurt, his daughter, his youngest
child hadn't been born, and Mailon didn't know what the
fuck was going on? Why the hell did he have an Epsilon
wolf if he was just going to let him down?
"B-Blaze?" Tal whispered, his throat sounded raw
from all the screaming he'd done.
Blaze turned and quickly crawled back to his mate's
side. "Yes, my love?" He placed gentle kisses on his lover's
forehead again, hoping this time he'd be able to achieve the
action without being strangled.
"S-s-scared," Tal stuttered.
Blaze could only watch when Talon's body
clenched with a fresh wave of pain.
"I know you're afraid, my heart, but we're going to
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help get the baby out and" Blaze tried to reassure his
mate only to be cut off.
"N-n-not me the baby, Lalani," Tal interrupted.
"Lalani?" Blaze questioned, feeling his lips pull up
into a smile.
"That's her name. You named the boys. Gave them
all those horrible names," Tal pointed out.
Blaze merely grinned before giving Tal a swift kiss
on his dry, chapped lips.
"H-help her, Blaze. H-help her come out, be born.
Not be scared. Help. Her," Tal choked, his words slurring
and getting slower.
His mate's body had weakened from the blood loss
and fear gripped Blaze, remembering what it felt like the
last time that he'd lost the man.
Frantic with worry, Blaze indulged the whim of the
smaller man and his brother left the shuttle, racing to find
the palace physician.
"Okay, baby, I will," he promised.
Kneeling beside his mate's stomach, he tuned out
the sounds of his four healthy newborn sons who were
sucking on the freshly made bottles that had been rushed
from the palace. The first few hours of a Tumaron
newborn's life were the most critical. They were required to
feed almost immediately in order to assure they would be
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able to shift properly. Something parents had begun to pay

strict attention to after everyone experienced the horror of
Elder Bryce's half-shift. Extremely grateful to Buck for
remembering to get the bottles, Blaze would thank his
brother for his thoughtfulness, but not yet, right then he had
to try to save his daughter's life. Blaze deeply inhaled his
mate's scent, his eyes closing in sweet rapture, the
intoxicating aroma soothing his jangling nerves.
"Hey, baby girl. Lalani," he spoke softly to his
unborn daughter. "Why don't you come on out, huh? You
have a lot of people waiting to meet you. Me, for one. I'm
your father, your"Blaze hesitated and looked up at Tal
with a grin"your daddy, Tal, your uncles Buck, Percy,
Mailon, Trenton, and Tuvarion, your aunt Josie and your
grandparents, your Daddy's parents, who will be here soon.
We all love you and want to meet you, my sweet girl. This
planet isn't scary. It's filled with so much happiness because
we all love you." His voice cut off on a sob.
The thought of losing both his daughter and his
mate at the same time flittered across his mind.
"I love you, my mate, my heart, my one and only.
My love," he said through the link.
Tal sighed with happiness just as the slit opened and
he began to push.
"I love you too," Tal responded aloud and grunted
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while pushing Lalani out completely, the placenta quickly

following after.
He collapsed back in exhaustion. Blaze watched
with barely concealed fascination when the slit closed
immediately, the line disappearing completely. Blaze
quickly took Lalani from Mailon's arms and cleaned his
daughter as best as he could. Lalani, who had only cried
softly for a moment, before settling peacefully in his arms,
struggled to open her eyes to see her father and Blaze
smiled down at his miracle baby.
"Let me see her," Tal requested tiredly, and Blaze
quickly placed their daughter in her daddy's arms.
"Here you go, Daddy," he teased.
"Daddy? So we're going to really stick with that,
huh?" Tal quirked an eyebrow, his voice sounding
extremely tired.
"It's the closest thing to mommy we have. It implies
intimacy and we know you're better at those things," Blaze
offered the explanation unrepentantly, his eyes twinkling
with mirth.
He knew that Tal was merely being difficult or was
just so exhausted that he'd forgotten that he'd been calling
himself daddy for the babies for a while. Blaze wouldn't
concern himself over his mate's reaction too much. Tal
hadn't been himself throughout the entire pregnancy or the
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Vicktor Alexander

labor. He would just ignore Tal's comments until after

things had calmed down some.
"I'm too fucking exhausted to discuss this right
now, Blaze. Just get me and the children to our rooms so
they can be properly cleansed, dressed, and they can be
placed in their cribs and I can be in my bed when I meet
my brothers. I'll just kick your ass later," Tal said irritably,
his words still slightly slurred and almost flowing together.
"Yes, my love." Blaze smiled when he opened the
door and stepped out of the shuttle then reaching back in
for the box that held all four of his sons. Buck offered to
take the babies and Blaze lifted a dazed Tal with baby
Lalani still held tenderly in his arms, and carried the two of
them to their suite.
Mailon, whom Blaze had named Maximillion and
Maximus after, brought up the rear, looking just as tired as
the new 'Daddy'.
"Elder Mailon?" Blaze called over his shoulder.
"Yes, Your Highness?" Mailon questioned, his
voice wavering slightly.
"I will not forget you saved my mate's life. You will
be rewarded handsomely, exalted, and remembered for all
time. I shall not forget," Blaze decreed.
"Y-yes, Your Highness," Mailon responded.
Blaze smelled the surprise rolling off the other
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man's skin.
"And you're rehired, as well," Blaze said with a
hearty chuckle.
Blaze looked down and saw the weary smile Tal
offered him and he walked slowly and carefully towards
their rooms, their daughter still held tenderly to Tal's chest.

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EPILOGUE
Blaze got Tal settled with the babies all carefully
placed on the bed securely around him, as he'd requested.
"I'm not used having them not kicking and moving
inside me, and we almost died, so I want them close," Tal
explained sadly.
Blaze could completely understand the feeling.
While he hadn't carried the children within him, he still felt
the overwhelming urge to wrap all five and his mate in a
giant impenetrable bubble. They had all experienced so
much he wanted everyone close so he could see they were
safe and well taken care of. Tal had it right, there would be
no nannies in his children's future.
Blaze couldn't be more aware he'd almost lost the
love of his life and his children because of someone's greed
and hunger for power. He didn't argue with Tal, merely
smiled and laid all the babies close to his exhausted mate
and placed pillows around them to keep them safe. Once
sure the babies were securely settled on the bed, he left to
bring Trenton and Tuvarion in to meet their eldest brother.
Both the young men had cried when Blaze had told them
their eldest brother was alive and well. More than that, he
was mated and expecting children. Blaze had been

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surprised when both teens told him they remembered their

older brother distinctly, and their parents, and he knew the
brothers would do a lot of catching up.
Josie had been found by her mate when Tal had
been giving birth, in the keepsake trunk Tal and Blaze kept
in their room. She had been sorely put out not only to have
been shoved into the small trunk while Tal had been
fighting for his life, but also horrified by what had been
inside of the trunk, declaring she'd never wanted to know
such things about her little brother.
Tal blinked at her in exasperation before he turned
and asked Blaze to remove everything inside the trunk and
then take the thing outside and have it burned. Tal wanted
no more physical or visual reminders of what had occurred
that day. Blaze commanded it be done without delay.
Another thing he understood completely, the need to have
no more remains of Elder Bryce, Anglania, and Freud's
evilness anywhere in their home.
He brought his mate's younger brothers to finally be
reunited with Tal. His last week had been so emotionally
draining all he'd really wanted was to sleep for a week, but
when he saw the look on his mate's face when he saw his
brothers for the first time in over a decade, he knew all of
the missed sleep would be worth it.
Like their older brother, Trenton and Tuvarion were
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short and thin and both had long hair, slim patrician noses,
and full, pouty lips. Trenton's eyes were almost a
translucent light brown and his hair, while almost the same
dark brown as Tal's, didn't have the blond streaks and fell
to the middle of his back. He also had faint muscles in his
arms, and a chiseled jaw. As for Tuvarion well Blaze
admitted he still wanted to see proof that the youngest
Versuthion brother was not a young girl.
Blaze gave himself a mental shake and tried to rid
himself of the effect of insane captivation Tuvarion seemed
to have over all the men of Tumaro. To Blaze, Tuvarion
was not nearly as attractive as Talon, but he could
definitely see the young... man, was indeed breathtakingly
gorgeous. His long, flowing blond hair, filled with loose
waves, fell to his knees and, very unlike his brothers whose
eyes hadn't changed quite as much at puberty, Tuvarion's
eyes were lavender. Along with his striking coloring, which
the kid had in spades, there was also his very diminutive
frame and androgynous features. His hands were small and
dainty and even his voice sounded soft and slightly husky.
Blaze knew that anyone any man who tried to
win the hearts of these two Vermithians had better be
prepared to work for them. They would not be easy to
control or lead, regardless of their size. Hadn't he learned
that very thing from his own mate? He thought of Rico.
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The man definitely had his work cut out for him when it
came to being mated to a Versuthion teen.
Blaze smiled when he heard Tal laugh as his
reunion with his younger brothers continued and he
proceeded to introduce them to their niece and nephews. He
loved being able to bring his mate a moment of joy. He
knew that his father was looking at him from the Great
Beyond with pride. He and Buck had reconciled, although
he was sure there was so much more going on behind the
scenes with his younger sibling that he wasn't even aware
of, which didn't sit well with Blaze. Percy settled within the
palace with a manner of contentment, although Blaze felt
quite certain that until Buck claimed the younger man, he'd
always look as if he were broken inside.
Blaze had also done one of the biggest things his
father had asked of him. He'd found all three of the
Versuthion boys and brought them to the kingdom to care
for them. Granted, Tal had showed up in a completely
unconventional manner and Blaze hadn't really had
anything to do with it, but Tal was there and that was all
that mattered.
Blaze couldn't be more thankful that his mate had
accepted their mating and given birth to their five beautiful
children. Moreover if he had to be honest, he was really
thankful for the crash that made it all possible.
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****
Tal sighed as he pulled the blanket up over Lalani
and slowly stepped away from her crib, backing out of the
nursery slowly and very quietly. It had taken him three and
a half hours, but he had finally gotten all of the babies to
sleep. Either he'd gotten better at putting them to bed or
they had decided to take it easy on their daddy that night
and fall asleep quickly.
It was at times like this, he almost considered taking
Blaze up on his previous 'Let's get a nanny, just in case.
Besides it's tradition' offer. However, he soon remembered
he loved putting his babies to bed, and he wouldn't change
it for anything in the world, especially because he loved the
moment when he looked at them and they were quiet and
asleep.
Happy he'd gotten out of the nursery without
waking any of them, Tal breathed a sigh of relief. He would
kill anyone who woke them before morning.
Softly closing the door, making sure to engage the
video and audio baby monitors in case one of the babies
needed him, he walked through the sitting room and headed
towards his and Blaze's bedroom. From there he'd go on
into the bathroom where he had a nice, long bubble bath
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waiting on him. He smiled when he noticed his two

younger brothers playing some game on the vid screen. He
was so happy to have them back in his life. Happy his
memory of them and their parents had started to come
back. Happy that his birth family, his adopted family, and
the family he'd mated into were whole.
Well almost. His smile quickly faded when he
saw Percy and Buck doing their level best to ignore the
mating pull. While thrilled to have his brothers and the
opportunity to grow closer to them daily, he hated watching
Percy and Buck drift further and further apart. The time
would come, soon, when Percy would give up on Buck
altogether and turn to the first available man he could find.
While Percy would never see Tal's brothers as love
interests, Tal had it on good authority that Duke Mufariso,
the Zeelithian diplomat, due to arrive any day, happened to
be single, gay, and had spoken to Blaze a time or two about
the man whose beautiful voice had been left on his
messenging device so many times. Tal could only hope that
Buck pulled his head out of his ass in time to stop Duke
from getting his cock into Percy.
Tal smiled over at Trenton and Tuvarion, walking
up behind them and ruffling their hair. He chuckled when
Tuvarion giggled and his grin grew when Trenton looked
up with a large smile. He and his brothers had a very
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emotional reunion, the two younger men sharing their

memories of their childhood with Tal. Tal had almost
dissolved into tears when Josie had told both young men
she would be adopting them as her younger brothers, and
he had sobbed harshly when his parents had agreed with
her statement.
He also noticed the way Rico watched Trenton
carefully when the Gamma guard had come to bring Buck a
report, and figured out Rico was Trenton's mate. It made
him smile because he knew Trenton would be well cared
for if Rico were the young man's mate. He placed a kiss on
each of his brothers' heads and turned to head back towards
his bedroom and his own mate. His gaze once again drifted
to Percy and Buck and his mind filled with thoughts of
their problems and possible solutions.
He was thinking of a plan to bring them together
when his thoughts were interrupted as strong arms lifted
him in the air and carried him off towards the bathroom,
one hand pressed to his mouth so he couldn't scream.
"I didn't want you to wake the babies." His mate's
deep voice rumbled in his ear.
"Good move there, slick. Now what did you carry
me in here for?" he questioned, letting one eyebrow stretch
up towards his forehead as he grinned at his older mate.
"I wanted to wash your back," Blaze replied with a
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lecherous gleam in his eye.

Tal smiled. "Well, whatever you want my Alpha
King. I am here to serve you."
Blaze snorted before gathering Tal into his arms. "I
love you, Talon."
"And I love you, Blazell," Tal responded.
Tal lifted his lips and pressed them against his
mate's, relishing in the love they shared, the children they'd
made together, the family they had, and their hearts, which
beat as one. The crash that brought him to Tumaro could
have been devastating, lives could have been lost, and love
would have never been experienced. Instead, it became the
best thing that ever happened. From what Blaze often told
him, he felt exactly the same way. Life, and the GPA,
would bring its own set of problems and dangers to Tal, his
mate, their children, family and friends, but for now, in that
moment, he would bask in their love.
The love between Talon Versuthion-Roughshire
and his Alpha King.

THE END

353

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

"Vic" wrote his first story at the age of ten about his
youngest sister and her destruction of the world with her
breath. Vic now enjoys writing about shifters, humanoids,
cowboys, firemen, rent boys, fairies, elves, dancers,
doctors, Doms, Subs, and anything else that catches his
fancy, all sexy men falling in love with each other and
having lots of naughty, dirty, man-on-man sex.
Author of the bestselling Tate Pack Series, Vic is a
huge fan of the 'happily-ever-after' ending but while his
characters all ride off into the proverbial sunset, all sexually
satisfied and in love, they all bear the scars of fighting for
that love, just like in real life. No fluff writer here, Vic's
stories can be slightly gritty, dark, and hard hitting, but the
reason for that, is that love is sweeter when it's been fought
for and won. Never satisfied with only one genre, every
book that Vic writes falls into more than one category and
has each main character experiencing more than one
orgasm.
Out and proud, Vic does not believe love only
comes in one form, one race, one gender and that not only
is gender fluid, but sexuality as well. Vic loves to make
people laugh and when he's not writing, or rather,
procrastinating in writing, he's reading, listening to Scrubs
or Criminal Minds on TVas well as other television
shows he schedules his week aroundor being distracted
from his writing by pictures of John Barrowman, Charlie
David and Shemar Moore.
Website
http://vicktoralexander.com
Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/AuthorVicktorAlexander
Twitter
twitter.com/vveeb

Blog
authorvicktoralexander.com
Yahoo Group
http://www.groups.yahoo.com/group/VicktorAlexander

ALSO BY VICKTOR ALEXANDER

Available from Silver Publishing
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THE WILGRIN CHRONICLES
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Ethan's Earl
TATE PACK
Unthinkable
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A Very Tate Christmas
Unassumed
A Tate Pack Serial Anthology: Love, Liquor, Chocolates &
Loyalty
(Includes A Very Tate Valentine's, A Very Tate St. Pat's, A
Holy Tate Easter, and A Tate Pack Memorial)
A Tate Pack Vacation