Page 17 of Cruel Alpha: Season One

I set my pen and paperwork aside, settling deeper into my seat to give them my full attention.

“I’m listening.”

Creed glances down at the clipboard in his hands. “We’ve had three-hundred-twelve births this week, and with Springtide upon us, that number is sure to rise in coming months.”

I do a bit of mental math, imagining he’s right. Peak mating season often doubles our usual monthly birth rate shortly thereafter, shoring up our numbers and targeted population growth.

It’s no secret that a robust clan is a powerful clan.

“Excellent. Any month we can avoid initiating the reproduction protocol is a good month.”

Both men nod in agreement. It’s been years since the High Chamber had to step in and enforce breeding mandates for all mated pairs, but no one’s forgotten how discontented the clan was with the decision. While most understood why the mandate was imperative, they still begrudged the imposition.

“What’s next on the agenda?” I ask, only now noticing Dimitri’s attention focused on my hand. I glance there, realizing a steady tremor causing it to shake.

Dimitri’s eyes narrow with suspicion, but I lower my hand beneath the desk, shooting him a warning glare. He won’t call attention to it if he knows what’s good for him.

I’m momentarily distracted by a thought, recalling this being how it started for my father. There were slight symptoms at first, but then more drastic ones. Ones that couldn’t be ignored.

Ones that turned him into a rage-filled recluse in the end.

It took years for things to progress that far, but he was stricken with it much later in his journey. Not when he thought he had his whole life ahead of him, like I foolishly believed.

“Well?” I push, sighing as I check my watch, waiting for one of the men to speak up.

Dimitri shifts in his seat, clearing his throat. “Um… she’s requested an audience with you. Again,” Dimitri adds.

“She?”

He closes his eyes, seeming to realize how vague he’d been. “Phaedra Bellerose, Clan Sedna’s alpha.”

He makes mention of her title like I don’t already know who the fuck she is. There’s an unidentified feeling in the pit of my stomach. It arose when, for the fraction of a second, I considered that the‘she’Dimitri spoke of was the beautiful renegade currently secured below ground.

I glare at my brother, aiming undeserved frustration in his direction because Phaedra isn’t here to receive it herself.

Which… thank the gods forthat.

“Have Zara inform Ms. Bellerose’s representative that I’m a very busy man. So, unfortunately, I’m forced to deny her request at this time.”

Or any other time.

That insufferable woman’s whims may bear weight in the south where she rules, but here in Clan Centauri territory, she’s easily ignored.

“Consider it done,” Dimitri answers with a nod.

“Back to the agenda,” I sigh, dispelling some of the frustration. “What’s next?”

“There was a disturbance near our Southerly border,” Dimitri informs me. “Guards reported that a small group were initially taken into custody for vandalism. They spraypaintedthison the side of an abandoned factory.”

He slides a photograph across my desk and the image before me doesn’t come as a shock. It’s been popping up quite a bit lately—a serrated dagger with the head of a serpent at the end of the handle.

“You said‘initially’.”

“Sir?”

I slide the photograph back to Dimitri. “The rebels. You said they wereinitiallybrought in for vandalism. What were the later charges?”

“Right. When the guards searched the satchels on their backs, more than one possessed what are believed to be homemade bombs.”

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