Page 142 of Her Males

It’s firm and authoritative, and it has me gulping. I want him to talk tomelike that. His grip on me tightens as he feels my interest through our bond. He knows I like when he’s bossy, and I have a feeling he’s been playing nice because of everything going on with Gray and Silas.

The demon nods, turning red as he shuffles his feet and clears his throat.

“Yes, sir.”

“Great,” Aziel says. “Let’s begin.”

He nudges me forward, and I ignore all the eyes glaring daggers into me as I follow the demon down the nearest hallway to our left. My males trail behind, their presence bringing me comfort. I’m sure they’re doing it on purpose, putting me in a position to lead and show the Wraths my confidence.

The man quickly shows us around, walking us through the spacious bedrooms before moving to the dining area and lounge rooms. This place is thousands of times nicer than the facility I lived in, the walls painted bright colors and the lounge rooms containing enough hobbies to keep even the most obscure person busy.

We make it back to the main entrance just as the shifters arrive, each teleported by two or three Wrath warriors.

These Wraths give me the same disgusted looks as the others, but I refuse to react. They disapprove of me, which is a bit hurtful. I wasn’t expecting Aziel’s people to accept me with open arms, but I wasn’t anticipating they’d look at me with such hatred.

I know they wanted him to choose somebody with more strength, preferably another demon, and they’re both confused and upset I was his choice. Aziel said they should feel happy he has a fate and an incubus. Wraths typically only bond with one person, but Aziel is choosing three.

Two of whom are reputable and strong in the eyes of the Wraths.

Well, Silas is, but his people have already grown used to and come to accept Gray.

A few of the shifters stumble to the room’s corners and get sick as they materialize, their backs curving as the travel upsets their stomach. I’m not usually queasy, but the sight has me turning away with a deep heave. Hands wrap around my stomach and move me into a corner, pulling my hair out of my face as I gag.

“This brings back some fun memories.” Gray chuckles, referring to the first time he teleported me.

I wince at the memory of getting sick all over his shoes. Gray refuses to let me go as I fix my shirt and clear my throat, feeling weak. I wanted to make a good impression today and vomiting all over the floor isn’t exactly showcasing my strength.

The shifters are dramatic in their recovery, loudly shouting at Aziel’s men for their painful transitions. Kato and Chev stand to the side, chatting with a worried-looking Aziel. Aziel’s eyes dart to me before he places his hand on the nape of Silas’s neck, silently keeping the fate from attacking Kato.

I’ve never seen Silas look at somebody with such hatred before, and I find myself intimidated by the intensity of it. His eyes soften when they land on me, and they slide down my body to ensure I’m okay before returning to Kato.

“Sorry,” I say, speaking quietly so only Gray can hear.

He laughs. “It’s fine. I’m good with things like this, especially spit-up and poop. I have many little siblings, and I oversaw handling a lot of the day-to-day care when—” Gray’s rant is cut short as he notices the glares Aziel and Silas are shooting in his direction.

If looks could kill, he’d be long dead.

Gray quiets and leads me back to Aziel. Aziel quickly wraps me in his arms while we wait for everybody to settle. Some of the more dramatic shifters take a while, but they quiet once they see we’re waiting.

“It’s unfortunate the travel wasn’t ideal for you. I’ll provide those of you with weaker stomachs an additional Wrath for your return journey,” Aziel says, his words causing everybody to straighten up.

If there’s anything the shifters hate, it’s being called weak.

I step out of Aziel’s arms, not wanting to look like I’m relying on him for support. This is my project, and I want everybody to see that.

“This is one of the largest facilities, and over ten thousand females were successfully assimilated back into Wrath from this building,” I say, my voice surprisingly strong. “Women born before the decline stayed for about eight months, usually just until they found work and secured a place to live. The women born after stayed for about four years, learning trades and filling gaps in their education before leaving.”

I suck in a deep breath before continuing.

“It took about seven years to reach a point where the facilities were no longer needed, and now there are three females born for every five Wrath couples,” I continue, hoping I’m explaining everything properly.

The shifters nod, taking everything in. I pause to see if they have any questions, and I turn to our tour guide when none come up. Everything I just said was detailed in the documents I shared with the shifters the other day, so I hope the lack of questions means they read through it.

Aziel introduces our guide, a tall, muscular demon with a name I struggle to pronounce, before stepping to the side so the shifters can pass. They do so quickly, speaking quietly to themselves and even taking pictures.

I’m sure more than one of them has been told by their mates to bring back images, and I smile as I watch Kato try to figure out how to use his camera. He’s hopeless. Chev ends up taking it from him so he can take the photos himself.

Aziel and the guide take turns answering all the shifter’s questions, the men curious about everything from the food served to the amount of money the females were given upon release. They seem intrigued, which is good, and even the most hesitant shifters find something to get excited about during the tour.

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