Page 14 of Their Beast Mate

"I call for a challenge," Mayhem said.

Vice ignored us. "Shayma, dear, how are you?"

"I've been better."

"I bet."

"Which one of the two beasts appeals most to you?"

I sat back down. The leather cushion felt like it held needles. If Shayma didn't pick me, I would have to kill my brother. Father would never forgive me. Father lived for the time we brought home our mates. He'd been mentioning this day since we were five years old, and every day after Mom died.

"I don't see why I can't have both." Shayma squared her shoulders.

Silence.

Shayma looked around. "What?"

"We are beasts," Norem said. "We do not share."

"Well, that's on you." She got up. "I'm leaving the court. I've been here long enough, waiting, hoping—and for what? So I could be lied to? I don't even know what all this means. If you don't share, then one of you is lying. I can't tell which, Mayhem can't tell me, and my papers won't be Viced. So, fuck y’all."

Norem and I stood. My mate wasn't going anywhere without me.

Silent, Lore approached us from the back. Mayhem growled, as Norem spun around to defend us from behind. I had Mayhem. We crouched, my knee making me unstable. I propped my hand on the chair.

"Wait a minute," Vice said, urgency in his voice. "Stand down. Shayma, I read files. It's what I do. Lers, our… doctor, reported unusual brain activity when he examined your potential mates. He believes they are somehow reaching out to each other, and with training, they could develop telepathy. That's why Jamie sent them to Mayhem." He glared at us. "You were sent to find your inner connection, not your inner asshole. Stand down, because we should explore the possibility of Shayma being your connection. The possibility of… of… I don't believe it's in our vocabulary. My translator is drawing blanks."

"I'll help," Shayma said. "It's called a ménage à trois. And it’s not official if it's not Viced. I want a real paper pairing document I can put in my purse and show to my sister, ’cause she ain't gonna believe me."

Vice rummaged through his desk, found a stack of papers, and waved them at the screen. "Norem and Zenor."

"Second."

"You will sort yourselves out and treat your mate as you should. In case one of you is not her true mate, he will be executed. At this time, all hear Shayma of Norem and Zenor."

"Hear."

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