Page 42 of Shaken Knot Stirred

Lights in the convention hall dimmed. The doors were peeled open, and attendees flooded in. The LED screen above us blazed as the “K” and “B” of the family logo morphed into an elegant rendition of Star Knightbridge.

So much for keeping it low-key.

“Star,” Aria purred, an actual goddamn purr, as she linked her arm through mine. “What a pleasure it will be to serve you during the season.” She tugged me up onto the dais and swatted my brothers away like the annoying horseflies they were.

“Aria,” I feigned a smile as I pondered ways to murder Win, “this is all a little too much. I’m sure your duties at Paramour…”

“Nonsense. There’s nothing I love more than creating happy packs. Normally before I do any sort of matchmaking, I like to get a full picture of what you desire in your packmates. But in lieu of that, I have made note of some striking individuals for you to consider. And since joining an already formed pack is out of the question for you, shall we consider some of the morenotable betas?” She perched on the edge of the sofa and gestured for me to sit.

I swallowed hard and took my seat like a good boy. “I was actually going to go through the roster of Pantheon employees…”

She turned to me, horrified, like I had just murdered puppies in front of children.

“Star, while you will inherit Hotel Pantheon and other Knightbridge properties once you form your pack, I think we can find you more suitable packmates.”

“The general manager there is a beta, right? He’ll do.”

“What is that phrase? Ah yes, don’t shit where you eat.” Her tone slid from obsequious to menacing and back again in the blink of an eye. “Let’s start with the alphas, then. You’ll need at least one alpha or omega in your pack. Justice Twill, for example, he is…”

“Fuck no,” Win and Pay shouted together.

“Star would kill Twill within a year,” Win said, finally using my preferred name.

“Well, that would solve one of his problems. The will says ‘form a pack,’ not ‘keep one,’” Pay snickered.

“Pay, be a dear and fetch me a water with lime, please. It’s going to be a long night.”

Win and I hid smirks as Pay obediently toddled off to get that glass of water. Not even a Knightbridge was immune to the charms of a paragon.

Chapter 22

Nico

Juice. Candy. Juice. Candy.

Moxie needed a sugar boost. I pounded the two words into my head so that I couldn’t think about anything else. I shoulder-checked an alpha in my way.

“Find some fucking manners,” I snapped at the kid, practically vibrating with energy. Another man, another alpha, grabbed him by the back of the neck before he had a go at me.

“Fresh bite,” the older one said, apologizing, “he’s a little riled up. We good?” he asked. I stared at the mark on the kid’s neck, all red and angry looking. I just looked away and moved on.

His bite mark burns like it’s infected. It’llheal. The skin willgo back to being supple and smooth. My body will show no permanent marks of what I’ve done. Or what’s about to happen. I put my palm flat on the marble counter, trying to soak in the cool calm of the stone.

The pack bond is an alien presence. Normally alone in the room with Beg, I position myself to keep him in my field of vision. I don’t need that anymore. I have a general sense of wherever he is so long as we’re in the same room. Thank fuck that goes away with distance. I focus inwards to try to push that feeling off me. But that girl is there too. I still don’t know her name. Now that I have a good look at her, I don’t know how I could have mistaken her for Moxie. But that doesn’t matter either. This is permanent. And this will ruin everything.

Moxie is gone forever. I’ll lie, kill, whatever to make Beg believe she’s in the wind and untouchable. If I went to her, tried to find her, Beg would know because of this bite.

I hear the key in the lock of his apartment door. I feel sick delight invade every cell as Beg gets a metaphysical hard-on. He steps in, head down on his phone. I hang my head. I can’t look at the smile I know will make his face look divine.

“Hey,” he starts, and then his voice dies. Beg’s satisfaction grows in the tense silence. I trace a circle on the marble, like I can imprint all the good memories of this place into my very flesh.

“Get the fuck out, Beg.”

“What? No congratulations? It’s a big day for my pack.”

“Pack?”

Beg throws his arm over my shoulder and forces my head to the side, showing off what his teeth have done.

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