Page 67 of Escalating Alpha

“I think you need to remember who you’re speaking with, Alpha Sera,” someone interjected. “This is what your peopleasked for.”

I met the aide’s gaze and raised an eyebrow. “Did you see the signs that only authorized personnel are allowed to be armed in this building? None of you are. We have everything posted including no one is allowed to enter ourpackhousewithout invitation. Were you invited?”

“Yes,” he snapped. “Your lover said the only way this would happen would be if the president came in person!”

That was news to me. I couldn’t have seen any of them doing that.

But it was true. The new president’s eyes were confident.

“You don’t need this many Secret Service agents. Send half of them out,” I instructed. I growled when they argued. “You’re not supposed to be in here armed. I was giving a fucking concession. You can’t save him if I want him dead anyways, so it’sinsultingthat you came—there are a dozen of you armed to the teeth like I’m a fucking threat.”

“Do it,” he agreed. “Two of you stay.”

If he was going to be reasonable, I would be too. “Thank you.” I turned to the aide. “Who did you—” I tried not to flinch when Hagan came bursting through the door.

His eyes were comically wide before he looked at me. “Okay, I fucked up and I’ll accept any punishment, but I thought the guy was screwing with me. They need to communicate better and enough with this cloak and dagger shit.”

I got enough from his emotions and images since I’d already taken off my ring. “You didn’t know he was an aide to the president.”

“No, he sounded like a crazy guy,” he sighed, shrugging when several people didn’t like that response. “He wouldn’t tell me who hewasand pulled the whole ‘I know who he is’ when I asked for ID or like information. Then he was getting too upset that I wouldn’t call you home like I was the boss of you and he was the king of the moon. I told him—”

“I get it,” I sighed. I went to address it, but Brian came flying through the door next.

“He doesn’t follow politics or the administration, but I do, and I didn’t recognize you either, so clearly you’re not working in anyone’s best interest here,” Brian said firmly. “And I think you need to leave with the other agents.” He glanced at me. “Welcome home.”

I snorted. “Yeah, I haven’t slept and I’m starving again. Everything is a mess and—”

He moved closer and kissed my hair. “You did the right thing. You always do and we’ll get through this. All of it. Say the word and we’ll kick him out of Chicago.” He nodded when I couldn’t hide my shock and gestured to the president in his ball cap and normal clothes. “He’s not here officially. We know what he wants.”

“I want a real discussion with Alpha Sera who I have never evenmetbeforewefigure out how to de-escalate the situation and get our country back on track,” the president interjected, his gaze never leaving mine. “We do have similar goals and—”

“Don’t,” I chuckled darkly. “Don’t start this by underestimating me.”

Hagan snickered when he seemed confused. “You have something prepared that won’t be lying because you’re not stupid, but you’re also not going to be real with her. That’s not going to win you anything here. We’re real in Chicago. Sera’s worked with a lot of people who—sometimes you have to work with the devil for the greater good. We all know this.”

Thatgot a reaction and he gave Hagan a pissed look. “I’m not the devil.”

“You might be to us depending on where you land,” I told him. “It’s also why none of us are addressing you with respect. We’re tired of giving it when we don’t get it.”

“I called you Alpha. It wasn’t a dig. I do respect the order you keep,” he responded… Carefully. He sighed when I didn’t bite. “I don’t want you all shipped to Greece and bombed. That’s insanity. You didn’t do anything to have ahittaken out on you. Nor your son. You’re not animals. You are citizens.”

“He’s telling the truth, but there’s more to what he’s saying,” the ancient hedged.

Yeah, there was.

I had the flash of a generic baby and understood. “You don’t like that I’m raising a human.”

“No. And yes, I want to see the child before I go on the—Ineedto know the child is truly as well taken care of before…”

“I can’t hate him when his worry is filling the whole lobby,” Hagan grumbled. He met my gaze. “I don’t like this though.”

“Me neither,” Brian sighed, probably realizing that I would do it though.

“You can take one agent with you—unarmed,” I told the president. “I haven’t been home in two days nor seen my son. You can come up and view the honest reaction and how loved the little bugger is—how happy he’ll be to see me and two of his dads even.” I waited until he nodded. “But if either of you ever speak about any of it—”

“We’ll bury you,” Brian growled deeply.

“I don’t know we can call him Boy Scout anymore,” Hagan muttered.

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