Page 96 of Altius
Why wasn’t I the alpha in her bed? Why had it taken me so long to recognize the truth of Joaquin’s words—that shewasperfect for us?
But things were different now. I wasn’t a high school student keeping the bills paid with prize money from academic competitions.
I was the head of my own long-awaited pack.
My incomplete pack.
Yes, the situation was entirely different. I had the power to change things. An infinite number of things.
Including my mind…and our timeline for courting Morgan.
***
Alijah hummed as he bustled about the kitchen the following morning, freshly showered and shaved, wearing proper clothes for the first time in days. A good night’s sleep had done wonders for our beta.
He placed a fruit salad and a basket of toast on the dining room table, then doubled back when the timer went off, where Joaquin was already pulling a sausage egg casserole out of the oven.
Joaquin still looked a little rough around the edges. But his haggardness was nothing compared to Cal’s. He was on his third cup of coffee, and the bags behind his glasses were so dark you’d be forgiven for assuming Wyatt had given him a pair of black eyes.
He’d only gotten a few hours of decent sleep before his phone exploded with the latest Carling family drama.
Some shareholders had gotten wind of his cousin Roddy’s habitual embezzlement and were demanding answers. Chaz was dithering, trying to arrange a graceful exit for his alpha nephew instead of handling the problem.
Cal had spent most of the night and early morning reassuring Spencer and pulling covert strings on Heather’s behalf.
Even now, he was texting with Verray board members, convincing them to back Heather because she’d been doing Roddy’s job all along. Not that she deserved Cal’s assistance.
It was ironic. As much as the Belcrests loved seeking fame, they never stabbed each other in the back. Spotlights, like sunlight, were a remarkable disinfectant.
“Shit,” Morgan hissed at the other end of the table, wearing one of Cal’s sweaters, frowning at her laptop.
“Everything okay?” Wyatt asked, topping up her water.
He woke up looking like a new man today. The very picture of health. He was brighter, more vivid than in recent weeks, with eyes so clear and sparkling that no one could look directly at him—Morgan in particular.
She shied away from Wyatt, double-clicking her wireless mouse with a vengeance. “Got another rejection.”
“Their loss,” he said, giving her a vigorous shoulder rub.
Morgan dislodged his hands with a swift shove. “The free pass for intimacy expired yesterday.”
“Are you still upset about the shorts? I gave them back. Do you want more? I’ve got tons.”
Morgan turned and hit my brother with a first-rate death stare.
He cowered, raising his hands in defeat, and backed away. “I got it, I got it. Sorry.”
“Brunch is served!” Alijah announced, setting the casserole on the table.
The conversation while we ate was minimal, but more spirited than last night. Wyatt risked asking Morgan a few tactful questions about her job hunt. Joaquin leaned over, rubbing the back of Alijah’s neck while he whispered compliments in his ear. Cal drank his fourth cup of coffee.
And I was content to bide my time.
When Joaquin and Wyatt started clearing plates, I crossed to the console table along the back of the sofa and removed five sets of paperwork from the folder in my laptop bag. Returning to the table, I placed one copy of the PheroPass gymnasticsproposal at Wyatt’s place, then handed a proposal and an employment contract to Cal and Morgan.
“What’s that?” Alijah asked, leaning over to read the title of Morgan’s copy of the proposal. “Looks official.”
“The fuck?” Wyatt strode out of the kitchen, charging right at me. Despite knowing I could drop him with a snap of my fingers. “Morgan already said no mating stuff. This was just for her heat!”
