Page 94 of Claim of Blood
“And after you were intimate?”
Leo thought back to the bedroom—the intensity of being between them. “I came back to myself faster,” he said slowly. “Usually, I get stuck in this pleasure-fog for hours after being claimed. But with Lander there, it was like I had something to hold on to. I felt... clearer.”
Elisabeth beamed. “Exactly. With Johan, Andreas, and me, we found the third anchored things. Balanced the energy. Especially in moments of emotional intensity.”
Elisabeth’s expression suddenly shifted, her head tilting toward the doorway with predatory awareness. “Maja, darling, do stop lurking. It’s unbecoming.”
Leo startled as Maja appeared in the doorway, her platinum hair scraped back in a severe bun. Where Adam went, Maja followed—except Adam wasn’t due home for hours. Her presence during business hours made the hairs on his neck rise.
“I wouldn’t be lurking if Adam wasn’t acting like a fledgling with his first blood high,” she said, heels tapping over hardwood as she crossed the room. Every step was crisp, composed. Buther voice—it cracked just enough to betray her worry. “I’ve never seen him like this, Elisabeth. Not once.”
Elisabeth’s smile faded. “What happened?”
“He snapped an oak conference table in half.” Maja sat beside her, movements fluid but tense. She clasped her hands in her lap, holding them still. “Yesterday. After Lander canceled their lunch meeting.”
Leo’s face burned. “He what?”
“Right down the middle.” Maja shook her head. “The look on our human CFO’s face...” Her eyes turned icy, unfocused. “He’s short-tempered, restless, hostile. I had to reschedule half the day—he nearly took someone’s head off for mislabeling a financial chart. I’ve seen him furious, calculated, dangerous. But this? This is something else. He’s unraveling.”
“And it began after Lander withdrew?” Elisabeth’s tone sharpened, her brows lifting.
Maja nodded. “He was already tense since—” her eyes flicked to Leo, “—but it spiked after that missed meeting. He’s furious, confused... and I think it’s scaring him.”
Elisabeth hummed softly. “Johan was the same when Andreas first pulled away. They don’t know what to do with rejection. Especially from someone they’ve already begun to see as theirs.”
“But the claiming,” Maja said, eyes shifting to Leo. “Shouldn’t that stabilize him?”
“It helps the physical symptoms,” Elisabeth said. “But emotional destabilization is... harder. Especially when your son is flinging himself into avoidance like it’s an Olympic sport.”
Maja’s eyes narrowed. “So what do we do?”
Leo found his voice. “How do I fix it?”
“You’re his claim,” Maja said simply. “His perfect match. There has to be something...”
Elisabeth gave a small sigh. “Time helps. Johan and Andreas sorted themselves out, eventually. But I’d warn the staff. Adam’s already snapped one piece of furniture—more may follow.”
Maja stood, jaw tight. “Maybe someone needs to beat sense into him.”
“No!” Leo jumped to his feet. “I’ll do it. I’ll talk to Lander.”
She paused, gaze raking over him like she wasn’t quite convinced. “Fix this, little hunter,” she said. “Before I do it my way.”
Her heels disappeared down the hall. A moment later, Johan entered, his presence quiet but commanding. He didn’t speak. Just crossed to Elisabeth and pulled her into his arms.
“How bad is it?” he murmured against her hair.
Elisabeth leaned into him. “Our son’s being impossible, Adam’s unraveling, and Leo’s apparently in charge of emotional triage.”
Johan’s chest rumbled with quiet amusement. “As usual.”
Leo took that as his cue to leave.
His heart slammed against his ribs as he approached the first servant he saw—a young woman arranging flowers with the delicate focus of someone trying very hard not to hear anything else happening in the house.
“Lander?” Leo asked, forcing his voice steady.
“The basement, sir. In one of the alcoves.” She didn’t look up.
