Bloodlust

Blackmail

— VENICE —

The heat and weight of the hand on my shoulder permeated the thin material of my shirt. Stiffening, I glanced at Macay and found him glaring at the hand on me.

I turned to acknowledge the King Alpha before things got awkward. Alasdair's piercing amber eyes held mine as he smiled.

"Good morning, Miss Sweeney," he said. "I trust my care team took excellent care of you and Mr. Wood?"

I returned his smile and turned in the chair to face him. As a result, his hand fell away from my shoulder.

"I can only speak for myself, but yes, certainly. Franklin and the maids were all wonderful."

"Glad to hear it." He looked to Macay and his smile stretched even wider. "How are you this morning, old friend?"

Macay chuckled, rolling his eyes. "I'm well, but barely. You almost killed me with those bourbon shots."

I observed them in mild amusement.

"Alpha Forester and I go way back," Alasdair informed me. "We see each other so rarely these days that I insisted we play a few hands of poker last night before bed."

Macay rubbed his cheek, a reminiscent glimmer in his eye. "Yes, and I can say with certainty that I can't hold my alcohol the way I used to."

I laughed softly. "Well, my hangover looks a lot rougher than yours, so I'd say you're doing well."

"That comes from years of practice," Alasdair snickered.

Some of the tension and stress leaked out of me with their banter. I knew I needed to approach the subject of speaking alone with Alasdair, I just hadn't found the right words.

"Don't go telling her all my secrets now," Macay huffed sourly, despite the curl at the ends of his mouth. "A little mystery is healthy."

Snorting, Alasdair clapped a hand on his friend's shoulder. "Yes, indeed." He arched a brow at me. "Well, you may imagine why I felt the need to celebrate when Macay told me he'd found his mate."

I nodded. "Of course. I understand second-chance mates are rare?"

"And even more so with humans," he added. "I couldn't be more pleased to know that human was you, Miss Sweeney. Funny how things just work out, don't they?"

"I would have to agree," I said. "As you know, Alpha, I didn't even know what a mate was when I got here."

Alasdair bowed his head. "Yes, you've learned quite a bit about lycan norms since arriving in my territory. Tell me, how does this all compare with the traditions upheld by the Princeps."

My brain floundered at the mention of them. I cleared my throat, praying they couldn't see the falter in my smile.

"Very different," I said, glancing between the men. "The Princeps are not so . . . accommodating."

"Will you have to return to them after today?" Alasdair inquired. "I do hope they won't interfere with any arrangements between you and Alpha Forester. He has suffered immensely in this life and you are just the bit of good fortune he has long needed."

"We haven't made any arrangements yet," Macay said. "I wanted her to decide whether accompanying me appealed to her. There hasn't been much time for us to establish a bond yet."

"I see." Alasdair's signature smile reappeared. "Well, today is an excellent opportunity for that. You make for a lovely couple and I wish you all the happiness. Please let me know if I can be of any assistance."