Filed To Story: Claimed by the Alpha I Hate Book Read Free
There was the Hallows Eve fundraiser followed by the Samhain ritual to mark the end of the Harvest
Season, which paved the way into our yearly Festival of the Witches, a large-scale event that showcased all forms of magic and the incredible things they could accomplish. Last year had been an absolute hit, even with the Vampire’s and Werewolves’.
Painting a murderous expression on my face, I wrenched open the door and glared at the interruption that dared pull me away from my ever growing mountain of work.
“Is there a reason you’re bothering me during school hours, young lady.”
Breyona’s eyebrows launched halfway up her forehead. She let out a startled laugh and held. her hands up in surrender, a feat that was no doubt difficult with the baby bag she had slung over her arm.
“You’ve gotten pretty good at your Headmistress voice. For a second, I was afraid I’d get suspended.”
Her face broke out into a grin. It was so damned cheery that I couldn’t fight the urge to return it.
“Get the hell in here.” I chuckled, yanking her through the doorway and into my arms. Pulling out of the quick hug I smirked, “you get suspended a lot in school, huh?”
She waved me off, winking at Giovanni as he sauntered into the room. “Oh, you know. Here and there.
It’s Daisy that was the troublemaker. I just tagged along for the ride.”
“Hah! I can believe that.”
As I settled into my chair, I quickly realized we were missing a head. Breyona and Giovanni were both here, but their little one wasn’t.
“Where’s Vince?” I asked curiously. It had been too long since I’d last seen the curly-haired pipsqueak.
“We dropped him off at the daycare.” Breyona replied, referring to the service we offered all our staff here. There were a few single parents working at the Magisterium, and I’d be damned if I left them without a safe means of childcare.
Giovanni grunted, which seemed to be his main form of communication. “The daycare was a good idea.”
“Wasn’t it?” Breyona gasped, her enthusiasm evoking a wave of pride that swelled in my chest. “Holly’s been thinking about opening one back home.”
“I can confidently say it’s changed the way the professors and staff work around here. They don’t have to worry about where their children are or who are watching them. Tell her to give me a call if she has any questions. I’d be glad to help out.”
“I’ll make sure she gets the message.” Breyona chirped.
Just then, the door to my office swung open a hair. The face of my assistant, a young witch named
Mariam, poked her head through the opening.
“Sorry, ma’am. There’s been…uh, a bit of an incident in the daycare. There’s a young boy that was just dropped off that’s…well, he stole a child’s toy and made it vanish.”
A curse slid past Breyona’s lips. “Was the toy wolf themed, by chance?”
Mariam nodded, her dimpled chin bouncing hurriedly. “Yes. It was a figurine, actually.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll handle this. Stay and chat before we head out.” Breyona ran her fingers along her mate’s shoulder before slipping out the door, following the delicate clink of Mariam’s heels along the linoleum.
My lips peeled back in a grin that was all teeth. “I see Daisy isn’t the only troublemaker. My only question is did Vince inherit it from you or from Breyona?”
Giovanni’s unusually stoic demeanor shifted as his eyes twinkled and the corner of his lips. quirked up.
The man was the Vampire equivalent to an unbreakable safe. Coaxing more than a handful of words from him was difficult for most, but I’d often get the feeling Giovanni and I had more in common than I initially thought.
“Do I look like a troublemaker?” He asked in a slightly accented voice.
I made a show of looking him up and down, starting with his mess of curly hair. He’d thank his Italian ancestry one day when he was ninety years old and still had a head of ebony hair. Not only that, but his skin would remain the same rich bronze that I had to bake under the sun for hours to emulate.
“You’ve got a calm exterior; I’ll give you that. I’m still willing to bet there’s a troublemaker just below the surface.” I said teasingly. “Vince has a thing for wolves?”
“Calling it a thing is putting it lightly. He’s obsessed with them. Breyona believes it’s a sign he’ll shift later in life. There’s no telling which side he’ll lean more towards genetically.”
“He’s still drinking blood though, correct?” I asked, taking Giovanni’s grunt as confirmation. “Seems he’s falling right in the middle of the spectrum. Only time will tell, but I’m excited to keep watch.
Remember to send me any new developments so I can record them. It’ll be beneficial for future mixed generations. Anyhow, tell me about things in your pack. How’s Daisy and the twin’s doing?”
“I’ll make sure you get what you need. Daisy’s doing well. The twins just turned five. It’s a bit eerie how much they take after their parents. I’m sure you’ve heard the news. If you haven’t, you will when you head over and see them.”
Since Tessa’s pregnancy announcement eight months ago, the pack has been even more hectic. than usual. Both the Wolves and Witches are bursting with excitement to welcome in the newest leader. It’s why Daisy and Nolan made the trip all this way, along with Breyona and Giovanni. The others would be arriving any day now as well.
Soon, the celebrations would begin.
There was a weight to Giovanni’s statement that gave me pause, something I couldn’t help but feel 1
was missing. The pieces snapped together with an audible click, and my mouth dropped in surprise.
“She’s pregnant again, isn’t she?”
The slight tilt to Giovanni’s head told me I was correct. He ran his fingers down his neatly trimmed beard. His dark eyes flashed once, then twice. For just a moment, they seemed far away. I recognized that look because more than once Brandon had pointed it out on my own face.
“Things are so different now, aren’t they?” I mused, my voice no louder than a whisper.
“Sometimes I think I’ll wake up and find myself still working for the Vampire King, and that all of this was just one big dream.” Giovanni said, folding one of his legs atop the other. Despite the thoughtful tone his voice had taken on, there was a weight to it that wrapped around my heart and squeezed to the point of pain.
“It doesn’t feel real, does it?”
His eyes slid across the room to meet my own. “No, it doesn’t.”
“You and Breyona came from different worlds, yet you made it work How’d you give in so easily?” I couldn’t help but take advantage of this moment alone with him and ask. The question had been weighing on my mind ever since finding out about their history. Even now, the mark on his neck shone brightly, a beacon that warned off all unmated Vampire’s and Werewolves.
Giovanni seemed to consider my question for several seconds, staring down at the palms of his hands as though they held the answer.
“I knew I wanted her the moment I felt the connection between us. I might’ve grown up wealthy, but that meant nothing to the Vampire King. You were either his servant, or you were his enemy. I’ve had to fight for what I wanted the entirety of my life, but I’d never wanted something the way I wanted
Breyona. When you’re that desperate for just a fraction of happiness, the consequences just fade away.”
I nodded slowly, trying my best to understand even though there were parts I couldn’t fully grasp. “You weren’t afraid she’d leave you?”
Giovanni tilted his head, regarding me in a way that made me feel like a specimen on display. ” No, never. Even if I had been, the prospect of a life with her was worth enduring that fear. Whether it be weeks, months, or just a few short years, any amount of time with her is well worth it.”
All day Giovanni’s words tumbled in my head, fueling the fire that Brandon had ignited earlier this morning. By the time the final bell rang, there was an aura of certainty that filled my entire being. I hadn’t realized it until now, but with it came a sense of security I’d been searching for my entire life.
New Book: Veiled Desires of the Alpha King Novel
Dayson was the alpha of the largest pack in North America. Powerful figures from other packs sought to offer gorgeous girls as potential mates for Dayson. He steadfastly rejected these advances, he was not a pawn to be manipulated. But eventually there came a mysterious girl he could hardly say No. Who was she?