A King to Be Feared

by Brea Alepoú

  “After breakfast, we can check out the parameters,” Adom offered.

  Titos nodded, joining back into the conversation. Still, his mind stayed focused on the bond with Kail, waiting for when he would open back up.

  “Aren’t you supposed to be on the other side of the house?” Kail said.

  He felt the moment Alfrik got close to him. Kail by all means should have kept walking. Needed to—his brain was a mess, and his emotions were no better. And yet Kail had stopped moving, waiting for when the lava bear shifter would be close enough to talk. He could have talked to him mentally, but Kail had distanced himself from all of them. It was like placing a blanket over a flashlight. He was still connected to everyone, but it was muffled.

  “You have this whole acting-out thing down pat, don’t you?”

  Kail turned on his heels and gave Alfrik a glare from the deepest part of his annoyed soul. “Fuck off.”

  The redheaded lava bear shifter seemed unfazed by Kail’s words as he continued to get closer to him.

  “You’ve known me, what, a week and now, what, it makes you an expert or some shit?”

  Alfrik stopped only a few inches from Kail, the body heat that wafted from the man so strong it penetrated Kail to his core. The urge to get closer to the other man was unwanted and annoyed the hell out of Kail. Living on the streets hadn’t prepared him for any of the shit he was facing. People just didn’t randomly crave others. Kail would say he was going insane—the jury was still out on that thought—but the desire to be near and touch others was only ever applied to Titos and the other keepers.

  Kail never had this problem before while he was on the streets. Getting close to people was the last thing he ever wanted. Yet ever since saying yes to Titos, Kail found himself being drawn to others.

  Kail forced himself to take a step back. He wasn’t showing defeat. Not at all. He was simply putting some much-needed space between them. A slow smirk appeared on Alfrik’s face. Kail had an urge to pull his thick red beard, just to wipe the knowing grin off the man’s face.

  “You know things would be much easier if you just went along with it,” Alfrik said in his deep, smooth voice.

  Kail shrugged. That was probably true, and he’d been going along with everything since he met Titos, Seth, Mazki, and Adom, but how much longer could he continue to do so without asking reasonable questions and concerns?

  “Yeah, so what.” How was he supposed to be okay with all the changes to his life? “Let me be complicated. Unlike any of you, I didn’t grow up around all of this.”

  Alfrik’s face softened, and it just pissed Kail off even more. He didn’t need anyone’s pity or their sympathy. Fuck it all.

  “So why join Titos in the first place? Why become a keeper?” Alfrik’s relaxed and calm features should have been more of a balm to Kail’s fried nerves, but it was having the opposite effect on him.

  Kail balled his fist. He’d much rather fight than answer any questions. Where the hell is a bad guy? They hadn’t been short of them before. He didn’t feel right attacking Alfrik, no matter how the giant of a man pissed him off. He still felt a connection with him. It was all so weird but comforting in a way.

  “I thought I’d find somewhere to belong.” Kail shrugged and turned away from Alfrik; he couldn’t stomach the sight of any more pity. “But even here I am strange. I’m clueless about literally everything. I don’t even know what the fuck I am.”

  Scorching heat moved closer and lapped at his back. Kail stayed still as Alfrik’s thick arms wrapped around him, and his broad chest rested against Kail’s back. The warmth that penetrated Kail’s body eased his muscles, but he fought his body’s natural reaction to relax in the big man’s arms. Stay strong.

  “I can’t say I know what you’re feeling. I’ve known who and what I am my whole life.” Alfrik’s voice rumbled his big chest and sent little vibrations throughout Kail.

  Kail gritted his teeth. Lucky you.

  Alfrik tightened his arms, not letting Kail go. “But from what I noticed, everyone is willing to answer any and all your questions.”

  “Yeah, but I get tired of asking questions,” Kail grudgingly said.

  Alfrik hummed, but he didn’t pull away from Kail. They stood there for what felt like forever. And no matter how hot Kail felt, he didn’t have it in him to ask Alfrik to pull away. Because through all his tough-guy act, he relished in the feeling of being so close to someone. Of having that connection.

  “I doubt it will make you feel any better, but this is new to me too.”

  Kail scoffed.

  “Really,” Alfrik said.

  Kail rolled his eyes and attempted to move away from Alfrik, but the brute tightened his arms, not giving even a little to Kail.

  “Yes, I grew up knowing what I am. Who, well, I don’t think anyone knows that. We can be told who we are our whole lives, but that doesn’t mean it’s true. If I’d listened to who I am supposed to be, I doubt I’d ever have met any of you or pledge myself to Titos.”

  “What do you mean?” Kail asked, his curiosity piqued. It was insane they were all connected beyond any level. Could feel each other’s emotions and talk mentally. Seth could even mentally enter their bodies. Yet they didn’t know each other.

  Kail sighed. He wanted to know, and a crazy part of him wanted to share more about himself. He’d always kept his past and the shit he went through buried deep, never sharing it with others. Titos had been witness to one of the few horrors Kail had faced as a child who happened to be different.

  “Who would you be if you’d listened?” Kail asked.

  He doubted he’d be alive if he listened to half the shit people had told him.

  Alfrik grunted. “Let’s see. According to my mother, I’d be in Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, and Florida territory serving the queen there as her alpha. My father, on the other hand, he’d much prefer it if I’d taken his spot as alpha. If I’d listened to the queen like a good faithful edoli, I’d be on my way to New York to serve the king there. Of course, as the alpha.”

  Kail bit down on his bottom lip, not saying anything at first. The way Alfrik had listed his choices was clear he didn’t see any appeal in any of them.

  “Are you upset that you aren’t alpha here?”

  A laugh made Alfrik’s chest rumble, and Kail couldn’t help but smile. It was void of the anguish from before, full of pure light.

  “Hell no. Do you know how much work being the alpha is?”

  Kail shook his head because he had no fucking clue about any of it.

  “Although Titos runs things differently than most royalty. The alpha usually has to connect themselves to the other keepers; they are in charge and must make sure no one steps out of line with their master.”

  Kail thought about Seth, and he did that, but at the same time, it felt like he was there for them too, not just Titos.

  “Most alphas that I’ve met only care about one thing, and that’s keeping their position. They are power-hungry. After all, being an alpha, you are second to your master. All other edoli worship them. And if you ask me, that’s way too much pressure.”

  “Seth doesn’t make anyone bow to him,” Kail pointed out.

  “Yeah, he’s one of the good ones. But if he wanted to, he could—he would be within his rights in edoli culture,” Alfrik said softly.

  Kail relaxed more and more in Alfrik’s embrace. Kail was glad Seth wasn’t like that; he doubted he’d be able to tolerate the man if he was. He’d run into his fair share of entitled assholes while living on the streets. He was a leader and a hard-ass for sure, but he also took the time to make sure everyone was good.

  “But how else is Titos different?”

  “Not just Titos but us as well. Most keepers don’t have the pleasure of being in their master’s bed. They are to guard and give power, that is all. In fact, most queens and kings believe it to be beneath them to be with their keepers intimately.”

  Kail scoffed. “That isn’t the case here. Ti
tos can’t keep his hands off of us.” He bit his bottom lip.

  It wasn’t just Titos that he had desire toward. It was easier with Titos—there was an unmistakable bond between them, but he also felt something for the other keepers. Maybe that was what was wrong with him. Not only was everything so new to him, but the connection to others was overwhelming but also pleasant. It was strange going from no one in his corner to a bunch of people connected to him, and the fact that they might also feel drawn to him like he was to them was mind-blowing, to say the least.

  Kail wanted nothing more than to uncover the bond he’d spontaneously closed off. He wanted to feel all of them once again. To stroke against the link that connected him to Titos and the others. He missed the constant hum in the back of his head, and it hadn’t been that long.

  “This is true, and we can’t seem to deny our attraction to each other either,” Alfrik said, voicing Kail’s very thoughts. His voice dropped down deeper, making Kail all too aware that his hands were moving. “You would know what I’m thinking if you opened back up.”

  Kail was tempted, oh so fucking tempted. He pushed past the desire to give in to the other keeper, even if his large hands were pulling little contented sighs from between Kail’s lips. “Why does he need another keeper?”

  Alfrik didn’t stop moving his hands under Kail’s shirt. His rough fingers ever so lightly caressed against Kail’s abdomen, almost distracting him from listening.

  “Each king and queen is different. The number of keepers is a power thing. Depending on the amount of power will be how many keepers they can handle and or need.”

  “Yeah, I know. Mazki and Adom explained it to me,” Kail said.

  He did listen, but he still felt lost at times. Alfrik pinched Kail’s sensitive nipple, pulling a groan from him as he rocked back against Alfrik’s body. Damn, it was getting harder and harder to resist.

  “Good, but Titos is a soul eater, which makes him a special case. We can’t use regular edoli logic when it comes to him.” The pad of his thumb flicked across Kail’s nipple, making him gasp and mentally beg for Alfrik to do it again.

  The teasing was borderline too much and not enough.

  “Hmm, you’re more like Titos—you just might be a soul eater as well. It would explain why you didn’t grow up with edoli,” Alfrik said as if he hadn’t just dropped a bomb in Kail’s lap.

  “Wait, what?” Kail pulled free of Alfrik’s embrace and turned to face the giant man. “You’re saying I might be a soul eater? Instead of a regular edoli?”

  Alfrik scratched his beard. “Well, I’m not for sure, but it would make sense if you were. But there isn’t a lot of information about soul eaters except that they are considered extremely dangerous and the reason edoli nearly went extinct and became the stuff of myths.”

  “Holy fuck.” Kail pushed his fingers through his hair, pulling it free of its messy man bun.

  Alfrik took a step closer to Kail, his big hands ever so gentle in the way they framed Kail’s face. He tilted Kail’s face up so they stared into each other’s eyes.

  “Regardless of what you are, it doesn’t change who you are.”

  Warmth spread in Kail’s chest as he chuckled. “You’re cheesy and sweet. Wait till I tell Mazki.”

  Alfrik rolled his eyes. “If you tell him, I won’t hear the end of it.”

  Kail laughed thinking about Mazki. He would for sure tease Alfrik about how gentle he was. Kail bit the inside of his cheek. He didn’t think about his next move for long; instead, he went with what his heart was telling him. He pushed up on his tippy-toes and leaned forward, pressing their lips together in a sweet, brief kiss. Just as he was about to pull back, Alfrik’s chest rumbled with a deep growl as he pulled Kail back to him. Even in kissing, Alfrik was gentle, and his tongue coaxed Kail’s out. He was helpless, unable to hold himself back as he lost himself in the kiss.

  Only then did Alfrik pull back. Kail stood there breathless and aching all over.

  “You should open your bond back up,” Alfrik said.

  Kail sighed. He wanted to, but now he looked like a crazy person, and he was still unsure about adding another person. Although he couldn’t exactly say it was a terrible thing. Gin was beyond good-looking. Killer smile, piercing, and he just looked as if he got into mischief.

  “They all miss you,” Alfrik said.

  A pang in Kail’s chest reminded him he missed them too. It’d been a short while since he covered the bond and pulled back, not long at all, and yet he felt the loss deeply.

  “How many more will join us? How many more do we have to—”

  “Share with?” Alfrik finished.

  Kail sighed but nodded.

  “Who knows. Titos already has five with a possibility of six.”

  Kail crossed his arms. “How are you all fine with this?”

  Alfrik pulled Kail’s arms down, unfolding them and pulling Kail close to him. “No one is saying it’s going to be perfect and there won’t be any jealousy. That would be just too unrealistic,” Alfrik said.

  Kail stared up at Alfrik. “So I’m not the only jealous one?”

  Alfrik shook his head. “I sometimes feel jealous of all of you.”

  Kail gasped at the declaration. “What, why?”

  “I’ve only just joined. All of you have been with Titos for far longer, and at times you can tell.”

  They hadn’t been with Titos that much longer before Alfrik got there, but at the same time, he could understand that feeling.

  “What do you do when you feel that way?”

  Alfrik gave him a warm, endearing smile. “I touch my bond with our master. And although I just joined, he never hesitates to flood our bond with his feelings toward me. It’s not a fix-all, but it helps.”

  Alfrik kissed Kail again.

  “You know what else helps?”

  Kail could guess, and bottling it all up wasn’t it. “If you say talking, I might hurl.”

  Alfrik laughed. “Well, it does, doesn’t it?”

  Kail didn’t verbally admit it, but he kissed Alfrik back. If someone on the street would have told him that he would one day be sharing a bed with four other guys who all had some superpower, he’d have called them a lunatic. But now in Alfrik’s arms, he didn’t see his life any other way. Kail opened the bond back up and was instantly flooded with worry and compassion.

  It made him take a step back with how many emotions came through. And they all weren’t just from Titos. Mazki, Adom, and Seth all were there too.

  Seth: Are you okay?

  There was no anger that Kail had kept himself and Alfrik from the watch.

  Seth: I am not angry, but I am concerned that you felt the need to pull back from the bond.

  Kail was at a loss.

  Mazki: Nice. You made our alpha dog worry.

  Seth growled through the bond, but it brought a smile to Kail’s face.

  Kail: Yeah, sorry, I’ll get to work now.

  Seth: Alfrik isn’t wrong. Your feelings matter to us, and no one expects acceptance of everything.

  Titos didn’t say anything, but Kail could feel through the bond he was listening to it all. Kail let out a breath he hadn’t known he was holding.

  “We better get back to work,” Kail said.

  Alfrik pulled him in for one more kiss before walking away in the other direction.

  Titos: They aren’t here just for me.

  Kail: You’re our master. I’m sure that’s exactly why we are all here.

  Titos: I guess, but I like that we are all together and it’s not just about me.

  Kail did too.

  Kail: So, a new keeper?

  Titos was silent for a few seconds before he came back through the bond.

  Titos: I’m not sure. But if you’re really against it—

  Kail: I’m not

  Titos: But you are.

  Kail sighed. Kail: It’s just new.

  Titos: I know and I’m sorry.

  Kail: Don’t be. Titos,
if you need to add another keeper, then so be it. I might be a little reluctant at first, but as you can see, I was quick to warm up to Alfrik.

  Titos laughed through the bond.

  Titos: He is just too sweet for that not to happen.

  Kail agreed.

  Titos: Well, just so you know, I will never add someone if you are completely against it. We are all in this together.

  Titos touched the bond, sending tingles throughout Kail’s body, He leaned against a tree for fear he might drop to his knees. Pleasure crashed through him at a head-spinning rate.

  “I’m not a two-dollar hooker. What you’re asking of me is illegal and can cost us our very lives,” Kyo shouted, slamming her hand on the table.

  They were still in negotiations, and Seth doubted they’d be getting up anytime soon. Between Kyo and Adom, they were going to be there all freaking day.

  “Hey, hot rod, stop making googly eyes at my brother.” Kyo pointed in Mazki’s direction.

  Seth: Stop pushing her buttons.

  Mazki: Oh, come on, I can’t be the only one getting in trouble here.

  Seth: We need her for a job, and flirting with her brother isn’t helping.

  Mazki: I don’t think it’s hurting either.

  Seth kept his sigh back. Mazki wasn’t the only one—Titos’s sight continued to stray to their guest. It didn’t help that Gin was flirting with both of them as well. Another troublemaker wasn’t ideal, but Seth couldn’t exactly think of a reason to say no to Gin either. If more edoli were being called to it, that meant he had more power than they had originally thought. This could get harder, meaning guarding him and the territory he decided to keep needed to be protected.

  Seth: Adom, we need to speed this up.

  Adom: She wants an insane amount.

  Titos: Will it break us?

  Adom sighed through the bond.

  Adom: No, but she is trying to get over on us. I know she’s triple the normal price and trying to use the fact that we are an unregistered house to her favor.

  Seth: Get close to it. There is no price that isn’t worth it for Titos’s protection.

  Seth glanced over at Titos. Brown curls framed his face. A slender jaw with a light dusting of facial hair that began to grow. Titos’s head turned, and piercing green eyes that never failed to pull him stared back at him. There was so much love and trust in them.