7. Sergey

7

SERGEY

T odd Platten, who I’ve already met, shows up at the pub with another welder named Max. They’re both as big as me and handsome, in a traditionally polar bear shifter kind of way. Big blue eyes, strong jaw, white stubble on their cheeks.

“Technically I’m a software developer, but I can weld,” Max tells me.

Todd chuckles. “Don’t let him fool you. This guy figured out how to remove a fidelity necklace. He’s no casual welder.”

“I thought that was impossible,” I say.

“So did we. Max was on some medication at the time. That medication might be the key to figuring out reversal spells to other nasty forms of magic.” Cy’s lips quirk up, ever-so slightly. I think that’s his version of a smile. “It just has a few interesting side effects.”

The guys all laugh.

“What side effects?” I ask.

“It makes you nest,” Max says. “Like an omega penguin shifter. But if you’re a welder, it can also put you into a different mental state that enables you to subconsciously feel your way through a reversal spell.”

That’s fascinating.

Axe leads us all to a large booth in the back of the pub. A few alpha women join us. They’re just as big, with white hair. One of them is middle-aged and the other is younger than me with a red handkerchief around her upper arm. I notice she has the same brand as Axe on the back of her hand.

“Katya and Sarah Ivanov,” Cy says, gesturing to the older woman first.

Ivanov, as in the Ivanov forge? I’m not sure if it’s polite to ask.

A few other alphas join us, pulling in chairs from the patio outside. I try to follow their conversations as everyone orders drinks. They clearly all know each other. Then a muscular omega approaches the table, and everyone goes silent. He doesn’t smile or wave to anyone. He looks directly at me.

“You’re the welder who’s half penguin shifter?” he asks.

I would stand up to shake his hand, but there are big welders on both sides of me in the booth, so that isn’t possible. “Yes. I’m Sergey. I weld magical prosthetics. I want to rent a forge here in Anchorage?—”

“I know what you want,” he says, his tone clipped.

“My penguin shifter blood doesn’t impact my ability to weld,” I assure him. “I developed the spellwork for my prosthetics on my own.”

He clenches his jaw. That was apparently not the answer he was looking for.

“Can I ask who you are?” I say.

“Dominic Ivanov.” He holds his chin high, like I’m going to laugh at him or say something nasty. But why would I? I’ve read a lot about what’s going on with the Ivanov forge in the last few days. Dominic is the one who stopped his alpha dad from doing terrible things to Gentoo omegas. He gave up his wealth and prestige in the polar bear shifter community to save them.

“Do you have the rage?” he asks.

“What do you mean?”

“The rage that comes with the power to weld. Do you have it?” He stands unnaturally still. It takes me a second to realize he’s holding his breath.

“I learned how to weld with the pizzlies in Albuquerque. I know there are ragers here, but I’ve never seen anything like that in New Mexico.”

Dominic considers that for a minute, then he turns to the server who’s writing down everyone’s orders. “Could I please get a chair?”

Cy folds his arms across his chest. “Why? This is a meeting of welders. Last time I checked, you didn’t weld anymore.”

Dominic glares at him. “This man knows how to make magical medical equipment. I’d be willing to weld something like that.”

I can’t believe it. Dominic Ivanov wants to weld my prosthetics. At his family’s old forge, no less.

“I’m assuming you don’t mind teaching an omega,” Dominic says to me.

“Of course not. The welding school in Albuquerque has just as many omega students as alpha students. There are several omegas working at my Albuquerque forge.”

Dominic and Cy give each other a meaningful glance, and this one isn’t full of hate.

“How is that possible? Most omegas here can’t weld,” Dominic says.

I shrug. “I don’t know. The beginner classes in Albuquerque are different for the omegas than the alphas. I think they have to tap into their power through art or something. I can ask one of my professors, if you want more information.”

Cy nods. “I would like that. Thank you.”

The server returns with a chair for Dominic. He sits down with the rest of us. There are ten welders in total.

“How much will you charge to teach us how to make your prosthetics?” Dominic asks.

“Nothing. I want everyone who is capable of the metal magic required to learn how to make them. My waiting list of patients who want one is so long, I will never catch up.”

“Look at this guy,” Sarah says. “A real do-gooder.”

Katya laughs. “Give him more time in Anchorage, and he’ll change his tune.”

Another person approaches the table. She looks about Katya’s age, with the same facial structure as Todd.

“Pull up a chair, Tana,” Katya says. “We’re talking about making magic medical equipment. This guy welds those prosthetics, and he’s going to teach us how.”

It’s overwhelming to watch how quickly they take to the idea of prosthetics. In Albuquerque, my professors were open to my ideas, but they weren’t excited about them. Most pizzly welders make ankle trackers for the Illusors. The government has a huge forge there, and they pay by the tracker. The money is good enough that it’s uncommon for welders to weld anything else after they’re done with school.

But here, the welders are ready for something different.

The server brings Tana a chair. At this point the circle is so big, I’m not sure we’ll all be able to hear each other. The conversations have splintered off into groups. I have to get some commitments from at least a few of the welders here tonight, and then I need to plan a second meeting with them in a quieter place.

I clear my throat. Most of the welders turn their attention to me. The only exception is Katya, who’s whispering something to Tana.

“I’m here tonight because I want to expand my magical prosthetics business to Anchorage. I’m in the process of securing a forge, but I still need welders. Cy has agreed to help me out. If you’re interested in learning the spellwork, maybe we can find a time to meet at the Dubow forge.”

They whisper among themselves. Except for Dominic. He slides me a white piece of paper across the table. “This is my business card. Text me the time and place. I’ll be there. But I must warn you. I expect to be compensated in accordance with my skill level, and you won’t find a better welder in Anchorage.”

I like him already.

“Name your price. If you’re as good as you say you are, I could really use you at my forge,” I say.

Cy rolls his eyes. “He’s not the best welder in Anchorage.”

“I think he is. Unless you count Katya, but last I checked, she’s retired,” Todd says. “I’m sorry, Sergey. I already have commitments. I can’t weld for you. But I’d like to learn more about how your prosthetics work so I can know which welders to discuss this opportunity with.”

“I can’t either,” Axe tells me. Which is a surprise. I thought he would be down for this. “I’d like to learn more about how the magic works, though. If you don’t mind.”

Katya takes a folded-up piece of paper out of her pocket. “I may be retired, but here’s a list of people who used to work at the Ivanov forge and their phone numbers. Most of them haven’t found work that pays them what they’re used to earning.”

Dominic grabs the piece of paper. “No. They aren’t good people.”

“Maybe they would be if they had the chance to do something good with their power,” Katya says.

“If you hire them, I won’t work for you,” Dominic tells me.

Goddamn it. There’s already drama, and we’re just barely getting started.

“They’re the only ones who can get into the back part of the Ivanov forge. You’d be a fool to not hire any of them,” Tana says. “I agree that you should proceed with caution, but if they’re working for you, they’ll have less time and reason to make fidelity necklaces on the sly. Besides, someone needs to figure out how to disentangle the security in that forge. There are a lot of valuable welding tools trapped inside that no one knows how to recreate.”

Tana speaks like someone who’s used to being listened to. That worries me because I have no interest in hiring people I can’t trust.

“Do you want to work for me, Tana?” I ask.

She holds up her hands. “I’d love to, but I’m committed elsewhere.”

“Thank you for your advice, but I’d like to know who is interested in a job. Right now, I just have Dominic, and he isn’t interested in working with the Ivanovs.”

Max raises his hand. “I’d be able to do something part-time if I can have flexible hours.”

“Done. You can have any hours you want and work them when it pleases you. Anyone else?” I ask.

Everyone just looks at each other. Fuck. I only have one full-time welder and a part-time person who needs a flexible schedule. That’s not nearly enough.

Cy raises his hand.

“What about the motorcycle chains?” Axe asks. “And our jewelry business?”

“That’s only part-time. We could use the money, and I could use the work,” Cy says.

Sarah raises her hand too. “Dominic will tolerate working with me, even though I’m an Ivanov.”

Dominic flips her off, but he’s smiling.

“Do you want full-time or part-time work?” I ask her.

“I want as many hours as you’ll give me.”

That’s two full-time welders and two part-time welders. Not a bad start.

“Could everyone meet at the Dubow forge on Friday morning at nine o’clock? Just to go over the basics of how the prosthetics work?”

Almost everyone at the table laughs.

“How about noon?” Todd suggests. “The polar bear shifters in Anchorage aren’t morning people. And I think it would be better to have the meeting on a Saturday. That way those of us with jobs can make it without taking time off work.”

That’s cutting it a bit close. My flight leaves at seven o’clock at night. But it looks like I’ll have good reason to come back soon.

“Sounds great. Can I buy a round for everyone?” I ask.

“Cheers to that,” Katya says, raising her beer.

The server returns and starts taking orders for everyone’s second drinks. They all get vodka or beer. If we were in Albuquerque, everyone would be ordering margaritas. For a moment, I feel a pang of homesickness.

In order for this to work, I’ll have to live in Anchorage for a while. I might have to live here indefinitely.

I don’t know how I feel about that.