CHAPTER SEVEN

B rayden pulled the gray T-shirt over his head and watched his mate out the corner of his eye as he tucked it into his black jeans.

Willow had been quiet recently, and while he’d asked her about it a few times, he was beginning to feel like a nag. Which wasn’t his thing. He usually just ordered vampires around, but that didn’t work with his mate. Not at all.

He stepped into the bathroom behind her and wrapped his arms around his mate. Willow leaned her weight into him as he kissed her on the top of her head.

God, he loved her.

“You’re so muscly,” she said, grabbing hold of his biceps.

“Nice try,” Brayden replied, turning her. He knew her distraction techniques, and they always involved his body. Usually, he encouraged it, but not today. “Come on, Willow. Tell me what’s up.”

She sighed and planted her head on his chest.

“Fuck, Willow. You’re killing me.” Brayden heard some mumbling against his cotton shirt, but couldn’t make out the words. He pulled back and took her chin. “Repeat.”

“You’ll think I’m stupid,” she said, her eyes dropping.

He recoiled and frowned at her. “You are my mate. You cannot keep this from me.”

Willow pulled out of his arms and walked back into their bedroom.

He followed and crossed his arms. “Okay, let me go through the chick list. I got you a diamond ring. Do you want a human wedding? Is that it?”

Shake of the head.

“A honeymoon?”

Shake of the head. Followed by an eyebrow rise, and then a grin and a nod.

“Do you hate being a vampire? Is that it? Do you regret choosing this life?” It was the question he hadn’t wanted to ask, but damn it, even the most alpha male had moments of doubt.

Willow’s face paled. “No! Bray, no, that’s not it at all,” she cried, launching herself into his arms.

Ooomph.

“Then goddamn tell me what it is or I am going to spank it out of you,” he threatened. “And yes, that’s a promise, before you ask.”

She snorted. “Hardly a punishment.”

“Fine. You have to spend the day with my brother.” He smirked.

Willow and Vincent had a complicated relationship. The two of them were quite similar; at least, that was his latest analysis of the two of them. Stubborn and outspoken, they were more on the same page than they realized. About most things.

“You play a cruel game, Brayden Moretti,” Willow complained, pulling back and looking up at him. “Promise you won’t laugh.”

He nodded.

“And won’t tell anyone.”

He flung his head back. “Willow!”

“Fine. I want a baby.”

Brayden’s head swung back to his mate in surprise. “What?”

She tried to pull out of his arms, but he held her still. “Let me go. I knew you wouldn’t understand.”

“Stop. Is this because of Lucas?” he asked, and Willow nodded. Her eyes filled with moisture, and Brayden pulled her up against him. His lips lowered to hers gently.

“Sweetheart, I would be the happiest vampire in the universe if you were pregnant. Never question that.”

“Truly?”

“Fuck yes.” Brayden nodded. “But it can take a long time. We mated less than a year ago. It took Vincent and Kate a hundred and thirty to conceive.”

“I knowwwww.”

He stared down at her, feeling powerless. He’d been hoping to uncover what was upsetting her and fix it. Typical guy. But this was something completely outside of his control.

“Does Bri feel the same way? Is this a human thing?” he asked.

“I haven’t spoken to her about it,” Willow replied. “I’ve been feeling like this since before Lucas was born. I never knew I was so maternal. Before I met you, I wanted to be a career woman; I wasn’t interested in getting into another relationship. Then boom.”

“Boom?”

“Yes. Along comes your cock, and boom,” Willow said, tiptoeing to kiss him.

Brayden groaned.

He glanced at the clock on the wall and dropped his mouth to hers. He was out of time, but no guy was going to let a comment like that go unrewarded.

Willow’s mouth parted, and his tongue slipped inside, meeting hers. He pulled her tight against him and bent over her. Heat burst between their bodies.

“Your timing is terrible, mate of mine,” he spoke into her panting, needy mouth. “Wear that blue dress today with no panties, and expect a visit at some point.”

Brayden kissed her mouth again and grinned.

“And I expect you to be wet and ready when I do.”

“You’re a monster,” Willow moaned in jest.

brAYDEN STEPPED INTO the operations room. Fortunately, the walk through the castle had cooled his jets, and he was now in work mode.

Tom, Marcus, Lance, and Kurt were doing the leaning thing in their usual spots, yakking away. Craig had his feet on his desk and was scrolling on his phone, scowling.

“What’s up?” Brayden asked, tossing his phone and jacket on the desk before running a hand through his hair.

“This is what’s up. That little fucker,” Craig answered, turning his phone around to show him a photo.

Brayden walked closer, although he could see it well enough, and took the phone out of Craig’s hand. The photo showed Anna and Ben seated having a meal, with one of her security guards in the background.

“Timmy sent it,” Craig added.

“I dealt with it,” Kurt interjected, stepping up beside them. “Well, kind of. I told him to steer clear of her, but Anna is smitten with him.”

Lance folded his arms. “Sofia is going to be pissed.”

Brayden handed the phone back and walked to his desk, lowering into the chair. His team dispersed back to their spots. “Let Sofia know. Anna is her responsibility. If our guys are doing their job, and Ben isn’t harming her, then we don’t interfere.”

Craig grunted.

“Before the king arrives, what are your thoughts on Ferrero? Aside from his interest in Anna Vitale. Observations to date?” Brayden asked. Unlike the commander, Brayden understood Vincent’s interest in recruiting the male into the Royal Army. Ben was in incredible shape, was smart as a tack, and was more alpha than your average bear.

But so was the king.

Because they didn’t know who Ben Ferrero was, he knew Vincent was adhering to the old keep your friends close and your enemies closer philosophy. All the fucking games were going on. They were keeping an eye on him. He knew they were keeping an eye on him. They knew that he knew...yeah, so this was where they all were.

And unfortunately, Ben had taken a shine to the one female in the castle that was off-limits.

Of course he had.

Could nothing be easy?

Brayden didn’t understand why Sofia had instructed them to keep males away from Anna, but he respected her professional opinion. He’d approved the assignation of two security guards when Vincent had given Anna a job in the PR office.

Ben’s interest in the female was likely to only provide her additional protection. He’d watched him that night in the foyer. It didn’t appear like he wanted to hurt her in any way.

Fuck her? Yes.

Harm her? No.

“He seems to be fitting in with the wider team very well. Hasn’t overstepped any boundaries. Participates. Asks the usual questions,” Kurt said, shrugging. “I kinda like the guy, if I’m honest.”

Kurt was a straight shooter, and like every single vampire in this room, he was at the top of his game. Brayden had put him in charge of the new vampire because Lance was his brother-in-law and Craig didn’t trust Ben at all. Brayden trusted the commander more than just about anyone alive, so he wasn’t discounting his instincts, but putting the two of them together would have been a disaster.

“I’m warming up to him,” Lance shared. “But I still don’t like how vague he is about where he’s been for the past seventy years. He’s hiding something. I’m sure of it.”

“I agree,” Tom added. “He’s not the nomadic surfer dude he’s made himself out to be. Ben is extremely focused, especially when he’s training.”

Brayden picked up his pen and tapped the end of it on his notepad.

“Yeah, he’s definitely focused on holding back when he’s sparring with others,” Marcus piped up. “He’s not showing us his full potential. Why?”

Craig dropped his feet to the ground with a thump and leaned into his desk.

“He hasn’t told us fuck all,” Craig spoke. “If he weren’t De Luca’s brother-in-law, I wouldn’t even believe the guy’s name.” He turned to stare at Brayden directly. “Saying that, I do not believe he is a direct threat.”

It was obvious to all of them that Ben was well trained; the kind of training he would receive in the Moretti army and couldn’t get anywhere else in the world. That they knew of.

A United States’ marine perhaps would get close, but Ben was a fucking vampire, so unless he was messing with hundreds of minds on a regular basis, that wasn’t possible.

A personal trainer was an option, but Brayden knew of no one training vampires to the level the Royal Army was capable of.

If there was, he wanted to know about it.

In truth, Ben’s sudden appearance and his unanswered questions had rattled a few cages. Eventually, he would get answers out of the vampire; it was just a matter of time.

What they knew right now was that Ben had left his family after a disagreement about the rebellion seventy years ago. He’d disagreed with its philosophy. Sofia, his sister, had corroborated his story, but that didn’t mean she knew everything.

“It’s interesting how he showed up now that Russo’s head is on a guillotine, don’t you think?” Craig said, raising a brow.

“A conspiracy theory,” Brayden replied.

“Oh, come on.” Craig shook his head. “This is what we do. We look at all the possibilities. Perhaps he’s working for another anti-royalist group, and when they heard Sofia mated with Lance, they saw the opportunity to get close to the king with her brother?”

They all stared at each other for a long moment, mulling over that possibility.

“He has a pretty big attitude for someone trying to fit in,” Lance finally spoke.

“That I agree with,” Craig said. “Don’t let your guards down. Just because we don’t know the answer yet, it doesn’t mean he is trustworthy.”

Brayden nodded. “The commander is right.”

They needed a strategy. He’d let the vampire settle in, but it was time they learned more about him. “Let’s find out what we can. Get to know him on a personal level,” he continued. “Ben believes he is in training to join the SLC team. Bring him in closer. Set up some one-on-one trainings with him. Push him to his limits.”

Craig grinned.

“Not you.” Brayden laughed.

“I invited him for a drink,” Kurt said. “Not sure if he’ll join us, but I’ll continue to throw invites his way.”

Brayden nodded. “Good. That’s a great idea. Let’s get a group together and see if a social setting lowers his guard.”

“I’ll take care of it,” Kurt replied.

“I’ll see if Sofia is interested,” Lance added. “He’s relaxed around her.”

“Speaking of your mate, please tell Sofia I wish to speak with her,” Brayden told him. He had an idea, but he suspected the female wasn’t going to like it. “Tell her to pop by the office sometime tonight.”

Lance nodded as his eyes glazed over, a sure sign he was telepathing Sofia. “She’ll come by in a few hours.”

Brayden stood.

“Okay, let’s get focused on the big matter at hand today,” he said, planting his hands into his pockets. “As we all know, the king has decided to proceed with the death penalty for Stefano Russo and eight of his followers for crimes against the crown.”

“Thank fuck,” Craig interjected.

“Halle-fucking-lujah,” Kurt added.

“He has yet to set a date,” Brayden continued, “or approve the list of executioner requests.”

He glanced over at Lance, who had his jaw firmly set. They all knew he wanted revenge for Sofia’s sexual assault by the leader of the rebellion, but there were other things to consider, which he knew Vincent was taking seriously.

“He should be here soon, so when we get that detail, be ready to get your teams in motion. Like my mating ceremony and Willow’s crowning, the event will be streamed over VampNet, so Tom, I need you to get the tech guys prepped. Security needs to be tight on this. It’s one thing if a leak shows me standing around in a penguin suit; it’s another if it shows swinging a sword and removing a head.”

Brayden’s mind flashed back to his parents’ beheading and cringed inwardly. He caught Craig’s glance out of the corner of his eye, and they shared a knowing look.

“Roger that.”

As if on cue, in walked the king. Wearing his crown. And jeans.

Everyone stared.

“Nice hat,” Brayden said, dryly.

Vincent perched on a desk at the front of the room and smiled. No one could wipe it off his face since Lucas had been born, and Brayden had to admit, it was nice to see his brother so happy after the past year they’d had.

“Just showing my son what he has to look forward to one day,” Vincent replied. “And it doesn’t hurt to wear the thing every now and then. Remind people who’s boss.”

Tom coughed.

Lance smirked.

“I don’t think anyone is confused, my lord,” Craig said.

Vincent stood, indicating he was ready to get down to business. Which was just as fucking well, since they were all keen to hear what he had decided to do with the prisoners. They appreciated the birth of the prince was something the king and queen had wanted to focus on over the holidays, but now, it was time.

“So?” Brayden prompted his brother.

“It’s a full moon next week. Set up the execution,” Vincent instructed them. Then he turned to Lance, who Brayden knew had struggled more than any of them the past weeks as he awaited the king’s decision.

“Stefano is accused of many crimes against the crown; he’s kidnapped the queen, held our females ransom, and set off bombs inside Moretti castles, murdering my vampires. He was also complicit in collaborating with humans to experiment on our kind, and potentially, the reason the existence of our race was outed to humans.”

Lance bunched his mouth, nodding.

Brayden could see he was preparing for the denial of his request to be the one to take Stefano’s life. He’d taken Lance aside a few days ago and spoken to him about this being a possibility. Brayden’s role wasn’t just about the physical stuff; the mental well-being of his vampires was as important.

He really hoped they were both wrong.

Though he hadn’t spoken with Vincent, he knew his brother well, and had a strong feeling what his decision would be.

“Those crimes are hideous enough to justify either the prince or myself being the executioner,” Vincent continued, glancing at him. Brayden nodded in agreement. “I’ve thought about this long and hard. Stefano is an unhinged individual. It is likely he has harmed many females, yet I can only make decisions based on what I know right now.”

Lance looked like his brain was going to explode waiting for the king to spit it out.

“Our mates are as important as the air we breathe. The very essence of our souls. De Luca, it was your mate Russo took from. Only if he had harmed Willow or Kate in the same way or worse would I take this opportunity for revenge from you.”

Lance’s mouth parted as the words sunk in. Kurt laid a hand on his shoulder, knowing this was a big damn thing.

“If you still choose it, the honour of removing Stefano Russo’s head is yours.”

“Yes, sir.” Lance nodded profusely, then lowered his own head respectfully to his king. “Thank you.”

Vincent let out a long breath.

Brayden watched as Craig and Lance shared a look. The two were closer than either of them acknowledged. Craig didn’t get close to many people, but his expression said it all. You have my support in whatever way you need.

Brayden cleared his throat, and the heavy emotion in the room began to dissipate. They’d all been waiting a long fucking time to end Russo, and the day was almost there.

“Unless any of you want to do the deed, we should assign an execution team for the rest of them,” Vincent added. “I’ll leave the details up to the prince to decide.”

Brayden nodded and stared at his males. “Any takers?”

The room was silent for a moment as they all contemplated the offer.

“I’d rather focus on security and ensuring nothing fucks up,” Kurt replied finally.

Brayden wasn’t surprised by that. In the past, they’d had a number of surprises when it came to the Russo’s escaping or causing chaos. It spoke volumes that these males were more interested in ensuring the safety of the royal family and vampires in the castle than seeking revenge. Lance aside, of course—the guy deserved every single moment of that honor.

“I’ll be focused on the tech stuff, so I’m happy to pass the baton onto the lieutenants,” Tom added.

“Happy to do some swinging if you want, but I agree with Kurt. Our skills are better spent making sure the event goes down without a hitch,” Marcus said.

Brayden turned to Craig and Vincent, crossing his arms. The three of them did the staring thing for a moment, knowing they were cementing history here.

Moretti history.

Craig shook his head.

“Bray?” Vincent asked finally.

He ran a hand over his jaw. They had been dealing with the rebels for a damn long time. Centuries. The upcoming executions wouldn’t stop them completely. As his father, King Frances, had always said, a percentage of any society would always disagree with the way things were done. It was the way of life.

Stefano Russo had been an anomaly; he was a psychopath who had caused immense damage that would see lasting effects for many years. Some irreversible, if he had been the one responsible for the exposure of the vampire race. Those charged alongside him, including his two brothers, were collateral damage. It was Russo they wanted dead, and the privilege was rightly going to Lance.

After his conversation with Willow earlier, Brayden knew he needed to be by her side for this event. It had been a good reminder that while she’d transitioned to a vampire several months ago, her mind still thought like a human. Even if she wasn’t as aware of it as he was.

That change always took longer. Willow put on a good show, but deep down, she was a sensitive female. Strong, yes, but watching an execution was difficult for newly turned vampires, and as the princess, she would need to be present.

“No. Willow and I will focus on our royal duties. Craig?”

The commander looked at him.

Am I missing something? Craig asked him telepathically.

Just keep an eye on Brianna.

Craig frowned. Brayden could see the fire beginning to build in his eyes.

I mean emotionally, dick. It’s going to be a big thing for our former humans to watch.

Oh. Gotcha. Yeah, fuck.

“Okay, so when Team Crayden over there stops having their romantic telepathic conversation, the rest of us can continue with the meeting,” Vincent said, rolling his eyes.

Kurt snorted.

Craig shook his head, but fortunately kept his mouth shut.

Your brother is a fucking idiot sometimes.

And there it was.

Brayden laughed as he pressed a button on the wall, which started a bunch of whirring noises, and a whiteboard descended from the ceiling. For the first time in over a hundred years, an execution was taking place by royal decree.

It was time to get planning.