Chapter Two

Brexel looked at the baby monitor in his hand and smiled. She was on the bed, dressed in one of his shirts. The bloody clothing was soaking in the sink.

She was lying on her side with the wound facing up. Brexel checked the timer he had set and ignored Oren when he peered over Brexel's shoulder.

"So, do you think she is really in research?"

Brexel sighed and reached for her tiny purse. "Nope." He got her phone out and used the passcode she had used on all her tech. He snorted when the screen flared awake.

Thumbing through her chats and messages should have felt like an imposition, but this is what Brexel did for a living. Iris's phone told him a lot. She wasn't dating, had plenty of friends, and her map always took her to a strip club. The Shattered Diamond.

He paused. "I don't think she's a stripper. Coat check or maybe a server?" He shrugged. "I suppose I can just call."

He lifted his phone and called a familiar number. It was three in the morning, but accountants for strip clubs rarely slept.

"Ymer, how are you this balmy evening?"

"What the hell? Why are you calling me, Brexel?"

"I need an employment status on one of your employees."

"What do you want? I am not going to give anything but confirmations."

"Iris Killington."

"Oh, Pet. Sure. What do you want to know?"

Brexel filed the name away for later. "She's a waitress?"

"Server. Yeah. Her costume is a lot of leather. Why?"

"She used to be my nanny and turned up with a nasty head injury. I am wondering if her injury had anything to do with her work there. Apparently, she has been sold by someone without her knowledge. They tried to collect her."

Ymer was silent. "They tried?"

"She's safe. I need to know what kind of clientele she serves."

Ymer's voice was soft. "I will look into it. How long do you think she will be off work?"

"She has a three-inch gash in her scalp from nearly catching a bullet. Two weeks seems likely."

"Done. I have put it through the system. Keep me posted, and call upper management if you need to."

"I would have, but I hear he has a family now. I didn't want to wake anyone."

"So, you called me."

"I know your schedule." Brexel chuckled.

"Ah. True. Well, Pet is well loved here. Employees and clients, as well, enjoy her perky charm. Management will take an interest."

"Will you keep me posted, or shall I ask directly?"

"Oh, I am sure they will want to talk to her."

"They will have to contact me. I am... worried for her."

Ymer paused. "I see. Any particular reason, sir?"

"She took care of the children. She took care of me. I am attached." He sighed. "And the dogs love her."

"Oh. Shit. Those dogs?"

"Yes."

"Well, she does get along with everyone." Ymer huffed. "I will send messages starting with the management and down to the bouncers and dancers. We will soon see who knows what. Keep her safe, and I will take care of the rest."

"I will need to be involved when you track things down."

"Not if I get there first. Pet always remembered to bring me coffee at one in the morning and again before she left. She's very good at caretaking."

Brexel snorted. "Don't get any ideas. She's a beta."

"You are sure about that?"

He paused and looked at the small phone with a picture of Iris and the dogs. She still had it as her background four years later. "I am sure. She was here for two years and didn't show any signs of adaptation."

"Huh. Interesting. Staring into those big lilac eyes of hers is hypnotic."

Brexel paused. "Her eyes are dark green."

"She wears contacts. Her eye colour is lilac." Ymer chuckled. "Seems you should know that."

"Wait. What is her hair colour? The normal one?"

"White. She dyes it weekly."

Brexel ended the call with, "I will be in touch, Ymer. Bye."

He rushed into the blue room and walked up to the bed. He looked down at her hair, and under the blood, he saw white. He moved silently and checked the bathroom garbage, and two contact lenses were crumpled at the bottom of the bin.

He nearly fell on his ass. He had done a full search on her when he hired her as a nanny. She had medium brown hair and dark green eyes. Her skin was paler with a pearly finish that he hadn't seen while looking at the blood.

He checked the alarm and saw there were still forty minutes to go before he needed to wake her. They were going to have a chat.

He carefully eased the door mostly closed. He looked at Juno. "Keep her company, little girl."

There was a huff, and Juno nosed her way into Iris's side.

He heard soft shuffling and could see Juno on the bed against Iris's side. Iris reached out in her sleep and put her arm over the dog's shoulder.

Jupiter pushed past him and hopped up onto the bed, his paw over Iris's legs. She wasn't going anywhere.

Brexel headed down to his kitchen, where Oren was cleaning. "She's one of those betas."

Oren paused. "Which ones?"

"The ones that match with our kind."

"Shit."

"I know." Brexel grunted. "Perhaps we should help her find proper partners."

Oren sighed. "I am guessing that is the option we have, but at least you know who is hunting her."

"What? Oh, the Stronghold. Yeah, that would explain it, but she could also be attracting collectors."

Oren wiped his hands. "You think?"

Brexel snorted and ran his hands through his hair as he got himself back to his human appearance. "She didn't mention my face."

Oren smiled. "Oh, you finally noticed. Did you slip up while she was working for you?"

"No. With the boys around, I was very careful." Brexel frowned. "They didn't find out until two years ago. They are looking forward to their own changes."

"So, your mate has purple hair?"

"No, and she isn't my mate. She has white hair and purple eyes. She wears contact and dyes her hair. She's also not working in research."

"How do you know that?"

"I checked her phone."

"Of course you did. How did you get in?"

"She hasn't changed her pass code. It's the same one it was years ago."

Oren nodded. "You are sure she's an Elite female?"

"Yes. I am."

"Why don't you consider a courtship?"

Brexel frowned. "She was my nephew's nanny."

"And now she isn't."

Brexel opened and closed his mouth. "It's complicated."

"Did you kiss her?"

Brexel felt his skin heat. "What?"

"When she left, did you kiss her? The last time you saw her."

"Yes. It wasn't serious. The boys kissed her, too. And there was crying. Do you think that could do it?"

Oren shrugged. "She wasn't an Elite before that moment, you know that for certain, and you didn't see her afterward. Her transformation occurred due to contact. Do you think she ran into an Elite, and they triggered her?"

"I don't think she would be that careless, but if it happened after she started at the club, perhaps." Brexel looked upward and sighed. "What now?"

"Now? You take care of her. You let the boys know that she came hurt and is just hanging out for a while until she feels better. When she's healed, let her go."

Brexel felt his mind riot at the thought. She was back under his roof. He was already planning to return one of the bedrooms to its current state when she had lived there. Her scent was calming, the boys loved her, and she had cried. She never cried.

Oren laughed. "Your face."

"What?"

"I said you should let her go, and a literal thundercloud appeared over your head. I haven't seen a slip like that since we were young."

Brexel scowled and looked up. There it was. Dark energy swirling angrily. He focused and dispersed it. "She completes the house."

"What? Am I chopped liver?" Oren sipped his coffee.

"You are in the purple room You don't make this house a home just by breathing in it."

Oren cocked his head. "Really? You have fallen for that little beta?"

Brexel glared at him. "She fits in here. We work better with her around. I work better with her around. Even my office thinks so."

"So, you have been a miserable asshole for the last four years? I didn't notice a change."

"Shut up."

Oren smirked and flicked his fingers to get the plates and cups dancing into the dishwasher.

Oren cleared his throat. "Did you notice a peculiarity in your little beta?"

"What?"

"Her ears are pointed. That isn't a standard adaptation in a female Elite. That is something restricted to elfborn." He looked serious again.

Brexel felt a dawning horror. "Elfborn? No. The Elite haven't had a female child in the Stronghold in the last three decades. She has a mother and father and younger siblings."

"What if she was never in the Stronghold? You know those assholes don't take no for an answer." Oren chuckled. "You know I love a mystery."

Brexel leaned back. "You suddenly changed to interested."

Oren shrugged. "A little. The way she handles the dogs is very impressive."

"She trained them. No loud words or raised hands. She just told them what she needed, and they did it."

"Did she train you as well?"

Brexel paused and then said, "Yes."

"I thought it was taking over your nephews that altered your attitude."

"That was a contributing factor, but she taught me how to be a parent."

Oren looked at him and then glanced upward. "You talked to Ymer?"

"Yes."

"What does he think of her?"

"She always knows what he needs, and he believes she walks on water. I am fairly sure that if I let him know about the extent of her change, he would be at the door right now."

His phone hummed, and Brexel winced as he answered it. "What is it, Ymer?"

"So, is her change related to the Elite that just stormed the club asking about her?"

Brexel straightened. "What?"

"Three older Elite came into the club and started asking about Iris. The staff were petrified, and someone came to ask me about her. I just told them that she was off tonight."

"An Elite questioned you?"

"Yeah, he nearly shit himself when I dropped my glamour. He headed out so fast he broke my door." Ymer laughed. "Whatever you have there, Iris is more than we thought."

"We have been figuring it out."

"Oh, good. I will join you." There was a deep laugh, and Ymer hung up.

Brexel looked at his phone and muttered, "Fuck. Ymer is coming."

Oren smiled. "And now the band is back together."

Brexel glared at him. "Shut up. The band isn't getting anywhere near Iris."

"I beg to differ. I have been inhaling the scent of her blood for nearly an hour. She's definitely intriguing, and I wouldn't kick her out of bed for eating crackers." Oren smirked.

Brexel's alarm beeped, and he turned it off. "I have to wake her up."

Oren chuckled. "Let me. I will take the shifts. You have the boys coming back in the morning. You need some rest."

"Fine. You wake her twice, and I will take over." Brexel rubbed his forehead. He checked the time. It was nearly four in the morning.

Oren chuckled. "Deal. What will I do with Ymer?"

"I will deal with Ymer."

Ymer materialized in the corner of the kitchen. "What will you deal with?"

Brexel growled. "Of course, you tripped invisible."

"I used seven transfer points, including the edge of a volcano. I wasn't seen or followed."

Oren chuckled. "Hey, Ymer. I have to wake sleeping beauty to make sure she doesn't slip into a coma."

Brexel growled, but his friend skipped up the steps as gleefully as a six-and-a-half-foot dark elf could be.

"Ymer, you could have just called."

Ymer was dressed in his standard white shirt, vest, and grey trousers. "I could have, but precious little Iris is on very dangerous radar. I still have to keep to my schedule for now, so you won't be stuck with me for long. Where is she?"

Brexel sighed. "Blue room upstairs. Oren is doing a check to make sure that she isn't badly injured."

"You said she was shot."

"Grazed. The bullet split the skin between her temple and the back of her skull. Fourteen stitches."

Ymer frowned. "I am going to go look."

Before Brexel could stop him, the other elf was on his way up the steps. He followed.

Silently, they stood in the room while Oren smiled at Iris and got her to sit up. He checked the stitches and asked her some questions.

"Oren?"

"Yes, Iris?"

"Why is Ymer from work here?"

"Ah, he is an old friend."

Ymer snorted. "I am here to check on you, Iris. There were three men from the Stronghold looking for you at the club tonight."

Iris slowly turned her head and stared at the doorway where Ymer was standing in front of Brexel. "The Stronghold? Why?"

Brexel looked to Oren. Oren said, "I think you know."

Iris slowly reached up and touched her ear, tracing her fingers up to the tip. "Oh, fuck."

Oren smirked. "So, you are an Elite?"

"Sort of. I guess. Not Stronghold raised. My birth dad was from there, and my mom didn't tell him about me, so I don't know how he would know." She frowned. "Is he the one who tried to buy me? And from who?"

Ymer smiled. "Aw, Pet, we will find out who it is and make sure they don't come after you."

She blushed scarlet.

Brexel murmured, "Don't tease her."

"I am not. That is her name at work." Ymer smiled. "Isn't it, Pet?"

Iris looked to Brexel, stricken. "Yeah. I guess it is."

Brexel elbowed Ymer aside and sat on the edge of the bed near Iris's thigh. He took her hand. "Why didn't you tell me?"

She started to cry again. "I was embarrassed. Humiliated. My professor told me that I could only keep my position if he got to try a few. When I said no, he fired me and blacklisted me in academic circles. I couldn't get even a part-time position as a guidance counsellor. I went to the club and got to work right away. My hair faded and eyes got weird, so I dyed my hair, did my nails, and put in contacts."

Brexel rubbed his thumb across the back of her knuckles.

Ymer put his hand on Brexel's shoulder. "I am sorry, Pet."

Oren grunted. "Are either of you two doing this?"

Ymer muttered, "Doing what?"

Brexel could see it. Iris's scalp was knitting together. "Ymer, lift your hand."

The healing stopped.

"Back down again."

The healing started.

Iris blinked. "Why does my head itch?"

Oren chuckled and kept tracing his fingers over her scalp. "You are healing. Without us doing anything, simple contact between all four of us, you are healing."

Iris rolled her eyes in panic. "Four? No."

Brexel continued rubbing his thumb along her knuckles. "Yes. It is common enough where we are from."

She frowned. "Where are you from... exactly? I never did ask."

Oren chuckled and kept tracing his finger over the skin just above the stitches. The skin flattened out as Brexel watched.

"We are also from the Stronghold, more or less, but we left. Now, we are here in town and looking for mates. Well, we weren't, but here you are."

She swallowed. "You weren't?"

"No, but magic has a funny way of placing the right people in each other's path."

Iris fidgeted and tried to pull her hand back.

"Keep contact with Brexel, or the healing stops," Oren growled.

She slumped, and big, fat tears coursed down her cheeks. Ymer gasped. "Aw, Pet. Don't cry."

She looked at him with purple eyes wide and shining. She squeaked. "I just wanted things to stay normal. I had a nice routine. I had friends."

Brexel sighed. "You can still have your friends."

"How do I explain this?" She flapped her hand. "And the boys. How will the boys understand this?"

Brexel smiled. "They will understand. They go to a school filled with alphas, and there are plenty of plural families. With so few of your kind, we accept the inevitability of sharing."

"My kind?"

Ymer chuckled. "Elite females. You are already fully transformed. I wonder how that happened."

Iris looked at him with wild eyes and then jerked her head back to Brexel. "I didn't. I never. It didn't..."

He squeezed her hand. "I know. We know. How long did the transformation take, start to finish?"

"Um, three months. The hair and eyes went first. There must have been a scent component because alphas started following me around." She shrugged. "The ears showed up in about six weeks."

Oren smiled. "Your scalp is healed, and the swelling is gone. I am going to get the kit and remove the stitches. It also means we won't need to keep waking you up tonight."

"Great. This is weird." She waved at them with her free hand.

Brexel smiled. "Yes, I guess it would be. Why didn't you freak out when you saw this particular face?"

"Oh, I have seen it before. It flared up when you talked about your business partner and her husband. A shadow crosses your features." She wiggled her fingers. "You don't need to hold my hand anymore. The healing is done."

Oren pulled his hand away. "I will get the kit."

Ymer rolled his hand in the air, and the kit arrived. "Here you go. Now, Pet, I have some questions for you."

Brexel saw her eyes lock on the med kit as Oren took it.

"I... never needed to bring you coffee, did I?"

Ymer chuckled. "No, but it was very appreciated."

"Right. Um. Great."

Oren was smirking. "I am guessing that he looked forward to whatever you were wearing at the time."

Ymer scowled. "I appreciated the attention. The other servers just left me to the numbers."

She held still as Oren started to snip the stitches. She winced when the tugging started. The small pieces of black thread were removed and set aside.

Brexel watched and kept hold of her hand. Ymer kept his hand on Brexel's shoulder. As they watched, the pinholes of the stitches disappeared, leaving nothing but bloody hair at the original site.

"So, it takes contact with all three of us to heal you." Brexel nodded. "Good to know."

She looked at him and was obviously upset. "Great. Now what? Can I get another shirt and take a shower, please, boss?"

Brexel listened to the soft, breathy tone and felt the hard burn of arousal start. Her lashes were lowered, and she was looking at him shyly. Hundreds of images of her in his home with the boys and without flooded his mind.

Iris's eyes widened, and she stared at him, looking between his face and their joined hands. She muttered, "I had no idea my tops showed that much."

He caught her meaning and summoned one of his shirts from the other room. He lifted his hand and caught it, making Juno grunt in surprise. "Here you go. We will leave you to your privacy."

Oren snorted. "We will?"

Ymer patted Brexel's shoulder and nodded. "We will. She isn't going anywhere, and Brexel and I have a link to her, so we can find her if she makes a run for it."

Iris took the shirt Brexel held out with her free hand. "Thanks. Wait. Vee neck?"

Brexel smiled and got to his feet. "Consider it your thanks for the blood you got all over the house."

She looked at him, and her eyes glittered. "Yeah, thanks for that. Now, get out, or I will sic the dogs on you."

He smiled and nodded. "Gentlemen, we are going to need to have a discussion once she's with us. This is unprecedented." He looked at the dog on the bed. "Juno, make sure she washes behind her ears."

Juno woofed the affirmative.

As Brexel escorted his friends out, he heard Iris speaking to the dog. "Traitor. Stop wagging. I know you are happy I am here. Now, let's wash the blood off. Jupiter, no peeking."

Brexel grinned. It was nice having her home.