Total pages in book: 59
Estimated words: 56786 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 284(@200wpm)___ 227(@250wpm)___ 189(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 56786 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 284(@200wpm)___ 227(@250wpm)___ 189(@300wpm)
But Aksel changes everything.
Aksel Cleghorn, his husband's alpha son.
Aksel is the only person in the world who makes Lucien feel like he belongs. Over the years, the connection between them grows into something more. Something they are not supposed to feel for each other. Something neither of them can control or resist.
It's wrong on so many levels.
They have to stop. But can they?
Please note: this book is set on an alien planet similar to contemporary Earth, and the characters don't have human biology [alpha/omega mating cycles, shapeshifter sex, a male with breasts, male lactation, scenting, knotting]. The book contains non-explicit references to past sexual assault and mpreg, codependency, depression, and hurt/comfort—and happily ever after, against all odds.
*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************
Prologue
Present day
Aksel Cleghorn loved his mother. He did. But sometimes a man had to take a stand.
“No,” he said flatly.
Vagrippa Cleghorn frowned across the table. “But Aksel—”
“I said no,” he said in a neutral tone, setting his cup down.
She flinched, as if he’d raised his voice. It seemed his body had betrayed his anger.
Sighing inwardly, Aksel tried to rein in his scent. It wasn’t easy. As a rule, Xeus alphas weren’t good at controlling their pheromones, and he was no exception. His pheromones were abrasive and domineering even when he wasn’t trying to assert his will. It always was a nuisance when he had to deal with his mother. As a beta, she struggled to keep her composure whenever he was irritated—and he was irritated easily when this subject came up.
“Would you at least consider it?” she said after a pause. “Every omega on my list is exceptional, both in looks and personality, all from excellent families—”
“I’m not interested, Mother,” he said.
“Darling, you’re nearly twenty-seven already—”
“Royce married at thirty-six, nearly thirty-seven.”
His mother heaved an exasperated sigh. “You know your situation isn’t comparable to your brother’s. Your brother had his reasons not to take a mate, very valid reasons. And Royce isn’t a Xeus.”
Rapidly approaching the limits of his patience, Aksel shot her a hard look. “Do you actually believe the bullshit that unbonded Xeus alphas aren’t to be trusted? That we’re a threat to every omega we encounter?”
The expression on his mother’s face became tight. “Of course not, but it doesn’t matter what I believe. What matters is public perception. Have you not noticed how warily people look at you lately?”
Aksel laughed. “Lately?” His mother must have been joking.
One of his first words had been beast—probably because it was the word he’d heard most often around him as a little boy. That was what people called Xeus alphas. Beasts. Animals. Abominations. Things that shouldn’t exist anymore.
Xeus alphas didn’t have the luxury of finding out about their designation during puberty like regular alphas did. A baby Xeus was usually born with tufts of fur on their face. The fur disappeared within the first five or six years and the child looked normal enough until puberty, but the damage was already done: everyone already knew that the child was a freak. An abomination that was destined to transform into a mindless monster every full moon come puberty. Beast. Aksel had lived with that moniker his entire life. He didn’t even react to it anymore—for the most part.
But his mother had a different attitude toward his designation. She’d even tried to hide that he was a Xeus when he had been a child, attempting to shave off the fur—to no avail, since it had grown back almost immediately. Aksel had little doubt that she would have also attempted to falsify his presentation documents if she could have gotten away with it. But the telltale fur made it nearly impossible—too many people had seen him in his childhood.
“It’s been worse lately,” his mother said. “Don’t tell me you haven’t noticed how you’ve been treated in polite society this year. And to be fair, you have been... difficult.”
Aksel shrugged. “I don’t care what ‘polite society’ says about me.” Nothing polite for sure. “I’m not part of it.”
“Of course you’re part of it! You’re a Cleghorn! Your brother is the prime minister of this country!”
Aksel’s lips twisted. His mother’s ignorance was almost endearing, really. “Your posh friends barely tolerate me, Mother. I’m just a curiosity for them. Something exotic, vulgar, beastly—and on occasion, titillating.”
Vagrippa flushed. “Aksel!”
Smiling wryly, Aksel pushed his chair away from the table and got to his feet. “It’s the truth. If it weren’t, Xeus porn wouldn’t be so popular.”
“Aksel!” she spluttered. “Such topics aren’t appropriate! You are not in the army anymore.”
“Yes,” he said with a sigh, striding out of the dining room. “That’s obvious.”
He collided with another person as soon as he stepped into the corridor, the impact nearly causing the other person to fall—if Aksel hadn’t grabbed them. Him.
“Sorry,” he said gruffly, his mouth going dry.
Green eyes peered up at him from the lovely, heart-shaped face.
Lucien.
“Not your fault,” Lucien said, averting his gaze.
Aksel forced himself to drop his hands, holding his breath in order not to inhale Lucien’s intoxicating scent. The scent of a compatible omega.
The scent of his stepfather.
His mother was right about one thing: Xeus alphas weren’t good at controlling themselves around the omega they wanted. When he was around Lucien, it was hard to remember all the reasons why he couldn’t shove Lucien under him and have him.
Lucien was his father’s husband.
Granted, his father was dead, killed years ago in the war. But that didn’t make wanting Lucien any more appropriate. Any more acceptable. Lucien was pack. If his mother’s precious society friends were to find out about Aksel’s feelings for Lucien, they would be disgusted and appalled.