Unnatural - Alessandra Hazard Page 0,50

words, a waiter materialized in front of them and offered them drinks.

Haydn thanked the waiter and took a sip of his wine, wanting to prolong it so he could appear busy and ignore the curious looks on him. He and Royce must not have been as well hidden behind the plant as he’d thought.

“So…” Devlin said, sipping his own drink. “You let him fuck you, didn’t you? You reek of him, even more than before.”

Haydn ran a hand over his warm face and didn’t say anything. Although he didn’t regret anything, it was still difficult to admit to a fellow alpha that he’d enjoyed being fucked by another alpha.

“That’s none of your business what I do with my husband, Dev,” he said, his eyes involuntarily returning to Royce across the ballroom. He was speaking to Lord Ksar’ngh’chaali, both of them frowning as they discussed something.

“Just the man I’ve been looking for!”

The vaguely familiar voice made Haydn turn around.

He found himself looking at Prime Minister Taube, who was smiling at him genially. “Prince Haydn,” he said, stretching his hand out for a handshake. “I haven’t seen you since your wedding! I wanted to offer my congratulations again, especially now that your marriage is thriving.”

Haydn handed his drink to Devlin and shook the man’s hand. “Thank you, Your Excellency.” He gave him a genuine smile. Unlike his husband, he didn’t really dislike the prime minster. He couldn’t help but feel grateful that Taube had chosen Royce for him and not someone else. The mere idea of being married to someone else was…

“And this is your cousin?” Taube said, glancing at Devlin. His tone was dismissive, and he didn’t offer his hand.

Haydn felt a spike of irritation. He’d always hated the prejudice against alphas like Devlin, but such blatant scorn was uncommonly rude, especially considering that Devlin was part of the Pelugian royal family. It seemed the rumor that Taube despised Xeus alphas was true.

His lips twisted into a sardonic smile, Devlin saluted Taube with Haydn’s drink and gulped it down.

Taube’s lips pursed, his scent spiking. He looked away from Devlin and focused his attention on Haydn. He smiled again, a bead of sweat rolling down his forehead. “So tell me, how are you settling in your new home?”

Haydn hesitated, the question making him uncomfortable. The prime minister was making it sound as if he had moved from Pelugia to Kadar on a permanent basis. “I’m still a Pelugian,” he said carefully. “I have no intention of abandoning my country, but I like it here. Royce and his family have been wonderful.”

Taube gave him a long, penetrating look. “Have they,” he said, stepping closer to Haydn. He placed his hand on his arm and guided him away from Devlin. Was this Haydn’s imagination or had Taube’s scent become stronger? He sniffed, confused why the other alpha was suddenly all over his personal space. Taube should have known better than that. Any alpha would feel on edge with an unfamiliar alpha in his personal space, and Haydn was no exception.

“Haydn,” Devlin said from behind him.

His voice sounded strange, hoarse and tight, and Haydn turned to him and frowned. Devlin was breathing oddly, his green eyes unfocused.

“Something is wrong,” Devlin croaked out before a visible shudder went through him. A growl left his throat, his eyes glowing green. His facial hair thickened, becoming dark fur, and the next moment, his claws snapped out of his fingers, long and razor-sharp, another animal growl leaving his chest as his handsome features turned monstrous.

The crowd around them started screaming.

His heart pounding, Haydn swallowed. “Dev?” he murmured, utterly confused. This should have been impossible. Devlin wasn’t supposed to be able to turn into his beastly form out of his rut. Xeus wasn’t anywhere close to its full-moon phase.

There was no recognition in Devlin’s glowing eyes. He stared at Haydn and Taube hostilely. Like a predator at its prey.

“Dammit,” Taube muttered under his breath, looking pale and wide-eyed. He switched his earpiece on. “Security, we have a feral Xeus—”

Devlin lunged at him, his claws aimed at Taube’s throat, and only Haydn’s war-honed reflexes saved him. He grabbed Taube and rolled them both out of harm’s way, knowing that nothing would save them if Devlin chose to attack again. Haydn might have been a war veteran and an alpha, but a fully-shifted Xeus in his prime was at least five times stronger than a non-shifter alpha.

Thankfully, the appearance of security guards distracted Devlin. “Distracted” was the key word though. One guard