A King to be Feared by Brea Alepoú

“Why don’twe stay outside for a bit longer, or at least until Ginger finishes up with the paperwork,” Seth suggested.

Titos smiled at his alpha keeper. Seth had nothing to feel guilty about, but he also knew his keeper and knew the man wouldn’t be free of guilt anytime soon.

Titos threaded their fingers together. Business had been taken care of. With Kyo and Gin both staying in the main house, he didn’t feel the need to keep up the stuffy facade. Maybe it would put Kyo more at ease.

“I’d like that. Are all of you staying out?” Titos asked.

“Yes, might as well. There is no reason to go in unless you are there,” Alfrik said.

A smile tugged at the corners of Titos’s mouth. He offered his other hand to his lava bear shifter. It felt right being in between two of his keepers. He’d prefer it if all of them were around him at all times. It might seem like a bit much, but Titos had been lonely his whole life, and now that he had people on his side, he never wanted to feel the unbearable weight of loneliness.

“While I’m out here, I’m going to look around some more for better centering points,” Kyo said.

Titos stopped walking and looked at both siblings. “Gin, are you going with your sister?”

“Hey, I can take care of myself,” Kyo said. She gave her brother a pointed look. There obviously had been some words said between them.

Gin shrugged. “I was actually hoping to stay and get to know you.”

Titos’s heart did a little flutter thing, and he bit the inside of his cheek to keep the smile at bay. “That would be nice.” Titos tried not to let his hopes get up too high. So far each of his keepers had fallen in with him with ease, even with them all being different. Would Gin be the same way? Titos hoped so, but at the same time, he knew not everything could be perfect.

Kyo turned on her heels to walk away. “Wait, Kyo, you might be able to handle your own, but we have enemies of our own.” Titos glanced over at his guard. “Liby will go with you, if that’s okay.”

A huge grin took over Kyo’s face, and she sauntered right up to Liby, her braid swinging as she went. Liby, of course, stayed perfectly still and kept her face impassive. They were opposites but similar at the same time. Kyo gave off carefree vibes, and she smiled so easily. Liby was stricter and by the book. Everything about her was in place and not a hair out of line. But both of them were clearly badasses.

“All my keepers are out here, so if you wouldn’t mind, Liby,” Titos said.

He wouldn’t force her; if she truly didn’t want to be left alone with Kyo, then she wouldn’t have to. He’d send someone else instead, but he wasn’t about to let Kyo go out alone. The barrier wasn’t up yet, and there was no telling who would pop up and attack. Even if Kyo wasn’t really a part of Titos’s house, his enemies didn’t know that.

Liby nodded, and Kyo actually giggled. Titos was pretty sure it was unusual for the woman. She’d been nothing more than a hard wall toward everyone except Liby.

“You can smile more. I know you’re happy to be spending time with me,” Kyo teased Liby.

And for the briefest of seconds, Titos had seen the corner of his usual stone-faced, guarded mouth curled up.

Titos: Anyone else see that?

Alfrik: She smiled.

At least Titos wasn’t the only one taken by surprise.

“Those two make the strangest pair. If only they wouldn’t break up every five seconds,” Gin said.

“Pair… wait, they are together? Or not?” Titos asked. How Liby had acted before, Titos could have sworn the two weren’t. Titos made a mental note to ask Liby about it later.

Gin smiled at him and moved in front of him. He was careful not to get too close. Both Alfrik and Seth growled in warning.

“No, but that’s only because Kyo and I couldn’t stay in one place. And they argue over the stupidest things. But maybe now they will have a better chance, with us…” Gin shrugged, not finishing his words.

But Titos heard the hope. He wanted a place to belong, and more than anything, Titos could understand that. How he’d longed to be wanted and cherished.

Titos: Is it so crazy that I am easily swayed by him?

Seth was a steady strength through the bond, and his large hand tightened in Titos’s.

Adom: Not in the slightest. We are all just happy to be with you, and we know that you adding Gin will not take you away from us.

Titos was thankful for Adom’s reassuring words. He helped put him at ease, and his shoulders relaxed a bit more. Still, Titos checked each bond, and all of his keepers agreed with Adom’s words. Kail was skeptical, but he still sent warmth through the bond. Titos made a plan to spend more time with each of his keepers individually right then and there.

“Maybe,” Titos finally said to Gin. He caught the moment of disappointment in Gin’s golden gaze, but Titos had to be careful.

They started to walk around, and Titos took in more fresh air. It was peaceful, if rare. He’d learned to take these moments whenever they presented themselves.

“Tell me more about you, Gin,” Titos said, finally breaking the silence.

“Oh, well, what do you want to know? I can give the basics. I’m twenty-two years old. My favorite color is black. I enjoy listening to country music.” Gin hummed and tilted his head.

Titos had stopped short. “Wait, you like listening to country music?”

A huge grin came over Gin’s face. “Yes. Are you judging a book by its cover?”

Titos’s face went aflame. It hadn’t been his intention, but Gin, from his pierced ears to jewelry and painted nails, didn’t seem like a country music enthusiast. Titos couldn’t help but picture a cowboy-looking person when it came to country music.

Gin chuckled, and again Titos couldn’t help but gravitate toward him. He took a step forward, pulling both Seth and Alfrik along with him.

“What’s your favorite song?” Alfrik asked.

Titos turned and looked at his lava bear shifter; the man looked intrigued by Gin’s choice in music. He needed to learn more about everyone. Sure their lives were a constant go, and they had shit to do, but Titos wanted to know everything about each and every single one of his keepers. They weren’t just there to protect him; there was more between them.

Titos glanced away from Alfrik and Gin talking about some of their favorite country artists. “Are you interested in country music too?”

Seth gave him a warm smile. “No. Don’t get me wrong, there are some good country songs, but I’m more of a heavy-metal type of guy.”

Titos squeezed Seth’s hand. “Me too. I haven’t heard anything new lately, but listening to music and running for your life is hard to do.”

Seth cupped his face. “We should take some time out of our days and just listen.” The pad of Seth’s thumb graced over his bottom lip. “Together.”

“I’d like that.” Titos kissed his finger before glancing back at Adom, who seemed to be in his own head. “Adom.”

His silvery gaze focused right back on Titos’s, and they were slightly dilated. Titos cocked an eyebrow as he felt along the bond.

“Our resident phoenix is being a grade A brat,” Adom answered.

Titos shook his head. “What kind of music do you like? So far it’s two for country music and two for heavy metal.”

Adom’s thick fingers combed through his white facial hair. “I listen to a little of everything, but if I had to pick one, I’d say classical or blues.”

“I could see that,” Gin said.

“Why is that?” Adom asked, a thick brow lifted and his silver eyes staring intently at Gin. It was the same look he gave Mazki whenever he was a second away from getting a spanking. Titos bit his lip to keep himself from laughing, especially as Gin broke eye contact with the man.

“I meant in the way you carry yourself,” Gin muttered under his breath.

Adom smiled. “It wouldn’t have anything to do with me looking older?”

Gin’s face went aflame, and Titos lost the battle with his laughter. He wasn’t the only one as Alfrik joined him. Seth was better at keeping himself contained, but a smile graced his beautifully sculpted face.

Titos reached through the bond to Kail. His troubled edoli almost felt relaxed through the bond.

Titos: What’s your favorite type of music?

Kail: Random, but I guess rap or alternative.

Titos: I want to get to know everyone better. I want to know the tiniest things about you.

Warmth seeped through the bond and wrapped around Titos like a warm blanket. Kail said nothing else, but Titos noticed that the link between them hummed.

Titos: Mazki.

Mazki: I like the sound of your moans.

Titos chuckled.

Titos: That does not count.

Mazki: It’s music to me, so it should count.

Mazki opened the connection to all the keepers, and Titos felt them all take notice.

Mazki: Titos’s moans are top-tier music, right?

There was a collective yes, and Titos groaned out loud.

“Can I know?” Gin said, reminding Titos that he was left out.

Titos opened his mouth, trying to form the words, but he shut it. Adom cleared his throat.

“We all agreed our favorite music is the sounds our mas—”

Titos let go of both Seth and Alfrik’s hands, rushed over to Adom, and slapped his hands over the man’s mouth. “Lalala,” Titos shouted.

Rich laughter burst from Seth and Alfrik. Even Gin was laughing.

“I can guess what you were going to say. Maybe I’ll hear this beautiful music one day for myself,” Gin teased.

Titos groaned even as his face got hotter. Adom’s rough hands wrapped around his wrist and moved his hands off his lips. He sported a huge grin. Before Titos could say anything, Adom stole his breath with a kiss.

Losing himself with his keepers, especially while in their arms, was too easy. Everything around Titos went silent, and it all disappeared, leaving behind him and his keepers and the strong bonds they had.