Alek’s heart beat a bit faster but he knew something like this would come sooner rather than later. Bell would be fine without feeding from him for two days, of course. It was just the thought of not holding him each night, no matter what time it was he got into bed, he always did.
“You can do that the moment you have a Lord of Arms at your back and not a second before,” the king said, decisively.
“What? This is bullshit!” Bell snapped.
Wick rolled his eyes as if he was bored and turned to the gentleman dressed in a sharp, midnight-blue suit with a thick binder resting on the small desk in front of him, and his pen poised. “Lord Secretary, no need to read us Bell’s thoughts on this issue from the last meeting, he just summed them up for us. Now, if he’s ready to give us his new thoughts this week, that’d be amazing.”
“Don’t fucking patronize me, Wick.” Bell hissed.
“And don’t keep wasting my bloody time, Belleron,” Wick countered.
It took everything in Alek not to take his phone out, open his Oregon Trail game, and start playing. And it appeared, from the annoyed murmurs floating around the room, that most of the other occupants felt the same way. Sometimes, it was painfully obvious what close friends Wick and Bell were. The recognition of titles would fly right out the window, especially if one of them was pissed. And Bell had been getting more and more angry each time Wick denied him an assignment that required him to leave town. The only one who could enjoy the spoils of Bell’s fury was Wrath. Alek liked his mate smiling and satisfied.
“This is insane.” Bell gawked wide-eyed at Wick. “I’ve survived ninety-years without a personal guard. I was a Lord Protector and general in your army for forty years, without a ‘bodyguard’.”
“The Lord Protectors are responsible for the guards. You didn’t need one then. But, the Lord High travels without the guards, therefore you need your own Lord of Arms.” Wick threw his hands up in exasperation, “Why are you acting as if you don’t know our ways.”
“Things have changed,” Bell argued.
Ramon sat forward. “Not on the issues of safety, my Lord. When you were hurt in the Dales, I couldn’t stay with you and organize the reserve units at the same time. It was fortunate your mate was able to make the trip, otherwise that’s where your Lord of Arms would’ve come into play. And now with the internet fiasco—most all have heard of your mating to a Volkov wolf with extremely powerful gifts—your security detail needs to be stricter now more than ever.”
“I will have to agree with Ramon,” Farica said in a light tone, from the other side of the room. She was in one of her usual sweat suits and had her feet tucked under her as she lay curled into their baby brother Taleb’s, side while his gaze never left his laptop screen. “I don’t particularly like having guards myself. But, I know what it would mean to my family, and to my pack, if I was hurt because of stubbornness. Belleron, if you were killed, my brother’s wolf wouldn’t survive. You have to consider that each time you step out of his sight. What Lord Vega says is wise. You should listen to him.”
“Thank you, my lady.” Ramon’s voice was husky as he made an effort to hide his slight smile. Alek wanted to lose his dinner when he saw his sister gazing at Ramon with dreamy eyes.
“Oh for shit’s sake, Farica,” Mac grumbled, using their sibling link. “No one wants to see this.”
She couldn’t hide her blush. “Shut up, Macauley.”
“So unprofessional,” Taleb murmured, still not bothering to glance up.
“You actually like him as… as…?” Alek didn’t even want to finish the thought. Not because Ramon was a vampire, he obviously wasn’t prejudiced. But because that was his baby sister, and the Lord Protector was like a thousand years older than her. Alek wondered if that made sense. Well, it didn’t have to as far as he was concerned.
“Enough of this, please,” Justice cut in, sounding as miserable as Farica’s other brothers. “It’s honestly the last thing I want to hear too, guys. But Fari is twenty-seven years old, she can date whomever she wants. Now quiet, all of you.”
“Thank you, Justice. Farica pointed at Mac. Women don’t have to be afraid of what their bodies want. We have needs and—”
Mac slammed his hand over his ears, acting crazy “Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!”
Taleb actually looked away from his screen, shooting death rays from his eyes towards his sister. “Okay, too far now.”
“Farica, I just said we don’t wanna hear about it.” Justice frowned. “What part of that didn’t you get?”
Alek laughed into his fist, tuning back to Wick and Bell’s quarrel.