38. Prohibited Task

Kiran Cyrus always followed through on deals.
He accepted Seff’s wish by not killing the Magnolia wolf. But godsdamnit did he want to rip her head clean off.
Cedar was too delirious to notice that Kiran wasn’t giving even half of his attention. He got hard and entered her, but he did not feel the same pleasure that drew a sensuous moan from her lips. He even let her ride him, thrusting and rocking to the pace she set. If it was any other situation, any other Omega—or even her, if she wasn’t so fucking crazy—he would not be so passive. It was second nature, going through the motions. No matter the circumstances, good or bad or worse, Kiran performed at his very best.
But it was his undivided attention that made him truly great.
Cedar Clematis did not deserve his greatness.
Kiran kept his eyes closed and imagined Cedar was Seff. It was only a fraction better. Surely Seff was more adept than this backstabbing bitch.
She was moaning his name, whimpering, “Open your eyes, my lord. Look at me,” and making little noises that normally would have made him go wild with lust, but they just annoyed him to wit’s end. *Climax faster, knothead*, he swore at himself. Sooner they finished, sooner could he banish her and find Seff—*apologize* to Seff.
Gods, who *was* he? *Wanting to apologize*? The Sun Alpha would never.
Time, he told Seff when she asked what changed. Time broke him. He didn’t want to heal from it or forgive it. Aster, he didn’t say. She snapped some sense into him, something no one else could do. Jealousy and revenge, he thought too, in any relation to Selene Hilal.
All those things crammed into his oversized head? Yes. Did he have a godsdamnned existential crisis after he dropped Seff at her bedroom door last night? Unfortunately, hell yes.
*Yes*, an all-powerful immortal werewolf had an existential crisis, and to make him realize what he had to do—to be, to say—to let Seff fall in love with him as she had before so many years ago.
The second the Alpha and Omega climaxed and the knotting finished, Kiran shoved Cedar off his bed. She yelped. He got up, throwing on a robe and tossing an extra pair of undergarments at Cedar’s face. He yanked the door open. “Get out.”
“But—”
*“Get out!”*
Cedar yelped again and scrambled to get away lest he attack. She got what she wanted; at least she had the sense to not push her luck any further. As Kiran made to close the door, she shouted from across the living space, “Am I still banished?”
“Fuck yes you are!” he yelled, slamming the door.
He wanted to see Seff immediately and burst in the door of whatever medic room she was in, but he needed to write Selene first.
Kiran yanked open his desk drawer with a bang, accidentally ripping it comply off its tracks. Swearing profusely to the gods he didn’t believe in, he wrote furiously,
*Some psychotic Magnolias attacked Seff. She’s fine but I had to fuck one of them to save her. The other one is probably dying at the moment, I banished them both. Point is, I hate myself for saying we need to be more careful in our conquest.*
He didn’t sign it; just shoved it into an envelope and tossed it onto the basket of other letters to send out. Sienna sent or delivered them herself every morning and evening.
Kiran figured he should pick up on Seff’s values. When serious, she liked him clothed. Well, he thought with a smirk, not when she was begging him to fuck her on that picnic blanket. He wore the modest outfit he could manage after rinsing himself of sweat and slick in his shower in the next room over.
When he wrenched the bedroom door open, Sienna was standing there with her arms crossed and amber eyes murderous. Kiran liked Sienna Haru far more than Aiden August, that fucking bastard. Though they shared an apathy for most things in life, Sienna was unflinchingly loyal and levelheaded, if a bit inclined toward liking violence. Not prone to it; just enjoyed watching it.
Which was why she was so enticed bro be included in today’s “spectacle.”
She wasn’t related to Kiran, which was a damn shame, because he would have boasted of such a ruthless wolf being a part of his magnificent bloodline. Deltas were akin to Alphas—temperamental, bulkier.
And she didn’t shy away from brutal honesty no matter the recipient.
“What the fuck happened today?”
“I need you to send a letter to Selene,” he answered, shouldering past her. “Is Seff alright?”
“She’s fine. So is the male. Kiran, seriously, what the fuck?” demanded Sienna. “Why is she so important?”
Kiran ignored her, striding across the empty living space of the harem.
“Don’t make me ask Elanor.”
Kiran froze. His jaw clenched so hard it actually hurt. He said carefully, “If you speak to her, Sienna, I will—”
“You’ll what? Do to me what you did to August?”
The Alpha snarled and stormed across the space to loom over the Delta. She blinked but did not flinch. “Watch your fucking mouth,” he warned in a low voice.
“Who else is going to knock sense into you?” Sienna forged ahead. “Tell me the truth, Kiran Cyrus, or I will find out myself.”
He—and Seff—did not have time for this shit. Turning back, he waved a hand. “Send that letter and maybe I’ll fill you in, dear.”
“Kiran—”
“Oh, and write to the Magnolia Alpha. Let him know if that bitch is pregnant, the pups are *mine*.”
She shouted a curse, but he just kept walking.
Kiran ran through the Keep from one building to the next, weaving past clusters of his consorts who tried to coax answers from him. He stopped only when he heard Aster’s voice.
He turned to find her walking toward him from the nursery. One of their newborns was cradled to her chest while a five-year-old triplet clung to her silks. “I don’t need another female telling me off,” he growled.
The stupidly brave she-wolf strode right up to him and placed their offspring into his arms. “Well, I am,” announced Aster. “But all I will say is: figure out your priorities, Kiran.”
Kiran made a frustrated noise deep in his chest. “It’s like you all think I have morals!” On reflex, he gently bounced his infant. “Don’t smirk,” he snapped at Aster.
“Big softie,” she muttered, offering to take him back.
He growled. I’ll send a damn list later, how’s that?”
Aster shrugged. “So long as you make one.”
“Godsdamnit.” Kiran stormed off toward the clinic, still wadding through wolves. “Anyone *else* wish to inhibit my task?!”
His tone indicated he would punish anyone who tried; there were a few hasty head-shakes and the crowd parted. At last he hit the steps and burst through the doors. Nearby Betas jumped out of their skins when they realized their Alpha was ready to carve a warpath and struggled to slow him down.
“Lord Kiran,” an employed—not blood-related—Beta urged hurriedly, walking backward to slow Kiran’s pace. “Please, she just—”
“Where is she?” he roared. He strained all his senses to pick up any trace—her scent, her heartbeat, anything.
Or her voice. “Kiran, I’m in here.”
He halted to a stop and pivoted to the door he just passed. The Beta sighed and gave up, gesturing to said door.
Kiran flung it open and Seff sat facing him, an almost-smile on her face.