Total pages in book: 70
Estimated words: 66672 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 333(@200wpm)___ 267(@250wpm)___ 222(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 66672 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 333(@200wpm)___ 267(@250wpm)___ 222(@300wpm)
And yet the thought of this omega having kids—and an alpha—was… strange.
His brows furrowed, Devlin said, “In my defense, your naive views about marriage did make you seem like a child. Your brother’s pragmatic approach is what I would expect from an omega of your age and upbringing.”
Julian chuckled. “You’re the naive one if you think Liam is pragmatic. He’s anything but. He’s just fooled by your face.”
A slow smile stretched Devlin’s lips. “My face? What about my face?”
“You know what I mean.” Julian glowered at him, his cheeks becoming pink again.
Devlin’s fingers twitched, itching to pinch them. “No, I don’t. Do enlighten me, Julian.”
“You know exactly what I mean, you arrogant ass!”
Devlin grinned. “Are you saying you think I’m handsome?”
“Everyone thinks that! But I don’t. It’s not my fault people have no taste.”
Devlin wondered if it was too weird that he kind of wanted to rub his face against the brat’s flushed cheek. Probably.
“Your Grace?”
Devlin tore his gaze away from Julian’s scowling face and looked at his older brother. Belatedly, he got to his feet. “Liam. You look beautiful, as usual.”
Julian gave a derisive snort, but his brother smiled at Devlin dazzlingly. “Thank you, Your Grace. But you didn’t tell me that you intended to call on me today.”
“It was a spur-of-the-moment thing,” Devlin said, relieved that he didn’t have to force a smile on his face anymore. His headache was gone, so smiling at a beautiful omega wasn’t exactly a hardship. “Would you like to accompany me to the Universe Park? You mentioned that you’ve always wanted to see it.”
Liam’s eyes widened a little. He really was remarkably lovely, almost ridiculously so. “Now?” he said.
When Devlin just nodded, Liam said, “Thanks, I’d love to. Let me just change—”
“Great idea!” Julian cut in. “I’ll go with you. I’ve always wanted to see the Universe Park, too!”
Liam shot him a skeptical look. “Really?”
Julian blinked innocently. “Of course! Who doesn’t want to gawk at weird animals from all over the Union?” Grabbing his brother’s arm, Julian dragged him upstairs. “Let’s go change.”
At the top of the stairs, Julian looked back over his shoulder, winked, and stuck his pink little tongue out.
“Brat,” Devlin murmured, chuckling.
He was amused despite himself. He should probably have been more irritated by Julian’s interference. Much more. It was ruining his plans for the day. He needed to lay groundwork for a mating bond with Liam. A couple needed a connection for a mating bite to take, a certain degree of intimacy, which was harder to achieve if there wasn’t a high natural compatibility. Although Devlin hadn’t really intended to seduce Liam, he’d fully intended to kiss him—and maybe do more than that—but with Julian there it would obviously be much more difficult.
He’d have to get Liam alone, somehow.
***
An hour later, Devlin wished he’d found an excuse to not take Julian with them.
It was impossible to focus on forming a connection with Liam when he had Liam’s younger brother hanging on his other arm and demanding his attention—all the goddamn time.
“Holy shit, why would they put that troll with the poor monkeys?” the bane of his existence said, gripping Devlin’s bicep anxiously—or excitedly. It was hard to tell sometimes. “It’s going to eat them!”
Devlin snorted, watching the “troll”—the Eugarian gorilla, according to the information plaque beside the exhibit—attack the smaller monkeys. “That’s the point,” he said. “The Universe Park subscribes to the notion that animals from different planets should be able to adapt in a hostile new environment. The weak species die out, and only the strongest—and smartest—survive.”
“That’s barbaric,” Julian said, his pink lips pursing into a scowl.
Devlin looked back at the exhibit. “Evolution works in a similar way,” he said.
“This is not evolution. This is just cruelty, plain and simple.”
“Yet people love watching it,” Devlin said. “The crowds attest to that.”
“Pfft. It proves nothing,” Julian said, lifting his chin. “All those people are here to gawk at Liam and you, not at the monkeys.”
“I think it is very interesting,” Liam cut in, for the first time in a while.
“See?” Devlin said, smiling a little when Julian shot Liam a betrayed look. “Your brother is enjoying himself.”
Truth be told, he had no idea if Liam was enjoying himself—he hadn’t had an opportunity to ask, considering that Julian had somehow managed to insert himself into every conversation Devlin attempted to start with Liam and get Devlin sidetracked into meaningless arguments. It was bizarre how the little menace managed to do it every time despite Devlin telling himself that he’d ignore him next time.
He couldn’t ignore him. It was fucking idiotic. He had the most beautiful omega in the country on his arm, and yet he’d spent the past hour bickering with his mouthy little brother. It was doubly idiotic, considering the fact that he had no time to waste. He should have been wrapping up Liam’s courtship by now. Instead, he hadn’t managed to form even the shallowest connection with him—thanks to the menace on his other arm.