The Alpha’s Forbidden Claim

3.

Remus’ Old Penthouse Eli’s Penthouse

Austin, Texas

I

sat back on the couch, wrinkling my nose slightly as I looked around the penthouse. My half-brother, Remus, had given me the keys after he and his wife married over a year ago. I hadn’t spent much time in the United States before now, but with my father coming every few months to see his grandsons…

A sigh escaped, and I stared up at the ceiling. I still hadn’t worked out how I felt about Texas. If nothing else, it was f*****g hot in the summer. It wasn’t just hot, but there were days ranging from June through August that were unbearably humid. So humid, in fact, they were downright wet. It was like trying to swim instead of walk down the street. We had our wet days in London, but at least it would have the decency to just rain and be done with it.

There were some things to like about Texas, however. The winters were much milder. The length of the days was much more acceptable. I was enjoying the amount of space here, and even if this used to be Remus’ apartment, it still felt more like me than my room at the Archer family estate. That home had been in our family for over a century, conveniently located in the heart of London, but having one room? I still felt like a child under my father’s eye, even at the ripe age of twenty-five.

I hadn’t been a child in years, but that was something else entirely.

Before I could venture down memory lane, I pulled out my phone and opened my contacts. Checking the time quickly, I decided my cousin would still be awake in London. He’d always been more of a night owl, anyway. I tapped on his name, leaving the phone on speaker so I could set it down.

That was another bonus to living alone, I supposed.

The phone line clicked after a handful of rings. “Eli,” he greeted me.

I snorted. “Myles,” I replied, raising my brow. He huffed, and I huffed back. “Sorry, are you too busy for me?” I scoffed, rechecking the time. “It’s 10:00 p.m. You getting ready for bed, grandpa?”

I could hear my cousin flip me the bird through the phone and snorted. “Just surprised is all,” he replied casually. “It’s been a minute.”

I grunted. That was true. I hadn’t checked in with him since my father and I had left for Texas most recently, but there wasn’t much to talk about. Myles would be my beta one day when I took over the Longbow Pack, but my father was still going strong, and— Well, there was the Remus issue. I bristled at the thought of my older half-brother, who’d miraculously appeared from America about a year ago, before shaking it off. He had no specific duties; he didn’t even work at the family’s financial firm. He’d told me, more than once, that it was too difficult to work with his father.

“How’s the excavation business going?”

Myles barked a hoarse laugh. “Busy as ever, mate,” he replied, clicking his tongue against his teeth. “Busy as ever. No lack of rich f***s who want more space and still want to keep their fancy, historic homes.”

I couldn’t help but snort. “We are those rich f***s, Myles. Just because you don’t dress like it.”

“Hah! Nah. Until Uncle Nic decides he needs to put an infinity pool in your basement, you’re not the same kind as them,” he shot back. I could almost imagine the smirk on his face. “You aren’t planning on renovating once Archer Manor is yours, are you?”

I grunted. I had a few ideas of how I might add my own touches to the place, but… “A pool is an absolute waste. The humidity, for one thing.”

Myles broke into laughter, and I couldn’t help but smile. Maybe it would have been better to call him sooner. He was so easy to get on with — even more than your average beta. Maybe it was because he was my cousin; we’d practically grown up as brothers. I’d wager we were closer than Myles was with his actual brother. Maverick and Myles had been my closest friends in childhood, but after Mav had f****d off to join the army…

“The humidity — f**k’s sake, Eli. You think of the most absurd things. The weather in Texas killing you yet?” Myles’ voice brought me back to the present.

“It’s close,” I grumbled, glancing out the window. The sun was sinking behind the city skyline. At least I could keep the air exactly how I liked it inside. “How are things back in London?”

Myles huffed, the laughter dying away. “Pack’s fine,” he said after a moment. I could almost hear the shrug. “Nothing interesting to report, which I guess is a good thing.”

“It is,” I agreed mildly, raising a brow. “And Uncle Gage?”

My cousin grumbled again. “Eh, my dad’s doing fine. You know how he is. He takes everything your dad says like it’s the word of a god. Makes sure it’s all done. It won’t even look like you’ve left at all.”

I snorted. Honestly, I was pretty sure my dad wouldn’t lose it if Gage didn’t follow his instructions to a T. He wasn’t that kind of guy. Disappointed, maybe, and if Gage completely f****d everything to hell, maybe mad. I couldn’t even imagine the sort of situation that would make my father lose his cool with his younger brother. “Well, I’m sure Nic and Gage have been in touch about it,” I said, having nothing useful to say.

Myles hummed for a moment before speaking up. “So, how are you doing out there? Like, seriously. I know that s**t with Remus was kind of tense for a while.”

I sighed. I had been… hmm, not on my best behavior when my father had introduced the other alpha as the older brother I’d never met. At the age of twenty-four, that came as a shock. I’d always wanted a brother when I was a kid — I was jealous of Myles, or maybe I was just jealous that Myles had someone else, and he was as close as I got. That childish desire faded, though, and I’d practically forgotten I’d ever wanted a sibling by the time Remus waltzed into all our lives.