Alliance of Shadows: NEIL

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When Izzy went to change, Clara walked over to the Board members and put her hands on her hips. "She's more than earned her grades, and I had better have a result by the end of next week.”

One of the board members was a teacher I had as a teen myself. Mrs. Thomas stood up and scowled darkly. "Mrs. Dane, correction of the papers alone can take a while."

"It's for one student, Mrs. Thomas. Not a hundred. Besides, if, and this might be a concept that goes over your head, but if one teacher from each course corrects the corresponding exam, would that not save time?" My stepmother snapped. "Chairman Avery, are you going to keep your word or blindly follow the will of people who try to snuff out genius?"

Mr. Avery laughed, "Mrs. Dane, you can expect everything in the mail in the next few weeks."

"That'll do," Clara replied. She turned on her heel and walked away to join the rest of us by the door.

Noticing her distractedness, I asked if she was doing okay.

She let out a slow breath, “That was agonizing. Both Lee and Thomas are obviously looking to get my size sevens shoved up their asses. Neil, I’m surprised you didn’t go Alpha on them. We’re proud of you. Right, Henry?”

I almost laughed at how her directed question gave my father nowhere to hide as Rowan tried to look innocent. He wasn’t. If anything, he was just as bad, yet he and Dad wondered where Dre, Kaden, and I got our attitudes from.

"Kaden, thanks so much for doing this with me," she said as she hugged him again. She could squeeze all she wanted, it wasn’t gonna hurt him any.

His dark skin glistened with sweat, but I knew he’d been that way when he got here. I growled at Kaden, but the little bastard only laughed at me. He smirked, "No problem, little cousin. Annoying Neil is my favourite pastime, right Baby Alpha."

"That's what I'm putting on your headstone if you don't give it up, little brother," Dreson laughed.

The joke about “Baby Alpha” went back to when we were kids. Back to when Kaden used it as a taunt when he was four and I was a seven-year-old brat who’d laughed at him when he fell. Yet, when I wasn’t expecting it, he’d jumped me, pummelling me with his chubby toddler fists for punching his brother. Not even a half an hour after the incident, the three of us had formed a strangely deep bond of friendship.

Kaden's shoulders sagged before he turned his mournful eyes to Izaria, "Wanna help me out here?"

"You're on your own, Kaden," she giggled, combing her fingers through her hair. Giving her back her hair tie, I watched with amusement as she shut down his pouting with a calm reckoning.

Celestia looked at me, her hazel eyes glinting with understanding as she took in my stance, took in the close proximity between me and my girl. I felt her probe my mind, deciding to let her in. ‘Something I can help with, Aunt Cece?’

‘Just wondering if there’s something Rowan doesn’t need to know right now. Oh, say, his niece being your Mate?’ I caught her smile as my face felt like someone blew fire on it. Her knowing look was almost too much as she smiled wider. ‘Don’t think too hard about it, Neil. Dreson can’t keep secrets from me, remember?’

Of course, my best friend opened his mouth, but I understood that the news of Izaria being found was just a little more than overwhelming. Bracing myself, I sent back a message through the mind-link. ‘Please, do not say a word to Izzy. She… she doesn’t know about us yet. I’m tasked with the job of telling her. Which will happen soon, I promise.’

Her smile faltered slightly. Not by a lot, but just enough to say that she was processing the news. ‘Don’t you worry about a thing, Neil. I’ll keep Kaden on a leash if I must until this is dealt with according to the Grand Alpha’s wishes. After this, will you be accepting the title you were born for?’

I simply nodded, which seemed to ease her tension.

Just a few weeks later, Izzy came running through the manor with a large white envelope in her hand. Excitement permeated the air, transforming the atmosphere.

"Aunt Clara!" she shouted as she ran past me, heading for the stairs. "Aunt Clara, it's here!"

I listened from my office a few doors down before poking my head out. I grinned at her as I took her in my arms. "Have you opened it yet?"

"Not yet," she replied. "I'm so nervous, Neil. What if I'm wrong? What if I didn't pass? Gods, it's so hard to breathe."

Hooking my finger under her chin, I covered her mouth with mine. Damn… was that grape lip gloss she was wearing? My tongue shot out to taste it again. Yup, it was grape.

She pulled away with a scowl. "Neil, stop distracting me!"

“Since when do you wear gloss?” I asked.

“Aunt Cece gave it to me, so I thought I’d try it. Do you like it?” She asked, beaming to the point it looked like it hurt.

“Love it,” I answered, shocking even myself with my honesty.

When the office door open, I took one look at their appearance and shook my head. Dad hurriedly zipped his fly before stepping forward, frowning at me. Clara hit him in the stomach with the back of her hand, as she looked from me to Izzy and back again, "What's with the ruckus?"

"My grades are here. I'm so nervous, Auntie," Izaria breathed.

Laughing, my father flicked the white rectangle and said, "Well, don't keep us hanging like a hen on a fence!"

Izaria scowled, “Neil, can you translate your dad for me?”

“Brush up on your Irish, baby. He basically said not to keep us in suspense.” I answered, leaning casually against the wall.

Reaching out, I moved to take the envelope from Izzy's hands, but she danced out of the way.

"It's mine, Neil," she said, stamping her foot on the floor.

"You're so cute when you're angry," I replied.

Her face turned red, and she ripped off the top of the package without another word. Inside was the one document that had all of us preening with pride: her official high school diploma.

Later that same day, Rowan sent Dreson to pick up both me and Izaria. Rather than the Elders, he had gotten the Sages – the highest magical entity before royalty – to agree to help his niece.

I sat between Leif and Dre as we watched the seven Magic Sages surround her. A chill settled over the air, and I could feel a calm begin to resonate from Izaria herself. It was the kind of calm children would look for in someone they could trust. It made me feel content, safe. That’s when I realized what Dre was talking about when he said she should be stronger than him.

He gave off a soothing power that drew people in, but Izzy was different. She made people feel safe, wanted. Included.

Through the tension and power flowing throughout the room, I couldn’t help noticing when Leif gasped. It was the same moment her energy – pure and warm – filled the room. “Dre!”

“I know,” my best friend whispered. “She’s not just an Omen Reader. She’s a powerful Empath. A born Luna. You’ll take care of her?”

Leif raised a black brow at me and scoffed slightly. His deep green eyes reflected a prideful jealousy – the same feeling I’d been having recently myself. “Nac oes, annwyl. Neil, you’ve been blessed quite graciously by your Goddess for her to pair you with the Branwen.”

“Damn you, Leif. You know I don’t speak Welsh!” I scowled.

Dreson laughed quietly at me, “Nac oes, annwyl means “no, darling”, and Branwen is the Welsh Goddess of Love and Beauty.”

Something else stood out for me, “By the way, of course I’m going to take care of her, Dre. I wouldn’t want to damage the friendship between your father and mine, so that’s a given. At least, it should have been.”

My brows went up as I realized that Leif singing praises was like stumbling across perfect pearls. They were rare and meant to be treasured. Comparing her to a Goddess from his homeland was the highest form of praise from him. Not because of his connection to the royal family, but because he had also suffered before he started living with Rowan and his family.

Dreson frowned, shaking his head. “Obviously, Neil. I was only stating my train of thought out loud.”

I let a smirk lift my lips, the perfect taunt forming in my head. “So, Leif, will I be seeing more of you now? I mean, isn’t it time to start coming by with Dreson now and then when you’re not busy?”

“I’ve no idea what you mean, Wolf,” the Sorcerer answered with a slight smirk.

“Let me put this in layperson terms then,” I said softly. “I know you and Dre are Mates. I don’t give a solid s**t about it, but it would be nice to start including you in family stuff so that Izzy can spend time with everyone instead of you hiding.”

Scowling, Leif rolled his eyes, “Bloody lil’ brat, your brother is, Dre. Neil, care to join me in pranking the s**t out of your False Omega?”

“Soon,” I replied with a laugh. “Kaden didn’t tell me, either. I already knew.”