“That didn’t look like a file,” Bryce commented as he stood in front of Ahm’s desk. “Something I need to know about?”
The other two bears were still searching, but Ahm knew their ears were perking at the conversation in the room. Did he care if his in-laws knew that his cousin wanted him killed? Did he want them to know how truly dysfunctional his family was? They probably knew nothing about a family member betraying them. “I have a difficult cousin who believes she should rule my land.”
“Family.” Chauncey snorted. “Gotta love them.”
“Not really,” Ahm admitted. “Have you ever had a familial knife stabbed into your back?” He asked the question with acidic accuracy, only he wasn’t prepared for the honest answer the twin gave him.
“Hell yeah. My cousin Dommy tried to kill Steven. He was hopped up on Liquid Wrath and working for some shady-ass shifter that used to abuse Steven.”
Ahm was stunned to his core. He had met Steven. The human was a very sweet man. He couldn’t imagine anyone trying to hurt the guy. “What happened?”
“We killed Dommy,” Bryce answered. “It wasn’t something we were happy to do, but when it came down to Dommy or Steven, Roman’s mate won hands down.”
“My cousin is trying to mate the elven leader from another territory. She thinks killing me will make my land default to her father. She’s a greedy bitch who I wish was never born.”
Chance gave a low whistle. “What do you plan to do about her?”
“I’m drawing up the paperwork to leave the land to my second-in-command, Rakeym. He has fought and lived by my side for centuries. He’s best suited to take over.”
Bryce walked around the desk and cupped Ahm’s face. “Are you sure about this? You are devoted to your people. Can you just hand over your leadership and walk away?”
“They walked away from me first.” Ahm gave Bryce a harsh reminder. “I’ll help solve the infant mortality rate, but as far as stepping back into my role as their leader”—Ahm stiffened his back, resolution hard in his tone—“that will never happen.”
“How can your species be dying out if there are other tribes?” Chauncey asked.
Ahm knew that not all saw the Shadow elves’ way of life as acceptable. “We are all related in one way or another.”
“That’s just—” Chance shuddered. “Okay, I’m not going to judge, but if any of my brothers came near me, I’d kick their balls into their throat.”
Ahm ran into that opinion anytime a person discovered how the Shadow elves lived. It had been their way of life since before Ahm was born. It wasn’t odd to him, but from an outsider’s point of view…
“Well,” Chauncey said as he clapped Ahm on the back. “You lucked out. Bryce isn’t related to you…I think. After all, you do have vampire in your blood.”
“He what!”
Ahm turned to see Nara standing in the doorway, her face mottled with murderous intent. Behind her stood Rakeym, a stunned expression on his face. The bears moved to stand in front of Ahm, but he did not need anyone defending him. Rakeym would not fight him, and he could wipe the floor with Nara.
Pushing past the bears, Ahm stood tall and proud. “I have mixed blood.” He could almost touch the pride coming off of Bryce.
“First you mate a male. Then you make sure he isn’t even a Shadow elf. Now you have the nerve to show up here stating proudly that you are a mutt?” Nara scoffed. “The tribe is going to glory in your death.”
“The hell they are!” Chance shouted before Ahm had a chance to address her accusations. “Touch one hair on Ahm’s head and I’ll call the Santiago brothers. They love burning shit to the ground.”
“You wouldn’t,” Nara said as she narrowed her eyes. “The Ultionem wouldn’t allow you to kill an entire species.”
“Okay,” Bryce said as he grabbed Ahm’s wrist and pulled him to his mate’s side. “We’ll just kill you instead.”
“This your cousin?” Chauncey asked as he chucked a thumb toward Nara.
Ahm nodded, pulling his wrist free as he advanced toward her. “You dare threaten me?”
Nara crossed her arms over her chest, giving him a defiant glare. “You are no longer our leader. You are no one. I can say and do as I please with no repercussions.”
“Nara,” Rakeym said in warning behind her. “Ahm left me in charge.”
Nara twirled around, shoving a finger at Rakeym. “He doesn’t have the authority to leave you in charge. He forfeited his rights when he betrayed us.”