Cruel Union (Brutal Universe #1)

9. Slade

9

SLADE

F ucking Lyrah .

That was my first thought when my stepmother interrupted the best kiss I’d ever had in my life—the kiss that sealed my union with my Fated Mate —with Aurora .

Speaking of my new bride, she was staring in confusion at my family who had just invaded the Holy House . Not that I minded my Sire being there— I didn’t even mind the presence of my half brother, Hrake . He was a good kid, despite who his mother was.

It was my stepmother, Lyrah , who I absolutely loathed. And now she was striding on her stilt-like heels into the Holy House my true mother had designed and prayed in, babbling about how she couldn’t believe that I would have my Binding Ceremony without inviting my “parents.”

“ Seriously , I’m hurt, Slade — hurt.” She pressed a hand to her heart and opened her bright green eyes wide in a wounded expression I knew was as fake as her breasts. Behind her, I could see my Second , Rive , making motions at me clearly meant to convey that he had no idea how my stepmother had found out about my Binding .

I shot him a glare in return— I was really unhappy that the woman I liked least in the world had burst into what should have been one of the best and most sacred moments of my new life with Aurora . It was like having a delicious dinner and then ending with a pile of shit for dessert—it ruined the whole fucking thing.

“ Son , we really are hurt you didn’t invite us,” my Sire said, stepping forward.

Not for the first time, I wondered how a male who had been such a fearsome Enforcer all his life—who had risen to the top of our Clan through brutal efficiency and fear to become Chieftain —had been hoodwinked by a woman like Lyrah .

“ Your mother and I —” he began.

“ She’s not my mother,” I growled, glaring at him. “ And I didn’t invite you because I preferred to have a small, intimate service with just Rive as my witness.”

My Sire’s face went dark.

“ Slade , you will not speak of my wife that way!” he thundered. “ She is your mother by Clan Law . You must respect her!”

Fuck —what a mess. Lyrah was always making messes wherever she went. But to look at the meltingly sweet look on her face you’d never fucking know it.

“ Now , Slade —your father and I just want to celebrate with you!” she cooed, stepping forward. “ At least introduce us to your new bride. Who are you, my dear? Are you pure human—one of the ‘ Untainted ?’” she asked Aurora , not even waiting for me to make the introduction she’d demanded.

“ Er , yes.” Aurora looked at my stepmother uncertainly. “ It’s , uh, very nice to meet you,” she said haltingly. Clearly not sure what the correct greeting was, she put out a hand hesitantly.

Lyrah bypassed the offered hand and enfolded Aurora in a smothering hug. Even from where I was standing I could smell her cloyingly sweet perfume.

“ My dear, welcome to the family!” she cooed in Aurora’s ear. “ We’re so very pleased to have you!” She pulled back and nodded at her son. “ Hrake , come meet your big brother’s new wife!”

Hrake stepped forward sheepishly. He was tall for his age, almost as tall as Aurora was, though he was only ten cycles old.

“ H’llo ,” he mumbled nodding at her.

“ Hello .” Aurora smiled, clearly more at home with him than my stepmother.

“ Sadly , our daughter couldn’t come,” Lyrah said, making a sad face.

Stepdaughter , I wanted to say, but didn’t. I wasn’t surprised my little sister, Jessina , wasn’t there—she hated Lyrah almost as much as I did and I was sure she knew I didn’t want anyone stepping on my private ceremony with Aurora . She had probably stayed home on purpose.

“ And this is my husband, Zirex —the Head of Clan Cruel ,” Lyrah said, continuing on. Clearly she had taken over the introductions.

“ Hello , my dear,” my Sire said, stepping forward. He took Aurora by the shoulders and bent down to give her a kiss on each cheek—which was proper for a greeting between in-laws. “ Welcome to the family,” I heard him say.

“ Oh , thank you,” Aurora said faintly. She was looking overwhelmed, I thought. I didn’t blame her— Lyrah was a lot to take, even on a good day.

“ Well , now that you have a bride, you must come live at home again!” my stepmother said brightly, smiling at me. “ You simply cannot continue to stay at that awful hotel when there’s more than enough room in the mansion!”

“ That ‘awful hotel’ is a luxury resort,” I said dryly. “ And I’m very happy there, thank you.”

“ As a bachelor, of course you could be happy—even in a tawdry place like that,” Lyrah said dismissively. “ But your new bride needs a place of her own! I’ll have a suite on the East Wing prepared for the two of you.”

“ Yes , Son — I think it’s proper that you come home now that you’re officially Bound ,” my Sire agreed, nodding.

I clenched my jaw in irritation. One of the worst things about Lyrah was the way she led my father around by his nose—or more honestly, his dick. Just about everything she said, he agreed with. And once he decreed something, it was difficult to refuse since he was the Chieftain of our Clan .

“ I’ll think about it after my honeymoon,” I said firmly. “ Speaking of which, Aurora and I have a reservation at Chez L’ronge very soon.” I glanced pointedly at the gold chronometer on my wrist.

“ Oh , I just love Chez L’ronge !” Lyrah exclaimed, her eyes going wide. “ We should all go! That way we can get to know the new member of our family better.”

There was no way in Hell that I was going to have my stepmother coming along on the first night of my honeymoon. I cut my eyes at Rive , who stepped in smoothly.

“ Unfortunately , I was the one who made the reservation and they only had a table for two available. It’s a very busy night, apparently,” he said to my stepmother apologetically.

Lyrah got a pouty look on her fake-pretty face.

“ Well they can just make room for more! I’m the wife of the Chieftain of Clan Cruel , after all! You call them and tell them that we need a bigger table and they’d better have it ready within half a standard hour or they’re going to be sorry— very sorry!”

This was another thing I hated about Lyrah —the way she used my Sire’s position to throw her weight around and threaten people. She was so fucking spoiled it made me sick.

But for once, my Sire shut her down.

“ Now Lyrah , I’m sure these two love-birds don’t want us around during their honeymoon,” he said firmly. “ We’ll have plenty of time to get to know our new daughter once she and Slade move back home.”

Which told me two things—one that he was willing to let me be, at least for now. And two, he was going to insist on me living at home with him now that I had a wife.

Just fucking great.

Of course, it was traditional for all members of an extended family to live together—it was the Brutal way. But I had moved out ten years ago when my father had brought home Lyrah , not even two months after my own mother had died. I wanted nothing to do with my stepmother, and my Sire , sensing the tension between us, hadn’t said anything about it. Until now.

“ We’ll talk about it later,” I said tightly, taking Aurora by the hand. “ Right now, we have to go or we’ll miss our reservation.”

Seeing that she had lost this round, Lyrah took a different tactic.

“ Are you really going to take your new bride to Chez L’ronge dressed like that?” she purred spitefully. “ I mean, don’t get me wrong—it’s a lovely gown my dear, but it’s a bit old-fashioned,” she added, giving Aurora her fake-sweet smile again.

I watched Aurora look down at herself and saw the concern flicker across her lovely face. She looked beautiful as far as I was concerned. True , her long, gauzy dress, which was proper for the Court of L’Crist , might look a little outdated in a modern restaurant, but I didn’t give a damn about that.

“ Aurora’s dress is fine. She’s beautiful, no matter what she wears,” I said firmly. I turned to my Sire . “ We really have to go.”

“ You’ll move back home directly after your honeymoon,” he ordered, frowning. “ I want you under my roof when your wife conceives the Clan Cruel Heir .”

I wasn’t about to argue with him now. It wasn’t wise to contradict the Chieftain of a Clan —even if I was his second in command as the Head Enforcer .

“ We’ll talk about it,” I repeated. “ Now , we really have to go.”

Not waiting for any more protests or orders, I took Aurora by the hand and pulled her out of the Holy House .

I had to get out of there before I said or did something I was going to fucking regret.