Page 67 of Psycho Beasts

He smiled, flashing elongated canines.

“If you don’t, then you won’t survive in this realm. The third test must be completed by the next equinox, three weeks from now.”

He took another long drag of his cigarette.

“Also, since you’re all ignorant of recent events, rare half-breed females are rumored to be appearing in the different realms. Any woman suspected of being a mix of two species must be immediately brought to me. They are all on the city’s wanted list. Although, I suspect this is more rumor than truth. Fear mongers love to whisper about the return of the female half-breeds and the end of the realms.”

The stillness at the table was deafening.

Of fucking course.

If the patriarchy could just not for literally one day, I would appreciate it.

The don stared at me.

Wait, he’d said something about fear and the end of the realms. Am I a messiah of the apocalypse?

I’d never even heard of female half-breeds existing.

Just after I’d discovered I was one, it only made logical sense that I’d be a plague bringer of doom that was wanted.

It spoke to the general trajectory of my life.

Frankly, I was only mildly surprised by my new status as a wanted pariah.

When I’d infected an overpowered evil fae queen with my blood and made her obey me, I’d had a hunch that it wasn’t a good thing.

But a razor blade bit my gut as I realized this definitely just wasn’t my problem.

My sister’s red eyes, Aran’s black eyes, Jinx’s screech, Jala’s and Jess’s unnatural bright colorings.

I calmly gnawed on my fingernails and considered the merits of flipping the table, throwing the girls behind me, enslaving the don with my blood, and fleeing to a different realm.

The don turned toward Cobra and smiled casually, like he had no idea of the turmoil his words had caused at the table.

“Also, as alphas, you must all join packs if you are to live in this city. Even independent alphas form packs at eighteen to keep them from going feral. There will be no exceptions.”

He snarled “independent” like he was talking about the lowest forms of life.

Cobra scowled at the don. It wasn’t hard to imagine him as feral.

“Most alphas have years to choose their packs,” Xerxes said softly, his jaw clenched tightly.

I kept forgetting he’d grown up in this foreign world.

The don’s calm voice changed into a lisping rasp. “Most alphassss grow up in the realm and know the rulessss. They don’t jusssst arrive after yearssss of absence.”

Xerxes glared back and said nothing, anger radiating off him in a dark wave.

His anger from earlier was now boiling over, and his face contorted with malice. I wouldn’t be surprised if he sold me out as a half-breed.

Cobra reacted to his father’s threatening demeanor with his own warning snarl.

Yep, 100 percent feral.

I opened my mouth to bring up the pesky little fact that we were kidnapped, but decided against getting into a fight over semantics with the leader of the Mafia.

Abruptly, the don’s demeanor grew more relaxed.