Taming the Wild Beast of Alamina

Theodore had developed a firm opinion about visitors.

He loved them.

Arion and Dean had spent the first months of his life worrying that a premature infant raised within such a carefully controlled circle would find unfamiliar faces, voices, and pheromonal profiles overwhelming, only to discover that their son apparently considered every new person an additional source of entertainment specifically provided for his benefit.

The problem appeared only afterward.

Theo would smile at visitors, stare at them with enormous interest, grab fingers, jewellery, collars, hair if anyone made the mistake of leaning close enough, and occasionally reward particularly entertaining behavior with the breathy little giggle that had recently become everyone’s favorite sound.

Then he became tired.

At that point, the entire palace staff ceased to exist.

Nannies could carry him, feed him, change him, and entertain him perfectly well, but when exhaustion or discomfort arrived, Theodore wanted mint lemonade or vetiver and considered every substitute personally offensive.

Dean had privately decided that being adored by strangers while emotionally blackmailing his fathers afterward was an impressive skill for three months old.

Today, however, Theo was wide awake.

Which was fortunate, because Matthias had finally been permitted to meet him.

Arion had agreed reluctantly.

Dean had noticed.

He had not commented.

That reluctance had been growing since Matthias left the medical center, subtle enough that Arion had never given it a name, but Dean knew his husband too well not to recognize when instinct and logic were beginning to disagree.

Logically, Matthias had done nothing wrong.

He had answered questions, cooperated with Victor, helped interpret Dominic’s records, and provided information about the infected population that nobody else possessed.

Arion’s instincts apparently did not care.

Dean’s were beginning to agree.

Neither had discussed it.

Theo sat against Dean’s stomach on the long sofa in their private family room, supported by one of Dean’s arms while his little legs kicked beneath a dark-green romper. His eyes were completely black today, the absence of visible sclera still striking despite how accustomed Dean had become to it, while his dark hair had developed a soft curl near one temple that Arion kept smoothing down only for it to return five minutes later.

Arion sat beside them in dark house trousers and a black shirt with the collar open, close enough that one hand rested naturally against Theo’s leg.

The knock came shortly after three.

Hunter entered first.

Matthias followed.

Theodore noticed him immediately.

His entire face brightened.

Dean laughed.

"Oh, apparently you’ve been approved already."

Matthias stopped several meters inside the room.

Theo stared at him with completely black eyes, kicked both legs, and produced a delighted little sound before breaking into a giggle when Matthias took another cautious step closer.

The reaction caught everyone by surprise.

Matthias most of all.

His expression softened.

"Hello, little prince."

Theo giggled again.

Arion’s hand stopped against his son’s leg.

Dean felt it.

He glanced sideways.

Arion was smiling faintly because Theo was laughing, but something beneath the expression had gone still.

Matthias approached slowly, his movements deliberately nonthreatening, and Theo tracked him with obvious delight as though an ancient infected knight restored after almost a century was simply the most interesting visitor the palace had produced this week.

Then Dean smelled it. Barely. So faint that for a second he thought the trace belonged to Arion.

It did not.

The scent came from Theo.

Dean went completely still.

Arion looked at him immediately.

He had noticed too.

Their son had released pheromones.

Not enough to establish a mature profile, not enough for Dean to identify anything beyond warmth and something faintly sweet beneath it, but unmistakably Theodore rather than either of his parents.

The first genuine trace of his own scent.

Dean’s heart tightened.

"Theo," he whispered.

Matthias froze.

His brown eyes widened.

Theo remained delighted by the entire situation, black eyes fixed on him while the tiny trace of pheromones drifted through the room and vanished almost as quickly as it had appeared.

Matthias lowered his head reverently.

Arion’s fingers closed slightly around Theo’s leg.

Matthias looked at the child as though he were seeing something sacred.

"The blood is strong."

Arion’s expression did not change.

"He is a baby."

Matthias lifted his gaze.

"Yes."

The answer should have been harmless.

It was not.

Dean could not explain why.

Perhaps it was the way Matthias had spoken, or the way his attention remained on Theodore a fraction too long, not affectionate in the manner Otto, Minerva, Lucas, Trevor, or even Nero watched him, but measuring something Dean could not see.

Recognition, expectation maybe.

Dean smiled anyway.

Years of court life had taught him how to do that perfectly.

"The pheromones are new."

"So I noticed."

Matthias stepped closer when Dean permitted it with a small nod.

Theo immediately stretched both hands toward him.

Matthias laughed softly.

"You like people."

"He likes attention," Dean corrected.

"That too."

Matthias extended one finger.

Theo seized it with both hands and squealed.

Dean laughed genuinely this time because his son looked ridiculously pleased with himself.

Arion did not.

His gaze remained on Matthias’s hand.

Dean knew that look too.

In his mate’s mind were calculation, distance, and reaction time.

The same way Arion watched threats before they had actually become threats.

Matthias apparently noticed nothing. Or pretended not to.

He let Theo tug his finger, smiling when the baby attempted to bring it toward his mouth.

"He has Dominic’s eyes."

"No," Arion said.

The response came too quickly.

Matthias looked toward him.

Arion’s voice remained calm.

"He has mine."

Dean nearly smiled.

That distinction mattered.

Theo was not Dominic returned, nor some continuation of an emperor dead for a century.

He was Theodore.

Their son.

Matthias inclined his head.

"Of course."

Again, perfectly reasonable.

Again, Dean disliked it.

The visit lasted less than twenty minutes.

Theo remained delighted throughout, giggling when Matthias made a quiet clicking sound with his tongue, grabbing his finger twice, and eventually discovering that the edge of Matthias’s sleeve was interesting enough to investigate with both hands.

Matthias treated him with extraordinary gentleness.

That somehow made Dean’s unease worse.

When Theo finally began rubbing his face against Dean’s chest, the first sign that stimulation had become tiring, Arion stood.

"That is enough for today."

Matthias withdrew immediately.

"Of course."

Dean released a faint layer of mint lemonade.

Theo relaxed against him before Matthias even reached the door.

The restored knight paused there and looked back once.

His gaze settled on Theodore.

Then Arion.

Something passed through his expression too quickly for Dean to identify.

Respect, perhaps. Or satisfaction.

"Thank you for allowing me to meet him."

Arion nodded.

Hunter escorted him out.

The door closed.

Silence filled the room.

Dean continued stroking Theo’s back while listening to Matthias’s footsteps disappear down the corridor.

Arion did not move.

Neither spoke until they could no longer hear anything beyond the door.

Dean looked at his husband.

"No."

Arion’s eyes shifted to him.

"You felt it too."

"Yes."

Dean exhaled slowly.

Theo was already half asleep against him, entirely unaware that his first little burst of pheromones had transformed an ordinary visit into something neither parent liked.

Arion moved closer.

"I don’t trust him."

Dean nodded.

"Neither do I."

"He hasn’t done anything."

"I know."

"That makes this inconvenient."

Dean looked toward the closed door.

"Since when has inconvenient stopped us?"

Arion’s mouth twitched, but the tension remained in his eyes.

Dean lowered his face and kissed Theodore’s dark hair.

"He doesn’t come near Theo alone."

"He doesn’t come near Theo without one of us."

"Agreed."

Arion rested a hand across their son’s back, covering most of it easily.

Theo sighed in his sleep.

"I will talk with Matthias. If he is truly dangerous, I will erase him."