Page 35 of Dearest Alpha Brothers 1: Vampire Prince

The elevator ride back to the penthouse was quiet, but my mind was buzzing with ideas. I clutched the tablet to my chest, already itching to dive into the files. Maybe being a vampire prince wouldn’t be so bad after all.

Chapter 9

WHITLOCK BROTHERS

Ryker pinched the bridge of his nose, staring at the stack of quarterly funding proposals covering his desk. The Beyond Beauty launch was demanding another fifty million for their marketing rollout, Crystal Heights development needed additional capital for their supernatural-safe security systems, and the R&D department’s blood substitute research was burning through money faster than expected.

But his wolf couldn’t focus. Not after this morning.

Luca’s scent lingered on his shirt—cherry blossoms and midnight rain, with an underlying sweetness that made his mouth water. The way he’d felt in his arms, all delicate strength and soft warmth… His wolf purred at the memory of Luca pressed against him, his musical voice spinning adorably flustered explanations about gravity and trees.

That voice. After years of barely hearing Luca speak, of watching the boy flee at the mere sight of them, hearing him babble nervously had been… enchanting. Like discovering a shy songbird had actually been a siren all along. His wolf had practically melted at the sound, wanting to draw out more of those sweet, rambling confessions.

The financial projections blurred as he remembered how perfectly Luca had fitted against him, those slender legs wrapped around his waist. His wolf had nearly howled with triumph when Luca had drifted closer to his throat, his tiny fangs grazing his skin. It had feltright—offering his neck to him, feeling his sweet breath against his pulse point. His wolf had practically purred with anticipation, already imagining the sharp pleasure of his bite…

Then Zane had interrupted.

A low growl rumbled in his chest at the memory. His wolf was still bristling about that, pacing restlessly beneath his skin. They’d been so close. He’d been about to mark him, to take what he’d so willingly offered…

The pen in his hand snapped, ink staining the proposal from Moonlight Pharmaceuticals. He cursed, tossing the broken pieces aside. He needed to focus. The Whitlock financial empire wouldn’t run itself. Sterling Shield Securities was pushing for aggressive expansion, Crescent Properties wanted to acquire three new downtown locations, and Nova Tech’s new security system needed immediate funding.

But all he could think about was Luca’s eyes bright with hunger, his witty comments about “Vampire Yelp” and “militant limbs” that showed glimpses of a personality they’d never been allowed to see before. This wasn’t the silent, withdrawn Luca who’d hidden away for years. This Luca was vibrant, alive, absolutely adorable in his flustered state…

“Mr. Whitlock?” His assistant’s voice crackled through the intercom. “Beyond Beauty’s financial team needs your approval on their quarterly budget allocation.”

Ryker glanced at the proposal again, but the numbers swam before his eyes. All he could see was Luca pressed against him in those thin sleep clothes, the delicate fabric leaving little to the imagination…

His wolf stirred restlessly at the memory. He’d caught glimpses of him in similar attire before, during his swift retreats to his room over the years. But those fleeting sightings had never affected him like this. He’d been their shy little brother then, someone to protect, to worry about.

Now though… Now the sight of him in that whisper-thin fabric had his wolf practically purring. The way the morning light had played across the material, highlighting every line, every delicate curve of his body. The soft gasp he’d made when he caught him, the way his legs had wrapped around his waist…

When did everything change?he wondered.When did our little brother become…

His wolf finished the thought:Ours.

“Sir?” His assistant again. “About the Beyond Beauty budget?”

“Tell them I’ll review it this afternoon,” he managed, loosening his tie. The office suddenly felt too warm, too confined. “I need to… check some things first.”

Like why Luca’s scent is suddenly the most intoxicating thing I’ve ever encountered, he thought wryly.Or why my wolf wants to bare our throat to our vampire prince.

The morning dragged on. He reviewed acquisition proposals for Crescent Properties, approved security upgrades for the Crystal Heights project, and somehow managed to sign off on Sterling Shield Securities’ expansion plans. But every signature, every decision, was accompanied by flashes of lavender eyes and the phantom sensation of tiny fangs against his throat.

By lunch, even his wolf’s legendary patience had frayed. The morning’s stack of proposals remained largely untouched, his usual methodical approach to clan finances scattered by memories of Luca’s witty banter.

“Cancel my afternoon meetings,” he told his assistant, already standing. “I need to…”See him. Hold him. Offer my neck again.“…clear my head.”

His wolf scoffed at the weak excuse.

The elevator ride to the penthouse felt endless. Each floor brought him closer to his scent, that intoxicating mix of cherry blossoms and midnight rain. His wolf paced beneath his skin, remembering how close they’d been to feeling his bite. If Zane hadn’t interrupted…

A growl rumbled in his chest. His brother’s timing had been impeccable, as always. Too impeccable. The way Zane had looked at them, that flash of… something in his eyes. His wolf bristled at the memory.

For decades, they’d watched Luca from a distance, respecting his need for space. He’d been content with that role—the quiet, protective older brother. Even when he’d dart past him in those thin sleep clothes, even when he caught glimpses of him curled up in the library with his manga, he’d felt nothing but fraternal affection.

But this morning… This morning had changed everything.

This new Luca, with his adorable babbling and quick wit… He wasn’t just their shy little brother anymore. He was something else. Something that made his wolf restless and hungry in ways he’d never experienced.

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