Page 59 of Dearest Alpha Brothers 1: Vampire Prince

Nina bounced forward, her constellation spots twinkling with excitement. “Wait until you see the transformation sequence! The crystal formations react to our powers and—” She caught herself, glancing at Jia who gave her an indulgent smile.

“What our maknae means is”—Mika stepped in gracefully, spirit lights dancing around her as she moved—”we’ve prepared something special for tonight’s showcase.”

“Speaking of special,” Lily added, her voice carrying that hypnotic quality that had earned their practice videos warning labels, “we heard the Whitlock Clan is launching something new soon?”

I blinked in surprise. “Oh! Yes, but it’s still in early stages?—”

“Unnie,” Nina stage-whispered to her group leader Jia with the familiar respect of a younger sister, “is it true you’re doing a special stage at the launch party next month?”

Jia shot Nina a fond but warning look. “That’s still under discussion with our management,” she said diplomatically.

I made a mental note to mention ECLIPSE to Archer when I saw him next. Their supernatural elements would be perfect for the Beyond Beauty campaign, but of course, we’d need Zane’s approval first.

The thought of my brothers made me glance around the room again, but there was still no sign of them. Just their lingering presence in the air…

“Prince Luca?” Aria’s gentle voice drew my attention back. “Would you like to join us for some photos? The Park Clan’s crystal formations make the perfect backdrop.”

Chapter 13

WHITLOCK BROTHERS

Two weeks of strategic meetings, emergency consultations, and buried-in-work avoidance tactics had done absolutely nothing to prepare Zane for the sight of Luca in that royal purple coat.

From the second-floor viewing box, through floor-to-ceiling windows that overlooked the Crystal Palace’s VIP area, Zane watched the young prince interact with ECLIPSE during the exclusive meet and greet. The deep royal purple coat draped over Luca’s shoulders like liquid royalty, the satin-like fabric shimmering with each graceful movement. Beneath it, the black brocade vest hugged the prince’s slender torso perfectly, while the open white silk shirt dipped low enough to reveal a tantalizing glimpse of smooth, pale skin. The silver embellishments on the vest caught the light with every turn, drawing attention to the elegant lines of Luca’s form in a way that was both aristocratic and undeniably seductive.

The idol group’s supernatural powers created dancing lights around them as they chatted with Luca, making the boy’s porcelain skin shimmer in ways that had Zane’s wolf pacing restlessly. The contrast between the royal purple fabric andLuca’s pale complexion made his lavender eyes seem to glow, the haunting beauty of his features enhanced by the perfectly tailored ensemble. Every detail of his appearance—from the way the coat’s embroidery seemed to be stitched with threads of moonlight to how the open neckline framed his delicate collarbones—was a masterclass in refined temptation.

“If anyone’s wondering why I’m drinking directly from the bottle,” Archer muttered, clutching a crystal decanter of centuries-old tiger wine from the Park Clan’s private collection, “this would be why.”

“Can’t blame you,” Jae Moon murmured, his own gaze lingering on the vampire prince below. “That outfit is… quite something.”

Zane’s grip tightened on his glass as he watched Luca turn, the coat flowing around him with courtly elegance that somehow managed to be seductive at the same time. The young prince looked every inch the vampire royalty he was—beautiful, refined, and impossibly magnetic—a vision of supernatural allure that had everyone in the room stealing glances.

“Careful there, wolf.” Jin Lee laughed from where he lounged against the bar. “That’s Kai’s special reserve. Even I’m not allowed to touch that one.”

“Like that’s stopped you before,” Jae Moon called out, sprawled elegantly in one of the leather chairs. “Remember the winter solstice party?”

“We agreed never to speak of that.” Kai Park smirked, accepting a fresh glass from Edmund Ravencroft, who’d apparently appointed himself unofficial bartender for the evening. “Though I seem to recall you and James getting into my private stock as well.”

“In our defense…” James Blackthorn grinned, his gothic aesthetic somewhat ruined by his relaxed posture. “Sebastian’s blood wine collection was already empty.”

“Because someone…” Sebastian Blackthorn cast an amused look at his second-in-command. “Thought it would be fun to challenge Jian and Lei to a drinking contest.”

“Best diplomatic meeting ever.” Lei Zhang raised his glass from where he sat with Yuto Tanaka and Ryu Kitsune, the three of them sharing what looked suspiciously like contraband blood whiskey.

“Speaking of diplomatic meetings…” Ming Cheng’s aristocratic voice carried just the right amount of amusement as he joined their group. “Remember when your little prince wouldn’t even leave his room for clan gatherings? Now look at him, charming idol groups.”

“Our shut-in butterfly,” Akira Sato mused from his spot near the windows, his nine tails swaying with barely contained mirth. “Though I must say, the transformation is… fascinating. Almost as fascinating as three alpha wolves suddenly developing an urgent interest in every business meeting outside their territory.”

“The bears were being difficult,” Zane said automatically, his perfect alpha composure betrayed only by the death grip he had on his tumbler.

“Of course we were,” Colt Hawkins snorted from where he was teaching his younger brother Blake some complicated card trick. “Though I’ve got to say, your sudden passionate interest in oil refineries at three a.m. was… touching.”

“Almost as touching as Ryker’s midnight enthusiasm for Norse shipping routes,” Leif Thorgard called out, sprawled on one of the leather sofas with a plate of appetizers. “What was it again? The fascinating intricacies of winter harbor maintenance?”

“The research was vital,” Ryker managed, though storm energy crackled briefly around his glass.

“Oh yes, absolutely vital,” Bjorn Thorgard grinned, stealing one of Leif’s appetizers. “Just like Archer’s sudden dedication to Highland whiskey tasting. At dawn.”

---