Page 42 of Reptile Dysfunction
“Need I remind you that you’re the older brother, Seb?” I snark. “The point is, maybe I don’t have to hide in the shadows anymore. I ran it by Sloane. She loves the idea.”
Before Sebastian can respond, a commotion erupts in the lobby. Raised voices, the sudden spike of fear-scent, and the distinctive sniffling sound of someone trying very hard not to cry.
My snakes rear as one, already tracking the source before I stand. Even with my back protesting, some instincts never fade.
“Let me,” Sebastian starts, but I’m already moving.
The scene in the lobby tells its story quickly: A young werewolf, about sixteen, cornered by three human teens who definitely aren’t Y members. The werewolf’s eyes flick back and forth with barely contained panic, his control slipping.
“Problem?” My voice carries just enough enforcer edge to make everyone freeze. The intimidation aura activates automatically, but I keep it subtle. Controlled.
“Just talking,” one of the humans says, but his heart rate betrays the lie.
“Really?” Moving closer, I let my eyes shift to full amber. “Because it looked like harassment on private property. Which would be unfortunate considering the Y’s zero-tolerance policy.”
The werewolf’s breathing steadies slightly as the immediate threat dissipates. Smart kid—using the wall to guard his back, keeping space for escape if needed. Someone trained him well.
“You can’t—” the ringleader starts.
“Actually,” Sloane’s voice cuts in as she emerges from the stairwell, phone recording, “he can. As the Y’s newly appointed security consultant, he has full authority to remove threats to member safety. Would you like to be the first official incident report?”
The humans retreat, trying to maintain dignity but radiating fear. Not the blind panic of my enforcer days—just the healthy respect for authority I was aiming for.
“You okay?” I ask the werewolf once they’re gone.
He nods, control returning now that the threat has passed. “Thanks. That was… different.”
“Different?”
“Yeah. Usually when… you know, your kind… used the fear thing, it was scarier. This was more like…” He searches for the word. “A nudge rather than a baseball bat?”
Sloane’s smile is pure victory. “Exactly. Welcome to Guardian Solutions’ first official intervention. Our business license came through yesterday—fastest approval the clerk had ever seen,” Sloane adds with a hint of pride.
She steps closer to hand me the phone with the photo, and her fingers brush mine as I take it. The contact sends heat straight through me, causing an instant replay of last night’s lovemaking to fly through my mind.
“Two weeks from concept to official business. Your reputation combined with my father’s surprising support seems to be opening doors.”
“Guardian Solutions?” Sebastian appears beside us, his own snakes radiating calm to further settle the situation. “Has a nice ring to it.”
The werewolf looks between us, understanding dawning. “Wait. You’re the Gorgon brothers? The enforcer and the librarian?”
“Former enforcer,” I correct. My snakes can’t hide their pride as they stand at attention when they’re recognized. “Current security consultant, apparently.”
“That’s so cool!” His enthusiasm makes him look his age again. “My dad talks about you guys sometimes. From before. He said you kept us safe, but like, scary-safe. This was better, though. Like, professional-safe.”
“Professional-safe,” Sloane muses, putting away her phone. “Not a bad slogan.”
Looking at her—confident and composed, already thinking about branding and documentation—something clicks. This isn’t just about finding a new purpose. It’s about evolution,about taking the necessary shadows of the past and bringing them into the light.
“We should document procedures,” she continues, already in business mode. “Establish clear protocols for different threat levels. Maybe create training programs for others who have abilities that need to be transitioned?”
“Ambitious,” Sebastian observes.
“Realistic,” she counters. “The community needs this. Not just humans learning to trust monsters, but monsters learning to trust themselves out in the open.”
My snakes all perk up at the possibility. Even my back pain seems distant compared to the potential that’s unfolding.
“We’d need office space,” I say slowly. “Proper licensing. Insurance.”
