Page 2 of Magical Midlife Conclave

This alpha wasn’t much older than Kingsley, but Kingsley still felt like a child being allowed at the holiday party adult table. Most alphas would. A planet being compared to the sun. A Honda parked next to a Ferrari.

“Thank you,” Yazanth said.

Kingsley tried to give his mate a smile as he presented her with the flowers, but his expression was still frozen in shock. Or maybe reverence?

Thank God he was at home. This would be very embarrassing if he’d still been training or walking into the office.

“What can I do for you, Alpha?” Kingsley asked.

“Please, call me Aljoe. My title within the convocation is still being determined.”

“Forgive me…but Austin mentioned you go by the name of John now? Is that not correct?”

Now it was Earnessa’s turn to freeze in shock. She knew whom Kingsley was talking to.

“I chose John, yes. John Smith. A normal member of society.”

Kingsley barely stopped from snorting. “Apologies, Al”—he cut off before he said Alpha—“Aljoe, but a rogue with your power and prestige was never going to blend into society.”

“My power and the scars of my past, you mean,” he growled. “Correct. I’d been forced to inharmoniously live in basajaunak territory. Fighting them for the privilege of staying was preferable to pitchforks and torches.”

“May I ask how the name Aljoe came about?” He sat down on the couch.

Earnessa stopped in front of him. In one hand was a beer, in the other a bottle of wine. She lifted her eyebrows.

He gestured at the beer and mouthed, Thank you.

“Like you nearly did, and your daughter and Sue before you, people kept stopping themselves when calling me Alpha. The vampire got confused, mixed up Joe and John, and here we are. I didn’t choose the name—it chose me.”

“Ah. Ivy House antics. Say no more. I was chased around by a bunch of dolls in that house.”

“Yeah.” The word was once again laced with a growl. “The house thinks messing with me is a fun pastime, it seems. I can’t seem to get on top of it.”

“Just ignore it. The house will lose interest.”

“That’s what Jessie said, except it hasn’t. I woke up this morning with a doll standing at the end of my bed, staring at me in the low light.”

Kingsley barked out laughter. He couldn’t help it. The scene was unexpected, as was the flat way Yazanth, now Aljoe, conveyed it.

“Naturally, I tried to kick the thing off⁠—”

“Naturally.”

“—but it scampered away too fast and then giggled as it ran out of the room. I’ve almost stopped running from the gnomes, though. Small victories.”

Kingsley ran his fingers through his hair. “It’s a wonder you stay.”

“This house will not beat me.”

“Which is exactly why it has kept trying.”

Aljoe grunted. A shifter like him wouldn’t stop trying until he’d won. It was why he’d held on to his pack against insurmountable odds.

“How are you finding the Ivy House crew?” Kingsley asked.

“Surprisingly…pleasant. The basajunk are almost charming when they aren’t trying to kill you. Imagine my surprise.”

Did he just say basa-junk?