CHAPTER 22: VEXXON RAIDERS

Kieran’s POV

The polished mahogany of the conference table gleamed under the soft lights.

Across from me and my brothers, Mr. Albright, a man with a grip like a vice and a smile just as tight, was laying out his vision for the new Vexxon racetrack.

"...and with this state-of-the-art facility," he was saying, his voice a smooth, confident drone, "we won’t just be building a track; we’ll be forging legends. We’ll take raw, hungry newbies and polished veterans and give them the platform to become something... immortal."

My smile was fixed in place, my posture perfectly engaged. But my mind... my mind was a million miles away.

It was back in that dim, pulsating light of the club. It was focused on the feel of a certain woman’s body and her curves, the way her soft moans cut through the bass and hook directly into something deep in my chest.

Why won’t she leave? I thought, a familiar frustration bubbling up. I have my mate. Our fated mate. Thinking about another woman... isn’t that cheating? I’m a good man. A righteous man.

As if, my wolf chimed in, its voice a sly whisper in the back of my mind. What about sabotaging some things just to get your way?

I mentally shushed him. That’s completely different! I argued. That was strategic optimism!

This... this felt confusing. And confusion is just a risk you haven’t found the bright side of yet.

A sharp, bony elbow connected with my ribs. I jolted and looked to my left. Kayden, my ever-observant brother, was staring at me, his dark eyes narrowed. His fingers moved in a quick, sharp sign. [You are not here.]

I waved a dismissive hand. "Of course I am."

I saw Kayden pinch the bridge of his nose out of the corner of my eye. He was such a worrier.

The meeting finally wrapped up with a lot of handshakes. The moment the last person left, Keith let out a low sigh and gestured for Kayden and me to follow him to our private office.

When we got there, I made a beeline for the plush leather couch in the lounge area, flopping down with a contented sigh. This was more like it. Kayden, went straight to the espresso machine, his back to us as he started the meticulous process of making his coffee.

"The recruitment team has started scouting racers," Keith began, getting straight to business as he leaned against his desk. "And I’ve finalized the name for the racing team we’ll be sponsoring under the Vexxon company."

I perked up, leaning forward. "Ooh, let’s hear it! It’s got to be something epic. Something that speaks of speed, power, destiny!"

Keith scanned his tablet. "They’re going to be called ’The Vexxon Velocity Unit’."

I stared at him for a second before groaning, letting my head fall back against the cushions. "The Vexxon Velocity Unit? Keith, that’s terrible! It’s so boring, so... corporate modern. Where’s the soul? Where’s the fire?"

Keith just raised an eyebrow. "It’s professional. . It brands them directly to the company."

"It’s a snooze-fest!" I argued, sitting up again. "We’re not selling printer ink; we’re selling legends! We need a name that gets people excited, that makes them feel something! ’The Velocity Unit’ sounds like they’re going to come and calibrate my treadmill, not tear up a track!"

I heard the quiet hiss of the steam wand. Kayden didn’t turn around, but his shoulders were shaking with silent laughter. He knew I was right.

Keith let out a long-suffering sigh, the kind he perfected just for me. "Fine. What dazzling alternative does the ’Sultan of Soul’ suggest we call them, then?"

I tapped my chin, letting the perfect name build drama in the silence. "The Vexxon Raiders," I announced, spreading my hands like I’d just unveiled a masterpiece. "It speaks of speed, of power, of taking what’s yours! It’s bold! It’s exciting! It’s not a committee-approved snore!"

Keith looked utterly unimpressed. "It sounds like a low-budget action movie."

"Then it’s a blockbuster!" I countered. "If you won’t see reason, we’ll vote on it. All in favor of the infinitely superior and thrilling ’Vexxon Raiders,’ raise your hand." My own shot into the air.

I looked expectantly at Kayden, who was now leaning against the counter, sipping his coffee. He met my gaze, then gave a tiny, almost imperceptible shrug. He raised his hand.

Keith stared at him, betrayed. "Really, Kayden?"

Kayden’s free hand moved in quick, efficient signs. [His idea is less boring.]

I beamed. "See? I knew my sweet brother would see the light!"

Kayden just shot me a flat look and signed again. [I didn’t do it for you. His name is bad. Yours is just less bad.]

I chose to ignore the second part. A win is a win! "The ayes have it! The Vexxon Raiders it is!"

Keith shook his head but finally relented. "Fine. The Raiders. Now, onto something more important. How is Scarlet?"

The question landed in the room like a lead balloon. The air went still. I kept my smile firmly in place, a little tighter now.

"She’s great," I said, my tone breezy. "She should be doing great."

Keith’s eyes narrowed. "Should be? Kieran, she’s our fated mate. Shouldn’t you be a little more certain than that?"

A flicker of irritation broke through my face. "I’m not her babysitter, Keith. And last I checked, you’re her mate too. Why don’t you

know?"

"I’m trying my best," Keith said, his voice dropping into a low, serious tone. "But I at least expected you to be trying harder. You’re the charmer, Kieran. The one who’s supposed to smooth things over, to bring us all together."

"I know I’m the charmer," I said, the words feeling oddly hollow. "But... I don’t know. With Scarlet, it just feels like... work. Like I’m forcing it. Shouldn’t it be easier since she is our mate."

Keith studied me for a long moment, his gaze uncomfortably perceptive. "Fine. Maybe we’re all trying too hard individually. How about we take her out? All of us. A proper date?"

Kayden set his coffee down and signed. [We also need to find a personal assistant.]

Keith nodded in agreement. "He’s right. And they have to be one of us. A supernatural. We can’t risk a human stumbling onto our secrets."

The thought of a stranger discovering our hybrid nature—the wolf lurking just beneath the skin—was a risk I couldn’t optimist my way out of. It was one of the few things I was realistic about.

***

A few hours later, we were heading down the private elevator of our skyscraper. This particular building was one of the main hubs for Vexxon, all gleaming glass and steel, a monument to the empire we’d built. As usual, I found myself behind the wheel of the car.

"Really? Again?" I complained, sliding into the driver’s seat. "My own voting game used against me. This is a betrayal of the highest order."

Keith just smirked as he got in the passenger side, and Kayden gave me a look that plainly said, [Serves you right.], before getting in the back.

I drove away from the curb, merging into the late afternoon traffic. That’s when I felt it—a faint, familiar pull in my chest. My wolf stirred inside me.

She’s near, it whispered, a low thrum of awareness.

I frowned, gripping the steering wheel a little tighter. "Why would Scarlet be anywhere near the company?" I muttered, more to myself than anyone. "That doesn’t make any sense."

But as I drove further away, the feeling didn’t fade; it just left a strange emptiness in its wake. A nagging doubt began to surface.

Had we truly found our mate? The bond was there, a thread connecting us to Scarlet, but it lacked... something. A spark. A certainty. Or was the Moon Goddess playing some cruel trick on us?

Another layer of punishment for that day, for the crime we were forced to commit to save our own lives? The curses we each bore felt like weight enough.

Was a fractured, incomplete mate bond our final sentence?

I shook my head, physically trying to dislodge the thought. No. That was Keith’s kind of thinking—pessimistic and brooding.

Everything would work out. It had to.