Page 26

Chapter twenty-six

I shouldn’t be enjoying this. Llywelyn is curled up in my lap, with his arms around my neck and his face buried in my shoulder. He is much calmer now. In fact, he seems almost content. But I should not be relishing the warm weight of him.

There is something wrong with me. A good person would not be sitting here in this comfortable armchair, exulting in the feeling of being needed. Llywelyn is clinging to me like I’m the only buoy in a stormy sea, and I’m loving it. He belongs in my arms. I was born to take care of him. Right now, it feels like the rest of my life was merely a prelude to this, and now I’m taking up my destiny.

The soft rustle of a page turning disrupts my spinning thoughts. Selwyn is still calmly reading the book that Tae found. He doesn’t seem like he is about to disembowel me, a fact I’m eternally grateful for.

His savage temper faded quickly once I started babbling more fervent explanations at him, and his fury extinguished completely once I handed him the book. He is dangerous, but not unreasonable.

Right now, his brown eyes are focused on the page, but he seems almost serene. He could be reading for pleasure. Sitting across from his brother and enjoying a peaceful, companionable Sunday afternoon.

I bite back my wry snort. Sitting across from your brother while he curls up in a man’s lap, has to be a little disconcerting. But then again, for all the fey’s many flaws, homophobia doesn’t seem to be one of them. I’m not sure if they even have a word for it. It simply does not exist in their world.

I carefully reach out and pick up my cup of tea that is on the side table. It is a little tricky to get it to my lips with Llywelyn sitting on me, but I manage it.

I put the cup back and it clinks against the saucer. I don’t think I’ve ever drunk so much tea in my life since coming to the fey court. The fey are obsessed with it. Copious amounts of tea and zero homophobia. It is almost enough to make me like them.

Selwyn gently closes the book. He places it on the side and then turns to me with an unwavering stare.

I gulp and wait to hear my fate.

“It seems you have formed a mating bond with my brother.”

In my arms, Llywelyn doesn’t react. I guess he is still zoned out. I’m just happy he is calm now. So it’s fine. I can deal with this, and explain everything to him later.

I give Selwyn a quizzical look because I don’t have the faintest clue what a mating bond is. I mean, I could hazard a guess. I’m pretty sure it is something some animals do. But it’s far removed from any human thing.

Selwyn takes a breath. “Where do I need to start?”

“At the very, very beginning.”

The prince nods, as if that isn’t a pain in the ass. Then he starts talking. “A lot of what is known, is from species like wolf shifters who still have omegas.”

Oh, that’s interesting. The fact that there are actual omegas walking around could be very useful. It would be great to find someone to talk to.

“Omegas are submissive and docile. In packs they are the nurturing caregivers,” says Selwyn.

My snort of derision echoes around the room. Llywelyn is a little shit. I like him, I really, truly like him. Even with all his flaws. But nurturing and kind, he is not .

Selwyn gives me a stern glare. It reminds me of an unimpressed school teacher.

“When you are not fed love from a silver spoon, you learn to lick it from knives.”

An icy shiver runs down my spine. Selwyn spoke in English, and I recognise the quote. It’s from a book by Lauren Eden, I believe.

The words have whipped up a storm in my mind. I’m seeing Llywelyn knitting stuffies. I’m thinking of the man who groomed him. I’m reflecting on Tae and the idea that Llywelyn took him in to keep him safe.

“That’s what he should have been,” I state. “But he was shaped by being a prince in a dangerous court.”

A flicker of surprise crosses Selwyn’s eyes. Yeah, I am smarter than I look. Though, I probably shouldn’t have allowed him to see that.

He doesn’t mention it. He merely continues his lesson.

“Omegas fulfil a role in a pack. Alphas fulfil another. Alphas are dominant. Pack leaders. Protectors.”

Okay, so being an omega is more than being able to bear children? It is also to do with pack dynamics and hierarchies? I nod my understanding, and Selwyn continues.

“Omegas have heat cycles. Like dogs and cats. A breeding cycle.”

Oh god. This is making me want to blush for some reason. But I just about manage to keep my expression attentive and nothing more.

“Amongst wolf shifters and other paranormals that have male omegas, the males are no longer fertile, but they still experience heats. Periods of intense need. The theory is it helps form pack bonds.”

That makes sense. I’m sure I’ve read that’s why humans are so horny. Sex brings us closer together. You are more likely to save someone you are banging from a sabre-tooth tiger, than a stranger. Sex is evolutionary glue that stuck tribes together and ensured our survival .

“I suspect the night Llywelyn was very eager, was a heat,” Selwyn says calmly.

Damnit, now I am blushing. This is awkward as hell. Do I really have to sit here and discuss intimate details about fucking his brother? When I first babbled everything, it was under threat of imminent death and it didn’t seem embarrassing at all. But now everything is calm, it is going to be awful.

Selwyn gestures towards the book, lying innocuously on the side table. “According to the writings, omegas have a mating gland on their neck. Right where you bit him.”

My cheeks are on fire. Some professional I am. But actually, this is good. It helps my cover. Selwyn will never think I’m a dangerous secret agent, now that he is seeing me all flustered.

“You’re are not an alpha, not even latent traits, since humans don’t have them. So you haven’t fully mated my brother. But you are dominant enough to have formed a bond.”

Brown eyes fix on me and my heart thumps. Ethan, the namaste-yoga-dude, doesn’t have a dominant bone in his body.

The hairs rise on my arms as Selwyn and I stare at each other. I cannot see any suspicion or alarm in his eyes. He has seen my true nature, but not anymore of me. And there are a million reasons why a person might hide their true self.

My lungs remember how to breathe. And I allow myself to relax. Now my mind can process everything that Selwyn has told me.

I let the information percolate. So, the theory is, Llywelyn is genetically a sub, and I’m enough of a dom that he has latched onto me? Is that what we are going with? I hate how much I like the idea. A contract that is not on paper, one that doesn’t only exist in the club or for however long a relationship lasts. A beautiful boy who was literally born a sub and wants to be mine forever? It sounds too good to be true.

“I didn’t bite him while he was …in heat.” The unfamiliar term trips on my tongue. “I bit him before. ”

Selwyn nods. “Yes, in a moment of primal dominance. My theory is, the bite triggered the heat, and the heat sealed the bond.”

I stare blankly. This is an awful lot to take in. A veritable tome of information, which normally I could cope with. But this is all so very personal. It is overwhelming.

Selwyn takes a sip of his tea. I tilt my head down towards Llywelyn, who is still being silent and still in my lap.

“That doesn’t explain this?” I hate talking about Llywelyn as if he isn’t here, but I can’t think of any other way of wording it.

“You’re his Prince Charming,” says Selwyn. “A big strong man swooping in to solve all his problems. All he has to do is submit to you, love you. And in return, you are going to give him the protection he has always craved.”

Selwyn taps his own head with his finger. “That’s what is going on in here. His instincts are telling him he doesn’t need to be strong anymore. Or independent. He no longer needs to keep it together. All he needs is you.”

I squirm in my seat. As much as I can with my arms full of Llywelyn.

“He let all his walls down, and then he thought you rejected him. Right now, he’ll do anything to gain your approval. For you to take him back.”

My bowels turn to ice once more as Selwyn takes off his affable act and allows me to see the true darkness of what he is capable of. I nod enthusiastically. Warning received and understood.

“I’m confident that once reassured, Llywelyn will be more himself.”

I nod in agreement. I’m hopeful this is something akin to a panic attack, and it will pass.

“However, this mating bond has changed him. The bond is strong for him. It has awoken his omega nature. It will compel him to obey you.”

My breath comes out in a hitch. “How do we undo it? ”

It’s an awful lot of responsibility. And Llywelyn deserves to be capable of independent thought.

“Do you want to undo it?” asks Selwyn as he raises an eyebrow.

My heart thumps. My stomach squirms. I swear I feel my very soul do something strange. Fuck. I don’t think I do. I don’t want this thing between us undone.

Selwyn nods at whatever he sees in my eyes. His gaze drops down to Llywelyn and a tender smile teases at his lips.

“Loo-loo has never had a head for politics.”

I only just squash down my snort of derision before it escapes. I really want to say, ‘that’s what you think,’ but I don’t.

Wait. What did he call Llywelyn? Loo-loo? The first syllable of his name repeated. Is that what his family call him? It is adorable. I want to use it.

“But that’s not a problem. He is a fourth-born son,” continues Selwyn with a shrug.

It takes me a minute to figure out what he is talking about. Oh yeah. Politics. He thinks Llywelyn doesn’t have the head for it, and that it’s fine because he is so far down the pecking order, he doesn’t need to be any good at it.

Selwyn fixes me with a peculiar look. “He can retire, stop fighting his omega nature, and be your trad-wife.”

My eyebrows rise. More at the translator’s choice of words than anything else. But Trad-wife certainly paints a very clear picture. In fact, I think the translator has nailed it.

“Loo-loo will be happy,” Selwyn says softly.

“What about me?” I blurt.

Selwyn’s eyes narrow. “You think my brother, a prince, is not good enough for you?”

I gulp. “No, no, that’s not what I meant. I’m just not sure if I am this alpha thing, and if that’s all I want from life.”

Selwyn chuckles. “Yes, you are, and yes, it is.”

I stare at him .

“A little cottage in the woods, with my brother doting on you, is your idea of heaven.”

His brown eyes seem to pin me in place. His gaze peels away all of my layers so that there is only the truth of me left.

Somehow, I manage to swallow. Fuck. How can this fey prince know me better than I know myself? He is right. Damn right. I do want that. More than anything. I want Llywelyn and a little cottage in the woods.

I’m done with excitement and danger. I’ve had enough of the world. My soul craves peace and contentment. A simple life. Love.

Selwyn smiles and releases me from his gaze. He turns his attention to Tae, who has just fluttered in, and asks for some cakes.

I’m not stupid nor naive. I know damn well Selwyn has planted this seed because Llywelyn retiring from court will benefit him. Bump him up the line of power and succession.

But his suggestion has floored me with its potency. I’m too stunned to think properly. My mind is consumed by the vivid image of a beautiful cottage, covered in flowers. And Llywelyn knitting by the fire.

But I can’t have that future. That is not my destiny. Or Llywelyn’s.

I’m here to put him on the throne. And I never fail.

My superiors won’t let me.