Page 3

Rue

“Take her to my tent,” Bock orders Mannus, but he’s staring at me with a thunderous look in his eye. “Don’t touch her yet. You’ll have plenty of opportunities later.”

Bock seemed like a good leader except for that one glaring flaw. But now, the darkness that fueled his cruel way of thinking is laid bare for the entire pack to see. Everything I’ve just spewed at him is true. Those in the pack who’ve had their heads buried can’t ignore it any longer.

They can continue to look away, to stay quiet, but the words have been spoken. Bock can’t hide behind the silence anymore. This stain on his name can never be washed out or covered up.

Mannus grabs me by the arm, fully aware of what kind of touch Bock was referring to. His fingers dig deep into my skin, but I don’t acknowledge him. He may be physically stronger than me, but nothing compares to my heartache or the hatred I have for the Alphas in this pack.

He drags me across the camp to Bock’s tent and shoves me inside. He’s still bare after his shift. It’s impossible to miss his dirty cock rising as he rakes his eyes over my swollen breasts.

“I’m going to do so many things when that pup is out of you,” he says, taking slow, predatory steps toward me.

I back away until my legs hit the edge of Bock’s bed. It takes a moment to remind myself that I’m safe. Mannus will obey his Prime and not take me. His defiance would cost him his life. He’d never give up endless opportunities to torment me, no matter how impatient he is.

His attempts at intimidating me now seem so pathetic. He thinks he’s done some honorable deed by bringing me back. He’s too stupid to remember that he was the reason I got away in the first place. Bock isn’t finished with him. He’s just using Mannus to intimidate me.

He’ll get nothing from me, though. Only a mask of indifference while I wait for him to become bored with me. I hold my ground as he scents my neck, refusing to flinch, even when his tongue slides along my shoulder.

He scoffs. “You won’t be so quiet when my knot is ripping you wide open. It’ll hurt, but what will really piss you off is how much you love it.”

The day he tries, I’ll slice his cock off, knot and all. I fear no one. Let them tie me up like a prisoner for attacking him. They can continue using my bound body as they please. But at least Mannus will be left harmless and humiliated. Alphas can heal from a lot, but they can’t regenerate appendages. I’ll be ready for him, and I look forward to seeing him cry.

When he finally gets that I’m not going to react, he lets out a frustrated grunt and storms out of the tent. Now that I’m alone, what he claimed about Durin is able to sink in. My legs give way beneath me, and I crumble onto the rug by the bed.

Mannus has been searching for me for months. He’s been around the fae, hearing things I haven’t. I don’t think he’s lying. It adds up–specifically, Durin’s prolonged absences and his reluctance to mate with me again. The queen has always come first.

I can’t help but wonder how long they’ve been… how long he’s been with her. Is this something new? Have they been intimate for some time, and she only now decided to make his position official?

I imagine Durin and the queen making memories like the ones stolen from me. Visions of them smiling and caressing each other come at me from all directions.

But my Omega rises up and deflects them, one by one, until I can close that dark part of my mind and focus on what’s real.

He said he hated her. He cannot lie.

A faint warmth passes through my chest. She’s right. He does hate the queen. He’s been plotting her death. Everything was real–his stories about helping the other high fae, the way he poured himself into his kisses, the pride he took in naming our pup. None of it was a trick.

Yes. Stop being self-centered.

If he hates the queen, he can’t want to share her bed… I doubt she asks for anything. She wouldn’t invite him to be intimate with her. She’d command it and expect his obedience. It takes me a moment for the realization to hit me, but when it does, it hits hard.

He’s being forced, just like I will be.

I managed to delay mine, but who knows how long he’s been suffering. He only rejected me because he’d been with the queen and felt guilty for it. He was ashamed to tell me. And he was afraid that I would reject him.

My heart breaks again but for a whole new reason. My Omega knew, but I couldn’t see it. Knowing of his misery hurts far more than thinking he loved her instead of me. And what’s worse, he’ll come to visit me and find that I’m gone. He’ll think Mother and I took our things and fled from him.

He’ll continue to be burdened by his mission and violated by the queen. Only now, he’ll believe that I stole his pup and abandoned him to endure his misery alone.

He’s too honorable to pursue someone who wants to be rid of him. There’s no hope for him rescuing me. I’m back to where I began, helplessly bound to my bullshit fate.

It’s late when Bock finally enters the tent. I’m still on the ground, aching for Durin. I don’t care that he sees it. I don’t resist when he lifts me from the floor and tucks me beneath his blankets. I don’t even pull away when he wraps his body around mine.

Fighting would be useless. There’s just no point. Durin has been facing far worse. I can survive a night in the arms of someone I hate. At least I know Bock won’t try to mount me… yet. Once the pup is born and my body is healed, he won’t hesitate.

I’m surprised, though, that he doesn’t threaten me or launch into some lecture about what I did. He says nothing, only cuddling up to me like we’re in love. It’s like he’s forgotten what I said about him in front of everyone. But I know that can’t be the case. He doesn’t smell like wine, so I don’t think he drank the anger away. He must be trying to fuck with my head.

I manage to sleep, telling myself it will be an escape. But as I lie awake in the morning where his former Luna used to lie, a sickening feeling keeps me from drifting off again. Any drive I had to find a way out of this is gone. Bock is content to take an Omega who doesn’t want him. He’d choose pride over a mate who’s eager to serve him. It’s despicable. He really is no better than the wicked fae he condemns.

“What’s wrong with her?” Bock’s rumbling voice crawls into my ears as I lie lifelessly on his bed.

He muttered sweet things about my scent when he awoke and some other things I turned my ears off for. I guess he hopes my mother will understand what his thick brain isn’t getting.

I thought he was trying to scare me with his peaceful behavior last night, but I’m beginning to suspect something is seriously wrong with his mind. He’s honestly confused about why I ignored his touch in the night and why I’ve not risen for the day. Why I’d rather sleep my life away than face it by his side.

“She’s just worn out,” my mother replies gently. “Some fresh air will help.”

Mother is trying to appease him so he won’t become angry with me. But I want him to know how miserable it is to be near him. He can’t think that because he’s forcing me to become his mate, I’ll just magically be thrilled about it.

“Fix it,” Bock orders her before striding out of the tent.

It takes a lot of effort, but my mother manages to pull me to my feet and drag me out of the tent. As my eyes adjust to the bright light, I’m surprised to see Bock waiting outside.

I bet he’s making sure Mother follows through with his orders. I don’t even spare him a glance as we pass. He grunts in annoyance and stomps off. I’m mercifully left in peace. Mother sets me down on a log outside the tent and covers me with a blanket. After settling in beside me, she begins to rub my shoulders.

“I’m fine,” I say, shaking her off.

“You’re not fine, Rue. You have to snap out of this. Durin will come.”

I huff and caress my belly, hoping my mood and unstable emotions aren’t passing through to Vaegon in any way.

“Oh, my sweet daughter,” my mother says, staying by my side despite my standoffish attitude. She wraps her arms around me and begins to rock. “Durin will always come for you. Don’t you see? He’s your scent match.”

I laugh. I can’t help it. “Have you lost your mind? Fae don’t have fated mates. They don’t even take mates at all. They just fuck until they tire of each other and move on to the next.”

“It’s in the way you cling to that cloth like it’s your lifeline,” she whispers. “And the look he’s given you each time he has to leave, like he’s parting with his very soul. I've seen many pairings in my life, but none have ever radiated the energy the two of you share when you're together. Call it a mother’s intuition, but I feel an overwhelming sense of relief and security when you're with him. Like my role of protecting you is almost complete. You’ll see,” she says warmly.

I can feel her smiling against my cheek. If only I could be half as delirious as she is right now.

“Whatever,” I mutter, deflating in her arms.

“Just promise me,” she whispers, “When he comes, go with him. Embrace the life fate has always intended for you. Leave me here to win the pack’s favor for him.”

I hate the idea of leaving my mother here if I were to escape. I doubt I’ll have to worry about that, though. Durin isn’t coming for me. Yeah, his scent is intoxicating. It stirs up cravings in me like I’ve never had. I’m helplessly addicted to it and fiercely protective of it. The washing cloth, still tucked securely against my breast, is proof of that. I’d kill anyone who dared try and take it from me.

But that’s not enough to make him mine. He’s had my heart since I woke up in his arms, even though I had every reason to hate him. Even while I fought my longing to forgive him, my heart belonged to him.

Yet he resisted me with ease. It doesn’t matter that it was for an honorable reason.

He’s not my scent match. Perhaps I was always destined to be his, but I don’t think he was ever meant to be mine.

***

Hours later, no one has come to retrieve me. I made my way to the ground and have been leaning back against the cold, stiff log. I’ve stared at nothing for so long that I’m not sure my eyes know how to focus anymore.

I wonder if Bock is trying to make me nervous by leaving me here. Or maybe he forgot about me. He’s clearly delusional. I have no fucking idea what he might be trying to prove by ignoring me.

It doesn’t matter. I don’t have the energy to do anything. This suits me just fine.

Eventually, some movement in the trees catches my eye. I drag my gaze to the side, annoyed at the effort that it takes. Two sprites flit gracefully around the trunk of a small tree. Their delicate wings shimmer in the sunlight, making it seem like the warmer seasons.

The male backs away and ventures higher into the air. He spins in a slow circle, then spreads his wings wide with each flap. The smaller female smiles up at his display of size and strength. She does a little spin of her own before reaching out to him.

He darts back down to join her, but she backs away. Her tiny hands trace her breasts and hips as she shows him what she has to offer.

He flits over and swiftly pulls her into his arms. Their wings work together to hold them in the air, somehow never tangling. They touch their noses together and whisper their sweet little tinkling sounds. She tickles his ears with her fingertips, making him grin. Then, she moves her hands to his chest, gliding them back and forth like the waves ebb and flow in the sea.

I used to watch this mating dance when I was young. I thought the sprites were just playing. It was cute to me. As I matured, I began to understand what their dance really was. Even so, I’ve found myself still drawn to the beauty of it.

But I can’t bear to watch them right now. They’re happy, and I’m miserable. Each movement reminds me of what I’ve lost. Their sweet, innocent joy is making me bitter.

I wait until they move farther away to avoid startling them, then push myself up and head back into the tent.

There will be more of them. They mate during the Still Season. Sprites all around will be dancing and pairing with their mates in hopes of creating new life. To bless the realm with more mischievous sprites to spread their chaos. They’re still as amazing to me as they’ve always been. It’s just too sweet to bear right now.

Maybe even from now on. I can’t imagine this hurt ever going away.

I look around for somewhere to lie down, not even considering the bed. I settle on taking the floor at the back of the tent and drag my body in that direction.

On the way, I slam into something sharp, sending me crashing to my knees.

I rip my dress up to check my stomach, which feels like it’s been split down the center. I brace myself for the sight of blood gushing out of a gaping wound. But there’s not even a scratch or bruise from the impact.

Confused, I look around to see what I might have walked into. I search everywhere but find nothing in the path I took.

The stabbing pain returns, sharper and more persistent than before. I cry out and collapse onto my side, protecting my belly as I writhe in agony.

I’m reminded of how my heat began, stumbling through the cave before being lost to the fever. Could I be in heat when I’m carrying a pup? Why would my body try to conceive again when it’s already nurturing a new life?

No... The pain has made me delirious. This isn’t a heat. This is it . My pup is coming.

A surge of joy cuts through the pain, and I smile as I struggle to my feet. It hurts, but I know what to do. I’ve overheard countless births in my life. One word has always stood out to me. Walk.

I pace the length of the spacious tent, grateful Bock’s is bigger than the rest. As I walk, I hold my stomach tightly, finding relief in the pressure. Vaegon pushes back against my hands, and I can feel him innately moving himself into the right position.

I swell with pride in his strength. I don’t need to call for help. My son is capable of entering the realm on his own.

After more laps and shaky breaths, piercing light suddenly floods the tent. I crouch instinctively and hiss at the silhouette standing in the gap.

“Oh, Rue, look at you. You’re such a good mother already.”

The voice is filled with the same pride in me that I feel for my own son. My fangs retract as a sob escapes my lips. “Madda,” I cry softly. “He’s coming.”

“Yes, he sure is,” she says, hurrying to my side. “Now is the time to cheer up. You have a little life to focus on.”

She’s right. Vaegon might be the only piece of Durin I’ll ever see again. I owe him the whole realm I’m bringing him into. And that includes the environment he grows up in. He’s worth more than watching his mother be passed around.

I’m ready to fight back. I’ll get us out of here. Even if it means waiting until he’s strong enough to help me.

This is not my fate. Vaegon is.

Mother paces with me for quite some time, holding me through each wave of pain. I stifle my cries to prevent drawing anyone’s attention. This moment is meant for my family alone. The ones that are able to be here, at least.

When the pain becomes unbearable, Mother gently guides me to lie down on the bed. Though this bed disgusts me, I find comfort in it as Mother helps bring the beautiful, blue-haired pup into the realm.

She swiftly cleans his face and eyes, then wraps him in her apron before handing him to me. Her face glows with pride as she watches me cradle Vaegon to my chest.

He already has a full head of blue hair, and his cute little ears are pointy and long. Not as long as Durin’s, but much longer than mine. His cheeks are adorably full, as all pups are. Though the warm bronze of his skin and the ethereal beauty of a fae are unmistakably from his father.

Instead of crying, he lets out a growl and latches onto my breast to nurse. I laugh at his already fiery spirit. He’ll be as fierce as he is handsome.

My Omega is so proud. Happier than I’ve ever felt her. Instead of Vaegon’s kicks and elbows, I now feel her jumping up and down inside me.

“He’s perfect,” I say to my Omega while smiling up at my mother.

The love I already have for Vaegon is so strong it almost hurts to breathe. Nothing can take this feeling from me. Not even when Bock strides in and interrupts our moment.

He looks down at Vaegon without emotion. “How long until she’s healed?” he asks my mother.

This miracle of life means nothing to him. My joy as a mother doesn’t affect him in the slightest. All he cares about is when he can get what he wants out of me.

I laugh to myself at the mess I’ve made of his bed and stare down into my pup’s blue eyes like he’s the only one here. I end up completely forgetting about Bock until he takes a step closer to me.

My fangs reemerge, and the growl that erupts from my throat is from a whole other realm. I clutch Vaegon tightly, concealing him as best I can while baring my teeth at the Prime.

He freezes, then slowly retreats. I hiss and continue to stare him down, daring him to change his mind.

His expression hardens, and he turns to my mother again. “Find me when she’s healed,” he barks.

The selfish bastard is itching to mount me and claim me the second my body can handle it. Well, he’s going to have a tough time accomplishing that. I’m not letting go of this pup. Not for a second, not for anyone.

He’s mine. I know there’s something big in store for him. It’s my job to protect him until he’s strong enough to carry it out. And there’s no one in this realm—Alpha, queen, or otherwise—who can stop me from fulfilling that duty.