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CHAPTER SIXTEEN

T hat evening, after they’d lost themselves in each other with the desperate intensity that marked all their sex, Naya lay sprawled across his chest, her breathing smooth and low.

The lamplight painted her skin in shades of amber, and Akoro found himself stroking her skin, savoring the boneless satisfaction in her limbs.

“The training went well today?”

“Better than well.” She lifted her head, her brown eyes gleaming. “They’ve decided to create a staff specifically for me—one designed to work with my abilities rather than Omega methods of this land.”

He couldn’t suppress the satisfied curve of his lips. “That’s a significant honor.”

“It is. And the tensions in the community have finally begun to ease somewhat. Everyone’s united behind the same goal now.” Her smile was soft, genuine. “I can feel this quiet hope spreading—like people are starting to believe we can truly make this work.”

The way she said ‘we’ sent possessive contentment coursing through him. She claimed ownership of this solution in a way that satisfied the primitive and territorial heat in his chest.

They were quiet for a few long moments, enjoying the feel of each other.

“Did you see Nnimi today?” he asked.

“Yes.” Naya’s grin was wide, her eyes full of amusement.

“She’s so bright, so curious about everything.

Shy and demanding at the same time.” Something shifted in Naya’s face, her eyes growing distant as her smile turned gentle.

“Watching her with the other children reminded me of when I was growing up with my siblings. We were not born that far apart, so when we were young, it was loud and unruly with lots of tears, but so much fun!”

Curiosity stirred in him about what she was like as a child. “Tell me about them.”

“Well, you know about Lili. There are three others. Idaya, Azarn, and Drocan.”

“I saw him when I came to get you,” Akoro said, recalling the very angry-looking young Alpha. “He looks like your father.”

“He is him, through and through!” Naya exclaimed.

“Drocan is only a year younger than me. He’s a warrior at heart and always looking for the next battle.

” A fond smile crossed her lips. “Papa says he’s too much like him at that age.

He was so angry when I disappeared. Mama said he wanted to lead a rescue mission himself. ”

“Sounds like a brother and an Alpha.”

“Very much so. He’s been training with our army commander since he was nineteen, but Papa still won’t make him a marshal. Says he needs more battle experience.”

“And what about this Lonn?” Akoro tried to keep his possessiveness in check, but it was impossible. His grip tightened on Naya, and a growl he didn’t even realize was forming, released from his throat.

Naya’s lips curved up, looking at him with feigned exasperation. “You don’t have to worry about Lonn.”

“I fucking do.” He growled again. “You’re going back there.”

Naya sighed. “Lonn wouldn’t have been good for me even if I never found you.”

“You’re saying that now, but you let him sniff you in a pairing event.” His annoyance at the conversation was starting to burn in his chest.

Naya seemed able to sense it. “A pairing meeting, “she corrected softly. “And there was no sniffing, not then.”

Akoro’s resolve snapped. He sat up, yanking her with him. “Then when? When did he fucking sniff you?”

Naya stared at him, wide-eyed, frozen, nipples hardening. Instantly, he could smell her arousal billowing out around them. His eyes narrowed.

So she liked his jealousy.

She lifted a hand slowly, and placed it on his face, her palm cool. “Nothing will ever happen with Lonn. Nothing. Even if I go back and never see you again, it won’t happen. I’d rather be on my own.”

That sounded better than the alternative, but it still wasn’t great. He should be with her. She was too small, too beautiful to be alone. He struggled with that primal need to be her Alpha, knowing that wasn’t what she wanted.

They held each other’s gaze until slowly, the tension drifted out of him. Naya lowered her hand and snuggled into him. Akoro lay back down, holding her close. “You were telling me about your brother,” he said. “That he needs more battle experience.”

“Yes, according to Papa,” she murmured. Her voice grew thoughtful. “Drocan’s always been frustrated by the lack of real conflicts to prove himself. Our empire has been peaceful for so long.”

“Peace is a gift,” Akoro said. The thought of her growing up safe from the magical catastrophes that had shaped his own life sent fierce protectiveness surging through him.

“I know that now. But when you’re young and eager to prove yourself.

..” She shifted against him, her softness remolding to his hardness.

“He told me once that I was lucky to have a clear path to leadership, while he had to wait for wars that might never come. I never understood the burden that path carried until I came here.”

“What burden is that?”

“The knowledge that every decision you make affects so many lives. That leadership means being responsible for people’s futures, their safety, their happiness.

” Her voice grew quieter. “He sees me as heir to the throne and thinks that’s simple.

But the truth is, I’ve spent years questioning whether I’m strong enough to rule an empire, even before Lili. ”

He shook his head. “You are stronger than almost anyone I know,” he said.

She scoffed softly. “Your belief in me is?—”

“You survived me, didn’t you?”

The words came out before he could think about it, and he winced inwardly. But he didn’t regret them, couldn’t think of anyone who would go through what she’d gone through what he put her through and still allow him to hold her like this.

She was quiet, the moment sobering for them both.

“You’ve proved yourself, Naya,” he said, his voice low and coarse. “And your people have never even required you to do that.”

“It’s the hardest part, isn’t it? Knowing that your people trust you to keep them safe but also knowing that sometimes keeping them safe requires making impossible choices.”

Recognition seeped in his bones. “It is the contradiction of leadership. Every day. Every decision I make affects thousands of lives. When I banned Omegas, I knew some would probably die alone in the desert, but I also knew that leaving them in populated areas would mean nnin-eellithi attacks that would kill hundreds.” His jaw tightened.

“There are no clean choices when you rule. Someone suffers either way.”

“Drocan said something similar once. That true leadership means making decisions others couldn’t live with.” She lifted her head to study his face. “Is that what separates rulers from everyone else? The willingness to carry that responsibility?”

“Maybe. Or maybe it’s just stubbornness.” The admission surprised him—he’d never spoken so openly about the isolation that came with absolute authority. “Your brother sounds wise for his age.”

“He is. But sometimes I envy how certain he is about his path. He knows he wants to be a military leader, knows what he’s willing to sacrifice. I’ve spent years questioning whether I have what it takes.”

“And now?”

“Now I’m learning that strength isn’t about certainty. It’s about making hard choices, even when you’re terrified of the consequences.” Her fingers pressed against his chest, each touch claiming him. “You understand that kind of fear, don’t you?”

No one had ever asked him about fear—not his council, not his brother, certainly not his subjects who looked to him for unwavering strength. “Yes,” he said simply.

Something warm and private passed between them then, recognition that went beyond shared burdens to shared understanding. She settled back against his chest, and he found himself memorizing the weight of her, the way she fit against him.

So perfect.

“Tell me about your parents,” he said, surprising himself with where his mind went.

Her face lit up. “They’re extraordinary together.

Papa’s the strategic mind—he can see ten moves ahead in any political or military situation.

He is fierce and in control and Alpha in every way.

But Mama keeps him grounded, reminds him that policies affect real people.

She’s empathic, smart, and one of the most beautiful women ever.

” She paused. “They leaned into their Alpha and Omega traits to build their empire. And they have mutual trust and respect. They complement each other. Studies have even been written about them.” She chuckled.

“But all you have to do is be in the room to feel it.”

The way she spoke of her parents’ partnership stirred something unfamiliar in his chest. He’d grown up surrounded by power struggles, by alliances built on dominance.

The idea of true partnership—of strength that came from unity rather than trying to outdo each other—felt both foreign and appealing. Especially if it involved an Omega.

His parents were an Alpha and Omega couple but they had been materialistic and competitive, always trying to outdo one another with expensive and rare gifts and experiences.

That didn’t mean they didn’t have the deep connection Alpha and Omega couples have, but Akoro didn’t see it.

He preferred spending time in the villages.

“Is that what you want?” he asked tentatively. “That kind of relationship?”

“I thought I did,” she said slowly. “But maybe I need to learn to be certain on my own first.”

Her brother’s voice seemed to echo between them—the frustration of waiting for wars that might never come sounded like the burden of proving oneself worthy of trust. “Your brother,” Akoro said. “He’ll make a good leader when the time comes.”

“Yes, but he’ll struggle with the isolation. He’s used to having brothers-in-arms, people who understand his burdens.” She lifted her head, studying his face with intensity that made his pulse quicken. “You’ve carried your responsibilities alone for so long. Doesn’t it get lonely for you?”