"I'll leave tonight then," I said.
"Tonight?" she asked, eyes widening. "Torion, I only— I didn't mean?—"
"It's not that," I rushed, because I didn't want an apology for her honesty. "Since I am co-hosting the event, it will be best for me to be there in the morning to help prepare. I just didn't want to fly you through the night."
She frowned, her fingers fiddling with mine in her lap. "Are you sure?"
I nodded, pulling her chin—stubborn, sharp, and proud, like her—back for another quick kiss. "I'm sure. Stay here. Prepare the nest."
Her hands framed my face, and it was difficult to meet her eyes at first, and then painful as they caught mine, saw too much, told me too little in return.
"I will look forward to your return, Torion," she said, slow and simple. Honest. She meant the words.
But I could be honest with myself too. Brigid would not have chosen me if I'd stood on that stage today. Not if I'd stood tall in the sea of other betas. Not if I'd stood there all alone.
I groaned,stretching in the tent reserved for myself and my company—company I hadn't brought with me to the mountain flight. Because Brigid had asked to remain at the keep and I didn't trust a local beta well enough yet to bring one as my second.
Canvas fluttered, and I glanced up, sighing at the sight of Seamus. "Had enough of harassing Cadogan and his omega?" I asked.
"For the moment," Seamus said, grinning and helping himself to one of the seats, conveniently located next to a decanter of wine and a plate of meats and cheeses and fruit. "Why did you rise to Worthington's bait about your omega?"
I sighed and rolled my shoulders, ignoring Seamus's presence as I arched forward and bent down, doing a routine of movement I'd learned from my mother. "Because I flew here at night. Because I'm nearly in rut.BecauseI realized that my omega likely would've preferred I'd not claimed her but left her in peace in the wilderness."
Seamus grunted. "Women."
Considering the man had been Alpha of the Craven Sea for a century at least and had never taken an omega, I wasn't sure what he could know about the subject.
"She hates you then?" Seamus asked.
I straightened too quickly and then forced myself to take a slower, deeper breath, raising my arms high above my head. "No, she doesn't hate me."
"You don't please her in bed?"
I rolled my eyes and ignored his goading. "We do very well together in bed."
"I like Cadogan's little omega," Seamus mused, filling his mouth with too many grapes.
"You've made that very apparent," I said, raising my eyebrows.
He grinned and waved his hand. "Don'twarnme, Feargus. I've no intention of making trouble with Bleake Isle. I just haven't ever met an alpha's omega who struck me as…the sort of omega I might be tempted to take. They're usually…you know…"
"Omega Worthington?" I said, thinking of the pinched and prim woman from Skybern.
Seamus grimaced and nodded. "But she suits him."
I sighed, shifting my legs apart, spreading my arms ahead and behind me, my wings to match. "She does. I should've noticed sooner."
I'd thought Damian was my ally, but after his needling and nagging today, I realized I was simply a more available ear to Damian than my father had been. If I wasn't going to cooperate with his plans, he certainly wouldn't stand by me against a challenge.
"And your omega? Does she suit you?"
I didn't hesitate. "She does. In fact, I think she has the spirit of an alpha. She's proud. Stubborn. Smart. She cares about the people around her."
Seamus watched me. "She sounds very serious. Does she make you very serious too?"
I stared into the distance. I thought of my choices since I'd risen as alpha and of my time with Brigid, the things I would do or say to make her smile.
"No, actually."
