‘Excellent!’Another advisor had jumped in, looking relieved.‘There’s a carpentry workshop next to the stables. You’ll find everything you’ll need there. Now, get going.’He’d waved his hands like I was some annoying bug, then rolled his eyes at his colleague, mumbling something that sounded like ‘daft as a brush.’Huh.
It took me quite some time to find the stables, and then the workshop next to them. It was like a wood wonderland, shelvesupon shelves stacked with carving tools, when at home I’d always had to make do with my old pocket knife. In the back, all sorts of wood was stacked against the wall, and I’d ended up carefully choosing a deep, dark sort that felt smooth in my hands.
Sitting down on a small stool in the corner, I decided to make something for Seb to show my appreciation. He’d been so kind to me. But what did you make for a king who seemed to have everything he needed? If only there were something… My mind involuntarily went back to earlier at the lake. How he’d laughed and shone so brightly, his pale skin bathed in sunlight. He’d squealed with delight when he thought a fish had brushed up against him.Fish.I’d never carved a fish before. I usually stuck to bees and other insects, but if the king loved fish, then I’d try my best. How hard could it be after all?
Hard!I glared at the chunk of wood in my hand and the deformed creature looking back at me. I couldn’t give a king this… beastly lookingthing. He would end up refusing to go lake bathing with me ever again, and I didn’t want that! It’d been the highlight of my royal adventure thus far. I threw the non-fish over my shoulder and was about to go pick out another piece of wood when a cooing voice next door caught my attention.
“There’s a good girl, Maiden. Look at you!”
Huh. Moving toward the door, I listened for more, but there was only the sound of birds chirping outside. I’d seen some swallows’ nests underneath the roof of the stables as I’d walked past earlier. Ugh, perhaps I should’ve carved a swallow instead. When I reached the stables, I saw a young man brushing a cream-colored foal with an orange-red mane and tail. It was beautiful, its eyes huge and chestnut brown, as they rested on the young man, its legs all wobbly. Taking a step inside, I accidentally knocked over an empty bucket, and it clanged against the stone floor. The foal whinnied frantically as it roseon its hind legs. The young man quickly reached for its headstall and managed to get the foal to settle down, using his voice alone.
“Easy there, girl. Nothing to be afraid of,” he murmured against the foal’s forehead. Looking in my direction, he waved me forward with one hand while patting the foal with the other. “Come on in. You must be Gus,” he smiled at me.
“I’m sorry,” I mumbled as I moved forward carefully. “I didn’t mean to startle…” I nodded at the foal.
“Her. She’s a girl. Maiden. She’ll settle down soon. She’s a good girl, aren’t you, Maiden? You’re going to be a fine horse one day, too, just like your mom.”
As I came closer, I could tell by the young man’s scent that he was an alpha like me. Aside from the royal guards, he was the only other alpha I’d encountered since arriving at the royal palace. Then my brain registered that he’d called me by my name.
“How do you know who I am?”
He chuckled before pressing a kiss to the foal’s forehead, then releasing her. “Oh, a wild guess.” He shook his black hair out of his eyes. “Nah, you have to be him. Alphas aren’t exactly allowed to roam around freely on palace grounds.” There was a wistful edge to his voice, but then he smiled again as he moved toward me.
“You are, though,” I swallowed.
“The king trusts me. He knew my omega father, and when it was time for me to leave home, he offered me a position here, since I’m good with horses.”
“Oh. I see.” Suddenly, my mind went to all sorts of strange places as I pictured Seb with this young alpha, both naked, during a heat. My stomach dropped as an unfamiliar feeling of emptiness surged through me. I felt hungry without being hungry, if that even made sense.
“I’m Adrian, by the way.” He held out his hand between us. “And no, I’m not His Majesty’s type if that’s what you’re wondering. I’m too… let’s just saypetite,” he winked.
“Petite?” I frowned while accepting his hand.
“Small.” He shook my hand. I took him in, and yes, he was rather small for an alpha. Delicate almost. “The king likes his alphas big, but I dare say this time he’s outdone himself in his choice.”
“The king didn’t choose me,” I whispered, as my gaze dropped to the floor.
“Of course he didn’t. Our king might be the ruler, but in truth, he’s as much a pawn as we are.” My head flew up at Adrian’s words. A dark shadow moved across the young alpha’s face before he seemed to shake himself. “Seems like he’s decided to keep you, though. At least for now,” he shrugged. “Come on, Gus. Let me introduce you to the king’s horses.”
Twenty minutes later, my head was spinning with names.Courage. Grace. Knightly. Valiant. Serenity.Ranging from snow white to midnight black, they were all impressive creatures. I learned that Valiant was stubborn and would only allow the king to ride him, whereas Grace was sweet-tempered and Maiden’s mother. All the way in the back, in a box by itself, was Seb’s favorite, a beautiful, charcoal-gray mare named Melancholia.
Melancholia. I didn’t know what it meant, but there was an odd sense of sadness to the name. The same kind of sadness I’d sensed in Seb when I’d first met him. Like an insatiable longing I’d felt myself all my life.
“She’s beautiful,” I whispered. Adrian nodded as he carded his fingers through the horse’s bluish-black mane. Her golden eyes rested on him, then she nuzzled his shoulder with her muzzle.
“She truly is. And such a sweetheart, too. She might look fierce and cold with her coloring, but really, she has the softest heart. She just wants to be loved, you know?”
I nodded because Ididknow what Adrian meant. Before I knew what I was saying, the words fell from my lips, “Like His Majesty?”
“Yes,” the young alpha laughed. “A lot like him.”
A lot like me, too.
“Although lately he laughs a lot more.” Adrian looked at me curiously. “Or so I’m told at least.”
“I wouldn’t know,” I muttered as heat rose on my cheeks. Reaching out my hand tentatively toward the mare, I eyed Adrian, and he nodded. Brushing my fingers along her neck, her fur was smooth and silky soft to the touch. She was warm, despite her cold colors, and she leaned in to my touch easily. “Wow,” I blurted, and Adrian laughed again.
“She’s our finest mare. You should see the king when he rides her. It’s quite impressive. Like they are one being, almost. They know each other inside out.”One being. I closed my eyes as I continued to sweep my fingers up and down Melancholia’s long, corded neck. In my mind, it was Seb that I was caressing, his long limbs going slack beneath my touch. The horse purred, but all I heard was a soft moan as Seb’s face appeared before me, his plump lips shaped into a pleasure-filledOas he surrendered to me. Sweat pebbled down my neck, and goosebumps appeared in its wake. The small hairs at the back of my neck rose to attention, and my dick grew impossibly hard. Images of Seb riding me tore through me, his pale skin almost translucent as he pushed his chest toward me, his nipples pink and pointed. I licked my lips, imagining I was sucking the hard buds into my mouth, suckling them carefully, trying to control my hunger as I feasted on his body, his omega essence pouring into me. I’d heard tales of lovers’ milk, of how omegas could producesweet liquid from their nipples during their heat. I wondered if it was true. Something was happening; something I’d never experienced before. My blood surged through every vein in my body, boiling and pulsing, like liquid fire. It was like my senses were sharper than usual, too. Suddenly, I heard everything much louder and smelled everything more intensely.Seb. His name echoed through my body as he rode me harder and faster.Seb. My omega. Mine.
