“Something you made yourself?” Gus was amazing at whittling wood and had even made a rattle for Elias’ son.
“Yeah.” His smile was shy, so I knew this was something he was proud of showing me.
“I can’t wait,” I grinned.
Gus plated some meat next, and I had to ask, “No honey tonight?”
Gus’ eyes met mine with hungry intensity. “They haven’t yet served the honey I truly crave tonight.”
Well,damn.
I squirmed in my seat, knowing my slick was so attuned to Gus’ presence that I had to be conscious of my body at all times now.
“Perhaps,” I began, my voice thick with lust, “they’ll offer it for dessert.”
He smirked at that, looking prideful as he sniffed the air. “I sure hope so.”
Clearing my throat, I looked away from my enticing alpha, and focused on filling my plate with a balanced meal. Our son needed all the good stuff to grow.
I took one bite of the grilled chicken and instantly spit it out.
“What’s wrong?” Gus asked, eying me with worry.
“It just tasted…bad,” I explained, drinking a glass of lemonade to remove the remaining flavor.
Gus took some of my leftover chicken with his fork and tasted it. “It seems fine to me.”
Oh.
“It’s probably just me then.” I waved it off. “I’ll try the roast instead.”
“Let me,” he offered, adding a slice of the roast onto my plate.
I smiled and carefully cut into the red meat, the smell already telling me this wouldn’t end well. Before I’d even opened my mouth to taste it, I gagged.
I hurried out of my chair before Gus could even speak and ran out of the dining room. I had to find the nearest bathroomnow. I didn’t even register who I passed on my way there. My only focus was on not puking on the floor.
Safely inside the nearest bathroom, I fell to my knees and threw up. This was horrible! I couldn’t remember how long I was on the floor, my forehead sweaty and my stomach roiling as I kept emptying whatever was left inside of me.
Meat was hereby banned in my company.
I slowly stood and washed my hands in the sink. My reflection in the mirror showed just how pale and sweaty I was. Gone was the vibrant king, and here instead was the pregnant omega who could no longer hide. After a few steadying breaths, the need to be with Gus overpowered the remaining nausea.
I walked back to the dining room only to find it empty, Gus’ half-finished dinner left on his plate, his chair tipped over on the floor. Unprecedented dread tore through me. They knew. My advisors. Theyknew.
Chapter 18
Gus
I’d been about to run after Seb to check if he was all right when someone shouted “Now!” and I was grabbed from behind by strong arms. Hard fingers dug into my upper arms and dragged me from my chair, which tipped over behind me. I struggled as best as I could, but I soon learned why it was fruitless. The hands holding me in an iron grip belonged to two other alphas. I looked from side to side, and apologetic eyes stared back at me from stoic faces.
“Sorry,” one of the guards mumbled as they started leading me out of the dining room and down the hallway. At the end, Seb’s royal advisors were waiting for me just as I’d expected. They might find me ‘daft as a brush,’ but I had enough sense to know what was happening. The time I’d dreaded more than anything ever since Seb’s heat ended had arrived. The realization was bittersweet, and my heart couldn’t decide how it felt. Loss, of course, because I couldn’t imagine being away from Seb. But also overwhelming happiness unlike anything else I’d ever felt.This intervention, or whatever it was, could only mean one thing: Seb was carrying my child, my baby.
“I know it’s time,” I whispered, slumping my shoulders as we reached the advisors. “This wasn’t necessary, you know. You could’ve at least let me say goodbye to him.”
The truth was written all over their faces.He wouldn’t have let you go.
I nodded, sighing. I didn’t want to make this any harder than it already was. I wasn’t going to prove them right and act with aggression and rage, although I wanted to roar and fight and explode with anger and pain.
