“Now, now,” Clive began, but I cut him off.
“And you didn’t even ask him for his consent!”
Consent was important to me, considering what my grandfather went through with his forced marriage. I wanted a willing alpha. My advisors knew my thoughts on this.
They seemed to be out of words, so I continued. “I will ask him for his consent tonight at dinner. You are no longer allowed to approach him until I let you know otherwise.”
“Your Majesty!” Jerold argued. “That is highly—”
I held my hand up, quieting his objection. “I willnotrepeat myself!” I snapped, then grabbed an unopened bottle of wine and left the room.
I would need something to dull this headache.
Chapter 4
Gus
I hardly recalled being led to a chamber by two royal guards. I was still in a daze, which seemed to slow my body down. My head felt heavy, like it was wrapped in cotton, acting as a cushion to the outside world. I’d completely lost track of time. Everything had happened so fast when what turned out to be King Sebastian’s royal advisors had descended upon me like vultures in the open field and swept me away in a royal carriage.
Perfect.They’d kept smiling at me, telling me I was perfect.Perfect for what? I wanted to ask, but my mouth wouldn’t work. My body screamed at me, not just from where the bees had attacked me, but also to just leap from the carriage and run away. Run to Hal. But we moved so quickly, fields passed by at a rapid speed, and before I knew it, we were in the Royal City, in front of the Royal Palace.
It was the first time I’d seen it. I’d heard tales of it, of course. How impressive it was, erected as a symbol of the omegas’ sublime power, by King Sebastian’s grandfather, the first omegaking. And yes, it was truly magnificent, large towers rising in front of me, the sand-colored walls made from what looked like limestone.
The palace was nothing compared to the king himself, though. He was tiny yet moved with such authority. There was this aura surrounding him, like he was glowing almost. He was beautiful, but his voice was filled with fury. At first, I’d thought it was directed at me, but then I realized it was his royal advisors he was angry with. He kept pacing the room, waving his slender arms in the air, his golden crown catching the odd ray of sunshine when he moved. He resembled an avenging angel when he pointed at them, then eventually shooed them from the room.
He was kind to me, though. He brought me honey. The best honey I’d ever tasted. Like it’d come from super bees, royal bees, perhaps. I’d no longer felt the dread coursing through me or the pain from where the bees had stung me. It dulled into a numb kind of ache, soothed by King Sebastian’s velvety voice and his inquiring gaze on me. If I wasn’t mistaken, it had been worry pooling in his deep green eyes. Worry overme. His voice changed whenever he spoke to me, impatience and anger giving way to a softness that spoke of not just a beautiful exterior but of a kind soul, too.
The room was cast in dim light when I woke. I’d been too exhausted to bathe, but I didn’t want to soil the sheets, which looked like they’d been woven with precious silk and golden thread. I’d slept on the floor instead, on a carpet that was still way softer than the worn mattress back home.Home. Hal.My heart clenched in my chest. Inhaling deeply, I reminded myself that my stay at the palace would only be temporary. If I’d heard correctly, I was here to breed—oh gods—the king, and then I’d be sent back home again. If the king became pregnant and bore an heir, there would no longer be any use for me.
I blinked my eyes and took in my surroundings. The room was impressive, with a huge four-poster bed in the middle of it. Thick velvet curtains hung from the floor-to-ceiling windows, allowing golden afternoon light to pour in. There was a large chest made of cherrywood and a desk with a chair in front of it. I swallowed. I didn’t need a desk. I couldn’t write, not even my own name. I couldn’t read either. There was no need.
Stretching, my body slowly awoke, and with it so did an itching sensation. Gods, those bees had been something fierce. Swallowing, I tasted the sweetness of the honey King Sebastian had brought me, and I couldn’t help moaning. I wondered if there was more. I’d almost finished the jar.
“Sleep well?” A low, familiar voice wafted toward me from a faraway corner.
I sat up so quickly my head spun, and I groaned, rubbing at my forehead. In a flash, someone—the king—was by my side, crouching in front of me, squeezing my shoulder carefully.
“Are you all right, Gus?”Gus. My name on his lips did something strange to me, a weird swooping sensation moving through my body, like an angels’ choir in my ears. “Why on earth did you sleep on the floor?” He shook his head, and a stray lock of dark brown hair tumbled onto his forehead. He’d removed his crown, and somehow he looked less daunting.But no less beautiful.
“I… I didn’t want to…” I started, but again the words failed me.Stupid, simple-minded alpha, I chastised myself.
“And you didn’t bathe either.” He wiggled his pointy nose, sniffing audibly. Then he stood and tried to pull me up with him. “Gods, you’re heavy! What on earth do they feed you in the country?”
“Oatmeal and venison,” I mumbled, then allowed King Sebastian to pull me up from the floor. Everything ached again.
“That was a rhetorical question, you know,” he frowned at me.
“I don’t know what that means,” I admitted, my gaze dropping to the floor.
“It means that I was being ironic…” he started, then tilted his head. “You don’t know what that means either, do you? Ironic?”
I shook my head, which was a big mistake, because suddenly the entire room was spinning. A groan escaped me, then firm fingers dug into my arms, steadying me.
“It’s okay. You’re not here for your intellectual skills, are you?” He chuckled bitterly, and for a second, he looked sad. Then he seemed to shake himself. “You’re a mess, Gus. Why didn’t you bathe like I told you to? Dinner is served shortly.”
“I… I’m sorry, Your Majesty, but I didn’t…” I hadn’t bathed since I lived with my omega family. At the farm, we washed in a nearby lake once or twice a week all year round. “If you show me the nearest lake, I will wash immediately, Your Majesty.” I attempted a bow, but my stomach ached. “I meant no disrespect.”
Again, he frowned at me, then sighed as he started leading me across the room toward a door.
