I didn’t know exactly what they were talking about, but I assumed it had something to do with me being from the alpha market. I recalled Bjorn’s words about being ‘ratted out’. Did that mean he was unknowingly complicit in some kind of forbidden act? Shep had said something like that back at the market, but I thought he was exaggerating. None of this upper ring royal bullshit made any sense to me.
“With all due respect, Father, I am the prince,” Sebastian replied, not backing down an inch. “What are you going to do with me? Throw me in a cell?”
There was a flash of something resembling fatherly emotion in the King’s eyes. Apparently, he wasn’t a completely cold-hearted bastard. Sebastian was still his kid, after all, the firstborn out of his own body.
“No,” the King said. “Let me ask you a question. Do you intend to use this alpha as a donor?”
A donor? A donor of what?
“And if I do, Father?” Sebastian asked. “Once again, I’ll remind you that my body is my own business. The regulations simply state that I am to carry an heir. They make no judgment about where the donation comes from. We have all taken it for granted simply because of the way our society is. Isn’t that right?”
Elian let out a loud cackle, then turned to the King, as if he thought dear old dad was going to burst out into laughter alongside him. The King didn’t make a sound.
“Mating down is forbidden, yes,” Sebastian continued, filling the silence. “For an upper quarter omega to be seen with any alpha lower than his own rank is considered taboo. But have I fallen so low that I can be compared to a commoner? I am aprince. I create my own rules. And so, this is the alpha I have chosen. For now.” A smirk spread over Sebastian’s lips. “We’ll see how he develops.”
Chosen for what? What the hell was he talking about?
“I see,” the King said. “Then I take it you’ve made your choice, Sebastian?”
“Yes, Father.”
The King’s face was wiped of emotion, but his eyes remained cold and calculating. For a moment, I thought Sebastian had convinced him and he was going to let this whole thing go.
I should’ve known better to think that way when dealing with royals.
The King raised a finger and said calmly, “Take the alpha down.”
11
Sebastian
The knights who had been silently lining the entrance hall sprang into action. Their armor clanged, steel on steel, loudly echoing as they charged towards Rourke.
I had a single moment to feel dazed. Rourke was my property. Father wasattackingmy property. He had never behaved in such a crass way towards me, and I was admittedly taken off guard. I had never imagined Father would resort to tactics like this in order to get his way.
I didn’t have time to think. The knights—I noticed at least four in the fray—pushed their hands against Rourke and forced him to the ground. He grunted and cried out in frustration, but I knew it was fruitless. The knights were betas, physically stronger than omegas yet weaker than alphas, but there were four of them, not to mention the fact that they were clad in heavy armor. Rourke wouldn’t be able to fight them off.
Or at least, that was what I thought.
I snapped to attention as a sharp pressure jolted up my arm, shocking my shoulder. Rourke was straining against the leash like an untrained dog pulling its master down the street. But that wasn’t what surprised me.
Somehow, Rourke was managing to hold off four armored beta knights,despitethe presence of the leash restraining him.
I watched in awe, my eyes widening at the display of raw strength before me. Rourke hadn’t acted this way back at the market.
Rourke roared as he threw one of the knights to the floor, then shoved his muscular shoulder into another, right below his ribcage. The second went down, sprawling and struggling to get up because of the heavy armor. He raised his arms to block a strike with a spear from a third knight, then swiftly yanked the weapon from his hands and tossed it aside.
He threw it away,I thought, aghast.He could have used it and he tossed it like trash.
A solid punch dented the helmet’s armor, stunning the third knight. It sent him reeling backwards. It turned out Rourke didn’t even need the spear.
The fourth knight raised his spear and aimed the sharp tip directly at Rourke’s chest. “Permission to kill the alpha, Your Highness?” he shouted to the King.
“No,” the King said. “My instructions are the same, but do not kill him.”
The knight paused. “Permission to call for backup, Your Highness?”
“No,” the King repeated.
