Sebastian
Idreamt of a peach tree in full bloom.
It was pleasant. I wasn’t much of a dreamer—that was more Cecil’s style—but this was a vivid, rich dream, almost real enough to reach out and touch the soft petals.
I couldn’t remember the last time I’d woken up so relaxed, and with a smile on my face, no less. Where was the stoic Prince Sebastian of Lacehaven? Apparently, his aloof façade had been fucked right out of him.
A murmur escaped me as I roused to find myself nestled against Rourke’s chest. I was surrounded by the warmth of his body heat, safe and secure. I didn’t even bother denying how much I enjoyed it.
Was it always this way for fated mates? I recalled Woods and Bjorn, and how foolishly in love they had seemed to me. But now I realized they hadn’t been foolish at all. If this was how it felt, it was heavenly. I even felt a pang of belated guilt for helping their separation, even though it wasn’t my fault. If I had known then what I knew now, I would have stopped the knights.
But they were together now, just like Rourke and I were together. Everything was at peace in the world.
And if all went well, I’d have a little heir growing inside me.
“Good morning, Your Highness,” Rourke said, a smirk quirking his mouth. “Sleep well?”
I stretched languidly, then rested my head on his collarbone. “Quite. Thank you for asking.”
Early morning light filtered in through the window. If I was in the palace, I would have been up and dressed by now. But I was here with Rourke, who was rubbing his hand in loose circles along my back, and I had no intention of getting out of bed anytime soon.
“My knot finally went down sometime during the night,” Rourke told me. That explained the lack of fullness down in my lower half. “You’re free to leave to your princely duties.”
“Excellent,” I mumbled. “Then my duties involve staying in bed with you.”
“Won’t your servants or whatever get mad?” Rourke asked with a laugh.
“They are paid to serve me, so no.”
Rourke paused, then said, “I know this isn’t really bedroom talk. But speaking of servants, you should do something about that Melchom guy.”
I raised my head. “What do you mean?”
I didn’t like the way Rourke grimaced before he spoke. “You know, he didn’t feed me or give me water the whole time I was in the kennel.”
A flash of rage momentarily turned my vision red. “He didwhat?” I demanded.
“The dogs seemed kind of scared of him, too,” Rourke went on. “But if you trust him, it’s no big deal. I just thought I’d tell you.”
I forced my seething anger down like I was swallowing a large pill.
“I appreciate knowing. I’ll look into it.” I hesitated, then said, “I… I’m sorry.”
Rourke blinked. “What for?”
“If I had known how he was going to treat you, I wouldn’t have assigned him to that position.” I pinched the bridge of my nose and muttered, “Though, in hindsight, I would not have done that at all.”
Rourke shot me a dry, good-humored grin. “Hey, live and learn, right?”
This alpha continued to surprise me. After everything I’d put him through, he still brushed it off, always wanting to move forward. I recalled Bjorn’s insistence that Rourke hated omegas, and certainly, I remembered Rourke’s belligerent defiance upon our first meeting, too. Perhaps we had both changed.
I looked at him for a moment, this alpha who I felt so comfortable with, yet was a mystery to me in more ways than one.
“Tell me about yourself,” I said.
Rourke regarded me in return. “What do you want to know?”
“Anything you wish to share.” I tilted my head. “Like why you were so vehement about not killing me in my sleep, for example.”
