It's sexy as hell, but I know that would infuriate the queen.
I have a feeling Florence Karlin wouldn’t be so quick to bow to Bravonnian royalty either.
I mean she certainly doesn’t bow to us.
And I love that about her.
I reach out slowly, giving her plenty of time to pull away, before curling my hand around her fingers, chilled from the ice pack. “I know it's very little consolation, Ren. But if we could choose— if we weren’t bound by duty— we’d choose you. I know it in my bones we would. In a heartbeat. We would have picked you that first day.”
“That would have made for a very short show.”
“It would have.”
My omega stares at me, plush pink lips parted, those multicolored eyes of hers wide. And then she slowly, so slowly shakes her head. “You should go back to insulting me.”
“Ren-”
“No, I mean it. That was… You can’t say things like that to me, Thayer. Not if you aren’t going to follow through. And we both know you won’t. Duty over love, right?”
Duty over love. That one innocuous question seems to haunt us. Haunt her.
“I wanted to say love,” I tell her hoarsely. “I wanted to. It's… it's what I truly believe.”
“It's what you believe in for everyone but you.” Another shake of her head. Sadly this time, as her eyes squeeze shut. “I’m sorry. I’m sure you don’t want my pity, but that sucks, Thayer. Itreally does. You deserve love too. You deserve to be more than just your duty to the crown. You deserve to be able to kiss your beta in public and let the world know he belongs to you. And you deserve more than to be forced into a bond with someone you won’t ever be able to love. You deserve more than what the queen allows you to have.”
Florence’s words are still ringing in my ears the next day, as we meet the omegas for breakfast. They’re all a flutter over the talent show this afternoon, chattering happily about what they plan to do. Florence, as usual, is at the far end of the table from us.
I think it started as a way to keep her distance at the beginning of the show. A way to protect herself, and now it's just a habit.
I wish her habit was to sit on my lap, so I could feed her from my plate. Watch as she eats her fill, feel her warm weight against my body, her scent in my nostrils.
You deserve love.
The words echo through my brain as she pushes to her feet, casting a quick look in our direction before sauntering off with Petal. I watch her go, eyes latched onto her ass hugged in her yoga pants.
Knowing what I know, about her knee, about how she can’t dance anymore, not like she used to, has me watching her eagle eyed as she and Petal go through their daily yoga routine, watching for any sign of discomfort or pain.
But she’s just as fluid as always.
“Why are you staring at Pixie like that?” Court asks, dropping onto the lounge next to me. “Like you’re expecting her to crumble or something.”
I glance at him. “I’m not.”
“You are,” Grieves adds. “You’re wound so tight, I’m a little worried you might snap.”
Forsythe sinks onto the bottom of my lounger. “Where did you go last night?” he asks, but I know he already knows the answer.
I glance around. Visiting the omegas in their cabanas is strictly verboten. But what are they gonna do? Kick us off the show? Not likely. “I went to see Ren. To check on her.”
My pack nods slowly, as Piers inches just that bit closer to us. On the fringe. Close, but not too close.You deserve to be able to kiss your beta in public.Fuck, that makes my heart ache.
“And what did she say?” Grieves asks, dark grey eyes latching onto the bending body of the omega in question.
Maybe I shouldn’t tell them. Florence wears leggings and long skirts for a reason. But at the same time, this is what a pack does, finds out what they need to know about their pack members, their weaknesses, and then protects them at all costs.
I make eye contact with Piers and motion him closer, until he’s standing in the shade of the cabana, brows arched in question. And that look on his face hits me in my chest. He deserves more than to be surprised that I want him to be a part of a public conversation.
Of course, this isn’t going to be all that public.
