Three Alpha Princes for an Unwanted Omega

AYLA

"Oh my goddess, did you hear!"

Astrid bound into my room, her hands trembling at her sides.

"What is it?" I asked.

"The guards found bodies." Astrid’s voice came out in a rush. "Last night. In the old well by the eastern ridge. They caught someone trying to dump a body there, but he fled before they could catch him. And when they searched the well, they found two more. Low traders who have been missing for weeks."

The air left my lungs.

The men I had killed. The men whose bodies Alistair had claimed to have disposed of. It had to be them.

I was on my feet before I could think, moving toward the door.

"Ayla, where are you going?" Astrid grabbed my arm.

"To see them."

"You cannot." Her grip tightened. "It is bad, Ayla. The bodies... they have been down there for days. The guards are keeping everyone away. The Alpha has been summoned."

"I need to see them."

I pulled free of her grip and stepped into the hallway.

The whole place was in chaos. Servants clustered in doorways, whispering to each other. I pushed through them.

People pressed against the line of guards who had formed a barrier, craning their necks to catch a glimpse of the stretchers being carried past.

I shoved my way forward, my heart slamming against my ribs.

"Move," I muttered. "Move, please."

The stretchers sat on the ground near the well. Three of them. Each covered with a stained canvas sheet and even though I could not see their faces I knew in my heart it was them.

"Move back." A guard’s voice cut through the noise. "Clear the area. Now."

The crowd began to disperse, grumbling and murmuring, but I could not move. I stood frozen, my eyes fixed on the stretchers.

"Ayla."

A hand closed around my arm and pulled me backward. I stumbled, turning, and found myself looking up at Ares.

"You should not be here."

I opened my mouth, but no words came.

He looked at the stretchers, then back at me.

"Come with me." He said, leading me away from the crowd.

He steered me around the corner of the main building, stopping to face me.

"Are you okay?"

I looked at his chest instead of his face.

"What happened?" I asked. My voice sounded strange, like I was speaking from outside my own body. "How did they find them?"

"Someone tried to dump another body in the well last night. The guards on patrol spotted him. He fled before they could catch him, but they searched the well this morning and found two others."

My stomach turned.

"Who are they?"

"We do not know yet but someone mentioned their disappearance had been reported some weeks ago. No one knows what happened to them yet but there will be an investigation."

"An investigation?" I echoed, feeling the lump in my throat tighten.

"Yes. And whoever is responsible will be caught."

A sob caught in my throat. I pressed my hand to my mouth, trying to push it back down, but it escaped anyway.

Ares stepped closer, his hand found my shoulder.

"Ayla..."

I shook my head, not trusting myself to speak.

"Look at me." His voice was gentle.

I could not. If I looked at him, all the words I had been holding in would come spilling out.

"Please" he murmured.

I raised my head slowly, my eyes catching on Alistair there in the crowd.

He was looking straight at me and he shook his head. It was a warning, I knew it was. He held my gaze for a moment longer before he turned and walked away.

"Ayla?" Ares’ voice pulled me back.

I blinked, looking at him.

"What is wrong?" He asked.

"I just... nothing" I muttered.

"You can talk to me."

Could I? I thought. I did not know this Ares who had been distant toward me since he returned. This Ares whom I had heard now frolicked with Willow again.

"I am fine. It is just really sad what has happened." I muttered.

He looked at me for a moment longer before he said.

"Let me take you to your room."

We walked in silence. I kept my eyes on the floor and did not look up again until we reached my door.

Ares reached for the door knob right before a voice cut through the air.

"Ayla!"

My mother strode toward us, her skirts snapping at her ankles.

"What are you doing out of your room? I heard people are getting killed."

"Ares was bringing me back," I said.

Her gaze swept over me and then lifted to Ares. She offered a smile which was tight at the edges.

"Thank you, Prince Ares. I will take it from here."

Ares looked at me. I met his eyes for a brief second before dropping my gaze.

"Get some rest, Ayla."

He nodded to my mother before he turned and walked away.

My mother grabbed my arm the moment he was out of sight and pulled me into my room. She closed the door behind us and turned to face me.

"Did you hear about the bodies?"

I did not answer. I walked to my bed and sat down heavily, my legs unable to hold me any longer.

"Ayla, What is wrong with you?"

"Mom..." My head snapped up. She was looking at me with narrowed eyes.

"I did it." The words fell out of me.

My mother’s face went slack. "What did you say?"

"The bodies." My voice cracked. "The two traders they found in the well. I killed them."

She stared at me. Her lips parted, but no sound came out instead she shook her head.

"You could not have done it, Ayla" she said. "They were two men... two heavy set men and you..." she looked me over like she was weighing me. "You are not strong enough to have killed them so stop saying such nonsense... stop it right now."

"But I did." I insisted. "They tried to force themselves on me and something happened... something inside me snapped and I don’t know how but I did it. I killed them, mom and now I am gong to be hanged for it."