Chapter 70: Everything falling into place
A knock sounded on the door.
"Stay here, I will get it and for goodness sake, dry up those tears." Brenna tsked.
She reached the door and threw it open.
"Prince Ares." she smiled, her eyes lighting up. "What a pleasant surprise."
"Is Ayla here?"
He did not bother with pleasantries. He never did like Brenna. He tolerated her for Ayla’s sake, and for his father’s, but he had not forgotten the way she had dragged her daughter to the mating chamber like livestock or that she had jumped into his father’s bed mere days after his mother had died.
"Yes, of course." She stepped aside, opening the door wider.
Ares walked in, and his steps faltered.
Ayla was sitting on the edge of her bed and she looked like she had been crying. She straightened when she saw him, forcing a smile onto her face that did not reach her eyes.
He crossed the room in three strides and dropped to one knee in front of her, his hands finding hers.
"Are you okay?" He searched her face, his brow furrowing then he turned to Brenna. "What happened to her?"
"Nothing happened." Ayla answered. "I just have cramps, that is all."
He studied her, his eyes tracing the redness around her eyes and the way her fingers trembled in his grasp.
"Are you sure?," he repeated.
"Yes." She nodded, her smile coming out in a grimace. "It is that time of the month. You know how it is."
"Have you asked the healer for a remedy?"
She shook her head.
"Then I will have someone bring something for you."
"No." She squeezed his hands. "Do not worry about it. I will get it myself. I can explain to the healer exactly what the problem is."
He considered this, then nodded slowly.
"We will need to postpone our ride."
"No." She shook her head. "No postponement. Just give me a few hours, and I will be good to go."
"Are you sure?" Ares asked, squeezing her hands. "We can always go some other time."
"I am sure. I want us to go."
He smiled, reaching for to cup her cheek, then brushed away the dampness beneath her eye with his thumb.
"Fine. Make sure you ask the healer for a soothing remedy."
He leaned in and pressed a kiss to her forehead.
Ayla nodded as he rose to his feet. He turned to Brenna, who was watching them with an expression that was something between satisfaction and pride. He inclined his head at her in a stiff nod, then walked out.
The moment the door clicked shut behind him, Brenna turned to her daughter.
"Ayla." Her voice was almost reverent. "You have done it."
Ayla blinked. "What?"
"Do you not see how caring he was toward you?" Brenna crossed the room, grasping Ayla’s shoulders. "I know when a man is in love. And that man is in love with you."
"Mom, Ares is not..."
"Yes, he is." Brenna’s eyes were bright and hungry. "Now get yourself together. Let me handle Alistair. You make sure Prince Ares remains infatuated with you."
Ayla opened her mouth to respond, but her mother was already moving toward the door.
Brenna paused with her hand on the handle and looked back at her daughter.
"Everything is finally falling into place," she said. "Who would have thought?"
And then she was gone.
...
She has no idea how close I had been to her, the rogue king thought.
He was standing in the shadow of an empty stall.
Alistair was right, she was the Omega.
Her eyes confirmed it to him and more so what he had felt when he saw her.
Up close, she is way more beautiful. I could feel myself longing for her.
He let out a slow breath, running his hand through his hair.
What if this is merely a repeat of the first time? What if history is repeating itself just like it had with the first Omega... the one who had started all of this.
If she was destined to have three mates then she was also destined to love one more just as the Omega queen had.
His lips curved into a slow smile.
What is stopping me becoming the one she loved?
It would bind her to him whether she wanted it or not and he would have her. He would have her power and her bloodline.
"Is everything okay?"
The rogue king turned.
The man who had just spoken stood a few feet away, his green eyes looking him over with suspicion. There was a stillness to him that spoke of a man who was always severely underestimated by his enemies but always made sure they never lived to speak of it again.
So this is Ares, he thought. The prince who infiltrated my camp. I wonder what else he knows.
The rogue king smiled.
"Everything is fine." he said.
Ares studied him for a moment, his gaze sweeping over the place as he approached.
"Can I help you find something?" The rogue king asked.
"No. I will look around myself. You can go about what it was you were doing."
"Of course."
The rogue king inclined his head in a bow, his eyes never leaving Ares’ back.
He knew about Ares. The blood prince, they called him.
The stories said he had killed seventeen men in a single engagement, that he had not stopped to rest until the ground was soaked red.
The rogue king wondered how much of it was true.
They were alike in many ways. Both shaped by war and both of them willing to do whatever it took to protect what was theirs.
The difference was that the rogue king had already lost everything but Ares still had a lot to lose.
Ares stopped in front of two stalls at the far end. He turned, pointing.
"I will take those two." He said. "Have them readied for me immediately. I will be back in about a couple of hours to retrieve them."
The rogue king bowed his head.
"Of course."
He watched Ares leave, smiling coldly
It was only a matter of time...
Then his thoughts returned to Ayla, his Omega and Queen.