Chapter 26
Gus
I suddenly felt self-conscious now that we were back in Seb’s world.
In the cabin, in my humble surroundings, I’d been on my own turf, but now…
What would Seb even think of the crib? Would he find it too simple for his heirs?
Ember and Lumi were, after all, royal babies.
Sweat started beading on my forehead, and I suddenly felt all light-headed.
“I’ll love it. Whatever it is you want to show me, I’ll love it.
” Seb’s tender voice wrapped around me. “Because I love the man who made it.” Oh gods, I’d never get used to that: Seb telling me he loved me.
I felt so unbelievably lucky. My nervousness slowly gave way to confidence.
I nodded, then headed toward the corner where the crib was safely tucked away, indicating to my mate that he should follow me.
Adrian stayed behind, offering us privacy for this moment.
It felt surreal as I wrapped my fingers around the worn linen and slowly pulled it off the crib. How was this even my life?
Next to me, Seb sucked in a clipped breath before his hand blindly found mine. Squeezing my fingers to the point of pain, his voice trembled when he spoke my name, “Gus.”
Still holding my hand firmly, Seb stepped forward and tilted his head.
He seemed to take in every little detail of my work, small sounds of appreciation leaving his lips as his fingers danced along the edge of the crib.
“Gus,” he whispered again as he shook his head in clear disbelief.
“It’s beautiful.” He turned toward me as tears began pooling in his eyes.
“You made this? For me? For our babies? It’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. ”
Seb’s words hung between us. A man who owned an entire kingdom and all the richness in the world. Who wore clothes stitched with golden thread. Who wore a crown adorned with precious jewels and gemstones. And my simple crib was, in his eyes at least, the most beautiful thing in the world?
Then it dawned on me. Babies. Not one but two.
And only one crib. “I had no idea we were having twins when I made it. Gods, I didn’t even know for sure that you were pregnant at the time.
You don’t have to use it. They can play with it as they get older.
Or not.” My mouth seemed to get a life of its own as I continued to spew more nonsense.
“Adrian can probably use it for the horses. For hay, right, Adrian?”
I looked at Adrian, but he stared at me wide-eyed and mortified as he mouthed, ‘Stop talking.’
“For the horses?!” Seb gasped in horror.
“Have you lost your mind, mate! No horse shall come anywhere near this precious piece of… art!” His voice shook.
“It’s a crib fit for a future king, that’s what it is, Gus.
” Then, in true Seb fashion, he leaned in and pressed a hard kiss against my lips, then ordered, “You’ll just make another exactly like it! ”
“O-kay,” I mumbled as I looked around the stables for some wood.
“Not now!” He laughed. “Gods, you’re adorable, Alpha.” I threw Adrian a quick glance, but he pretended to be consumed by a piece of straw on the floor. “I’m starving, and if I’m starving, you must be famished, my love!”
Seb was right. I really was hungry. I hadn’t eaten in hours. I’d been too focused on getting Seb and the twins to the palace safely.
“Let’s bathe first, and then I’ll order us a dinner fit for a royal consort,” he beamed at me, before throwing over his shoulder at Adrian, “Adrian, please arrange for the crib to be delivered to my chambers as soon as possible.”
“Of course, Your Majesty! Right away!”
“What exactly is the plan for tomorrow, my love?” I mumbled around a piece of tender mustard-and-honey-glazed chicken. I licked excess juice off my fingers, and Seb moaned next to me, then winced.
“Ugh!” he groaned as he threw a half-finished drumstick on his plate.
“I hate that I can’t even get horny without my body reminding me I just gave birth.
” His gaze dipped to the front of his shirt, where two dark stains appeared on his chest. I swallowed, almost choking on my own tongue.
Gods, this was next-level erotic, Seb’s clear arousal causing him to lactate at the dinner table.
My dick stirred in my clean pants, which I feared wouldn’t be clean for much longer if Seb kept this up.
Luckily, we were alone, since Briar and Hal had finished their dinner quickly, then excused themselves.
“Four weeks,” I croaked as my dick wept with clear distress. “Remember the doctor’s words, my love. Four weeks’ rest before we can be…” I swallowed, “intimate again.”
“Might as well be four damn years,” Seb pouted like a petulant child as he played with his napkin.
The doctor had given Seb a post-natal check after we’d bathed, and declared that the birth had left my mate as healthy and strong as ever, but that his body, of course, needed time to heal.
At the time, I hadn’t really minded. Seb’s well-being was more important to me than anything else.
He needed to focus on our babies, and he needed to be healthy to do so.
But now, as Seb sat there across from me, leaking milk from his nipples, his cheeks rosy and his eyes swimming with tiredness, it seemed like an almost inhuman task not to make love to him for the next four weeks.
But I couldn’t let Seb know that. I needed to be strong for him.
Reaching out, I squeezed his hand. “It will pass in no time,” I assured him as he continued to pout, only making me want him even more. “Now, tell me what I can expect tomorrow. I want to be prepared.”
Seb sighed, then nodded. “You’re right. It’ll pass.
As for tomorrow, we will appear before our people at noon.
I will address the betrayal of my former advisors and reveal the truth about the magic.
Then,” he paused, biting his bottom lip, as his eyes locked on to mine, “I’ll present you as my mate, my royal consort, and the father of my babies, the future heirs.
” The blush on Seb’s cheeks increased, now a deep scarlet.
“And I’ll announce that from this day forward, all omegas and alphas are equal, that families who have been torn apart by lies and deceit will no longer have to be separated.
They can live as families, true families.
” Seb’s voice vibrated with indignation and clear emotion.
“Like you and me, my love. My love for you, Gus, my beautiful alpha, my precious mate, has not just changed me, but the entire world, for the better, for everyone.”
I nodded as Seb’s words settled inside me.
My king had changed me, too. All my life, I’d accepted my fate as an alpha without questioning it.
I’d thought of myself as less, as wrong.
But no more. My heart swelled at the thought of all other alphas learning the truth.
Of their being as happy as I was. Images of my omega father and my omega brothers floated through my mind.
It was impossible to hold back any longer, and I let the tears fall freely.
Seb rose from his chair and rushed to my side, clasping my cheeks in his hands. “What is it, my love?” he whispered as he straddled me, settling himself in my lap, his body so warm and vibrant against mine. “What is it?”
“I can see my family now?” I sniffled as I wrapped my arms around Seb, gazing into his worried eyes. “Finally?”
“Of course, you can!” His eyes glowed at me as he leaned in and rested his forehead against mine. “They’re my family now, too.” He chuckled happily. “Our children have a grandfather. And uncles. How many?” Eagerness grew in his voice.
“Three,” I spoke against his lips. “Lio is the eldest, then there’s Bram, and then…” My voice broke. I hadn’t told Seb, but there were twins in my family too. “Then there’s Corin. My omega twin.”
Seb gasped, his eyes filling with anger. “You have a twin?! You were separated from your twin?!”
I nodded. “When we were teens.”
“Ember and Lumi will never be separated! Not ever!” My fierce little omega shook as he balled his fists against my chest. “I’ll fight anyone and everything! I’ll—”
I shut Seb up with a hard kiss. I knew he would. And I would too. We were a unity now. We had been from the day we met. No one and nothing would ever come between us.