Quincy
But of course, he’d known his chances were high—that his own mother had conceived at an advanced age.
He didn’t intend to go to Valgar, only to his own rooms, away from the noise of the stables as if he could somehow escape the certainty of it by changing locations. But he was here, standing in front of his alpha. And Valgar was looking at him, desperate to do anything to make it all better.
“No, it won’t,” he said, savagely, even though the lie was meant as a kindness.
He was no child, though, and he could not escape fate. Not this time.
His mate held him for a long time, fingers carding through his hair, body blocking the wind. By the time he was guided inside, Quincy could barely stand on his own two feet, and he did not notice where he was lain.
It wasn’t until their voices woke him that he understood he was in their bed. In Mar’s bed. He scrambled to get out at once, face burning and heart racing, but he had only managed to sit up when they both rushed into the chamber calling his name.
“I’m sorry,” he told her because Valgar had taken hold of his shoulders and was keeping him on the bed. “I didn’t know where—”
“Quincy,” Lady Mar said, calm as the ocean. “You are welcome here.”
He shook his head because that couldn’t be true. Of course they shared an alpha, but this was their bed, and he—
Her hands were small, soft, but when she dug her nails into his palm, it hurt. Quincy stopped moving, staring at her.
“Listen to me,” she said, clear and sharp enough to cut deeply. “I invited you here. Do you think Valgar went off and found you without me knowing? Without me agreeing?”
“The council—”
“Yes,” Mar agreed. “He was asked to do it, but he wouldn’t do it, not until I said yes.”
Quincy snorted, looking down at where she still held his hands in hers. His own looked huge and pale in the grip of her elegant fingers, but she was still gripping hard enough to remind him of her strength. “You still had no choice.”
“There is always a choice,” she argued. “And I chose to live, and I chose to love a man who needs something I cannot give, because his love is worth it. I also chose you.”
Quincy frowned at her, not understanding.
“Valgar might have found you, but I chose to accept you, as my kin, as my family.”
His heart stopped, then redoubled its pace. She knew. He inhaled sharply, suddenly remembering.
“I know you are afraid,” she told him, and her green eyes were damp. “I know, but I need to ask you to choose to be brave now, Quincy. I can’t...” She swallowed and for a moment, he thought she was about to cry too, but she straightened instead, holding his gaze. “Be brave, and I’ll stand by you.”
“There is always wermer root.” Valgar’s words cut through his fear, too confusing, but a moment later he felt Mar’s horror, and he guessed what wermer root must be.
“No!” his voice was rough, but the word echoed in the chamber with the force of his fury. The bond fully open, his emotions a beacon no one could withstand.
His mate flinched hard on his right and on his left, Quincy heard Mar gasp.
“I— Of course,” Valgar said quickly. “Quincy, I only meant...” He was crawling closer, and Quincy let him take his hand, so each of them had one. “Whatever you want,” his alpha promised. “I... It’s your choice.” His eyes cut briefly to Mar. “We will stand by you, whatever comes.”