Onyx #3
She cleared her throat. “Benson. He discussed it with Treena’s head of security, Davian, who has decades of experience and they gave me their opinion. I appreciated the concern and kindly accepted.”
“Good.” I nodded when she and several others focused on me. “Their job is to make sure you’re always safe—feel safe, and they should go the extra mile after someone slipped through. I think that should be reported so people know they can’t get to you again.”
“It’s on the agenda,” Treena said as she sat, giving me a look to let it go.
So it was a sensitive topic. Got it.
I waited until Sagan took a bite but then did the same and…
Moaning didn’t quite cover what noise I made.
It was a mixture of every happy noise I could ever make.
I took two more huge bites and savored them just to be sure before setting my fork down.
“This is one of the best things I’ve ever put in my mouth. ”
Sagan’s eyes went wide and then my dick went hard as heat filled them, clearly hoping I put her sweet, sweet pussy on that list.
Which I did… But knew better than to say that right then. I would later.
“I’m converted to your culinary cult,” I told the four women firmly. “What else? What else have I been missing all of my life and had no idea.”
“Wine from—” Myriam started to say but sighed when the others gave her looks. “No, I will not shut up about the wine. I love that wine and so do all of you. Fix the embargo. I want my damn wine if I’m going to have this stressful of a job.”
I threw back my head and laughed so hard I almost fell off my chair. It honestly wasn’t that funny, but it was knowing I’d found my people. I wanted Sagan in my life, and seeing the type of people that were her friends made it that much clearer for me. It really did.
I enjoyed eating and talking with them, getting a real glimpse into who she was and then smiling as she clearly wanted to know about me as well… While building me my perfect taco bowl.
I went over by Darren when I was done and smiled. “You’re right.”
He snorted and threw his fork onto his plate. “Yeah, no shit, kid. And?”
“And I’m all in, but I need to know why that upsets you,” I admitted. “Why do you not want her with someone who wants only her?”
Princess Maple, Prince Fraser, and a few others flinched and gave Darren shocked looks, but he didn’t flinch.
“Because that was Amelia. All she wanted was Rhys. All she wanted was Rhys,” he said firmly, his voice cracking.
“And it almost broke Sagan being their child. It broke Amelia as he picked his position over her again and again. His royal family bullshit and it broke her. It will break you too, which means she will have a broken mate. That will destroy her.”
“You don’t know that, Darren,” Prince Fraser whispered. “I loved Amelia, but Sagan is stronger.”
“She is, but she’s emotionally stunted because of what they did to her—what everyone does to her,” he replied, meeting Prince Fraser’s gaze head-on.
“And it’s never going to stop. Ever.” He snorted when all of us went to argue.
“It’s been made clear to me by several Alphas that her not wanting more than one mate doesn’t really matter to them. ”
“What?” Princess Maple whispered.
Darren nodded and steam about came out of his ears.
“They’ve been talking to me on the side as her advisor and now as her elder family member thinking I’ll be more level-headed.
But they aren’t willing to have their family members be here for possibly years only to be embarrassed and rejected.
There could be war if Sagan tries to only accept one. ”
“Those fuckers,” Prince Fraser hissed. “They are so bold when—seriously, some of them need to be put in the ground.”
Darren’s gaze was on mine. “Are you ready to accept her with a few other mates? Is your dragon? Because that was the one line Amelia couldn’t cross and she died inside when she knew Rhys considered it.”
“What?” Princess Maple gasped. “No, never. He would…” She swallowed loudly. “A conversation for private.”
“I don’t have anything more to tell you,” Darren admitted.
“She asked me once if I would help her leave the castle and divorce Rhys if she needed to. I threatened to come in with guards if she didn’t tell me what was going on and she admitted that he was considering taking another mate or consort because of pressure and she couldn’t live that way. ”
“I can,” I told him firmly, nodding when he snorted. “As long as they treat her right, then I can. I’ll work on my jealousy—she’s worth it, and forgive me because I did truly like your sister, but she was missing something to stand in such waters that Sagan and I have.”
“She was normal and loved,” Prince Fraser muttered. “I heard Father say it to Rhys once that she wouldn’t make him normal and have a happy life, but he would break hers.”
Darren didn’t say anything but clearly felt the same.
I leaned over and let him see the darkness in me, let him feel it from my dragon even.
“Your sister was a kind woman, but the leader of Thovudin needs a beast at their side, especially when this world is so sexist. I want to be the darkness so she can finally be the Sagan we get glimpses of, and if that means other men, then so be it.”
“I hope so, kid,” he whispered. “I really do because I cannot lose another family member to this fucking monarchy. I can’t.”
I watched him get up and leave, my heart hurting for what he carried.
“Losing Amelia was just as painful as finding out she wasn’t the woman he thought she was,” Princess Maple said as she focused on her food… And clearly was talking about her and Rhys as well.
What the fuck had been going on with the royal family beyond what I’d already realized?
And how did I help my future mate through it?