Chapter 21 #2
“A good Alpha is blind when it comes to their Omega, love. I was lost the moment that our soul bond snapped into place. I would have protected you with my last breath. You have no idea the power you have over all of us, do you?”
Freya gives me a long look. “I’m not the one in control.”
She could break Aurelius, Lanlin, and me with a single word.
She has one of us burning down his own empire, another one sacrificing himself and now a captive, and me…?
Well, I’d do anything for her. She holds my soul.
I am dying and forming a new pack to support her when I’m gone, isn’t that enough?
I swallow.
“See, no idea.” When her stomach grumbles, I snatch up a small wooden spoon. “Sorry, love. What kind of Alpha am I to allow my Omega to go hungry?”
I raise the lentil stew to my lips, blowing on it to cool it. Then I raise it to Freya’s lips in turn.
She happily eats the stew. “Hmm, good.”
“You still doubt my skill? I’m hurt.”
There is something about handfeeding my Omega, which calls to my Alpha instincts.
Also, makes my cock harden.
I shift, fixated on Freya’s soft lips, as she licks over them. I hurriedly stir the stew and then lift another spoonful to Freya’s lips. She must know what she is doing because she gives me a half-hooded look, before she slowly…agonizingly slowly…licks the stew off the spoon.
Then she grinds back on my lap, rubbing over my cock.
I groan.
Freya gives a triumphant grin. Then she opens her mouth with an expectant look.
“Is it wise to torment the cook?” I struggle to say, as she pretends to innocently squirm around on my lap like she is simply making herself more comfortable.
In reality, Freya is deliberately working my cock with her curvy arse.
I can’t stop myself gripping her hip, while continuing to feed her and humping up against her.
My heart speeds up.
I pant.
When my spoon hits the bottom of the bowl, I blink in confusion for a moment.
Then Freya says brightly, as if she’s not affected by our game at all, “All finished.”
She pushes herself off my lap back onto the bench.
I drop the spoon, staring at her in shock. “Not really finished, love.”
I point at my throbbing cock that is tenting my pants.
Freya smirks, tearing off a hunk of bread and passing it to me. “How sad. Here, don’t go hungry.”
“Who taught you to be this ruthless?”
When she strokes down my wing, I melt against her side. “You.”
“Fair point.”
We share a small, secret smile.
My perfect bond mate.
I munch on the coarse loaf, suddenly ravenous. We’re only fed twice a day, and it’s been a long time since the porridge that I ate for breakfast.
When something furry winds around my ankles, I glance down at Five. “Begging again?”
Five narrows her eyes, lashing her tail, as if in outrage that she would ever beg.
“I mean, demanding tribute, aye?” I salute her.
Then I grab a small piece of cheese, which is my cat’s favorite treat, and drop it onto the floor in front of her.
“You spoil her.” Freya grabs an apple. “She has you wrapped around her paw.”
“She’s loyal. I look after my friends.”
Suddenly, sitting at this table in the quiet of the evening with my Omega and my cat, I sense a type of domestic contentment that makes me uneasy because I never thought that I would experience it.
I don’t deserve it.
With the soft twilight falling through the window, however, and my ravens settled on the olive tree in the courtyard through it, while I am inside feeding my Omega, I want it.
I clench my hands on my lap, and my hard-on slowly subsides because this feeling is everything that I have dreamed about but it’s bittersweet. Because this is like being shown what I could have. But I never will.
“Do you remember when you told me about that farm you imagined in the Winter Court?” I stare down at my hands.
My wrist is scarred where I have repeatedly bitten into my skin to bleed for my Shadow Vampire King.
I couldn’t eat without knowing that I was also feeding Lanlin.
“I still wish that we could live somewhere like that.” Freya bites into her apple, slowly munching before she swallows.
I hang onto every word. “You would cook, while I would care for the farm animals to make sure that we were in control of our food, and no one could decide whether we went hungry or thirsty. We’d have this beautiful garden for you, as well as your ravens.
Lots of trees and flowers, roses for Aurelius.
We’d build tunnels underneath the house, of course, for Lanlin.
A waterfall behind. Beautiful dream, huh? ”
“Aye, dream.” My nails bite crescents into my palms. “There would be oaks and blossom trees in the garden. But we could also restore my Winter Court.”
I wait, not looking at her.
I hold my breath.
What will she say? Have I shown my hand too early?
Why isn’t she saying anything?
“Isn’t this our daydream?” Freya replies, cautiously. “I know that we’re trying to take back both our kingdoms. But we’re playing a game here, yeah? Let’s not add the violence of another poisonous court into that.”
I flinch.
My gaze shoots to hers.
Freya looks shocked like she didn’t realize what that one word would mean: poisonous, like the iron that wiped out my entire court.
My family.
“Daire.” Freya reaches for my hand, and I allow her to take it. “I’m sorry, I didn’t think…I just meant that if we’re creating a perfect dream, then let’s not include another violent court like—”
“The Winter Court wasn’t like that.” My voice is cold.
My shadows feather around me, darkening the walls.
My primal power is speaking through me — the spirits of my ancestors.
“Don’t compare my people to the Shadow Court or to the Blood Kingdom.
What you experienced growing up with the wolves was nothing like the world of the Unseelie.
The dragons decided that we were worthless because we were close to nature…
savages. But you would have loved my court. ”
Freya squeezes my hand, soothing me with her pheromones. “I wish that I could see it.”
The Rebirth Ring is heavy on my finger. “My parents would have loved you.”
Freya’s eyes are wet. “I swear that we will work all this out, then we can choose where we live. We can grow old together in your kingdom, old and gray.”
We can’t.
I bite hard on the inside of my cheek not to say it.
If I tell her now, then she will remain here and try to save me, and I must act like the king Da trusted me to become.
When you’re a king, your life doesn’t matter. You’re the shield for your people.
I drag my soulmate closer to me, until our thighs are touching. “Every day with you is worth a thousand that I spent before I met you. And every day that I spend from now on is everything to me, love. I don’t take a second for granted.”
“Daire, what’s going on? Why are you serious?”
“I’m always serious about loving you.” To distract Freya from one truth, I give her another. It’s a trickster’s ploy. “I’ve found a way out of our cage. Want to know how?”
Freya’s eyes widen. “That’s what you’re talking about?”
A fae never lies.
But that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t carefully watch what they do say…or don’t.
I don’t answer.
Instead, I spin to my feet, flapping my wings. “My pinion feather has almost grown back. I should be able to fly again any day.”
Excitedly, Freya bursts to her feet. “That’s amazing. I can’t wait.” She touches the pinion feather behind her ear. “I felt bad about taking this from you.”
“You didn’t take it from me. I gave it to you.”
“But you can’t fly now, right? So, do you have another way to escape?”
I should have known that she would ask that. My Spark is smart.
I have been protecting my Frost Clan from everybody since we were captured by Aurelius.