Page 38 of The King's Omega
Her eyes popped open, outrage written on her features. I gestured I would be back in one minute after I killed whoever was at the door. I even acted out the strangling and decapitating.
She giggled, and I picked up my axe. I had not been joking.
I threw the door open.“Lorn?” Of all the generals he was the most easygoing of our group, almost always smiling, though I knew that expression was camouflage. Lorn was fierce in battle, though Rigol used him more often as the natural diplomat he was. He made a phenomenal emissary and spy, with a near-encyclopedic knowledge of the surrounding countries’ nobility, and was almost as sneaky as Tarn.
But now, Lorn’s face was a mask of anger.
“Rigol has orders for us, all four of us,” he hissed. I closed the door so Vali would not hear.
“Does he want you to establish a more northern front? My lieutenants have troops in place across the western edge of—”
“No. He’s scheduled us for war planning all week, from sunup to sundown. Theorders,” he spat the word like it was foul, “are regarding the little Omega. We are not to touch her. In any way.” He ground his teeth. “On pain of death.”
I reeled back, stunned. Rigol had lost his mind.
Lorn sneered. “He’s a dog in a fucking manger. He said if she had no alternatives, her Omega lusts would drive her to him.”
“That’s… not how it works.”
“Of course not. Tarn was in the tunnels listening when Rigol spoke to her in his room—Rigol demanded she mate him. Then he fucking spread her out on the bed, but she was bone dry.”
I bared my teeth as rage overtook me, and I knew that if I stayed in the castle, I would kill my brother. Lorn stepped back, nostrils flaring, sensing the fragile hold I had on my control.
“I cannot stay here. She has built a nest for me in my bed. I will mate her if I remain.”
Lorn let out a soft curse. “In that case, go join your troops. I’ll tell the king… something. We’ll take care of her while you’re away.”
“Don’t touch her. I don’t want to lay flowers on your grave when I return.”
“I don’t want that either.”
“Rigol is in rut. I’ll send whores from the city to ride him through it.”
“Send ugly ones. The fucker doesn’t deserve any favors.” Lorn smiled again, but it was strained.
“The favor is that I won’t kill him now. Take care of her kitten as well. He hurt it.”
“Ah. He sent for a healer and the master of the hounds already,” Lorn mused. “I’d wondered why. Odd that he could even think of the creature at a time like this.”
The rage abated slightly. At least Rigol hadn’t lost all compassion.
“I’ll return in two weeks if the war hasn’t started by then. That should give the idiot time to cool down and see what he’s done.”I stood, taking deep breaths so Vali didn’t see my fury when I re-entered the room.
“Vilkurn says she should stay in the laundry. Sorcha will protect her, and her scent will be hidden while Rigol’s in rut.” His gaze was on my door. “She really built a nest for you, Axe?” Something in his voice spoke of loss. “She has chosen you then.”
I hesitated before signing. “Omegas are a mystery. I’m not sure it works the way any of us expected. Birds often build more than one nest, you know.”
I left it at that and went to tell my sweet Omega I was leaving her.
Vali
Two weeks.
It was two whole weeks since Axe left me. Lorn brought me back to the laundry where Sorcha, the laundry mistress, asked about my kitten and then held me while I wept.
Sorcha promised to tan the king’s hide the next time she saw him. I hoped she meant it literally.
Working with Sorcha was the best part of my life now. Except for the first week, when the king’s sheets and pillowcases kept arriving crusted with his seed and smelling like three or four women. I boiled them twice as long as anyone else’s just to get the foul odors out.
