Page 59 of Alien Desire
“Yes.”
“But why?”
“I don’t know. They may have been supporters of a rival claimant to the throne, and saw this as an opportunity to dispose of me.”
“Oh. There are lots of claimants to the throne?”
He smiles wearily. “I have lots of half-brothers and sisters. Although there are only a handful of serious contenders.”
“And they’d really want you dead?”
“I don’t know,” he shakes his head, then pauses before adding, “Or it may have been my father who gave the order.”
I sit bolt upright, staring down at him in shock. “Your dad? You suspect your own dad?”
“I don’t know who I suspect. Until I get back to Astia and carry out inquiries, I can only speculate.”
So he is going back to Astia? I’d allowed a little hope to creep into my heart that maybe this assassination attempt would deter him. Perhaps that he’d return to what he’d promised. It all seems so impossible.
Automatically my hand wanders to my stomach, and I rest it there. Tor’s eyes follow the movement and he rests his own large hand over mine.
“The baby is growing rapidly,” he says.
I stare down at my belly, looking at it properly for the first time in days. Yes, it is. The dome forming behind my tummy button and the slight thickening of my waist is more pronounced even than it was yesterday. “I don’t think I should be showing this much already,” I confess.
He bustles beside me. “And this is why I must take you to Astia and have them check you out, Emma. We don’t know what this pregnancy means for you or the baby. If it’s safe. We need to get you medical care.”
I stare at my stomach and worry floods my mind. I hadn’t considered that. This baby is a little miracle and it never occurred to me that something so wondrous could be a danger to me, could be in danger itself. I can’t lose my baby.
I can’t help but tighten the hand on my belly. Our child will be a miracle for certain, if it survives, if it is even possible it can live. I think of what limited knowledge I have of animals on Earth crossbreeding. For some species it is possible but often, if the offspring live beyond birth, they don’t live long.
I think he must see the panic in my eyes.
“I’ll take you both to the medical facility on Astia immediately. Our technology is advanced and the facility will help us. They will ensure all is well.”
My hand balls into a fist above my tummy button. It’s my child, his child. I know deep in my soul it will live.
“This is the reason you want to take me to Astia?”
“Yes,” he says, confused.
“Why didn’t you explain that then? I thought you’d lied to me when you agreed we could set off on an adventure together. I thought it was a big trick and all you really wanted was to claim me and make me your Omega pet.”
Deep creases form above the bridge of his nose. “No, Emma. I didn’t lie. My number one priority will always be your welfare and your safety.”
“It should have been something you explained, something we discussed.”
“I am an Alpha Prince of Astia. I’m not used to explaining my decisions.”
“I can’t be owned and commanded. If you want us to be together, we need to be a team — like we were out there battling those assassins. We need to make our decisions together.”
He nods, mulling this over. “I understand.”
I consider what he’s told me too. I want my baby to be safe. “They just tried to kill you. How do you know they won’t kill me, and the baby too?”
His face darkens. “I would never let that happen.”
“Because I’m your Omega and this is your heir?” I can’t help but test him.
