Taming the Wild Beast of Alamina

"We have to talk," Marianne said to Thomas only.

Sylvia felt him go still behind her.

The nurse at the door chose that moment to clear her throat, which Sylvia considered either very brave or very unfortunate.

"Lady Sylvia’s full-body scan is ready," she said. "Seven wants a complete glandular map, endocrine response, pheromonal pathway analysis, and neural stress reading before the next dose of pain medication."

Thomas’s arm tightened around Sylvia at once. "I am coming."

"No," Marianne said.

Thomas looked at her.

The room chilled.

Not because Marianne released her dominance. She did not. Her control remained flawless, the kind of discipline that made Sylvia understand exactly why Rohan trusted her with armies.

But Thomas reacted to the command anyway.

"I am coming," he repeated.

Daniel stepped closer, his voice quiet. "Thomas."

"She is in pain."

"She will be surrounded by medical staff," Daniel said. "And we will not allow her out of monitored range."

Thomas’s jaw tightened. "You do not understand what was done to her."

"We read the restricted report," Marianne said.

Thomas’s eyes sharpened.

Marianne’s expression did not move. "Arion, Nero, and Dean were very thorough."

Sylvia looked up. "You know?"

Daniel’s gaze softened. "Enough to be worried for you both."

That undid something in her chest.

Thomas tried to stand anyway.

His body betrayed him before Marianne had to. Pain cut across his face, sharp and white. Sylvia felt it through the strange new field in her body and made a small sound.

Immediately, Thomas stopped.

Marianne saw it. So did Daniel.

The nurse stepped forward carefully. "Lady Sylvia, we will keep the scan non-invasive. No pressure at the nape. No forced pheromone stimulation. Commander Lancaster will be able to see the feed from here."

Thomas’s mouth opened.

Sylvia touched his hand. "Tom."

He looked down at her.

"I need to know what happened to my body," she whispered. "And you need to be bandaged, not heroic."

His expression broke around the edges.

"Five minutes," he said to the nurse.

The nurse’s eyes widened. "The scan will take at least forty."

"Ten."

"Thomas," Marianne warned him in a low tone.

He closed his eyes.

Sylvia almost laughed despite the pain. "Forty is fine."

"It is not fine."

"It is medically fine."

"That is a weak category."

Daniel’s mouth twitched. "He has always been difficult with categories."

Thomas ignored him and looked only at Sylvia. "If you need me—"

"I will call."

"If you feel pain—"

"I will say something."

"If they touch your nape—"

"Then I will let General Lancaster terrify them for me."

Marianne inclined her head. "Efficient."

Sylvia gave her a weak smile.

Medical staff entered with a transport chair and enough caution to make it clear Thomas’s reputation had already spread through the wing. It took three people, two blankets, and one very stern look from Marianne to separate him from Sylvia without him attempting to reorganize the hospital hierarchy.

When the door closed behind Sylvia, Thomas stared at it like he could hold it shut against the world.

Marianne let him look for three breaths.

Then she said, "Sit."

Thomas sat.

Daniel took the chair opposite him. Marianne remained standing.

Thomas looked at his mother. "Say it."

Marianne’s face was calm. "You hid your mate from us."

"I hid my girlfriend."

"No," Daniel said softly. "You hid the woman you were already arranging your life around."

Thomas’s mouth closed.

Marianne’s voice stayed even. "We learned from a battlefield report that you had a partner, that Andrea Vale targeted her to break you, that she nearly died, and that you had been prepared to tear through a resistance point with your ribs open because she was behind you."

Thomas’s fingers curled around the armrest.

"I was protecting her," he said.

"Yes, very nice of you, but you know what is not nice? Hiding your love life from your parents and family." Marianne barely started. "I’m not going to let this slide."

Thomas stared at her.

Daniel leaned back slightly, as if he knew exactly what was coming and had decided the wisest contribution was silence.

Marianne placed both hands on the back of the chair across from Thomas. She did not raise her voice. She did not release her dominance. Somehow, that made it worse.

"We have supported you in every rational decision you have ever made."

Thomas’s jaw tightened.

Marianne’s eyes narrowed. "Do not make that face. I said "rational," and I stand by it. I supported the military academy at fourteen because you had already memorized half the command manuals and frightened three instructors. I supported the field rotations because you were good enough to deserve them, even when I hated every minute of it. I supported your transfer into high-risk beast containment because you made a strategic argument I could not destroy."

"I remember."

"Good. Then remember the rest."

Thomas went very still.

Marianne’s mouth pressed tight before she continued, and for the first time, the hurt showed through the general.

"We never pressed you to find a dominant omega."

Thomas looked away.

"No," Marianne said sharply. "Look at me."

He did.

"We never once told you your mate had to be convenient. Powerful. Fertile. Politically useful. Compatible by court standards. Did we?"

"No."

"Did your father?"

"No."

"Did Queen Heather?"

Thomas hesitated.

Marianne’s brows rose.

Daniel said mildly, "Heather expressed concerns about your ability to form emotional attachments without turning them into military logistics."

Thomas closed his eyes. "That is different."

"It is accurate," Daniel said.

Marianne pointed at Daniel without looking. "Not helping."

"I apologize."

"You do not."

"No."

Thomas breathed out, nearly a laugh, but it died before it formed.

Marianne rounded the chair and came to stand in front of him. Not as the main general of Rohan. Not as the woman under Queen Heather. Not as the soldier who could order armies and frighten escort teams into becoming decorative.

As his mother.

That was much harder to face.

"You thought we would make her life worse."

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