Three Alpha Princes for an Unwanted Omega

AYLA

Astrid arrived moments after Lucius left with a woman.

"My lady, your mother left the palace early this morning. As soon as she is back, I will bring her to you."

I felt disappointment lick at me at the news.

"Who is this then?" I asked.

"She is here to take your measurements."

"Measurements?"

"For the festival, my lady." Astrid’s smile widened. "There is to be a celebration in two days, to honor your arrival. You will need a dress."

The seamstress stepped forward, unrolling a length of measuring tape. The seamstress stepped forward and began arranging the measuring tape. I stood in front of the mirror while she worked.

I watched my reflection the entire time. There was something unsettling about looking at myself lately.

It was my face and my body yet somehow I felt like a stranger trapped inside someone else’s life.

The seamstress moved around me again.

"Will Lord Cassian be attending?" The words left my mouth before I could stop them.

I froze.

Astrid’s eyes met mine through the mirror then the corners of her lips lifted.

Heat rushed into my face.

"I mean..."

"Of course he will," Astrid said sweetly.

I looked away.

"Oh."

Her smile widened and I pretended not to notice.

I was saved from the awkward silence by a knock on the door.

"Come in." I called out.

The door opened and my heart stopped.

Cassian stood there, holding a leather satchel in one hand.

His white hair was slightly tousled, as though he had run his fingers through it too many times, and the expression on his face changed the moment his blue eyes found mine.

"Hi," he said.

"Hi," I squeaked.

The seamstress stepped back.

"That will be all." she said. "My lord." she turned, bowing to Cassian who did not seem to hear her.

His eyes remained on me the whole time.

and bowed to him. Astrid immediately took the seamstress by the hand and steered her toward the door. She turned to wink at me before closing it, leaving Cassian and I alone.

Neither of us spoke while my mind furiously tried to work out why he was here.

I clasped my hand togetherness and looked anywhere but at him.

"You look good." He finally said.

"Thank you." I muttered, looking away immediately.

"I came to bring you something from Master Aldric." He lifted the satchel.

"What is it?"

"A tonic. It will help with your anxiety."

"I am not anxious," I said quickly.

"You are twirling your fingers."

I looked down. My hands were clasped, my thumbs circling each other in a slow, unconscious spin.

I separated them with a jerk, as if they had been caught doing something shameful.

"It is not because I am anxious that I twirl them," I shot at him.

He gazed at me with a knowing look.

"It is something you always do when you are anxious."

I raised my head at that,

"Always?" I asked

His expression changed and for a moment, something painfully soft crossed his face.

"Yes."

My heart gave a strange little beat.

I swallowed.

"Cassian...why do I feel like this when I see you?"

His face softened.

"Like what?"

I struggled to explain it.

"It feels like..." I looked down. "Like I am supposed to be with you... here with all of you."

Cassian’s eyes softened. He took a step toward her, stopping only when he was standing one step away.

He reached out and placed his hand flat against my chest, over my heart, and the warmth of his palm burned through the thin cotton of my shift.

"That is because you are, Ayla." He said. "Now, I do not know what Lucius did to you, and I do not know how he broke our bond. But you can still feel it, can you not? In here?"

I nodded.

"It is confusing," I whispered. "I don’t know what to believe anymore."

"What is between us is not confusion, it is real and I need you to remember it and believe that" His thumb traced a slow arc over my collarbone."

"I am going to get you back because I..." his voice trailed off, his throat working.

"What?" I asked.

"I love you, Ayla Evermere." He murmured. "I always have, and I always will."

My breath caught in my throat and suddenly I wanted to kiss him again.

I closed the distance between us, aligning my front to his.

He went still, his eyes suddenly hungry.

"Ayla..."

I did not let him finish speaking before I pressed my lips to his.

The satchel in his hand hit the floor with a dull thud and his arms came around me. He pulled me tightly against him, one hand sliding up into my hair.

My hands found his shoulders and then his neck as he walked me backward until the edge of the bed caught my knees and I fell onto the mattress.

He followed her down, his mouth trailing from my lips to my jaw to the hollow of my throat.

His breath was hard and fast against my skin and I could feel his heart hammering through the wall of his chest.

I wanted him closer, everywhere.

But he stopped.

"What?" I whispered.

He was breathing hard above me, his eyes dark with need. I could see the warring going on inside him right there on his face.

"I cannot do this," he murmured softly. "Not when you do not know everything about who you are or who I am. It would be me taking advantage of you, Ayla and that is not the man I am."

I had nothing to say to that.

He pressed his forehead to mine in a gesture so tender, it ached.

Then he rose from the bed, bent to pick the satchel and set it on the table with shaky hands.

"I will be back tonight with another one of these," he said. "It will help you rest."

He crossed to the door, his hand finding the knob.

He stood there for a long moment, his back to me.

I waited for him to say something when he looked back at me. I could see his throat working but he did not.

Instead, he opened the door and left.

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