Three Alpha Princes for an Unwanted Omega

AYLA

Their voices were muffled, but I could make out most of the words.

”...We can use her, Soren. The things I discovered in the archives room are beyond anything you and I could have imagined. I took them with me because the last thing I want is Kieran getting his hands on the scrolls.”

He stole from the archives?

”...You are insane if you think she is going to go against her own father. You do know Kieran is her father, don’t you?”

”Of course I know that.” Lucius’ voice was smooth. ”It is an unfortunate turn of events, but it does not matter to me in the grand scheme of things. Nor will it matter to her when I am done.”

”What is that supposed to mean?” I heard Soren ask.

”Patience, Soren. I am offering you the world, and I hope you are not too hard-headed to take it.”

A pause.

”Besides, you cannot return to Kieran now that he knows his sons are indeed yours.”

The air left my lungs. I pressed my hand to my mouth but the gasp that had bubbled in my throat escaped anyway.

The voices stopped immediately.

”Did you hear that?” Lucius asked.

I moved immediately, my heart slamming against my ribs. I rounded the corner colliding right into Lucius who was stepping out of the tent.

He caught me before I could fall.

”Oh-” I giggled in embarrassment, hoping he could not hear the crazy beating of my heart against my ribs.

I am sorry. I did not see you there.”

His smile was perfect but it did not reach his eyes.

”What were you doing?” he asked.

”Oh, you know.” I waved a hand. ”Walking around. This is a huge place, and I was also looking for someplace to...” I put my eyes down like I could not bring myself to say it. ”I need to...”

I needed an excuse. Something ordinary. Something that would not make him suspicious.

”I am filthy.”

I watched his eyes darken as they traveled down my body. The dress I had been wearing since he dragged me from my room was wrinkled and stained from the journey, and I was acutely aware of every inch of skin it bared.

”Yes,” he said finally, and his voice had gone rough at the edges. ”I am sorry. I cannot believe I did not try to get you out of your clothes sooner. I will have someone tend to that.” His smile smoothed back into place. ”Tend to your bath, I mean. You have to forgive me if it is not what you are used to. There is a stream...”

”Of course. A stream sounds nice.”

He gestured, and a woman appeared from between two tents. She was young, my age, maybe with dark skin and a braid pulled so tight it stretched the corners of her eyes. She kept her gaze fixed on the ground as she approached.

”Take Lady Ayla to the stream,” Lucius said. ”And get her a change of clothes.”

”Thank you.” I murmured.

”Of course.” He turned to two men near the fire. ”You two. Go with them.”

”That will not be necessary,” I said quickly.

”Nonsense.” His voice was pleasant. ”We are in pretty dangerous territory, Ayla, and I do not want anything happening to you.”

”Thank you,” I said again, and I followed the girl.

We passed Willow on the way out of the camp.

She was standing by a tent, her arms crossed, her eyes fixed on me with that familiar hatred but there was something else in them now. Something I had never seen in Willow before.

Wariness.

She watched me walk past, and I felt her gaze on my back.

The girl led me through the trees, the two guards trailing behind us. She did not speak.

”What is your name?” I asked.

She glanced at me, startled, like she had not expected me to address her at all. ”Mira,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

”I am Ayla.”

”I know.” She looked away quickly, as if she had said too much.

”Have you been in the camp long?”

”A while.”

”Do you like it?”

She was quiet for a moment, her steps slowing. ”It is better than where I came from.”

I wanted to ask more about where she came from but we had reached the stream, and the words died in my throat.

It was beautiful. The water ran clear over smooth stones, catching the last of the afternoon light. If I had been standing there under any other circumstances, I might have called it peaceful.

The guards turned their backs as I undressed.

I stepped into the water and gasped. It was colder than I had expected but I kept going in, until it lapped at my waist. I sank down, letting it swallow me, and I closed my eyes.

Could I escape?

The thought had been circling me since I overheard Lucius.

The stream ran through the forest and the forest ran everywhere. If I could follow the water, find a path through the trees, I could be miles away before anyone noticed I was gone.

I had no idea how long I stayed in the water before Mira’s voice reached me.

”We should return to camp, my lady.” she called out.

”One moment.” I said.

I took one more look around me before I climbed out of the water and took the clothes she held out to me.

On our way back, I decided to ask her more questions.

”Have you ever left the camp?”

”Yes, sometimes to get food from the market.”

”What path do you usually take?” I asked.

”Why do you ask?”

”Nothing.” I shook my head, forcing a smile. ”Forget I said anything.”

Her eyes lingered on me for a moment before she nodded, saying nothing else.

Back at the camp, they had given me a tent of my own. There was a cot in the corner, a small table, and a tray of food that steamed in the cooling air.

I could not eat.

I sat on the edge of the cot, staring at the food, and I thought about everything I had heard.

Night came slowly.

I lay on the cot with my eyes open, listening to the camp until I could no longer hear voices.

Then I rose and slipped outside, my heart hammering so loud I was certain someone would hear it.

If I could find the stream again. If I could follow it into the forest, find a path through the trees. There might be a way out.

I crept forward slowly until I reached the edge of the camp, then I ran.

Relief filled me as soon as I finally saw the stream.

I started toward the trees beside it before something hit the back of my head.

Pain exploded across my vision and my knees buckled immediately.

I groaned and turned around.

Lucius stood over me and behind him, I saw the girl, Mira.

She had told him. About my questions.

”Ayla.” Lucius tsked, shaking his head slowly. ”I am disappointed.”

I tried to speak, but the words would not come. The darkness was already closing in at the edges of my vision, and I could feel myself slipping.

”Carry her,” I heard him say before the dark took me. ”We leave tonight.”