Three Alpha Princes for an Unwanted Omega

”I cannot believe it.” Cassian muttered, pacing the length of their quarters. ”Soren is our fucking father.”

Two things had become clear when the guards returned from the end of the tunnel with news that Soren had escaped.

One, the note was true. It is the only reason he would flee instead of explaining himself.

Two, their lives as they knew them were over.

”The whole time,” Cassian went on. ”The whole fucking time...”

He looked toward Damon who was sitting very still which was unlike him and Ares who had taken his place by the window as usual.

”Are you both not hearing me?”

”That traitor is not my father.” Ares finally answered.

When he turned his head, his eyes were glittering with a rage Cassian had never seen before in his brother. ”And if I ever see him, I am going to gut him from top to bottom until his entrails are hanging out for the world to see.”

Cassian nodded his head before another thought popped into his mind.

”That would make Ayla our sister. Oh goddess...”

”Not exactly” Damon finally spoke.

They both turned to him now.

”What is that supposed to mean?”

”Ayla is not our sister”

Cassian blinked. ”She is Soren’s daughter. We are Soren’s sons. That makes her...”

”She is not Soren’s daughter.” Damon cut in. ”She is an Alpha’s daughter... our father’s”

The room went silent.

”You cannot be serious.” Ares said. ”This is not the time to be funny, Damon.”

”I wish I was being funny.” Damon met his brother’s eyes and held them. ”While I was with Ayla, our father came to see her. I heard it from his own mouth that he and Brenna... I do not even want to think about it but he revealed that truth to Ayla himself.”

”Without telling us?” Ares stepped closer, and Cassian could hear the violence in his voice, barely leashed. ”He knew. He knew, and he did not...”

”He was going to.” Damon’s jaw tightened. ”He was going to tell everyone. Before Willow’s note and all of this came apart...now we are here.”

Cassian sank back into the chair by the fireplace.

”This is fucked up,” he said quietly. ”This is so fucked up.”

No one argued that fact.

For a long while, each prince remained silent with their thoughts.

”Fuck this.” Ares broke the silence, striding across the room.

”Where are you going?” Cassian asked.

”To find her.”

”Ares...”

”We cannot sit here while she is out there with him.”

”We do not know that he took her.” Cassian said.

”We do not know that he did not.” Ares shot back. ”She disappears the same time he does, I don’t think I need the priestess to tell me that he is up to no good.”

”I agree with Ares” Damon interjected. ”Soren would know that Ayla is not his daughter. He knows she has powers... he could want to use her for his personal gains.”

Ares did not stop. ”Why would Soren take Ayla with him?”

”What?”

”Think, Cassian” Ares muttered. ”Soren is a fugitive with nothing and somehow he took Ayla and he ran. Why? Can you guess?”

Cassian’s eyes widened in shock.

”He knows she is valuable” he said.

”She is valuable” Ares agreed. ”And where do you think someone like him will go if he wants to be protected.”

”You do not really think he would go to the rogue king...”

”I know he will. He will make her his pawn, offer her up to him for protection. I cannot allow that happen. I need to find him before he crosses the border and reaches the rogue king’s camp.”

”Ares, wait...” Cassian was on his feet but Ares ignored him, pushing open the door.

He did not slow as he headed straight the council room, shoving the door open without bothering to knock or announce himself.

All heads turned to him immediately.

”Ares, What do you think you are doing, interrupting a meeting?”

”I will tell you what I am doing.” His voice was clear. ”You are all sitting on your asses while Soren, the fucking traitor is in the wind with your daughter.”

The room went still.

It would seem that Alpha Kieran was yet to reveal that bit of information to his council.

”Ares” he warned.

”Did you really think we are going to keep still while you make your plans, father. I warned you about listening to him and look at where that has gotten us.”

”Prince Ares,” one of the councilors began, ”you will show some respect...”

”I will show respect to the men who earn it.” Ares did not look at him. His eyes stayed on Alpha Kieran.

”You will watch your tone, son.”

”Send me to find him.” Ares leaned forward. ”Send me, and I will bring you his head.”

”No. I do not want Soren dead.

”He has my mate!” Ares’ voice is deathly low. ”I will have his head. With all due respect and if you refuse me, I will go anyway.”

Kieran looked at his son for a long moment.

”You know I see now where you get that temper of yours from.”

”Do not say it. I am not like him.”

”Do you really think I do not want her found.” his voice was soft and Ares could see the pain behind his father’s eyes.

The pain of betrayal from his own best friend and a man he had trusted with every part of himself.

”Then send me” Ares said earnestly. ”I will find him and if you want him alive then I will bring him back alive.”

”You have never been a very good liar, Ares.” Alpha Kieran smiled at this, straightening his shoulders. ”Guards.” he called out.

The doors opened and four guards filed in.

”Yes, Alpha,” the captain said.

”Arrest my son. Take him back to his quarters, and he is not to leave them. He is confined to the palace until I say otherwise.”

”Father...”

”None of the other princes are to see him even under the threat of death. Is that understood?” Kieran said.

Ares tried to throw them off but he was overpowered.

”You cannot do this.” he raged as he was dragged out of the council room.