Three Alpha Princes for an Unwanted Omega

AYLA

The moment I stepped into the room, I stopped. I did not know why but it was as if I had been hit by a sudden sense of Deja vu.

I know this place.The thought came so suddenly that I almost said it aloud.

The maid from earlier, Astrid, was standing in the room, a huge smile on her face.

”Oh, Ayla.” She rushed toward me. I barely had time to react before her arms were around me.

She smelled faintly of lavender and flour, and something about that scent made my eyes sting.

”You are all right,” she whispered against my shoulder. ”You are really all right.”

I smiled despite myself.

”I am.”

She pulled away and wiped at her cheeks.

”I cannot believe it.”

”I seem to be causing that reaction a lot lately.”

A small laugh escaped her.

”Everything is as you left it. I touched nothing.” she said.

”Thank you, Astrid” I smiled because I did not know what to tell her.

I glanced around the room again, hoping something would come to mind. There was a strange ache now behind my eyes as I fought to remember.

Did she know I had run away because of the treatment they had meted on me?

Surely, if she was my maid then she would know?

I should ask her, I thought to myself.

But what if she lies about it? She was just a maid after all and speaking to me about it might put her at risk.

Before I could say anything else, there was a knock.

”Come in” Astrid answered.

The door opened and an old man entered first and behind him the man from the garden.

Cassian.

The name surfaced in my mind. I was not surprised to remember it just tired that my mind was deciding to just supply me names and not events and proper memories of my life.

”Lady Ayla” the old man smiled at me. ”I am Master Aldric. Please take a seat while I examine you.” He pointed to the bed.

”I am fine,” I said.

”So I am told.” His smile was gentle. ”Humor an old man.”

He took the chair beside the bed and waited. I sat, because there was nothing else to do.

”I understand you suffered a fall?” he asked.

”That is what everyone tells me.”

”And you have experienced memory loss since?”

”Yes.” I responded.

He took my wrist and began checking my pulse.

My eyes met Cassian’s across the room and I felt my heart thump painfully in my chest. I frowned at this.

I should be feeling fear toward him. With everything Lucius had told me about the way I was treated by my father and brothers, even if my mind could not remember anything, wouldn’t my body exhibit some sort of response at his presence?

Instead, I feel safe, warm... hot. Which is the last thing that one should be feel for one’s brother.

”Tell me about the fall,” the healer asked, interrupting my disturbing thoughts.

I told him exactly what Lucius had told me. He listened but the frown on his forehead did not ease, and when he glanced at Cassian there was something in his eyes, something I could not read.

He examined my eyes, pressed gently against my temples and asked me to follow his finger which I did.

Then he sat back.

”Physically, there is nothing wrong with you that I can see.”

”Then why cannot I remember?” I asked, the desperation creeping into my voice.

He sighed. ”The mind is a strange thing, my lady. I will prepare a tonic. Something to calm her nerves, ease her thoughts.” He rose, gathering his satchel. ”Astrid, come with me. Your mistress will need it brought up.”

Astrid looked at me, hesitant to leave but she followed him toward the door.

It closed behind them and I was alone with Cassian.

My heart immediately began beating faster.

I looked at him. He was still standing exactly where he had been since he entered, watching me.

”What?” My voice came out in a squeak. ”Why do you stare at me?”

”I cannot believe you do not remember me, Ayla.”

There was so much pain in his voice that my chest tightened.

I looked away, rising to my feet, intent to put some distance between us.

”What is there to remember?” I snapped. ”You. All of you. I am told you are my brothers. I am told...” I stopped. My chest was tightening, a fist closing around my lungs. ”I am told you hurt me. That you are why I ran.”

”Told.” He repeated, also rising to his feet ”By whom?”

I did not answer him.

”Ayla, who told you such lies?”

I spun around to face him. I was breathing hard now and the ache in my head had bloomed into full blow raging pain.

The room tilted as I began pacing.

”Do not lie.” I said.

”Why would I lie? Lucius is the liar here.”

”Do not speak that way about my mate” I glared at him.

Cassian let out a scoff.

”He is not your mate, Ayla... I am.”

I laughed.

”Yes, I know all about our father trying to force me to mate with my brothers.”

Cassian blinked in surprise.

”Okay, you have it all wrong” he approached.

I shook my head and kept pacing, and my eyes were stinging. If everything Lucius had told me was true, then my body should have recognized these men as danger.

But it didn’t. Instead, something inside me kept pulling me to them.

It sat somewhere beneath my ribs, in my heart and I hated it because it made no sense.

I could feel my heart pounding against my ribs and I slapped a hand to my chest. My lungs seemed to have forgotten how to work.

I could not breathe. My heart was hammering so hard and so fast, terrifying me.

”Ayla...” Casian called out, rushing forward. I barely registered his hands closing around my arms as he turned me toward him.

”I can’t...I can’t breathe.” I gasped.

I shook my head harder. The room seemed to be shrinking and the walls closing in around me.

I pressed both hands against my chest.

Why could I not breathe?

”Ayla, listen to me... breathe...slowly, darling... come on, you can do it.”

I tried to suck in air but nothing happened.

”Ayla, look at me.”

Tears spilled down my cheeks.

I dragged in another breath and it came out as a broken sob.

”I can’t.”

In that second something impossible happened.

I was somewhere else... in this room and I could hear his voice, see his face and I was smiling at him and him at me.

I gasped.

It was a memory. Then it was gone and I was back to struggling for air.

Cassian looked terrified for me.

”Fuck!” He swore under his breath. ”Come back to me, Ayla... please.”

And then he kissed me.