Page 58 of Consort

I do slow my motions, though, as I gently lower myself to my knees in front of her. She doesn’t move, so I tentatively reach out and hover my hands over her belly.

“Is it…” I begin, pausing to steady my voice. “Is it ours?”

Rue closes her eyes, and tears slip from the corners.

I’m not sure what that means. She hasn’t answered me. The tears don’t tell me whose youngling it is. Worry and frustration start to build up inside me, and I have to fight the urge to find a boulder to burn.

Then I remember what she was saying when I first got here. Blue hair, blue eyes… she must know this youngling came from me. But she’s crying. Is she unhappy that I’m its father? The thought hurts almost as much as if the youngling belonged tosomeone else.

“It won’t hurt anyone,” she says softly. “I’ll make sure of it.”

“What?” I whisper, at a loss for what she could mean by that.

“You’ve put the life there. Don’t you dare harm it,” Rue’s mother growls as she bursts out of the hut.

I jump to my feet and instinctively step away from Rue. Her mother’s black hair is loose, framing her angry face in an intimidating way. She positions herself in front of her daughter with her hands on her hips, glaring at me.

It’s nice to have confirmation that I’m the father, but I’m really fucking offended. “Why would I want to do that?” I snap. “I’d never harm a youngling!”

“Oh yeah,noble?” her mother scoffs. “You’ll allow a mixed-fae shifter to live? Isn’t it part of your duty to rid the realm of them?” She shakes her head then adds, “You nobles are the only danger here.”

She sits down next to Rue and wraps her arms protectively around the quiet Omega. Her eyes travel up and down my form aggressively as she assesses me. I avert my eyes when she reaches them, knowing it’s a sign of respect for shifters. I’m pissed, but I understand her concern now.

The memory of killing the mixed-fae shifter for the queen hits me hard. It’s a sickening realization, knowing I took the life of something that my own offspring could one day become. The only way I think I’ll ever pull myself out of this well of regret is to make protecting mixed-fae shifters part of my mission. I can’t change what I did, but I can change the realm for the rest of them.

“I want no harm to come to mixed fae shifters,” I say firmly. “Especially this one. I will protect it with all I am, along with both of you.” I give them a moment to let my truth sink in, grateful for the inability to lie.

Rue’s eyes narrow. Anger and bitterness spread like a stormacross her face. “You plan to protect this lifeandours?” she demands. “When you disappear for weeks at a time? How can you protect anyone if you’renever fucking here?”

She’s acting angry about my long absences, but I know she’s only mad that I denied her. She wants an explanation, but she isn’t willing to ask directly. I feel a sick heat creep up my neck and over my face. I don’t want to twist the truth, but I can’t get past my shame to confess my real reason.

“I was ashamed of what I’d done,” I admit.

I mean hiding my consort status, but I know it will seem like I’m referring to her heat. Now would be the perfect opportunity to confess, but I’m afraid she’ll send me away and keep me from my youngling. I don’t think I would survive that.

She doesn’t respond. Both shifters glare at me, daring me to get myself out of this.

“I’m drawn to you,” I continue. “I felt a connection, even before knowing about this physical link,” I add, motioning to her belly. “But I thought you could find a better life with one of your kind. In a pack with more honorable Alphas to choose from than your last one.”

The words sting as I’m faced with how true they actually are. I’m glad I accidentally came back. I needed to know about this new life. And to see that the protection I’ve been giving up to this point isn’t enough. But she could find adequate protection with a good Alpha from a good pack.

She leans forward, breaking free of her mother’s arms, and growls at me. “I will decide who I want to be with. You don’t get to shove me off onto someone else just because you don’t want me.”

Her words cut me deeply. She can’t be allowed to think that.

I sink to my knees and scoot closer until my stomach rests against her legs. Her eyes flutter closed, and her nostrils flare. Maybe her instincts can sense that I’m the father of her pup. If itcauses her to let me in and protect them, I’ll use it.

I slide my hands beneath her arms, which are still crossed protectively over her belly. When she doesn’t stop me, I slip them beneath her tunic. I fight back the urge to groan at the softness of her skin, focusing instead on her gaze as she meets my eyes.

Her mother clears her throat, but Rue and I ignore her. I gently spread my fingers across her bump, imagining the pup—our pup—forming inside.

“I’m sorry for pushing you away and for not being around,” I murmur. “I thought someone else could give you a better life. But we’re bound together now. I promise never to let go of you or the little youngling that will soon be clinging to our fingers.”

Her eyes drop down to the outline of my hands beneath her tunic, and a hint of a smile sneaks onto her lips. My heart fills with hope, shoving aside the anger and nerves that have been building inside me.

“You asked if it was ours,” she whispers, looking into my eyes. “Instead of asking if it’s yours, you asked if it’sours.I liked that.”

She smiles a bit wider, and her cheeks turn pink. I can’t resist leaning in to kiss one of them. She pulls in a small breath and freezes. Her big green eyes are full of nervousness but seem to share some of the hope I’ve found.

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