Page 18 of Owned By Four Alphas

“Thank you,” she turned to Ronan, “both of you. For getting me safely here. If it’s alright, I’d like to be alone for a little while. Get my head around…everything.”

Ronan pulled her back into his chest, one hand splaying over her stomach, the other reaching up to tilt her chin back. She gasped as he leaned down to kiss her, dominant and forceful. His tongue swept against her bottom lip, demanding entry, and she obliged, letting him claim her mouth entirely.

Only when the hand at her stomach started to drift higher, to the soft flesh of her breast, did she make a noise of protest and pull against him. His eyes were stormy as he gazed down at her.

“Will you not let us take you right here, sweetness?” he rumbled, his hand tightening against her breast, his thumbbrushing against her stiffening nipple, “You look good enough to eat.”

She considered it for a moment, the ache between her thighs pulsing, but ultimately shook her head.

“Later, come back later. I really need some time alone. I have some…some things to think through.”

Namely, why she kept having dreams and visions of her father.

Ronan looked skeptical, but Malek grasped his arm. “Of course, Selena. Just…don’t leave the library, okay?” He glanced at the huge vaulted windows, at the rain lashing against them, the thunder cracking and roaring. “There’s something strange in the air tonight. We’ll come for you in a few hours.”

She nodded, his words coiling in her stomach, sending a shudder through her. Her mates left, Ronan more reluctantly than Malek, and she was alone.

With absolutely no clue where to start.

Turning slowly, she took in the huge shelves, the thousands of books, biting at her lower lip. Without her mates, the shelves suddenly loomed above her, arching towards the ceiling. The dancing shadows cast by the fire morphed and jumped, catching in the corner of her eye.

Her heartbeat quickened, her hands shook ever so slightly.

A log cracked in the fire, and she squealed, whirling around in fright.

It was nothing. She shook her head.

“Honestly, Selena,” she said to herself, a hand on her heaving chest, “get a hold of yourself!”

“Might I be of assistance?”

She screamed and stumbled backwards in fright, her arms shooting out to brace against the inevitable fall.

“Whoa, easy there.” The male—she thought it was a male—caught her by the arm and helped her steady herself. “Sorry, sorry! I didn’t mean to shock you!”

She spun around to see a guilty-looking Fae backing away with his hands raised. He was short, only half a head taller than her, and his frame looked slight beneath the billowing blue robes worn by the palace servants. She sniffed, her body instantly relaxing.

Omega. He was an omega.

“No, please don’t apologize,” she said, smoothing her hands over her crumpled dress, her cheeks heating at how ridiculous she was being. “I guess I’m just a little…jumpy tonight.”

The male tilted his head, his eyes widening as he suddenly dropped to the floor in a kneel, “Your Highness!” he sputtered. “Forgive me, I did not recognize you at first.”

“No, no, please, you don’t have to kneel.” She grasped his wrist and pulled him upwards, brushing escaped strands of dark hair out of her face. “Selena is fine. Just Selena.”

His eyes darted around, his fingers twitching, as if expecting Kaelen to come roaring out of the darkness at him. Selena couldn’t help the slight burst of amusement at the mental image. Kaleen was much more likely to lecture a servant to death over impropriety than anything else.

“I’m very sorry to have startled you Your Highn—Selena—I’ll leave you in peace.”

He turned to scurry away, but she reached out again. “No, wait, please! You’re a librarian, right? That’s why you’re here?”

He nodded slowly. “Y-yes, I am. I just came up to check on the fires, I didn’t mean to disturb you.”

He made to leave again, and she huffed in annoyance. “Please wait, I could use your help.”

The male stuttered in shock, wringing his hands, “Let me fetch the Keeper for you, I’m sure he’s much better suited to—”

“No, don’t disturb him, he’ll be busy at the celebrations. Besides,” she wrinkled her nose, remembering the stony looks he seemed intent on throwing her, “I’m not sure he likes me all that much.”

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