Page 149 of Alpha's Impostor Bride

When he looks down at me, I see the love in his eyes. “I am yours, remember? You told me so.”

I grip his cheeks and climb into his lap. “Yes, I did.”

As I push him back into the cushions, the sounds of our bodies moving together fill the room, and my heart is overflowing with a happiness I never dreamed I would experience.

I didn’t think I would ever have to set foot in the Eastern Kingdom again, but I want to look into the matter of Cedric’s parents’ deaths. So, half a year later, we finally make the trip. The changes within the kingdom are huge. With Rothan as the delegate and the young king, who is named Alexander and is the only remaining royal, there is a somber aura to the environment.

The townspeople—who had once prided themselves on being better than the brutes of the North—are now our subjects, in a way. Trade between the two kingdoms has opened, and Rothan is ruling with an iron fist.

Not to say that he is being unfair to either kingdom, but now that the noble families who were involved with the Silver Ring Organization have been wiped out, there are only two noble families remaining. Rothan has recruited people from the North to be stationed within each town and village to make sure no unscrupulous actions are being carried out. After all, he’s protecting this kingdom for when Alexander can finally take charge.

Speaking of the young king, he cannot be more than five years of age, and ever since he and Finn met, Alexander has been following my son around, besotted. Finn is being oddly tolerant, and during this three-week visit, he and the boy have become inseparable.

“I almost feel that it is unfair for us to leave this child here,” I murmur when two days are left before our visit ends.

Cedric is playing with my hair while I lie on my back against him, between his legs. He snorts. “We are not adopting him.”

“I’m not saying we have to adopt him,” I argue. “But he lost his mother and all his relatives. He’s so isolated. What if he comes to visit us every couple of months? It will be good for him, and he’ll be able to build bonds with our kingdom, as well. Plus, it would be great for the future if he and Finn can become close friends.”

My mate is silent, his fingers still toying with my hair. “I’ll think about it.”

I pat his knee. “Great. I’ll tell Rothan to make arrangements. We’ll have Alexander visit us in two months.”

Cedric touches my belly, annoyed. “How are you going to look after Finn and the young king when you’re eight months pregnant? That kid barely leaves you alone now.”

My heart tightens as I look toward the two young boys crouched by the stream with sticks in their hands, trying to catch fish. Cedric is right. Young Alexander has also gravitated toward me in my three weeks here. He must miss his mother.

I know it’s probably the hormones, but my eyes get teary as I look at the small child. “It was necessary to wipe out his family. I understand that. But I feel so sorry for him. I don’t want him to have to live without a mother.”

Cedric’s voice is tense. “His mother was deeply involved in the organization. And I didn’t kill her, Leanna. She took her own life. And she would’ve taken her son’s, too, if Rothan hadn’t stopped her.”

“I know.” I wipe my eyes and hear him growl in frustration.

“Fine! He can come live with us. But he has to spend four months per year in his own kingdom so Rothan can teach him! It’s important that he learn his own culture. After all, this is going to be his kingdom.”

I lean back against Cedric and give him a bright smile. “Thank you.”

He mutters under his breath but accepts my kiss, turning it into something deeper and unrestrained.

“Ew!”

Finn’s words are echoed by his new friend, who wants to copy everything he does. “Ew!”

Both of them are looking our way, and Cedric snaps, “Go back to the palace!”

My son looks down at Alexander and says gravely, “Adults do this all the time. It’s gross.”

“Gross!” Alexander exclaims proudly.

“Come on,” Finn sighs. “Let’s go get something to eat. Derrick! We want to go back to the palace! Mom and Dad are being gross again!”

Shouting, he hurries down the field to where Derrick is waiting for us.

My face is red. “You have to teach him to stop saying that!”

Cedric shrugs. “Why? When he does, nobody bothers us.”

“Because they think we’re having sex!” I hiss, smacking him in the chest.

---