Page 238 of The Forbidden Dragon King
Is any of my life real?
I howl, heartbroken.
Who says that it’s every Omega’s dream to be a princess?
Wraith looks pained. “You needed to know. King Ulf is a distant cousin by matching and not birth. He took the opportunity to bury the royal family and their past to steal the throne. Your magic was suppressed, which iswhy you can’t shift. I imagine he feared that your transformation would give away the truth. And I’ve heard whispers that King Ulf orchestrated the massacre himself with the help of…” She breaks off, as if she knows more but can’t say it. “Someone outside Fang Kingdom.”
I scream them, long and primal and from the depths of my soul.
“Whatever you need, love, I’m here for you.” Daire pushes himself gingerly into a crouch. His wings stretch out, as his eyes glow in the moonlight. “To be my Queen’s knight or King who rains down bloody vengeance on everyone who has wronged you.”
Tears cloud my vision. The world is blurred and unreal.
“Why didn’t they just kill me?” I whisper.
“You were a pawn,” Wraith replies. “They probably thought that you might be useful at some point. But King Ulf was confident in his position by the time of the Mate Hunt. So, he just?—”
“Let nature run its course.” I am trembling. “I should have died that night. I’m the fucking Queen, but Bard discarded me as being not worthy.”
My entire life has been a lie. I can’t untangle the truth in my mind.
When Aurelius stalks toward me, I remember how he had looked to me when I’d first seen him in the army camp. He had made Bard appear like a kid. His golden waves of hair had tumbled under his crown around his sharp cheekbones.
He’d glowed like the sun but adyingsun.
Now, I blink the tears from my ears. They tumble down my cheeks. I search Aurelius’ face for warmth, anything to remind me of the dragon who I have come to love. Yet he’s as icy looking as I’ve ever seen.
I brace myself, expecting him to slash my chains as well, hoping that this time he catches me.
Isn’t that at least Omega privilege?
Instead, he leans closer to me, caging me against the column.
I am barely able to think. My mind is a tumult of emotions since Wraith’s revelation.
The dominance of the King’s pheromones are overwhelming.
“My brother once warned me,” he whispers, “that there is always a choice about who to save and who to sacrifice because the cost is too high to save everybody.”
He takes a deep breath of my neck, kissing once over his bond bite, surprisingly gentle.
Then he straightens, resting the sword against the marble to the side of my throat. My heart is racing.
He leans in, and his breath is hot against my ear.
“Don’t hate me.” His voice is low, urgent, and painfully soft. “Don’t reject our bond, my Omega Queen.”
I stiffen.
Then he grips my chin and kisses me, brief and bruising.
I brand the feel of him onto my lips because something inside churns with dread that this may be the last time that I feel my dragon’s touch.
When he straightens, pulling away from the kiss far too soon, there is nothing soft left in his expression.
“I said a third option,” Aurelius announces, coldly, “one that will show my strength and bring peace to all the realms. I won’t watch more of my people die or lose any other friends. I have sworn a Blood Oath and dedicated my life to seeking that.”
“Third option…?” Daire narrows his eyes. “Why don’t we just go with we’re all Kings and Queens now, so fuck the options, aye?”
