The Rightful King

Robbie | 42

 **CW: sexual content**

           His nest was as good as it was going to get. Which didn't really sit well with Robbie as he sat back, observing the mounds of blankets surrounding him, ignoring Angel's presence as they hovered at the closet door. He knew it was their instincts kicking into high gear, he could feel his heat simmering beneath the surface, and it was only a matter of time before he fell victim to his hormones. His nest was missing something, and while he was aware of exactly what it was, he had no way to remedy it. If he did, Angel wouldn't be forced to help him, and he could happily spend his heat with the two people in the world he treasured the most.

As it was, he was stuck in this closet, because it felt marginally more secure than their open room, even if the entire notion was an illusion. There was nothing safe about their situation, and any moment someone could come in and hurt them, but he had to make do with what he had. The result was a somewhat comfortable nest even though it felt wrong, and there were scents missing and he wanted the familiar blankets of his nest in the Palace, but he hoped that his Alpha would like it.

They would, wouldn't they? He fluffed up the pillow closest to him one more time, smoothing out the pillowcase so that there were no wrinkles, before turning to them and waiting. They were watching him, something akin to concern painted across their face, shifting their weight from foot to foot. "Do you need something, ma'am? There's more pillows and blankets."

Robbie blinked, looking at his nest around him once more. He felt that the nest had plenty of bedding, but maybe the Alpha was exceptionally cold natured? He nodded, already mentally mapping out where he would add the extra blankets go for easy access.

He felt uneasy as Angel disappeared out of sight, but they weren't gone long, returning with another arm full of blankets and a decorative pillow that Robbie didn't particularly like. There was embroidered beading that he knew wouldn't be comfortable, and he would've felt offended that they would suggest he bring such a harsh material into his nest, but Alphas didn't operate the same way Omegas did, a pillow was just a pillow to them. He bit his tongue instead, taking the proffered items and begrudgingly adding them to his pile.

Once he's finished up, his brain felt fuzzier than ever, and he just wanted to lay down and sleep. He looked to Angel again, hopeful that the nest was to their liking now, but the Alpha just continued to ask questions, "Is there something else you want? Water? You haven't had any in a while."

Robbie didn't want water, he wanted for the Alpha to hold him while he slept. He went to say as much, but his tongue felt heavy in his mouth, like speaking right now might take too much effort. Did Angel find his nest was lacking? There wasn't much light in the closet, though they had managed to pull in a lamp from the bedside and plug it into an outlet so they wouldn't have to have the overhead light on, but he didn't think it looked bad in the dim light. It felt a little cluttered with the extra blankets and he hated the way the beaded pillow reflected off the lamp, but wasn't that what the Alpha had wanted?

Frustration bubbled in his chest, and he didn't know he was about to cry until the tears spilled onto his cheeks.

Angel grunted in alarm, jerking forward like they might step into his nest finally, but stopped themselves at the last second. It was hard to breathe suddenly, like a hole had been carved into his chest.

"Ma'am? Does something hurt? Please tell me what I can do to help?" Their tone was carefully calm, the deep register of their voice sending a pleasant shiver down his spine despite the awful feeling clawing at his insides. Why weren't they entering his nest?

It took him a minute to form the words. He didn't want to speak, but his Alpha had asked a question that couldn't be answered with a simple shake of his head, "Don't like it?" He managed to say, words slurred and uncoordinated as he felt.