BOUND BY ROYALTY

CHAPTER 6

It had been two long weeks since that fateful argument in the garden, and things between Aleron and me had not improved. He had been distant, using the turmoil in the western territories as an excuse to avoid me. I could hardly blame him, his duties as Crown Prince were pressing, and the revolts there needed handling. Yet, I couldn't shake the feeling that it wasn't just his work keeping him away. We hadn't exchanged more than a few cold words since that day, and now we hardly shared a room anymore.

The tension was unbearable, but there was another problem creeping up on me. I could feel my heat coming, my body slowly betraying me with the telltale signs. It was something I had been dreading, and I found myself constantly on edge. My pheromones had grown stronger, noticeable to anyone who came close, and although Aleron pretended not to notice, I saw the brief flickers of recognition in his eyes. Yet, he said nothing, did nothing, choosing instead to bury himself deeper into his royal duties.

I sighed, resting on the edge of the bed, lost in thought as Ben entered the room, his eyes filled with concern. He knew, of course. He could tell I was nearing my heat.

"Your Highness," Ben said softly, "it's almost time, isn't it? What are your plans?"

"I'll spend it as far away from Aleron as possible," I replied sharply, my frustration slipping through. I couldn't imagine sharing such an intimate moment with him, not after everything that had happened between us. The very thought made my skin crawl, not out of disgust, but out of the deep fear of vulnerability.

Ben frowned, clearly uncomfortable with my answer. "But Your Highness... it's an Omega's and Alpha's duty to spend their heat and rut together. It strengthens the bond between you. The Crown Prince—"

"I know what the expectations are, Ben," I interrupted, my voice a bit harsher than I intended. "But I can't... I can't bear the thought of that kind of intimacy with him right now. I won't be that vulnerable with him. Not after all of this."

I hadn't realized how loudly I'd spoken until I heard the unmistakable sound of footsteps at the doorway. My heart sank as I turned slowly to see Aleron standing there, his face set in a hard line, his presence a sudden and jarring reminder that I hadn't been alone.

Aleron stormed in, dressed in his royal attire, an aura of urgency and frustration radiating from him.

"Lucian, we need to talk," he snapped, his eyes narrowing at me and Ben that stood beside me. Ben excused himself by bowing curtly before giving us our privacy.

I looked up, my irritation bubbling to the surface.I decided to play it off and not talk about the fact that he heard me until he decided to talk about it. "What now? Is it another council meeting? I thought we agreed that I wouldn't have to attend those."

"Yes, but circumstances have changed," he replied, the irritation in his voice palpable. "There's been unrest in the western territories, and the council wants us both present. It's part of our duties as a married couple."

I felt anger rise within me, a mix of helplessness and frustration. "I didn't sign up for this, Aleron! I didn't want to be a pawn in your royal games. I thought marriage would at least give me some semblance of freedom!"

"Freedom?" he scoffed, stepping closer, his jaw tight. "Do you think I want to deal with this nonsense? I'm trying to do my job, to protect the empire, and you're acting like a spoiled brat! We have responsibilities, Lucian. You can't just hide away and ignore them!"

"Responsibilities?" I shot back, rising from my seat in anger. "You mean the same responsibilities you've always had and now want to shove down my throat? I thought we would be partners, but it feels like I'm just a trophy for you to show off!"