A spark of electricity rocketed through her, lifting her hips off of the bed and drawing a ragged moan from her.
Her fingers were at his fly, fumbling with the garment as she tried to get it off of him. With a chuckle, he came to her aide and slid the pants down his hips and cast them aside. He pushed her down and lay poised at her entrance, hesitating for the briefest moment.
Aura’s hands rose to stroke his face, and she marveled at the texture that was so much different from hers. That innocent touch was enough to undo him and Castor pushed slowly into her, joining them completely. Her fingers traced the full lips that were set in a stern frown as he thrust gently in and out of her.
It was as if she rode a wave that carried her out into an ocean of sensation. She had never thought it would be like this, gentle possession in the face of so much turmoil. But it was almost as if the difficulty of the circumstances only brought them closer together, as they each became the others port in a brewing storm.
Castor rained kissed down on her face, lips stroking her nose, chin, cheeks, any place that he could reach. This mating differed from any that had come before it, his movements slow and measured as if he wanted to draw out every emotion she could express and lay it bare.
She looked down to where they were joined and watched as his enormous member disappeared into her body in a feat that practically seemed like magic. Her hips moved of their own volition to meet his, rising and falling off of the bed in a seductive rhythm. His hands shifted under her bottom to lift and press her against him, deepening each thrust in a way that robbed her of breath.
Aura stared up into his sharp features, so beautiful and unlike anything she had ever seen before. Physically, he was perfection, but she cared more about what existed underneath. The fire of emotion in his eyes matched the heat of her own.
The orgasm was pulled from her body in a way that seemed slower and deeper than any had before. A tremor started in her belly and flowed outward into the rest of her body.
It felt like surrender.
And tears slid down her cheek as the claiming mark on her shoulder burned in agony.
Chapter Ten
Castor brooded during the Council meeting, barely listening as a laundry list of items that were proposed for the next legislative session. Normally, he enjoyed governance and took great pains to act in a way that was both fair and in the best interests of the sector that he ruled.
But now, his mind wandered to thoughts of the Omega that waited for him in the harem like a beautiful captive bird. For the hundredth time, he questioned his decision to keep her in the palace. There was likely a safe place for her somewhere in the city, if he looked hard enough to find it. But the only way that her safety remained assured was if he kept her under his protection.
And more importantly, letting her go felt like an attempt to tear out his own soul. The terrible truth of it overlaid everything, making him quick to anger and unable to effectively juggle all the responsibilities that had been thrust upon him.
His distraction was obvious.
“Shall we take a small break, Prince Castor? I’m sure all of us could use one.” Councilman Vegane, one of the longest-serving members of the King’s Council, spoke from the other side of the long table.
Vegane had always been his father’s closest advisor and now looked at Castor with an expression that was fatherly. Castor did not appreciate the concern that he saw in the man’s eyes, but had to admit to himself that he hadn’t heard a word that had been said for the past twenty minutes.
“That is acceptable.” Castor reached for the golden statue of a sun at his right and banged it on the table. “The Council is adjourned. We shall reconvene at half-past the hour.”
The other men rose and filed out of the room while Castor leaned back in his ornate chair with a sigh. He had always loved attending the meetings that his brothers and even his father often described as excruciatingly boring. But the mental energy required to maintain attention seemed to have left him completely.
“You seem troubled, my Prince.”
He glanced up to see Legion take the seat next to him in the room that was empty, save for the two of them. The other Alpha lounged in the chair, pose relaxed, but a keen awareness burned in his gaze.
Castor immediately felt his hackles rise. “My troubles are none of your concern.”
“I beg to differ. You are the man who will soon be King. Your troubles are all of our concern.”
The anger deflated as quickly as it had arisen. “Is it really that obvious?”
“To someone like me, yes. But I pay attention. It’s the girl isn’t it, your Omega?”
“She’s unhappy in the harem, but there isn’t much that can be done about it.” Castor replied, gritting his teeth. “I let your woman in to sit with her because I thought that it would help to settle her, but it hasn’t helped.”
“You visit her night after night, that hasn’t been enough?”
“How do you know that?”
“There are eyes and spies everywhere, your majesty. You must know that by now.”
Castor did not exactly appreciate the reminder. “I’ll remind you to keep a civil tongue in your head before I have it cut out.”
“Apologies,” Legion said, expression placid. He appeared unbothered by the threat. “I only mean to point out that the girl has you distracted. That’s a problem. I need you focused on what is happening right now.”
“I don’t need lessons in governance from you,” Castor snapped, hating the fact that he was being shamed by a man who, by all rights, should be serving a sentence in the work camps.
“Really? There are at least five members of your cabinet who are currently planning to push through legislation that will affect nearly everyone in Pandora. And they’re doing it right under your nose while you obsess over an Omega.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Knowing what you do about what Vigil is up to, you don’t think it odd that your Council has brought up citizenship rights as an agenda item.”
Castor picked up the tablet in front of him and scrolled through the meeting minutes, realizing then just how much he had missed. “They’re proposing a law change that would limit citizenship to those born within the sector. Who brought this item forward?”
“Councilman Vegane. The same councilor that has had more than one conversation with the advisor from Vigil who accompanies Princess Sirena. Odd, isn’t it?”
“How do you—” Castor stopped himself as his eyes narrowed. “Eyes and spies, you said. Which of the palace staff have you paid to supply you with information?”
“Perhaps I’ll tell you, once I’m sure you’re paying attention. This distraction will cost you everything.”
But his mind was muddled and Castor found it difficult to think of anything past the bond that felt like icy fingers gripping his chest. “Explain.”
“Vigil has gained the capability to create Omegas using artificial means and their space explorations have allowed them to stumble on a station full of unwitting test subjects. We both know that their technology works, so what do you think they’re planning to do with all those new Omegas?”
“You think they plan to bring some of them here?”
“I’m certain of it. What better way to overthrow the Crown than with the support of nearly every Alpha in the city?”
Castor’s gaze was direct. “What about you? Does the thought of pretty Omegas at your beck and call sway you towards the side of treason?”
“I have a mate.” The words were simple but carried weight. “The same cannot be said for all the Guardians, low-level officials and functionaries in the mid-levels. Alphas who don’t have the means to obtain an Omega, simply because there isn’t enough to go around.”
The thought of it was chilling. “The Undersecretary that I had executed for conspiring to murder me, you believe this business with Vigil was at the heart of his plan?”
“I do. And your father has not made fri
ends by flaunting his excesses.”
Obviously, Legion referenced the harem. The thought of all of those women, captive for his father’s pleasure, had sickened Castor since he was a child. But no one had ever tried to put a stop to it. As King, Rolan could do what he wanted.
It would be pure pandemonium if a group of Omegas were introduced into the city and exchanged for political favor. The Guardians were the police force of the city, so any disruption in their ranks would lead to absolute chaos.
Castor understood himself to be unique in his desire to see the dynamics abolished within society. As far as he was concerned, biology shouldn’t drive how people were treated. His own father was complicit in the current state of things, in which Omegas had limited rights compared to other citizens. King Rolan had always described his intent as magnanimous, Omegas could easily become victims of their dynamic and needed Alphas to ensure their survival.
But the unchecked urges of Alphas were among the most dangerous forces in nature, he understood that personally.
“There will be no foreign Omegas brought to this sector.” Castor said, voice intense. “We have to put a stop to this.”
Legion raised a mocking eyebrow. “I’m not sure what makes you think we can. You need to take control of this situation. Omegas will be legally brought to Pandora, or just smuggled in, you need to ensure that it’s done in a way that won’t completely destabilize the sector.”
“No!” Castor slammed his hand on the table hard enough that the sound reverberated through the room.”
“I’d always heard that you were a reformer, but I didn’t think you were an idiot. The dynamics cannot be ignored. Why do you resist it so much?”
The red haze of fury inched across the corners of his vision as Castor forced himself to maintain control. He did not talk about this to anyone, and he had spent his entire lifetime trying to forget about it. And none of that was Legion’s business, nor would it ever be.
“That’s none of your concern. But I am not willing to allow these artificial Omegas to be brought within our borders.”
Legion’s expression was grim. “Then you risk being overthrown.”
“Is that a threat?” A growl escaped Castor’s lips before he could silence it.
“It is merely an accurate assessment of the circumstances. There is no amount of loyalty to the Crown that will overcome a desire to possess an Omega when there is no other way to have one. There is no sensation in the world equal to forging the bond.”
Even if it’s forced.
Castor did not appreciate the look in Legion’s eyes, as if he knew significantly more about the Prince’s situation than he let on. He had marked Aura when he was not in his right mind, when the defenses he usually erected to keep his instincts at bay had failed him. No matter how good it might feel, it simply wasn’t right.
And more than that, it could be deadly.
But something in what Legion said early had caught his attention and Castor forced himself to focus. “You don’t believe that Councilman Vegane could be involved with this plot.”
Legion hesitated for only a moment. “He does seem quite interested in forcing a vote on the legislation.”
“It’s impossible. He has always been one of my father’s closest advisors.”
“And your father is only a handful years from being put out to pasture. Rolan can barely remember what has happened from day to day, and even now is unfit to rule. Soon, you will be the King. And you have declared your intent to be a very different sort of ruler.”
Vegane couldn’t betray him, the man had practically been a second father to him, watched him grow up. It had been Vegane that had convinced King Rolan that his older sons were not fit for the throne and that it should be Castor who eventually succeeded him.
But the fatherly glint had been gone from his eyes when Vegane had addressed him from across the table during the Council meeting. And if his loyalty could be bought, then the same could be said of anyone.
Castor tried to ignore the fact that he was asking the least likely person imaginable for help. “What do you advise that I do?”
“If you want to keep your throne, and more importantly your head, then you must let this legislation pass. Suggest amendments to keep your Omega safe, but you cannot be responsible for them all.”
“And what will Aura say when she discovers that I’ve sold her people into slavery?”
“Does she understand enough of the situation to form an accurate opinion? You will be King, it is up to you to make the decisions that no one else can.”
The thought of it sat inside of him like a physical weight, nausea rising with each passing moment. Could he really sacrifice his own ethics for the sake of keeping his throne?
“Then tell me what you get out of this. Why are you aiding me?”
“I like Pandora precisely the way that it is. The status quo has made me rich. I see no benefit in the city descending into chaos.”
It was a simple explanation but carried a ring of truth. Moral quandary did not enter Legion’s assessment of the situation. He wanted what was best for himself and made no apologies for it.
If Castor didn’t detest the other Alpha so much, he might actually grow to like him. “I can’t allow us to return to the days when Omegas were sold at auction and couldn’t safely walk the streets without an escort. Strip them of all rights and that’s what you’ll have.”
“They will have no rights, regardless. They’re foreigners and won’t be registered with Central Command. Slipping Aura in under the radar is one thing, but it won’t be possible for dozens more. All this law will do is codify the reality that already exists. You’re fighting a losing battle.”
It was an awful choice, the sort of choice that would require him to sacrifice either his morals or what he wanted most. “You don’t understand.”
Legion appeared unmoved. “All I can see is this distraction and you can’t afford any loss of focus. Tell me if it’s more than that.”
“My mother was the first Omega that my father added to his harem, the first that he ever claimed.” Castor voice was emotionless, even as rage and sadness warred for dominance within him. “She was not the first to give him a son, but she held an esteemed place ahead of the others.”
“Flora. I saw her once, I think, as a boy. She was a lovely woman.”
“Did you know that once she had given him the son he wanted, my father cast her aside. She was still allowed to live in comfort within the palace but he no longer wanted anything to do with her.”
Legion nodded, as none of this was news to him. It was understood that King Rolan craved variety in his harem above all other things. “I understand that she died soon after.”
“My mother didn’t just die,” Castor snapped. “She allowed herself to simply waste away because she couldn’t bear the thought of being without her mate. It was the mark that did it. By the end, she was hallucinating — seeing my father every time that she turned a corner or hearing his voice when she tried to sleep.”
“If I recall, the reports listed her cause of death as heart failure.”
“That’s true, if taken literally. She died of a broken heart by swallowing enough pain tincture to put down an entire squadron of Guardian Alphas.”
Surprise flitted across Legion’s face before he regained control of his expression. “I had no idea.”
“Few do. My father did a wonderful job of concealing the truth. But I was there, and I saw it.”
“You couldn’t have been more than a child of five.”
“Almost six.” Castor did not appreciate the momentary flash of pity that he saw in the other man’s eyes. “The fact remains that my father’s desire to possess Omegas and the mating bond, is a blight on our society.”
“You can’t possibly believe that. What happened to your mother was a tragedy and your father’s actions cannot be excused, but the bond isn’t to blame.”
Castor shook his head, his face drawn into stubborn lines. “
I promised myself that I would never be like him, that I would never take an Omega to mate. I will not be my father.”
“You’ve already taken a mate, whether you want to accept it or not. And your father collected Omegas like others gather trinkets for display. Having a mate doesn’t make you like him.”
But mere words couldn’t possibly be enough to overcome a lifetime of regret and recrimination. At times, he hated his father with what felt like burning passion. And other times, he felt able to recognize that it was their dynamic that was to blame. If only they were capable of overcoming their biology, more tragedy could be avoided.
Claiming Aura was the greatest mistake that he had ever made in his life.
But he couldn’t let her go.
“And what of the Vigilian Princess?”
“What of her?” Castor asked with a sigh.
“You must use complete the negotiations as soon as possible to ensure that we maintain peace. You cannot risk either a rebellion or war with Vigil. The Vigilian King would send reinforcements to protect his daughter’s throne which will help prevent an insurrection here.”
Sirena was exactly the sort of woman that he should marry. There was cordiality and affection there, but none of the desperate obsession that had him so distracted. The Vigilian Princess was not the one he dreamed about or whose skin he imagined under his touch whenever he closed his eyes. Theirs would be a marriage of convenience to secure their sectors.
But that still left him with no idea of what to do about Aura.
“I’ll have to think on it.”
“Don’t think too long,” Legion said with a grim smile. “Because a decision will be made, with or without you.”
“We should reconvene.” Castor rose from the table. He did not notice the assessing gaze that was cast his way, or the dark look on Legion’s face that signaled a determined intent.
Chapter Eleven
Alpha's Corruption Page 9
