by Olivia Black
“He gave me away. He gave me to you.”
“The High King didn’t want to leave you. He cares for you, as you care for him. But he blames himself for putting you in a dangerous situation that could’ve resulted in your death. You were out there alone. You were scared and cold. He felt guilty.”
“You’ve placed a permanent mark on my body showing everyone that I belong to two Glecerian males. What if the High King doesn’t want to share? Have you considered that?”
“He will not object.”
“How do you know that?”
“The mark of ownership on your body,” he said. “It makes Glecerian males possessive, more domineering. His instincts will demand that he claim you. He won’t be able to stop himself.”
“His instincts?”
A slow grin spread across Regin’s lips. “You’ll see.”
Sebastian arched a brow. “You don’t seem to be having any problems.”
“My body is primed and ready. It’s taking every ounce of self-control I possess not to flip you over onto your hands and knees and mount you from behind. I want to fuck you. I want to claim you. But I can’t. If I stand any chance of becoming a secondary mate, than the High King must claim you first. It’s his right as primary.”
“Do you have a plan?” Sebastian questioned.
“Last meal will be served in the royal dining hall tomorrow night. It’s a celebration for all the newly mated Glecerians of our region. I’ll speak with the High King.”
“And I’ll finally be able to talk to Jason.”
Regin nodded. “Yes, your brother will be in attendance, and since you’re marked, you can speak with him in private, if you’d like.”
“Well then”—Sebastian sighed—“I guess we’ll just have to wait to see what happens tomorrow.”
“Are you ready to see my home?”
Regin held out his hand, palm up. He didn’t coax or ask. He simply waited patiently, giving Sebastian the choice. Sebastian took it, locking their fingers together.
“Yes, take me home.”
Chapter Fifteen
Sebastian placed his hand on top of Regin’s forearm. They stood in line with other newly mated Glecerians, waiting to be announced to the other guests. Regin was wearing his dress uniform, and Sebastian was outfitted in traditional Glecerian finery, a pair of buttery soft leather pants and a jacket with gold embroidery expertly stitched into beautiful designs.
He stood tall with his shoulders back and his head facing forward. Sebastian didn’t dare look around, scared that he might start feeling sick to his stomach once again. Nervous energy sang through his veins, making him tremble.
“It’s going to be okay,” Regin told him.
“I know,” he said, but truthfully, Sebastian wasn’t sure he believed it.
Sebastian swallowed down the bile rising in this throat. Tonight was important. Auden’s reaction would dictate their future. He was already marked, a clear symbol scrolled on his flesh that said he belonged to Regin and Auden. Luckily, the jacket covered the marks, but he knew that would change soon enough.
“Captain Regin and Sebastian Priq’aq,” the attendant called, introducing them.
It was their turn. His heart pounded wildly, threatening to break free from his chest. Sebastian gripped Regin’s arm tightly, holding on to the male for support.
Regin stepped forward, walking over the threshold, and Sebastian stayed by the male’s side. They strode into the royal dining hall together. All eyes turned toward them, but Sebastian ignored the crowd. He stared at the High King and the rest of the royal family assembled at the raised table. As they moved closer, Sebastian saw a flash of pain on Auden’s face. The male looked away, unable to maintain eye contact with Sebastian.
In that moment, Sebastian knew that Regin had been right. Auden did have feelings for him. It gave him hope. Sebastian still didn’t know how this was going to work between the three of them, but he was willing to give it a chance, if they were.
When they reached the royal table, both he and Regin bowed, showing their respect.
“Congratulations on your mating,” Auden said, but his voice held no joy. In fact, he sounded miserable.
“Thank you, Your Majesty,” Regin said as he stood to his full height. “With your permission, my mate would like to speak with his brother.”
“Of course.”
Sebastian looked away from Auden and made eye contact with his brother. Jason rose from his seat, smiling brightly, and stepped off the raised platform. Sebastian dropped his hand from Regin’s arm and walked toward his brother, throwing himself in the man’s open arms. He hugged Jason tight, and a tear escaped, rolling down his cheek.
“Jason,” he whispered. “God, I’ve missed you.” He’d been waiting so long for this moment.
“I’ve missed you, too, Bas.” Jason just held him, rocking him back and forth like he used to do when Sebastian was younger.
“Daddy,” a little voice said, tugging on Jason’s jacket.
Sebastian dropped his arms and stepped back. He looked down, and his eyes widened in surprise. The little boy by Jason’s side had short white hair, white-silver skin, and wide black eyes. He looked like the other Glecerians. Sebastian glanced from the little boy to Jason and back again.
“You’re a father.”
“Yes.” Jason wrapped his arm around the kid’s shoulders. “This is my son, Bastian.”
“Oh.” Tears burned the backs of Sebastian’s eyes. Sebastian wiped the back of his hand over his eyes, banishing the tears that threatening to break free. “You named him after me.”
Jason nodded. “Yeah, I did.”
Sebastian looked down at the little boy. “Hi, Bastian.” He held out his hand, and his nephew took it. “I’m your daddy’s brother.”
Bastian smiled. “It’s nice to meet you.”
“It’s nice to meet you, too.”
“I’m sorry that I wasn’t there for you.”
“What?” Sebastian jerked his head up and stared at his brother. “You saved us, Jason.”
“Mom and Dad died, Bas. You were just a boy, and I left you there all by yourself.”
“It’s not your fault,” Sebastian told him. “After you left, we were taken to a small housing community. They gave us food and clean water. Mom got the medicine she needed, but it was too late for her. You remember. She was really sick.” Jason nodded, and Sebastian continued. “Dad lasted a while longer, but in the end, he didn’t want to live without her.”
“They really did love each other, didn’t they?”
“Yeah, they did.”
They fell silent for a moment, lost in the memories of the past. Sebastian missed his parents. They were always good to him and Jason. After they were gone, Sebastian became depressed. He hated being alone. It didn’t take long before he volunteered to leave Earth, wanting to see his brother once more. And now, here he was, standing in front of the man he hadn’t seen in ten years.
“Come on,” Jason grabbed hold of Sebastian’s arm and gave a little tug. “Let me introduce you to my mate.”
“Prince Jett Q’Tal.”
Jason chuckled. “I just call him Jett.”
Sebastian walked beside his brother. Thinking about Jason over the years, Sebastian had hoped and prayed that he was happy.
“Do you love him?”
“I love him very much. He’s a good male. I have an amazing life here in Glecerus.”
“I’m really glad to hear that.”
Jett stood off to the side of the royal table, watching and waiting. He kept an eye on Jason and his son, Bastian. It was obvious from the look on his face that the prince loved Sebastian’s brother very much.
“Jett.” Jason waved his mate over.
The prince strode toward them. When he stopped in front of them, Sebastian bowed his head in recognition of the male’s rank.
“Sebastian, it’s good to officially meet you.”
“You, too, Prince Q’Tal.”
> The Glecerian male smiled. “Please, call me Jett. You’re family.”
“Thank you for taking care of my brother, Jett. I’ve never seen him so happy.”
“He’s my life,” Jet declared.
Jett wrapped his arms around Jason and placed a chaste kiss on his forehead. Sebastian’s heart clenched as he watched the pair share an intimate look. It was obvious that they were very much in love.
Glancing over his shoulder, Sebastian looked at Regin. The male smiled and gave a subtle nod, telling Sebastian without words that everything would be okay.
“Sebastian?”
He turned his head, looking back at his brother. “Yeah.”
Jason gave him a questioning look and asked, “Are you okay?”
Sebastian shrugged. “I’m fine.”
Jason didn’t look convinced, but instead of pushing for the truth, he simply nodded. “Would you and your mate like to share the evening meal with us?”
“Yes, absolutely.” Sebastian turned and waved to Regin.
The male walked over and stood beside him. Regin’s presence had an instant calming effect. The worry he’d been feeling over Auden slowly evaporated.
“Jason, this is my…uh…” Sebastian cleared his throat. He wasn’t really sure how to classify his relationship with Regin.
“I’m Sebastian’s mate, Regin Priq’aq,” he introduced himself.
There was an awkward pause before the two men shook hands and exchanging a few words.
“Shall we take our seats?” Jett asked, motioning to one of the rectangular tables.
Regin took Sebastian’s hand and led him to the table. He sat down beside his mate and leaned into Regin’s side for support. Jason, Jett, and their son, Bastian, took seats on the other side of the table, across from them. When they were all seated, their meals were served. Sebastian ate, taking small bites, while Jason spoke. He listened with great interest while his brother recounted his journey to Glecerus.
The story started with Jason’s trip to the planet. Ten years ago, when Jason volunteered, the humans weren’t put into cryosleep chambers. Instead, they were given small rooms aboard a starship. A few got sick and some died, but Jason was one of the lucky ones. His body adjusted to the change. From there, Jason told Sebastian about feeling homesick, alone, and scared. But everything changed when he met Jett. The way Jason told their story reminded Sebastian of a fairytale, with a Glecerian prince swooping in to rescue the frightened human.
“And then we were blessed with our son, Bastian.” Jason ruffled his son’s snow-white hair.
The little boy smiled brightly. “And one day I’m going to have a mate, and I’m going to take care of him,” Bastian declared.
The rest of the meal passed by quickly, and soon, the sound of music filled the hall, tempting Sebastian to dance.
* * * *
Regin stood beside the royal table, secretly trying to get the High King’s attention while watching Sebastian. Sebastian danced with his nephew, brother, and a few other humans. They all bounced around the dance floor, waving their arms in the air and acting silly. Regin found himself entertained by their antics.
“Would you join us for a drink, Captain?” Prince Tyak Q’Tal asked, getting Regin’s attention.
Regin bowed his head in recognition of the male’s rank and said, “Yes, thank you, sir.”
Regin stepped onto the platform and made his way to the empty seat beside the eldest prince. He sat down and took the goblet from the male’s hand. Bringing the cup to his lips, Regin took a long drink, trying to build up the courage to speak to the High King. Regin didn’t really have a plan. But he knew he needed to broach the subject of becoming Sebastian’s secondary mate carefully. Even though their law permitted him to petition the higher-ranking male for the privilege, not many males had done so, not that he knew of anyway.
“Congratulations, Captain. You bested a lot of high-ranking males by winning the competition.”
Regin placed his goblet on the table. This was it. This was the perfect opportunity. He turned and glanced toward the High King before saying, “I didn’t actually win, Prince Q’Tal. The real winner relinquished his rights to me.”
“What unmated male would do such a foolish thing?” Tyak asked.
The High King glared at Regin, silently daring him to respond. Regin broke eye contact and focused on the prince.
“A coward,” Regin simply said.
Auden’s fist slammed against the table, rattling the dishes and gaining everyone’s attention. He rose to his feet in one smooth motion, toppling over his chair in the process. Anger leeched out from the male’s pores, and he shot a deadly look at Regin.
“You go too far, Captain.”
“Sire.” Tyak reached out and clasped the King’s arm, clearly confused by the male’s reaction. “What’s going on?”
The High King growled. It was obvious the male didn’t want to say anything, but it was too late. He’d already made a scene.
“He’s questioning my honor.”
Tyak dropped his sire’s arm and turned his attention back to Regin. He puffed out his chest, ready to fight Regin for daring to upset his father. “What have you done to offend my sire?”
Regin looked around and realized that they had gained quite a bit of attention from the other guests. “It might be better if we speak without an audience.”
Tyak stood. “You’re right. There’s no need to have a public scene. Let’s find a private chamber and talk.”
Regin nodded. He pushed his chair back and rose to his feet. He followed the High King and Tyak from the royal dining hall. On his way out of the room, Regin glanced over his shoulder and made eye contact with Sebastian. The human looked worried. His brows were drawn together, and he was nibbling on his lower lip, clearly upset by the scene he’d just witnessed. Regin wished he could turn around and comfort Sebastian, but there wasn’t any time. He needed to speak with the High King.
They left the dining hall, making their way down a long corridor. With each step he took, Regin silently questioned himself. Had he made the right decision? In truth, Regin could’ve claimed Sebastian and put his mark on the man’s flesh. He didn’t have to share his mate. And Regin didn’t have to voluntarily become Sebastian’s secondary mate. The High King had relinquished all of his rights, giving Sebastian to Regin, in both words and action. But Regin wasn’t a selfish male. He didn’t mind sharing or taking a lesser role in Sebastian’s life.
Tyak slammed his hand against the wall inside the corridor, and a glass door slid open, revealing the High King’s personal office. Both of the males stepped over the threshold, and Regin followed them inside. The door closed, and Tyak locked them in.
As soon as the door was shut, Auden turned on him. “How dare you call me a coward.”
Chapter Sixteen
Auden couldn’t remember the last time he’d been so angry. He was still shaking from the little scene in the dining hall. For Regin to call him out in front of witnesses made Auden believe that the other male wanted to have a confrontation. Auden had never planned on revealing the truth. He didn’t want anyone to know that he’d found Sebastian, only to relinquish his rights and give the human away. That information would only harm Sebastian.
Others would believe that the human wasn’t worthy of becoming the High King’s mate. Sebastian’s standing within Glecerus would be questioned.
Auden walked to the opposite side of his office, putting distance between Regin and himself.
“I apologize for questioning your honor, Your Majesty.”
Auden spun around, facing the other male once more. “You didn’t just show me disrespect. You disrespected your mate.”
“Sire,” Tyak interrupted. “Tell me what’s going on.”
Auden took a deep breath, slowly blowing it out. He needed to calm down. He’d already acted out of character by making a public scene. Once again he’d acted without thought. It seemed, where Sebastian was concerned, Auden made rash de
cisions, which proved that he really did care about the man.
“During the competition, I was the one who found Sebastian,” Auden admitted.
“Why did you relinquish your rights?” Tyak asked.
“The competition put Sebastian in a very dangerous situation. I wasn’t thinking when I sent a fragile human above planet. I was overly confident. I believed that I would find him quickly. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen. He was hurt during the course of the competition, but it could’ve been worse. He could’ve died out there. And it would’ve been my fault. I took responsibility and relinquished my rights. I gave him to Regin.”
“What is it you hope to gain by questioning my father’s honor?” Tyak asked Regin. “He gave Sebastian a great compliment and showed the human respect by stepping aside.”
“I don’t believe that it was necessary,” Regin said.
“It doesn’t matter what you believe,” Tyak snapped. “You were given a gift, Captain. I suggest you drop this subject entirely unless you want to embarrass your mate.”
Regin shook his head. “I don’t want to hurt Sebastian. I want him to have everything he desires.”
“And what does Sebastian desire, Captain?”
Before Regin could answer Tyak’s question, they were interrupted by a knock on the door. Tyak unlocked the door, and it slid open, revealing Sebastian. As soon as Auden saw him, the ache inside his heart returned. The pain was so great that he could barely breathe. Sebastian’s eyes bounced around the room, taking in the whole scene before him. He looked nervous.
“Sebastian.” Regin held out his arms, and the young man walked to him, laying his head against the male’s chest.
Auden looked away. It was hard enough to know that they were together, but to witness it was too much for him to handle.
“Tyak,” Regin said. “Can we have a moment alone with the High King?”
“Sire?” Tyak turned toward him, a questioning look on his face.
“It’s fine.” Auden waved his son away. “Give us some time. I’ll join you in the dining hall when we’re done.”
