Chapter 14 14

Chapter 14 14

Oberon

Esmerelda complicated things. Just as everything was going well with Eudora, Esmeralda entered my life once again. The second when we were in my study, her body pressed to the desk, her breath labored, and her eyes clouded with lust was perfect. That’s what I had wanted.
And then, it all changed. It only took Morgana’s arrival, and now Esmeralda made things even more complicated.

I’ve spent the afternoon with her, seeing into her intelligence about Ruminant troops moving over the borders. It had been professional, valuable. And yet, she subtly touched my arm too often. Laughed at jokes no one else could understand. Raising the topic whenever she could. It made me uncomfortable the way that it had not back then. Because now I had Eudora. And the mate bond warned me that even conversing with Esmerelda was the worst thing I could allow myself to do. Like having an affair. Even though Eudora was far from letting me bed her. She hardly spoke to me, with her hatred burning in her hard hard eyes from time to time. But the bond did not care for sense or the complexity of the situation. It only knew that she was mine and that I let another woman touch me. Just as the door opened without a knock, and Yamal entered with a stern and suppressed expression of discomfort.

“Do you?” Yamal challenged, crossing his arms over his chest. “From where I am standing, you are playing a dangerous game. You have a mate. A wife. And you are letting your former lover stay in the palace with access to you.”

“Yes,” I agreed weakly. “But Esmeralda has intelligence. Information we need to protect our borders.”

“And an agenda,” Yamal snapped. “She never got over you, Oberon. Everyone knows it. She has been waiting for the chance to get back into your life, and you just handed it to her.”

“I am not going back to Esmeralda.”

“Does she know that? The way she was looking at you earlier did not suggest it.” I rubbed my face, adding picture to the weariness.

“What would you have me do? Send her away when we need her information?”

“No,” Yamal admitted regretfully. “Be cautious, Oberon. And, by all the gods, be aware of what this looks like to your mate. To Eudora.” The way he said her name, with a mix of reverence and something like pity, caught my attention.

“You like her,” I observed. “My wife.”

“She is strong,” Yamal said. “Intelligent. I admire that she stands on her own despite what you have done to her. She will make a good queen. Should you not drive her away first.” His words landed heavy.

Was I driving her away? Was this decision with Esmeralda earning me the ire of my mate?

“The dinner tonight,” I said, tired of this topic. “Make sure Eudora sits at my right. The position of honor.”

Yamal nodded, the tension easing off of his shoulders. “And my sister?” he asked.

“Further down the table. As a guest and advisor, nothing more.”

“Good.” With that, he moved towards the door before hesitating. “One more thing. That cousin of Eudora’s, Marjah. She is trouble.”

I couldn’t help but smile. “Already under your skin, is she?”

“She questions everything. Challenges everything. She looks at me like I’m the enemy.”

“To her, you are the enemy. She’s here to protect Eudora from us.”

“I don’t want her in the palace,” Yamal muttered.

“Then we will have to show her we aren’t the monsters she thinks we are.”

When Yamal left, I finished dressing. I donned the formal huipil and wrapped it with the formal heavy silver girdle befitting a king. The royal crest was front and center. I needed to be kingly tonight for these Alphas. The formal dining hall was already full when I walked in. All five neighboring Alphas were already in their seats at the long table. It was set more beautifully than it had ever been and the sound of the flickering candles on the table cast a low light across the room. I made my way to my place and sat at the head of the table. The chair beside me was conspicuously empty, a statement. Eudora would have sat at my right hand, as befits the queen.

The guests murmured among themselves. Esmeralda had placed herself further down the table. Away from me but in a position of honor for our guests. When she caught my eye, she smiled. I refused to look. When the doors opened, the entire room fell silent.

The deep purple silk of her gown clung to her curves, making even her eyes seem more vibrant within the color. Moonlight-colored silver hair was swept elegantly into an updo, exposing the smooth line of her neck and the moonstone pendant resting against her skin. She twirled like the queen she was, her back as straight as a ruler, or at least as stiff as Avric remembered Caius’s posture being. Beside her stride a warrior, Marjah in full formal uniform looked equally as commanding as any warlord.

The pair of them stood before the gathered council, and I admired the view. I rose as she approached, as tradition dictated I should. But I also wanted to. To prove to every single person in the room that the woman approaching, my Queen, deserved as much of their love and respect as anyone else with the Queens Crown. I presented my hand to help her sit, and our skin touched. Immense electricity sparked between us, and the mate bond roared approval at her closeness. Her eyes were widening in slight shock, and the connection roared even more loyalty at her.

“God, you’re beautiful,” I murmured as she seated, and my smile was low so she could hear only me over the others talking. A blush colored her cheeks, and I found the reaction adorable.

“Thank you, husband,” she replied, and she obviously emphasized that word on purpose.

Halfway down the table, I caught Esmeralda watching us. Her expression was tight, and I wouldn’t have hesitated to call it jealousy. Good. Let her see. Let everyone in the room see that Eudora was mine. The dinner itself was an affair full of formal pleasantries and political discussions. The Alphas were raving about the border security, about coordinating defenses against the Ruminants. It was important and required my attention. But I was aware of every move Eudora made beside me. The way she dealt with pack representatives easy and smart. How she asked questions about the Ruminants with a legitimate concern for everyone’s safety.

The way she remembered the names and details about each Alpha, making them feel important. She was magnificent. A natural queen, born for the role despite never having any formal training for it. I found myself odd proud when she commanded the room’s attention without even trying. The dinner was long, and soon enough servants brought course after course of elaborate food.

Eudora ate sparingly but minding her manners. She was unobtrusive while never disappearing into the crowd. Then Esmeralda started to speak forceful.

“The Ruminants have changed their tactics,” she addressed the table. “They are more organized than five years ago. I remember when Oberon and I tracked their movements. We made quite the team.”

The way she said it, possessively. The way she said “Oberon and I,” implying that they are still a team, still a relevant pair. Eudora’s knuckles whitened against the wine glass. I slid my hand under the table and placed it on her knee. A gesture of comfort and possession. Esmeralda Kenny meant nothing.

Eudora’s eyes met mine, and I saw the surprise in them, yet she was not pulling away from my touch. The mate bond hummed with pleasure at the contact.

“That was a long time ago,” I said coolly to Esmeralda, making my tone to speak that the past should be the past. “Things have changed considerably since then.”

It was the time when one of the Alpha representatives from the western territories – an older man, brought up the topic everyone was clearly thinking about, but has been too polite to mention directly.

“A royal heir would strengthen the alliance considerably,” he said. His tone was diplomatic yet pointed. “Ensure the continuation of the treaty with the witches. Give our people hope for the future.”

The table fell silent; everyone was looking at Oberon and Eudora expectantly. I could feel Eudora tensed beside me, her thigh going rigid under my hand. This was a sensitive topic, and everyone in this room knew we have yet to consummate our marriage.

“These matters will be handled in due time,” I said firmly. My tone brooked no argument. “The marriage is still new; we will not be rushed.” There was a cruel, knowing smile on Esmeralda’s face.

“Of course. These things cannot be forced; they must happen naturally.” The implication that perhaps they will not do so hung in the air. I wanted to throw her out of the palace. Wanted to make her regret she ever came here and started stirring up trouble. But we needed her intelligence on the Ruminants, and causing a scene would only make it worse. As the dessert was being served, a guard entered the hall and whispered urgently in Yamal’s ear. I saw my Beta’s expression darkened; tension filled his body.

He leaned close to me, his voice the low cadence of strong emotion.

“Your Grace, there has been an incident on the eastern border. Ruminants. They have taken prisoners from one of the smaller packs.” My jaw clenched, anger and concern warring inside me. This was exactly what the representatives were here to discuss. Exactly what we had been trying to prevent.

“How many?” I asked quietly.

“A dozen. Including the pack’s Beta and several warriors.” Before I could formulate a response, Marjah—seated down the table from us—stood up. Her voice rang out across the silent room.

“I volunteer as part of the rescue team. I am trained in stealth operations and infiltration.” Yamal whipped to look at her, his expression darkening further.

“This is not your place, outsider.”

“Those are werewolves in danger,” she spat back, anger flaring in her eyes again. “That makes it everybody’s place. Or do you not care about maintaining authority over just your own miserable pack?” The air cracked with tension. It was real this time, like lightning. The two locked gazes, both breathing hard. I saw an opportunity. Two strong fighters, strong in their temper, too.

“Fine,” I spoke in a forceful tone, breaking up their staring contest. “Yamal, you will lead the mission. Bring Marjah with you. If nothing else, her skills might be useful, and it will remind us all that our packs are one now, not separate.”

My Beta looked like he wanted to argue, but he couldn’t, not now. Not in front of the other alphas. It would be a bad look, like he was weak, or trying to get one over on the new guy.

“As you command, Your Grace,” he bit out. As the discussions morphed into further battle plans, other Alphas pledging warriors and resources to the mission, Esmeralda squeezed my arm. Her hand lingered on my sleeve.

“I should go too,” she said, her voice somehow soft and intimate. “I know the Ruminants better than anyone. My intelligence could save lives”.

I couldn’t respond. I couldn’t even process the request. But Eudora spoke before me; her voice was commanding, almost as clear and authoritative as her father’s.

“No. Lady Esmeralda will stay; she will brief me on everything she knows about the Ruminants. If I am to be queen, I need to know what threatens us, what we must protect them from”. I had never wanted her more.