Omega’s Gamble by Claire Cullen

Chapter Thirteen

When Friday came around,all Darien wanted to do was sleep. He felt like he hadn’t had a moment’s rest in weeks. But when he said as much to Thorne, his brother had a very different view.

“It’s not sleep you need, it’s downtime. You need the chance to let your hair down for one night. You can’t carry the weight of the world on your shoulders indefinitely, Darien. Sooner or later, it’ll start to drag you down.”

It was already dragging him down, like an anchor threatening to drown him.

“Come to the party tonight. What better way to kick back than with as much music and alcohol as you can stand?”

“Sleep would be more useful.”

“You can sleep tomorrow. Tonight’s the night to put all our troubles behind us and have a good time.”

It sounded great, the idea that he could let his worries go for a few hours and just be Darien, the guy who liked a quiet drink and a bit of music to pass the evening. It was infinitely more appealing than being Prince Darien, eldest son and heir of the king, destined to defend their kingdom from those who would tear it down. And lately married.

Married to an omega who might well be the son of their greatest enemy. Darien didn’t want to believe it. No one in their kingdom did. But it was growing clearer by the day that someone with deep pockets and adept in magic was funding the pirates. Their parries were having less and less effect on the attacking boats because, with each new wave of attacks, more of them were made of spelled wood and thus protected. The pirates were starting to become easier to take out than the boats themselves. But now, instead of taking out one boat and eliminating a dozen pirates in one sweep, they had to go pirate by pirate. All it would take was a few to slip behind the lines for there to be havoc in the kingdom. A lot of damage could be done by a small group, especially if they knew what they were doing. Or what they were looking for.

Darien tried to put all that aside as he followed the others to the hall. Fian latched onto him before they’d even reached the door, babbling some nonsense in his ear as Darien scanned the room. His rising irritation only worsened when he caught sight of Raine sitting at Etta’s table. What was he doing here? Almost immediately, he felt guilty for the thought. Where else was Raine going to be on a Friday evening? Every young person in the castle would be in the hall tonight. Still, Darien’s irritation mingled with renewed frustration as he followed his brothers and cousins to the table they’d chosen. He sat between Rex and Hale, taking the pint of mead Fian offered him and downing half of it in one go. He was determined to forget his troubles for a few hours since that was likely all he’d have to spare. The mead was strong, going right to his head, so he slowed to brief sips.

He thought he’d shaken off Fian by his choice of seat, but the omega reappeared by his side sometime later, after Hale had gotten up to dance.

“Just one, please.”

“One what?” Darien asked, pulled out of the conversation he was listening in on. His head spun a little, and he shook it in an attempt to clear it. It didn’t do much good.

Beside him, Fian feigned an innocence that didn’t suit him.

“Dance, of course.”

“I don’t dance.”

“We’ve danced before.”

“Maybe another time.”

“There won’t be another time until the midwinter solstice. I want to dance now.”

Fian knew how to kick up a fuss when he wanted to, and Darien did not want to be on the receiving end of that this evening. Grumbling under his breath, he pushed to his feet, hoping for a fast reel, something that would get him sitting back down sooner rather than later.

As if by some unseen signal, the tempo of the music changed and a slow set started up. Darien didn’t even try to hide his sigh, thankful that at least he wouldn’t have to pay attention to his feet since there wasn’t much to this dance beyond gentle swaying. Fian was like an octopus—he seemed to have many hands and all of them grabby, holding Darien just a little too close. The more Darien tried to detach him, the harder he held on. The omega leaned forward, his lips brushing Darien’s ear.

“Just try to relax. It’s a dance, not a fist fight.”

“Not my kind of dance,” Darien said gruffly, relieved when the music petered off and he could head back to their table. Fian clung to his arm, refusing to let go even as they sat down.

“Enough,” Darien said, shaking him off. “Do I look like a climbing frame?”

“Maybe,” Fian said with a smile. “You are tall.”

The others rejoined them, the conversation picked up, and Darien was mostly able to forget the pest of an omega despite his proximity. When the others went to leave, intent on continuing the party somewhere a little more private with poker and hard liquor, Darien hoped Fian would go with them. He even threw Rex a pleading look to see if he would pry the omega away. But Fian remained by his side, and Darien wouldn’t be drawn into an even longer night with the others. The overly potent mead still had him lightheaded, and he needed sleep if he was going to be of any use in the morning.

When he tried to leave, Fian put a hand on his arm. “Just one more drink. A nightcap.”

“Fine,” Darien agreed, letting Fian fill his tankard to the brim. He took one swallow of the mead, and while Fian was distracted, switched it for an empty tankard and pretended to keep drinking.

“Your husband should be taking better care of you. He’s neglecting you.”

“My husband is none of your business.”

Fian pouted, giving him puppy-dog eyes. “I’d take such good care of you if you were mine.”

“Well, I’m not, so it’s a moot point.”

“You’re always extra grumpy when you’re drunk.” Now Fian sounded hurt. If Darien didn’t want an earful from Lord Alton or Fian’s father, he had better make nice.

“Sorry, Fian. I’m just tired. It’s been a long week.”

“You’re working so hard to keep us safe. Does Prince Raine realize that? Does he see all the effort you’re making? It’s his skin you’re saving too.”

“He’s barely been here a month. I can’t drop all my problems in his lap.”

“Not much of a marriage then, is it, if you can’t share your problems?”

Darien swallowed hard. “It’s not that simple. I’m sure you know that.”

Fian pressed a warm hand to his elbow. “But some things are simple. You and me. We could be very simple.”

Darien shook his head. “I have more than enough on my plate right now. I don’t want or need… complications.”

“I’m not talking about complications. Just a little fun to take both our minds off the long, dark nights. Giving you the relief that is your due. That he should be giving you. Maybe he won’t, but I’m happy to oblige.”

Darien eased his arm from Fian’s grip.

“I think that’s my cue to call it a night.”

He got up, unsurprised when Fian moved with him.

“It is kinda late,” the omega said with a giggle, swaying a little. He leaned into Darien for balance as they made their way toward the hall doors. The corridor outside was cooler, giving Darien a chance to clear his head.

“Can you make it back to your room okay?” Fian was showing no signs of standing on his own two feet, still using Darien to prop himself up.

Fian giggled again. “But I’m not going to my room, I’m going to yours.” He hiccupped and swayed, bumping hard into Darien.

“You need to sleep it off,” Darien said, searching around for some help. He spied a servant dousing the lights and called him over.

“Can you escort Fian back to his room, please? He’s had a little too much to drink.”

The omega straightened then, looking far more alert than he had been.

“Always a worrier, Prince Darien. I can manage on my own two feet.”

Without another word, he stalked away, showing no sign of the inebriation he’d displayed only moments before. Darien gestured for the servant to follow the omega, rubbing a hand across his forehead as he watched them leave. What the heck was that all about? Had Fian been trying to play him? Was it just because he wanted some no-strings fun, or was there some other reason? Darien wasn’t sure what to make of it, his head still fuzzy from the mead, but he didn’t like it.

He walked in the opposite direction, not wanting to encounter Fian again that night. He was not sober enough to deal with the wily, calculating omega. At the first opportunity, he stepped outside, letting the brisk chill sober him up. He didn’t spend long out there, since he liked all his fingers attached to his body. On his way back inside, he met Thorne.

His brother grinned at him, amused about something.

“What?” Darien snapped, at the end of his tether having had his chain yanked all night.

“Just surprised at you, that’s all. You’re supposed to be the stoic, proper one.”

“What are you talking about?”

“You making a spectacle of yourself with Fian, of all people. And in front of your new husband, no less. Father is going to be furious.”

“Thorne…”

His brother held up his hands, palms out. “He won’t hear about it from me, but there were plenty of eyes and ears watching you this evening.”

“Nothing happened.” Darien had made sure of that.

“Enough happened. I heard you left together.”

“We left the hall together. I got a servant to escort Fian to his room, and I came out here to get some air.”

“Well, that may be, but that’s not how it looked to anyone left in the hall. I know you and Prince Raine got off to a rocky start, but I can’t see things warming up between you now.”

“I—” Darien was too tired for this. What was the point in defending himself? Who would listen?

“I’m not ragging on you, Darien. You have Father and Lord Alton for that. I’ve got your back on this. If I hear any rumors flying around, I’ll shut them down, okay?”

“Thanks, Thorne. And be careful around Fian. He’s playing games, but I don’t know what he’s trying to do.”

Darien’s head was already starting to ache, his gut churning unhappily.

“Are you sure he isn’t just a little infatuated with you?”

“He went from tipsy to stone-cold sober in three seconds flat when I made it clear he wasn’t coming to my bed tonight.”

“Not unheard of for him to sleep around,” Thorne said. “But last I knew, it was Devin he was pining for. Maybe he just likes the unattainable.”

Darien groaned, long past needing to get his head down.

“That’s a problem for another day. When I’m not drunk and there aren’t pirates on our doorstep.”

“Ah, the mythical ‘someday.’ Alright, come on. I’ll make sure you get back to your room in one piece and ensure you go to bed alone. That should help starve the rumor mill of juicy gossip.”

Darien let Thorne wrap an arm around his shoulders as they made their way to his rooms.

“How much mead did you drink, anyway?”

“Two, maybe three pints. It’s potent for this time of year.”

Thorne frowned at him. “Really? Hale drank twice as much, and he’s beating everyone at cards hands-down. He’s usually a lightweight compared to you.”

“Bad batch, maybe?” Darien suggested tiredly. “Or maybe I just don’t have the stamina these days.”

“Maybe,” Thorne said, looking less than convinced. “Or maybe Fian played with your drink before he tried to play you.”

“He wouldn’t dare…”

“You’re right, I’m sure. Still… something to consider. Something else to consider is that you and Raine might have a better chance at making a go of things if you hadn’t put him living as far away from you as humanly possible.”

Darien groaned. “Not tonight, Thorne. Please.”

“Sure. You’re not ready to hear it yet. But sooner or later, you’re going to have to face it head-on.”

“Later,” he mumbled. “Let’s say later.”

* * *

He wokethe next morning with a splitting headache and a dry mouth and gulped down the glass of water left on his nightstand.

The events of the night before came crashing back to him, and he flopped back onto the bed, staring up at the ceiling. He’d really fucked things up. First things first, he needed to find Raine and clear the air. Make sure the omega knew that any rumors were just that—rumors. The castle was always a hotbed of gossip during the winter months, with everyone cooped up and tripping over each other. Raine didn’t deserve to be subjected to that kind of gossip. Darien couldn’t do much to stem the rumors, but he could at least own up to his mistakes. He was a big enough person to do that.