Omega’s Gamble by Claire Cullen

Chapter Nineteen

“What was all that about?”Rex asked him as they made their way outside.

“All what?” Darien said.

“You refusing to let Raine come to the ceremony tonight. He wanted to go—you could see it on his face.”

“I pulled him off the side of a cliff the other day. I’d rather not have him freeze to death or wander off in the dark.”

Rex raised an eyebrow. “Brother, you are not that convincing a liar. This is about the whole shifter thing, isn’t it?”

Darien did not want to get into it with his brother, though Rex was right, as usual.

“I haven’t had a chance to talk to him about it. Things between us are strained enough as it is. He…”

“He knows you’re a shifter, Darien. You’re an alpha, what else would you be?”

“Knowing it and seeing it are two different things.”

“Yeah, well, he’d better get used to it soon. I’ve got a yen to go racing through the castle halls on four paws one of these days. Don’t want him pitching a faint when he catches sight of me. Besides, do you really think he’s that fragile that he’ll go all weak-kneed at the sight of a shifter? He must have a thick skin to have survived a month in this place.”

“Rex is right,” Thorne said. “Tiptoeing around him isn’t doing you any favors. Especially if you want to move past the whole ‘banishing him to the north wing’ thing.”

“I didn’t banish him anywhere,” Darien retorted hotly, tugging his hood over his head as the rain pelted down on them.

“Yeah, you keep telling yourself that,” Thorne said with a huff.

* * *

Breakfastthe next morning was a strained affair, Raine saying little and Darien concerned about being late for the start of the festival. He was still tired after shifting the night before and sore in a way he shouldn’t have been. Too little sleep, too much time spent running around after pirates.

“What did your brother mean last night?”

“Hmm?” He glanced up from his breakfast to find Raine watching him pensively.

“Last night. When you said that there wasn’t a question about my status, Rex said ‘not now.’ What did he mean by that?”

Darien wanted to groan. He could have killed his brother.

“He didn’t mean anything.”

“Then why say it?”

Raine’s tone was sharp. He wasn’t going to let this slide. Darien searched around for a way to explain it that wouldn’t seem insulting or paranoid.

“When you first arrived, we weren’t sure if you were who you said you were. We were concerned your intentions weren’t honest.”

“Wasn’t who I…? Who did you think I was? What ‘intentions’ did you think I had?”

Raine was waving his spoon around animatedly, looking angry and insulted. Darien liked the fire in his eyes though he would rather it wasn’t directed his way.

“Look at it from our perspective. In the years since my brothers and I came of age, no omega has stepped off the airship and taken part in our courtship festival. Relations between Stormshield and the royal alliance have been strained of late. We thought your presence might have been some sort of trick or an attempt to spy on us.”

Raine set his spoon down and stared at him, incredulous. “You thought I was a spy sent by the royal alliance?”

There was a pause, and Darien opened his mouth to deny it, only for Raine to hide his face in his hands, pressed against the table.

“We didn’t really think that,” Darien said. “We just thought we should do our due diligence and confirm your identity. A prince of Ludinia agreeing to marry me seemed far-fetched…”

Raine’s shoulders were shaking, and Darien didn’t know what to say to comfort the omega, to make things better.

“I’m so—”

But Raine wasn’t crying. He was… “Are you laughing?”

The omega sat up and wiped at his eyes, another peel of laughter escaping him.

“Me? A spy?” He dissolved into giggles again.

“Uh… so you’re not angry?” Darien had expected anger or hurt, not frank amusement.

“I don’t know whether to be insulted or to take it as a compliment that you thought I was capable of such subterfuge,” Raine admitted between giggles, sobering slowly.

Darien suddenly remembered the time. “We’d better eat up or we’re going to be late.”

“Are you sure I should come?” All traces of amusement were gone from Raine’s face.

“Why shouldn’t you?”

“You didn’t want me there last night.”

“That was different. It was raining and cold. I didn’t want you to…” He trailed off.

Raine’s face was impassive, but Darien could tell he wasn’t buying the excuse.

“You don’t have to come,” he said instead. “But I would like you there by my side. Please. And to be there in my stead in the event I’m called away to tackle the pirates.”

That was what spouses did, wasn’t it? Took care of each other’s responsibilities when they couldn’t?

“Well, if you’re sure I’m welcome.”

“I’m sure.”

He walked Raine to his rooms to get his cloak and then the two of them headed outside. An ominously grey sky greeted them and there was a distant clap of thunder.

It didn’t start raining until they were almost at the end of the ceremonial dancing. Most of Darien’s attention was on Raine, who was watching the dancing with rapt fascination. Not even the rain seemed to dull his interest. Darien, on the other hand, was relieved when the ceremony reach its conclusion and they could traipse back to the castle.

The ground was sodden and muddy, and he stuck close to Raine. He managed to keep them both upright for most of the journey back, but a loud crack of thunder startled Raine, his foot got stuck in the mud, and he tipped toward the ground, his arms windmilling. Darien couldn’t stop his fall but he did manage to soften the landing, getting them both back to their feet, mud-strewn and soaked through.

“Very majestic,” one of his omega cousins called out.

“Oh, yes,” another added. “So dignified.”

The barbs weren’t aimed at him but at Raine, whose cheeks flushed even as his expression faded to the blank impassiveness Darien was beginning to hate.

He put an arm around Raine’s shoulders. “I’d rather be muddy than a stick-in-the mud, wouldn’t you?”

That got a smile from the omega. “Any day.”

“Hear, hear,” Rex said, clapping Darien on the shoulder. “Who doesn’t love a good mud fight?”

His cousins looked suitably miffed, especially when Rex moved to Raine’s other side, buffering the omega as they walked on.

When they reached the door to the castle, Rex strode on ahead of them while he and Raine hesitated.

“I guess I’ll see you this evening?” the omega said.

“This evening? We’re having lunch and then we’re going to visit the gardens. By the king’s decree.”

Raine flushed. “Oh. I’d forgotten.”

“Come on. It’s rare I have a whole afternoon free by order of the king. Might as well make the most of it.”

He led the way inside, heading straight for the wing he shared with his brothers. Halfway there, Raine slowed to a stop.

“This isn’t the way to the north wing. I need to get changed if we’re going out again.”

“My rooms are closer.”

“But…”

“We can eat lunch there. It’ll save time.” He linked his arm with Raine’s and ushered him along the corridor.

“Shouldn’t I go and get cleaned up?”

“No need,” Darien said. “You can clean up in my bathroom.”

He’d been keeping the omega at arm’s length for too long. If he didn’t start to let Raine in, to really open up to him, they were never going to get anywhere. But eyeing the omega as they resumed walking, he had to wonder would the truth bring them closer or push them apart.