Omega’s Gamble by Claire Cullen

Chapter Six

Everyone was fussing,and if it was one thing Raine hated, it was fuss. They all had an opinion on everything, from his clothes to his hair. He finally kicked everyone out of the dressing room except for Milo and Deegan. And Ferno, of course. The cat didn’t like to be left out when things were happening.

“Why is this so fiddly?” he grumbled, trying and failing to do up the tiny buttons on his tunic. Who made men’s clothes that only a child could fasten?

“Let me,” Milo said, batting his hands away.

“You look good,” Deegan offered. “That blue really brings out your eyes.”

“The family colors,” Raine said heavily. “My father would be so proud.”

His friends exchanged a look.

“It’s not a weakness to change your mind,” Deegan offered. “There’s no shame in it.”

“I’m not changing my mind,” he snapped, exasperated. This was the third time someone had said it since they’d returned to the airship.

“Maybe you should?” Milo suggested hesitantly.

“Easy for you to say. You’re already betrothed. This is my chance, guys. I’m taking it with both hands.”

“Even if it’s terrible? Even if you end up trapped in a horrible situation that you can’t get out of?”

That possibility hadn’t escaped him. But he figured it was a roll of the dice regardless of what kingdom and which alpha prince they were talking about. ‘Problems’ of the kind that made marriages inadvisable were generally hushed up until after the vows were exchanged, no matter how carefully people tried to vet potential spouses.

“Better a chance at a life worth living than none at all.”

He was tired of trying to think of a clever way out of his situation. His father couldn’t be reasoned with, and there was no one else in his family willing to stand up for him. If there was one sure way of incurring the king’s wrath, it was speaking up on his behalf. More than one member of the royal staff had been dismissed and more than one family member exiled during his childhood. Everyone else had learned that it wasn’t worth the risk. He wasn’t worth the risk.

“There.” Milo stepped back, looking him up and down. “You look gorgeous. Your husband’s eyes are going to pop out of his head.”

“He barely looked at me the first time. I don’t think some clothes are going to warm his heart.” Raine could handle disinterest. He was used to being ignored.

There was a rap on the door, and Facilitator Glade stepped inside.

“Good, you’re ready. Are your things packed?”

“Yes. Except Ferno.”

Glade eyed the cat dubiously as Ferno stared at him from his perch on top of a mirror.

“Perhaps the cat should be returned home. Stormshield is a very different environment from Ludinia.”

“Ferno goes where I go.” He wouldn’t trust his family to take care of him. He wouldn’t trust anyone to take care of Ferno, except maybe Milo.

“The royal family may not take kindly to his addition to your belongings.”

Raine took a half-step toward Ferno in alarm. “They’ve said that?”

“Usually there’s more time to discuss and negotiate. The brevity of your betrothal has required us to forgo certain steps.”

“What does that mean?”

“You cannot bring your feline companion without permission. Until you have that, he must stay here.”

Raine wanted to argue, but he could see from the look on Glade’s face that this wasn’t up for discussion. These weren’t his rules, they were the rules.

“I’ll ask Prince Darien when we meet.”

Glade nodded. “Until then, we’ll make sure Ferno is taken care of.”

Raine reached for the cat, but there were matching shouts to stop from Glade and his omega friends.

“You cannot meet the royal delegation covered in cat fur,” Glade told him.

“I’ll look after him,” Milo promised.

Raine squeezed his hand in thanks and let himself be led from the room by Glade, so the facilitator could go over the formalities of the ‘handover,’ as it were.

He let Glade drone on, wondering and worrying about something interrupting the proceedings or Ferno being left behind. Raine was pretty sure he could survive anything, so long as he had Ferno by his side.

Before long, the guards announced that the procession had left the castle. It was time to go and meet his future family. They moved to the doors, Glade arranging everyone neatly at the top of the ramp. When the doors were opened, weak daylight streamed inside. Raine peered out and caught sight of his husband-to-be waiting at the bottom. Their eyes met for one long moment, and Raine thought he saw a spark of something there before his veil was lifted and draped over his face. Great, now all he could see were glimpses of the world through gauzy blue. He made his slow way down the ramp, hoping he wouldn’t trip and fall flat on his face. That would not make a good first impression on his new family.

At the bottom of the ramp, he paused, waiting for Facilitator Glade to come stand between them.

The words were familiar, engraved into his memory and couched in the most sanctimonious ceremonial language that the royal families could dredge up. It was the most long-winded way of saying that his kingdom was offering his hand in marriage to the Prince of the kingdom of Stormshield. And in turn, Stormshield was accepting him as their own.

Finally, Glade’s fingers wrapped around his wrist and placed his hand in Prince Darien’s. The alpha’s fingers closed around his and tugged gently. Raine took a few steps forward, crossing the divide until his feet were firmly on Stormshield soil. There were restrained cheers, a flurry of confetti, and a round of applause that faded as soon as it had begun.

Prince Darien wasted no time linking his arm with Raine’s and turning toward the castle. Before they could start walking, Raine leaned in and whispered in the alpha’s ear, his veil brushing against the alpha’s face.

“My cat.”

“Hmm?”

The prince looked at him askance, as if he’d grown a second head.

“I have a cat, on board the airship. I need your permission to bring him with me.”

He waited with bated breath, hopeful. Nothing was going to spoil this day; he could feel it right down to his toes.

“Not my problem,” the alpha said. “We have a marriage ceremony to get to.” He tugged more insistently, forcing Raine’s feet to move.

As they walked, Raine felt like he’d been cast adrift, floating on a sea of uncertainty. What did it mean that the alpha had refused such a harmless request? Was this the tone their marriage was to take? Or did he just have more important things on his mind right then? Raine could try again later, but the stony look on the alpha’s face said he wouldn’t get far. He bit down on his lower lip and tried not to let his feelings show on his face even hidden as he was behind his veil. Weakness would be weaponized and used against him. Straightening his shoulders, he turned his gaze forward. First things first, he had to get this marriage over the line. He could worry about the rest later.

* * *

It wasan exhausting hour of pomp and ceremony. Thankfully, Raine didn’t have many lines to say. A small entourage from the airship accompanied them, including Facilitator Glade. He’d hoped Milo and Deegan might be there, but neither omega was present. He couldn’t blame them—or more likely Glade, for not permitting their attendance—but it made things a little lonely as he looked out at a sea of unfamiliar faces. The king he picked out easily enough—the crown helped. The brothers he knew, of course. Their tactless rejections still stung. The rest were unimportant, for now at least. There’d be time later to learn who everyone was, the movers and shakers of Stormshield kingdom. He set those thoughts aside as the ceremony came to an end, unsure what the next step was.

“Prince Darien, about my cat…”

The alpha, whose eyes had glazed over at some point during the ceremony, ignored him pointedly. That was answer enough.

He glanced Glade’s way, and the facilitator hurried over.

“Your things have been brought to your room. We’ll contact your father as soon as the storm passes and tell him the… good news. Your friends are waiting at the airship to say goodbye to you, if your new husband permits.”

He and Glade turned toward Prince Darien. The alpha snapped back to awareness, looking between them but saying nothing. Raine braced himself for another refusal. Luckily, the king had been close enough to hear Glade’s words.

“Of course you can say goodbye to your friends. Darien will accompany you to the airship.”

A mulish look appeared on the alpha’s face, but he didn’t argue as he turned toward the door and gestured for Raine to precede him.

They walked back to the airship in silence. Glade tried to make conversation once or twice, but Darien barely glanced at him, and Raine wasn’t feeling particularly chatty. When they reached the plane, Milo all but barreled down the ramp to meet him with Deegan right behind him. But whereas Milo hesitated to approach him, Deegan didn’t.

“Good luck, Raine. You’re braver than I’ll ever be.”

“It never pays to be brave when you can be smart,” Raine replied. “Be patient, Deegan. Your time will come. And thank you. If it wasn’t for you…” He’d never have set foot off the airship that morning and wouldn’t now be married and free of his father’s hold.

Deegan nodded and almost teared up, hugging Raine briefly before racing back up the ramp and out of view. That left Milo, tears running freely down his cheeks. He looked torn between running after Deegan and diving at Raine. Raine made the decision for him and pulled the omega into a hug.

“I’m going to miss you.”

“Not as much as I’ll miss you,” Milo said, and then he lowered his voice, whispering in Raine’s ear. “The red bag.”

Before Raine could ask what he meant, Milo was gone, hurrying up and out of sight.

“We all wish you much happiness in your marriage, Prince Raine. It’s been our pleasure to accompany you on your journey. And now we must part ways. Until we meet again.”

Facilitator Glade was much more sedate than the omegas had been, climbing the ramp slowly and stopping at the top to offer them a majestic wave. Raine wouldn’t miss his imperiousness or his many lectures on decorum, but he’d miss the man behind it all.

The ramp began to retract as the doors closed, and Raine suddenly realized that Darien wasn’t beside him. He had already started back toward the castle. There was nothing to do but follow, wondering what was going to come next. He glanced back at the airship once or twice, reluctant to walk away knowing that Ferno was going with them.

When they entered the castle, Prince Darien caught the eye of a passing servant and waved them over.

“Show Prince Raine to his rooms, please. The north wing.” Then, without another word, he left.

“This way, please, Prince Raine.”

The servant looked pleased to have been singled out, and who was Raine to disappoint him? As they walked along the corridor, he heard a loud sound and paused at a narrow window to watch the airship take off. He felt another pang of sadness, knowing it wasn’t just his friends flying away, but his constant companion. Ferno had been by his side since he was a child. Life without him seemed wrong somehow, but at least he knew Milo would take good care of him.

“These rooms have been set aside for you,” the servant said, showing him into the north wing of the castle.

“Which ones?” he asked, spying several different doors.

The servant gestured to two of the doors.

“A bedroom with attached bathroom and a parlor have been made ready for you.”

“Which room is Prince Darien’s?”

The servant hesitated.

“Prince Darien’s rooms are in the south wing.”

“Then who am I sharing this wing with?” Perhaps the royal family’s unmarried omegas? Given that everything had happened at such short notice, he might have been placed there temporarily, until he and Prince Darien could move into suitable married quarters.

“You have the wing to yourself,” the servant said brightly. “It hasn’t been in use since the last guest delegation, many years ago.”

Something of Raine’s dismay must have shown on his face because the servant kept talking.

“Prince Darien particularly asked for you to be settled here. We’ve put your things in the bedroom with the east-facing windows. They get the best light in the morning, when there’s light to be had, anyway. You can take meals in the parlor when you’re not attending dinner in the hall.”

Raine nodded in acknowledgment, trying to hide his unease.

The servant smiled, clearly in an attempt to reassure him. “We weren’t expecting to welcome a new prince. Forgive us if we’re unprepared.”

“There’s nothing to forgive,” Raine said, returning the servant’s smile with one of his own. “This wasn’t how I expected my day to go either.”

There was the slightest of grins on the servant’s face.

“If you need anything, just ring the bell in your rooms. Someone will be along presently. I’ll return to help you get ready for dinner.”

“Dinner?”

“Your wedding dinner, of course. The cook has pulled out all the stops, but even he can’t magic up the traditional three-day pudding with less than a day’s notice. Still, the castle will eat well tonight.” The servant seemed to realize he’d said too much, his face reddening as he backed toward the entrance to the wing. “I’ll leave you to settle in, unless you’d like my help unpacking?”

That was the last thing Raine wanted—a stranger, even a well-meaning one, poking around in his things.

“That won’t be necessary, thank you,” he said, heading for the door the servant gestured to. He opened it and peeked inside, turning back to ask a question only to find he was alone again.

This was not how he pictured the start of his married life. Nevertheless, he was here now. He’d make the best of it.

His bags were neatly laid out on the table and the bed, but he paused when he caught sight of an unfamiliar red duffel sitting in the middle of them. Hadn’t Milo said something about a red bag? He hurried forward, wondering what the other omega was up to. Unfastening the top of the bag, he opened it wide.

There, curled up inside, was Ferno.

The cat glanced up at him, looking put out that his nap had been disturbed. He meowed plaintively and curled tighter, falling right back to sleep.

Raine sat down heavily on the edge of the bed, relieved beyond belief. Tears slid unbidden down his cheeks. He let them fall. Who didn’t cry a little on their wedding day? Another meow, louder now, and Ferno climbed out of the bag and onto his lap, purring and rubbing against him.

“I’m glad you’re here too,” Raine told him, wondering what would happen when the stowaway was discovered. There wasn’t a lot they could do about it now. Ferno was here to stay, and so was he.