ANA
From her carriage window, Ana watched the shadowy stain of dusk take hold of the skies.
Maddoc would be in their room now, realizing she was not there as promised and that she wasn’t coming. A strange feeling drifted in her chest; melancholy and forlorn clouding her thoughts as unbidden memories of him revolved in her mind. His twitching beard, the intensity of his eyes, that gritty bassy voice… The tremble in her stomach flickered, and her nipples hardened at the memory of his tongue grazing them, his hands gripping and squeezing the fleshy parts of her thighs, his groan when he lapped at her clit or sunk deep into—
“Ana?”
Stiffening, Ana glanced over at Ryden, who sat next to her in the carriage. “Yes?”
“Your father has been informed.”
Ana nodded, exhaling a heavy breath. So, Father knew she had left, which meant Mother did too by now. It was strange being separated from them. She’d never been apart from them in such a drastic way before, and they’d been the steady base she’d relied on for so long, but she had to take the opportunity to strike out on her own.
Never would she have considered that her parents would lie to her, but even more unbelievable was her mother’s outright admission that they wouldn’t stop lying to her. After all their talks of upholding honesty and fairness, the betrayal of it cut her deeply. Her parents and Milly were the three people in the world she’d never dreamed would lie to her about anything. How was she supposed to know what was true anymore? As reluctant as she was to believe any word that had come out of Maddoc’s mouth, if he’d been even half right about any deception on her parents’ part, her life wasn’t what she thought it was. And that gave way to another uncomfortable thought; what else was he right about?
A warm hand covered hers. “Are you all right, Ana?”
She turned to see Ryden gazing at her, concern in his blue eyes as they roamed her face. She smiled, relaxing in her seat. The one thing she could be sure of was Ryden. As her fated mate, he was the only one who was guaranteed to be there for her, to protect her and be her home, regardless of what happened. “Of course, this is just… unexpected, that’s all.”
“I know. It will take some getting used to.” He paused, staring at her. “I was surprised you came with me.”
“You were?”
Ryden nodded. “I thought you’d want to consult your parents or at least have me prove that I could do what I said.”
Ana tilted her head slightly. Was he implying she was foolish for believing him without proof? Perhaps she had been. “I desperately want the promise to be broken,” she admitted. “I didn’t want to go back into that room to… him.”
Ryden’s jaw clenched. “I don’t blame you.”
“And I know we are fated mates, Ryden. I must have faith in that. If there’s even a chance we can break the promise and be married… I have to take it, regardless of what my parents think.”
A smile spread on his handsome face. “That’s the way I feel, Ana.”
Ana squeezed his hand, returning his smile. “Good. So tell me how we can break the promise. Both my parents were adamant it couldn’t be done.”
“It has to do with the majority vote of the houses,” Ryden explained, leaning back in his seat. “There are five houses, as you know, and in all voting scenarios the majority wins. The houses can overthrow a decision made by the ruling couple if the majority of the houses agree.”
Ana nodded. She’d heard of that concept, but slightly differently. “I thought it was only if the houses were unanimous in their decision that they could overthrow a decision by the king or ruling couple?” It rarely happened because each of the houses had such different interests, but it was possible.
“Usually yes,” Ryden agreed. “But in this case, we will agree that the majority vote should count.”
Unease wormed through Ana’s stomach. “So it’s not guaranteed we can break it?”
“It will be more likely to happen if we have public support.”
Horror jumped into Ana’s throat. “We’re going to make it public?”
“Only if we need to, Ana,” Ryden said. “But it might come to it if the other houses and the king fight us on the decision.”
“But the commoners won’t agree that Maddoc isn’t owed the promise if he saved Father’s life. They would expect him to honor it—that’s been the whole reason they’ve been trying to keep it quiet.”
“Don’t panic, Ana,” he said, taking her hands again. “We’ve got a plan and strategy that will ensure we will prevail on this. You’ve just got to trust me.”
Ana held his gaze and took a deep breath. She had just learned that she couldn’t trust her parents to be honest with her, and even though Ryden had never shown her any reason not to trust him, she was nervous about his ability to judge the situation, when Maddoc was a factor they had to consider. Ryden was from House Redcrest and very experienced in arguing politics and familiar with Allandis law. Perhaps he could see a way to get through this that she wasn’t aware of? But Maddoc could not be dealt with the way the court could. “I trust you, Ryden,” she said. “But you must understand that you are not only dealing with the assembly or the crown. You are dealing with Maddoc. He has no concern or respect for innocent lives, and he will drag others into this if he does not get what he’s owed.”
Ryden shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “Is he in love with you?”
A beam of something strange shot through the cloudiness in Ana’s stomach, but she pushed it away. “No, I don’t think so. It is about the principle. He was owed three nights, and he didn’t get it. He will think it is not honorable, and he will retaliate.”
“He isn’t one to determine what is or isn’t honorable considering his crimes,” Ryden barked, his eyes flashing. “It is all very well for him to murder, steal, and rape, but we are not honorable for giving him two nights out of three? That bastard cannot dictate anything to us. He is not just a nameless man or a criminal, he is the most despicable outlaw known to the kingdom. He shouldn't have been given that much power just for saving the king."
Ana’s gaze sharpened on him. "I am grateful that he did, Ryden."
Ryden met her gaze. "Ana, I know King Orick is your father, but if he was that careless while hunting, it is a sign he is losing his touch. All of his king's guard were killed or maimed, leaving him unprotected. That doesn't sound like a situation that should befall a competent king. Where were his archers? Where were his own weapons? It is well recognized that kings should take all necessary steps to protect themselves from having to be saved by anyone other than their knights."
"The men who attacked him were not from Allandis, Ryden," Ana said, grappling with the annoyance that surged in her chest. "They planned it—they must have known his schedule and attacked when he was vulnerable."
"Is there evidence of that? Did you ask your father?"
“There was evidence they carried an insignia not recognized in Allandis. I assume he would have shared that with the houses."
Ryden’s shoulders lifted. “He may have. I wouldn’t necessarily have been told everything about the incident since I’m not a formal representative of Redcrest,” he admitted. “But the fact he was attacked badly enough to owe his life to Maddoc is a disgrace.” He turned to face Ana and remained quiet for a long moment. “Ana, I know you love your father and I respect him a great deal. But it is time for you, and him, to come to terms with the fact that he is no longer fit to rule. He should step aside and let us take the throne."
Ana’s eyes widened in alarm. "Us? But we're not ready for that kind of responsibility!"
"I disagree. What your father has made you go through is inhumane. It has caused more damage to our future, our children’s future, and the future of the crown than any other single act. He is a detriment to us and himself. I don't think we should wait to succeed him." He paused, taking in Ana's panicked face. "I know that is hard to hear, but the crown isn’t just about one man, it’s about Allandis. Take some time to think about it, Ana.”
Ana could barely reply. She slumped back in her seat, a lump building in her throat. Usurping her father would be considered an act of violence. It would cause much discontent in the kingdom and wouldn’t be an easy thing to do, especially on the basis of her father being incompetent for an incident in which he was ambushed. How could Ryden use that as the sole basis for him being an unworthy king? It wasn’t a wise argument to make.
She watched the buildings passing by her window without really seeing the scenery. Maddoc suggested that her father did things in court that she wasn’t aware of—things that made him unlawful like Maddoc. “Do you go to many court events?” she asked after a while, still watching the skies.
“Yes, quite a few.”
“What did you think of my father’s decisions and approach?”
“They’ve been good,” Ryden said hesitantly. “But that doesn’t mean he should remain king in light of what happened with Maddoc.”
Ana turned to him. “Would the kingdom agree?”
Ryden’s expression became guarded, but he said nothing.
“Because that is what we will be fighting against,” Ana explained. “The Allandis people like familiarity. My mother and father are proven leaders who have kept the kingdom stable for years—we don’t have that track record. They may strongly rebel against any suggestion that we take over.”
Ryden watched Ana carefully. “Did you learn that from your studies?”
Ana frowned. “Learn what?”
“About usurping and its consequences.”
“Yes, and from reading.”
“I thought your studies focused around history.”
Ana looked at him in confusion. “All instances of usurping come from the past. What does it matter?”
Ryden was silent for a moment. “I’m not saying it will be easy, Ana. We will meet resistance, but it doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be done. The fact remains that the king owes a debt to Maddoc. We do not.”
“But if I had gone through with tonight—”
“I didn’t want you to,” Ryden said sharply. “And you didn’t either. It is not our burden, Ana.”
Ana lowered her gaze. As her father’s daughter and heir, she’d felt it was her burden. And maybe it had been before tonight. But as her Alpha enforcing his intention to wed her, Ryden had every right to insist that she not be involved, or at least dispute it with her. It was not unreasonable that the circumstances would upset her mate. The destruction of the crown wasn’t as personal an offense as his Omega being used by another man. Now she had chosen to go with him, she’d ultimately chosen his needs and opinions over those of her father’s. “I suppose not,” she murmured, her gaze returning to the window.
The carriage continued its travels as the sky morphed from the muddy blue of dusk to velvety navy, encrusted with twinkling stars.
Finally, just as Ana’s head drooped on Ryden’s shoulder, the carriage slowed and lurched to a stop. Ryden assisted her out of the carriage and led her up to his mansion.
Ana had visited most of the royal house mansions before, when she was getting to know the families, prominent figures and their status’ within Allandis, but she didn’t recall Ryden’s home. It was more modern and smaller than the palace, but no less grand. Each of the houses owned a castle in the kingdom, but the representatives of each house lived in mansions near the palace for when the royal assembly gathered. Even though Ryden wasn’t an official representative, Redcrest was one of the wealthier houses, so it could afford to give promising dukes like Ryden such accommodation.
Ryden assisted Ana to the semidark entrance hallway before releasing her arm and heading back to the carriage to instruct his staff. Inside, a smoky, charred odor from a fireplace mingled with the tang of polish, but the building was mostly dark with only a few candles dotted along the walls. Nerves jittered in Ana’s stomach. This would be her new home now, at least until she was crowned and could move back to the palace. She looked around, wondering if she could really make this place her home, but memories of Milly, her library, and her parents made it difficult to imagine… It could never be the same.
"Princess Ana."
Ana turned to see an older man leaning in a doorway that led off from the hallway. "Duke Aldous," she greeted in surprise. "What are you doing here? I didn't expect anybody to be visiting Ryden so late."
"Waiting for you, Your Majesty," Aldous said, his eyes twinkling as he raised the tankard in his hand in greeting. "I'm glad you agreed to come. We are pleased to have you onboard, Ana. Your contributions to this alliance will be invaluable."
Ana eyed his tankard, wondering if he was drunk. "We?"
Aldous gestured behind him. "The houses that have come together to support you and Ryden’s efforts."
Ana’s brows raised in shock. "Who else is here?"
"Come and see," Aldous said, nudging his head for her to follow him.
Ana followed him, her stomach dropping as she realized the lounge beyond the doorway held several visitors, all waiting for her and Ryden. In the low candlelight, she recognized two representatives each from houses Thorneshaw and Goldfrost. "Good evening," she said nervously. She ran her hands down her dress, wondering if she was appropriately dressed. She hadn't prepared herself in any kind of elaborate fashion to meet Maddoc for the third night, and she certainly wasn't expecting to meet several important dukes and duchesses from the royal houses.
"Good evening, Princess Ana." Duke Everard stepped forward. He stood next to Duke Theodore, both from Goldfrost. "We don't mean to alarm you, but this alliance was made at significant risk to us, and we want to be sure you are fully in agreement with what is planned. Things will commence quickly now that you have left the palace, and we will need to move swiftly. Everyone will need to play their part."
Ana blinked, looking around the room as she tried to process what he was saying. "Ryden explained the general plan in the carriage on the way here, but I would appreciate knowing what part I am to play."
Duke Everard nodded. “Of course."
"Ladies and gentlemen," Ryden greeted as he entered the room. "Let's not move too quickly and overwhelm Ana. She has just been traveling for a couple of hours to get here, after narrowly escaping a night with that savage. Let us please allow her some time to familiarize herself with her new home, or at least rest and have a drink for a moment."
"Respectfully, we do not have time for such luxuries," Duke Darcel of Thorneshaw said apologetically. He was accompanied by Duchess Rhoslyn. "The fact we are all here right now is already risky for us. Our greatest advantage is ensuring they don’t know what’s coming."
"Who?" Ana asked.
Ryden shot Darcel a look, and led Ana to a nearby chair. "The alliance for this particular purpose is made up of houses Redcrest, Goldfrost, and Thorneshaw," Ryden said. He turned to the rest of the room. "Firstly, I have to ask, are all the families within your houses in agreement with this?"
“We are here, aren’t we?” Everard of Goldfrost said dryly.
Each royal house was comprised of three distinct families who had close ties to each other. Some families were small, others were large, encompassing uncles, nieces and cousins. The size of the family depended on the wealth of the house and how it was distributed, but each family had a representative who spoke and acted on behalf of the house. The two representatives from each house in Ryden’s lounge made up the majority of their house.
“That doesn’t mean your whole house is in agreement,” Aldous said dryly.
“Whatever we decide, the other family will either be in support or fall in line,” Everard said.
"Same with us," Duchess Rhoslyn said.
“Good.” Ryden handed Ana a glass of fruit wine and she took a deep mouthful, relishing the fresh and fruity flavor. “Then we are officially in alliance, since all the Redcrest families are in agreement as well.”
"When do we challenge the promise with the court?" Darcel asked. "When do we bring this alliance to the court and the people and start building momentum with this?"
"I think it's more important that Ana and I marry first," Ryden said. "Our marriage will bring more power to the situation and allow us to make more legitimate requests of the people and the crown."
"When is the quickest you can get married?" Duke Aldous asked. Aldous was Ryden’s uncle, and a powerful man within the Redcrest house and the court. It was no secret that Ryden looked up to him, and Ana also liked him. He’d always been kind to Ana, visiting her and bringing gifts, and even sending her books to study. He’d always made it clear how pleased he was that Ryden had been matched with her and was the one in court who’d been aggressively arguing against Maddoc’s request.
"It is possible in three or four days," Ryden said.
Ana inhaled a sharp breath. Three days until she was married?
Ryden glanced at her. "We're just bringing it forward, Ana," he said reassuringly. "Just like we discussed before we left."
Ana nodded. She wasn't sure what made her uncomfortable about the idea of marrying the man that she’d been planning to marry for years; it just seemed so final. Maybe that was a good thing. "Three days is fine."
“Use your head. We cannot wait three days before we bring the matter of the Royal Promise to the court." The growl came from Duke Theodore who was leaning against the wall by the fireplace staring out the window. His posture appeared relaxed, but the agitation in his voice rumbled around the room with force. He was known to be a difficult Alpha to please—one who wasn’t concerned about politeness or etiquette. Ana had seen him rouse many Alphas into a foaming-mouthed fury by his lack of respect for them in court. “That is too much time for the king to do something,” he continued, “either in court, or to collect his daughter with the full force of the crown. And we don’t know what this outlaw and his mad men will do."
"If we could do it tomorrow, I would," Ryden said. "But we need to prepare the announcement tour and the ceremony. It’s important no one can say it was done improperly."
Theodore lifted a shoulder. "We still must bring our argument to the court tomorrow," he said firmly. "We can announce it, we spread the word, and ask for all to attend, make a big spectacle of it that the king cannot avoid, just like Maddoc did."
"The king was intending to make a big spectacle out of Maddoc and that severely backfired," Aldous pointed out. "Are you sure this won’t?"
Theodore pushed off the wall and glared at him. "That is the risk we take every time we hold court. We just have to make sure we are prepared—our argument must be strong. We need the public to agree with us."
"We could do with having a day to prepare, then," Ryden said. "It would strengthen our position. The commoners could be difficult to deal with about not honoring the promise."
"You have been arguing this since Maddoc first showed up at the court,” Theodore growled. “What are you afraid of?”
Ryden matched his growl, squaring his shoulders toward him. “Nothing. It just needs to be done right.”
“We don’t need more time.” Theodore paused for a moment. “What we need is a distraction. Your wedding announcement and tour should be enough. It needs to happen at the same time as the hearing."
Ryden frowned. "That means I cannot be in court arguing in support of Redcrest.”
Theodore raised his ale, a grim grin on his face. “Then you will need to trust the rest of us.”
Ryan’s unease filled the silence that followed. But after a moment, his posture relaxed. “Tonight we plan our argument for the dismissal of the promise. Tomorrow we present our arguments in court and announce the wedding, and the following day Ana and I marry. Is everyone in agreement?"
A wave of nods dipped around the room while Ana looked between them. "I just want to ask Princess Ana one thing," Everard said, leaning forward toward her. "Are you aware what was agreed for our support in this."
“Now is not the time, Everard.” Ryden’s face darkened.
“I will not move forward unless I know the princess is fully aware of the agreement,” Theodore said sharply. “We are all taking too much of a risk.”
“Agreed,” Everard said. “We have only tonight to confirm this alliance.”
Ryden stilled. “Fine,” he said, after a long moment. He turned to Ana. “I didn’t want to tell you all this tonight, Ana, but it is important you know.”
Ana stared up at him, her stomach souring. “What is it?”
“Once we are married, the alliance between the three houses will petition to overthrow your parents.”
Ana’s throat tightened. For a moment, she couldn’t speak.
“And our children will need to be paired with children from Thorneshaw and Goldfrost.”
“Our children?”
Ryden nodded. “Our first- and third-born to Goldfrost. Our second-born to Thorneshaw.”
Ana’s head spun. “But how can we decide who they are paired with? It’s not up to us to decide.”
“The fated mates pairing process only applies to Alphas and Omegas.” Aldous stepped forward, his voice gentle. “Of course, that will not be interfered with. But if you have Beta children, or Alphas whose true mates are not identified by the age of twenty-two, they are to be matched accordingly.”
Ana was unable to draw on any words. Making an arrangement with one child was one thing. But three? And if they were Betas, they wouldn’t have any freedom to find partners they truly loved; they would be stuck with whomever the houses decided for them. How could she do that to her own children? As an Omega she had the security of knowing her pairing was something beyond her own decision, but her Beta children would be forced into a life that didn’t guarantee their happiness—all because of this alliance.
Ana shook her head slowly as she bought her eyes up to meet the gazes on her. “How and why would you ask that of me?”
Theodore huffed out a breath, shaking his head and muttering as he turned away.
“Each child who marries into another house, strengthens our bond with that house, Ana,” Ryden said. “This is how we ensure that the houses benefit from helping us.”
“Helping us do what?” Ana asked, sharply. “Usurp my parents? Since when was that a priority?”
“Since they whored you out to that bastard!” Ryden boomed, his eyes flashing. “Sacrifices have to be made to ensure we can correct the damage they have done.”
“And what sacrifices are you making?” Ana questioned, rising to her feet, her breath hot in her lungs. “How can you be happy about making our children miserable by forcing them to marry into other houses? How is this in their best interest? Are you not simply whoring them out the same way you accuse my parents of doing?”
A moment of stunned silence followed her outburst.
“Ana!” Ryden’s face darkened as he roared her name, and the prickling rush along her arms made her hair stand on end.
Before he could say anything further, Aldous stepped in front of him. “No one will force any of your children to remain in a loveless marriage, Ana. That is not the point of this alliance.”
Ana dragged her eyes from Ryden to Aldous. “Then what is the point of it?”
“Surely the princess cannot be so unaware of how things are done?” Theodore said, the grit in his voice both bitter and sarcastic. “This kind of arrangement is not unusual, Princess Ana.”
“I told you to let me explain things to her,” Ryden said hotly. “I don’t know what she knows and what she doesn’t.”
“Then you should have thought of that before seeking us out to do this,” Theodore said sharply. “We need her in agreement.”
At that, everyone in the room quietened, and Ana stared at them all in confusion, dread fogging up her throat. There were clearly things she didn’t know that they all did. Maddoc’s words came flooding back to her, as did her mother’s. How much didn’t she know? A bracing apprehension gripped her. Nothing was how it seemed anymore—her life was built on falsehood upon falsehood. How could she know who she was if nothing in her life was the way she perceived it? And how could she possibly rule?
“We will give you tonight to rest, princess,” Darcel said, gently. “I think nothing can be decided or agreed tonight.”
Rhoslyn rose from her seat. “I agree with Ryden that we should have let the princess rest before discussing this. She has just been through an ordeal for the past two nights and was preparing to suffer it again today. She needs time.”
“We don’t have time to spare,” Theodore said bluntly. “We cannot all gather again before tomorrow and we cannot move forward with our plans until this is decided. This decision is not that hard—it is common.”
“Is it?” Rhoslyn said, raising a brow. She turned to the Goldfrost men in the room. “So if I arranged for a huge, violent Alpha to fuck you raw for the next two nights, you’d be in a good frame of mind to make life-changing decisions on behalf of your children immediately after?”
Aldous’ laughter burst out across the room while Theodore’s eyes narrowed, his entire body stiffening.
Rhoslyn didn’t wait for an answer. “We will await confirmation of the princess’ decision tomorrow when she visits us on the announcement tour. Court won’t be until midafternoon, anyway. By the time she has visited at least one of our two houses, we will know whether or not to proceed.”
Ana nodded, smiling weakly at her. She didn’t think she could ever make such a decision, but everything rested on this alliance, and her Alpha had already agreed to it. She just needed to understand it.
Ryden called on a servant to take her to her room and prepare for bed, and as she rose to her feet, he kissed her forehead. “I didn’t want to tell you like this. We will talk more tomorrow.”
Ana nodded, but didn’t respond. Somehow his words felt as empty as her mother’s, and she couldn’t bear another moment listening to them. As she followed the servant who wasn’t Milly, into a bedchamber that wasn’t her own, she blinked away the tears that had built. Maddoc had been right about a lot of things so far, but she wouldn’t let him be right about her. She wasn’t a puppet for anyone. And as soon as she’d rested, she’d address her concerns with this alliance.
* * *
Humid heat encased her whole body, and a solid weight pinned her to the bed. Ana sighed, relishing the peaceful security underneath her Alpha. But as her consciousness awakened, her eyes flickered open. Everything smelled wrong. And the feel of his flesh on hers was… uncomfortable.
Stiffening, Ana tilted her head to see Ryden on top of her, his arms wrapped firmly around her body, securing her to him. An intense panic rose before she even recognized it. Thrashing, writhing, and twisting as hard as she could, she tried to get out of his hold, but the dead weight of an Alpha was no simple thing for an Omega to shift. Soon, her increasingly desperate movements woke him with a growl. “What is it?”
He lifted himself a little off the bed, and Ana scooted out from under him, scrabbling to the edge of the bed on all fours, breathing hard as the panic made her heart thump in her ears.
“What, Ana?” Ryden growled in annoyance.
Ana grabbed the sheets with her fists and forced herself to still. Panting, she tried to answer, but couldn’t speak.
Ryden watched her. "Ana?"
"Nothing," Ana finally said, her breathing calming. "I just felt… You were on top of me and…" Her words faded away. How could she tell him that his scent was all wrong? That the feel of his body wasn't right? That the muscles along his chest and arms were not the ones she wanted pressing her down, cuddling her or rubbing on her bare skin? How could she tell him she wasn't comfortable underneath him? He was supposed to be her mate.
Ryden watched her, his frown deepening. "Ana. You belong with me."
"I know," Ana said, even though the idea of it made her tense. "It's just…"
When she didn’t continue, Ryden leaned forward slowly and reached for her, monitoring her carefully as he moved closer.
Ana could not stop tensing, digging her nails harder into the bed the closer he came. She desperately did not want to be touched. When his thumb grazed her cheek, tears sprung to her eyes, and Ryden growled in annoyance. Moving swiftly, he hooked his arm around her waist and pulled her down to the bed and underneath him.
Ana forced herself not to squeal as her back hit the bed. Ryden loomed over, brushed his hand up her leg, and hooked an arm under her knee.
Ana slapped a hand on his chest in alarm. "Ryden, what are you doing?
"You have to get past what happened, Ana," Ryden growled. "You only have the memories of him. You need to create fresh memories with me." Before she had a chance to respond, he lowered his body and crushed his mouth on hers.
The kiss was rough and insistent, his hot breath and his warm mouth smothered her, his tongue seeking entry, and for a moment Ana allowed herself to experience it with him. But within a few moments the uncomfortable feeling returned full force, suffocating her and forcing her panic to resurface.
She dragged her mouth away and tried again to claw away from him, fighting as her breathing increased.
"Ana!" Ryden growled as he let her scramble away again. "It won’t be like with him."
Ana kept her head low and nodded, taking a deep breath before raising her eyes to him. Maybe that was what she was afraid of. "I just need time, Ryden" she said, almost pleading. "Please give me time to get used to being close to you. My first sexual experience was with him and… I just need time."
Ryden's eyes flashed. "You are my mate. I will not have you withdrawing from me."
Ana’s mouth tightened at his tone. "Yes," she remarked bitterly. "We have to get on with our breeding duties to pay for this alliance, don't we?"
He moved so quickly she didn't even have time to yelp before he grabbed her and threw her onto the bed.
"I allowed your comments last night because I understood you were distressed.” Ryden’s contorted features made him look like a different man—still beautiful, still Ryden, but sinister. Fear crept into Ana's chest as she stared up at him. "But you will not use that tone with me again, Ana. I don’t know what happened during those nights with him—I’m sure you screamed and fought and withdrew from him. But you will not behave that way with me. You will be respectful of me. Do you understand?"
Ana nodded, her eyes wide.
The anger seeped from Ryden's eyes and he relaxed his grip on her. "You are the perfect princess," he murmured, his voice slightly softer. "And we are a perfect match. We just need to overcome the difficult start we’ve had." He lowered his mouth onto hers again, and this time Ana tried to kiss him back. She had to at least try to spark the feelings she knew were there for him. Squeezing her eyes tight and ignoring all the alarm signals in her body telling her something was wrong, she pressed her lips back against his. But eventually she couldn't help but wrench her mouth away and turn her head to the side.
Ryden lifted up, watching her for a long moment, a blend of annoyance and resignation in his eyes. He moved to sit on the edge of the bed. "If you need time, you can have time," he said, his voice low. "But on our wedding night there will be no more abstinence between us, Ana." He looked at her. “I will take what I need from my mate. Do you understand?”
She nodded, trying to control the fear building in her throat. To some degree she understood his anger—she had already been with another man when he had been waiting for her, and now she was pulling away from him, acting like she couldn't stand his touch. No mate would be happy with that. She couldn't imagine Father being at all happy if Mother behaved that way with him.
But what really concerned her was the reaction to his touch. It was strange to react that way with her own mate. She couldn’t recall feeling that way about Maddoc, and while she didn’t want to compare them, she had nothing else to go by. She’d been looking forward to her experience with Ryden’s touch eradicating memories of Maddoc, but how could it if she couldn’t bear to even kiss him? Maybe it really was trauma.
Ryden stood and grabbed his clothes. “Have you had time to think about the agreement with the alliance?”
Ana relaxed on the bed. “No, but I don’t understand why it’s necessary.”
“Because the houses need guarantees that they will get something out of helping us,” Ryden said as he dressed. “And marrying into the ruling family raises the status of their houses.”
When Ana looked at him blankly he continued with a growl.
“You know the houses are not all equal, surely?”
“Yes, I know,” she replied, almost indignantly. “Redcrest and Sterling are the wealthiest.”
“Right. And greater opportunities to grow that wealth come from having a pleasant relationship with the crown. Whether it is a son or daughter who is king or queen, or simply a good history of positive and profitable dealings, all houses want to be on good terms with the crown.” He tilted his head. “I am surprised you are unaware of this.”
“I do know this,” Ana insisted. “But I thought it was a joint, amiable effort. I didn’t realize it was combative until recently.”
“Well, it is,” Ryden said bluntly. “Very combative. It has been that way for generations.” He paused. “Haven’t you noticed the tension in court?”
“I noticed that the houses hardly ever agree,” Ana said. “And I noticed it can get very heated between them”—in truth it had even become physically violent on rare occasions—“but I didn’t realize it extended beyond that.”
Ryden gave her a wry look. “What you see in court is the mildest expression of the true tension between us.”
Ana’s eyes widened. “Oh.”
“Disputes run deep and some have existed for decades. Have you noticed that some houses are always in agreement and others are not?”
Ana nodded. “Sterling and Redcrest never agree.”
“Right,” Ryden said. “But Goldfrost and Sterling always do.”
“They have an alliance?”
“Not exactly. Sterling owns a lot of land Goldfrost has built on.”
Ana lifted her head in understanding. “So they are always under threat if they provoke Sterling.”
“Yes.” Ryden leaned forward, bracing his hands on the bed. “So Goldfrost agreeing to side with us in court today, against Sterling and the crown, will put them at great risk.”
Ana thought back to Theodore and Everard’s agitation and insistence the night before.
“But they will take that risk if it is guaranteed that two of our Beta children will marry into Goldfrost and Thorneshaw.”
Ana examined his face. “You think it’s worth it to offer our children for their support?”
“I do.” Ryden’s expression and tone was firm. “It is not unusual. Almost all Betas in the royal assembly marry through arrangement across the houses. You may not have noticed because there is never a need for the details to be announced, and your own pairing hasn’t happened that way, but it is extremely common.”
Ana exhaled slowly as she thought. So this was the true barter system used among the royal assembly. She’d simply been lucky to be born an Omega with the guarantee of being paired with her fated mate.
“When we visit the houses on our announcement tour today,” Ryden said, slow and steady, “you will locate a representative of Goldfrost and Thorneshaw and tell them you are in agreement with the terms.”
Ana met his gaze. “And if I don’t?”
“Then you will be left to the mercy of your father, or more likely, the outlaw, because I won’t be able to rid you of the Royal Promise without the assistance of the other houses.” Ryden reached out and brushed her cheek with his fingers. “I told you to trust me, Ana, and you can. I wouldn’t agree to something like this unless it was necessary. And it’s not as though we will lose our children, they will still be ours—they will only be married when they are of age. And we can help them through it.”
Ana’s heart sunk as she realized there was no way to get out of agreeing to this. She had, in fact, already unwittingly consented to it when she agreed to leave the palace with him. She hadn’t insisted on knowing the full terms before she left, so now her only options were to continue with the path she set herself on, or suffer the path others wanted to choose for her—Maddoc’s and his wrath, or her parents’ and their lies.
Ryden’s touch turned firmer, and his hand curled around her jaw. “I want to hear you say you are in agreement, Ana.”
Ana battled with the gloom that crept into her. “And there is no way to amend the agreement later or change it?”
“No.”
Her voice came out as a whisper. “I agree.”
“Good.” Ryden stroked her cheek again, and Ana forced herself not to pull away from his touch. He pushed off the bed as he straightened. “Be ready to leave within the hour.”
Ana watched him as he walked into the washroom, trying to process what had just happened. The conversation had revealed much about the true nature of the royal houses and the part she would now play among them. Offering her children up wasn’t comfortable, but she had to trust Ryden. If the houses regularly traded marriages between them, she couldn’t blame him for thinking she would be fine with it. She had to accept that she still had things to learn, and this was another piece of information she had never known.
She stared at the washroom where Ryden was. The biggest concern for her was her lack of physical connection to Ryden. If even significant hardship arose, she should be able to handle it as long as her fated mate was with her, but the attraction between them was nonexistent, while at the same time, the forlorn longing at the memories of Maddoc lingered.
Sighing, she got up from the bed and tried to shake off the unease. She had one more day until her wedding, and she had to get rid of these feelings by then.