Different circumstances entirely.
“I’m so glad,” Clara said, wishing Evander wasn’t standing so close that she could smell him. The double dose of suppressants didn’t seem to be working at all—he was affecting her as strongly this evening as he had last night. His mere proximity was enough to make her thighs tremble and her core throb. She was so grateful he wasn’t touching her—she didn’t think she could stand it.
“Clara and I bumped into each other at the Facility last night,” Evander said, and again, Clara was aware of an almost imperceptible shift in Arius’s expression. His thick black brows rose just the slightest amount, and his eyes, when he looked at Evander, were intent.
“Is that so?” he said.
Clara forced herself to shrug as casually as she was able. “It was market night.”
There was a long pause, then Arius said, “Why don’t you both come back to our apartment for drinks after this? I know your father, Clara, and I’d like to get to know you a little better.”
“That’s very kind of you—” Clara began, but Evander cut her off.
“We’d love to. Thank you.”
Arius gave the nod of one who was accustomed to getting what he wanted. “Good. Now, if you’ll excuse us, we have to keep on making the rounds.”
“Everybody’s asking me whether I’m pregnant yet,” Saskia added. “It’s getting tedious.”
“Already? It’s only been a couple of months,” Evander said.
“Exactly. In the meantime, we’re content to keep trying,” Arius said with a wink. “See you soon.”
Clara watched them move off into the crowd, her mind racing. “Thank you for the introduction,” she said, “but my father will be wondering where I am.” If Evander let her return to her father’s side, she reasoned, she might still be able to get away from him and go back into hiding, at least until the new suppressants arrived.
“I’ll come with you,” Evander said. “You can introduce me to Neros. I’ve always wanted to meet him.”
Clara stared at him, wondering whether he was kidding. “And what exactly would I introduce you as?”
“An acquaintance. A friend. Same as we were two days ago. Don’t worry, I won’t give you away.” He narrowed his dark blue eyes. “Unless you force me to.”
“Please.” Clara loathed herself for begging but somehow, around Evander, she found herself doing a lot of it. “I’ve never introduced any of my friends to my father before. Not like this. He’ll immediately be suspicious.”
“What is it with you and him?” Evander raised an eyebrow. “You’re his daughter, a well-respected Alpha—at least, as far as he’s aware—and you move in the highest circles, just as he does. Why are you so terrified of him? And why would he be suspicious if you introduced us?”
She shook her head. “You wouldn’t understand. I don’t expect you to. Just… please. I promise not to run away. You can stand nearby, and if he asks me to call you over, I will. Please, Evander.”
Her pulse, already fluttering, kicked up a notch when he took a step closer—still maintaining a decorous distance, but now, once again, his scent was filling her nostrils, making her heart pound and her sex throb with longing. Clenching her fists, she resisted the urge to take a step back. She didn’t want him to know how strongly he tempted her.
“All right,” he growled, “but I’ll be close by. Do not think you can escape me. And the minute Arius signals to me that they’re leaving, we’re leaving too. Understood?”
“Why do we have to go back there for drinks? I don’t even know them.”
“It’s a royal invitation,” Evander said. “You don’t decline one of those. Ever.”
Clara was certain there was more to it than that, and that Arius and Saskia would be understanding if she cried off, but the huge, russet-haired Alpha currently looming over her was making it hard to think straight and even harder to argue. She was also acutely aware of her father’s eyes on her from across the room. She’d have awkward questions to answer as it was. “Fine,” she said. “Just, please, don’t give me away.”
“I won’t, unless you force my hand,” he said again, the underlying threat unmistakable.
Giving him her back, Clara turned and headed back toward where Neros was still holding court. Perhaps everything would work out. As long as she and Evander were among company, he wouldn’t try anything, and she wouldn’t be tempted to succumb to his advances once more. Besides, her father was longing for a way to connect with Arius, and he would appreciate it if his daughter got to know the ruler better. Clara had no idea why she so craved Neros’s approval, but she did.
“Here she is,” Neros said as soon as she got within earshot. “My lovely daughter, Clara. The apple of my eye.”
Clara didn’t need to smell his breath to know he was intoxicated. “Hello, Father.” She was praying Evander had kept a discreet distance but didn’t dare turn around to check.
“Did my eyes deceive me, or did I see you talking to the royal couple?” Neros said.
“You did. They’ve invited me over for drinks later,” Clara said, watching his face carefully. She knew how to read every nuance of his expression, and he didn’t disappoint. The telltale glint in his eyes gave away his excitement, and the way his mouth tightened almost imperceptibly meant he was already calculating how to use this new situation to his benefit.
“That’s nice,” he said casually, his tone belying what she knew he was feeling. “You should let me know how that goes.” He was really asking her to fish, to find out as much as she could about Arius and think of ways in which he could ingratiate himself with the new ruler. Clara knew he would be expecting a full report in the morning.
“I will,” she said obediently.
“Good. Let me introduce you to a few of my new friends here. This is…” As her father began to drone on, Clara’s mind was racing as she tried to work out how best to handle the situation later. They would be with Arius and Saskia for a while, but then she and Evander would be alone. The mere thought of his hands on her body was enough to make her gush into her panties, and she dug her nails into her palms to distract herself.
Saskia was an Omega. Did Clara dare confide in her? If anyone could understand her predicament, it was the new queen. But was she trustworthy? Would she tell Arius? There were rumors that Saskia was already using her new position of power to further the Omega cause, to help Omegas in any way they needed. If those rumors were true, she might be willing to help Clara. Not even Evander would be able to reach her if she had Saskia as an ally. But would she be able to get Saskia alone?
On the pretext of finding a waiter for more wine, Clara glanced around the room. She wasn’t surprised to see Evander standing a mere few feet behind her. He was talking to a stunning blonde but his gaze kept traveling over the woman’s head. He clearly had no intention of letting Clara slink away.
The blonde gave a tinkling laugh, and Clara was astounded by the sudden surge of jealousy rising within her chest. It’s your damn hormones, nothing more, she told herself furiously. Nothing you feel for him truly means anything. You need to keep your focus on the things which are really important: your career and your independence. This estrus phase will pass, and then, if you’re not careful and keep on giving in to your lustful urges, you’ll be left with nothing. Not to mention the fallout if Father ever discovers the truth.
Snatching a goblet of wine from a waiter passing by with a tray, Clara turned her back on Evander and the blonde beauty and took a long gulp of the expensive vintage. Only the best for the cream of Sandorian society.
The Visker patches were on their way. She only had to hold out for a couple more days and then she’d be safe.
But even as she thought it, a tiny niggle of doubt remained persistent at the back of her mind. What if she was wrong?
Just a mere couple of days ago, Evander would have taken the gorgeous blonde Alpha he was currently talking to back to his apartment after the gala. He would have stripped h
er of her tight black dress and jewels, and pounded her into the mattress—after forcing her to take every inch of his cock down her milky white throat, of course.
But now, as she droned on, babbling about some nonsense he was barely paying any attention to, his mind was on only one woman, and she was currently standing with her back to him, ignoring him as if he meant nothing to her.
Why? he raged silently. Why had the gods seen fit to make Clara his mate? Of all the Omegas, of all the pretty, obedient, submissive young women at the Facility, why had his body chosen this sullen, haughty, stubborn little rich girl, who so obviously believed she was better than everybody else, and too good to be an Omega? Too good to be his mate?
He was in rut, she was in estrus, and they should be alone together at this very moment; he should be fucking her until neither of them could fuck anymore. Then they would sleep, wake up, eat a little to maintain their strength, and then… more fucking. It was what newly matched Alpha/Omega pairs did—sequester themselves away and give in to their primal urges as much as they desired.
Instead he was stuck here, hoping his expensive suit was hiding his constant, aching erection, talking to a woman he had no interest in, constantly having to battle to so much as talk to Clara, let alone do anything else.
Evander remembered pitying Arius, for when he’d found Saskia, he’d had all manner of other things to deal with—his crazy uncle Deimos, for one. All Arius had wanted was to be alone with his new mate but instead he’d had to fight the rut constantly in order to focus on other affairs of state.
Now, Evander was pitying himself, for he was in the same situation. Only instead of him having important matters to deal with, it was Clara who was blocking him at every turn, denying him what was rightfully his.
He glanced over the blonde’s head again, murmuring his agreement with something she was saying, noting the way the gauzy gold material of Clara’s gown molded to her plump, round buttocks, remembering how they’d looked naked and split around his cock the previous night. Evander almost groaned aloud at the memory. He’d take her there, too, he vowed, his erection pulsing at the thought of screwing her puckered little rosette until she was screaming. That would wipe the haughty expression off her exquisite face, he thought grimly.
Suddenly desperate to distract himself before he came in his pants, he let his mind wander back to their earlier encounter with Arius and Saskia. There was no doubt that Arius now knew Clara was the secret Omega Evander had spoken of that morning. The ensuing invitation for drinks after the gala had been issued too swiftly after the revelation that they’d met at the Facility for Evander to believe otherwise.
Now he could only pray Arius would be discreet. Clara was flighty enough—if she realized Evander had confided in his friend, there would be hell to pay, and he might never be able to win her over.
The blonde had stopped talking and was staring at him disdainfully. “You’re not even listening to me, are you?”
“Mmm?” Evander said, forcing his thoughts back to the present.
“I’ll see you around.” She stalked off, her hair swishing as she moved.
Evander found a nearby waiter and took a glass from his tray. Swallowing the wine gratefully, he went to shove a hand through his hair before realizing he had tied it back.
He sighed. This was turning into an interminably long evening.
When he finally spotted Arius’s entourage moving toward the exit, he felt a wave of relief. He still wasn’t sure what would come of their evening with the royal couple, but anything was better than this fucking gala.
Clara was still standing with her back to Evander, ostensibly deep in conversation.
Evander was done waiting. Lifting his chin, pasting a smile on his face, he stalked toward the small group.
Neros spotted him first. “May I help you… er?”
“Evander Bellum,” he introduced himself. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, sir. I’m here to fetch Clara. Her presence is required at the royal apartments.”
Only then did he allow his gaze to slide to his left. If Clara was shocked to see him suddenly talking to Neros, she didn’t show it with so much as a flicker of an eyelash. “Of course,” she said sweetly. “Thank you for coming to remind me. I’ll see you soon, Father.” Giving Neros a swift peck on the cheek, she kept the friendly smile on her face until they were well out of earshot.
“I can’t believe you did that,” she snarled under her breath.
“I wasn’t about to wait for you forever,” he growled back. “Besides, I wasn’t lying. Arius and Saskia have left. They’ll be expecting us.”
“I still don’t understand why it’s so important for us to go.”
“They invited us,” Evander said, impressed that she was matching his pace despite his much longer stride and the fact she was wearing high heels. “As I already said, you don’t turn down a royal invitation.”
“I thought you were his best friend? Surely he doesn’t hold you to the same standards of protocol he does everybody else.”
“Why are you so against going there for a drink?” Evander argued. “Is it the royal couple you don’t want to spend time with, or is it me?”
“What do you think? I’ve been asking you to leave me alone ever since yesterday evening, but you just keep turning up and ignoring my requests.”
During the course of their exchange, they had exited the Royal Theater and were now out in the street. Evander glanced about, then dragged Clara around a corner into an alleyway.
Backed against a brick wall, she glared up at him, her eyes huge and luminous in the semi-darkness. Her chest was heaving, the soft curves of her breasts threatening to pop right out of her golden gown. The fear and excitement emanating from her were palpable.
Evander had never wanted anyone—or anything—more.
Crowding her with his body, trapping her with his arms braced on the wall on either side of her head, he bent down and captured her lips with his, his tongue thrusting inside her mouth, kissing her with every ounce of the lust and anger he felt. Her scent filled him with the pounding desire which was becoming all too familiar, and he crushed his groin against her belly, rubbing his huge, aching shaft back and forth, wishing they were naked so he could get inside her unencumbered.
Tearing his mouth away, he glowered down at her, his heart pounding. “This is what you do to me,” he said, thrusting again to emphasize his point. “This is because we are meant to be. I don’t know why you believe you’d have to choose between me or your career. I don’t know why you’re so afraid of your father—gods, I don’t know how you can resist me so easily if you feel even one tenth of what I feel—but what I do know is that you were meant to be mine.”
Her eyes glittered and for a moment, he thought he spotted the gleam of unshed tears in her green gaze, but she blinked rapidly and tried unsuccessfully to shove him away. “Why can’t you respect my wishes?” she said, but there was a catch in her voice. “Why is it so hard for you to understand that I don’t want to be an Omega, not for you, not for anyone? How can I have a career once my secret gets out? Even if you allowed it—and that’s half the problem, right there—nobody else on the Hill would accept it. I’ve been lying to everybody for years! For all I know, there could be legal consequences. Don’t you understand that there’s just no way we could be together, even if we wanted to?”
Evander felt like a knife had pierced his heart but he forced himself to remain cool. “We could work something out,” he said. “Even if we had to move somewhere else. Why do you think I haven’t given you away yet? If your little secret got out and you were stripped of everything, you’d have nothing left. You’d have no choice but to be with me.”
Her chin was trembling. “You would never—”
“Wouldn’t I? Just because I haven’t done it yet doesn’t mean it hasn’t crossed my mind. And the more you try to push me away, the more you try my patience, the more tempting the idea becomes. But then you’ll hate me and I don’t want
that. I want you to want me as I want you.”
She had stopped trying to push him away and was now staring at him, a thousand shadows flickering across her eyes. He wished he could read her thoughts. “We should go,” she said at length, her shoulders slumping in obvious defeat. “I’m tired and this discussion isn’t getting us anywhere. The sooner we get there, the sooner I can go home.”
It was on the tip of Evander’s tongue to tell her that they would be going home together, but he decided it would be wiser to keep that thought to himself, at least for the time being. “As you wish,” he said instead. “And don’t worry, I don’t intend to stay for long.”
To his surprise, she didn’t resist when he took her hand, and he wondered whether he had actually made some headway, or whether she was again planning her exit.
Either way, he reasoned, it wouldn’t be long until he found out which.
Chapter Seven
Clara wasn’t quite sure what she had expected the royal apartments to look like but when she found herself ensconced on Arius’s pale gold sofa, she was surprised at how comfortable and informal her surroundings were. Arius and Saskia had welcomed her and Evander warmly, offering them refreshments, which a servant had brought them immediately. Clara was already feeling light-headed, so she reminded herself to sip her wine slowly. Evander’s mere proximity was intoxicating enough, and she’d had a few drinks at the gala. This would be the worst time to lose control in any kind of way.
The four of them sat on matching couches, the two couples opposite one other, and there was a brief silence, during which some kind of non-verbal exchange took place between Arius and Evander. It was obvious how well they knew each other, as they seemed to be capable of holding an entire conversation without saying a word.
Saskia was curled up against her mate, dwarfed by his massive body, and Clara couldn’t help wondering whether she, too, looked as small and fragile beside Evander. They were both sitting rigidly upright, as far apart as was possible on the couch, but the air between them was fairly crackling with tension. They had to be so, so careful. If Arius guessed the truth…
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