Choose Me

by Hart, Delmire

  He clutched onto his alpha tightly, trying to burrow himself closer. Maybe if he pushed himself against Kessler enough he could burrow right under his skin and sit there, safe and warm and protected forever.

  ***

  Renato heard Toru’s scream and was up and sprinting to the bedroom before he consciously registered what he was doing. He was stopped in his tracks by the sight that greeted him. An unknown man lay dead on the ground, surrounded by a pool of blood and with a large, bloody shard of ice protruding from his back.

  Toru knelt a short distance away, arms wrapped around his torso and mouth open in an unending scream. He immediately noticed the familiar faraway look in the omega’s eyes and started to croon as he slowly walked forward. He had only gone a few steps into the room when massive shards of ice shot out from around Toru.

  They had a different quality to them from the ones Renato had seen before and it set alarm bells ringing in his head. The omega hadn’t been triggered in their sparring sessions for some time now so it could only be the blood or the act of killing itself that set him off.

  “Toru,” he called out. The blonde twitched but gave no other sign that he had heard him. Morse stood wide eyed in the doorway with Luca peering out from behind him looking equally shocked and he waved them both back.

  Renato crept forward, crooning as loud as he could, and hoped that the little omega would respond instinctively. The screaming trailed off as he approached and died down completely when he brushed his hands across tearstained cheeks. Blue eyes blinked and he stared for a few long, tense moments as though he didn’t understand where he was before they finally focused on him.

  “Kessler?” Toru’s voice was raw from the screaming and he croaked the word out painfully. He paused the crooning just long enough to speak.

  “It’s okay Toru, I’m here. Just hold onto me.”

  The omega seemed confused as he gathered him in his arms. What Renato would give to chase away the terrors that lurked in the dark recesses of Toru’s mind. It wasn’t long before his mate was sobbing loudly and clutching at Renato, trying to pull him tighter and tighter against himself. He carefully picked the small body up and moved to the edge of the bed.

  Thankfully the ice was centered on the other side of the room and most of the furniture was untouched. The shards had still ripped through a table, a chair, and a tapestry on the wall, however. Cradling his mate, he looked over to the shell-shocked betas and they finally crept into the room cautiously.

  “He’s…he’s a Tysealean elemental.”

  “He is.”

  “Your Highness, that’s…”

  He trailed off at Renato’s hard look. “It changes nothing, Seth.”

  “You knew.”

  “Of course. That is why Litton brought him to me.”

  Morse opened his mouth to speak, but he clicked his mouth shut, words failing him. Renato turned his attention back to the shaking omega in his grip. Multiple cuts oozed blood all across his body; clearly the fight had gone on for some time.

  “Fetch Azumi and Jamil. Not a word to anyone else, understood?”

  Both betas nodded and darted from the room.

  He had hoped something like this would not happen but that was just wishful thinking. Still, his little mate needed to work through this because it would not be the last time someone took an attempt on his life and he would be forced to choose, him or them.

  But for now, he would do his best to soothe Toru’s wounded soul.

  Chapter 11: A New Perspective

  Renato gently stroked his hand through Toru’s soft blonde hair. The little omega still shivered in his lap, most likely due to shock, but the great shuddering sobs had subsided. The healer Azumi carefully moved his limbs around so she could clean and dress the wounds littering his body. She was careful to never pull him too far away from his alpha, although Renato wasn’t entirely sure who would react more strongly if she did, himself or Toru.

  His protective instincts still roared in his ears and it was causing him control issues just to have the beta touching him as she was now. No outward sign of his internal conflict showed on his face, but the tight grip around his mate’s waist gave him away.

  Jamil sighed as he moved away from the corpse staining the carpet of his bedroom. He looked at the other alpha and received a small shake of the head in answer to his silent question.

  “No identification as usual. Whoever has been sending these last few has been overly cautious. Most of the ones in the past at least had some hint of affiliation.”

  “They must be from higher up in the court, perhaps.” Morse rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “Someone who has more to lose if they are found out. Still, two assassins for you, Your Highness, in a scant few weeks is concerning. Especially in light of the upcoming gathering for the wedding.”

  “I do not believe this one was intended for me,” Renato spoke slowly, thinking aloud more than anything. “The timing is far too odd.”

  “But why else would they be stationed in your quarters?” Renato glanced down at the omega shivering in his arms significantly. “Surely not. Who would target a pleasure slave? No one in the household had any idea of his powers until after the attempt, barring yourself of course.”

  “The tattoo is a symbol of his elemental status.”

  That caught Morse by surprise. “He said it was a religious symbol?”

  “Yharis is the goddess of the moon and stars.” Toru’s voice was soft but there was a hint of steel in his tone. Renato couldn’t help the slight curve of his lips in satisfaction. His little omega always seemed to bounce back somehow, it might be muted but the fiery defiance was still there. “She’s also the patron goddess of all elementals. I was born with her mark and it has grown and changed with me. It will be there until the day I die.”

  Renato didn’t miss the suggestion that he would die if he ever lost his powers. It was not something to bear thinking about, but it was the reality of the situation. While Toru might not want to say his choice yet, Renato knew he needed the omega to come to him because if he broke the young man’s will then he would lose him irrevocably. Their power was connected to their beliefs and their own wills, of that he was certain. Force him into something and the doubt would eat away his power as had happened to the two previously captured elementals.

  Silence reigned while those words sank in. It was Jamil who finally broke it. “That may be, but that’s not common knowledge here. Who would know about such things and have been in contact with him? Few notice a slave, even out in the city.”

  “Knowledge about elementals is more prevalent within the army as they are something that has been fought against in the past.”

  “Berend?” Morse frowned in thought. “He just left, sending an assassin bare hours after visiting? That would be far too obvious and foolhardy, surely?”

  “It would generally be considered a blatantly obvious move, something that would usually be dismissed out of hand because Berend is well known for his cunning. It’s not his style but he could be using that to hide his intentions. Most likely he knows what the tattoo suggests and sent the assassin not for me, but for Toru to test his theory. It would be of no consequence to him if my pet died, it would only allay his fears and prove he was never a threat. But if his assassin never returns then he would need to be cautious if he is planning something involving myself. Don’t be fooled by his open and flippant attitude, the man’s cunning and ruthless. He’s not one of Rokere’s top generals for nothing. He is planning something, but whether or not it involves me directly remains to be seen.”

  “Sir, with the upcoming wedding and subsequent coronation of the new queen, the entire line of succession will be gathered in one place. You don’t think…?”

  “The coronation will take place in the palace, the heart of my family’s strength. While Salantra is a cesspit of politics and power struggles, the sheer military might required to breach that fortress is greater than one individual within the Rokerean court commands
.”

  Renato shifted to pull Toru closer while he considered the possibility of a threat against his family. It was not a pleasant thought and seemed so farfetched. But he hadn’t lived this long by being reckless or dismissing possible threats out of hand. “Katsuo commands with an iron fist and great intelligence, as does Shoji. Neither of my brothers would allow such a strong force to gather unchecked.”

  “It would be easier to arrange for an ‘accident’ to occur within the confines of the palace. I would like to request an increased guard to accompany us on the journey.”

  “Fine. Bring me a report on who you’ve picked in the morning and we’ll update the travel plans with additional funds and supplies.” Jamil nodded in acknowledgement.

  “Please bring me with you—”

  “No,” Renato cut Morse short with an air of finality. “I need to you here running the province in my stead. No one else has the ability or knowledge to do so.”

  “Then at least leave Toru here. If something were to happen…”

  “No.” The thought of being without his little omega for over a month was almost physically painful. “I’ll make sure nothing happens but you need to give him more credit. Much like my youngest sister, everyone forgets that they are quite capable of defending themselves.”

  He let the note of pride creep into his voice, because for all his demons, Toru had defended himself and defended Renato’s territory. Such a fierce little thing. The omega in question turned around to look at him in curiosity. “My youngest sister is also an omega. She fits the description of the perfect omegan appearance: small, fragile looking with big eyes and a soft voice. She’s also a highly skilled assassin and a ruthless politician. Many a stupid alpha thought she would be an easy way into the royal family and so she’s left a trail of broken hearts and broken bones in her stead. You will get along well.”

  “Sir, that really isn’t advisable even so.”

  “Enough. With me is the safest place he can be. Besides, his heat is due while we are away.”

  Toru flushed bright red at that and his subordinate finally let the matter rest. Yes, he would be distraught if anything happened to his little omega, even now before they were fully mated, but there was no way he would leave behind his mate to endure his heat on his own. Not when he had been waiting so patiently for it to arrive. Because while Toru might have been pointedly ignoring the passage of time, Renato had been keeping a careful eye on the calendar. He had been in Renato’s care for just under two months at this point so his heat was due at any time now.

  It was two weeks’ travel to the capital generally, although that pace meant stopping at all the villages and inns on the way rather than using all the daylight to travel. They would be caught by the dark and have to make camp along the roadside more than once on their trip but that was preferable to the snail’s pace of losing half a day of travel so he could sleep in a bed that night.

  Less time travelling meant less chance of Toru’s heat coming while they were on the road as well. He was very much looking forward to claiming his mate and would much prefer to do so in the comfort of a private room with all the time in the world.

  Because he had no doubt that Toru would, in fact, choose him. He was almost certain he already had, he was just too stubborn to admit it.

  Azumi finally stood and packed away her things. “He needs to rest and no strenuous activity before you leave. Except for bonding activities. I would highly encourage you to engage in some pleasurable bonding activities to help ease off the tension of the attack. It will help ground him and strengthen your connection.”

  Renato thanked the woman and waved her off, Toru had groaned during the little speech and determinedly hid his no doubt bright red face in his chest. It amused him that even after their activities that morning, Toru still found any spoken suggestion of sexual activities extremely embarrassing.

  None of the other occupants in the room seemed even remotely bothered by the explicit suggestion and it highlighted the differences in Rokerean versus Tysealean mentalities. Sex was considered a part of life for Rokereans, nothing to be embarrassed about or to hide away. Poor little Toru was in for a shock once they reached the capital and he was faced with the others in the same position as himself.

  Standing with Toru still wrapped in his arms, he spoke to his staff. “We’ll stay in the south wing guestrooms tonight but I want this cleaned up as soon as possible. Luca, fetch something sweet but light from the kitchens for Toru.” The beta nodded and scampered off while his steward and master-at-arms bowed. He strode from the room, heading off towards their temporary rooms. It wasn’t long before Toru was squirming in his grip.

  “I can walk, you know.” Renato could hear the pout it his voice but was pleased to note the underlying defiant tone. It seemed like Toru’s reaction earlier was genuine, he really wasn’t one to be down and out for long. That was good, he didn’t want a mate that would lie down and give up. No, his partner needed a strength to match his own, albeit a different type of strength. But then he had railed against Renato right from day one, even as his body betrayed him, he had held his ground.

  “I’m sure you can but I feel like carrying you.” The omega huffed and squirmed more determinedly but he clasped him even tighter against his chest. “As much as I enjoy your fiery spirit, right now I do not have the patience for it. You have been injured and are clearly hurting.” Toru opened his mouth, eyes glaring at him but he cut him off. “And not just physically. You can go back to your usual bluster tomorrow but for tonight, let me take care of you.”

  Toru was silent at that but he did stop wiggling. They walked through the hallways quietly until they reached the main guest quarters that were always clean and ready for unexpected visitors. Finally alone, he asked the question that had been eating at him since he had seen Toru on the floor surrounded by his ice.

  “Toru, were you trying to kill yourself with your ice?”

  The younger man stiffened in his arms and Renato knew he had hit the truth. He remembered how he had seemed to be torn between clutching at himself or tearing at his own skin while he trembled on the floor. How his ice seemed different compared to what he had seen before, almost as though he was trying to force out of himself. It had seemed sharper somehow, more dangerous, and lacking the usual soft beauty that Toru seemed to unconsciously imbue into the ice.

  Dumping the omega on the bed, Renato crawled on top of his prone form and pinned him in place. Toru kept his face averted to the side but Renato grabbed his chin to force him to meet his eyes.

  “Look at me.” Blue eyes looked up at him in a swirl of stubbornness, confusion, and guilt. “Never again.”

  “But—”

  “Never. Again. What you did is nothing to feel shame over. In this world, it’s you or them. Every single person you killed would have killed you in a heartbeat. They were trained killers out for something and you stopped them.”

  “But they were people too. They had lives and family and dreams and—”

  “They chose their path,” Renato cut across him sharply. He needed to make his omega understand. “We do not conscript soldiers for the army here in Rokere. Each and every single man in the army knows that their life may be forfeit at any point. That’s what they do; kill or be killed. That goes double for an assassin. And it won’t stop. There’s always a new power-hungry idiot hoping to move up in the royal line of succession thinking they can off me with some half-bit assassin. You are close enough to me that you will start to be targeted more often as well. So, while I understand your appreciation of human life, the minute they raise a hand towards you they have made their choice. It’s you or them. That is something you will need to come to terms with. Death is only an escape, it atones for nothing.”

  Toru’s body trembled underneath him and his eyes displayed a swirling mass of emotion. Confusion, guilt, understanding, denial. As much as he hated seeing the pain and hesitation in his expression, he couldn’t stand to see him suffering mentally. He n
eeded to work through this once and for all.

  “I will not let you run away from this, Toru. You are mine, I’m not letting you go. That means running away or taking your own life. I may not take you before you come to me, and you will, your body doesn’t lie, but you need to learn the distinction between what is necessary and what is right. They are not one and the same. If someone raises their hand to kill you, it is necessary to defend yourself, even if that means taking their life. It may not be right as far as morals go, but that comes secondary to your safety.”

  The alpha leaned forward and sealed his speech with a drugging kiss. Toru was HIS. Deny it all he wanted, he would accept nothing less than his entire being given willingly. He was a patient man, he could wait a little longer for that to occur, but he needed to nip this in the bud before Toru was consumed by his demons.

  Small arms sneaked up to clutch at his neck and shoulders and Renato let his weight drop onto the omega below him, engulfing him completely. They only separated for air when there was a quiet knock at the partially open door and the alpha looked up to see Luca peeking around the door frame. Renato pulled away as he gestured the beta inside before quickly gathering his omega into his lap to be fed.

  Toru allowed him to feed him a few slices of his favourite fruit before he started to nip and bite at his fingers in rebellion. Those sparkling blue eyes still held the emotions of before in their depths but it was pushed aside for now, held at bay to be thought through later.

  It was a good sign. Perhaps he had finally given Toru the tools necessary to slay his own demons.

  ***

  Toru sighed as Luca bundled him up into his town gear. He had hoped that he might get to wear something a little less revealing as they travelled but apparently not. The skirt was slightly longer, which was nice, but not by that much. He was also a little miffed that he would be riding in the carriage along with Luca and a few other household staff. He could ride a horse! He didn’t need to be treated like a soft little flower that would bruise easily. The alpha had only laughed at his grumblings and told him that if he was good he might be able to take a turn on one of the guard’s horses once they were out in the country.