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Healer Rhea's POV

Rhea attempted to gather her thoughts for the day, but it ultimately failed when her team discovered an issue—The wine that was ordered to arrive by tonight was delayed.

And wouldn't be fulfilled because it tipped!

The entire carriage had spilled—Thousands of gold coins worth of product had been completely to waste. And the poor male that had to deliver the news was close to tears.

Yet Rhea was taught that very important message to not kill the messenger, even if she wanted to.

She was not going to cry over something as simple as a drink order falling apart. But that left far too much room for criticism, a party without the drinks—No, she wouldn't allow this to happen.

She would not be intimidated. Instead, she decided that she needed an expert, someone who wouldn't become tipsy so easily—And thus, when Romulus had returned with a cunning smile plastered on his face, Rhea rushed towards him and sunk deeply into his chest.

"Amory?... What's wrong?" Her name had slipped, but it was alright. This was one of the safest places for him to let his guard down, and they both knew it.

There were how many nights of sharing a bed between them? It was much easier to count how many he hadn't joined her instead.

"Lost the wine." She whispered, but he must have assumed she lost control of her own drinking as he tipped her back and took a long gaze into her eyes. "You don't smell of any—"
"My wine order! It's carriage tipped over and I've lost it all...It was the last batch in stock of your favorite brand that could make it in time for Saturday." She issued, and Romulus had fallen silent as his hands continued to run their soothing course up and down her arms.

"What are our options?" He asked, and Rhea groaned—She had been looking forward to relaxing. To tempt him by actually bending her over a table to see what was in store for her then. But it was all for not, and she huffed.

"I—I suppose there are a few wineries that could offer something else?"
"Good. I'll draft a letter in the morning for you to take. A seal and everything. Have it become a rushed order?"

"But what if you don't like it?" He sighed, trying to figure out the best approach. "You could come with me?" She asked, and the King looked down at his little mate, not liking that she had to ask—The answer should always be yes, but his line of duty made it difficult.

Not to mention that she had absolutely no clue that she is his fated mate.

"I could."

"But you can't, can you?" He grimaced at the fact that she had sounded disappointed, but truly, what more could he do in his position?

"It's difficult, Amory...I cannot leave the castle so freely anymore." Her eyes had darted this way and that for a moment, as she nodded and tried her best not to feel disappointed. Truthfully, it would have gone well, if it weren't for Romulus' wolf getting the better whiff of her emotions. "I'm sor—"

"It's fine. I'll be shackled back to the throne soon. I should enjoy the freedom I have now." He wasn't making the title sound glorious, was he?

Granted, a previous excuse would have been that the Rogue packs were still at large, and leaving the castle would be opening up for an attack—Leaving the people here defenseless and himself at an easier target.

He tried to see the issue with one afternoon, and if he brought work along for the trip, then it could be a well-offered excuse. "Alright." He whispered, but it hadn't felt as easy off the tongue as projected.

Leaving Rhea to frown.

"Alright? What's alright?"
"I will go with you tomorrow. But only a short time, it's not safe to be out of the castle for very long." Her frown increased, if that was even possible, but Romulus had reached out and began stroking down her arms once more—Electing a soft sigh to escape her.

"I realize that we've swapped lives, and we're still feeling the difference between them—But I've asked such a large task from you, I'd be a fool not to take this time to enjoy it with you. What is the phrase, two birds?"
"Two birds, one stone...Yes, Mother always used to say that." It was a lofty voice she had used when speaking about her mother. Which had somewhat turned the same whenever her father or mention of the past had been brought up in the tern of conversation.

Yet Romulus had found no fault, he loved speaking about the previous king—If it did Amory good to accept closure.

While Romulus had gained the status of Prince, following his father's turn on Alpha King—Rhea had not only been orphaned, but promptly placed as Queen only to lose her throne—All while getting burned...How was he meant to justify the course of things without even bothering to try and change his schedule at the very least?

"This issue will be over by tomorrow...And perhaps, we can find our own barrels of wine." While having calmed down from the rush of panic, she couldn't piece together just what Romulus was speaking, not until he spelled out the fact that they needed a featured wine for their own wedding.

"I suppose we'll have to rush a wedding, won't we?" She questioned, coming to sit down at the seating area outside of her bedroom—This was not a conversation for bedside manners, not when it still revolved around such an important instance.

"As I'm only speculating what your plan is, the votes you've gathered to act as agreements still only fill up the given portion of the room. Kieran will most likely say yes, and the humans beside you will favor having a human Queen...It's hard to make theories when you've told me so little. But yes, for safety measures it would be best to follow suit within two weeks following the use of your favors." She nodded, though their close proximity had allowed her to move close into his embrace and tuck her legs kindly underneath her.

"I've missed you this week." She whispered, smiling up from his chest as she soon began to close her eyes. "I wasn't the only one to miss you at the meeting. You've swayed Wilhelm and that is a rather difficult instance to pursue."

"I don't understand why you find him aggravating, he's rather kind...We spoke about you before."
"What of?" She smirked and remained silent, or tried until the King had made an attempt at her bare neck. Falling into a submissive pose where she pulled her shoulders higher up and hide away. "Just that you're handsome, and that a woman who cared about the inners of a man wouldn't care what they look like on the outside. I believe I outed myself on that bit in calling you handsome, but perhaps he will vote in our favor." As Romulus had taken the moment to digest her words, it had all of a sudden become clear in his mind—And a sly smirk had started to rally upon his face.

"I'm handsome?" He chimed, and Rhea groaned as she went ahead to plant herself entirely into his chest. "You're cruel."
"If I'm not mistaken, you've called me handsome to another male...That in itself is a declaration." She peeked up her attention and squinted up towards him, damn him—Damn him straight to—

"Ah, ah. I am merely glowing at the thought of your comments. Why do I not hear them myself?"

"You want me to say you're handsome?"
"I don't think there is any male who wouldn't want to hear a comment from their beloved."

"And your ego is casting a glare on your looks, careful. I might ask for your counterpart instead tonight." Now that had instigated a new contender into the conversation. A rushing growl had started to vibrate through the better part of her body and she lifted her chin to be able to meet his eyes directly.

A worthy mate to an Alpha King, knowing that she is his equal with the way she kept eye contact.

"Don't tempt me, female." The bite had caused her to grin further, but it was that very declaration that she wanted to test. She would worry about the repercussions another time.

"And you, my King? Tempting to lavish me right then and there...You don't play a fair game." Whatever control he had vanished with the state of his eyes, and Rhea couldn't help but shiver at seeing the blackened pools overtake his pupils.

Somehow, under the calculating eyes of her Alpha, she managed to run her hands into his hair with a soft hum to fill the space between them. "Are you a man of your word, Alpha?"

There was no other option in Romulus' mind, there couldn't be. Not when her eyes spoke exactly what she wanted. And he would be such a plain fool not to take the opportunity to set his sights for his future Queen.

Rhea felt as though she blinked, and the movement had been far too quick for her to truly count as being replaced on the couch that was formally well across the room.

Yet how was she meant to formulate a thought when the Alpha had already sought out his target? The ruffles of her dress hadn't deterred him, and neither had the undergarments that only made arriving to her heat an even tastier treat.

The way his claws had retracted long enough to prickle through the layer of her skin had acted as the perfect lock—Keeping her well in place as he devoured the likes of her heat.

Rhea—Goddess—Nothing she spoke had dignified a reply, which only urged him to continue. Wanting—Loving—That Rhea was finally at a loss for words.

It felt like the best reward.

Yet it wasn't enough, the touch of clothing and lack of seeing her bare skin was driving him to the edge. Which had left Rhea whimpering through the tears of her dress' fabric, parting in shreds down the middle and making it much easier to slip out of.

But Rhea hadn't cared, all she wanted was for him to return to his position and take her soul—Making it his for the taking.

He not only succeeded, but he earned a breathless release under his own name.

With Rhea limp as could be on the couch, laying in the tatters of her clothes—Romulus left a trail of kisses down her neck, lingering in the very spot her had dictated as his.

This is the perfect spot for his mark to be placed, and he couldn't wait—And his wolf couldn't understand why they were forced to wait.

Had Rhea not known what her male was up to, this afternoon might have ended in a much different way. Instead, she tugged him back a bit and took a deep gaze into the darkness in his eyes.

"Soon, Alpha. You can claim me soon."
"Soon." He growled, and Rhea smirked as her eyes fluttered closed for another moment before trying to test her limbs through the fog of the afterglow.

Yet her gasp had earned her a growl. Though seeing the way she had attempted to take the closest blanket and drape it over her body was just another reason that he couldn't wait to bond with her.

To mate her.

To declare before the Goddess above that he would make it all right. That he would write the wrongs and restore what was always intended.

For him, for Amory, and for the Kingdom.

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Date: 07/10/23

Time: 1:15

Words: 1961

Author's Note:

It's just a slight hiccup in the road, only three chapters in this update but it might be a while until the next one is posted.
But how tempting is Alpha Romulus?