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A fire is roaring in the fireplace, but I’ve got the same thing in my chambers. The regal, ancient walnut desk is cool, but it’s dated. With its overstuffed armchairs and flowery drapes, the office lacks a certain…oomphtonight.
My mother stands by the fire with a brandy in her hands, staring at the dancing flames before she turns slowly to face me. “Kaspian.”
“Mother.” I stride over to the drinks trolley and help myself to some of her brandy.
It’s the good stuff. She has it distilled by some special guy in France who bottles it only for her. Usually, I wouldn’t dare touch this decanter without her say-so, but I’m in a fuck-itkind of mood, it seems.
The queen raises her chin as she watches me pour myself a drink, but she doesn’t say anything about it. Instead, once I’ve got my glass in my hand, she motions toward her desk. “I’ve laid out some paperwork for you to take a look at. I’d like to know the meaning of it all.”
I frown.So, this isn’t a lecture? It’s about paperwork? Odd.
As soon as I see the paperwork in question, however, it’s not so odd anymore. In fact, it makes perfect sense.
The documents are laid out side-by-side, a printout of the lease for the cottage, the employment contract for Simon, and finally, a request for medical aid that I put in this morning.The old bag really doesn’t miss a fucking trick, does she?
“I’m waiting, Kaspian. What is the meaning of this, please?”
I sigh before I straighten and face her again, taking a small sip of her brandy to steel my resolve. “You summoned me here to confront me about her? Why? Maddison Darling is an eligible Omega who was selected to participate in the Trials. I learned of her family’s hardship, and as we were in a position to assist them, I thought it prudent to do so.”
“Maddison Darling should never have been selected, and you’re smart enough to have figured that out by now. Her presence is nothing more than the result of a mix-up within the selection committee. The members responsible for it have been dealt with, and the Omega who should have been selected is named Clara something or other. Don’t fool yourself, Kaspian. She’s not who you’re going to bond with.”
“She isn’t?” I lower my head slowly to one side as I regard the woman who was too busy to help me as a child and who now seems to think she can influence my decisions as an adult. “Regardless of how she was selected, the fact remains that she was. I speak for my packmates and myself when I say that in our view, she’s a strong contender.”
My mother’s dark eyes narrow as she studies mine. “Oh, for God’s sake, don’t tell me you’ve gone and fallen in love with her.”
“Don’t dismiss the notion so easily, Mother. She’s got a wonderful heart and the people quite like her. Have you seen her ratings?”
“Of course, I have. That’s the only reason I haven’t taken care of her mistaken participation myself.”
“Except that it’s not your decision who stays and who goes,” I say with absolutely no clue why I’m digging in on this and standing up for her when I’ve already told her we’ll never choose her. “We’ve grown to care about Maddison, Mother. Perhaps it was fate that dropped her in our laps instead of the Omega who was supposed to have been selected.”
“Fate?” She arches a brow at me as she releases a sharp breath through her nostrils. “My dear boy, you cannot possibly be that naïve. It’s not my decision who stays and who goes, but I do have considerable influence over the media and as such, over the people you say love her. That might be true right now, Kaspian, but you and I both know public perception is fickle. Adarlingone minute, a pariah the next.”
So that’s why Antonio and Rachel are being punted as the top two. Good to know.“Careful, Mother. My next interview with theDaily—”
The door bursts open, and my father stumbles in. His eyes are red and shiny, glazed over as he tries to focus on my mother and me. Reeking of alcohol and sex with his tie askew and his buttons not properly aligned, he grins and sways as he throws his arms out to his sides.
“My family!” he exclaims like he’s had the best surprise of his life. “Here you are. Do you think we could have a drink? I—”
“You don’t need another,” my mother says coolly before she strides to the door and peeks out into the hallway. “Stuart! A little assistance.”
While we wait for her pet of a secretary to come take the drunken mess off our hands, the stone that was the mask of my mother’s features cracks. Wordlessly, she goes to his side and takes his arm, guiding him to the nearest chair and taking care of him in her own way despite his treachery.
It makes me sick, but when she gets him a glass of water, I see the depth of the pain in her eyes. She’s not so stoic now. Not so impenetrable.
She dropped everything to help a man who was balls deep in some other woman earlier tonight, and Mum knows it. Yet, she brings him the water and coaxes him to drink, murmuring softly as she sits on the armrest of the chair he’s in and holds the glass so he won’t drop it.
Moments later, Stuart comes in and takes the King Consort away. Once we’re alone again, she brings her gaze to mine, but her mask isn’t back on yet. “This is where love gets you, Kaspian.”
She stands and strides back to the fireplace to pick up her brandy. “Keep your little pet project,” she says as she stares at the flames. “But youwillend up with one of the other Omegas.”
Her voice is strangely forlorn now. “Antonio Ramirez is a good match for you, as is the American girl. Rachel. There are a few others too, if those two don’t tickle your fancy. Have your fun with Maddison Darling. Get her out of your system, and when the time comes, make the right decision. The sensible one.”
“Right,” I mutter, too depressed and chastened to argue with her right now. After what I witnessed between her and my father, tonight won’t be the night to attempt to win her over anyway. “Good night, Mother.”
She lifts her hand in a wave, but as I leave her office, she still hasn’t looked away from the flames. My earlier despair rolls back into me ten times as strong. Instead of going back to our pack quarters, I head up to the roof.
Judging by what I’m feeling from them right now, this isn’t the time to discuss what I learned with my packmates. Body, heart, and soul, I yearn to join them, but I don’t, because my brain is stronger and smarter than that. Our bodies, hearts, and souls are what got us into this mess.
