Page 149 of The Fallen Fae King

I wrap my wings around Freya, relishing her rose scent.

Then I kiss her with desperate yearning.

I wish that I could live in this moment, the one where we are alone together, I am serving her food that I cooked with my own hands, and we have created a home together.

But I can’t.

I’ll take this one quiet moment though, as much as it is a fantasy.

Shadow Devils, can’t I at least have this?

I kiss Freya more deeply, before I clasp my arms around her waist.

Her eyes are glassy, and her cheeks are flushed.

I scan Freya’s face, memorizing the number of freckles that dust her nose and cheeks, and the way that her eyelashes flick up at the sides.

She rests her head on my shoulder. “What was that for?”

“Since when did I need a reason to kiss you?” I glance at the food on the table. “You’ve done well, love.”

Freya has laid out on a wooden tray a coarse barley loaf next to a wedge of creamy goat’s cheese, black olives and two apples.

It’s better than I received when I was locked in the dungeon.

Some days, however, it hasn’t been.

I love that Freya has also arranged some of the wildflowers in the center of the table to brighten it.

She has done the same around the small room.

“Iggy is on guard duty today.” Freya smiles. “He brought us his own food, rather than the standard shit that he was meant to. He’ll get himself in trouble with his Omega.”

My expression hardens. “Aquila better start treating our Iggy well, or I’ll have words with the cold-hearted idiot myself. On the sacred ash, Iggy dreamed that matching with his dragon rider would be special. Do you remember that he explained it as one of the most powerful bonds in the realms? It feels like his bond is more of a cage.”

“He said that it would be nice not to feel alone.” Freya nuzzles me. “On the moon, I understand yearning for that. But Aquila is taking advantage of it. Iggy is so desperate for his bond to work that he’s blind to his Omega’s flaws.”

“A good Alpha is blind when it comes to their Omega, love. I was lost the moment that our soul bond snapped into place. I would have protected you with my last breath. You have no idea the power you have over all of us, do you?”

Freya gives me a long look. “I’m not the one in control.”

She could break Aurelius, Lanlin, and me with a single word.

She has one of us burning down his own empire, another one sacrificing himself and now a captive, and me…?

Well, I’d do anything for her. She holds my soul.

I am dying and forming a new pack to support her when I’m gone, isn’t that enough?

I swallow.

“See, no idea.” When her stomach grumbles, I snatch up a small wooden spoon. “Sorry, love. What kind of Alpha am I to allow my Omega to go hungry?”

I raise the lentil stew to my lips, blowing on it to cool it. Then I raise it to Freya’s lips in turn.

She happily eats the stew. “Hmm, good.”

“You still doubt my skill? I’m hurt.”