Rina went downstairs, she could hear voices in the kitchen.She entered the kitchen and found them all in the kitchen. Tobias and Benji were in the kitchen eating sandwiches Luna Rosa had made.The whole thing felt surreal to Rina. What the hell was going on?She went to Rafaele. "The rooms are ready" she whispered."Thanks love" he whispered. She could see he looked excited, this was a matter that would elevate his standing in the region among his fellow Alphas."You highness, the rooms are ready" he told Tobias."Thank you and please the whole 'highness' thing is tiring, just call me Tobias" Tobias told him.Rafaele shook his head, looking horrified at the mere thought of it."No I can't call you by your name, that is disrespectful" he rejected the idea."We are of the same age and I really want us to be friends. We can't do that with all the titles in the way, can we Rafaele?" he asked."You want us to be friends?" Rafaele asked, his eyes shining with emotions. Rina rolled her eye
Rafaele looked at Tobias and Rita in confusion."You knew her sister?" he asked Tobias."Yes, Rina and I were quite close. She used to come to the palace for official purposes." Tobias explained."It's a really small world" Rafaele said."It really is" Rina said wryly."Please accept my condolences on the death of your sister. Her death was quite a shock to me""Yes, it was shock to all of us" Rina said, wondering exactly why Tobias was here.She didn't buy his story about wanting to know how the packs operated. Tobias was here for a reason and she wasn't sure she wanted to know why."your highness, please give us time to prepare the royal residence" Rafaele told him. (every pack was mandated to have a royal residence for the royal family)"Ah that's okay. We can stay in the pack house, we aren't really that picky" Tobias assured him."Are you sure? The pack house is cramped and you might not get your privacy" Rina told him. Him being in the pack was bad enough. She wasn't sure she wo
Rain closed the door behind him softly as he entered the room.Damien sat on the edge of the bed, his arms crossed, seething in anger. His eyes flicked up once before dropping back to the floor.“You’re late,” he muttered.Rain sighed, toeing off his boots. “I am sorry, prince Tobias wanted to talk to me.”“I bet he did, they are all the same.” Damien said darkly.Rain walked over and dropped to his knees in front of him, gently resting his hands on Damien’s thighs. “You’re not mad at me. You’re mad at him. And I get it. I am too.”“You didn’t have to go with him,” Damien said, eyes flashing. “You didn’t have to laugh at Benji's stupid jokes. You didn't....”Rain kissed him.A slow, deliberate kiss that poured every unspoken word between them into the space of a single breath.When he pulled back, he looked Damien in the eye. “I chose you. Every time. Always.”Damien’s throat worked, but he said nothing.Rain stood and gently pushed him back onto the bed. “Let me remind you of that.”
Rain had successfully persuaded Alpha Tim not to follow him to beg. He would rather face the humiliation himself. Besides, he was the one Benji wanted not Alpha Tim. Even if he didn't know why the prince wanted him. First things first, he had to find that prince. Rain found Benji lounging in the garden, a book open in his lap and two guards were standing some distance away from him. They were on alert and eyed Rain warily ready to spring to action if needed. The air smelled of roses and flowers. The garden was beautiful, but Rain barely noticed, he was so nervous. Damien's future depended on this.Benji looked up the moment Rain stepped into view. “Rain,” he said, smiling as if they were old friends meeting for tea. “I was hoping you'd come.”Rain didn’t smile back. “I want to talk.”Benji closed his book with a soft snap. “Of course. Have a seat.”“I’ll stand.”Benji tilted his head, amused. “Suit yourself.”Rain folded his arms. “I’m here about Damien.”“Of course you are,” Ben
Back in their room after dinner, Rain let out a long breath, tugging off his shirt and tossing it somewhere near the chair. Damien was quieter than usual, brooding, and grumpy. Rain could feel the tension still humming beneath his skin like a pulled bowstring.“Are you going to say something,” Rain asked, “or are you going to keep pacing the room like a nervous puppy?”Damien shot him a look but said nothing. Instead, he crossed the room in three long strides, cupped Rain’s jaw, and kissed him.Rain melted into it, fingers curling around Damien’s shirt, tugging him closer until the two of them collapsed onto the bed, laughing, as they frantically touched each other. Lips met skin. Shirts were lost to the dark. Rain’s laughter softened into a gasp as Damien’s hands touched every part of him until he was a moaning mess.And when the world outside their door faded, they found each other again in their own little bubble, no palace, no princes, just them.---Later, tangled in sheets a
Rain didn’t say much on the walk back to their room. He kept thinking about how Damien had looked claiming him earlier. He felt so wanted. Damien had always been the perfect boy as far as Rain was concerned. He always kept his emotions under control. And yet today, because of Rain, he had slipped. The thought of it made Rain's blood heat up. Rain glanced at Rain who was walking beside him. He currently looked more composed. Nobody would have guessed that just moments ago, he had been close to assaulting a royal prince. But his eyes were lit with something dangerous. Something eager, hot and furious. Damien could feel the tension simmering between them, crackling like static every time their shoulders brushed. By the time the door shut behind them, Rain was already backing Damien against it, fingers tangled in the hem of his shirt, breath hot with anticipation.“You were jealous,” Rain murmured, eyes flicking down to Damien’s lips. “You hate him looking at me.”Damien growled lo