Chapter Seventeen: The Prince's visit 2

"Elara," he said softly, his voice a warm counterpoint to the chill that lingered in the air from Damon's presence. His touch, light as a feather, brushed against her belly. Two tiny kicks answered him, a sweet confirmation of the life growing within her.

A soft smile touched her lips and she stood up. "I'll show you around, Your Highness." 

"Elara, I didn't want to look around, I wanted to talk to you. I came for you, not your husband."

"But Your Highness..."

"Kaelen, my dear. Call me Kaelen."

"Regardless, you're the Prince of our Kingdom, I can't be reckless around you, it might cost me my head."

"Elara, my dear, don't say that. You're this Prince's saviour and you didn't even get a reward for that."

"Your Highness, I'm not -" he reached out and cupped her face before she could say another word.

"It's Kaelen." He corrected, caressing her face.

She took a few steps backwards, backing away from him; "Kaelen, I'm not sure if this is what friendship is, but even if it was, we're not supposed to have it. We can't be friends or anything to each other. You're the heir to the throne and I am a mated pregnant omega, besides, omegas don't get to be friends with alphas."

"Does my approach signal just friendship as the sole intention?"

"I don't know, Alpha, I haven't had anything close to that, how can I tell what it is?"

"Oh, goodness, let's stick to Kaelen for now, hearing you call me Alpha does things to me, makes me feel a way I can't afford to feel right now." Prince Kaelen meant something else but Elara got worried, what if she'd unintentionally angered the Prince?

"I'm so sorry Prince Kaelen, I didn't mean to upset you."

Prince Kaelen covered the distance between them, he reached out, held her hand and brought it to his face, "ohh, how your innocence makes me feel unholy. Darling, I want you to know that I don't plan on being just friends with you, I have this feeling for you, I can't confirm I know what it is yet but at least I'm certain that I urge to make your life better...and even if I may not be able to have you beside me, I'd like you in a better place, a place without Robin Damon."

"It's far too late for that, I have his heirs growing inside me now, if I ever manage to get away from him, what about them? I can't take them away from their father."

"A father that doesn't mind hitting you and even raising a knife at you, wouldn't mind hitting them too, you want that?" Kaelen softly laid out his words making Elara wrapped her arms around her belly, protectively. "I know you don't, so at least let me help you in any way I can. Okay?" Elara nods but Kaelen shook his head, indicating he wants more than a nod for an answer.

"Okay, Alpha." She said making Kaelen drop his face in the crook of her neck.

"The alpha thing again, ohh, I'm doomed." He muttered into her scent gland making her body visibly vibrate. "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to get that out of you." 

"It's okay, shall I show you around, Your Highness?" Elara asked, slightly bowing.

"It'd be a pleasure Your Grace." Kaelen teased making Elara chuckle and if it isn't the most beautiful melody Kaelen had ever heard.

He reached out, his fingers gently tracing the line of her cheek before turning to the task at hand. "Let's go, then."

As they walked through the house, their conversation flowed easily, a comfortable silence bridging the gaps between words.

Prince Kaelen turns to her, his eyes locking onto hers with an intensity that makes her heart skip a beat.

"Elara, may I confess something to you?" Kaelen asks, his voice low and husky.

"Of course, Your Highness." Elara responds, her voice barely above a whisper.

With a hint of vulnerability creeping into his tone, "I didn't sleep at all last night."

Elara's brow furrowing in concern, "Oh? Was everything all right?"

His gaze holding hers. "Everything's fine. It's just..." He pauses, his words spilling out in a rush, "I couldn't shake your image from my mind. Since the Royal Ball last night, you've been..." He clears his throat, his voice dropping to a whisper, "haunting me."

Elara's cheeks flushed, her heart racing. "Haunting you?"

With his eyes obviously burning with intensity. "Yes. I see your smile, your eyes sparkling in the candlelight..." He takes a step closer, his voice low and husky. "And I'm left wondering if I'll ever be able to erase the memory of you from my mind."

The silence that follows is palpable, the air thick with tension as Elara searches for a response, her heart pounding in her chest.

He asked for her number; she lacked a personal phone.

"What do you mean you don't have a personal phone?"

"Damon wouldn't get one for me, I can't get one myself because I don't have personal funds or any source of income either."

"I'd get you one."

"If Damon sees me with a phone or anything he doesn't know the source, he'd snap and that wouldn't go well for me."

"That son of a...I'll give Damon a contract to keep him busy," Kaelen mentioned casually, a glint of mischief in his eyes. "It'll leave us more time together, wouldn't you agree?"

"Wouldn't that be too much? I don't want to be indebted to you, and spending time together? Wouldn't that be too much of a big step?" Elara hesitantly states her concern.

"Indebted? I want to be with you more, that does not in any way make you indebted dear. But if you think I'm being too pushy and it's overwhelming for you or you don't want me around you, just say it, say no and I wouldn't dare disobey you." Kaelen assured.

"I wouldn't dare say no to you, Your Highness."

"You can, if you want to, you can say no to Kaelen."

"I don't want to say no to Kaelen."

"Thank you, my lady." He reached for her hand again, their fingers interlacing as they continued their tour, her touch setting off a spark of excitement in his heart. They stood for a moment in an intimate embrace. Again, the twins stirred, their movements a tiny echo of the emotions swelling between them. The world seemed to fade away, leaving only Elara and Kaelen, their hearts beating in unison – a silent promise of a future yet to unfold.