Chapter Thirteen: Royal Ball 2

She felt his presence before she saw him. The air crackled with a raw energy that made her skin prickle. She turned to find Kaelen standing a few feet away, his eyes burning into hers.

"Elara," he said, his voice a low rumble that vibrated through her. Just her name, but it held a wealth of unspoken emotion.

She swallowed, her heart hammering against her ribs. "Prince Kaelen," she managed, the title sounding foreign on her tongue.

He took a step closer. "Please, call me Kaelen."

The pull was irresistible. She wanted to run, to hide, to escape the impossible situation she found herself in. But she also wanted to stay, to drown in the depths of his stormy eyes, to feel the warmth of his presence.

"You shouldn't be talking to me," she whispered, knowing how scandalous even this brief exchange was. "I'm…"

"You're trapped," he finished, his voice laced with a quiet understanding that pierced her soul. "I see it in your eyes, Elara. You deserve better than this."

She looked away, ashamed. "I made my choice," she said, the words tasting like ash in her mouth.

"Did you?" He stepped closer still, closing the distance between them. "Or was it made for you?"

Before she could answer, he reached out, his hand gently cupping her chin, tilting her face up to meet his gaze. His thumb stroked her cheekbone, sending a jolt of electricity through her body.

"Come with me," he murmured, his voice a husky whisper. "Just for a moment."

Hesitation warred with desire. Common sense screamed at her to refuse, to remember her responsibilities, her status as a mated omega. But the pull of Kaelen was too strong, the promise of something more, something better, too tempting to resist.

Without a word, she nodded.

They slipped away separately, Kaelen disappearing down a darkened hallway, Elara following a few minutes later, her heart pounding against her ribs with each step. She found him waiting in a small, secluded chamber, the air thick with anticipation.

He locked the door behind her, the click echoing in the silence. Then, he turned to her, his eyes burning with an intensity that made her weak in the knees.

"I've been thinking about you, Elara," he said, his voice rough with emotion. "Every day, every night."

He reached out, his hands gently resting on her swollen belly. "And them," he added softly. "Your children. I didn't quite catch it then but when I sat in silence, thinking back on my miraculous encounter with you, I recalled you said “babies” instead of baby so I got excited thinking that you have a pair growing inside you, I couldn't contain how much I longed to see you again."

He looked up at her, his eyes searching her face. With his long fingers already caressing her scent gland, "may I?" he asked, his voice barely a whisper.

Elara nodded, giving him permission to do what her husband had never done.

He leaned down, burying his face in the crook of her neck. He inhaled deeply, drawing in her scent. The scenting was an intimate act, something usually reserved for mated pairs. It was a way of claiming, of bonding, and of recognizing each other on a primal level. Damon had never scented her, and had never allowed her to scent him. It was another way of keeping her at arm's length, of denying her a place in his life.

Kaelen's scent washed over her, the earthy aroma of pine and rain, mixed with a hint of something wild and untamed. It filled her senses, erasing everything else from her mind. He trailed kisses along her neck, his lips soft and tender, , his breath warm against her skin, sending shivers of pleasure down her spine.

He moved lower, carefully scenting her belly. He stayed there for what felt like an eternity, his hands gently caressing her curves.

Tears welled in Elara's eyes. She reached out, her fingers threading through his dark hair, holding him close.

"Damon has never let me scent him, he's never scented me" she whispered, the words tumbling out before she could stop them. "He says it's… unnecessary."

Kaelen pulled back, his eyes filled with a mixture of anger and compassion. "He's a fool, Elara," he said, his voice low and dangerous. "He doesn't deserve you."

He cupped her face in his hands, his thumbs gently wiping away her tears. "You are strong, Elara. You are resilient. And you are worthy of love and happiness."

He looked at her, his eyes filled with a promise she'd almost given up on. "I will make sure of it."

“Can we stay here a little bit more? Away from everyone out there.”

“Anything you wish for, your grace.” He whispered before planting a kiss on her forehead.

And they did stay like that; Kaelen sitting on an armchair and Elara sitting on his lap, drawing in each other's scent.

The gathering was winding down when Elara finally returned to Damon's side. He barely noticed her absence, too busy basking in Alpha Rhys's approval. He gave her a cursory glance, his expression cold and dismissive.

"Where have you been?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Nowhere," she replied, her voice steady, her eyes meeting his without flinching.

She felt no guilt, no shame. Only a strange sense of peace, of clarity. She was still trapped, still bound to Damon by duty and obligation. But Kaelen had shown her that she was still alive, still capable of feeling, still worthy of something more.

As they prepared to leave, Elara glanced back at the dais, at the future King who had changed everything with a few shared looks and a stolen moment. Their eyes met across the crowded ballroom. Kaelen gave her a single, almost imperceptible nod. A promise for a future she could now dare to dream about. And in that moment, Elara dared to hope for a different life for herself.