Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Prince Lucien Aster’s POV

My mouth opened, but no single word came out. I stood there, totally clueless on what to do.

“I’m sorry, Your Highness. I wanted the other Omegas to know I was the Prince’s favorite, so I left those love marks.”

The sweet smell of lavender hit my nose. I turned around, and there he was.

“Ren!”

He winked at me with a small smile and dropped to his knees right in front of my father.

“Punish me, Your Highness. I was out of line.”

“Listen to me, Ren. I know you are my son’s favorite, but when you were needed to kill those stupid rumors, you proved useless.”

Father shoved Ren down hard, releasing his heavy Alpha pheromones. The ironwood pressure slammed into Ren so fast that he choked, spitting blood onto the floor.

Rage boiled inside my blood as I watched Ren hit the ground. If it were anyone else who laid a finger on my Ren, they wouldn't escape my wrath—I would tear them apart without thinking twice. But this was my father, the King, the supreme Alpha I couldn't dare stand against. Anger and powerlessness fought inside me, making my body shake. I tried to step forward, ready to snap, but my knees felt weak under the weight of his royal authority.

Sylvain caught my eyes and grabbed my wrist, holding me back. He gave a small, quick shake of his head. Don’t do it.

I bit my lip hard, shutting my eyes as I squeezed my fists. I was so angry that I couldn't protect the person I loved, yet I was completely stuck. I couldn't bring myself to face my own father, so I just stood there, burning with helpless anger.

“Just so you know,” Father growled, looking down at Ren, “I will never let my son marry you legally. He is already engaged. But if he takes you as a concubine, you can have all the fun you want. Even if you have kids for him later, they will never sit on the throne. Out of my way.”

Father turned his cold eyes back to me. “And hide those disgusting marks. You are a prince.”

He turned and walked away, his guards following right behind him. The moment they left, the ironwood scent cleared up, and Sylvain looked over at me.

“He needs you right now,” Sylvain said softly. “I’ll take my leave.”

He patted my shoulder gently and walked away, leaving just the two of us in the quiet hall.

“Ren!”

I rushed over and dropped to my knees beside him, my hands shaking as I checked his burning skin. The heavy weight of Father’s ironwood pheromones had done bad damage to his body, leaving him shaking and weak.

“Why did you do that, Ren?”

“I love you, my Prince,” he whispered, his voice weak. “I’d take a bullet just to keep you safe.”

“I don’t deserve any of this,” I said, my voice tight with guilt. “I avoided you like a plague for a very long time, and yet you still choose to shield me. I’m not worthy of your love.”

Ren reached up, his cool fingers touching my cheek. His eyes looked so tired. “Don’t say that, my Prince. Only you deserve my love.”

I squeezed my hands into tight fists, looking down at his bruised skin. I failed to protect him. If anyone else hurt him like this, I would have killed them, but I couldn't even stand up to face my father. I just watched him hurt my favorite A-class Omega.

“Stop talking,” I said gently. “Let me tend to your wounds.”

I lifted him in my arms, carrying him straight off the floor and into my room.

An hour later, Ren was resting his head on my lap while I stroked his hair softly. Out of all the Omegas I had ever met, Ren was the only one I really fancied. Everyone knew it, but today, I failed him.

How could I ever tell him what really happened to me? How could I admit that I was taken by another Alpha—a man just like me?

Just thinking about being under another Alpha made my skin crawl with disgust. That was the main reason I had been avoiding him—I thought if I stayed away, he would start to hate me and move on. But instead, he came running to protect me. If he hadn't stepped in and lied just now, what would my father have done to me?

“I’m sorry about what my father did to you,” I whispered, looking down at his face. “He was having a bad day.”

Ren shifted, sitting up slowly to face me with his cute smile. “Your father was right, my Prince. The rumors spreading that you couldn't father a child disturbed the kingdom, and I failed to silence them. I tried so hard to get pregnant for you, but it seems I’m nothing but a barren A-class Omega.”

“No, don’t say that. You are not barren.” I looked away, swallowing back the words. Maybe I’m just a void, seedless Alpha who couldn't knot his Omega to have a child.

And then the universe chose to fuck with me and made me pregnant instead.

“Is that why you avoided me all this while, Your Highness?” Ren asked, his eyes searching mine.

I swallowed hard, unable to bring myself to tell him the truth. “I’m getting engaged.”

“Everyone knows that,” Ren said softly. “The Prince is getting engaged to Princess Anna of Martroth Kingdom.”

“And you still want to be with me?”

“I know you don’t love her the way you love me.”

“What if I grow fond of her?”

“I don’t care if I’m your last choice,” Ren whispered, moving closer. “As long as I get your attention for a moment, I’m more than happy.”

He suddenly took off his shirt, exposing his attractive, lean body. The sweet, seductive scent of his lavender pheromones filled the room, trying to get me turned on.

“What are you doing?” I asked, taking a step back.

“I missed you, my Prince and also what’s the secret, you are becoming very cute.,” Ren whispered, why is everyone saying I’m getting cute by the day?

“I’m always cute and you know that.” I tried to shake it off, then , his eyes dropping to the faint marks on my collarbone. “Seeing those love marks... I won’t lie, I got jealous and scared. What if another Omega is taking you from me?”

I crossed over him, resting on top of him. “You are still my favorite.”

Ren leaned up and pecked my lips. “Make love to me, my Prince... Who knows? I might get pregnant this time.”

“You don’t need to prove anything to people, okay?”

I decided to leave his body, but he pulled me back, his grip firm.

“Am I not attractive to you anymore?” he asked, his voice cracking.

“It’s not that, Ren... I... I—”

“Anytime you see me, you rush to claim me and kiss me,” Ren said, tears coming out of his eyes. “An hour and some minutes have passed, and you’ve done none of the things you used to do.”

I squeezed my fists so tight my knuckles turned white. My perfect life was destroyed by that bastard, and now I was hurting Ren.

“Is he better than me?” Ren whispered. A tear fell down his cheek, stinging my heart.

Guilt swallowed me whole. “Please stop crying.”

“I will take my leave now.”

“Don’t leave,” I begged, catching his hand. “I messed up, but don’t worry, I will fix everything. I want just you, okay? Just give me time.”

I reached for his lower lip, sucking it slowly then dived into a deeper kiss with our tongues mixing together. As the kiss was getting intense, my stomach suddenly twisted violently. Right in the middle of the deep kiss, a wave of intense nausea hit me so hard that I couldn't control it.

I broke away from his mouth in panic, turned around, and rushed straight into the bathroom. The next minute, I found myself throwing up in the toilet, my whole body trembling. “Are you okay?” Ren called out, rushing to the bathroom door with worry all over his face. “Should we go to the hospital?”

“I’m fine,” I gasped, wiping my mouth as I flushed. “Just... indigestion.”

Later that day, long after Ren was fast asleep in my bed, I locked myself in the bathroom crying my eyes out.

Why me?

Why is everything happening to me?

I touched my belly with tears flowing from my eyes, completely broken.