Three Alpha Princes for an Unwanted Omega

Cassian raised his hand to knock.

He had been practicing the words to say to Ayla but now that he was outside her door, he could not even find them.

Why did you not tell me?

He had spent days turning it over in his mind since Damon revealed to them that he had known Ayla had powers even if they had not been sure of the full extent of it.

The fact that he had known and she had been the one to tell him.

All the time they spent together was just them searching for what it all meant.

Had she not trusted him enough?

But then he had thought about it and realized, this was not about him and if he wanted Ayla to trust him then he would have to show her.

That is why he was here. In front of her door in the middle of the night.

He knocked on the door which swung open.

”Ayla?” He called out, unease licking up his spine.

Cassian stepped inside her room and looked around. Her bed was unmade, the sheets twisted into ropes.

”Ayla?” He called out louder now.

He froze when the alarm bells began to ring.

Cassian spun toward the door.

Damon was already in the corridor, sleep still stamped on his face.

”What is going on?” He asked. ”Why are the alarm bells ringing?”

”Do you know where Ayla is?”

Damon blinked. ”She is not in her room?”

”I will not be asking if she was, would I?”

Damon moved past him and stepped into the room.

”She was here. She was here hours ago.”

”Hours ago?” Cassian stepped toward him. ”What do you mean, hours ago? You have been to see her?”

Damon nodded.

”Against father’s orders?”

”I wanted to thank her for saving my life.” He said simply.

He could not very well tell his brothers what he had overheard that day. Not when their father had said he would find a way to break the news. Besides, he wanted to give Ayla the time she needed to process it.

Maybe that was what she was doing now.

”I am sure she is fine” he reassured Cassian, hoping he was right.

Before Cassian could argue otherwise, Ares’ door swung open and he walked out, fully dressed and holding into a folded piece of paper.

”Did anyone see who dropped this?” He held it up.

Damon and Cassian exchanged a look then shrugged.

Just then as he was about to open it up, four armed guards marched toward them.

”Princes.” The lead guard bowed. ”Your father requests your presence in his study. Immediately.”

”What is this about?” Cassian demanded.

”He did not say, my lord.”

They were shepherded down the corridor.

Alpha Kieran was pacing when they arrived.

”What is the matter?” Ares asked as soon as the study doors closed behind them.

”We are under attack.”

Cassian blinked. ”What?”

”Under attack?” Damon echoed.

”The guards at the gate were found dead.” Alpha Kieran explained. ”We have no idea where the intruders are now. I need the three of you to stay together. I have asked that Ayla be brought here. I have something I wish to share with you all.”

Damon’s chest eased a bit.

He would not have to carry that secret for much longer.

The study door opened and two guards entered.

”Report,” Kieran barked.

The guards exchanged a glance and one of them visibly swallowed.

”We cannot find Lady Ayla, my lord”

”What do you mean, you cannot find her?”

”She is not in her room, my lord.”

Kieran’s voice climbed. ”And? Check other places. Search the whole palace. She has to be somewhere. Find her!”

The guards bowed and left.

”Father, is everything okay?” Cassian asked. ”You seem distressed.”

The smile wobbled on Alpha Kieran’s face.

”Everything will be fine, son.”

”I don’t think so, father.” Ares’ voice cut in.

They all turned toward him.

Damon could see that he was holding the paper open and he thought about how he had never seen his brother look as shocked as he was looking at the moment.

”What do you mean?” Cassian asked, a note of concern in his voice now.

”I found this by my door.” Ares’ held it up. ”It is a note from Willow.”

”And what does it say?” Alpha Kieran inquired.

Ares raised his head. His eyes met his father’s.

”You might want to summon Soren, father.” His voice was flat. ”Right now.”

...

Soren stood at the window of his study and listened to the alarm bells.

He could not be bothered to find out what was going on.

In truth, he was tired of it all.

Willow had simply vanished and his search had proven futile.

A cold knot had formed in his chest the minute Kieran had accepted the possibility that Ayla was his daughter.

He could feel the walls of the palace pressing down on him with each passing second.

Alistair was also in the wind and had been ever since the first day of the banquet. He had long since stopped his search for the man because he knew deep down in his heart that he was gone and so was the keys to the archives and whatever information he may have found there.

It was only a matter of time before Kieran began asking about the keys. What would he say? What excuse would be enough to explain why it was missing?

And even if he could explain that away, what about Willow’s disappearance?

Soren jolted when a knock sounded on his door.

”Who is it?” He demanded

There was no answer but he heard a rustle and when he turned, he saw something... a note being slipped under his door.

He crossed to the door and picked up the paper.

He opened the door just in time to see the messenger round the corner and disappear.

Soren looked at the note, his heart hammering in his chest as he opened it up.

It read:

You might want to get out while you still can, friend. Kieran knows your secret. Your daughter has exposed you to him. This is my last kindness to you — A.