Noah

Gabriel had been looking distracted and slightly anxious lately, and it was making me worried.

“Everything okay?” I asked cautiously, touching him lightly on the arm.

“Yeah, fine,” he said, holding my wrist for a moment before letting go.

The tense lines around his eyes didn’t ease. But surely there couldn’t be anything to worry about already?

“I know you now, remember?” I said gently. “I know when you’re hiding something. Just tell me, it can’t be that bad.”

Gabriel looked at me—really looked at me. The kind of look that would make your heart stop. It was protective and tender and possessive all at once.

“Don’t freak out,” he said, seeing the expression on my face. “Just hear me out, all right? I’ve been thinking about this a lot, and I want—I want to do this for real.”

“What do you mean?” I croaked through suddenly dry lips. My heart was thundering in my chest.

“Noah,” he said gently. “I think you know what I mean. The past few weeks have been like something out of a dream. I have feelings for you, and they’ve never been this strong with anyone else before. I can’t stay away from you, and I don’t want this to end after six months. Six months isn’t even a fraction of an acceptable amount of time to be with you.”

“So you want to, what? Date? Is this because we just--? Because if you think you’ve ruined my reputation, or some other medieval idea about an omega’s virginity you may have--”

“It’s not like that,” he said fiercely. “We both did something we both wanted and enjoyed. And I don’t want to ‘date’ you,” he added, eyes glittering possessively. “I want to—to own you, and be owned by you. I want to grow old with you and have a dozen children. But yes, we can start with a date. And I’m cancelling the contract. I don’t want to have an end date hanging over our heads. I’ll ask Mama to wire you the rest of the money right away, so you can quit it doesn’t—if we don’t work out--”

“You really mean that?” I asked, taking him by the lapels and shaking him lightly. I let my trembling fingers rest on his chest for just a moment. “Not about the money and the quitting. I mean about us trying this—being together. You can’t just say stuff like this and just—just leave later.”

“I promise,” he said, stepping closer so there was barely an inch between our bodies, and gently cradling my face in his hands, “As long as I have breath in my body, I will never leave you.”

“You really mean that?” I repeated wonderingly, laying my hand over his.

“Of course I do. And for the record, I’m staking my claim before someone else sees how gorgeous and kind and brave you are,” he said, peppering my face with kisses like a playful puppy.

I squirmed away, gasping with laughter.

“All right, break it up you two,” Nicholas broke in, looking amused. “I’m glad to see you’re getting along so well, of course. But as your chaperone, I’m asking you to not canoodle in public and provide more fodder for the gossip rags.”

I wasn’t sure why Nicholas had been asked to accompany us to this interview and not Zara like usual, but in the end it didn’t really make a difference. I just felt a little bad that such an important elder statesman was reduced to following us around and making sure we weren’t being inappropriate.

“It’s not a problem, Noah,” he assured me with a smile, “Whatever is needed for the crown, I’m happy to do.”

“Sorry Uncle Nicholas,” Gabriel said unrepentantly, “We get a little frisky sometimes, can’t help it.”

He took my hand and kissed my wrist lingeringly.

I smacked him away lightly.

“Stop it!” I said in a whisper so Nicholas wouldn’t hear, not really meaning it. Luckily Nicholas had turned away and was typing something busily on his phone.

“No?” Gabriel said, eyes glinting with something mischievous and playful and completely seductive. “I think you’ll be singing a different tune tonight, sweetheart.”

“We’ll see about that,” I replied, and I was as surprised as Gabriel when I leaned up and sucked his lower lip sloppily, letting it go slowly and messily.

“Holy shit, Noah,” he whispered, a glazed look in his eyes and reddened lips.

“What’s going on here?” Nicholas asked, sounding resigned. “You’re supposed to go on air in five minutes!”

“Sorry, sorry.” I said, wiping at Gabriel’s lips.

But nothing I did made it look like we hadn’t been making out backstage, which our host immediately picked up on.

“Must be nice to still be in the honeymoon phase, right guys?” he called to the audience, who loudly jeered and catcalled and clapped.

I blushed so hard I could feel my cheeks burn.

“Hayden, have you seen Noah?” Gabriel said smoothly, putting a possessive arm around me, “You’d have to be blind to be able to resist this, and quite frankly you’d have to have a non-functional dick as well.”

“That’s going to be censored out of the final version right?” I asked desperately.

“Oh, probably,” Hayden—our interviewer—said in a regretful tone. “But back to you two, the internet is buzzing with Merovian citizens hoping for a royal heir. What’s the timeline on that, d’you think?”

“Well, I’m not pregnant, if that’s what you’re asking,” I said pointedly.

“Not for lack of trying, believe us!” Gabriel said, to roar of laughter from the audience.

“From what I heard, you guys ‘tried’ backstage right before the show as well! My assistants are going to have to disinfect that area, Gabriel!”

“Oh don’t worry, we got interrupted. But as for your question, whenever it happens it happens, I guess. But personally I’m convinced that Noah is going to be the best dad ever, so hopefully sooner rather than later we’ll have a happy announcement to make.”

The crowd cooed sentimentally, giving Gabriel a chance to kiss me lightly on the lips.

This time I didn’t feel the glare of the studio lights or the eyes of a few hundred audience members or the skeptical glances from crew members—I just felt Gabriel, filling me with his strength and his faith and his passion.

“And how many kids are you thinking? More of a one baby situation or would you like to help repopulate the planet?”

“The more the better, in my opinion,” I said firmly.

“I grew up as an only child, and hearing about Noah’s bond with his late sister—who’s still dearly missed—makes me determined for my kids to have that kind of love and family.”

A few minutes later, we answered more questions with some ad-friendly sound bytes and promised on air to name Hayden godfather to our firstborn, after which we were allowed to leave.

“We won’t really have to name Hayden godfather to our child, do we?” I asked worriedly.

“No, sweetheart. That old shark isn’t coming within a mile of any kid we have,” Gabriel replied.

“Very good work, you two!” Nicholas said approvingly, coming up to where we were standing backstage. “I’ve just sent the recording to Zara, and she’s very pleased with you two. Shall we head to Factorie for a spot of lunch?”

“Yes, please. Make it a liquid lunch,” Gabriel said, running a hand down his face. “I’m fucking destroyed. Why aren’t you tired?” He asked me accusingly.

“I don’t know,” I said dryly. “Maybe because I’m used to working three shifts a day and living on 4 hours of sleep a night? Waking up at seven am and doing an interview tends not to wipe me out.”

“Well, that puts things in perspective,” Gabriel said sheepishly, while Nicholas laughed and said he liked me and hoped I would stick around.