Nic steered his boat out toward the open water of the Atlantic, or what the Selkies called the Great Sea. While it was rough this morning, he welcomed the jarring waves. It reminded him how powerful the ocean could be. It would calm once the winds died down. He had dropped a string of lobster pots on the way out and would be back out tomorrow to pick them up once they had time to “soak.” He had another string he needed to pull this morning, but he also needed to spend some time net fishing, so he could pay some bills once he sold his catch. But before heading back, he would take a head-clearing swim.

Or maybe he’d take his swim first...

He understood exactly what Marlin meant when he said swimming felt like freedom. Nic felt the same way and enjoyed being in the water just as much.

A soothing swim was needed especially after waking this morning to find his bed empty next to him. The prince had snuck out sometime in the early morning hours, though he’d left a note. One that simply read, “Thank you. ~ M.”

Thank you.

For what?

Maybe he should be thanking Marlin instead. He had gone through a gamut of emotions that day a few years ago when he came across Kai and Luca outside of Meesha’s house. Seeing the male he loved with another had been utterly...

Heartbreaking.

Nic had told himself time and time again not to fall in love with Kai. That Nic was only a means to an end when it came to the eldest son of King Solomon. That Kai had traditions he was obligated to follow as a Selkie prince and heir to the throne. But no matter what, he couldn’t help falling for his tall, dark and handsome lover.

He knew Kai would eventually find his omega, his fated mate. But he had hoped Kai would continue to visit him afterward, to continue their relationship whether he had a mate or not. Was that selfish of him to wish that Kai wouldn’t be satisfied with Luca?

Sure.

But he had still hoped.

Though, he should have known better because during their time together, the prince never stayed long in Nic’s bed. Kai didn’t linger, he didn’t spend a lot of time cuddling or talking after sex. He never promised Nic anything.

Still, Nic hated to admit that. He had always wished and dreamed that Kai would say to hell with all his obligations and take Nic as his life-mate.

But that was just plain foolishness. He knew it now. Luca was perfect for Kai, though Nic hated to admit that, as well. He still found it a struggle to be happy for the couple.

Over the years that bitterness dulled, and he’d taken others as lovers, including some hybrids, but none ever compared to Kai. There was something about an alpha Selkie male that scratched Nic’s itch.

Unfortunately, Marlin also knew just where to scratch. It was dangerous getting involved with the younger brother of Kai. He knew in the end he’d end up hurt and disappointed once more. Their spending time together would never result in a happily ever after.

It couldn’t. No, the sons of King Solomon could only bond with their fated mates. Or at least an approved omega the Selkie Seekers presented if their fated mate couldn’t be found.

Nic would never be in either category. So, if he was going to allow Marlin to keep coming to his cabin, to keep spending the night like they had discussed during the many times they had rutted—as Marlin liked to call it— last night, he would have to keep any emotional ties out of it. He would have to keep it “just sex.”

Unfortunately, he wasn’t sure if he could do that.

He pulled back on the throttle, bringing the vessel to a halt and hit the button to drop the anchor. He shed his clothes, then moved naked through the cool morning air to the stainless-steel chest at the back of the boat. He pulled the little brass key he wore around his neck on a black cord over his head and unlocked the padlock, flinging the top open.

He quickly pulled his skin over his shoulders like a cape, leapt onto the edge of the boat and dove over the side.

The feeling of becoming one with his seal skin as he dove deep into the frigid water was glorious. With both his nose and ears closed, he swam underwater as long as he could before being forced to break the surface for air.

Bobbing in the waves, he glanced back toward his boat to make sure the anchor still held, then he scanned the horizon to check for any killer whales or boats. Both could mean trouble. Especially since he had surfaced a good distance from his fishing vessel. He was more vulnerable out here because he was out in the deep sea by himself. He didn’t want to turn into a meal for some hungry predator and he also didn’t want to be discovered by man or Selkie alike.

No one knew who he really was... or more like, what. And he wanted to keep it that way.

He also knew he was playing with fire when it came to the Selkie prince. He’d done it with Kai and managed not to get burned. But it was risky to allow Marlin not only into his home, but his bed.

Realistically, he should tell Marlin to never come again. Tell him to find another temporary lover. Someone other than Nic.

His whole life he had hidden who he was. Just like Del, Rian’s omega. Nic had done his best to blend in while growing up because he never wanted to be looked at as “one of those.” He’d seen it happen to his friends and lovers who were hybrids. They dealt with censure and prejudices on a daily basis from humans.

And hybrids had no choice but to live amongst the humans since Selkie colonies didn’t want hybrids amongst them.

His mother had wanted him to be treated better, as an equal. She also never wanted to be judged by humans herself, since she had gotten pregnant by a full-blooded Selkie alpha. So, she raised Nic as a human and, when he was old enough, she told him the truth and why she thought it was best to conceal, not only the fact that he was a hybrid, but his true gender.

Nic always just went along with his mother’s decisions since he had been young and, at the time, thought she knew best.

But now, he was tired of it. He lost Kai because of it. Though, telling Kai the truth might not have changed a thing. They weren’t fated mates and never would be. And again, as the eldest alpha-born son Kai had to produce heirs for King Solomon.

Nic couldn’t guarantee he could provide that.

Not that the King of the North would accept any of his sons mating with a hybrid. He wouldn’t.

He would turn his nose up and forbid him to enter his colony. Hybrids were in a class of their own. Unwanted by full-blooded Selkies. Unwanted by full-blooded humans.

Hybrids were good enough to have sex with, but not to mate with. And not all could shift like Nic. The ones who couldn’t shift blended easily among the humans. They could pass as a man or a woman and often did. The ones who could shift were one of three genders the same as Selkies: alpha, beta or omega males. And just like the full-blooded Selkie shifters, the omegas could come into heat and, if fertile, could produce pups.

He was one of those.

But he wasn’t sure about the fertile part. It was hit or miss when it came to omega hybrids. Some have gone on to produce pups, others have not.

Nic had been on heat suppressants since coming of age. He used a masking scent, as well. Back in the day, his mother had created something homemade and crude, but it was good enough to mask his identifying omega scent and keep him out of an alpha’s eye.

He never had the desire to breed and have pups of his own. Some hybrids wanted to have families, some did not. Since hybrids were not bound to Selkie laws, they were not obligated to reproduce. In fact, the Royal Council preferred they didn’t dilute the Selkie race any further.

One day, hybrids would be accepted by humans and full-blooded Selkies alike. But he wasn’t sure if that would be in his lifetime.

And that didn’t bode well for his future.

Marlin glanced at the time on his cell phone. His foot tapped impatiently as he waited for Nic to open the door.

He glanced over his shoulder. Kenn was long gone. The beta no longer waited until Marlin disappeared into the little cabin in the woods. No, the male would hightail it back out of the driveway as soon as he assisted Marlin out of the limo.

Marlin frowned while thinking about his beta’s attitude. He was extremely displeased with the fact that he’d had to drop off his alpha twice a week for the past month at Nic’s.

Oh, yes. Kenn got annoyed every time Marlin asked him to bring the car around on Tuesday and Thursday evenings. And tonight was no different.

Kenn had shot him the stink eye through the rearview mirror enough times on their trip there that Marlin had finally closed the solid barrier between them.

His beta had turned into a petulant child that needed to be taken over his knee. He was actually surprised Kenn hadn’t threatened to petition the king for a transfer of duties.

But he hadn’t. And Marlin knew exactly why.

Kenn, just like the rest of the princes’ betas—Vin, Ford, Jordan and even Beck—could not wait to help raise his alpha’s pups. Especially since he couldn’t have pups of his own. Since betas were infertile, nor did they have a womb, if they wanted a family, they had to adopt, which was near impossible. The next best thing was working for an alpha and omega couple to help raise their pups.

All his brothers’ betas doted on the pups Kai, Rian and Zale produced. They were in hog heaven. Or Selkie heaven, more like it.

Kenn wanted Marlin to get to cracking on finding his fated mate so he could hold a pup in his arms soon. But it wasn’t like Marlin had any control over it. He needed to wait for the Seekers to present them in the Royal Presentation Ceremony. And so far, none had been scheduled, more to Kenn’s dismay than Marlin’s.

So in the meantime, Marlin had needs that needed to be addressed since he was an alpha in his prime. Nic so happened to fill those needs. In a very fulfilling way.

Unfortunately, that put his beta in a snit.

Which was wearing on Marlin’s nerves.

He sighed impatiently. Nic’s car was in the driveway and Marlin always showed up at the same time, right after dinner. Their “dates” had become such a regular routine that Nic usually waited on the porch for him and always enjoyed irritating Kenn by blowing him air kisses and waving enthusiastically before the beta sped away, spinning the tires in the dirt.

In fact, sometimes Kenn arrived earlier than requested the next morning and would sit in the driveway beeping or laying on the horn until Marlin would hurry out.

How he hadn’t strangled the beta yet was beyond his comprehension.

His gaze landed back on the closed door and he frowned. Where the hell was Nic?

He yanked open the screen door and tried the handle of the inner door. It was unlocked. Maybe the man was waiting for him up in bed? A smile curled the corners of his lips at that thought. Nic sure did like to be naughty and maybe he had something special planned.

“Nic?”

The cabin was eerily quiet. Then he heard it...

Was someone upstairs choking his lover?

Marlin ran toward the stairs and rushed up the steps. He heard it again. Someone was choking Nic!

“Nic!”

He almost crashed into the bedroom doorway as he hurried to save Nic. The bedroom was empty but the bathroom door was wide open and the noises came from that direction.

And then he slid to a halt when he realized what the sounds were.

Retching.

He also recognized the smell. He scrunched his nose up and covered his mouth before he gagged.

“Nic,” he called out from the center of the bedroom because he was not going into that bathroom until the churning of his own stomach quelled. “Are you okay?”

His answer was more retching.

“Bloody hell,” Marlin muttered and sucking in a breath, he held it deep in his lungs before moving forward.

Peeking into the bathroom, Marlin saw a greenish-gray skinned, sweating Nic curled on the floor.

“Holy Poseidon, what’s wrong?” Marlin dropped to his knees next to the man and pressed a hand to his forehead, which was searing hot. Nic’s eyes were unfocused and barely open while vomit filled the toilet. Marlin flushed it quickly and, rising to his feet, grabbed a nearby washcloth and held it under the cold-water tap.

Lowering to his knees once more, he pressed the cool cloth to Nic’s forehead. “What’s going on?”

Nic made a noise but Marlin had no idea what he mumbled.

“Obviously you’re sick. I need to call a doctor.”

Bloody hell, he only knew two doctors, the royal one and the one in Seaport who dealt with hybrids. He had no idea who to call for humans. And he couldn’t take Nic to a human hospital because the only vehicle on the property was Nic’s. Marlin didn’t know how to drive since he never had to.

Which he realized he was going to have to remedy. He’d have Kenn teach him, whether his pain-in-the-ass beta agreed to it or not.

Pulling out his phone, he decided the hybrid doctor would have to do.

Two and a half hours later, after he’d walked Dr. Maniford back out to his vehicle and also accepted delivery for the food he’d ordered from a restaurant in town, Marlin carried a glass of ice chips and some reheated chicken broth up the steps.

The doctor determined Nic had the flu and he wasn’t dying like Marlin had originally suspected. Maniford was certainly surprised when Marlin greeted him at the door.

Marlin guessed it wasn’t every day that the hybrid doctor went face to face with a Selkie prince.

And, by the look on the doctor’s face, he also wasn’t used to being presented with an AmEx Black Card as payment for services rendered.

But the good doctor gave Marlin instructions on how to help Nic recover. And with Kenn’s current attitude, he didn’t expect the beta to come assist him, so he’d have to muddle through this on his own.

Marlin set the soup bowl on the nightstand and sat on the edge of the bed, offering Nic an ice chip between his fingers.

“You don’t have to stay,” Nic said weakly as he crunched the ice between his teeth.

Marlin tucked the sheet tighter around Nic. “I’m not leaving until you feel better or at least can take care of yourself.” He offered Nic another ice chip but his lover pushed his hand away.

“Okay, how about this... I prefer you don’t stay.”

Marlin sighed and put down the glass. “I’m not leaving you alone. I want to make sure you not only get plenty of fluids but take your antiviral meds twice a day like the doctor ordered.”

“First of all, I’m not a child and, secondly, you’re a prince. You’re used to being waited on hand and foot. Not the other way around.”

“Nic, please. Let me do this.”

“Why?”

“Because I want to. I’ll simply stay long enough to see you up and about.” Marlin opened the napkin he brought upstairs and placed it over Nic’s bare chest, then he picked up the bowl and lifted a spoonful of broth to Nic’s lips.

“I don’t like you seeing me this way.”

“Too late. Now have some soup.”

Nic’s eyes tipped down to the spoon. “I’m not hungry.”

“I don’t care, you need something in your stomach.”

“I’ll just puke it back up.”

“Then you puke it back up.” Marlin tilted his head to the bucket beside the bed. “I’m prepared.”

“I just don’t understand why—”

“Stop questioning it and just accept it. You’re too weak to throw me out anyway, so too bad.”

“I’m sure you have royal duties to attend to.”

“Nic,” Marlin growled. “I’m currently attending to you. In fact,” he put down the bowl, dropping the ignored spoon into it, and pulled out his cell phone, “I will text Kenn and tell him not to pick me up tomorrow morning.”

“He won’t listen.”

“Probably not. But if he sits out there honking that horn again, I’m going to go down and yank it out of the engine compartment and shove it down his throat.”

Nic’s lips flattened out and the corners of his eyes crinkled. “He doesn’t approve of you fucking me.”

“It doesn’t matter what he thinks.”

“He cares for you.”

“And I him. But he’s still my beta and must obey me.”

“And if he doesn’t?”

Marlin said nothing. Because he didn’t know that answer.

“Right,” Nic continued. “You’ll do nothing and let him continue to be a brat.”

Again, Marlin didn’t respond.

“He’s been with you a long time.” Nic didn’t ask it as a question but made a statement.

“He has,” Marlin answered. “Since I was about thirteen.”

“When you came of age.”

Marlin tilted his head and studied Nic. His face didn’t look so gray anymore. The shot that Dr. Maniford gave him must be helping. “What do you know about coming of age?”

“We call it puberty.”

“Ah, yes. It’s similar.”

“You get the urges.”

“Mmm,” Marlin murmured as he scrolled through his phone, searching for Kenn’s number. He found it and texted him a message telling his beta to not pick him up until he was called for. And to also make excuses for his absence, if needed.

He put his cell down and picked up the soup again. “Now, can you take a few spoonfuls, please?”

“If I do, can I top you?”

After Marlin picked his jaw up off the bed, he said, “You’re way too sick to rut.”

“Not now. When I’m better.”

“Either way the answer is no. If I have to, I will force soup down your throat. So it would be easier if you cooperated.”

“What a bossy shit.”

Marlin smiled. “That’s right. Remember? I’m the alpha. I’m the boss.”

“Only when we’re having sex.”

Right.

“When you find your omega, you can boss him around as much as you damn well please. With me? It’s only in this bed.”

“You are in bed,” Marlin reminded him.

“Fucking.”

Marlin sighed. “Rutting.”

“Don’t fight it. Just call it what it is.”

“I am.”

“We can compromise and call it futting.”

Marlin dropped the spoon into the bowl, splashing a little over the side.

“And when your dick is up my ass I can scream, ‘Fut me harder, my alpha. Fut me!’”

“I’m starting to wish you were back to being half unconscious.”

“I am feeling a little better.”

“No kidding. How long were you like that before I found you?”

“I don’t know. What’s today?”

Marlin stared at him with concern. “Tuesday.”

“I think since yesterday afternoon.”

“Nic, you should’ve called me.”

“Once I got dizzy and started to throw up, I couldn’t do anything else, Marlin. You found me where I ended up. I didn’t have my phone nearby, anyway.”

While Marlin didn’t like that answer, he had no choice but to accept it. “Once you feel a little stronger, I’ll help you get a bath.”

“You’re going to bathe me?”

Marlin wrinkled his nose. “Well, you smell like stale sweat and vomit... among other things.”

“Sweet,” Nic muttered.

“No, it’s not.” Marlin shoved the bowl into Nic’s chest, forcing him to take it. “Eat. A little. Please.”

After he watched Nic take a spoonful of broth, his attention landed back on his phone. He hadn’t received an answering text yet.

Which meant Kenn was ignoring him.

Maybe he needed to petition the king for a new beta servant. That would teach him.

If Kenn wasn’t going to answer him, Marlin needed to make a call instead. He snagged his phone off the nightstand and with a glance toward Nic to make sure he was at least eating some soup, he pushed from the bed and walked out into the hall.

He found Kai’s number and pressed Send.

“Brother,” Kai’s deep voice greeted him. “Where are you and why did you piss in Kenn’s Cheerios? He’s been in my wing hogging my sons. Luca and Vin are beside themselves.”

“Sorry. I’m with a friend.”

“This same friend that you’ve been sneaking out of the colony to go visit a couple nights a week?”

“Yes.”

“Does this friend have a name?”

“That’s not important.”

“Well, I can tell you, whoever it is, Kenn doesn’t like the idea that you’re... doing whatever you’re doing with this so-called friend.”

“He has no say in the matter.”

“True. So, why are you calling me?”

“My friend is sick. He’s come down with the flu. I’ll be staying at his home for the next couple days or so until he’s feeling better. I sent a text to Kenn but he hasn’t answered.”

“So that’s why he threw his phone on the floor and stomped on it.”

“He did?”

“No. I’m kidding. But he did scowl at it.”

Of course he did.

“Do you even know how to take care of someone sick?” Kai asked with amusement in his voice.

“I’ll figure it out. The doctor advised me on what to do.”

“Well, look at you.”

“You’d do the same for Luca.”

“Luca is my mate, Marlin. Whoever this friend is... I assume he’s just a temporary... distraction.”

“And you’d be correct, but he has no one else to help care for him.”

“Are you sure?”

No, he wasn’t. They hadn’t discussed Nic’s family, or really much of anything personal. On the other hand, Nic knew a lot about Marlin and his family. “I found him alone, on the floor, very ill. I’ll be staying whether there’s anyone else in his life or not.”

“That’s nice of you. It’s not like you have anything else going on that’s pressing.”

“I was supposed to go visit Zander tomorrow for our weekly visit. Can you make my excuses and maybe take my place? Take the pups with you?”

“I can, brother. Meesha will love a visit from Dylan and Marinus. She’s always thrilled to spend some time with her ‘grandpups.’”

“Thank you, I—”

“Marlin!” came from the bedroom and Marlin quickly covered his cell phone with a wince.

Bloody hell!

“I’ll be right there!” Marlin yelled back with the phone still covered.

“What are you doing?” Nic asked loud enough that Kai had to have heard him.

Of course he did. “That sounded like Nic.”

Marlin opened his mouth but wasn’t sure what to say. Should he deny it? Confess?

“Marlin,” Kai growled.

Oh, for Poseidon’s sake.

“Don’t make me call Nic and ask him if you are in his house right now. Just don’t, brother.”

“No need,” Marlin finally answered.

“Because you’re in his house,” Kai ground out in a low growl.

“Yes.”

Kai’s bellow made Marlin pull the phone away from his ear. “How long have you been rutting with him?”

Marlin stared at the phone for a moment before lifting it back to his ear. “What does it matter? You have Luca.”

“That’s not the point. The point is, I would have warned you off him.”

“Why?”

“Because he’s a loose cannon, Marlin... and he’s needy.”

Marlin glanced back towards Nic’s bedroom, then moved down the hall and stepped into a guest bedroom before answering in a low voice, “Kai, he fell in love with you. You dropped him like a hot potato. Can you blame him for being upset?”

“The way he handled it when he confronted me in front of Luca was unacceptable.”

“The way you handled him was unacceptable and a bit cruel, as well.”

“I apologized to him. But I’m telling you the same as I told Nic, I promised him nothing. We were only lovers. Nothing more.”

“Then you’ll understand my position on this matter. We are lovers and nothing more, Kai.”

“Marlin, don’t make the same mistake I did. I know he’s good in b—”

Marlin cut off his brother before he heard something he didn’t want to hear. “We’ll talk about it another time. I have to go.”

“Marlin—”

“Thank you for your concern. Thank you for standing in for me with Zander tomorrow. And please tell Kenn that he and I will be having a long discussion once Nic is better.”

“Marl—”

Marlin pressed End, effectively cutting off the connection. He pressed the power button until the phone powered down and he leaned back against one of the walls in the room and stared up at the ceiling for a moment.

His head snapped straight when he heard retching once again.

Oh no. The soup hadn’t sat well with Nic.

He rushed back to the bedroom to play nurse.