Will you go elsewhere if I don’t?

In the end, Marlin had walked out of that little cabin in the woods without Nic agreeing.

Once again, Marlin was disappointed in himself for being so weak. He was the alpha, he should be in charge. He should be dictating the terms of their relationship, even if it was a temporary one, not an omega.

But he couldn’t tell Nic that yes, he would seek out someone else if Nic didn’t agree because he knew that would be a lie.

He couldn’t lie to himself. He couldn’t lie to Nic.

If he lied to Nic and said yes, then showed up Sunday at his cabin, he would show Nic just how weak he truly was.

And he really didn’t want Nic to know how he affected him. He didn’t want Kai to know, either. Or, bloody hell, anyone at all.

He’d gone back to the castle, changed into fresh clothes and now stood in Kai’s office in his wing. He’d actually been summoned by his oldest brother.

Summoned.

Like his oldest brother was the bloody king already.

Which he wasn’t. He might have to remind Kai of that fact.

“Your Highness,” Marlin greeted, dipping his head, sweeping his arm out to bow deeply. While he was staring at his own knee, he snorted back a laugh.

“Very funny,” Kai grumbled.

Marlin straightened and grinned. “While I love you like a brother...” He lifted a finger. “Oh, wait, that’s right. You are my brother. Not my king. Huh. I forgot that when I was actually summoned!”

Kai crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back in his chair. “Think of it as practice.”

Marlin blinked. “What?”

Kai rose from his chair and came around to lean against his desk, crossing his arms once again, as well as his ankles. “I’ve been thinking...”

Marlin groaned. “I’ll have to speak to Luca and warn him not to let you do that.”

“Such a comedian,” Kai muttered.

“Yes, well...” Marlin sighed. “You never wanted to be king.”

“Right. But since Father has done nothing with Douglass except have him living in a cell in the basement and since the Royal Council has refused to ban the practice of branding our mates... Well, I think it may be time.”

“Are you being serious? That’s major, Kai. Huge. It could cause a dangerous rift between our colony and others. A rift between our colony and the Royal Council. Be absolutely sure. And we’d all need to think this through thoroughly.”

“Agreed. But if we’re going to do this, I’d like to get it done before Father releases the weasel on the grounds that he’s spent enough time jailed. Before he decides Dougie’s punishment has been served. Or...”

“Or?”

“Or you and Caol find your fated mates.”

“Are either of those reasons enough to unseat our father from the throne?”

Kai arched a dark brow. “What do you think?”

Marlin didn’t answer because he wasn’t certain what the answer was.

Kai continued, “There’s no reason for Father to keep Douglass downstairs. He should’ve either been banished or thrown out into the Great Sea by now.”

“I agree. But he is the king’s son, so maybe that’s why?”

“The king’s son,” Kai scoffed. “Also our brother. But he has gone against the king’s orders time and time again.”

“Like the rest of us?”

Kai’s lips flattened out. “Then he should at least be banished. He’s a menace and a danger, to not only our omegas but our own pups. He’s unstable.”

“Again, I agree. But the punishment has to fit the crime. What he did with Del and Finn may not warrant death.”

“It was treason,” Kai said matter-of-factly.

“Again, beta or not, he is the son of King Solomon. What if every time we go against our own father or disagree with him it was considered treason?”

“Marlin...”

Marlin lifted a hand. “I’m just saying... we need to think on this, for sure. And I’m certainly not against you taking the throne. I actually welcome it. So I’ll back you in whatever decision you make. But, honestly, we should all make it, Kai, not just you. You’ll need our support.”

“Of course I would involve all of you in the decision. I would never be a dictator nor as unapproachable as our own father.”

“No, that would be Rian if he ever got his ass in that chair.”

“There shouldn’t be a risk of that.”

“But back to Douglass... Like it or not he is our brother. He’s Rian’s full-blooded older brother. However, I don’t like the fact that Father is letting him still live in this castle, even if it’s in a cell in the dungeon.”

“And I know how vocal you’ve been about not having your future omega branded.” Kai pursed his lips as he studied Marlin. “Am I right?”

“You are correct.”

“Which leads me to why I asked you to meet with me.”

“You demanded it, Kai. You didn’t ask.”

“It’s important.”

“Right,” Marlin muttered, knowing full well what it was about. “So let’s get to it.”

Kai stared at him for a moment, his Caribbean blue eyes narrowed. “Okay, fine. Let’s get to it. Start by answering this: Why?”

Marlin lifted and dropped one shoulder. “Why not?”

“What do you see in him?”

“Probably the same things you did.” Marlin certainly wasn’t going to make this easy for Kai. “Look, it’s not like you recently broke it off with him, Kai. It’s been years.”

“And that makes it right?”

“Does it make it wrong?”

“Marlin...”

Marlin lifted a palm. “No, Kai. You have Luca. You have two sons now. And who knows when Luca will pop out another. You’re happy, are you not?”

“Of course!”

“Then let me be happy.”

“With Nic?” Kai asked in surprise.

“With Nic.”

“But there are so many others out there...”

“I don’t want any of the others.”

“I just don’t understand why you’d want someone I’ve already had.”

Marlin sucked in a sharp breath. “It would be much better if I wasn’t constantly reminded of that.” He shook his head. “But there’s nothing I can do about that, what’s done is done. And I like him, Kai. I really do. He’s a challenge. I like that in him.”

“He’s certainly a challenge,” Kai muttered.

“Maybe you like someone a little more submissive, but I don’t. I never have.”

“Humans can be a challenge,” Kai muttered again. “I know I should just let you do what you’re going to do with Nic and not worry about it. After all, nothing with a human could last long term anyway. We cannot breed with them. And all of us Selkie alphas are obligated to produce pups, as long as we are capable.”

Holy sea gods, what was happening to his oldest brother? Was he morphing into their father? The talk about obligations and producing pups... Kai never even cared about finding his own omega. Not until he found Luca.

But then Kai had no idea he had been already rutting with an omega. Because if he had known...

Marlin tilted his head and stared at his older brother. “Kai... How could you not have known?” He’d been seeing Nic off and on for a couple of years. Not just for a month like Marlin and Nic. Even in that short amount of time, Marlin had felt that something was “off.”

Kai frowned. “What?”

Marlin was about to turn the eldest alpha-born son of King Solomon’s life upside down. “Nic isn’t human... well, not fully. He’s a hybrid.”

Marlin watched as his oldest brother’s eyes widened and his brows shot to the top of his head. “What?”

“Yes.”

“How... He... He hid that from me, then. How?” Kai groaned as he scrubbed his hands over his face. “Why would he do that?” came muffled from behind his fingers.

“Because I think he loved you and didn’t want you to stop seeing him if you found out he was an omega.”

Kai dropped his hands and his head shot up. “An omega?” He pushed himself off his desk.

“Yes. Nic’s an omega hybrid.”

Kai groaned. “Bloody hell. He used a masking agent. If he’s an omega, why the hell are you rutting with him?”

“For the same reason you were. I like him. And he’s... good.”

Kai’s eyes squeezed shut, and Marlin didn’t miss when his fingers curled into fists. “No, Marlin. Why are you rutting with him when you know he’s an omega?”

“Again, he’s good. And I didn’t find out until today.”

“Marlin...”

“Kai, are you jealous?”

“Not at all. I love Luca and I’m extremely happy with my fated mate. You know that.”

“I love Luca, too. We all do.”

“Marlin, you risk pushing an omega into heat when you rut with them. You know that. Even a hybrid.”

“He’s on heat suppressants.”

“Of course, he is. Otherwise, I’d most likely be the father of a bastard pup. It’s not worth the risk, Marlin. Don’t let that happen to you. We have no idea how the king will react if any of us produce a bastard.”

“I’m not worried.” From now on, he was going to do what he told Nic. Wear a condom and stop knotting him. And as long as he was on heat suppressants...

“You should be.”

Marlin shrugged. “You, Zale, and Rian have Father’s heirs covered. There’s no way any of my pups will ever be in line for the throne. Father shouldn’t care less whether I find a fated mate. And Caol... He’s so busy spreading his seed all over the world, I wouldn’t doubt if there are bastard pups with his DNA in each colony.”

“Oh, Poseidon help us all if there is.”

Marlin snorted.

“As much as I detest the royal traditions, I still think you rutting with Nic is dangerous. What if he stops his suppressants and doesn’t tell you? Are you willing to take that risk?”

“Do you think he’d try to trap me? To bond with a prince?”

“Honestly, I wouldn’t put it past him.”

“That’s harsh, Kai. You know him. Very well, I might add. Do you think he’d do that?”

“I don’t know. But why you? After me, why you? Has he rutted with Caol? Zale? Have you approached them to find out? Is he trying to snag one of us?”

“Again, that’s a harsh judgement of the male. And I went to him, Kai, not the other way around.”

“But what if he is, Marlin? And he succeeds. Would you be willing to take him as a mate? Would you want a hybrid to bear your pups? I mean... will Father even allow you to take him as a mate if you wanted to? Or had to?”

“I wouldn’t have to do anything. He’s not a full-blooded Selkie.”

“And you would allow him to bear your pup and not do anything about it? Not act like the father you should to your own son?”

“First of all, everything you’re saying is hypothetical. He’s on suppressants, I will be using a condom and... and...” He stopped himself before he entered into dangerous territory.

“And?” Kai prodded.

“And that’s it.”

Kai bit off a curse. “You’ve knotted him.”

“I didn’t say that.”

“The flush in your cheeks says it all, Marlin. You’ve never been good at hiding your thoughts. You’re like an open book. Always have been.”

“For Poseidon’s sake,” Marlin grumbled.

“But you just said you only found out that he was an omega today. And he was very ill, right? That wasn’t a lie? So you couldn’t have knotted him today.”

Marlin closed his eyes as he tried his best to mask his expression.

“That means you knotted him when you thought he was a human. Holy Neptune, Marlin. You know knotting humans is dangerous.”

“But it turns out he isn’t human.”

Kai sighed and walked around his desk, plopping himself back into his chair. He dragged a hand through his dark hair. “Stay away from him, Marlin. As your oldest brother, I’m telling you to break it off and stay far, far away. This will only turn out to be a disaster.”

“Are you telling me this as my oldest brother or as my future king?”

Kai blew out a breath. “I only want what’s best for you. For all of us. Even Zander and any other brothers Caol may find in his travels.”

“If you become king, will you allow Zander to come home?”

“Of course.”

“What about my beta brother in the Southern Colony.”

“Your brother is my brother, Marlin. He would be welcome here, as well. No question.”

“To live in the castle or the colony?”

“Any sons of King Solomon would be welcome to live amongst us in the castle. But I would leave it up to them. However, that’s a discussion to be had once I am king. Right now, I’m only the heir apparent.”

“Ah, brother, that will be a lot of responsibility.”

“A fact I’m well aware of. But I’ll have three sons and many nephews to protect.”

“Three? Is Luca pregnant again and you’ve been keeping it a secret? I thought he was on suppressants.”

“He is. However, I’m working on convincing him for number three.”

Marlin laughed. “Good luck with that. He probably wouldn’t have agreed to number two if you didn’t have Vin taking on the bulk of the child rearing.”

“Vin is certainly priceless.”

“That he is. Speaking of, I need to have that long discussion with the pain-in-the-ass beta of mine.”

“Now I understand why he’s been so pissy.”

“Mmm. Yes. He and Nic rub each other the wrong way.”

“Kenn’s probably just looking out for you.”

“And while I appreciate his concern, it’s unneeded.”

“I disagree with that,” Kai mumbled.

“Disagree or not, I will continue to see Nic until I find my fated mate.”

“Speaking of... Father notified me that the Seekers are setting up a Presentation Ceremony for you next week.”

“What?”

“Yes.” Kai smiled. “So maybe this thing with Nic may not last long anyway.” He leaned forward in his chair and locked his gaze with Marlin’s. “Because the minute you find your fated mate, that’s over. Do you understand? Have your fun now, but you will not go behind your omega’s back to be with another.”

“Yes, Father.”

“Marlin, I could cause more of a stink than I have about you being with Nic, but I won’t. Only because I know it’s short-lived.”

Right. Soon omegas will be lined up and presenting themselves to him. And he will walk down the line of them, searching for the familiar, alluring scent of his fated mate. Why did that thought suddenly twist his insides? “Next week?”

Kai gave him a sharp nod. “Next week. Wednesday afternoon to be exact.”

Bloody hell, maybe he shouldn’t wait until Sunday to see Nic again.

Kai smirked. “I’m assuming we won’t see you at dinner, then?”

Marlin reached for his phone to text Kenn to tell him to pack him a bag and then bring the car around. “I will see you Wednesday morning.”

Kai sighed loudly as Marlin strode from the room.

Marlin rocked back and forth in the rocking chair on Nic’s porch at a rapid pace. Why? Because he was both annoyed and feeling a bit... impatient.

The second he put his foot down in the dirt after Kenn opened the limo door for him—with a scowl, no less—the beta jumped back behind the wheel and deserted his alpha standing in the driveway.

It didn’t matter to Kenn that Nic’s Jeep was nowhere around. Which meant he wasn’t home.

But where Nic went? Who knew. And it wasn’t just annoyance at his beta or impatience at seeing Nic gnawing at him, it was worry since Nic still hadn’t been one hundred percent better this morning when he’d left.

No matter what, Marlin wasn’t leaving that porch until Nic came home. He’d already tried the doors of the little cabin in the woods, but they had all been secure.

He’d even tried calling Nic and also texting but he didn’t get a response. Which added to both his annoyance and his worry.

He abruptly stopped the rocking motion of the chair a little over an hour later when he heard a vehicle heading up the long driveway. And then he sighed in relief when he recognized Nic’s SUV.

He was up on his feet and down the three steps as the vehicle slowly approached. As soon as it came to a halt, Marlin ripped the door open. “Where have you been? I’ve been calling and texting you.”

Nic blinked at him for a moment, then his brown eyes narrowed. “Is there an emergency or something?”

“Yes... No!” Marlin raked his fingers through his hair. “No, I was... worried.”

“About what?”

“You still weren’t completely recovered this morning when I left... I... Why didn’t you answer your phone?”

“It died. I forgot to charge it.” Nic pushed past him to exit the vehicle. When he did so, Marlin caught a whiff of his scent.

Which sent something fluttering in his stomach, as well as made his cock twitch. “Why do you smell so good?”

Nic shrugged and continued to the back of his vehicle and lifted the rear hatch door. “I smell like fish and the sea. I had to run out to grab my lobster pots that had been soaking since before I came down with the flu.”

“It’s not fish you smell like,” Marlin growled, as he grabbed Nic by the arm and, wrapping an arm across his shoulders, pulled him back against his chest. He shoved his nose behind the male’s ear where an omega’s scent glands were and inhaled deeply.

The flutter in his stomach both rose north into his chest, making his heart thump faster, and south to pull his balls tight. “Your masking agent or pills or whatever you’ve been using seems to be wearing off.” Marlin wrapped his hand around the front of Nic’s throat. He felt the pulse under his fingers beating strongly but much quicker than normal. He couldn’t resist taking one more deep inhale. He filled his lungs and fought a shudder.

Nic shrugged in his arms. “To be expected. Because of the flu, I hadn’t taken the masking pills in days. And I also haven’t applied the external agent. Does my scent bother you? Do I need to shower again?”

The omega was teasing him.

“Oh wait, it’s definitely bothering you. I can feel something very hard and very large against my ass.”

Marlin quickly released him and Nic went back to the back of his vehicle. That’s when he realized it was full of groceries.

“Where did those come from?”

Nic glanced at him over his shoulder. “The store. Which is probably a foreign notion to you princes. Some of us actually have to do our own shopping. I sold the lobsters after harvesting them earlier and then took the money to the grocery store so I could eat. It seems both my servant and chef have disappeared, and sadly, I have to do these chores on my own.”

Again, teasing. Or being sarcastic. Either way, it made Marlin want to bend Nic over right there at the back of his Jeep and teach him a little lesson on how to talk to his alpha properly.

His alpha? Marlin stumbled back, his hand going to his mouth. What in the holy hell...

He shook himself mentally and watched Nic gather the handles of a few plastic bags in his hands.

“You could help. They’re not heavy, I promise. I’m sure your studly alpha-self can handle it.” Again, teasing.

“You must be feeling better,” Marlin muttered.

“I went for a quick swim while I was out on my boat. It seemed to wash the exhaustion away. I feel pretty good right now.” Nic turned with the bags and dropped his gaze to Marlin’s crotch. “How are you feeling?”

Marlin’s hand automatically dropped to his erection. “Hard.”

Nic grinned. “I see that.” He jerked his head toward his Jeep. “C’mon. Help me with the groceries so I can help you with that.”

Marlin quickly found a way to carry the remaining eight bags, as well as shut the back hatch. By the time he got to the porch, Nic had unlocked the door and was holding the screen door open for him.

“Nice. I should have a Selkie prince help me with my groceries more often.”

They headed toward the back of the cabin where the small but quaint kitchen was and Marlin deposited the bags on the counters.

Nic side-eyed him as he began to unpack the bags. “You weren’t coming until Sunday, so why are you here?”

Marlin cocked a brow. “Would you rather I leave?”

Nic tipped his head down and smiled at one of the bags as he pulled canned goods out of it, stacking them on the counter. “No. It just surprised me to see you on my porch waiting, is all. You only left this morning.”

“I know when I left.”

Nic sighed and stopped what he was doing to face Marlin with a frown. “Stop acting like a grumpy alpha-asshole. I might be an omega, but I’m a hybrid. I’m as big as you, Alpha. You will have a fight on your hands if you think you can bowl me over.”

Suddenly, they stood toe to toe, eye to eye. Neither of them willing to break their locked gaze.

“That may be a fight I’m willing to accept.”

The corner of Nic’s lips curled up. “Would that excite you, my alpha prince?”

“You know it would.”

“Ah. Then maybe I should start fights with you more often. A little naked grappling? I could go for that.”

“Then we will put that on the schedule,” he murmured.

Marlin couldn’t miss the shiver that ran through Nic. “Did you actually just purr?”

“I think I did,” Marlin said with a surprised laugh.

“Mmm. I like. My alpha purrs like a kitten and roars like a lion.”

My alpha.

Marlin turned away and closed his eyes. “Nic...”

“We’re playing, remember?”

Yes, that’s right. This was all a game to Nic.

“Are you hungry? I plan on making something since my chef disappeared and I’m starving.”

“Do you want a chef?”

Nic turned to stare at him, his mouth gaping. “You would get me a chef if I said yes?”

“I would.”

“No, thank you. I like my privacy. And my cooking isn’t half bad.”

“I guess I’ll be the judge of that.”

“That you will,” Nic answered with the corners of his lips curling up. “If you’re staying. You haven’t told me why you returned early. It can’t be because you missed me horribly and decided you can’t live without me.”

No, that wasn’t why. Marlin studied Nic as he finished putting away his groceries. Should he tell him why?

Maybe not yet. But to be fair to his lover, he’d need to tell Nic before he left on Wednesday, for sure. Because it was very possible on Wednesday he’d find his fated mate and never be able to return to the little cabin in the woods.

And Nic.

His chest got tight and his heart squeezed painfully.

He watched the omega move about his kitchen putting away whatever he bought in cabinets, the freezer and refrigerator. He also had what looked like a decent sized pantry off the kitchen, which was where he was now. Marlin could hear him moving around in it.

“I’m here until Wednesday morning. Kenn will arrive bright and early, I’m sure.”

Nic poked his head out, his eyes wide. “Until Wednesday? You’re staying here until Wednesday?”

“That is if you don’t mind.”

Nic closed his open mouth slowly. “I... No... But I will have to do some fishing during that time. We’re not all independently wealthy like certain princes I know. I need to pay bills.”

“I’ll go with you.”

His dark eyebrows furrowed low. “You will? Why?”

Because he didn’t want Nic out of his sight for the next few days. He wanted to spend every waking moment with the male while he could. Marlin didn’t say any of that. Instead, he half-shrugged. “Maybe we could swim together.”

“Mmm. Maybe. But your skin...”

“I could have Kenn meet us at your boat with my skin.”

“Oh, yes. He’ll be thrilled about that.”

He meant to have a discussion with Kenn about his attitude, but he rushed from the castle as soon as he found out about the upcoming Presentation Ceremony and the whole drive there, as soon as Marlin lowered the divider to speak to Kenn, his beta raised it back up.

“Why Wednesday? That seems a bit random.”

Nic’s question brought Marlin’s attention back to him. He was now standing at the stove, preparing something. Their dinner, Marlin supposed.

“I have something pressing Wednesday that I need to return for.”

“What?”

Marlin hesitated before answering. “A royal obligation.”

Nic shot him a glance over his shoulder. “Like what?”

“Something I can’t get out of.”

Nic turned back to the stove, did something Marlin couldn’t see then he turned with his hands on his hips. “Marlin...”

Marlin raised his hand, palm out. “Look, you didn’t want me to leave this morning. I came back. Do you want me to stay until Wednesday or not? It’s up to you. Just because I’m a prince doesn’t mean my time is all my own. We do have obligations to take care of.”

Nic’s face got hard. “Like breeding.”

Marlin sighed. “Like breeding, you are correct. Except you make it sound awful.”

“Wouldn’t you rather be with someone you love than someone the ‘fates’ picked for you?”

“We’ve discussed this. My brothers love their omegas.”

“They had no choice.”

“Nic...” Trying hard to keep the impatience out of his voice, he continued, “We’ve discussed this. I’m not hashing this out again.”

Nic bowed his head. “Understood, Your Highness.”

A muscle ticked in Marlin’s jaw. “You’re pushing me to take you over my knee.”

Nic’s head lifted and his eyes were heated. “And do what?”

“You know exactly what.”

“I’m not a child.”

“What I’d do to you, I’d never do to a child.”

The flare in Nic’s eyes got hotter. “Mmm. Sounds tempting.”

“An omega must always obey his alpha.”

“Well then, good thing I’m not your omega. We’re only pretending, right?”

Right. “And as your pretend alpha, I can punish my mouthy omega as I see fit.”

Nic’s lips twitched. “Before or after dinner? Because if it’s before, I’ll turn off the stove.”

“How about before and after?”