Taming the Wild Beast of Alamina

Dean entered Arion’s office without knocking, because he knew for a fact that his husband could sense him from the other side of the palace, and he intended to exploit that advantage for the rest of their lives.

Boreas was asleep in front of the fireplace, snoring lightly and jerking whenever he dreamed of something running away from him.

Probably Dean.

Who knew what occupied the mind of that dog?

"You could at least message me when you decide to visit," Arion said, leaning back in his black leather chair while turning between his fingers the pen he had been using to sign documents only moments ago. "You are not respecting my schedule."

Dean’s pale brow rose as a smile formed on his lips, reminding Arion that he loved kissing him.

Mostly because kissing remained the most effective method of silencing Dean whenever he forgot to keep his mouth under control.

"Arion, you can scent me through the walls. Clarice would stop me if you were in a meeting," Dean said, referring to Arion’s long-suffering assistant. "Besides, I have news."

"News?"

Dean hummed. "Thomas asked Sylvia to marry him. A royal wedding is incoming."

Arion stopped turning the pen.

"He actually asked?"

"That was also my reaction."

"I assumed Thomas would arrange everything and inform Sylvia once the invitations had been sent."

Dean laughed as he lowered himself into the chair opposite the desk. "Apparently, he possesses enough awareness of normal customs to understand that Sylvia should agree before Rohan starts ordering flowers."

"Did she?"

"Agree?"

"No, Dean. Order flowers."

Dean gave him a patient look. "Yes, she agreed."

"Good." Arion nodded, visibly satisfied. "Thomas has been unbearable since she woke up in the hospital."

"He was unbearable before that."

"Yes, but previously he inflicted himself upon everyone equally. Recently, all his worst tendencies have been concentrated around one woman."

"Sylvia seems to enjoy them."

"Sylvia is unusual."

"That is why we like her."

Boreas released a louder snore.

"Do you think Sylvia will move to Rohan permanently?" Dean asked.

"Thomas’s position is there, and most of his work remains there. I doubt he intends to abandon it."

"He practically lives here whenever he has an excuse."

"He comes for Sylvia. Before that, he came when it was Rohan’s turn to support us during beast season."

"And now he comes whenever Sylvia looks in the general direction of a communication device."

"That is not an official diplomatic arrangement."

"It should be. It is more reliable than several of our treaties."

Arion’s mouth twitched. "Sylvia may divide her time between both kingdoms. Thomas already travels frequently, and Rohan is close enough that neither of them must surrender everything."

"Marianne will want the wedding in Rohan."

"Minerva will want a celebration here."

"And Sylvia’s family will want something in Palatine."

"Thomas may discover that asking the question was the easiest part."

Dean smiled, clearly delighted by the possibility. "He deserves it."

"Was this the only news you came to deliver?"

"No."

"I suspected as much."

Dean folded his hands over his stomach and attempted to look innocent.

Arion stared at him.

Dean abandoned the expression. "Sebastian is coming to Alamina."

The amusement left Arion’s face. "When?"

"Soon. He will confirm after he finishes several matters in Palatine, but probably within the next two weeks."

"Is something wrong?"

"That depends on whether you believe Palatine physicians are competent."

"I avoid insulting an entire country’s medical establishment without evidence."

"I have evidence."

"Of course you do."

"They told Sebastian that he is incompatible with every dominant omega alive."

Arion became silent.

"Every dominant omega?" he repeated.

"Alive."

"Did they test every dominant omega alive?"

"No."

"Then that seems like a difficult conclusion to defend."

"Exactly." Dean leaned forward, pleased that Arion had reached the correct conclusion. "They performed compatibility projections, consulted old records, and decided there is no dominant omega in the known world whose biology could form a stable bond with his."

"Did they explain why?"

"They used many words."

"That is not what I asked."

"That is also what Sebastian told them. They claim his secondary-gender profile is too dominant, his pheromones reject every known omega classification, and something in his biology interferes with the usual compatibility markers."

Arion hummed.

"Yes, it smells of incompetence or interference." Dean let himself fall back into the chair in front of Arion’s desk. "Possibly from someone in Saha, Crown Prince."

Arion’s gaze sharpened slightly. "Nero?"

"It is a possibility."

"You do not sound particularly offended by it."

Dean shrugged. "I am not. If Nero interfered, I would like to know how and why. If he did not, then I would like our physicians to prove that the Palatine results are correct."

"That is unusually measured."

"I can be measured."

"Occasionally."

Dean ignored him. "Sebastian has been tested since his first rut at fifteen. Palatine repeated the examinations every few years because his results were considered abnormal."

"How abnormal?"

"His best recorded compatibility was twenty-five percent."

Arion’s fingers stilled around the pen.

Dean nodded. "Exactly. Not with one particular omega, either. Twenty-five percent was the highest projection they found across every known dominant-omega profile available to them."

"That changes the matter."

"It makes the new conclusion believable," Dean admitted. "But not unquestionable. There is a difference between consistently poor compatibility and suddenly declaring that no suitable match exists anywhere."

Arion leaned back. "And you believe Nero might have influenced the result because he knows something they do not."

"Perhaps. Nero has access to medical knowledge Alamina and Palatine do not possess. He might have interfered with the records, but he might also have arranged for someone to notice what Palatine’s physicians had overlooked."

"That would be a remarkably indirect way to help."

"Nero is not always direct where Sebastian is concerned."

"No," Arion agreed.

Dean rested an arm across the chair. "I do not intend to accuse him. Sebastian will come here, Seven will repeat the tests, and we will compare everything with the records from his first rut onward."

"And if the results remain the same?"

"Then it is the truth."

"And if they do not?"

"Then we determine whether someone interfered."

Arion studied him. "Before informing Nero?"

"Sebastian first," Dean said immediately. "It concerns his body."

That answer appeared to satisfy him.

Dean glanced toward the papers on the desk. "So you will tell Seven to be capable."

"I will tell him to be professional."

"I asked for capable."

"With Seven, we should begin with achievable goals."