I woke before dawn broke over the kingdom, my body restless despite the healing herbs the palace healers had administered. The private healing chamber they'd placed me in was far too grand for someone like me. Rich tapestries hung on stone walls, and moonlight filtered through arched windows that overlooked the royal gardens.
Nonna stirred on the cushioned bench where she'd refused to leave my side. My friend had stayed with me through everything, even when Richard finally went home to rest. I was grateful for her presence, but my mind kept drifting to one person.
Cody.
My son. The young prince I'd been forbidden to see for months because of the restraining order Alpha King Jack had placed on me. My chest ached with the need to hold him, to see his ocean blue eyes and hear his voice. He was only three, but he was everything to me.
"You're awake," Nonna said softly, sitting up and stretching. Dark circles shadowed her eyes, but she smiled at me anyway. "How are you feeling?"
"Better." I touched the bandages wrapped around my injuries. "I just wish I had my phone. And I wish..." I trailed off, not wanting to sound desperate.
"You wish you could see Cody," Nonna finished for me, understanding in her voice. "Maybe the Alpha King will bring him. He said he would visit today."
I nodded, hope flickering in my chest despite everything. Jack Hudson was ruthless and powerful, the Alpha King who ruled our kingdom with an iron fist. But he loved Cody. Surely he would let me see our son, even if just for a moment.
Nonna stood and walked to the washroom. "I'll take a shower and change clothes, then we'll have breakfast together. How does that sound?"
"Sure, I'll wait for you."
But before Nonna could reach the washroom door, footsteps echoed in the corridor outside. My attention snapped to the entrance of my chamber. Someone was coming.
The heavy wooden door opened, and a woman stepped inside.
She was tall and elegant, dressed in expensive clothes that screamed wealth and status. Her dark hair was styled perfectly, and jewels glinted at her throat. But what caught my attention immediately was the ring on her left hand. An engagement ring. Large, ornate, unmistakably expensive.
My stomach dropped.
Nonna froze halfway to the washroom, clearly sensing the same tension I felt. This woman had an air of superiority about her, the way she surveyed the chamber like she owned it. Like she belonged here more than I ever could.
Her gaze finally landed on me, and her lips curved into something that wasn't quite a smile. "You're actually prettier than you appeared in the photographs."
The words sounded like a compliment, but her tone suggested otherwise. I'd seen those photographs she mentioned. After I'd saved those children from the fire, the kingdom's media had plastered my face everywhere alongside Alpha King Jack's. They'd called me the savior, the brave omega who risked her life. But that attention had brought nothing but trouble.
"Who are you?" I asked, keeping my voice steady. "And what do you want?"
She didn't answer immediately. Instead, she pulled a chair toward the bed and sat down, crossing her legs with practiced grace. She placed her designer bag on her lap, then deliberately spread her left hand across it, ensuring I had a clear view of that engagement ring.
Nonna moved toward her, clearly ready to tell this rude stranger to leave, but I lifted my hand. Something told me I needed to hear what this woman had to say.
"Forgive my manners," the woman said, though she didn't sound sorry at all. "You probably don't know who I am."
She paused, letting the silence stretch. Her eyes held mine, watching for my reaction. Waiting.
"I am Tayo Dante," she finally announced. "The eldest daughter of Lord Festus and Lady Selina Dante. The most powerful noble family in the kingdom, second only to the royal bloodline itself."
She leaned back in the chair, her expression smug. "And I am Alpha King Jack Hudson's betrothed."
The words hit me like claws raking across my chest. Betrothed. Not girlfriend. Not casual relationship. Betrothed meant official. Meant approved by the royal council and the noble families. Meant permanent.
Nonna gasped beside me, but I couldn't look at her. I couldn't look away from Tayo and that ring glinting on her finger.
"I thought you should know," Tayo continued, her voice sweet as poisoned honey. "Since you seem to have gotten rather close to my future husband. Saving those children was admirable, of course. Very heroic. But let's be clear about something."
She stood, smoothing her expensive clothes. "Jack is mine. He's always been mine. We were promised to each other since childhood, and nothing will change that. Not some dramatic rescue. Not your pretty face. And certainly not whatever fantasy you might have about being part of this world."
My mouth went dry. I wanted to tell her she was wrong, that I had no designs on Jack, that all I wanted was my son. But the words stuck in my throat.
"I don't want anything from the Alpha King," I finally managed. "I just want to see my son."
Tayo's smile widened, and it was cruel. "Your son. That's right. The prince who carries royal blood. Tell me, how does it feel knowing that even though you gave birth to him, you'll never truly have him? He belongs to the kingdom. To the royal family." She paused. "To me."
"Get out," Nonna said sharply, stepping forward. "You have no right to speak to her that way."
But Tayo ignored her, keeping her eyes locked on mine. "I just wanted to make sure we understood each other. Stay away from what's mine, and maybe you'll be allowed to see your son occasionally. Continue to cause problems, and I'll make sure that restraining order becomes permanent."
She picked up her bag and walked toward the door. But just before she left, she turned back one last time.
"Oh, and Aurora? Jack is bringing Cody to visit you today. I made sure of it. I want you to see exactly what you're losing."
The door closed behind her with a soft click that somehow sounded like a prison cell locking.
Nonna rushed to my side. "That horrible woman. Don't listen to her. She's just trying to intimidate you."
But I barely heard her. My mind was spinning with Tayo's words, with the implications of everything she'd said. Jack had a betrothed. A woman from a powerful noble family. A woman who clearly saw me as a threat.
And she'd just declared war.
The door opened again, and this time, I heard a voice that made my heart stop.
"Mommy?"
Cody stood in the doorway, his small hand clasped in his father's larger one. Alpha King Jack Hudson looked at me with an expression I couldn't read.
Behind them, Tayo Dante smiled.