Chapter Forty-Five

Kiandra

I regarded the king curiously, uncertain of his intentions with his words.

"Of course, he is loyal to his clan," I replied.

"Despite them treating him as a low-ranking Alpha," the king pointed out.

"Well, I believe he has proven himself. What the others think doesn't matter to him. He knows himself," I explained.

The king nodded, looking at me approvingly. "You show deep respect for your Alpha. I appreciate it. It's good to hear that you Omegas still know what is best for you."

I wanted to roll my eyes at his words, but I remained still, not wanting to test my luck in the presence of this Alpha.

"But I am not an idiot," he continued.

"I never said you were."

"No, of course not, but you can count, right?" he asked.

"Of course."

"How many sisters do you have?" he inquired, and as soon as he asked, I sensed where he was leading the conversation.

I gulped. "Three."

"Is there another hidden one?"

I slowly shook my head. "No, my King."

"How many clan leaders are there? And let's not count the one who enjoys fucking ass," he growled lowly, making me gulp again.

"Three," I whispered.

"How many Omegas did Cartan not promise?"

"He promised away four."

"But we both know he intended to claim one for himself, leaving three available. Is he going to inform one of the other clan leaders that they will not receive an Omega?" the king asked, his words leading and his tone taunting.

My throat became dry, and I shook my head, fearing the worst. He had said he wouldn't touch me, but the way he was leading me along sounded very much like he wanted an Omega, regardless.

"Meaning Cartan is deceiving one of us, and since I know where his loyalty lies, I know who."

"W-Why help him then? Why not come for us yourself?" I whispered, finding it hard to meet his eyes.

"Because I didn't believe he would be foolish enough to deceive me. He knew what I provided him with, and why would I do the hard work when I can get someone else to do it?" he explained, his smile growing wider and making me glare at him.

"You just expected an Omega as payment," I mumbled, shaking my head.

"Of course. That's what he promised me in exchange for permitting him to cross the sea with my ships. But I always knew there weren't enough princesses. I was prepared to claim one of you if necessary," he elaborated.

"And now you have," I whispered, my voice trembling.

The king sighed, leaning to the side in his chair. "Do not cry, Princess Kiandra. I promised I would not touch you, and I will not. You are already claimed."

I bit my lip, uncertain if he was speaking the truth.

"No, I need you for something else."

"S-Something else?" I stammered.

"As I said, I believe an Omega is the key to finding the others."

"My sisters…"

"No, either your sisters are deceased or have been taken by another Alpha," he groaned wearily.

"My sisters are intelligent. They can survive until they are found," I assured him.

"Then they must already have been fucked thoroughly by others."

I hissed at him, but he continued to smile, so I calmed myself, trying to remain composed. I needed to understand how the king had managed to take me and what his intentions were. That was the best way to protect myself and my child.

"If you don't want my sisters, then what do you want?" I asked.

"An Omega, of course, and you're going to help me find one."

"How? I don't know where there might be others."

"No, but I do," he revealed.

"What?"

He continued to smile, appearing entirely at ease as he leaned back in his chair. Then he gestured to the food in front of me. "Eat up. You will need your strength."

I wanted to ask more questions, but with a single look from him, it was clear I shouldn't inquire further. I fell silent and began to eat. When I had finished, he asked me to stand, and so I did. I followed him out of the dining room, still curious about something else.

"How did you take me?" I inquired.

"You were given a mild sedative, and I have business dealings with the clans. I used that opportunity to have someone capture you," he explained.

"You do know Cartan will come for me, right?"

"I do, and he will retrieve you. You have my word, Princess Kiandra, that no one will touch or harm you," he assured me.

I looked up at him, puzzled, but he sounded sincere as he spoke. Soon, we arrived at a set of grand double doors, and as the king pushed them open, I was ushered into the most magnificent place. My own home had a reasonably sized library, but it paled in comparison to the one I now beheld in the king's castle.

"This is the most extensive library you will find in Verocca, and…" The king began laughing, but I couldn't even turn my head to look at him. I was completely enchanted by the sight before me. "Feel free to explore."

The king continued to chuckle, and I realized it must have been due to the expression on my face. When he told me I was free to explore, I eagerly stormed into the library. I went to the first shelf, scanning the spines of the books. I felt the king approaching but was no longer focused on him. My curiosity had been piqued, and the king allowed me some time to take it all in. However, I soon sensed the tiny baby Alpha within me warning me to remain vigilant of my surroundings. I turned around to find the king standing very close to me, his charming smile belying the darkness beneath.

"Why have you brought me here?" I questioned, taking a step away from him.

"Because I don't believe you and your sisters are the last Omegas left in this world. I believe there might be an entire civilization left," he explained.

"What?"

"You must have come across it in your books. The Omega City?"

"It's just a myth," I told him. "I have never come across anything that claims to know an exact path to the city, or even its existence."

"I have."

"What?"

The king walked past me, moving down long rows of bookshelves, and I followed behind him, curious about what he might be searching for. Soon, he stopped, turned, and then handed me a large brown book with golden letters on its cover. I accepted it, and there, on the front, it read The History of Omegas.

"But this isn't about the city," I remarked.

"But it is," he told me. Then he gestured for me to follow, and we made our way to a large round table. He motioned for me to place the book down, and I did so. He flipped through the pages until he found the section that spoke of the disappearance of Omegas. I read through the text, surprised to find new information that I had never seen before.

"While I can see why someone might believe that Omegas sought refuge from the brutality they experienced, this doesn't necessarily mean they built a city for themselves. And even if they did, how did it go unnoticed?" I questioned.

"That is the intriguing part. But I have more," he explained before selecting another book titled The Myth of The Omega City.

He placed it in front of me, and my fingers tingled with anticipation as I scanned through its pages. He extended his hand, indicating I was free to touch and explore, and so I delved into the knowledge before me. I had read a bit about this, but I had never delved deeply into myths, as they often left you with more questions than answers.

However, from what I was reading, it genuinely seemed like this city existed. But how could one find it? More importantly, did I even want to find it? I glanced up at the king beside me, who smiled at me. Yet I suddenly found myself uncertain about seeking answers. If there was a city of Omegas, they had good reason to remain hidden. They wanted to remain hidden, and if I discovered their location, what would happen to them?

The king said he wanted an Omega, but I couldn't believe he would simply go to this city and politely ask for one or attempt to court one.

"Well?" he asked.

"Um, it does seem like it could be real," I admitted.

"I knew you would see it the same way as me," he praised. "But I also believe the only way to find this city is through an Omega."

"Oh?"

"Here, Princess," he said. He flipped through the pages until he found a passage that stated clearly only an Omega could locate the city. I was unsure if that was accurate or simply a way to dissuade anyone else from searching for it. However, it was evident the king believed it was up to me to find this enigmatic city. "So I will let you get to work. Your Alpha will probably arrive here in a day or two, threatening to destroy my home unless I hand you over, so we are both working under time pressure."

"Um, you could also just let me go, and I will return to my Alpha," I suggested with a tentative smile.

The king chuckled before patting me affectionately, much like one would a child. Then he walked away. Yet I wasn't entirely certain about my course of action. My heart urged me to explore the pages, to consume the information and satisfy my curiosity.

However, the voice of reason reminded me of the potential consequences for the hidden Omegas and me. I reached down to rest a hand on my abdomen. I didn't want any Omegas to come to harm, but I couldn't jeopardize my child's safety. I sat down in a chair, opening both substantial books and laying them side by side. I wasn't sure which one would lead me to the answers I sought, but I was determined to find out.