The Omega's Missing Mate by Penelope Peters

Author:Penelope Peters [Peters, Penelope]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-08-24T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eight

Congratulations, You’re Royalty

“Bonded?” spluttered Eric. “You – you want us to be bonded? In four days?”

Rashad sounded just as shocked. “You cannot be serious.”

“Of course I’m serious,” said Leyla as she fussed with the tea service.

“Eric and I went on one date.”

“I knew I wanted to bond with your uncle Ferris after ten minutes,” said Leyla, perfectly calm.

“Did you bond with him after fifteen?” asked Eric.

Leyla gave him a fixed stare as she handed Eric a cup of tea, but Eric could feel Rashad almost vibrating beside him. He wasn’t sure if it was laughter or anger. He was hoping for laughter.

“I was rather hoping to get to know Eric before I bond with him, Aunt,” said Rashad, his voice tense.

“Four days is plenty of time, habibi. Your great-great-great-grandmother Noor met her mate the day before they were bonded, and their bonding lasted for nearly seventy-five years. And started a nation.”

“That was a hundred and fifty years ago.”

Before I…? “Wait a minute,” said Eric, sitting up and staring at Rashad. “Are you telling me you’re already planning to bond with me?”

Rashad turned to him. “Is that wrong?”

“Well, I kinda hoped you would ask me first,” said Eric, irritated. “Or maybe talk to me.”

“I think you rather skipped the talking,” said Leyla, immediately taking a sip of tea so she could eye them over the rim of the cup.

“Yes, thank you, Aunt,” said Rashad, wearily.

“But it does rather accelerate matters,” continued Leyla, setting the cup back down in the saucer. “A member of this house cannot have a child out of bondlock. It’s simply unthinkable.”

Rashad raised his eyebrows. “Because babies are never born out of bondlock. Ever. In the history of time.”

“I’ll just cross my legs,” said Eric dryly.

Leyla smiled. “Look at the pair of you, already thick as thieves and clearly so close – why, I have no doubt you’d bond before the year was out even if there wasn’t a child coming. You must think of your family, Rashad.”

Rashad’s mouth hardened. “I suppose that’s what you told my mother, is it?”

Leyla’s cup rattled against the saucer before she set down the entire set on the table. “No one needed to tell Yasmine to think of her family. She knew it instinctively, and always acted accordingly,” said Leyla stiffly. She stood, smoothing her tunic and staring down at the pair of them, every inch a princess. “It’s obvious to me that you are both meant to be together, and the length of your relationship is irrelevant. Lunch will be served in an hour in the main dining room. I expect you both to be there.”

Rashad stared at her until the moment the door closed behind her, and then he dropped back down to the couch and covered his face with his hands. “Shit. This is not how I wanted this to go.”

Eric reached for his shoulder. He stopped, suddenly hesitant. “Did… did you know they were bringing me here?”

“No, of course not!”

“Then what ‘this’ are you talking about?”

“This… this.” Rashad waved his hand around the room.

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