The Honorable Beta by Lia Cooper

Author:Lia Cooper [Cooper, Lia]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Published: 2015-12-28T23:00:00+00:00

Winston did not return to the luncheon arranged by the king—Aubrey would just have to be on his best behavior and take the consequences if someone spoke out of turn about him being alone with the Lord Riven over finger sandwiches and tea. Winston’s head wasn’t in the right place to make small talk over cold cuts and tea.

He slammed his fist into the wall of the castle and cursed at the pain that blossomed. He refused to think of Elsa or the look on her face when she’d told him that it hadn’t mattered—that it was over—that they had been fools.

He had been a fool. A fool for thinking that she…

Winston pulled up short and looked around the empty battlement, the wind this high up whipping the pale blue pennants into a frenzy.

He leaned against the stone wall, his head hanging low between his shoulder blades, back hunched against the chill. He had been a fool for forgetting that the thing between them was never more than a diversion between friends. He had not entered into the arrangement with blinders on—though there was something to the old adage about men and alphas being led around by their cocks for which he may find some excuse.

Winston went about his days much as he had been, half relieved for the distraction afforded him by his duties chaperoning the king and Lord Riven, half in agony because every lunch and dinner and walk in the crisp winter air reminded him bitterly that he must return to an empty bed at the end of the day.

“I am very happy,” King Aubrey mused one evening as they leaned together over a wooden board game, a toasty fire crackling in the hearth. Winston was too distracted to put in a good effort and the king had been soundly beating him since they sat down.

“I am glad,” Winston murmured.

Aubrey sighed and leaned his cheek against his fist. Usually, he was not a very great game player, which made Winston’s current losing streak even more embarrassing.

“You’ve been quiet since Sir Riven left. I am sorry that she had to leave us.”

He made a noncommittal noise in reply, losing another shiny bone game piece to Aubrey’s eager fingers.

“I know that I’ve been distracted, but I am not wrong that the two of you seemed to hit it off, am I?”

Winston fidgeted, glancing up at his friend from under his ginger fringe. He should see about having the mess cut back to make it more manageable before someone mistook him for a beggar.

“We had many interests in common,” he allowed.

Aubrey nodded innocently. “Yes. I hope that we will soon have an excuse to bring her back.”

“Does that seem likely to occur very soon, then?”

The king shrugged and began setting up a new game.

“And what news from the north?” Winston asked, steering the conversation away from questions he did not relish answering or trying to explain.

Aubrey chewed on his lip while he contemplated his first move. “Nothing good. I’ve been advised against sending troops up to respond to the report until we have outside verification.

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