I woke up to knocking.
Soft at first, then a little louder, like the person was scared to wake me but also scared to stop.
I groaned and pulled the pillow over my head. The bed smelled like lavender and way too much money. My whole body felt heavy, like I'd slept for three days instead of one night.
The knocking didn't stop.
"Nalia…?" A quiet voice. Jaxon again. "Um… it's morning. Everyone's waiting downstairs for breakfast. They said… they said if you don't come down they'll bring the food up here and eat in your room."
I sat up so fast the blanket fell off. "They wouldn't."
A tiny pause. "Aiden already told the kitchen to prepare trays. Blake threatened to carry you downstairs if you take too long. Gavin just grunted something about not testing him. I-I think they're serious…"
I rubbed my face. Great. Ten overgrown alpha princes acting like toddlers.
"Tell them I'll be down in ten minutes," I called.
"Okay!" Footsteps running away super fast.
I looked around the fancy room. Sunlight poured in through huge windows. There was a whole wardrobe full of clothes that were clearly picked out for me (silks, velvets, stuff that probably cost more than my old hut). I grabbed the simplest thing I could find: a soft white tunic and loose pants that tied at the waist, and a long sky-blue robe that made me feel like I was wearing a cloud.
When I opened the door, Jaxon was still waiting, twisting his fingers nervously.
"You didn't have to stand guard," I said.
He blushed bright red. "I volunteered."
Cute.
We walked down hallways that seemed to go on forever. Gold frames, marble statues, servants bowing every two seconds. I tried not to trip over my own feet. Jaxon kept sneaking glances at me like he couldn't believe I was real.
The dining hall was ridiculous.
A table long enough for thirty people. Crystal chandeliers. One entire wall was just windows looking out over gardens and waterfalls. And there they were: all ten princes already seated, pretending to be calm and failing miserably.
Aiden sat at the head, looking like a king even in a simple black shirt. Caleb beside him, arms crossed, still wearing traveling clothes like he didn't trust peace. Damon leaned against a pillar in the shadows, sipping something dark from a cup. Blake sprawled in his chair like he owned the place, smirking. Ethan had three books open in front of his plate. Finn was sketching on a napkin (probably me, judging by the way he kept looking up). Gavin looked like he wanted to murder the table. Harlan was drumming his fingers. Ian stared into space like he was listening to ghosts. And Jaxon hurried to his seat, face still pink.
Ten pairs of eyes turned to me the second I stepped in.
Suddenly I felt like a deer walking into a wolf den.
Aiden stood up so fast his chair scraped. "Good morning."
Everyone else stood too. Even Blake, after a second.
I raised an eyebrow. "You guys don't have to do that every time I enter a room, you know."
Harlan grinned. "We're practicing for when you're officially ours."
I felt my face heat up. "Sit down before I leave."
They sat. Fast.
I walked to the only empty chair (right next to Aiden, of course) and climbed up. The table was covered in food: fruits, pastries, eggs, meats, stuff I didn't even have names for. My stomach growled loud enough for the whole room to hear.
Blake laughed. "Hungry, little omega?"
"Starving," I muttered, grabbing a croissant.
Silence while I ate the first bite. Then the questions exploded.
Ethan leaned forward. "How did your pheromone potency increase so suddenly? Have you always had episodes? Any family history of—"
Finn kicked him under the table. "Let him eat, nerd."
Gavin grunted. "He's too thin. Needs meat."
Caleb silently pushed a plate of bacon toward me.
Ian spoke in this dreamy voice, "The threads around you are gold and violet today. Very strong. Very beautiful."
Jaxon just stared at his plate, face red again.
Aiden's hand landed on the back of my chair (not touching me, but close enough that I felt the heat). "We need ground rules," he said, voice calm but firm. "No fighting. No sneaking into his room. No trying to mark him without permission."
Blake rolled his eyes. "Boring rules."
Damon finally spoke from the shadows. "The king wants to see him this afternoon."
Everyone went stiff.
I paused mid-bite. "The king? As in… your dad?"
Aiden's jaw tightened. "Yes. He's… curious."
Curious. Right. More like he wants to know why all ten of his sons suddenly lost their minds over a peasant.
Harlan leaned forward, grinning. "Bet he tries to marry you off to some duke to keep you under control."
Gavin cracked his knuckles. "Over my dead body."
Ethan adjusted his glasses. "Actually, the prophecy—"
"Shut up about the prophecy for five minutes," Blake groaned.
I set my fork down. Ten pairs of eyes on me again.
"Here's the thing," I said, trying to sound way calmer than I felt. "I'm not a prize you guys fight over. I'm not a prophecy pawn either. If we're doing this (whatever this is), we do it my way."
Silence.
I took a deep breath. "I want to know all of you. Not just the prince version. The real you. One at a time. No audience. No pressure."
They blinked.
Then Aiden nodded slowly. "Fair."
Caleb's eyes softened. "Whatever you need."
Even Blake looked surprised. "You're really gonna give us a chance?"
I met his gaze. "Everyone gets one. Don't waste it."
Finn raised his hand like we were in school. "Can I go first?"
"No," eight voices said at once.
I almost laughed. Almost.
Instead I stood up. "I'm going back to my room. Someone can come get me when the king summons me. Until then… behave."
I turned to leave.
Jaxon, who looked like he might pass out from nerves. "Jaxon, you're with me today. Show me the gardens or something."
His eyes went huge. "M-me?"
"Yeah. You brought me food last night. You earned it."
The look on his face (pure joy) made my chest warm).
As we walked out, I heard Blake mutter, "Lucky brat."
And Aiden's quiet, proud, "He's already choosing."
I didn't look back.
But I smiled the whole way to the garden.