Loreen's POV
Loreen woke slowly, his eyes squeezing shut when a sharp line of sunlight struck directly across his face. The light felt too bright for the morning after a long night. He groaned softly and lifted an arm to shield his eyes, turning his head away from the window.
The first thing he noticed was that he was not in his room.
The ceiling above him was low and stained with old smoke. The wooden beams looked crooked and poorly carved. The bed beneath him felt narrow and hard, nothing like the soft feather mattress he was used to.
He let out another groan and rubbed a hand over his face.
Of course.
An inn.
A cheap one too, judging by the rough sheets and the unpleasant smell of old ale that clung to the room.
He had not expected much when he rented the room the night before. The inns near the palace gates were far too expensive and far too crowded with people who might recognize him.
It was always safer to ride farther into the lower part of the city when his rut began to stir. Still, he had hoped the bed would at least be comfortable.
Then Loreen noticed the second thing. Someone was standing at the foot of the bed.
He blinked his eyes open fully. The man stood stiffly with his arms folded across his chest, his face dark with anger.
Marsden.
The beta had been his caretaker since Loreen was five years old. The man had raised him almost as much as the palace tutors had. Marsden had taught him how to ride, how to fight with a sword, and how to hold himself like a prince in front of nobles.
Right now Marsden looked like he wanted to strangle him. Loreen frowned at the man from the bed.
Marsden's voice was sharp. "One would think the Crown Prince of this great kingdom would have enough decency to cover his cock rather than leave it hanging out for the innkeepers to see." He said as he glanced toward the slightly open door before tossing a folded cloth across the bed.
Loreen looked down at himself lazily.
Yes. He was completely naked.
He let out a tired sigh and grabbed the cloth, throwing it across his lap. "You woke me up for that?" Loreen muttered.
Marsden did not answer.
Loreen slowly rolled out of bed, stretching his stiff back. His body still felt heavy from the night before. He had fallen asleep almost immediately after finishing with the omega.
That thought made him pause, and he looked around the room.
The chair near the bed was empty. The corner where the omega had left his boots was bare. The small wash basin beside the wall had been cleaned.
It was clear the omega was gone; either he had slipped away before sunrise, or Marsden had sent him off, something the beta had done many times before.
Loreen was not sure which, and honestly, he did not care.
What mattered was that Marsden had found him instead of his father's assistant. If that old hawk had discovered him here, half the palace would already be burning.
Loreen pulled on his trousers slowly. "How did you find me?" he asked.
Marsden scoffed loudly. "I found your horse." He replied. "She is impossible to miss. A royal war mare standing outside a cheap inn in the lower district draws attention."
He looked around the room with open disgust. "In a place like this."
Loreen shrugged and began pulling on his shirt. "If you dislike the room so much, you could have waited outside." He mumbled.
Marsden's jaw tightened. "It is not the room that bothers me. It is the fact that you keep doing this." He said.
Loreen raised an eyebrow, but Marsden continued in a frustrated voice.
"Every rut, you sneak out of the palace and hide in these inns when you could easily invite any lady of your choice to your chambers. There are plenty who would gladly warm your bed, Loreen."
Loreen gave him a flat look. The beta knew the reason why he couldn't do that. He had known it for years. "You know very well why that will not work," he said.
Marsden sighed heavily. "I know." He murmured, then rubbed his temple. "But there must be another way to handle this."
Loreen shook his head. "There is nothing to handle." He muttered as he pulled on his boots and stood up straight. "My father would cut my head off if he ever saw me in bed with another man."
He shrugged again. "And as much as I would enjoy a comfortable place during my rut, I prefer keeping my head attached to my neck."
Marsden opened his mouth to argue. Then he stopped. The man looked away for a moment before speaking quietly.
"I worry about how long we can keep this hidden," he said quietly. "Secrets have a way of finding the surface. No matter how deep you bury them, they never stay buried forever."
Loreen gave a small laugh. "That may be true." He muttered. He grabbed his cloak and threw it over his shoulders. "But before that day comes, I intend to enjoy myself."
Marsden stared at him, as Loreen walked past him toward the door.
"Now tell me why you are here. You should have waited at the palace for my return." He asked.
"I needed to find you." Marsden said as he followed him into the hallway. "The king requests your presence at breakfast."
Loreen stopped walking and turned sharply to face the beta.
Marsden continued as if he had not just dropped a bomb. "If we do not leave now, we will arrive late."
Loreen cursed under his breath. "Gods above, Mars. You should have started with that." He said, as he quickly buckled the last strap on his cloak and headed down the narrow stairs.
Outside, the morning air was cool and fresh. His bodyguard stood nearby holding the reins of his horse.
Loreen took them and swung into the saddle. "Do you know why he wants me at breakfast?" He asked.
Marsden mounted his own horse. "I have no idea, your highness." He replied.
Loreen sighed. "Wonderful." He grumbled and turned his horse toward the palace road. "Might as well find out."