His Obsession, Her Doom: Forbidden Flame

Chapter Three

Kayla

“Bad night?”

Prince Leonard asked, his eyes locking onto mine as he offered me a handkerchief. I stared at it, still in shock that he was standing in front of me, let alone offering me something so personal. I didn’t take it, my mind stunned at the impropriety of it all, a prince, showing such kindness to someone like me.

In our world, omegas are treated like property, forced to serve the pack without question. We are forbidden from interacting with the members of the Royal family, let alone touching them, punishable by death if caught. The Royals are forbidden to show interest in us or acknowledge our existence beyond a nod. We are expected to keep our distance, to fade into the background unless, of course, you are a royal servant.

So when Prince Leonard stepped into my personal space, it felt like the world had tilted on its axis. Normally, members of the royal family are surrounded by an invisible bubble, a 50-foot radius of empty air that no one dares to breach. Yet, here he was, standing inches from me, his presence suffocating and exhilarating all at once.

“I’m good, thanks,” I muttered, trying to brush him off and leave, but Prince Leonard grabbed my arm. His eyes seemed to bore into mine. “Why are you crying?”

“I don’t think that’s any of your business, my prince,” I kept my tone neutral.

He raised an eyebrow, his lip curling into a smile. “Great, you know me,” his voice oozing with amusement. I gave a curt nod, careful to keep my disdain in check. Showing any hint of disrespect could get me into trouble, and I knew better than to antagonize a member of the royal family.

“You're right, it's none of my business, but a beautiful lady standing alone in the dark, crying? That just doesn't seem right.”

The word “beautiful” rubbed me the wrong way, it sounded like a line he'd use to charm a girl into his bed. I clenched my jaw, biting back a sharp retort.

I opened my mouth to reply, but Aiden and Emily's moans grew louder, piercing the air and cutting me off.

The Prince's smirk twisted into a knowing smile, and he murmured, “Oh.” But all I could think about was the pain those sounds brought back. My tears welled up again, and suddenly all I wanted was to escape to the solitude of my dorm room and cry myself to sleep.

I turned to leave, but the prince's fingers wrapped around my arm, holding me again.

“Please, just let me go,” I pleaded, my voice barely above a whisper.

His expression softened into something almost sympathetic, and I felt a surge of scorn. They all wore the same mask, didn't they? Charming smiles and honeyed words, just to take advantage of us. I wondered what game he was playing, and what he wanted from me.

“Have a drink with me,” the prince said, his words felt like a slap in the face. I felt a bitter laugh rising in my throat.

“Why? So you can add me to your collection? Sleep with me like you did with those other girls?” I snapped. “Do I look like just another notch on your belt?” The words tumbled out before I could stop myself.

“You men are all the same, always using girls for an advantage or trying to get under our skirts.”

For a moment, I forgot who I was yelling at and by the time I realized what I had done it was too late. I froze, knowing my mouth had probably gotten me into trouble. But instead of anger, the prince smiled at me.

“I don’t have any ill intentions,” he spoke calmly. “I just thought we could share a drink….maybe help you take your mind off things.” He nodded towards the source of the moaning.

Then it hit me, the muffled moans hadn’t stopped.

“Fine,” I said without thinking. Maybe alcohol would help heal my broken heart, Sadie always said it could numb the pain, at least for a little while. Just a few drinks, I told myself. That’s all I need.

We arrived at the VVIP bar section, and the air was thick with expensive perfumes and the sharp sting of alcohol. I glanced around and spotted Prince Leonard’s Betas, and Gamma, his partners in crime, lounging with girls clinging to them like trophies. The way they touched the girls made my stomach turn, it reminded me of everything I hated about them. Disgust churned inside me, sharp and bitter. I wanted to look away, but the image burned into my mind.

“Ignore them,” Prince Leonard said quietly, probably noticing my discomfort.

I nodded slowly and stepped up to the counter. I told the bartender, “Give me the strongest drink you’ve got.” It was my first time drinking, and if my mom ever found out, I was as good as dead.

The bartender hesitated, eyes flicking to Leonard, probably waiting for his approval. The prince gave a simple nod, and only then did the man start pouring.

The bartender slid the glass toward me, the amber liquid catching the light like fire. I hesitated for half a second, then brought it to my lips.

The burn hit instantly.

It scorched down my throat, making my eyes water and my chest tighten. I coughed, hard, and slammed the glass back down.

What the hell was that? I gasped inwardly, blinking away the sting.

Is this what people enjoy?

Are they insane?

But I didn’t stop. I reached for the glass again. Because the ache in my chest, the one Aiden left behind still hurts more than the burn of the alcohol.

“If you keep going like this, you’ll end up completely sloshed,” he said, shaking his head.

I shrugged and downed the second glass. Then came the third, the fourth… by the fifth, I could barely feel my hands or my legs.

“I thought we had something special,” I whimpered. “I thought I meant something to him… that he loved me. But I was wrong. He just used me to get what he wanted, and then he cheated on me… and dumped me.”

“He’s a loser,” Prince Leonard said casually like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

I let out a bitter laugh. “And you’re no better. You have a reputation too, you sleep with girls and toss them aside like garbage.”

I didn’t know what was wrong with me. Maybe it was the alcohol, maybe it was the heartbreak or maybe I was just tired of staying silent. Either way, I suddenly felt bold enough to speak to him in a way that would usually cost me my head.

“You’re different,” I heard him say, though his voice was fuzzy in my ears.

“What did you say?” I asked, blinking to focus on his face.

“I said… you look pretty in that dress. Where did you get it from?”

“Oh, this?” I laughed bitterly, glancing down. “It’s a secret. My best friend stole it from her mom’s shop. I wore it to impress my ex… but he dumped me before I even got the chance.”

Prince Leonard nodded, a small smile playing on his lips. I couldn’t figure out why he was smiling and he barely touched his drink, yet here I was, pouring my soul out like a fool.

“You’re not drinking?” I asked, my words slightly slurred.

“Yeah, I’m not nearly as broken as you are tonight.”

I took a few more shots, and soon I knew I was completely wasted. All I had to do was find my way back to my dorm.

“Thank you for the drink, my prince, but I think I’ve had enough,” I slurred, barely able to see straight or make sense of how I felt. The last thing I wanted was to end up in his bed. “I should probably get back to my dorm.”

I stumbled to my feet, nearly falling, but a strong arm caught me. That familiar scent hit me again.

“You smell nice,” I mumbled vaguely. “I’m good now. Can you let me go?”

He nodded, about to release me, when suddenly bile rose in my throat. Before I could stop it, I emptied my stomach onto Prince Leonard’s body.

I heard a faint gasp, but everything quickly faded as my body went limp. Darkness swallowed me whole.