My fault

CILLIAN'S POV

I couldn't believe Rosalind was here in my quarters. She sat at the edge of my couch looking like she felt out of place.

"I apologise for my brother. He can be a handful sometimes."

But personally, I felt she belonged here. And if I would have it, I would keep her here with me safe and sound.

She averted her gaze from mine. "It was nothing, Prince Cillian. I am a mere omega to his royal lineage. He can treat me however he pleases."

The words sparked even more anger within me. It wasn't like she had said anything wrong. It was the law.

We were the higher authorities in this kingdom but the thought that Killian could treat Rosalind however he felt sat ill with me. For a mere mistake, he had wanted to kill her. A world without Rosalind wasn't possible.

"No, he can not."

"Prince Cillian?" Rosalind seemed puzzled.

"I will not allow anyone to treat you less than you are worth, Melody." My words became a growl and once more that day, my wolf fought to rise to the surface.

There was something about Rosalind that made him want to give her the best he could and protect her from those who wished to hurt her including my brother.

"No," Rosalind seemed disturbed. "You cannot pick a fight with your brother for my sake. It is not right. I would not feel good about that. Both of you are flesh and blood."

I was dazzled by her kindness. If only she knew things weren't that simple with Killian and that it didn't feel that way. Sometimes looking at his face which was a replica of mine felt like a betrayal.

"How can you still want to preserve our relationship? He tried to kill you."

If I hadn't come in time… I shuddered to think what he would have done to her.

"But he didn't," Rosalind said emphatically. Then she looked away as though she had done something wrong.

"He had no way of knowing. It was my fault. I should have asked for your name when you told me to come to the palace. Then I wouldn't have gone to the wrong Prince and riled him up."

"Rosalind."

She had done nothing wrong. I didn't think it was possible for her to do anything wrong.

Her alluring blue eyes rose to meet mine. "Please forget this. For my sake."

"Rosalind. You are a good person."

She had not tried to put a rift between me and Killian. Killian felt she gas dubious motives meanwhile she was trying her best to convince me of his

"You honour me, Prince Cillian." Her cheeks coloured, the blush spreading all the way down to her neck.

My eyes tracked the redness hungrily as I suddenly realised we were alone. I wanted her to call me by my name. I wanted to teach my lips across her soft skin and watch her blush for my touch alone.

I looked away from her beautiful innocent face with her thick-rimmed lashes and pouty kissable lips.

Cillian, focus.

"How is your sibling? Did you get something for him with the money?"

Her smile suddenly dimmed and her blush disappeared.

"Some. But most of the money was used on the transport here."

I was a fool. An idiot. I had acted like an absolute prick. How could I have forgotten the cost of travel simply because I could just hop in a car and be wherever I wanted.

I should have sent the driver to pick her up.

Rosalind seemed to blink back tears as she spoke.

"I felt the job would be worth the expense. We would finally be able to afford Bast's treatment. But at this point, I just want to return home." She forced on a tight smile. "Please can you help me arrange a suitable means of transport?"

"Then what will you do?"

She shrugged helplessly.

"Live my life the same way I have all these years. By finding work and doing it."

"And Bast?" He must be her sibling.

Tears filled her eyes but she didn't let them fall as she gave a brave smile.

"We will treasure the little time we have left with each other."

This was disastrous. In trying to help her, I had put her in even more trouble.

I sat next to her on the couch and took her hand in mine. She looked at me, her eyes wide.

"I'm sorry you went through all this because of me. I gave you hope of a better life but all I did was put your life in danger."

"No, Prince Cillian don't say that." She shook her head. And placed her second hand over mine. "Twice now you have saved my life. I could never repay you."

"You don't need to. I don't want you to."

Somehow we were already sitting extremely close. I leaned in and even if her eyes widened imperceptibly, she remained still. Very still.

I stroked her chin and her eyes fell close. We were sharing a breath and our lips were only about an inch apart. I dropped a kiss on her cheek and I felt her hand tightened in mine.

"I need to get going." She whispered hotly but she didn't move.

I dropped another kiss on her jawline. And another on her nape. I felt her breathing change but it could have been mine. I was losing control. My wolf wanted to bite down on her neck so that everyone knew she was ours.

I needed her desperately. I needed more of whatever this was. I hadn't even known her for up to forty-eight hours. The depth of my feelings in such a short time scared me.

I stood quickly. Rosalind looked surprised then she looked away as well.

Maybe it was better if she left. If she stayed I might be unable to control myself around him. I could mark her and it could prove dangerous.

If I were a normal person perhaps we could have been something more but I was a prince. They would never accept someone from the district as my mate. If I forced it, she would have had a terrible 'accident' the second I left her alone.

Politics was dirty. I couldn't bring her into something like this, yet…

Rosalind stood up on unsteady legs.

I would have loved to believe it was from my kisses but she was probably tired from all the travels she had made today and an almost-death situation.

"Could I do anything to convince you to stop?" I asked desperately. "If I offered to pay for the treatment of your sibling, would you think of taking on the job again?"

"The job?" She asked with an edge of confusion.

"The one you came here for."

"Prince Cillian, I don't understand how the both of them correlate. You know I don't take freebies. My brother's treatment would cost a lot of silver, probably even gold. I can't collect much from you. From anyone."

"That's why I asked you to take the job. You will get food, a roof to sleep under and with your every paycheck you will pay me back for Bast's treatment."

Cillian, let her go. This cannot end well. I tried to caution myself. If we couldn't stay alone in a room together without keeping our hands off each other then in months of working here…

Rosalind's voice tore me out of my musings.

"But Prince Killian…"

She was right to be bothered. Killian never forgot a grudge. I was almost certain that our current animosity was in a way related to the little mistake I had made as a child of mistakenly pushing him into the palace pool.

"Let my brother be my responsibility," I said persuasively. I would do and say anything to make her stay. To make her life easier. "But if I were to take care of that would you stay?"

She hesitated and then looked at me, uncertainty shining in her eyes.

"Yes."

She was trusting me to keep my word. To keep her and her sibling safe. Then I would do whatever it took to keep her safe. Even standing against my twin.

*******

Immediately after she left, I was in Killian's hall.

"Cillian." He said gruffly, probably still angry that I hadn't let him execute Rosalind.

"I am done with putting up your selfish and cruel ways. I hoped that in time we could become brothers in truth but with every passing day, you have proven that will always remain a dream."

Killian moved a piece of tile in the strategy game he always played with himself. He never invited anyone to sit with him. No one was smart enough, he would joke snidely.

"So? I never asked you to live in your dreams. You have always been a weak-minded person. That isn't my fault, little brother."

He had come out barely a second before me but he never failed to call me 'little brother' whenever he felt I was being particularly stupid.

"Rosalind will live here with us." As a servant but that was beside the point. "And if you mistreat her or touch one lock of hair on her head, I will forget we are brothers and I will unseat you from this throne that you don't deserve."

I had never seen Killian surprised but it flickered across his face before it disappeared.

Then he laughed.

"Why little brother, you are growing up. You almost scared me."

He stood up and met me where I stood.

"I can't wait to see what you do."