A Dying Boy Knocked on a Lonely Omega’s Door—Then Royal Guards Arrived and Called Him Their Missing Prince

Chapter 4

Perdita walked to the door on unsteady legs, her wolf pacing anxiously beneath her skin. Through the small window, she could see three figures standing on her porch. Two men in dark clothing and a woman with silver hair pulled back in a severe bun. They carried themselves with the unmistakable bearing of authority, and the scent that reached her through the door made her stomach drop.

Royal guard.

She had only smelled that particular combination of power and privilege once before, years ago, when the Alpha King’s entourage had passed through her old pack’s territory. It was a scent that spoke of absolute authority, of wolves so high in the hierarchy that their very presence demanded submission.

What could they possibly want with her — unless?

Perdita glanced back toward the bedroom where the child remained hidden under the blankets. The noble features. The healing speed. The strange power that hummed beneath his skin. Pieces of a puzzle began falling into place with terrible clarity.

Another knock. More insistent.

“We know you’re in there,” called a deep male voice. “We mean no harm, but we need to speak with you.”

Perdita took a deep breath, squared her shoulders, and opened the door.

The three wolves on her porch were everything she had expected and more. The two men flanked a woman who was clearly their leader — tall, elegant, with steel-gray eyes that seemed to see straight through to her soul. All three wore the midnight blue of the royal house.

“Perdita Mosswood,” the woman said. It was not a question. “My name is Commander Sarah Blackthorn. We need to discuss the child.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Perdita replied, though she knew the lie was transparent. These wolves could probably smell the boy’s scent all over her.

Commander Blackthorn’s expression softened slightly. “May we come in? This conversation would be better held in private.”

Perdita wanted to refuse. She wanted to slam the door and pretend this was not happening. But she could sense the power these wolves carried. She stepped aside, allowing them to enter.

The three guards arranged themselves in her small living area with military precision. Commander Blackthorn settled into the chair opposite the sofa, gesturing for Perdita to sit.

“Where is Prince Kai?” she asked without preamble.

The words hit Perdita like a physical blow. “Prince?”

“Of course.” She should have recognized the signs. Should have understood why his very presence made her wolf want to bow in submission.

“Is that his name?” she heard herself ask. “Kai?”

Something like relief flashed across the commander’s face. “So he is here.”

Perdita looked toward the bedroom where she could hear the faint sound of whimpering. “He can’t remember,” she said quietly. “And he’s frightened.”

“Whatever happened to him was an attempt on his life,” Commander Blackthorn finished. “Three nights ago, rebels infiltrated the royal compound. They killed his personal guard, his nursemaid, and very nearly succeeded in killing the prince himself.”

The words painted a picture so horrific that Perdita felt sick. “He’s just a child. How could anyone—”

“Because he’s not just any child,” one of the male guards interjected. “He’s the heir to the northern crown, the future Alpha King. His death would have thrown our people into civil war.”

Perdita thought of the note. The desperate words written by someone who had known they were sending a child into the unknown rather than letting him face certain death.

“Who saved him? Who brought him here?”

Commander Blackthorn’s expression grew pained. “His nursemaid, Lydia. She had been with the royal family for twenty years. When the attack came, she managed to get him out, but she was badly wounded. She died getting him to safety.”

“But why here?” Perdita asked. “Why my cabin?”

The three guards exchanged glances, and Commander Blackthorn leaned forward. “What do you know about your mother’s family, Perdita?”

The question caught her off guard. “My mother? She died when I was ten. She was just a pack omega. Nothing special.”

“Her maiden name was Moonwater,” the commander said quietly. “Her grandmother served as nursemaid to the previous Alpha King. Your family has a history of loyalty to the crown that goes back generations.”

Perdita stared at her. “You’re saying Lydia brought him here because of my bloodline?”

“We’re saying she brought him to the one person she knew could be trusted with his life.”

A soft sound from the bedroom drew everyone’s attention. Prince Kai stood in the doorway, his small frame nearly swallowed by one of Perdita’s oversized nightgowns. His golden eyes were fixed on Commander Blackthorn with a mixture of recognition and uncertainty.

“My prince,” the commander said, dropping to one knee. The two male guards immediately followed suit.

Perdita watched as something flickered in the boy’s eyes. Confusion giving way to memory, piece by piece. He took a hesitant step forward, then another, until he was standing directly in front of the kneeling commander.

“Sarah.” His voice was hoarse from disuse, barely above a whisper, but the word was clear.

“Yes, Your Highness, it’s me.”

Prince Kai looked back at Perdita, his expression uncertain. She could see the war playing out in his young face. The pull of familiarity and safety these guards represented against the bond he had formed with the woman who had sheltered him through his darkest hour.

“Will you come home with us, my prince?” Commander Blackthorn asked gently. “Your father is frantic with worry.”

But instead of answering, Prince Kai walked back to Perdita. He climbed onto the sofa beside her and pressed himself against her side, his small hand slipping into hers.

“Stay?” he said quietly, the first word he had spoken to her.

It was not his inability to speak that had kept him silent. It was trauma. Fear. The protective walls his young mind had built around memories too terrible to face.

“Stay with you?” Perdita whispered.

He nodded, his golden eyes never leaving hers.

She felt her heart crack open. This powerful, precious child wanted to stay with her. A nobody omega living alone in the woods.

“Your Highness,” she said gently. “Your father needs to know you’re safe. There are people who love you who have been scared for you.”

Prince Kai’s grip on her hand tightened. “Come with me.”

The simple question hung in the air like a prayer.