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

Chapter 6

The days that followed were a blur of new faces and overwhelming luxury. Perdita was given quarters in the guest wing, rooms so large and opulent she felt lost in them. Silk wallpaper. Crystal chandeliers. Furniture that probably cost more than her entire cabin. And yet, for all their beauty, the rooms felt cold and impersonal.

But Prince Kai made sure she never felt alone for long.

He appeared at her door every evening, a small figure in silk pajamas, clutching a stuffed wolf that looked well-loved despite its expensive craftsmanship. “Can’t sleep,” he would say, and she would open her door wider, and he would climb onto her sofa and curl against her chest like he had that first night.

“The bad dreams come back when I close my eyes,” he told her one night, his voice small and fragile.

“It’s normal to have bad dreams after something frightening happens,” she said, stroking his hair. “They’ll get better with time.”

“Will you stay until I fall asleep?”

“Of course.”

She carried him to his enormous bed and sat beside him, humming soft melodies until his breathing evened out. But when she tried to leave, his small hand shot out to grasp her wrist.

“Don’t go,” he whispered, still mostly asleep. “Please don’t leave me alone.”

So Perdita spent the night in a chair beside his bed, just as she had that first night. But this time, she was not just keeping watch over a frightened child found in a storm. She was protecting a prince, a future king, a little boy who had lost his innocence too early and needed someone to help him find his way back to feeling safe.

It was on the third morning that Lady Vivian appeared.

She was beautiful in a cold, perfect way. Her platinum blonde hair was styled in an elaborate updo, and her ice-blue gown was clearly worth more than most people earned in a year. When she saw Perdita, her lip curled in barely disguised disdain.

“Magnus,” she said, her voice like frost over steel. “I see you’ve brought the forest omega into the palace.”

“Lady Vivian,” King Magnus said, his tone cooling noticeably. “I wasn’t aware you had returned from your travels.”

“I came as soon as I heard about Kai.” Her gaze swept over Perdita dismissively. “Really, Magnus? I understand you’re grateful, but surely a monetary reward would be more appropriate than this.”

“This,” King Magnus said with dangerous quiet, “is the woman who saved my son’s life. She will be treated with the respect she deserves.”

Lady Vivian’s laugh was like breaking glass. “Respect? She’s a nobody omega who happened to be in the right place at the right time. Surely you don’t intend to keep her here permanently.”

“I intend to give Prince Kai whatever he needs to heal. If he needs Perdita, then she stays.”

The confrontation might have escalated, but Prince Kai’s voice interrupted them. He had appeared in the doorway of the healer’s chambers, his golden eyes fixed on Lady Vivian with a coldness that seemed impossible for someone so young.

“Go away, Vivian,” he said clearly. “Perdita stays.”

Lady Vivian’s face flushed with embarrassment, but she could not argue with a direct order from the prince. She inclined her head stiffly and swept away, her heels clicking angrily on the marble floors.

“I’m sorry about that,” King Magnus said quietly to Perdita. “Lady Vivian has expectations regarding her place in the royal hierarchy.”

Perdita understood without being told. Lady Vivian was clearly someone who had expected to become queen, someone who saw her presence as a threat to carefully laid plans.

That evening, King Magnus summoned her to his private study. The room was lined with books and maps, and a fire crackled in the hearth. He gestured for her to sit, his expression serious but not unkind.

“We need to talk about the future,” he said gently. “The rebels who attacked the palace are still out there. And they are specifically targeting Kai.”

Perdita felt the words like ice water. “But why? He’s just a child.”

“He’s the heir to the throne,” King Magnus said grimly. “As long as he lives, he represents everything they want to destroy. The attack three days ago was not random violence. It was a coordinated assassination attempt. And they will try again.”

“What are you saying?”

“I’m saying that my son needs protection beyond what traditional guards can provide. He needs someone he trusts completely. Someone who can stay close to him without arousing suspicion.” He leaned forward, his golden eyes intense. “He needs you.”

“I’m not a warrior. I’m just an omega. I don’t know how to fight or protect anyone.”

“You protected him when it mattered most. You opened your door to a stranger in a storm. You gave him sanctuary when he had nowhere else to go. And most importantly, he trusts you completely.”

The weight of what he was asking settled over her like a heavy cloak. “You want me to become his permanent guardian.”

“I want you to become his family,” King Magnus said quietly. “I want you to be the mother he lost when the queen died in childbirth. The constant presence that makes him feel safe in a dangerous world. I want you to love him and protect him and help him grow into the king he is meant to become.”

Tears blurred Perdita’s vision. “I don’t know how to raise a prince.”

“You don’t need to know how to raise a prince. You need to know how to raise Kai. And from what I’ve seen, you’re already perfect at that.”