Exclusive Excerpt from The Selkie Prince’s Fated Mate

by J.J. Masters

Kai cupped Luca’s cheeks for a moment then forced himself to move away once again, berating himself for being so weak.

He never hated being a prince more than at that moment. If they had been Selkies of the common kind, just any alpha and omega, they would have had the bonding ceremony immediately and mated already. No fuss, no muss.

He glanced at his watch and groaned silently. After Vin had escorted Luca back to Kai’s quarters, Douglass had rushed into the dining hall announcing that everything was set for the bonding ceremony which would begin promptly at eight.

Eight.

It was only seven-thirty and Kai didn’t know how he would be able to resist his leaking omega for another thirty minutes. Maybe he should leave and go walk around the compound. Inhale some fresh sea air. Take a quick dip in the frigid November surf.

But he couldn’t leave. He couldn’t. Something pulled at him to remain by his omega’s side, to protect him, to make sure Luca was not left alone near any other alphas, including his brothers, until he was fully marked and claimed.

“Why can’t I…” Kai frowned. “Quit you?”

Luca made a noise that sounded like a laugh and cocked a brow in Kai’s direction. “Why can’t you quit me?”

His omega laughed at him, which made Kai’s frown deepen. He hadn’t meant for that question to slip out, but his mind had turned to mush.

“Is that a Brokeback Mountain reference?”

Kai sighed and rolled his eyes toward the ceiling. “Maybe.”

Luca grinned. “Did that movie make you cry, too?”

“Mmm,” Kai murmured.

Luca’s laughter sounded like music to Kai’s ears. Curse the sea gods, he was truly becoming infatuated with the male.

“Wow. Who would have thought that my alpha bull would be such a softie?”

Kai pinned his gaze on Luca. “That doesn’t leave this room,” he growled.

“And if it does? Then what?”

“Then your ‘bull’ will see red and your ass will match it.” Bloody hell, he hadn’t meant for that to slip out either.

“Hmm. Tempting.” Luca grinned again. “So, it’s nice to hear even royalty watches movies like us common folk. Do you have a Redbox in some corner of this kingdom?”

“No. It’s called Netflix.”

“Ah. Even better. Like to Netflix and chill, my bull?”

My bull. The male before him was certainly insolent. Kai raised his brows. “Do you?”

Luca lifted one shoulder lazily as he answered, “Never had a mate before.”

Of course not. But that didn’t mean he was a virgin. “But you’ve had lovers.” Kai didn’t make that a question on purpose. But he definitely wanted an answer.

“Have you?”

Touché.

Kai tilted his head and studied his fated mate. “Mmm. Yes.”

“Other omegas?”

Kai did not need to answer any of Luca’s questions. He was the alpha here. He was a prince. But he did have to live with him for the rest of his life. Technically. So it wouldn’t hurt to “bond” with him more than sexually, especially before the ceremony. “No, never other omegas. I couldn’t risk sending an omega into heat.”

“Fearful of whelping a bastard pup? Or two?”

“No. Fearful of being stuck with someone who wasn’t the one.”

Luca’s eyebrows rose in question. “The one?”

Yes, the one who smells as sweet and alluring as you.“My mate.”

“Me,” Luca stated.

“Yes, you,” Kai confirmed.

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