Chapter 192

Nolan cracked a smile.

It’s weird to say this, but I think that moment – even though an hour ago he had been so incredibly sad – that was the happiest I had seen him in a long, long time.

I missed Nolan’s bright smile. It was like a glimpse of sunlight after a storm.

“That’s… interesting,” he said, trying to downplay what he was really feeling.

Then he looked to the side, landing his eyes out the window. It was still dark out, sunrise being a ways off still, but it looked like he was seeing something. Maybe a vision was floating in front of his eyes, while he was daydreaming about our future with a child. A son, as it happened… or would happen.

I’m not sure why, but I had no doubt that the old man had told me a true thing. Nolan knew what I was talking about the second I’d brought up the question of Alaster’s abilities. I saw it in his eyes, and that was enough confirmation for me.

They used to call people like that prophets, though prophecies today just didn’t seem to happen anymore, at least not that people talk about. Tina always called people with these abilities “sight-seers.” I’ve no idea if anyone else calls it that, or if it’s something of her own invention.

“Here’s an idea,” I said. “I think we should name the child after him.”

Nolan swiveled his head to face me directly. “What?”

“If your old friend was right, and we have a son. We should name him Alaster.”

“That’s a lovely idea, Yena.” Nolan cleared his throat. Then laughed. “It is an antiquated name, though. It would make him sound like an old man.”

I shrugged, smiling. I think his happiness was contagious.

“I don’t know… it sort of seems fitting, for a boy who will grow up to be Alpha King.”

“Hm.” Nolan nodded. “I suppose it is.”

We were early for our train. Nolan’s security attachments wanted us to wait in the car, but we ignored them and headed up to the open-air platform.

There was no rain this morning. The storm of the prior night had passed, leaving behind only delicious post-rain smells lingering in damp, salty air.

We climbed the stairs under dim security lights and settled down on a bench at the far end of the platform to wait for our train. Nolan wrapped an arm around my shoulder and kept me plenty warm in the cool morning.

We didn’t even realize, until the sun started rising, that we had an incredible view from where were sitting. We were looking directly over the ocean.

As the sun came up, burning yellow-orange, it livened the entire glassy surface of the calm sea before us. The little waves that undulated in toward the shore caught and refracted that amber light, making the water glow and shimmer.

Once the sun was done rising, though, the train platform began to swarm with travelers. In a matter of minutes, we were surrounded by an onslaught of men, women, and children, all here to meet the same train as us and thrilled at the sight of the royal couple spotted out in the wild.

I spotted a Gamma warrior at the opposite end of the platform, near the entrance. I hadn’t known he was there before. He was making himself visible to the crowd as a warning. He was clearly armed, though for now his weapon was pointed at the ground.

Fortunately, the train arrived not a minute after that. Nolan and I were first to board.

Nolan tipped a servant who delivered some room service to our door with a crisp hundred dollar bill. He nodded at the man and closed the door before the servant was finished with saying a long-winded “thank you.”

I don’t think Nolan meant to do this… his head was just a little in the clouds right now. He locked the door and immediately began untying his tie. We had gone straight to our sleeper car this time, agreeing that we’d attracted too much attention already.

“Was he religious?” I asked Nolan, picking up a conversation we had been having on the platform.

“Alaster? Yes, I believe so.”

Neither of us were particularly hungry, so we left the room service tray in the opposite corner of our little cabin for now. I think Nolan had just ordered it right away because he didn’t want to be interrupted for the rest of the trip. All the dishes were covered over with metal cloches, anyway. Hot would stay hot for a little while, and cold would stay cold.

I scooted up into the bed and got comfortable lying on my stomach, propped up with some pillows, and watched my husband as he undressed.

“We should have a service for him,” I said.

Nolan nodded. “I thought about that. Yes, we should. I don’t have anyone else to invite, though, so it’ll just be you and me.”

“I bet you Cindy would want to come, if you invite her.”

Nolan hung up his tie and jacket, loosened his shirt sleeves and came over to take a seat on the edge of the bed. “That’s a good idea. You’re right, I think she would.”

I tugged on Nolan’s hand, trying to drag him toward me. He gave a tense little smile. Kicked off his shoes, and finally climbed up onto the bed with me.

“Thank you.” He rolled toward me and planted a kiss on my forehead.

“What for?”

“For being you. I really appreciate… just, everything you do for me. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

This is the right time, I realized. To bring up the idea I had last night.

When I’d caught sight of myself in the mirror in the hotel bathroom wearing that sexy all-white get-up Nolan had bought me, it got me started thinking about weddings.

Our wedding had been strange. Tense and stressful. Nolan’s ex-girlfriend Gina had been there, eyeing him the whole time. And it was an absolute media circus. The whole thing had been about… well, it was not about love, that was for sure.

Our first kiss at the altar – that had been pretty good. That might be the only good thing that I remember from that day, though.

But we could have a do-over now. Have another wedding, one that meant something different this time.

Not a big one like before, of course. But I have heard of people doing this… renewing their vows. Especially when they were apart and then came back together, or even for other reasons.

I reached for Nolan’s left hand and traced the smooth metal of his platinum wedding band with my fingertips. I noticed for the first time that it was really tight on his finger.

Nolan looked down at our hands. Then looked at me with narrow eyes and questioning eyebrows.

I could understand, the more and more I thought about it, why he felt insecure about our marriage. He said he worried one day I’d wake up and regret staying with him.

I think what he was really worried about, though he didn’t want to say this part outright, was that I would wake up someday and leave again.

I started twisting and wiggling Nolan’s wedding ring, trying to get it off his finger. It would not budge the tiniest bit. I wanted to propose to him with it. I was going to take my rings off, as well, and ask him to marry me again.

If I could get his darn ring to cooperate with my plan.

“What are you doing?” Nolan asked.

“This is so tight on you. Have you ever taken it off?”

The look on his face—it was like I’d slapped him.

I’d only been thinking about the mechanics of how the heck I was going to remove this ring from his finger – because I was trying to do something cute! – but I heard the words as they came out of my mouth and realized that they could have come across sounding accusatory.

“No.” Nolan’s voice was calm, but deep and serious. “Why? Did you ever take off yours?”