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The last of his anxiety faded when the person who entered the room spoke It wasn’t Yurev

“Come here,” a male voice said It took Haydn a moment to place it It was Aksel

Haydn laid a hand on the closet’s door, intending to open it—

“No, Aksel,” anothershaky “Your mother is just outside”

“She’s busy with that Pelugian ambassador,” Aksel said

And then there was an un

Okay

Haydn let go of the door Opening it noould just be aard

Behind him, Royce was very tense

Haydn sniffed the air and realized that there was a hint of anger in Royce’s scent

“It’s Lucien,” Royce murmured into his ear

Lucien and Aksel?

“I should stop it,” Royce said, laying a hand on the door

Haydn grabbed it “They’re adults,” he whispered “And fro adults Let them be, Royce”

“But Lucien is—”

“Not in heat,” Haydn snapped, getting annoyed with Royce’s weird overprotectiveness Was Royce actually jealous? The thought made his stomach clench unpleasantly “He can stop Aksel if he wants We’ll interfere only if it looks like Aksel is coercing him”

Royce went silent, but it was a tense silence He clearly disagreed, his aggressive phero his thoughts in the small space they were in

“Cut it out,” Haydn bit off, his eyes slipping shut involuntarily The urge to bare his neck and just concede that Royce was right was growing irresistible Royce sood