The problem with having just a taste of Al was that now he wanted more, and not having him was going to be physically painful. His longing would be his weakness. Edmund knew this was a major reason that sovereigns were usually alphas; it was just less dangerous that way. He was vulnerable, a strange position for a King to be in. But he was still asking for Al to accept even a portion of what he offered.

The distance between them was as shocking as a blast of cold water to his senses. He didn't know which was more painful, the physical separation or the words, telling him unequivocally - stop.

Edmund stopped.

His body was tense with the effort of holding himself away, the strain of his urges making him almost hunch into himself as he let go of Al and took a step back. "I...I thought..." He hadn't been thinking at all. Just acting on instinct, and hoping that it would pay off when Al felt the connection between them. Edmund couldn't have been the only one that felt it.

Could he?

He bit his lip, hard, and his eyes pleaded with Al. "What am I supposed to do, then?" His voice was low and rough. "I want you. I don't want to take someone else to bed just to sate that hunger. But it's so bloody hard, being alone..."