If eyes could kill Q would have crumbled to dust right now. The king was standing there, gobsmacked and—disappointed? But it was the steward who turned from surprised to barely contained rage in a split second. The man was trembling with suppressed anger and the knuckles on the sword were white with the effort to avoid drawing it and chopping Q into tiny bits of dog food. Q swallowed and took a step away from the two alphas.

"Since I have your attention now, Your Royal Highness, could we please talk somewhere privately? The three of us?"

Q tried to hide his fear, clenching his fists and keeping his head held high. The bishop was looking from one to the other then back at the book in her hand, utterly confused by the change in the script. She took several steps back, as if trying to put a safe distance between her and the furious alphas. The congregation was too surprised to react. Out of the corner of his eyes Q watched Moneypenny motioning her women and men in better positions, giving quiet orders to one of Sir Tanner's servants, who disappeared silently.

The king watched Q with narrowed eyes, as if assessing the situation and whether Q was a threat or not. Q lifted his hands towards the king, palms outwards. The king drew in a deep breath, then he huffed and turned, motioning the steward to follow him. Q swallowed once more, before he pushed himself forward.

They entered the small room which under normal circumstances would have served as the bonding chamber. It contained a large bed, provisions for several days including towels and clean sheets, as well as the possibility to lock the room from the inside, and a smaller chamber to wash and relieve oneself. Q closed and pointedly locked the door behind them.

"Tell me, I can kill him for you, James," Alec muttered under his breath.

Q bid his lip, his breath hitched. He leaned back against the closed door, looking for some kind of safe space. He closed his eyes. When he opened them again, he was ready.

"Your Highness—"

"Just stop it, you traitorous little bitch!"

Alec really doesn't like me, Q thought almost losing his determination.

"Call me James. With your actions out there, you clearly showed your disdain for me and my country, no need to pretend otherwise."

Not quite the perfect start for the conversation Q had been envisioning. He shook his head, staring at the floor.

"No. Definitely no," Q said exasperated. "That was not my intention. I—"

"What do you expect from me, then?"

Now, James was clearly losing his patience with him. Somewhat rattled, Q tried to regain his composure.

"I," Q paused, thinking why this was so difficult. "I need to know if you, if the two of you—"

He looked up at James, moving his hands helplessly between him and Alec.

"The kid wants to know if we're fucking, James."

Alec's tone was derisive. Q rolled his eyes.

"Nicely put, Sir Alec, but yes."

James looked at Q, assessing him openly, his arms crossed. After what felt like hours but probably were mere seconds, James seemed to have made up his mind.

"Why do you want to know?"

"Because I don't want to stand between the two of you."

Q answered silently, lowering his gaze.

"Oh, Q, Q, Q. Sorry to bring you the news, but that really isn't any of your concern. We have a contract, your father and I."

As condescending as the words were, James's voice gave away his bitterness. It was enough for Q to get his resolve back.

"Yes, but if you would hear me out then maybe we could solve this without turning this marriage into an utter disaster for the three of us. I have no intention," Q continued with a raised voice as James wanted to speak. "I have no intention to marry and bond with you, James, if this is doomed from the very beginning! You know that male pregnancies are difficult and I need a stable, strong bond to get through one and bear a child. Fertility is one thing, getting to the end of the nine months something completely different!"

Silence. Q felt as if he could hear their hearts beat, hear their thoughts flitting in their heads. James lifted his hand and covered his face. He looked utterly defeated and his steward walked over to him, seemingly forgetting all about Q. Alec touched James' shoulder lightly.

"We're fucked."

Alec's voice sounded broken.

Eloquent, that steward, Q thought while he tried to find something to look at, to give the two alphas are bit of privacy.

"I'm sorry, Alec. I am. I had hoped—"

James sounded as if he was close to tears and Q decided that he had to get all of them out of their misery.

"Okay, Sir, Your Highness, if you please would let me finish. I might have a solution to this mess."

That got their attention. Alec was keeping a hand on the back of James, soothing him, but for once he was looking at Q without outright hostility.

"Your laws distinguishes between marriage and bonding, right? Right. You can legally be married to one person and bond, legally, with someone else."

Q watched them with bated breath. He could see when it dawned on James what he was implying. James lifted his head and looked at him with wide eyes. Alec frowned, probably not really believing in the solution which was presenting itself.

"Your kingdom, your reign, needs an heir. To secure your position, most of all to secure a lasting peace."

James nodded slowly.

"Sir Alec and you are in love."

James bid his lip, before he nodded again.

"We have been since," he turned to Alec, who shrugged.

"Since as long as I can remember," Alec said, the frown still visible.

"If I was to marry James, we'll have to bond. You would have to sacrifice that love for a greater good."

Q said it matter of fact. They were listening and he could see that James was breathing faster. Yes, yes, old man, you can have it all. Your little omega friend here is coming to your rescue. Q couldn't hide his smirk.

"But—if you were to marry Sir Alec," the steward gasped and looked disbelieving at Q. "If you were to marry him after bonding with me—"

Now both alphas were staring at him.

"It would be perfectly legal. The only tiny—"

"You mean it? You would let him marry me?"

Alec had crossed the room and grabbed Q's shoulders with both hands, staring at him. Q had tried to step back, away from the charging alpha, only to hit the wall. He could feel a twinge in his stomach. No, no, no, his mind screamed at him. It's too early for that! He doubled over, startling Alec who let go of him immediately. James was by their side now, catching Q before he curled up on the floor.

"Q?"

Two pairs of concerned eyes looked him over. He waved them away, holding a hand to his stomach, breathing through the pain. Timing, bad, bad timing.

"I think," Q heaved for air. "I think we need to hurry this up a bit."

He caught his breath and the pain subsided.

"We have one last obstacle in this mess," Q grimaced, the pain was coming back. "I have to bond with both of you. It will," he groaned. "Holy Magdalene, why does this always start with so much pain?"

He bid his lip. Alec looked at him with a renewed interest. James shook his head.

"You are willing to go through a double bond? Why, Q? Why would you do this?"

James had reached out and was holding Q up, his large strong hand placed tenderly on Q's belly. The soft touch relieving some of his pain. Alec was somewhere close by, Q could feel their warmth, but he had trouble concentrating.

"Duty," he muttered through his teeth. "And I, it's the best for the child."

After a beat, he added. "Children."

Alec made some kind of undignified sound, while James was hugging Q closer, embracing him. A fierce promise of safety and strength.

"Consent," Q whispered. "We need to consent to this, all of us. And," another spasm hit him. "Moneypenny, Tanner. We need to tell them. Wedding postponed. Two weeks."

James shushed him and said something to Alec. Carefully, someone lifted him and carried him to the large bed. The softness of the mattress felt like heaven. James tucked him up against his chest, holding his head so he could see both him and Alec.

"I consent," James said solemnly.

Q smiled foolishly.

"Me too," he replied, then tried to look at Alec.

He was bending down toward him, kissing him softly on his forehead.

"I consent," he said with the same seriousness as James had before.

Q's grin widened. Bye bye virginity, he thought gleefully. And these guys better know what they are doing or I'll void the contract. With one last effort, he answered Alec.

"Me too."

He even winked before he let himself fall back against James and revelled in the scent of two alphas wanting to take care of him. He heard some noise and wrinkled his nose at some strange smell wafting through the room, but it disappeared fast.

Instead warm hands were gently undressing him, calloused fingers ghosting over his body, tracing small beads of sweat running down along his chest and stomach. Another hand, rough, large, cupped his face turning him towards chapped lips, a wet tongue, lapping up his tears. His groans turned into moans, the pain disappeared and the unbearable fever turned into a thrumming sensation, loosening his muscles, and his body began producing copious amounts of fluids, necessary for the coupling. He could sense the alphas, hear their grunts, their whispered endearments. Not just to each other, they were focussed on him. He could feel them panting, rutting against his thighs, the hardness of their cocks against the softness of his belly. He whimpered, needy, wanting more. Large hands turned him on his front, placed his boneless body in a position which made him feel vulnerable, open, perverted in the best of ways. His head was turned to ease his breathing, his arse was high, held up by his bended knees and pillows, and by hands, arms, legs. He was petted, licked, stroked, gently, tenderly. A tongue was exploring his hole, a finger seeking entrance, widening the ring of muscle, a thumb rimming, loosening, gentle, so very gentle and careful. Another body was pressed against his back, he could feel hard muscles and teeth. A soft bite, tentative at first, and he whined, pressing back up against it. More, he whispered, pushing back onto the two or three fingers scissoring his entrance, becoming greedy. Whispers turned into hoarse cries, when he pushed himself up on his hands and knees, rolling his hips. A hand in his hair, pulling, something filling him, thrusting into him, harder, faster, shouts, and then a bite, a second bite, ecstasy, bliss when both bites broke skin, when he could smell the tangy iron of blood, could feel the sucking in both his omega glands. The feeling of being filled became even more intense. The knot, holding him close to his alpha, the bites mixing their blood, their scents. He was pushed down on to the mattress, held by strong arms, another body underneath him, pushing up against him, the wetness between them from come, the smell of sex heavy in the air. He was hoarse, the orgasms having ripped through him with an unknown, unbelievable intensity. A hand on his cock and he convulsed one last time before he collapsed on top of the warm, strong body.

When Q woke the first time, he was still too satisfied, too relaxed to move or even open his eyes. There was no need to. He basked in the smell, the scents of his alphas blending with his, consolidating their bond. He felt a glas at his lips, and with small sips he drank the cool liquid. Heaven, he thought, this. This must be heaven.