The bell rang sharply, echoing through the quiet halls of St. Aurelius Omega Academy. Liam flinched slightly, more from habit than surprise. He had grown used to the strict schedule, the constant rules, and the unspoken reminders that omegas were to stay in their "place."
On the outside, he looked perfect: soft brown hair neatly combed, uniform crisp, posture polite and unobtrusive. Inside, though, he felt small, invisible, trapped. Every rule pressed on him, and no one could see the quiet frustration simmering beneath his calm exterior.
Classes passed in a blur. Liam stared out the window, wishing he could just run—anywhere, anywhere but here. He imagined streets bathed in sunlight, laughter in cafes, or simply a place where he could breathe without thinking about pairing ceremonies. Omegas were trained to obey, rarely to choose. Each day felt like a performance.
"Liam," the teacher snapped. "Read the next passage."
He obeyed, voice steady, hiding the tension in his chest. Other omegas stayed silent, expressionless. Most had learned to hide their frustration. Liam couldn't.
After class, he lingered, watching his classmates whisper about assigned alphas or the upcoming pairing ceremony. He stayed apart. He didn't want to be chosen. Being paired with someone he'd never met, someone assigned by law and tradition, felt suffocating.
The Academy itself loomed like a fortress. White stone towers reached for the sky. Guards patrolled everywhere—not just for safety, but as a reminder of control. Liam had learned that breaking rules, even slightly, carried consequences: lost privileges, stern lectures, or subtle punishments.
Walking to the dorm, he avoided the alphas. They moved confidently, like the world belonged to them, making omegas shrink instinctively. One dark-eyed alpha glanced at him briefly, and Liam's heart jumped. He quickly looked away. His chest ached. Why did seeing them always feel like this—like he had no right to exist in the same space?
Finally in his room, Liam exhaled, relief washing over him in a small, quiet wave. His room was modest: bed, desk, closet. Omegas weren't supposed to accumulate things, but Liam had tucked away a few small items—a sketch of a city he dreamed of visiting, a worn book he loved, a tiny music player that made the world feel larger than the Academy walls.
On the desk lay a sealed envelope. Liam frowned. He hadn't seen it that morning. The red wax seal glinted in the fading sunlight. Only official Academy letters used that mark.
With shaking hands, he opened it.
"Omega Liam Arden, by order of the Academy and the Alliance Council, you have been assigned your alpha match. Effective immediately, report to the Hall of Bonds tonight at dusk. Your assigned alpha is—"
Liam froze.
Keal Veylan.
The letter slipped from his hands. That name… he knew it. Not from school. Not from the registry. From the game he had spent countless nights playing.
Keal wasn't just any alpha. In the game, he had been confident, commanding, and impossibly attentive. They had shared adventures, laughter, even a bond that had felt real, even if only through pixels. And now… he existed here, in reality, as Liam's assigned alpha.
His chest tightened. Hands shaking, he pressed the letter to his heart. Surely this was a mistake. Surely. But the wax seal, the handwriting, the authority of the Academy—there was no mistake.
"Liam?" Theo's voice broke in. His only friend at the Academy, blond and messy-haired, appeared in the doorway.
"I… I got this," Liam said quietly, holding the letter. His voice trembled despite himself.
Theo read it slowly, eyes widening. "Keal Veylan? Liam… that's… not just any alpha. He's—"
"From the game," Liam whispered. "My husband online. But this isn't a game. This is real. And now… he's my assigned alpha."
Theo paused, then nodded. "Wow… okay. That's insane. But it's official, right?"
"I checked. Real," Liam said. "I've never met him. And now… he's coming for me."
Theo placed a hand on Liam's shoulder. "You'll be fine. Just… be yourself. That's all you can do. He's real, yes, but remember, you're still you. And you've got this."
Time dragged. Homework blurred before his eyes. Liam kept picturing Keal: confident, commanding, golden-eyed. The same alpha from the game—but now real. He even imagined the way Keal might smile, the sound of his voice, the presence that made Liam's heart ache with a mix of fear and longing.
When the sun began to set, Liam straightened his uniform and started toward the Hall of Bonds. The massive doors gleamed. Students filed in silently, murmuring nervously. Omegas sat, anxious, glancing at each other. Alphas entered with quiet authority, every movement full of power, making Liam's stomach twist.
And then he saw him.
Keal Veylan. Tall, broad-shouldered, dark-haired, eyes sharp and golden. His gaze swept the room, landing on Liam. A faint smirk touched his lips—a smirk that made Liam's heart skip.
"You're late," Keal said, low and calm, each word carrying weight.
"I… I'm here," Liam whispered, barely audible.
Keal's smirk widened. "Good. I thought you'd run."
The words weren't cruel, but they carried power, ownership, and something familiar. Liam felt a strange pull in his chest, caught between fear and… something else.
The Headmistress's voice rang out. "Today, your pairing begins. Remember, this is not just about compatibility—it is about destiny."
Liam looked at Keal. Destiny. Real, terrifying, and impossible to ignore.
His life had changed. He was no longer just a quiet omega hiding in the shadows. He was someone's assigned mate. And the alpha waiting for him was his game husband—Keal Veylan.
There was no turning back.