I couldn't stop staring at the ring Ronak slid onto my finger. Every chance I got, I peeked down at its gorgeous giant ruby that was in the shape of a teardrop with not one, but two halos of diamonds around it. The first halo was small and dainty, but the second broke at the bands and was arranged like two crowns of jewels, showing off the ruby. I loved the golden bands and how they intertwined together. There were just so many diamonds on the bands and around the ruby. J-just how much did this thing cost, Ronak?! Every time I peeked at it, my heart would race, and I'd get butterflies in my stomach. I can't believe Ronak wants to get married eventually. I-I didn't take him to be the type!
"See? You were the gift, you just didn't know it." Gah! Ronak kept saying such sweet things! His proposal wasn't exactly the world's most romantic thing, but for Ronak, it was terribly cute. He wasn't the best at expressing himself, but when he did, I couldn't help but feel enamored. The corners of his lips curled up into a smug smile, and I thought my heart was going to escape. He definitely shouldn't be acting so cute while being dressed so handsomely! I-it's unfair! Very few alphas at the Draedor Magic Academy had physiques like his. Maybe it was more common at the knights' academy, but it definitely wasn't at ours. That's probably why all the girls go crazy for Ronak… from afar… But now he was all mine… Th-they're going to kill me…
"H-how long have you had this planned?" I didn't think Ronak would do such a thing. I knew he liked me; it was evident from how often he got aroused, but I didn't think his emotions had evolved this far. Like I said, he didn't seem like the type of person who'd want to get married.
"Mmm…" Ronak's gaze wandered over to the pond, and the reflection of the moon glistened in his eyes. "Around the time I started teasing you… I wanted a way to make you even more mine." If Ronak's anything, he's at least consistent… Consistently possessive… I-I guess if you squint hard enough, it was rather charming…
"Do you actually want to get married?" I was a bit nervous about the answer, but I had to know.
"We can eventually, but there's no reason to rush. We haven't even graduated from the magic academy… Why? Are you in a rush?" Ronak's gaze moved over to me, and he eyed me curiously.
"No! I-I was just curious!" I didn't see a future like this with Ronak, so it's not like I was expecting much.
"I wouldn't have proposed had I not had the intention to marry you one day," Ronak grumbled. I thought so, but sometimes Ronak was a bit hard to read. "I actually only purchased the ring a few days ago… It's why I was late to show up at the dorm for the past few nights. One vendor tried showing me absolute garbage, so I had to track down a different vendor, and what he showed me needed to be altered… It had to be perfect." Ronak's gaze dropped down to my hand, and my heart tried escaping my chest once again. S-so cute! I wanted to reach over, grab his collar, and let out a squeal of joy while I shook him around, but I worried that he might react too strongly… The one time I showed confidence, I had to drink nasty pain reduction potions until I could walk on my own. He was far too rough when overstimulated. J-just thinking about it made my butt clench in fear.
"Wh-when did it start?" I asked. Ronak looked back up at me, and an eyebrow became visible at the top of his mask. "Um, when did you realize that you liked me, like really liked me?"
Ronak turned his head away from me, and it was a shame that he was wearing a mask because if I had to guess, the tops of his cheeks were a bit pink. "You ask such embarrassing questions." He grumbled before answering my question. "It probably started around when I noticed that my chest hurt-"
"Your chest hurts?!" I nervously placed my hand on his chest as my eyes turned wide. W-was there something wrong with him?! There wasn't, right?!
"Calm down." Ronak grabbed my hand and pulled it away from him. His fingers laced through mine, and he gave my hand a bit of a squeeze. "There's nothing wrong. I already had an imperial doctor look at me…" I took a deep breath, but stared at him in concern. Chest pain wasn't something to mess around with, and it was clear Ronak was hiding something.
"What did he say?"
Ronak's head really tilted away as he mumbled just loud enough for me to hear. "The bastard laughed when I told him what I was experiencing…" H-he laughed? An imperial doctor laughed, not only at Ronak, who was a scary person to be laughing at, but at someone with a serious health concern?! "He said it was because I liked you." I slowly connected the dots, and my face became pink. R-Ronak wasn't having chest pain… He was having a racing heart from being around me… Gah! Th-that might as well have been a slight l-love confession!
"Look who's stressing who out now!" I whined as I tried to ignore my pink face.
"Guess it's payback." Ronak's eyes turned to the side to peek at me, and I couldn't help but slightly scowl. He didn't need to say it like that and get me all worried. I gazed off at the pond, but Ronak's hand pulled my chin over, and he gave me a kiss. "I didn't mean to worry you, but you didn't give me a chance to explain." I-I guess I did jump to conclusions…
"Sorry…" I mumbled.
"You don't need to apologize. I sort of liked you worrying about me." A wave of smugness washed over me, and I slightly flinched. Th-this dork. He liked the weirdest things.
"Should we return to the party?" I glanced over at the beautiful gardens adorned with glowing lights and flocks of people with a bit of trepidation. I wasn't sure what awaited me there after Ronak so boldly approached me and declared me his for all to see.
"I would rather spend the evening with you. While this outfit is beautiful on you, I'd sure prefer taking it off. Gosh, how soft did the imperial maids need to make your skin?" I let out a bit of a yelp as Ronak's hand, which was holding my lower back, trailed a little further down, and squeezed my bottom. He even leaned forward and teasingly kissed my collarbone. W-was he trying to get my metal mask to sear its design into my hot face?! He can't go around saying such things!
"I-I'm sure your uncle- I-I mean the emperor, would be rather upset if you d-didn't attend!" S-stop squeezing my butt! It's not a toy!
"Yeah, he'd probably be rather terse with me if I don't make an appearance." Wipe that smirk off your face! "We're not going to stay for long, though." Gah! I know it's your birthday, but I don't know if I'm ready after what you did last time! We still have two days of classes! I-if he goes wild, I won't be able to attend!
Ronak stopped teasing me and helped me off his lap. My legs felt a bit like jelly from sitting there for so long, but Ronak held firmly onto my hand. He didn't seem particularly enthused about returning, but I didn't want him to cave into his desires and get into trouble. The closer we got to the party, the louder the murmurs became, and the distant orchestra music didn't seem so distant anymore. The light orbs felt particularly bright after basking in the moon's rays for as long as we did, but Ronak managed to walk with such confidence that you'd think he wasn't bothered at all.
The moment people noticed us, they started to flock. It was rather intimidating, but Ronak brought his arm up, and I happily clasped onto it. I even used it to hide most of my exposed chest. Why Ronak permitted me to wear such a revealing outfit was surprising. He got jealous so easily; it felt like this outfit was asking for problems.
"Greetings, Lord Ronak." A pompous man pushed his way to the front of the growing crowd and did a rather half-hearted bow. Just a single look told me all I needed to know. He seemed greasy, sorta like Ronak's fake father.
"It's Archduke Abraxos to you." Ronak snapped as he glared down at the man. The man flinched under the pressure Ronak was exuding and took a step back from us.
"Ah, yes of course…" Ronak's muscles tensed, and I thought for sure he was going to start something, but he didn't. "I'm surprised that you decided to mark an omega. Most guys your age want to explore, and play around a bit before making such a… permanent decision…" I wanted to shimmy behind Ronak fully and gag as his eyes lingered on me. D-don't look at me with such a gross gaze!
"Not only is my private life none of your business, but not bonding with your partner is pathetic." Ronak stared down at the man with disapproving eyes of anger, and the man took another step away. I-is he going to flee like the big rat he is? "It proves you're unfaithful as an alpha, Viscount Rowlett." I was a little surprised at how blunt Ronak was- eh, ya know… maybe I wasn't… Ronak had just been a lot less blunt around me, so seeing it in full force again took me by surprise. I completely forgot about how Ronak doesn't hold his tongue with people. Not that he needed to. This guy was completely disgusting, and the two leering omegas behind him should be embarrassed to call themselves omegas. What they saw in that greasy man was a complete mystery to me. When he turned and high-tailed it out of there, I even wanted to yell after him to get lost. "That annoying, vile wretch," Ronak grumbled under his breath.
"He was icky." I chimed back. Ronak glanced over to me and slightly chuckled. I couldn't help but instantly feel annoyed as he shared such a delightful sound with others. Th-that was my laugh! Stop looking starstruck! Omegas weren't capable of growling like an alpha, but I sure wished I could at that moment. Ronak's cute laugh was mine! Cover your ears!
Gosh, we weren't even capable of making it very far. It felt like everyone wanted to stop and chat with Ronak. I get that it was his birthday, but still. I thought we would be left alone a little… Thankfully, none of them was as disgusting as that viscount was. The funny part was, it was easy to determine how Ronak felt about someone based on how he responded. He was blatantly rude to some while he tolerated the ramblings of others.
Ronak prevented people from talking to me, which I appreciated. I didn't know these people, and didn't want to say something I shouldn't, so being silent was the best option. Those that I did happen to know, which were only a handful of nobles' daughters that attended the academy with us, I didn't want to talk to, so all in all, Ronak shutting down conversations was a bonus. Besides, I sorta liked the private whispered conversations Ronak and I had after the fact.
I did receive a few death glares from some omegas, but I wanted to raise my hands in the air and signal surrender. I didn't pick Ronak; it was he who picked me. If you want to be angry at someone, be angry at him! I'm just the poor soul who smelled too good.
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"My, my, my. Do my eyes deceive me, or is my grumpy grandnephew actually walking around with an omega at his side?" We had been listening to a few people when a nice-looking older lady approached with a bemused look on her face. The nobles bowed and quickly scurried away, leaving us with the woman. Grandnephew? So she was… Ronak's great aunt? She was far taller than I and had an air of superiority to her. She was dressed elegantly in a woman's peach-colored pantsuit with a simple, solid-colored mask that matched her outfit. Her gray hair was wavy and trimmed short, but her deep rose-colored eyes stared at me with curiosity.
"Hello, Aunt Berengiere, I'm surprised to see you attending this party." Whoa, this was the first person that I've heard Ronak speak decently to all night. I'd say it's because he's related, but he doesn't even speak to his uncles politely, and one of them is the emperor.
"I'm not so old that I need to be put into bed with my afternoon tea and a book before sunset." She responded with plenty of sass. Ya know, the picture as to why Ronak behaves the way he does is getting clearer every day… "About time you swept the rug out from underneath that despicable man. I've hated him ever since your mother married him!"
"It took careful preparation, but I did speed up my plans slightly." Ronak gave me a sideways glance, and I gave his arm a slight squeeze in return.
"Back in my day, we would have settled differences in the arena, not with laws and paper trails. You need to grow a backbone." Pft! It was like listening to a female version of Ronak! Are we sure that's an omega standing across from us? I ducked my head into Ronak's shoulder to hide my giggles, but it was too late. "Seems, I've said something rather funny." I glanced back and noticed her staring at me with a raised eyebrow. Gah! P-please don't be upset with me!
"I-I'm sorry! I was just taken by surprise. P-please don't prompt Ronak to punch even more people!" I wasn't sure if I was to bow or not, but Ronak grabbed my shoulder as I let go of his arm, and he pulled me back over to him. S-so no bowing?
"Are you giving this cutie problems?!" She took a quick step forward, her hand whipped up, and she grabbed Ronak's ear, but he didn't react much. Maybe when Ronak was a kid, he would have squealed, but now he just seemed perturbed.
"No, ma'am," Ronak responded with a straight face. Not giving me problems?! Ronak gives me endless problems! "Please stop, Aunt Berengiere. You're causing a scene." Pft! I've never heard Ronak say please before. He really did treat her differently. Her hand released Ronak's ear, but I couldn't stop my giggles. Seeing someone reprimand Ronak like a child was funny.
"I like this one, he's not stubborn, and stiff like you are." She pointed towards me, and I slightly flinched. "I expect you to bring him for tea sometime before I leave the capital. I would like to get to know the real him, instead of hiding behind these silly masks." She wanted to get to know me? I-I'm hardly worthy of that…
"If we have time-" Ronak's aunt reached for his ear again, and he quickly changed what he was saying as he took a step back with me. "Of course, we will make time to visit you." It was too much! I'm sure it looked like I was crying to some, but I had to turn towards Ronak and hide my face as I giggled. Ronak backed down?! The Ronak who punches before asking questions had to relent before his aunt?! Just what sort of woman is she?
"You'd better. If you try avoiding me, I'll just come to you bearing embarrassing baby photos. I'll leave you to socialize with someone else, but you'd better be nice to this cutie. If I hear otherwise, you'll have me to answer to." B-baby photos?! Maybe we should avoid visiting just so she brings me photos of Ronak as a baby! I peeked out from Ronak's shoulder to see her striding away confidently. I could see myself getting along with her, but she was rather intimidating.
Ronak grabbed my chin and pulled my face up to look at his. "Is there something you're finding particularly funny?" Eep!
"N-not at all!" I squeaked.
His hand left my chin and pinched my cheek, but he wasn't gripping hard enough to hurt. "Oh, good." A smirk formed on Ronak's face, and he leaned down to whisper in my ear. "Because if you were laughing at me, I'll have to get my payback later tonight." His hand cupped the side of my face as he teasingly nibbled my ear. Gah! R-Ronak, there are so many people around us!
My face instantly turned flush, and as soon as Ronak released me, I hid my face. Why would you do that here of all places?! At least Ronak was considerate of what he did. A few nobles tried approaching, but he waved them away until I had calmed down.
"That face is just for me. You better not ever show it to someone else." He snickered as he held out his arm for me. My face was a little pink, but I turned and accepted his arm. Gosh, we had barely moved, and people swarmed us. M-maybe I can see why Ronak referred to them as boot-lickers…
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My eye twitched slightly. "Are you sure you're not interested in taking a second spouse? If either of my daughters is to your liking, I'd happily let you have one or even both if you can't make up your mind! I promise you that they'd make more than satisfying partners!" The greasy baron smiled while his two daughters looked incredibly uncomfortable behind him. I couldn't put my finger on who the older daughter was, but I think she was a first-year student at the academy. The second daughter, though, had to be only twelve or thirteen years old. Ew! The childish desire to growl at this man surfaced inside of me, and I wanted to let it out. I can't believe him! I'm right here! Does he honestly think I don't care?! Stop offering your children to Ronak! He's mine!
I thought for sure Ronak was going to lose his composure. Not only were the muscles in his arm flexed, but even a vein in his neck was visible. "I'm not interested in your damn daughters. I have a mate!" Ronak snapped. This guy must have been stupid because he didn't even back down.
"What if he can't produce an heir for you?" Wh-what?! Why would he say such a thing?! Not only was that rude, but it was like he was asking if I was even an omega. Tears started welling in the corners of my eyes, and Ronak finally snapped.
"If you don't remove yourself from my goddamn presence for the rest of your fucking days, not only will I crush your dying business, but I'll end your damn existence." Ronak's eyes radiated hatred, and his voice was colder than ice. He took a slight step forward and brandished his free hand like he was going to pounce. The dummy seemed to finally get the picture and scurried away, not even stopping for his daughters. Ronak turned towards me, and his gaze instantly softened. "Don't listen to bastards like him…"
"Y-yeah okay." I was trying to keep it together, but the tears in my eyes accidentally leaked out.
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Ronak
I was seeing red as I noticed a tear fall from Micha's eye down under his lacy-looking mask. That fucking jackass is going to rue the day he offended my omega. As much as I wanted to chase him down and smash his head into the pavement, now wasn't the time.
Micha squeaked a bit as I picked him up into my arms and darted off with him. He tried to squirm, but like always, he was no match for me. There wasn't a chance I was going to relent either. I didn't want any fucking nobles to see Micha crumbling under pressure. They'd only use that to their advantage in future conversations.
"Gerard," I called out his name into my mind, and within seconds, he responded.
"Yes, my lord?" His tone sounded rather confused, but he knew better than to ask questions when I was pissed.
"Contact Thorn and Blade. Baron Jarin's dying herb trading business will be snuffed out overnight. If the problem isn't dealt with quickly, I'll be taking my anger out on them instead." I gnashed my teeth and glanced down at Micha, who was barely holding it together. Don't cry over such an asshole.
"I will see to it that it is done, my lord." He fucking better.
We were now on the very outskirts of the gardens, so I sat Micha down and surrounded the two of us with pheromones to keep any bastards away. Making sure to block Micha's face from view, I went to gently rub the corners of his eyes with my thumbs, but his damn mask was in the way. "Don't let bastards like him upset you. Nothing he said was worth listening to." Micha nodded his head, but I could still sense his overwhelming desire to burst into tears. Fuck, it was like a knife being jabbed into my gut. I knew the sensation of being stabbed all too well, but it was far worse, almost amplified. No… don't cry, my little omega… "Talk to me," I grumbled. Maybe distracting him would help.
"I-I knew that you weren't interested in those girls…" He let out a little sniffle, and I continued to rub the sides of his head. Between that, and my pheromones, he did seem to be calming down a little.
"You're right. Nobles could offer me omegas all day, but the only one on my mind is you." Micha let out a funny little sound, like a surprised hiccup. It was cute…
"I-I…" He fell silent as he struggled to find the words.
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Micha
"Y-you can get my gender wrong all you want b-but I don't like people questioning if… if I-I'm a w-working omega…" I had to look away from Ronak; it was too uncomfortable. I'm an omega too… I-I can have kids… It just works a bit differently with male omegas… It was like that guy questioned my existence as an omega. I didn't like it at all. I had this overwhelming dread about not being able to have kids, but I wasn't sure why. It just lurked in the back of my head, and that guy poked it, bringing it to my attention.
Ronak pulled me into a tight hug and lowered his head so he could whisper into my ear. "Micha, you don't need to worry about things like that. It's only our business, and even if you can't produce an heir, I wouldn't care. I didn't bond with you to have kids. I bonded with you because I was drawn to you." Ronak's words were like an additional hug, but my fear still lingered inside of me. If Ronak doesn't eventually have an heir, though, everything he's worked so hard to build will go to waste…
"B-but-"
Ronak released me slightly and pinched my cheeks. "Nope. No buts." How was he acting like he didn't care? Any sensible person would have had a sit-down conversation like this and consult a doctor before bonding, so they didn't mate with someone infertile. I don't understand why he's being so nonchalant…
My head was a mess, but I became distracted as Ronak stomped off and returned momentarily with two drinks. "Wh-what?"
"It's not alcohol, well, yours isn't. You don't seem fond of alcohol, or at least I've never seen you drink it." Ronak mumbled as he handed me a bubbly pink drink. It gave me a bit of a flashback to the questionable pink potion he made me drink, and a shiver ran down my spine.
"I-I don't mind a fruit wine but… I don't particularly enjoy drinking. When my father gets drunk, he acts like a fool. I'd hate to find out that I'm like that when drunk…" Ronak still guarded me from other people as we both took a sip of our drinks. He was being so protective… I guess my face was probably a puffy mess though…
"Now that piques my interest." Ronak slightly smirked and looked down at me with a gentle gaze. "Should we get you plastered and find out?"
"No! We have class tomorrow!" I couldn't believe him! It's like he didn't care about the academy at all. We can't be getting drunk just because I'm upset.
Ronak snickered and leaned over so he could rub the bottom of my cheek with his pointer finger. "You being flustered is far better than you being upset." H-he did that on purpose? My gaze wandered away from him, but he used his pointer finger to pull my face back to his. "I was just teasing. We won't do anything you're uncomfortable with." Gah, he can't say such cute things… I didn't stand a chance.
"I've… noticed that you hold your liquor well…" I've seen Ronak drink a few times, but I've never seen him drunk.
"What a compliment." Ronak's small smirk grew. "I've been drunk once. Though I've been threatened that if I ever get drunk on palace grounds again, it will be more than fines that I receive." I blinked a few times and stared at Ronak in confusion. What does that mean? "I, ugh, got a bit drunk with the knights while training under Uncle Hemonnet, and smashed up a few walls. I might have ended up leveling a storage shed too…, and made a hole in the side of the palace…"
"What?!" I wanted to immediately confiscate the glass in his hands. I can't believe he becomes so out of control when drunk!
"I was worked up and… I wasn't exactly thinking straight. Uncle Hemonnet said that if I did it again, he'd make me rebuild whatever I broke, shard by shard…" Ronak looked away guiltily as I still struggled to wrap my head around what he did.
"M-maybe you should just stop drinking," I said while placing my hand over his glass.
"It takes a lot of alcohol to get me drunk. This single flute isn't going to do it." Ronak snickered. This wasn't a laughing matter! "You seem to be in better spirits now. That makes me happy." Ah, I guess the desire to cry had passed.
"I-is my face all puffy?"
"Nope, you're as beautiful as ever." Ronak reached over and patted my head with a smile. I'm not that pretty…
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Ronak took me over to get some food during our break from people. I couldn't believe the amazing spread they had laid out, but Ronak kept preventing me from wandering over to the sweets. That big meanie! H-he's not going to prevent me from sampling all those pretties all night, is he?!
"Here, try this." Ronak popped something into my mouth, and I slowly chewed. It was so crunchy and savory with a touch of sweetness. Hmm, I'm not sure what it is, but it tastes rather good. "So you don't hate all seafood."
"It helps when it's not raw. What was that? I liked it." I did see that the palace had a tray of those gross, slimy salmon sandwiches Ronak was fond of. Gosh, when we were at his estate, I swear he ate those for every lunch.
"It's a coconut shrimp. I had the palace import some seafood from the east for tonight. Here, try this, it has a similar flavor." Ronak offered me another bite of food, and I saw that it was white and almost fluffy-looking. Oooh, it was so buttery, and also a bit sweet. Not nearly as sweet as the shrimp, though. This almost had a bit of a briny taste, but I didn't hate it. The way it was cooked just made it decadent and tender. I wanted to be a baby bird and open my mouth so Ronak would feed me more, but I didn't want to cause more of a scene than we were. Every time Ronak would feed me something, the people, especially the omegas, would go absolutely nuts. "Do you like cooked salmon or do you hate everything about it?"
"I-I don't think I've ever had it before. It's not something that I'd pick at the academy…" Ronak held up a fork with pale pink meat on it, and I nervously accepted it. Mmm, it was a bit reminiscent of the fishy sandwiches, but it definitely wasn't as bad. The texture was greatly improved, and I liked the fresh lemon taste. "Oh, it's not too bad." It was like we were on another date, except the food was fancier, and the people gawked far more. Ronak would feed me some and then finish off the small portion of seafood while I decided if I liked it or not. I didn't really have to answer Ronak because he instantly knew if I liked it or not. I was rather easy to read, I guess…
"Now try this." Gah! At least let me have a second between items!
I liked the savory batter and the sweet sauce, but… "Why's it chewy?" It's like part of the food he stuck in my mouth wasn't disappearing… The more I chewed, the more it resisted.
Ronak snickered and opened his mouth to talk, but he was interrupted by someone shouting. "Ahah! We found you!" Ronak let out a sigh and slowly turned around. Standing there proudly was someone who looked familiar, but I couldn't quite put my finger on why. He was dressed as fancily as we were, if not more, with his hands on his hips, and his chest puffed out proudly. He was a bit younger than us, but I wasn't sure by how much. I didn't think he was attending the academy at least. His hair was jet black, and what was striking was his bright pink eyes that peered out from his black mask. "Stop stinking up the area, Ronak!" Huh? No title?
I noticed that standing behind the boisterous guy was a dainty-looking girl. She wore a magnificent-looking dress and was quite a bit younger than the guy. They didn't seem to be dating… Simblings, maybe? Her hair was the same jet-black color, but it had been done up in an elegant hairstyle that matched her silvery dress and mask. Her red-orange eyes met mine and quickly darted away.
Ronak completely ignored him and went to offer me more food. W-wait! There's still that chewy gross stuff inside my mouth! Ronak didn't care or pause as he shoved something else fishy in my mouth. A-at least it helped to cover up the chewiness… "Cousin, are you ignoring us?! I tried to get your attention earlier, but you didn't even notice!" The pink-eyed guy shouted over to us and tried getting closer, but it was clear from his face that he didn't like Ronak's pheromones. Cousins… cousins…
"I'm not ignoring you. I'm simply busy." Ronak mumbled as he fed me another mystery meat. This one at least didn't make me gag, but please stop feeding me!
"When are you going to spar with me again?! Uncle Hemonnet has been working with me extensively." He held his arm up and flexed, but he didn't even have that impressive of muscles. He had a rather slender build compared to Ronak, who was a muscular hunk. I-I had to resist the urge to touch Ronak's chest and run my fingers along his bond mark every morning, it was that tantalizing… This guy… wasn't even considered eye candy in my opinion.
Ronak gave me a slight glance as his eyes slowly drifted over to his cousin. "I don't have time to spar with you. I attend classes, run a massive company, manage a dukedom, and now I have an omega to care for. Stop playing games and take your lessons seriously. I'm tired of your father nagging me." Ronak was surprisingly curt with his cousin. "Here, try this too." Ronak passed me a beverage from the table, and I gratefully accepted. I needed a break from the food. Oooh! It's sweet like the shrimp! Does this have coconut in it?
"I'm going to be attending the academy next year, too!" He quipped back as if that was comparable to everything Ronak was doing. "Also, I do take my lessons seriously!"
"Mhmm, is that why you escaped your lessons the other day, and tried showing up at my estate while I was busy? That's not going to work at the academy. You'll probably be the first prince that fails all his classes and gets kicked out." My eyes went wide, and I let out a little gasp as I realized exactly how Ronak was related to these supposed cousins. I turned to bow and apologize for ignoring them, but Ronak caught my shoulder and pulled me back towards him. "You're not allowed to bow to others so willingly. Respect is something that needs to be earned, not given freely just because they were born with silver spoons in their mouths. As it stands, Elyas holds an empty title because he's unwilling to put in any work and still wishes to be a child. You will not be bowing to him until he proves himself otherwise." I nervously nodded my head, and Ronak released his grip on my collar. So harsh.
"That's mean…" Elyas grumbled.
"Then take your position and your responsibilities seriously." Ronak snapped.
"I take it seriously." Ronak's eye slightly twitched, and the two of them began to bicker back and forth. As I listened, I noticed that while Ronak's words were harsh, they seemed to have an underlying caring intent. I mean, based on the way he and the emperor speak, if Ronak wanted the throne, he could have it, and yet here he was, nagging his cousin.
Ronak's pheromones were backing off a little, which allowed his cousins to draw closer. M-maybe that wasn't a good thing because Ronak had started completely ignoring me as he snarled at his cousin. "Hello…" My attention was drawn in a different direction as a soft voice called out to me.
While Ronak was distracted, I quickly bowed to the princess. "Greetings, Princess Bridget." Despite Ronak snapping at me, I wasn't willing to show such disrespect to the imperial family. He might have been brave, but I sure wasn't. "I'm honored to be greeted by you." I went to introduce myself, but the words quickly died in my throat. Wh-what if someone hears?!
"Don't be too shocked. They do this all the time." Bridget watched Ronak and her brother bickering away for a moment, but her gaze returned to me. "The imperial family can be rather… boisterous at times…" Despite grouping herself under that term, it really didn't seem to fit her personality. She seemed rather quiet and reserved compared to all of Ronak's other relatives I met.
I softly snickered and covered my mouth with a hand to be polite. "So it seems, but I don't find it a bother. Despite sounding annoyed, Ronak seems to care quite a bit. It makes me glad to see he has people he's close to, even though I doubt he'd admit it."
"He… cares?" Bridget seemed a bit puzzled as her gaze wandered over to Ronak. I guess I had a better idea of how he was feeling because of our bond.
I decided to change the topic to something a little less confusing for Bridget. I didn't want to sound condescending towards her or anything. "Your dress is magnificent. It pairs exceptionally well with your mask and hair."
"Oh, thank you! I'm glad someone has noticed!" She shyly looked away, and I let out a soft chuckle. She was super cute. I'm sure, based on her already decent physique, that when she becomes an adult, she'll be a true beauty.
"I'm sure many have noticed, but naught is brave enough to approach such a charming young woman." She glanced back at me and smiled broadly. Heh, girls just love compliments. Honestly, though, based on the scents being mixed over by Ronak and his cousin, it was probably Elyas who was preventing anyone from approaching his sister. He was a bit stinky…
"Would you like to attend one of my tea parties? I think you would be a delightful addition!" I-I'm not sure I should be attending such fancy places… The only tea parties I had ever been to are ones that Terra takes me to… Plus, the princess had to be around thirteen or fourteen… I doubt her friends want an adult man showing up to their parties.
Despite my concerns, I wasn't in a position to decline. "It would be my honor, Princess." I slightly bowed again and noticed Ronak grab Elyas and shove him under his arm. Elyas let out a frustrated growl and tried to fight Ronak off, but I already knew who would lose that battle. Ronak had arms that were made of steel bars. If you got trapped within them, it was over for you.
"R-Ronak…" Ronak glanced over to me and quickly let his cousin go.
"You two seem to have gotten along." He glanced over to Bridget, but didn't address her at all. It probably had something to do with Elyas that was having to be held at arm's length by Ronak…, but still… He could have said hello.
"Yes, while I am a bit upset that this party format has denied me your omega's name, it was a delight talking to him." Bridget gave me a warm smile and turned to stare at her brother, who was acting disgracefully.
"Let me go, and spar with me, Ronak!" Elyas whined. Umm… if he spared anything like how he was acting now, it wouldn't even be worth the effort. I'd probably be able to take him down…
"You're making a scene." Ronak snarled. "Don't make me knock you unconscious and give you to the knights." I glanced over to the uncomfortable knights who were acting as the prince and the princess's guards. W-was this a common occurrence or something?
Ronak shoved Elyas away and returned to my side, but apparently, the prince wasn't done causing problems. He pointed a finger at me and narrowed his eyes. "You, who are you?"
"Get your damn finger out of my omega's face." He snapped while slapping Elyas's finger away. "Maybe he'd sink if I threw him into the pond," Ronak grumbled while glaring at Elyas. Pft, honestly, maybe…
"O-omega? He's a guy!" Elyas gave me a weird look, and I furrowed my brow. D-did he live under a rock? The pond idea is sounding better by the second…
Ronak let out an annoyed snarl. "He's a male omega, you dipshit."
"A male… omega? What's your name? Are you attending the academy? What classes are you in? Do you share classes with Ronak? What type of magic do you have? Do omegas have magic?" Ronak let out an exasperated sigh and moved to stand in front of me before Elyas got too close.
"Leave him the fuck alone before I hit you." Ronak let out a growl, and Elyas took a quick step back.
"I'm just curious!"
"It's a masquerade party. He doesn't have to tell you a damn thing!"
"You're no fun, Ronak!" No, it's not that he wasn't any fun. If anything, I thought he was being incredibly patient with the prince. I thought I had more patience than Ronak, but even I was starting to tire of the prince. I glanced over to Bridget, who gave me an apologetic smile. Oh… so he's always like this… "What's your name? Come on, tell me!" Elyas tried to peek past Ronak to see me, but Ronak let out another angry growl.
"Leave him the fuck alone." Ronak snapped.
"You're so touchy! Can't he be friends with me?!" N-no… I don't think I could handle being friends with the likes of him. He was far too high-energy, and he didn't seem to have good listening skills. I could see myself being hauled around with him and not getting a single word in. It sounded exhausting. I'd much rather spend time with Princess Bridget.
"While I do attend the magic academy, I don't wish to discuss it at this time. M-maybe if we see each other again, we could talk about it." Though I had a feeling there'd be a lot less talking and a lot more interruptions from Elyas.
Elyas's eyes lit up excitedly, and he let out a gasp. Despite his attempt to wiggle past Ronak, Ronak was thankfully keeping Elyas far away from me. "Oh! I'm so excited! Ronak's a jerk, but you seem nice! I can't wait to get to know you! We'll have to hang out next year at the academy!" I-I take it back… I don't think I can handle talking to him. He's far too intense.
Ronak angrily grabbed Elyas's head and shoved him away. "You're making my omega uncomfortable." Ronak's frustration was hitting concerning levels, so I took a step towards him and grabbed his arm. For being relatives, the duo couldn't have been more opposite. Here I was thinking that Ronak and I were different… These two were worse.
"How would you know?!" Elyas snapped back.
"I do." Ronak glanced down at me, and his irritation faded slightly.
I glanced over to Elyas, who seemed completely undisturbed by being shoved by Ronak, and let out a little sigh. "P-prince Elyas, I doubt Ronak wants to sit around talking about the academy on his birthday…"
"Fine, we can talk tomorrow!"
"We have classes," Ronak grumbled.
"Fine, the weekend!"
"We have plans," Ronak snapped. We did? No, he's right. We were so busy that we wouldn't be able to spend time with Elyas… Oh darn…
Despite Ronak's thinning patience, Elyas still wasn't deterred. He's persistent… I'll give him that… "Then I will send a letter, and we can arrange a day. If you don't respond to my letter, I'll just stop by your estate!"
Ronak grumbled, but agreed to try and make something work. The prince started going off about sparring again, and Ronak glared at him. "Don't press your luck."
"Brother, enough. You're drawing a crowd. Leave Ronak and his omega alone." Bridget's soft voice snapped at her brother.
"Sorry, sister!" Whoa, it was like she snapped her fingers, and he turned into a completely different person. Talk about strange.
"Thank you for spending time with us when you have so many people wanting to talk with you." She paused and turned towards me. "I can't wait to see you again." She turned and left, making Elyas scurry after her to catch up.
"Y-you have quite the family..."
"They're fucking annoying." Ronak let out an exhausted sigh. "He has a lot of maturing to do before taking over the throne." Ronak wasn't wrong; the Elyas I just witnessed would crumble under the pressure. He had a long and arduous path before him if he wished to become the emperor.
"Maybe attending the academy will help him mature." At least Elyas seemed good-natured, and his persistent attitude might be a positive as well. Only time will tell, though.
"I doubt it," Ronak grumbled.
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Oh wow. The orchestra music swelled in volume as we approached the large open garden space where people were dancing. Beautiful blooming trees arched over the space, and orbs of light had been suspended amongst the trees' branches. It was truly a sight to behold. I watched in awe as people elegantly danced together. I had only attended a party similar to this one other time. It was the summer ball that the academy put on before the end of the academy year, but I didn't spend too much time there. I didn't even dance with anyone at the time, a few omegas asked, but I was too embarrassed to admit to them that I was an omega and didn't know how to lead.
"Do you want to join?" Ronak's voice was right next to my ear, causing me to jump. M-me?! Dance with you?!
"I-I'm not very good at dancing! I'm sure I'd do nothing but embarrass you!" I tried to come up with excuses, but my eyes drifted over to the dancing couples and the beautiful atmosphere. I guess I did want to dance a little…, but I wasn't sure I could handle dancing in front of all these watching eyes. It was too intimidating!
"Don't worry, I'll guide you." The song the couples were dancing to started coming to an end, and Ronak glanced at me. "You do know how to dance, right?
"My mother made sure I knew how to dance… b-but I still might step on your toes…" My face gradually turned pink, and I had to look away from Ronak.
He snickered and politely bowed with an outstretched hand. "Would my beautiful omega like to share this dance with me?" I glanced over at him and thought for sure my heart would jump out into his hand. My shaky hand slowly reached out and took his. I was incredibly nervous, but I didn't want to deny his request. "The only thing you need to focus on is me." Ronak stood and pulled me out onto the dance floor as the orchestra started to play a new song.
He said not to worry, but how was I supposed to ignore the many eyes curiously watching us? Ronak laced his fingers through mine and pulled me towards him as he grabbed my waist. He was far too tall for me to reach up to his shoulder, so my hand ended up resting on his upper arm. W-we were so close! Why did he pull me so close to him?! I was incredibly tense as we started to move, and I thought my heart would stop as my foot grazed his.
"You're not focusing on me." Ronak leaned in, and I could smell some calming pheromones on his skin. "The only place your gaze should be is on me. I don't like it when your golden eyes wander away, and become full of stress." A shudder ran down my spine, and I looked up at Ronak. He was within kissing distance, but I-I didn't want to do it here with all these watching eyes…
Ronak started dancing again, and this time I was able to follow his lead a bit better. I was still tense, but nothing compared to what I had been. He asked me to keep my eyes on him, but he was the one who was focused on me. It was like all he was seeing was me. He wasn't worried about the people watching us; the only thing he cared about at this moment was me.
I-I'm being completely stupid… wasn't I… I was letting other people ruin our time together… I didn't want that… With a small sigh, I lifted my gaze to meet Ronak's, and a smile formed on my lips. Ronak snickered, and his gaze turned incredibly warm. Oh. This is much better. The pace of the song changed, and Ronak unexpectedly pulled me in for a dip. I let out a little yelp, but giggled as he pulled me back up.
"You're quite the dancer."
"The emperor had me take lessons while growing up." Ronak sounded a bit displeased, but I enjoyed dancing with him, so I was grateful that the emperor insisted. Now that I wasn't stressed, I was able to follow Ronak's moves rather well. He wasn't doing anything too complicated, so I didn't step on his feet again. I did glance up once or twice at the beautiful flowering trees overhead and the interesting light orbs.
"This place is pretty."
"Not as pretty as you are." I glanced down at the flowers and saw Ronak staring at me. Pft, he was saying a bunch of cheesy stuff tonight.
"Thanks…"
"For?"
"Telling me to focus on you." I flashed him a warm smile. Maybe it was the bond, but Ronak had a way of melting all my fears and worries away. "I-I'm glad I could share my first dance with you."
"You've never danced with anyone?" Ronak asked as an eyebrow poked out the top of his mask.
I giggled as he spun me away and pulled me back in. "Just with an instructor."
"Then I must say, you're doing a rather good job. I've been forced to dance once or twice, but I've never enjoyed it before now." I figured Ronak had danced before since he was used to this sort of party, but there was something special about knowing that he preferred dancing with me. I guess I felt a little smug? It seemed rather similar to the feeling Ronak had rather often.
The song started coming to an end, and Ronak pulled me in, stealing a kiss as the last note played. It was quick and fleeting, but just enough to make me want more. No fair!
He whisked me off the dance floor before someone else could approach and ask for my hand. "It seems like someone likes dancing." I-I think I like you more than I like dancing…
"It was fun."
"I'm glad." Me too. I'm glad I could spend his birthday with him.
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"Have you thought about expanding Elutra into the magic tool sector?" The earl smiled at Ronak and continued to talk about the magic tool business, but neither Ronak nor I was paying that close attention. Well, I might have been paying attention more if his daughter wasn't boring holes into me with her eyes.
I tried to act coy and ignore her, but it was becoming harder by the second. It's like she wasn't going to give up until she had my attention, either. I wanted to ask Quinn to stop, but that would blow my cover. "Excuse me… is that you, Micha?" My heart froze, and my expression turned blank for a moment, but I managed to unfreeze.
I pointed at myself and tilted my head to the side. "A-are you talking to me?" I tried my best to act confused, but it wasn't doing much. Quinn just narrowed her eyes and glared at me.
"Oh, pardon me. I thought you were my friend from the academy." Wh-why did she have to phrase it like that?! I was friends with Quinn! She was just a bit too talkative… Kinda a bit like the prince sometimes…
"Leave my omega alone," Ronak growled, and Quinn's father quickly pulled her back towards her brothers.
"Don't cause problems, you insolent girl!" Her father hissed. She wasn't really the one causing problems… I-it was me…
"I apologize, Father, I didn't mean to cause strife." Quinn bowed, and I couldn't help but be consumed by guilt. Gah! She had better not get in trouble because of me! Though… I'm rather worried about her loose lips. Sh-she's going to run and tell everyone, isn't she? I have a bad feeling about this…
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Ronak
"Enough." I snapped at the annoying earl that wouldn't shut up. I didn't give two fucks about him or his obnoxious business. Just because we both have business doesn't mean I give a shit about yours. "You're boring me, and my omega." Micha flinched in surprise and gave me a wide-eyed look. Heh. I knew that would get a cute reaction out of him. I could tell he wanted to say something, but he didn't. I glanced back over at the earl, who was still standing there with a stupid look on his face. "Begone already."
The earl let out a disgruntled sound and quickly scurried off. "R-Ronak!" Micha squealed. "Don't say things like that!"
"Why not? I wasn't listening, and you were zoned out. What's the point of him continuing to waste oxygen in front of us?"
"I-it was rude…" Heh. Oh, what different lives we have lived.
"What's rude is wasting our time. He should have noticed our uninterest and cut his never-ending story short." Micha let out a cute sound and looked away.
"Still…" Micha was far too used to being lower class. He didn't want to offend anyone or rock the boat, which just wasn't going to work. He needed to learn to be confident and strong in the face of adversity. As much as it seemed like it to him, the world isn't all sunshine and rainbows.
"Come on, I'm sure we can find a different noble to bore us to sleep." Micha furrowed his brow, but didn't comment. He should just admit that he finds it annoying, too. Then we could both make our escape.
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I was getting fucking sick of listening to people. There were only a handful of all these pricks that I actually cared to talk to. The rest were all worthless wastes of time. I wanted nothing more than to abduct Micha and run off with him, but it was hard to ignore the watchful eyes of the guards lurking about the place. I knew damn well that they were watching my every move and reporting back to my uncle.
"Greetings, Archduke Abraxos." I'm sick and tired of hearing my fucking last name. I stared blankly down at Viscount Edmund in annoyance. Why did my uncle invite so many annoying people? It should have been kept to margraves, and higher, not low-ranking rabble like him.
Micha squeezed my arm, and I let out a huff. "Greetings, Viscount Edmund." The viscount was like an obnoxious dog that fed upon my praise. The exact definition of a boot-licker. He was all chummy and obedient until things didn't go your way, but the moment things went south, he would abandon ship and run to your enemy. He did that exact thing with that bastard. The pastures started looking greener in my fields, and he ran over to start licking my boots. Despicable.
He started rambling on about something, but what caught my attention was his daughter. No, I wasn't remotely interested in her, but I was annoyed at the stupid look she was giving Micha. "It's you?! You're an… an omega?! I knew there was something weird about you!" She finally managed to get the words out of her gawking maw. Micha was already tense, but the moment those words left her mouth, his nerves skyrocketed. Fuck, stop making me dizzy. "You weaseled your way into his bed, huh?!"
My eyebrow twitched. If anyone weaseled their way into a bed, it was me who weaseled my way into Micha's bed. I was basically living in his dorm at the moment. "Watch your mouth." I snapped angrily.
Her father whipped towards her in a panic and raised his hand. "Keep your mouth shut!" He started to bring his hand down, and the girl flinched instinctively. Mmm, so getting hit is a regular occurrence in her life. Before his hand made contact, a small golden shield appeared in front of her face.
My gaze instantly turned to Micha, who had an outstretched hand. "D-don't hit her…" Why am I not surprised that he intervened? He was my little hero to the rescue.
The viscount's eyes darted between me and Micha for a moment before he stood and straightened his outfit. "Pardon my disturbance, Archduke Abraxos." He might have backed down now, but I knew all too well. Her punishment would be tenfold now that it would be inflicted behind closed doors. Micha definitely didn't know better, so I reached over and patted his head. He thought he was helping the situation. Maybe I should just add the viscount to the list of nobles that need to be removed… "I apologize for my daughter's words."
What a novel sight. A viscount bowing while looking pissed, and a daughter who's clearly not feeling guilty. Normally, both parties would be groveling in this situation. "B-but father! That's the jerk who is nothing but a low-rank loser! He's even tricking the Archduke-!!" I took a step forward and glared down at her and her vile mouth. Why was I feeling slightly empathetic for a bitch like this?
"Shut your damn mouth before I shut it for you. A bitch like you doesn't deserve his mercy." I clenched my fist, and a few knuckles on my hand popped.
"You insolent fool!" The viscount grabbed his daughter's hair and pulled her away from me. Oh, so now you're worried, huh? "I told you to keep your mouth shut!"
I started reaching forward to grab the viscount's collar, but a small set of hands grabbed my arm. "R-Ronak… Let's all calm down!" Micha looked rather concerned, but as I brought my hand back, he let out a sigh of relief.
"I will not tolerate her running her mouth."
"I-it's fine-"
"It's not fucking fine." I reached over with my free hand and squished Micha's cheeks together. He let out a funny squeak, but I didn't release him. "You will not tolerate people looking down or besmirching you. I will not tolerate it either." Micha was lucky that I wasn't actively going on a rampage. I wanted nothing more than to beat the shit out of the bastards who have been heckling him tonight.
Despite having the urge to continue squeezing Micha's cheeks, I let him go, and he rubbed his face. I didn't pinch them that hard. "O-okay, I won't tolerate it, but please calm down. It's your birthday, let's not focus on the negative." My nose caught a whiff of Micha's pheromones, and it was like even more eyes than normal turned our way. Shit. Was he trying to use them to calm me down? If anything, it was having the adverse effect. Not that I didn't like his pheromones, but because he was drawing the attention of others.
"No putting out pheromones." Micha turned his head to the side in confusion, but nodded his head. I wrapped him with my own pheromones to protect him, and a smile formed on his face.
"Okay, as long as you promise not to get too mad." I wanted to tell him to worry about himself, but I was weak to his desires. I wanted to do anything in my power to make him happy.
"Fine, I won't punch anyone." I held out my hand, and Micha giggled as we shook on our agreement. Damn, his hand was so small in mine. It was as soft as his velvety ass. Fuck. I want to leave this hellhole of people.
I glanced over to where the viscount and his vile daughter were, but they had scurried off like the rats they were. He'd better count his days because they draw to an end.
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Micha
Why did it feel like more eyes than normal were on me? Ronak asked me not to produce pheromones, which I thought was weird, but… it's like the alphas in the area have taken notice of me. I'm imagining it, right? I'm marked. No one should be paying attention to me, but Ronak…
Also, the more we talk to others, the more I'm realizing how abnormal it is that Ronak formed a bond with me. I think only a handful of the nobles we met were bonded. Those that were bonded seemed rather close, which was nice to see, but it was clear that he made an unusual decision-
Ronak let out a loud growl, and the people around us flinched. I brought my attention back to the present and noticed that an alpha had approached rather close. He seemed familiar… Did he attend the academy with us?
"Hello." He looked up at me with determined eyes that only strayed over to Ronak for a moment. Ronak pulled me over to him as he growled. "D-don't go! An angel like yourself deserves better-!" Ugh oh…
I quickly turned towards Ronak, who was absolutely seething, and grabbed his arm. Was that guy a moron? Why was he flirting with death?! "Mine!" Ronak snapped as his pheromones whipped around us like a thunderstorm.
"T-too strong!" I squeaked as I held my breath. Ronak's pheromones were making me weak at the knees. Even my eyes wanted to roll up into my skull.
Thankfully, they backed off, but I was feeling exceptionally overstimulated. It was like Ronak's scent lingered on my skin. Ronak grabbed my waist, and I leaned against him as my head cleared. Wh-whoah… That was... that was too much… He almost triggered a heat cycle for me…
I peeked behind me, and the dummy was long gone. There was also a wide berth between us and everyone else. Honestly, that's fine with me. I'm getting a bit sick of all the rude dummies.
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A man with familiar-looking sage green hair approached us and bowed. "As always, it is good to see you, Archduke Abraxos. Congratulations on finally receiving your rightful title." From behind him appeared a familiar set of twin-tails, and together, Terra and her father bowed to Ronak. Terra! Someone I actually want to talk to! I-I knew she was going to be at this party, but with so many people that were here, I'm surprised we ran into one another. I wanted to run over to her and talk, but that wasn't an option at the moment.
"Yes, greetings Archduke Abraxos, and congratulations on the new title." Terra curtsied and gave me a warm, wide smile. It was like she was trying to talk to me through her eyes.
"Thank you, Earl Renaut. You've been managing the production facility well. I haven't heard about any supply issues." Ronak swirled around the glass of wine he had and looked down at me.
"I could hardly disappoint you after being placed in charge of such important operations. It is my family's honor to serve you." Terra's father seemed like a very polite man with a lot of integrity. I see where she gets it from. I glanced over at Terra and saw her looking my outfit up and down. She caught me watching her, and her expression seemed to be a mix of astonishment and amazement. I couldn't help but snicker at her. Gah! My snickering caught her father's attention, and he gave me a curious look. I-I wasn't laughing at you! I swear!
Ronak pulled his arm away from me and gave me a little push in Terra's direction. "Since you're here, you might as well inform me about how the new facility is doing." Ronak took a step away from Terra and me, giving us space. Th-that was awfully nice of him.
"That dress looks magnificent on you!" I couldn't help but grin. I was so excited to talk to someone I actually cared about at the party. Terra's dress was a soft dusty pink, which paired excellently with her hair color. Even her bows and mask matched the dress and its elegant ruffles. Apparently, ruffles were in style because both her and my outfit had them. The dress must have been custom-made because it was the only one of its type at the party.
"Why, thank you. You're marvelously dressed as well. That cut-out and deep V is quite daring. I'm surprised he let you wear such a thing." Terra had a mischievous smile on her lips.
"I know… he even approved the design, and everything. I didn't know what the outfit was going to look like until I put it on." H-he did say he was rather excited to take it off of me, which made me nervous.
"I wasn't aware that Archduke Abraxos had such good taste." Terra winked at me, and I couldn't help but blush. "Have you been enjoying the party?"
"It's definitely been eventful." I pulled my hand up from where I was hiding it and showed Terra the ring adorned with massive jewels. She let out a loud gasp and pulled my hand over to her.
Her eyes were wide as she admired my new ring. "H-he proposed?!" She looked up at me and blinked a few times. Pft, her eyebrows were visible at the top of her mask.
"Y-yeah…" Terra released my hand, but I couldn't help but stare at the ring on my finger. I could hardly believe it myself! "He did at the start of the party." My face turned incredibly pink, and I had to look away. Gah! It was so pretty!
"So that's where the two of you disappeared to…" Terra's surprised expression was slowly replaced by a smug one. "He really does have good taste… I've never seen such a bold engagement ring before…"
"It's red like his eyes… I really like it. We even danced together, and he fed me lots of food over at the buffet. I never thought I would ever go dancing at such a fancy party." I fiddled with my ring, and a small smile formed on my lips.
Terra snickered, and I glanced up to see her looking incredibly pleased. "I'm glad that you're happy M-" She stopped herself before she said my name out loud, and I giggled. "Oops." She joined me in laughing, and I did have to admit. I was incredibly happy. Despite the few rude nobles, tonight has been rather special for me. I'm glad I was brave enough to come.
We chatted a bit more about the party, but eventually Ronak and Terra's father drifted back over. R-Ronak… that's like your fourth glass of wine… Your story didn't exactly fill me with confidence about your drinking… "Sorry to waste so much of your time, Archduke Abraxos."
"Not at all." Ronak held out his arm for me, and I happily accepted it. I greatly appreciated him giving Terra and me space to talk. Terra and her father bowed and left, but before another noble could swoop in, Ronak looked down at me with a gentle gaze. "Did you enjoy talking with her?"
"Yes! Thank you!" I beamed happily, but glanced over to where Terra's father had wandered. "You know Earl Renaut rather well."
"Of course I do. I've been doing business with his family for many years. They own multiple quartz mines that I purchase from, and now I've placed him in charge of the production facilities that produce my glass bottles for potions. In other words, without Earl Renaut, Elutra wouldn't have any vessels to put their potions into." I knew that Terra's family owned mines, but I didn't know they mined quartz. That's interesting. I'll have to ask her about it later.
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This had to be considered a type of mental torture. We kept getting near enough to see the food and sweets, but then we would wander further away. It was like we were playing tag, but I wasn't allowed to capture the target. I kept sneaking sideways glances at the delectable desserts when we were near, hoping that Ronak would notice, but he didn't. Stupid nobles distracting my alpha from my needs! I need those delectable-looking sweets!
I didn't even know what some of them were! There seemed to be all sorts of unique-looking cakes, puddings, cookies, candies, and other confections. I wanted to rush to their table and gather myself a plate heaping with their delectable forms, but I knew Ronak would be mad. He constantly reminded me that my table manners needed to be improved. To be fair, I intentionally talked with food in my mouth just to annoy him.
Gah! It was killing me! We were so close yet so far away! All evening! I wanted to break down and cry. Ronak gave me an odd look, but didn't ask any questions because some stupid margrave wouldn't shut up about the stupid trade district. There was no way Ronak would prevent me from even sampling the delicious morsels… right? We had all evening… right? Right?!?!
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"I-I now understand why you don't like parties. It's a bit much." People wouldn't even leave us alone. Nobles kept rushing forward to talk to us at every turn. I did have a couple of people try and ask me intrusive questions, but Ronak quickly cut them off, which was a little cute, but I'd prefer it if he didn't have to cut them off in the first place.
"Let's escape." Ronak turned to me with a mischievous gaze.
"Wha-?" Ronak quickly slid his arm that I was holding around my waist, and pulled me towards him. I was surprised by the quick movement, but even more surprised when he enveloped us in red. Gah! It was his strange travel spell that looked like it melted him down into a red goopy puddle. I'm sure if his mana had been the traditional blackish purple that dark magic users typically had, this spell would make it look like a puddle of tar, but his red mana made it look a bit… visceral.
"Ronak! Are we okay to just leave like this?" He still had a firm grip on my waist as he glanced down at me.
"I stayed far longer than I would have if I was there alone. My uncle should be pleased." I let out a little sigh, which caught Ronak's attention. "You didn't want to stay, did you?"
"No…" I looked away because I knew he would be disapproving. "I just never got to try the palace d-desserts…" I mumbled, feeling a little disappointed.
Ronak burst into laughter and returned his attention forward as he traversed our surroundings. I couldn't see anything but red, so I assume he knew what he was doing. His grin was rather charming. "I'll have the chefs make you something far grander than those palace desserts if that's what you so desire."
"You're being terribly sweet tonight." My face was flushed, and I had to slightly bite my bottom lip. Between his great-looking outfit and the nice things he kept saying to me, my heart just couldn't handle it anymore. I snuggled against him and let out a few pheromones.
Ronak let out a pleased grumble and leaned his head down to sniff me. "Are you trying to get into trouble?"
"No! I-I was just happy…"
"Being this happy is dangerous. We haven't even made it to your dorm yet."
"We're going to my dorm?" That was a bit surprising to me.
"We have classes in the morning, but if you want to skip them and lie around in bed all day, we can." Ronak's grin was tempting, but I wasn't sure if we should continue skipping so many classes…
"W-we need to t-take our s-studies seriously." My stuttering became out of control as my mind thought about all the things Ronak would do to me if we stayed in bed all day. I-I probably wouldn't be able to walk for the next few days.
"That's a shame." Ronak snickered. We emerged from his travel spell and were not in my dorm but in Ronak's room. Huh? Ronak must have noticed my confusion because he snickered. "I don't particularly want to sleep in this outfit." Oh, I guess it was true that he only sleeps in boxers…
There was a knock on the door, and Olivia entered as Ronak sat me down. I toddled over to the bed to collapse while Ronak entered the walk-in closet to change. When he finally emerged, he was wearing long knit pants, but no top. "Do you not own any tops?"
Ronak snickered and glanced over at my blushing face. "Nope, I prefer sleeping like this, and it's not like you hate it either." My face turned even hotter as Ronak smirked. "Olivia pulled some shirts out of mine that you can wear. She's waiting for you." Oh… I looked down at my outfit, and then over to the closet door. I guess I did need help getting this off. I didn't even know where to start. I was about to stand up, but Ronak walked over to me. He pulled my chin up so he was gazing directly down into my eyes. His hands managed to find the ribbons on my mask, and he gently tugged on them. "I've been upset all night because this mask has done nothing but highlight your beautiful eyes. No one's been able to take their eyes off you. It's not fair. You're mine." Ronak gently removed my mask, but his gaze didn't leave my flushed face. "You need to stop being cute all the time. It's not fair at all."
Ronak bent down and kissed the tip of my nose before leaning further down and kissing my lips. Wh-what wasn't fair was how much his tender kisses stole all the breath in my lungs. It was like being enveloped, and it left me wanting more. "I-I better go get changed." I wanted to stay, but I knew if I did, it would develop into something more, and Olivia was waiting for me in the closet.
"Fine, it is rather late." I glanced over at the clock, and my eyes went wide. L-late?! It was way worse than late! It was the middle of the night! We needed to go to sleep promptly if I wasn't going to be miserable in class tomorrow.
I stood and scurried over to the closet where Olivia was patiently waiting for me. "S-sorry!"
"It's no problem at all, little lord!" She seemed awfully smug for some reason. Her eyes kept darting down at my ring in curiosity. "I see my lord was brave enough to ask… He didn't just shove the ring in your face and ask you to wear it, did he?" Olivia was like magic as she easily removed the complicated outfit. H-how?! I didn't even know where to start, and I'd probably rip it!
I couldn't help but snicker at her comment. "H-he was actually incredibly cute." But I could totally see Ronak simply asking me to wear the ring.
Olivia gave me a bizarre look before sorting through some of Ronak's clothes. "Do you want to keep your ring on or shall I have it put into storage for the night?" Olivia pulled one of Ronak's tops over my head, and my arms were instantly lost in the long sleeves.
"I'll put it in my magic storage when not in use." It's not that I didn't trust Olivia, but I wasn't actively living here, so leaving my ring here felt weird. Besides, it would be safest in my storage.
"Okay. Hmm, these clothes really don't fit you… I should have prepared some of my lord's old clothes…" No, they really didn't. Ronak was so much bigger than me; it was as if a child was playing dress up in their parents' clothes. As if hearing Olivia's comment, Ronak popped his head into the closet and froze.
"What's taking so long-" Ronak snickered, and fully entered the closet with a funny smug look.
"Shall I get the little lord some different clothes?"
"No, there's no need. We're just going to sleep. You're dismissed." Olivia nodded her head and promptly left the closet with a bow. "I knew you were petite, but this is something else. My little omega is so cute." Ronak grabbed the sleeves of his shirt that were drowning my arms, and wiggled them around with a massive grin. I gave him a bit of a glare. You call me little and light as a feather all the time. As if karma was trying to spite me, the drawstring pants I was attempting to wear slowly slid down my legs. "Oh my, how scandalous." Ronak teased. S-stop it! I tried to reach my arms down to get my pants, but Ronak had a firm grip on my sleeves.
"L-let go."
"Nope, I think I like this look on you." Ronak released my sleeves, but quickly leaned forward and picked me up into his arms. One of his hands snuck under the hem of the oversized sweater, and gave my butt a squeeze.
"Ronak!" I squealed as my face turned red. My underwear barely covered my bottom, so he was enjoying himself far too much.
"You're so lucky we have class tomorrow. Otherwise, I'd make you mine tonight. You can't get away with looking so cute." He nuzzled his head against my collarbone and lightly sniffed me. "I should just give you all these old sweaters. They might be big, but I like knowing that you're wearing something that smells like me." Ronak gently nibbled my exposed skin, and I let out a little yelp.
"Sh-shouldn't we be going to my d-dorm?!" I-if he doesn't stop, I-I'm going to lose all my resistance, and melt into his arms.
Ronak let out a sigh and stopped teasing me. "If you insist." Wh-why are you making me look like the bad guy?! You said that we were going to my dorm to get some sleep!