Arion's mind wrestled with Kyon's proposition. It was cold, calculated, and completely without romance, but there was a stark truth to it that resonated deep within him. Kyon wasn't offering him a life of weakness or subservience; he was offering him a partnership, a secret alliance of two powerful beings who defied every law of their world. He was offering him a place by his side, not as a prize, but as a silent, powerful consort.
Arion took a step closer to Kyon, the air between them thick with a new kind of tension—not of combat, but of burgeoning intimacy. "And what about the other alpha who was supposed to be my mate?" Arion's voice was barely a whisper.
"You have a new one now," Kyon's tone was calm, but his hand came to rest gently on the side of Arion's neck, directly over the mark. "Me."
The touch sent a shiver through Arion. His neck mark and the one on his belly flared with heat, an overwhelming surge that was both a possessive claim and an undeniable comfort. He found himself leaning into the touch, a physical surrender that was both shocking and deeply satisfying. He could feel Kyon's scent, a subtle hint of burning amber, a scent only he could perceive, mingling with the white tea illusion. It was the scent of his Alpha.
Kyon's fingers traced the line of Arion's jaw, a gesture so gentle it was a stark contrast to his previous cold arrogance. "The one-night stand was a mistake," Kyon admitted, his voice softening, "but the feeling of our bodies together... that wasn't a lie."
Arion's breath hitched. He had no memory of the night, but his body remembered. He could feel the echo of it now, the way his muscles relaxed under Kyon's dominant aura, the quiet thrum of a bond he hadn't known existed until this moment. He reached out and, with a tentative touch, took Kyon's hand, holding it.
A rare, fleeting warmth entered Kyon's eyes. It was a look of unguarded vulnerability that Arion had never seen on the prince's face. In this small, intimate space, they were no longer Prince and Lord, Alpha and Omega. They were just two people bound by a powerful, unspoken connection, a secret that only they knew.
"My lord," a soft voice from the doorway jolted them apart. It was Kyon's personal maid. "Forgive me for interrupting, but the King has requested your presence. He wishes to discuss the new shipment of omega suppressants."
The words were a bucket of cold water. Kyon's hand slipped from Arion's. The mask of the beautiful, demure omega snapped back into place, his eyes losing their warmth and returning to their usual placid depth.
"Of course," Kyon said, his voice now a perfect imitation of the obedient prince. "Tell my father I will be there shortly."
He turned back to Arion, the brief moment of intimacy gone. "We will speak again," Kyon stated, his voice now all business. "Think about my offer. Your life and my crown depend on it."
As Kyon left the room, Arion stood alone, his hand still tingling from Kyon's touch. The white tea scent was back in full force, but beneath it, his marks still pulsed with the fierce, undeniable burn of amber and pine. The choice was no longer just about politics and pride; it was about a bond he couldn't ignore, a fated connection that threatened to change his life forever.