Just then, a gentle knock on the door jolted them both. A soft voice, belonging to a beta maidservant, called out, "Your Highness? The King wishes to see you. He has a letter from the Northern territories that needs your attention."
The words were a bucket of cold water. Kyon's eyes snapped open, the serenity replaced by a flash of panic. The placid mask he wore cracked, revealing a terrified boyish face. He sat up, his body tensing, his scent of burning amber and pine suddenly a suffocating presence.
"What do we do?" Arion whispered, his voice thick with a mixture of fear and desire.
Kyon, with a single, languid movement, put a hand on Arion's waist, pulling him closer. He leaned in, his lips brushing against Arion's ear, his scent of burning amber a warm, intoxicating blanket. "I know," he whispered, his voice a low, gravelly sound. "I'm sorry. But we have to be careful. The King must never know."
He pulled away, a flash of pure alpha dominance in his eyes. "Hide," he commanded, his voice a powerful presence that brooked no argument. "Now."
Arion, his heart pounding in his chest, scrambled out of bed, grabbing the clothes that were scattered on the floor. He ran to the large, ornamental wardrobe and hid inside, the soft, cool darkness a welcome relief. He could hear the maid's voice again, more insistent this time. Kyon was a perfect picture of calm, his face a beautiful, serene mask. He was a liar, a monster, a prince who had the power to bring him to his knees with a single glance. And he was Arion's.
:)the master of deception <3
The thrum of panic that had pulsed through Kyon's veins was a feeling he knew well. It was the same icy dread that had settled in his stomach when his suppressants first failed, when he had accidentally dominated a rival alpha in a back alley as a child. It was the feeling of a lie about to be exposed.
"Your Highness?" The beta maid's voice came again, more insistent this time. "The King is waiting."
Kyon's mind raced. He was a master of deception, a virtuoso of pretense. He had lived this lie his entire life. He could not, would not, let a moment of weakness destroy him now. He took a deep, steadying breath, the scent of burning amber and pine receding to a manageable hum, replaced by the cool, floral lie of white tea.
"I am coming," he called out, his voice a perfect imitation of the serene Prince. "Please give me a moment to prepare."
He turned to the wardrobe, his face a mask of perfect composure. "Arion," he whispered, his eyes meeting the terrified eyes of the man hiding inside. "Don't make a sound. Don't move."
Arion, his heart pounding against his ribs, could only nod. He was a warrior, a fighter, a man who had faced down a bear, but he was now a silent prisoner, a slave to a lie.
Kyon, with a single, languid movement, pulled a silk robe from the wardrobe. He slipped into it, his movements graceful and fluid. He looked at himself in the mirror, his face a perfect, beautiful mask of serene elegance. He was a Prince. An Omega. A work of art.
He walked to the door, his hand on the knob. He paused, his gaze going to the floor, to the shattered vase, a silent testament to the night of wild abandon. His face was a perfect mask, his eyes a cool, placid blue. He was not a beast. He was not an Alpha. He was a Prince. And he was going to get away with it.
He opened the door, a serene smile on his face. The beta maid stood outside, a look of polite impatience on her face. "My apologies, My Lord," she said. "The King is... anxious."
"Of course," Kyon said, his voice a cool, calm murmur. "Please lead the way. I wouldn't want to keep my Father waiting."
He followed the maid, his movements a perfect imitation of a demure, graceful Omega. He was a lie, a beautiful lie, a secret that was so profound, so dangerous, that it had the power to destroy an entire kingdom. He was a Prince, a monster, and a man who was ready to face the consequences of his actions.