The master of deception
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.