章 6: To Control an Urge
Joseph marveled at the dishes in front of him. As the maids served the food, the prince watched as plate after plate entered, each with more delectable meals than the last.
With a gentle smile, Regal's eyes never left Joseph. He watched the boy pick up his fork and knife, trying to decide which dish to taste first. It was as though it was the hardest decision he'd ever made in his life.
"You can try all of them," Regal encouraged. "The food here is for you. You need to eat a lot to recover most of your strength. Olivia will guide you back once you have enough power."
As though he heard the starting gun of a race, Joseph launched his utensils at the meals prepared for him. The boy managed to devour mountains of food—something that would have seemed impossible when you looked at his frail state.
"I'm happy to see that he looks happy," Olivia laughed. "He's one hell of a kid, you know. But then, I heard some news. The ones who caught Prince Joseph weren't just a band of nobodies. They're deeply rooted in underground organizations, and they want him back."
Regal's eyes twitched, and veins appeared on his hands as his grip on his fork tightened. Joseph paused, sensing the intense anger that was burning through Regal's aura. He placed his hand on the king's, which immediately caused the anger to dissipate.
"Don't be mad," Joseph said. "As long as you're here, nothing will happen to me, right?"
The burst of fury was washed away from Regal. It was as though he had been touched by an angel, calming him from the dangerous thoughts running through his mind.
"Of course," Regal reassured him. "They would have to step over my dead body before they could lay even a single finger on you."
"That's right," Olivia added. "The Royal Sheaths of the Seat of Alzada are here too. They are warriors who have sworn their loyalty to the Seat. They are more than capable of defending this kingdom and its allies."
Olivia noticed how quickly Regal calmed down when Joseph's hand made contact with his. Her mind lingered on the moment when the news of Joseph's abduction arrived. Regal had destroyed an entire bureau building, questioning every single one of the personnel for the prince's whereabouts.
But she didn't blame Regal for feeling that way about Joseph. Their match wasn't just made because their parents were friends. It was the first time that an Omega Lontus and an Alpha Superioris were born in the same generation. The two were the most perfect match, with an age gap of barely five years—surely a message from the gods themselves.
A Lontus and a Superioris unlock the full potential of each other's powers. It is said that such pairs are born only once every hundred years, but they never belong to the same generation. Each would be at least twenty years apart, making it hard for them to meet.
But when Regal was born, it was a night to remember. The kingdom rejoiced, and Nevancier was more than willing to finally break their centuries-old tradition of keeping the bloodline pure, just for the sake of allowing the two most powerful beings in the world to exist.
"I have a suspicion and some reports," Olivia said. "But it can wait. You two better enjoy your meal. I'm going to talk to the Sheaths first. They will confirm my report, and then I'll report back."
"Alright," Regal nodded. "Thank you so much, Olivia. You are dismissed."
The woman bowed before exiting. Elayne followed her, sending Joseph a bright smile before closing the door. Of course, this was noticed by Regal.
"Flirting with a girl in front of your betrothed," Regal said playfully, placing a hand on his chest and the other on his forehead dramatically. "I am hurt, my prince."
"You are an asshole," Joseph bantered, making Regal gasp—albeit obviously fake, but he was surprised. "She's kind to me, so I'm kind to her. It's as simple as that. Nothing is going to happen to your betrothed, my king."
"So now that you've made a full recovery, you've lost all your shyness," Regal snorted, forcing back a laugh. "You are one hell of a prince."
"I never lost this attitude," Joseph confessed. "I was just too weak to speak earlier, but now I'm feeling so much better."
"How much better?" Regal asked suggestively, smirking and wriggling his eyebrows. "Enough to take me in combat?"
"A combat after a meal, huh?" Joseph stood and stretched. "Come on, let's do it."
—
"And so I learned that he's not meek and shy, and kind. He's snotty, arrogant, and mean," Regal whined, causing Olivia to growl. "I swear he's not as sweet as you think he is. Call Misty, she saw our battle. She can vouch for my words."
The king was sitting on the couch in Olivia's office as the woman placed some books back on the shelf. She was tired of listening to the king rant about how he didn't expect Joseph to be just as snotty as when they were kids, but she knew that this wasn't the real reason.
"Yeah, that's the reason why you're here. Until the night of his disappearance, you brought candid photos of him from the maids," Olivia deadpanned. "And you expect me to think you didn't know he's like that?"
"Of course..." Regal paused, letting the thoughts sink in. "Oh. Yeah, I realize he's... I thought he changed for a bit."
"Why would you even want him to change when it was his attitude that made you fall in love with him?" Olivia quirked an eyebrow, smirking as she placed the last book on the shelf. "And you fell deeper the more you knew him."
"I was just surprised," Regal sighed. He laid himself on the couch in Olivia's office. "He looked like a baby deer when I met him. Just a day later, he's now a stag that's ready to conquer the world."
"Where is he, anyway?" Olivia asked. "Why did you leave him alone?"
"He's in his room," Regal replied. "He has to shower, and if I stayed, I would've forced myself on him. He's in a broken state right now, so I know if I release even a single dose of my pheromones, he would say yes. So instead of staying with him, I'm here, talking to you."
"You can really control your urges, huh?" Olivia asked, smirking at the king who was practically dying trying to hide his true emotions. She took a bottle of pills from her drawer and placed it on top of the table. "Must be hard."
She was teasing Regal, fully knowing that an omega in front of an alpha is like placing a piece of meat in front of a lion. The innate instincts of the two would devour what sense of self they have left.
"I'm not an animal, Olivia," Regal chuckled, unable to mask the fakeness in his voice. "I can control my urges on my own."
Olivia shrugged, but when she moved to take the bottle away, Regal grabbed it and practically broke the lid to dose himself with a dozen pills. He was losing control just from being in the same proximity as Joseph, let alone feeding on dirty thoughts of the boy.
"You're not an animal, Regal," Olivia laughed, opening the door. "You are a beast. Now get the hell out of my office."
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