Archive of Our Own ^beta

Neikos has no idea how he got into this situation.

He had assumed that this cycle would be no different, with him chasing after Lygus' shadow and hunting down his former comrades one by one to steal their coreflames and end their lives, as he's done in the past—he honestly no longer remembers the exact number—cycles.

And yet here he was, playing farmer and milking a grumpy cow named Kokopo IV as his pregnant (what.) mate (what.) lounged on a chair, watching him with hawk eyes. His pomegranate scent lingers in the air, and the curl of satisfaction is visible on his lips as he watches Neikos obviously struggle.

My fingers have gotten too large, Neikos thinks as he flexes them. Kokopo IV kicks at him with her hind legs, which he thankfully dodges in time. He's forgotten how to be delicate with them.

And yet… Neikos sneaks another look at Mydeimos who's still staring at him while stroking his belly. Mydei can't seem to get enough of them. He stills remember the wet sounds as Mydei tightened around all four of his fingers, moaning lewdly as he threw his head back. Neikos had stared in awe as Mydei came, spraying him with the most delectable slick.

Neikos had lost all sense after that, only coming back to himself when he’d finally knotted his mate (!?). Mydei had the most vicious grin on his face as he panted in exhaustion, appraising Neikos like he was patting himself on the back for choosing him as his mate.

That look still drove him insane sometimes. Mydeimos had never looked at him like that back when he was still going by Phainon. It made him wonder if the Mydei of the previous cycles never seen Phainon as more than a friend. An Alpha he could mate with.

Either way, it’s not like he’ll ever get to know. Every bridge, he’d burned them all himself.

Neikos couldn’t stand the thought, so he turned Mydei over for another round, which the omega was immediately on board with.

That had been last night, and Neikos had fallen into the best sleep of his life right after, with Mydei dozing on top of him, cheek squished into his pec as he purred in satisfaction, their scents pleasantly intermingled in their nest.

Neikos is snapped out of the memory when he notices present Mydei looking at him with a raised brow.

“What?” he asks. “Don’t you know how to milk a cow?”

Neikos looks at him, then looks at the cow barely reaching his chest, then looks back at Mydeimos. “… I’m too big.”

Mydei snorts, a wicked grin forming as he shakes his head. “Well, what do you want me to do? I’m your prisoner, remember?” He pouts as he eyes the line of protection magic Neikos had woven around the tower. “I can’t get out and help you.”

“You can,” Neikos corrects softly. “The wards respond to you as well because you are my mate.”

Mydei’s eyes flash with irritation as he looks away, crossing his arms like a spoiled prince. “You took me from my kingdom and trapped me in this tower. Like a scoundrel.”

That is not what happened, Neikos wants to cry, because it really wasn’t. But he knows interjecting would only make him angrier, and an angry Mydeimos is not something Neikos wants to deal with, mostly because he can’t stand his mate (!!) shooting him angry looks after all the cycles he had to stand firm under his blazing gaze.

“And now you’ve gotten me pregnant!” Mydei continues, worked up. “After mating me the moment we’ve arrived here! Popping my cherry like it was nothing!”

That’s not what happened either!! Neikos wails inwardly as he crosses the wards and kneels in front of the chair. He gives Mydeimos his best kicked-puppy look, knowing he was strangely weak to them. “Mydei… I’m sorry I couldn't give you the milk. I can… go to a market and get you a jug.”

“But our baby craves the milk from that cow,” Mydei mutters petulantly. Neikos wilts, and Mydei makes the mistake of sneaking a look at him.

His resolve wavers, and he looks away once more with his signature hmph. “Fine. Go purchase the milk. And while you’re away, I’m going to break through the wards and escape, and you’ll never see me or our baby ever again.”

Neikos just nods. He’s heard this threat more than a hundred times, and yet Mydei has never crossed the wards without Neikos with him even once in the two years he’s been here.

Every time Neikos leaves to hunt Lygus down or hunt down whatever item Mydei needed for the day, he comes back to a clean home and a content Mydei napping in the sun.

“I'll see you later, Mydei.” Neikos says, standing to give Mydei’s forehead a kiss. He summons his mask and hood, putting them on, ready to scare a group of vendors to buy their milk.

The baby’s been craving pomegranate and milk, or so he’s been told. He wonders if it’s true or if Mydei was just messing with him. He’s not eager to find out.

Neikos crosses the wards once more, heading for Kokopo IV, who’s wander farther in her quest to graze the best grass.

“Try not to let my Father catch you, dear.” Mydei calls sweetly. “I’m not breaking you out of prison.”

It’s cute that Mydeimos thinks his Father would simply imprison him rather than behead him. If he can even catch Neikos in the first place. Still, it doesn’t change the fact that Eurypon’s is definitely pissed at him for… kidnapping his precious son.

He picks up the cow’s leash and ties her to a post. He looks back at Mydei one last time and waves goodbye hesitantly. Mydeimos only scowls at him. He slumps. Well, he tried.

He should pick up some honeycakes, too. Desserts always put Mydeimos in a good mood.

Having a mate is hard, he thinks.

With that thought in mind, Neikos sets off.

To understand, exactly, how the feared and notorious Flame Reaver, Destroyer of Dynasties and Bloodline Ravager, (over-the-top titles given to him by survivors of his carnage) ended up becoming such a beleaguered husband, we must go back two years, to the time he overheard the most ridiculous rumor while passing a seedy pub.

“Hey, have you heard? They say that the King of Castrum Kremnos is throwing a tournament for his omega son’s hand in marriage! Every Alpha is invited regardless of status! Even foreigners are welcome!”

The Flame Reaver, who had been about to leave town by slinking through the back alleys, stops. He’d just failed to locate Lygus, so he wasn’t in the best mood. His mood plummets even more after he catches the drunkard’s words.

He decides to eavesdrop more on the group, finding the conversation very essential in his quest to save Amphoreus. Eurypon was throwing what for whose hand in marriage?

“What kinda rumor is that? Everyone knows how King Eurypon dotes on Crown Prince Mydeimos. There’s no way he’s going to marry him off to some random Alpha!”

“Oh, absolutely. But I wasn’t finished yet. They say the Alpha winner would have to face Prince Mydeimos himself in a duel, and if they manage to make him submit, then Prince Mydeimos would willingly mate with them!”

There’s a pause as everyone, including the Reaver, takes in the words. Then, the group bursts out laughing like they’ve just heard the most ridiculous thing.

“Then he’s never getting married off! There's no one in Amphoreus stronger than Prince Mydeimos,” One drunkard snickers, the sound of wood echoing in the side alley as he slams his hand on it. “I imagine King Eurypon thinks he’s so clever for this.”

“Oh, he definitely does,” the first voice, the one who brought up the rumor, agrees. “Despite being an omega, Prince Mydeimos is as formidable as any Alpha warrior out there, if not more. I’ve heard that his subordinates are all Alphas, and they submit to his leadership easily. There’s no way anyone’s going to win against…”

The voice trails off as the Reaver moves away. He’s heard enough.

He’s heard enough rumors around this cycle’s Mydeimos during his travels. In this life, he was loved rather than scorned by his father. In this life, his mother had died early from an illness she never quite recovered from, his father raising him all by himself.

In this life, he was still the powerful warrior the Reaver knew of from a long, long time ago. In this life, Mydeimos was still an omega, beautiful and radiant and powerful.

However, golden ichor still stains his existence.

The Reaver had confirmed it himself back when he silently observed one of Mydeimos’ conquests in Aidonia years ago. Mydeimos had been sixteen and freshly presented, yet he'd been ordered by Eurypon to tamp down one of the skirmishes threatening his reign.

He'd done his task beautifully, storming through the battlefield like a man possessed, ripping out the throats of every alpha who'd been drawn in by his post-heat scent, his omegan fangs stained with red and gold as he smiled savagely at every enemy that came his way.

The Reaver knew it was Kremnoan tradition to test the mettle of the newly presented. It was Eurypon's way of confirming that his warriors would be able to fight in battle, instincts be damned.

For omegas, post-heat instincts would usually leave them vulnerable and more inclined to submit. They were expected to be docile and agreeable, unable to fight or argue against alphas or betas.

Mydeimos had broken the stereotype easily. He lead his men and secured an easy victory against the group of rebels aiming to take down Castrum Kremnos with him at the forefront.

The Reaver had been standing upwind, high in the mountains watching the battle take place in one of Aidonia's perilous valleys, yet Mydei's scent had reached him.

It was singing with victory.

The moment the scent had hit him, the Reaver had been starkly reminded of his desire for Mydeimos. He doesn't introduce himself to Mydei, though. He never did these past cycles. Whether he was disguised as Phainon or his current self, he no longer reaches out.

It always ends the same anyway; him stabbing Mydei in his weakspot, killing the man he adored over and over again.

So the Reaver should not be concerned about Mydeimos' possible marriage… right?

And yet… the thought of someone else claiming Mydei has him itching to swing Dawnmaker and set a city on fire. If someone does manage to make Mydei submit, he doesn't know what to do. Destroy Castrum Kremnos probably. Even kill Eurypon for coming up with such a stupid contest. Maybe kidnap Mydei for himself.

Hah. Now that's a thought.

The Reaver gets his bearings together and moves to leave the city. He has an Antikytheran to hunt down.

He's going to forget about the tourney and leave Mydeimos alone.

He does not forget about the tournament.

Nor does he leave Mydeimos alone.

What am I doing? The Reaver thinks to himself as he stares down at his fallen opponent from behind his mask. His last obstacle from obtaining Mydei's hand.

Behind him the crowd bursts into loud cheers, whispering about the upset. Apparently, the alpha he'd just defeated was the strongest warrior after Mydeimos. He was the crowd favorite.

The Reaver peers at the warrior's battered face, trying to place if he'd seen him before, but his mind is blank. He could be the son of a nobleman, but he doesn't completely trust his memory, though.

The consequence of consuming more and more coreflames had begun to errode his mind and he forgets more often than he remembers. Or, he decides, his face is simply unrecognizable now.

“The! The winner!” The announcer chokes. “The winner of the final bout is the Flame Reaver! Also known as the Destroyer of Dynasties and the Bloodline Ravager! This mysterious swordsman with an unknown name will be facing the crown prince in the next match! Would he successfully make Prince Mydeimos submit? Everyone place your bets!”

The cheers crescendo, then die down as the reality of the Reaver's identity settles in. Earlier, the crowd had been excited for an entertaining tourney when they first spotted his imposing presence at the gates.

They'd puffed out their chests proudly, bragging to each other that their prince had managed to attract such a mysterious and formidable Alpha.

Surely, they thought, Prince Mydeimos would put up a great fight and emerge victorious.

The guards had been reluctant to let him enter, but another guard arrived, having rushed from the citadel all the way to the outer city gates, whispering something in their ears.

Suddenly, he'd been granted access to the grand arena where the event was going to be held. He guesses that someone higher-up had approved of his presence, which stirred up even more excitement.

They don't think that now, as they watched the blood drip from the Flame Reaver's greatsword. It had been clear from the first match that he wasn't here to entertain. He cut down his opponents quickly and brutally, made sure they never got back up after the first strike. And now they sit in the stands, wondering if he'd treat their precious prince the same way.

The Reaver looks up at the royal balcony where the King and the Prince were watching the matches. Eurypon was glaring at him coldly, knuckles white as he gripped his throne. On a smaller throne beside him sat Mydeimos, with a completely different expression on his face.

He's looking down at the Reaver, golden eyes boring into him as he props his chin on one hand. His legs are crossed and his body is relaxed, looking like he was simply observing the events with boredom.

However, the way his eyes had narrowed into amused slits betray him. So did the slight smile that appeared the moment he noticed the Reaver looking, and he licks his plush lips like he was about to feast on a delectable meal.

Mydeimos might be the omega between them, deemed by Amphoreus as the weaker sex, yet the Reaver feels a shiver run down his spine. There was nothing weak about this man.

Mydei looks down at him like he was a hungry predator and the Reaver was nothing but his next meal.

It gives him a thrill he hasn't felt in a long time. It's a feeling only Mydeimos has ever brought out of him, and the nostalgia hits him like a rampaging dromas. He wonders if Mydei would find his desire repulsive.

He’s sure his scent does a poor job of hiding it, spreading across the arena the longer he fought, which is probably part of why Eurypon looked like he wanted to gut him where he stood.

Well. Now the Reaver knows which higher-up had let him in, and its certainly not the king.

Mydeimos breaks their staring contest as he stands, stretching like a well-rested cat. He places a foot on the balcony rail as he addresses the crowd. The move exposes more of his scent, the sweet honey tang of his slick, displaying his arousal for everyone to smell.

Eurypon convulses at his omega son's shameless display while his people gasp and titter at the boldness.

The audience leans forward in their seats in anticipation. Mydeimos smells of satisfied omega, which is something that's never happened to any of his suitors before.

“Very well,” the prince's voice booms, “Let's see if you can truly handle me, Flame Reaver.”

The way his voice curls around the syllables of his title is downright sinful. The Reaver feels himself stiffen in his pants, even though he promised himself that he would go no further from this. Around him, the arena bursts into cheers and war chants, taking their cues from the prince's enthusiasm.

His goal had been to foil every possible suitor, then disappear before he and Mydeimos could have their match.

That's right. He was only there to make sure that no other Alpha could have him if he couldn't have him for himself. And now that he's achieved his goal, he should leave.

He should leave.

He should but… seeing him up close made him realize how much he'd truly missed him, missed Mydei's challenging gaze directed at him, missed the intrigue that only Phainon used to bring out of him.

Well, he's not Phainon now. Not anymore. This Mydeimos has never known any Phainon either and never will, Flame Reaver made sure of it. So it felt so gratifying to have those golden eyes looking at him with interest. Not Phainon, not someone he thought was Phainon, but him.

He shouldn't stay. He has no right. Not after the hundreds of cycles where he'd betrayed him and struck at his weakspot.

But he watches the way Mydei's hip sway and the smug way he strutted down the stairs, eyes never leaving the Reaver's figure as he sizes him up. If he had a tail, it would be flicking cockily right now. As it is, he's smirking at the Reaver like he's aware of how exactly he's affecting him.

Oh, how the Reaver's Alpha instincts sing. Forget leaving, he's going to put this brat in his place.

Above them, Eurypon yells from the throne, demanding Mydeimos to come back up.

Mydeimos rolls his eyes at his father's antics, completely ignoring him in favor of stepping in front of the Reaver. He watches Mydeimos' eyes dilate as he realizes their exact difference in sizes.

“I knew you were a large Alpha,” Mydei murmurs, cracking his knuckles. A shimmer of gold, and his gauntlets are summoned. “But I didn't realize you were this… huge.”

The Reaver tries not to squirm as the prince’s eyes linger on his crotch. He is well-aware of how his pants is straining against the seams, enamored as he was with Mydeimos. The Reaver doesn't say a word but gets into position, brandishing Dawnmaker.

Mydei crouches, ready to pounce as the horns signalling the countdown blare around them. Massive torches blaze on top of giant stone pillars, flames pulsing as the entire arena holds its breath.

Three. They circle each other. Mydeimos speaks. “Would you tell me your name? I can’t possibly call you Flame Reaver now when you’ve come for my hand.”

The Reaver ignores Mydeimos’ probing. No good would come from knowing the name of someone like him.

Two. Mydeimos takes a step forward. “Not going to answer? That’s fine. I like the strong and silent ones.”

What. What does that mean. Was that true for every Mydeimos? Was that why nothing further had gone between him and Phainon? Had the past him really shot himself on the foot by talking too much?

One. Mydeimos lets out an amused huff, as if noticing the way he’s stiffened. “I jest. No Alpha has ever caught my attention.”

His eyes glint as he gives the Reaver a pointed look. “Until now, at least.”

The horns blow one final time and the match begins. Mydeimos jumps high up in the air and aims a punch at the Reaver who dodges it easily. He steps back and raises his greatsword to block the next punch that comes.

Mydei moves lightning quick, aiming at all his weakspots; easier to spot because he was bigger. But the Reaver knows him all too well, knows his ticks, his cues, how his eyes narrow when he’s about to throw a kick or how his nose twitches minutely when he’s about to create a diversion.

Like now. The Reaver ducks, easily avoiding the prince’s overhead kick, rather than blocking him with his sword like he probably expected to. Except ducking turned out to be the wrong move because it had placed his face right in front of Mydei’s crotch.

His scent is more potent now, filling the Reaver’s nose until he’s nearly dizzy with it. He falters, and Mydeimos notices right away. He maneuvers the leg overhead to lock on to his nape and grabs his mask at the same time.

The Reaver balks, afraid that Mydei would unmask him, but Mydeimos only uses his grip to lift his other foot up and wrap both around his face. The Reaver chokes, and around him he can hear the arena booming with cheers, rooting for their crown prince.

The Reaver feels mortification and arousal suffuse him when he notices that Mydeimos’ erection is pressed against his mask. He struggles to peel the prince off him, but only succeeds in grinding his metal mask against his crotch, the sharp edges probably digging into his clit with the way he lets out a tiny whine.

Mydeimos’ pheromones grow heavier, coating the grounds even more with his arousal. The Reaver feels his own Alpha instincts respond, and its getting harder and harder to not throw the omega to the ground and breed him full of his seed.

He needs to control himself. He’s better than this, he can get out of this predicament. He just needs to—

Mydeimos lets out an explosive exhale above him as he digs his heels into the Reaver’s back. “You want me so bad, don’t you? I can smell how much you desire me, Flame Reaver,” he purrs, cupping the Reaver’s face with surprisingly gentle hands.

The Reaver gapes up at him, stunned. “How pathetic, Alpha.”

The last thread of his control snaps, and he blacks out as his instincts take over. The last thing he remembers is Mydeimos finally letting him go and kicking him away, landing on his feet.

He gives the Reaver an assessing look, but then he turns away and runs, looking over his shoulder with a taunting smirk.

Chase me, the look said. Run after me, Alpha.

The Reaver takes one staggering step, then two, then steadies himself as he gives chase. His mind is blank now, his woes about being undeserving of Mydeimos completely gone and replaced with omega omega omega. omega has his back turned on me. omega is getting away.

chase omega. mate omega. breed omega.

The next thing the Reaver knows, he has Mydeimos pinned to the sandy ground of the arena, belly up and snarling as he snaps his omegan fangs at the Reaver. He puts up a good fight, thrashing and kicking in his hold.

He was never going to make this easy, the Reaver thinks. A proud brat like Mydeimos, who taunts alphas with his delectable scent and call them pathetic for falling for it, never would.

The Reaver growls back at him, his dry and unused vocal chords making the sound more deep and threatening than he intended. Mydeimos stills, and the Reaver can feel the hairs on his arms rise from where he was gripping them in place.

One more push. Just one more push, and he could make Mydei submit. The Reaver hesitates, his rationality coming back bit by bit like flowing sand. Right. He wasn’t here to mate Mydei, but only to prevent any other alpha from mating him.

The Reaver starts to pull back, but then Mydei howls, wrapping those sinfully thick thighs around his waist and pullling him closer and breaking his arms free from the Reaver’s slackened grip. He seems to know what the Reaver is thinking as he wraps them over his nape and pulls him closer until they’re mask-to-face.

“Don’t you dare,” Mydeimos hisses angrily, eyes narrowed into golden slits as he stares the Reaver down. He pushes his scent out, overwhelming him with the scent of pomegranate and honey once more. “I’ll kill you if you pull away now.”

His instincts take hold of him once more, and before he knows it, he’s bending down to the scent gland on Mydei’s neck. He pushes his mask up, just enough to free his mouth, and bites.

Not enough to break skin. Not enough to claim, but enough to make the prince submit.

The arena goes eerily quiet, and the world freezes to a standstill. All eyes are on the two figures below, one nearly covered by the other’s bulk, watching and waiting for something to happen.

Then it comes. A chirp, then followed by a loud and long purr. The unmistakable sound of submission coming from the Crown Prince of Castrum Kremnos.

They all watch as the Flame Reaver pulls back, and then they’re treated to the sight of Mydeimos smiling, no, beaming up at the swordsman with satisfaction.

He has not stopped purring. The sound echoes loudly in the arena.

The announcer glances nervously at the King, who looks like he’s about to pop a vein. However, he doesn’t say anything. So he clears his throat to do his job.

“The victor is the Flame Reaver! Congratulations to the newly courting couple!”

“Congratulations to the newly courting couple!”

The entire arena bursts into song, chanting olde coupling songs, wishing the new couple a long and joyous mating. While they were still unsure of their prince’s new alpha, they had all seen how the Reaver had begun to pull back, only for their prince to pull him back in.

If this truly was the alpha their prince desired, then there was no reason to hesitate or hold back. Their prince was their strongest warrior. They would follow his lead to hell and back.

King Eurypon’s voice is nearly drowned out by the raucous celebrations as he turns to Krateros. The two of them are visibly unhappy as they watch the pair below.

“Get them out of there before they embarrass us all,” Eurypon orders, grimacing when Mydeimos begins to hump at the Flame Reaver’s leg, still purring.

Nikador save him. Watching the earlier fight had been mortifying enough.

“Yes, Sire.”

He has no idea what his son sees in the alpha. He doesn’t even know what he looked like beneath his mask, for Titan’s sake! He could be ugly as sin for all they knew. Probably why he wore it in the first place!

“Quickly,” Eurypon hastily amends when the figure in black snugly wraps a large arm around his son’s waist.

Krateros hurries.

“So you’re the Flame Reaver,” Eurypon says, unimpressed as they move to the throne room. They’re granted more privacy now, with just him, Krateros, the Alpha scoundrel, and his son… who was currently clinging to said Alpha scoundrel’s arm. “My son’s chosen.”

The Flame Reaver, notorious for razing down entire cities, looks around like a lost puppy before hesitantly pointing at himself. Eurypon resists the urge to throttle him. “Yes, you! Who else would it be?!”

Krateros clears his throat, probably begging Eurypon to regain his Royal composure, but he would not. Not when his sweet, darling Mydeimos is still clinging to the Reaver like a leech, purring as he rubs his face into his arm. The Alpha scratches at his neck, as if pleased and embarrassed.

Eurypon’s eye twitches.

“Would you stop clinging to that… that criminal?” He snaps at Mydeimos, who only opens his eyes to give him an unimpressed look. “You are the prince of Kremnos! Have some decorum!”

“I don’t know why you’re so upset, Father,” Mydeimos huffs. “Isn’t the whole point of this tournament to find me an Alpha who could match me in strength?”

Eurypon can feel the vein in his temple pulse angrily as he falls back on the throne, exhausted. “There wasn’t supposed to be an Alpha who could match you in strength, son. That was the point.”

“So you’re admitting you’re a fraud,” Mydeimos says, and Eurypon wants to bury his face in his hands and cry. “I told you we could’ve just skipped this entire tradition if you still weren’t ready to marry me off, but you said no.”

“You are of age, Mydeimos, everyone expects that you would be married to a suitable Alpha by now,” Eurypon despairs. “And since you haven’t found a lover for yourself, I came up with this ridiculous tournament. If I hadn’t, we would be the laughing stock of the other city states!”

“Exactly,” Mydeimos nods sagely. “Now I found one,” he gestures at the Flame Reaver, who seems to startle at being addressed all of a sudden.

He’d been staring quietly at Mydei the entire time he and Eurypon were arguing, like he couldn't take his eyes off him. “So thank you, Father,” Mydeimos adds without looking, instead gazing up at the Alpha with a sweet smile.

Oh. He wants to throw up.

Eurypon’s eye twitches and he turns his temper on the Alpha, knowing there was nothing he could do to convince Mydei of anything when he was being this obstinate. “You! Who even let you in! Why have you decided to join the tournament?! And what are your intentions with my son!”

“Don’t answer him,” Mydeimos orders the Flame Reaver, shooting Eurypon a glare. He was possibly the only person to order him around and lived to tell the tale, but Eurypon wasn’t counting on it. “Stop harrassing him, Father. He won fair and square.”

“Harrassing him,” Eurypon scoffs. “Is that what we call it now? Back in my day—”

Mydeimos groans loudly, and rather rudely.

“—I had to go through the same when I asked to court Gorgo. Her parents were only trying to protect their daughter. Which I am clearly attempting to do right now—”

“It was His Highness who let him in, Sire,” Krateros whispers to him urgently before Eurypon can really get going. The King freezes.

No one wanted to hear of His Majesty’s famous hour-long nagging, especially Mydeimos, who was known to walk out in the middle of his Father’s righteous tirades. They couldn’t let him leave now when they were trying to convince him to change his mind.

“I tried to stop him, but he told me to… I’m sorry, Sire, but I cannot bear to repeat the words,” Krateros sniffs, hurt.

Eurypon gasps and turns to give Mydeimos a look of betrayal, but he only looks back, completely unrepentant. So disrespectful to his own sire, but perhaps he brought this on himself.

Yes, he definitely did, he thinks as he looks back to the times Mydeimos had looked at him with his big, sad eyes and told him ‘yes’ even though he knew better. If he could travel back in time to slap himself for spoiling his precious son so often, he would.

Because his habit of indulging him had completely and utterly backfired on him.

Just before Gorgo passed away on her deathbed, he vowed to protect and raise their son with all the love he could give, and now… now, Eurypon can hardly admit it, but he turned out to he quite the spoiled brat, although he was serious and responsible with his duties. It’s just that he wanted to do them on his own terms and would not take no for an answer.

Like now, for example. When Eurypon had first brought up the idea of marriage over dinner, Mydeimos had shot him a look so disgusted that Eurypon was sorely tempted to take his words back if only to wipe that look off his face.

“No,” Mydeimos said simply, and turned back to his dinner as if that one word was enough to end the discussion.

“This is not something you can refuse, Mydeimos,” Eurypon said sternly. “It is your duty as the Crown Prince.”

“Then why do you look like that?” His son wondered. “Like you just ate glass.”

Eurypon hurriedly schooled his face. Well, obviously it was because he didn’t want his baby boy to get married! He should be learning the lance or… conquering cities! Not dallying with some unworthy Alpha!

Still, he was his father and he was the King, so he barreled on, reassuring his son that the tourney would simply be a ruse because everyone knew there was no one in the land stronger than Mydeimos, except perhaps that strange swordsman who roamed from city to city, leaving destruction in his path.

“And if that swordsman comes and defeats me?” He drawls. “What then, Father?”

Eurypon waved him off, declaring the matter final. Mydeimos nodded, accepting, then proceeded to feed him the most horrid dinner the next night. All with that sweet smile on his face that made his anger deflate.

It wasn’t like he’d come and fight for Mydeimos’ hand. That alpha was probably busy destroying a minor city somewhere far away so there’s no need for me to worry. He probably doesn’t even know of Mydeimos’ existence, Eurypon fumed even as he took another bite of the meal. He knew better than to leave it unfinished, no matter how nasty it was.

Mydeimos will emerge from the tournament single and Alpha-free, and his stupid advisors can finally stop pressuring him to marry Mydeimos off.

Famous last words, Eurypon wails to himself as he watches his son, his baby boy, awkwardly flirt with his fiance. His fiance who was the very same swordsman Eurypon had dismissed that fateful dinner. Gorgo must be laughing at him from Styxia.

Mydeimos’ pheromones flare as he leans even further into the Flame Reaver’s space, batting his eyelashes up at him while surreptitiously showing off his (oh lord) cleavage as his loose chiton spills forward.

The Reaver is strangely expressive despite the mask on his face, because Eurypon can see the way he shamelessly ogles at the view. He’s clearly interested in his son, so he wasn’t here to assassinate him or Mydeimos. Or so he hopes.

“Enough!” Eurypon shrieks as he stands, trying to purge the memory of his son being aroused in front of him. As if that stunt he pulled in the arena wasn’t bad enough, but it seems Mydeimos lives to spike his blood pressure. “Hands off! Both of you!”

Mydeimos completely ignores him, but the Flame Reaver gives his arm a gentle squeeze and takes a step back. He hurriedly looks away when Mydei looks up at him with a tiny pout. A quick learner, then.

Hmph. At least someone still respects him in this damn household. That doesn’t mean he likes him for his son now, though.

“Are you sure you want him, Mydeimos?” Eurypon is very close to begging. “You are not out of prospects. What about that princess friend of yours, from Aidonia? She is an alpha, is she not?”

“Castorice is currently courting the Princess of Dolos,” Mydeimos sniffs. “And even if she wasn’t, I will never be interested in her in that way. She and I will only drive ourselves insane, while her and Cifera are a perfect match.”

“Then what about that other alpha friend of yours? The skinny warrior?”

Mydeimos turns red in offense. “Hephaestion is not skinny by choice, Father. He is a fine warrior, excelling in both physical and mental battles. Not only is he opposing our enemies, but he is also fighting a sickness that’s inflicted him since childhood!”

Eurypon raises his hands in the wake of the ardent defense. “Alright, I apologize if I had offended—”

“You did.”

“I did,” Eurypon nods. “And I apologize. Right. You seem to like him enough for you to be this upset. What about him?” He asks hopefully as the Flame Reaver twitches. Perhaps in jealousy, but Eurypon hardly cares for it. Not unless he starts swinging that massive sword of his.

“I would rather jump into the grand furnaces of Castrum Kremnos than think of Hephaestion that way.”

Eurypon deflates, but he’s not about to give up. “Then what about—”

“Father,” Mydeimos interrupts sharply. “I only want one alpha, and that is the man who defeated me in battle. If you cannot accept that, then I will…”

There’s a tense pause as Mydeimos hangs his words in the air. Eurypon waits for a few seconds, but when Mydeimos only glares at him, he opens his mouth and dares, “You will what, Mydeimos?”

“I will cry,” Mydeimos answers rather triumphantly, raising his chin like he knows he’s won this battle. Eurypon staggers back at the weight of his words, gasping as he collapses on the throne.

No! Anything but that! Eurypon could not go through that again!

(The last time Mydeimos had cried, it had been because Eurypon had refused to admit his ski—friend, Hephaestion, into the Royal Army’s ranks because of his build and rather frail constitution despite Mydeimos’ eager recommendation.

Mydeimos had proceeded to lock himself in his room and wailed for three days straight, disturbing the inhabitants of the palace who could not bear to listen to their dead prince’s sobbing.

They had shot Eurypon the dirtiest looks as he slinked to his room to placate him, nevermind that he was the King and they were his servants. Well, had he been in their situation he’d do the same, so no one had been punished for their audacity.

It took Eurypon grovelling for two more days to get him out of his room and have him eat, and two more days of Mydeimos giving him the silent treatment and shooting him hurt looks before he finally caved.

Mydeimos, the little brat, had beamed the moment he heard the words. Suddenly, his abysmal mood had vanished as he hurried out of Eurypon’s office to relay the good news.

Eurypon had been so relieved to find Mydeimos back to his normal self that it took him three days to realize he’d been played from the start. He should’ve known it was unusual for him to cry over this when he’d never shed a tear before, even that one time he stabbed himself in the shin with his training sword.

Never again, he vows to himself. Never again will I be manipulated like this.)

“Let’s not be so hasty,” Eurypon says placatingly. He looks to Krateros for support, but the bastard was conveniently studying a painting like it was the most fascinating thing in Amphoreus. Eurypon will have him sent to the stocks for this betrayal. “We don’t have to go that far.”

“Then accept my decision,” Mydeimos snaps, staring at him so intensely that his golden eyes seem to be almost glowing. “The Flame Reaver will be my fiance.”

“You don’t even know his name!” Eurypon yells exasperatedly.

“That’s fine. I can simply call him my Alpha or my Husband. Which do you prefer?” He turns to the Reaver, who tilts his head like a dog, as if saying that Mydeimos could call him HKS and he would respond gladly.

His son shoots him a smug look.

“You don’t know his face either! What if he wears a mask for a reason!”

“I never thought you’d be vain, Father. You always said that vanity was reserved for the Okhemans. Yet here you are.”

Eurypon has to concede defeat. He slumps down on one of the armrests, burying his face into his hand. “You certainly don’t know when to give up.”

“I have never given up on anything in my life,” Mydeimos says. While normally this would make Eurypon proud, as this was a fine quality in a prince, it only makes him want to tear his hair out in this situation.

“You are as stubborn as your mother,” Eurypon sighs, but then a slight smile dawns on his face when he realizes that Mydeimos looked almost like Gorgo when he’s like this, eyes blazing with stubborn righteousness.

Oh, Gorgo, if only you could see our son now. He grew up to be a fine and well-adjusted pri—

“Ew,” Mydeimos snaps him out of his daydream, nose scrunched. “Don’t compare me to Mother with that look on your face.”

Eurypon scowls and raises his voice. “Guards! Please escort my son and his fiance,” he makes sure to sneer, “to their quarters. Make sure they don't touch as is proper.”

Mydeimos opens his mouth to protest, but closes it again. He must think that Eurypon has now truly accepted the Flame Reaver if he now insists on following Kremnoan courting tradition.

Which meant no touching, no scenting, and absolutely no fornicating during the one month courting process. The courting couple were only permitted to do so on their mating day.

“Very well,” Mydeimos concedes, but because he had the pride of a lion, he goes on his tiptoes to give the Flame Reaver a sweet kiss on his cheek-mask. Eurypon chokes. “I’ll see you soon, my fiance.”

Then he turns and leaves the throne room without looking back, two guards hurrying to catch up with him. The Flame Reaver stands there, dazed, as two other guards stare up at him in fear.

Eurypon tolerates the awkward stare-off for two seconds. “Oh, get out of my sight.”

The Flame Reaver jolts, then gives Eurypon a stiff nod, before letting the guards guide him to the guest room they had prepared beforehand, although Eurypon was certain everyone in the castle didn't actually think it would be occupied.

As the doors shut behind them, Krateros shuffles over and clears his throat. “Mydeimos cannot marry such an alpha. We must get rid of him… or at least try to dissuade Mydeimos.”

“I agree,” Eurypon says without looking at him. “Now on to the stocks with you.”

Krateros slumps, resigned. He doesn’t bother arguing. After all, he knows what he did.

“Prince Mydeimos.”

At the end of the hallway stands a familiar figure. One of his Father’s advisors who pushed for his marriage. A wily old man whose intentions are unclear, but has an obvious dislike for omegas in power.

A washed-up alpha past his prime, yet kept around for his loyalty and experience in serving Mydei’s grandfather when he’d been King.

Father loathes him; can’t stop complaining about him after every meeting. Mydei doesn’t understand why he doesn’t just strip him of his position when he clearly has an agenda to prevent Mydei from ascending the throne.

“Advisor,” He greets. He doesn’t bother saying his name. Mostly because he doesn’t remember it, but also it irks him when people aren’t fawning over a former hero like him. It’s laughable, this man’s ego.

“You must be quite pleased with yourself,” The Advisor sneers. “Picking out an alpha like that.”

“Yes. He’s tall and strong, and our scents are compatible. Of course I am pleased,” He says bluntly, face blank even as the two guards that were supposed to be escorting him to his room shift uncomfortably behind him. “Was that all?”

“Hmph,” the old man ignores him. “I told your Father that it was a terrible idea, but he insisted. And now we’ve got a criminal about to ascend the throne of Castrum Kremnos. Okhema is not going to take this lightly, those hypocrites of justice.”

“Oh?” Mydei raises a brow at him. “You’re quite quick to assume that I wouldn’t be taking the throne now that I am to be married. I am still my Father’s son, mated or not. The one who will rule Castrum Kremnos after him is me. Not the Flame Reaver, not you, not anyone else. Me.”

“I—Me? Just what are you implying, Your Highness? I have no desire for the throne!” He insists hotly.

“Perhaps not for yourself, but for your son,” Mydei waves him off, stepping around him so he could be on his way. “I heard he was one of my prospects when the council brought up the issue. Well, I don’t need him, or any alpha for that matter, to rule. The only reason why I have one now was because of your silly insistence to marry me off.”

“But can an omega like you be trusted?” The advisor insists after a few seconds of sputtering. “Our future royal consort is a murderer! Because you chose him!”

“You forget yourself!” One of the guards snap. “You are in the presence of our prince. This is no way to speak to His Highness.”

The other readies her pike, a silent but deadly support. Mydei raises his hand to calm them down. Though he is grateful for their defense, this is something he must fight himself.

Mydei was the first omega royal of Kremnos after a long line of alphas. This man was hardly the first to be upset by his second sex, nor was he the first to doubt his abilities just because he was born one.

It is frustrating to have to fight tooth and nail for his right to ascend just because of the advisors’ sexist and conservative views, but it is not something he’s going to back away from.

“I see why you're so upset,” Mydei says softly. “Your son did die a pointless death. He was one of my fiance’s opponents in the tourney, no?”

“Pointless?” The old man snarls, apoplectic. “My son was murdered by that despicable man you call the Flame Reaver! Yet you dare step on his death!”

“Your son knew what he was doing when he faced my fiance down in battle. He had all the time to back off, yet he did not. You ought to respect his courage instead of looking around for someone to blame.”

He begins to walk forward, but pauses to add, “The only one stepping on his death here is you.”

The advisor is silent, though he is clearly stewing in his rage, his foul pheromones staining the air as Mydei walks away. The two guards glance wary glances at the Advisor even as they tail him, as if waiting for him to lash out.

He’s nearly at the other end of the hall when he hears the man yell, “Just you watch, Prince Mydeimos! Soon the Flame Reaver will reveal his true colors, and you will feel nothing but regret when he kills you!”

Mydei nearly bursts into laughter. Hah. Was that a threat? How bold of him.

The guards escort him to his quarters, and Mydei gives a nod to dismiss and thank them as he reaches out to open the door. Then, he turns to give them one last order.

“Make sure that when you report this incident to Krateros or my Father, mention that I think that he’s nothing but a whiner who doesn’t know his place, and that I’ll handle it.”

The two guards stiffen, as if they hadn’t expected to get caught. Did they think that Mydei wouldn’t know they’d go running to them the moment he dismissed them?

“Your Highness—” One starts only to be elbowed by his companion. She bows.

“Of course, Your Highness.”

Mydei shuts the door, closing his eyes and leaning on it as a thousand thoughts run through his head.

“Soon the Flame Reaver will reveal his true colors, and you will feel nothing but regret when he kills you!”

Hm. This won’t do. Mydei lets out a deep breath and heads to his writing desk. He has a letter to write.

A figure in black blends in with the night’s shadows, deftly slinking past the patrolling guards that roam the palace grounds. It must remain hidden to reach its goal on the other side of the palace, so it makes sure to conceal itself behind a thick hedge.

The figure emerges from the bushes the moment the two guards stroll by, both too distracted by their crude talk about the omega barmaid they met the other night to pay any attention to their surroundings.

If they had, they would’ve noticed the poorly-hidden giant figure attempting to imitate a tree.

It lets out a huff of disdain, disgusted by the poor security as it goes on its way. It only makes the figure hurry to its goal, delving deeper into the Kremnoan Palace in concern.

A few more patrols and a couple of outdoor arches later, it reaches its destination, stopping beneath the high banister. It hesitates, wondering if the occupant is asleep.

Should it climb up and break into the room? The move might alert the entire castle and it would—

“What do you think you’re doing, sneaking around like a thief?” A voice comes from above.

The figure startles, looking up at the room’s occupant who is smirking down at it like the cat that caught the canary. The figure blinks stupidly behind its mask, wondering what to do next.

“Well?” Mydei demands as he straddles the railing to take a better look at his late-night visitor. “Still refusing to speak, dear fiance?” He leans back on his hands, keeping his balance perfectly like he’s done the move a thousand times.

The Flame Reaver flinches at the endearment. Fiance. Titans, someone like him doesn’t deserve to have a fiance, and especially not a fiance as incredible as Mydeimos. He needs to call this entire thing off and leave.

“No?” Mydeimos chuckles, low and amused, when he spots the movement. “But you are my fiance, Flame Reaver. You won the tournament and bit me.”

He stretches his neck, exposing the bite mark he’d given him earlier in the day. The Reaver can feel saliva gathering in his mouth as he recalls the feeling of soft flesh and the scent of pomegranates filling his senses. And the way Mydei had purred beneath him was something he wasn't forgetting anytime soon.

“…”

When he doesn’t answer after a few seconds, Mydeimos stretches, draping his body over the wide marble railing like a spoiled cat. His golden eyes are full of amusement rather than offense, familiar and alight with challenge.

“If you’re not going to answer… then I shall speculate.”

The omega arches his back sinfully as he makes a show of thinking the answer over, a finger on his plush lip. The Reaver catches himself staring at the way Mydei’s chest heaves as he completely lays on his side, eyes never leaving the alpha below.

The Reaver is admittedly unsure of what to do now. Unlike the Mydeis of the previous cycles, this one was different from what he’d expected. This Mydeimos was more theatrical, more unrestrained and more demanding… more bratty.

The scene he’d witnessed in the throne room had thrown him for a loop. He’s never seen Mydeimos that animated before, so he could only watch in fascination as he argued with Eurypon to keep the Reaver as his fiance… and won.

The Reaver is aware that it was only Mydeimos who was pleased with him. Eurypon, Krateros, the guards… they all look at him with wariness and thinly veiled revulsion, all well-aware of his sins.

Mydeimos on the other hand, looked at him in the eyes like he knew exactly what he’d done, and would face him head on despite it… just like every Mydeimos he’d confronted.

It stirs a bittersweet feeling in his burning chest, mixed somewhere in the heat of the coreflames. He makes sure to remember it. Its one of the few things keeping him human, after all.

The Reaver could’ve left the moment the guards had left him alone in the guest room, and he was certain no one would’ve stopped him. Probably would even thank him for leaving himself. Yet he didn’t, and this time he had no excuse lined up.

He’d missed Mydeimos so much, like a missing limb and fractured memoria of a time so long, long ago. He couldn’t resist him at all, even though Mydei clearly hadn’t recognized the bond they shared that transcended cycles.

And that had been a mistake. Because of his indulgence, someone had tried to assassinate him in that very room while he rested. He knows that neither Eurypon or Mydei had sent them. Assassination was beneath them when it came to quarreling with enemies, after all.

Which meant that this was another faction, and that Mydei might be in danger because of his association with the Flame Reaver. He should’ve left, but now it’s too late. He rushed here in hopes of keeping Mydei safe from danger. Clearly, the palace was no safe place.

… should he just snatch him up?

“Ah, I think I’ve got it,” Mydei declares, snapping the Reaver out of his plans. He sits up and crosses his legs, eyes gleaming in triumph as he waves a hand. “You’re here to steal me away. What, couldn’t wait til our wedding night?”

Well. Not really, but he doesn’t need to know that. Still, it surprises the Reaver that he’d seen right through his intentions so easily.

He clears his throat. Once. Twice more. “I am,” He admits, wincing when his voice comes out raspy from cycles of disuse. “Will you… come with… me?”

“… so you can speak,” Mydei squirms in place, like he hadn’t actually expected the Reaver to answer him. “You… have a nice voice,” he adds, almost shyly.

Oh? Oh???? He blinks at him, fascinated with the way the air fills with the scent of intrigued omega. Pomegranate and honey. Two of the Reaver’s favorite things.

Before the Reaver can say anything about it, Mydeimos shrugs, like a cat shaking itself off. His face is back to neutrality as he says, “Alright. Make sure you catch me, then.”

He jumps off the high balcony without further preamble, making the Reaver rush forward to catch him in panic. He holds up his arms, relieved when Mydei falls perfectly into them with a soft grunt.

The Flame Reaver stares at him in astonishment, though it’s not like the prince can see through his mask. “Mydeimos!” He gasps, trying to keep his voice low. “Please… don’t do that… again.”

Mydei rolls his eyes.

“If you are to be my alpha, then you must be strong enough to catch me and carry me around, especially when I get pregnant,” Mydeimos sniffs, then squeezes the Reaver’s bicep. He lets out an interested noise. “Strong arms. Muscular. I like them.”

The Flame Reaver’s brain is fried. Cooked. Burnt to a crisp. Pregnant???? Who?? Mydeimos??? With whose baby????? Has his desires overtaken him so thoroughly he’s beginning to hear things? Or was that just the coreflames.

He lets out an involuntary squeak, making Mydei huff in amusement. “What, you really expect me to walk around in swollen ankles while carrying our pups?”

That is not the issue here!! The Reaver wants to yell, but he’s still frozen in shock. Pups… Mydei round and filled with his seed… Mydei’s cute swollen ankles…

Mydei is oblivious to his turmoil, looking up at the Reaver through his lashes. He should have no right to look this innocent and pretty, not after… after saying—that—

Wait. Mydei was in his arms right now because he had jumped after agreeing… to be kidnapped by the Reaver??? The ridiculousness of the thought is enough to jolt him back to life.

“Wait,” He croaks desperately, adjusting Mydei in his arms so he can cling to him more comfortably. And the omega takes the invitation shamelessly, wrapping his arms around his neck and nuzzling his cheek into his scent gland. The Reaver gulps. “O… okay? You’ll come with me?”

“Mmhm,” Mydei hums. “We should probably go now before patrol changes. I’ll guide you. I know the best way out of this place.”

“But… what about… your Father?” He asks, dizzy. Still, his body moves on its own, eager to please Mydei as is habit. He turns on his heel and walks in the same route he used to reach Mydei’s quarters.

Mydei shrugs. “I left a letter for him on my desk, and hid another one somewhere in case it got tampered with. He knows where to look,” his lips twitch into a smile. “If you hadn’t come to me, I would’ve come to you and demanded you kidnap me.”

Mydei directs him to a hidden tunnel he’s never noticed before, just hidden between two thick hedges. It’s a tight squeeze for both of them, but the Reaver manages, feeling proud when they emerge out of the tunnel with Mydeimos cobweb and dust free.

Mydei snorts at him when he detects the scent of satisfied alpha, reaching up to flick the cobwebs and spiders away. “You’re a mess, Flame Reaver.”

“… Neikos,” The Reaver whispers, and Mydei freezes. “I’d like it… if you called me… Neikos.”

Mydei leans back and looks up at him carefully. “Is that your true name?” He hedges, soft.

He has no idea why he chose it, considering this was the name that Lygus, whom he despises from the deepest pits of his heart, gave him. Perhaps he was masochistic. Perhaps he was looking to punish himself for relishing having Mydei in his arms when he doesn't deserve it.

“It is not,” Neikos says, unwilling to lie. “But it is… something I prefer over that… absurd title.”

“I suppose it does sound a bit too pompous,” Mydei agrees, looking pleased at the honesty. “I’d have thought you’d chosen that name for yourself.”

Neikos shakes his head, feeling a little offended, and Mydei lets out a little laugh. He completely relaxes in his hold, even resting his head on the juncture between Neikos’ neck and shoulder.

“Alright, then… Neikos,” Mydei practically purrs, his scent thickening with delight when he feels the full-body shiver that wracks through Neikos. Really, Mydei’s effect on him was just on a level of absurd. “Take that path. We’ll get caught if you continue this way.”

He doles out instructions on which path to take, like he hadn’t just teased and provoked Neikos, like Neikos was simply an alpha he could be completely comfortable with and not a mass murderer.

He should really scold Mydei about this behavior, perhaps even ask where he got this ridiculous confidence to lay content in the arms of someone like him, but he has a feeling that he’ll only be playing a losing game.

… and Neikos has to admit that his journey out is going smoother than his journey in.

They’re almost completely out the castle grounds when Neikos asks, “You were… about to demand that I kidnap you?”

“Yes.”

“…Why?”

“I’ll tell you if you tell me why you’ve come to see me first,” Mydei says. “I rightfully guessed that you were here to take me away, but why?”

“I was attacked by assassins who broke… into the guest room,” Neikos throat still wasn’t working at its best, but the pauses were getting fewer now. He hopes Mydei isn’t annoyed with them. “I thought you might be in danger… so I came to get you.”

“Ah,” Mydei grimaces, his nose scrunching adorably. “I figured. I’m sure you know that most people aren’t happy with our arrangement. Just this afternoon, I had received a threat from one of my Father’s advisors on my way back to my quarters. I had hoped to thwart it, but I didn’t expect them to make a move this fast. I apologize.”

“It’s no problem. They were weak,” Neikos blurts out, then frowns. “You were… threatened.”

“Hmph. Just an absurd attempt to intimidate me. It’s nothing new,” Mydei hurries to reassure when he notices the sour note in Neikos’ scent. “Most of my Father's advisers were displeased when I presented as an omega rather than the alpha they’d been expecting.”

Neikos steps out a dark tunnel, befuddled when he realizes they’re not only outside the palace grounds but outside Castrum Kremnos territory. He wasn’t exactly paying attention, completely enraptured by the man in his arms and trusting his directions of the way out.

… Mydeimos had casually revealed the secret exit of his kingdom to him. The exit normally taken by the royal family when they’re left with no choice but to flee. Him, who should be a stranger to Mydei.

… Was he crazy??

“So where do we go now?” Mydei says, looking around. He makes no move to get down Neikos’ hold. “Do you live somewhere nearby?”

“No, but that’s okay,” Neikos shakes his head. “I can open up a portal to my base.”

Mydei hits him on the shoulder, scowling. “You could do that?” he hisses, indignant. Neikos nods in shock. “Then why bother sneaking in and out? It could’ve saved us the trouble.”

“Um,” Neikos panics, unhappy that Mydei was unhappy with him. “My abilities are strong, but it cannot… compete with Nikador’s aegis on Castrum Kremnos. I feared that opening one would… alert the castle.”

Mydei blinks at him, and the sour note in his scent disappears. “Oh. I guess that’s reasonable,” he pouts, clearly embarrassed, and rubs his shoulder soothingly. “… sorry for hitting you.”

A smile curves Neikos lips, thankfully hidden behind his mask. “No need to… apologize. I should’ve said something earlier.” I’ve done worse to you, after all.

The pout doesn’t disappear, although now it seems that Mydei was more frustrated at himself than upset. Neikos leaves him be, and opens up a portal.

They step through, Mydei letting out a little gasp and clinging just a bit tighter as he experiences the strange sensation of traveling through one of Neikos’ for the first time. It’s nothing like Janus’; eerie and almost blasphemous.

They step out in the middle of a valley. “This is the farthest… path I can open,” he explains to Mydei. “I’ll have to fly us for the rest of… the journey.”

“Okay… where are we? I don’t recognize this valley.”

“… we’re at the outskirts of Aedes Elysiae. The base is in farther, just past the small town.”

“I’ve never heard of Aedes Elysiae before.”

Neikos’ heart aches as he recalls the reason why. “I’m not surprised. This valley has been ravaged by the Black Tide. I only succeeded in suppressing it after everyone had fallen to it.”

Everyone except this cycle’s Phainon, who’d charged at the Flame Reaver after he’d mistakenly assumed that he was the perpetrator of his home’s destruction. It had been easy kill; this Phainon too young and naive to truly go up against him.

He always never intends to kill the Phainon’s he’d met, yet their deaths benefit him all the same. He’s grown used to the feeling of killing himself to be moved any more.

A hand touches the cold metal of Neikos’ mask, cupping his cheek. He leans into it, eager for the warmth coming from Mydei’s hand. If he closes his eyes, he can pretend he could feel the heat through the mask.

“You tried to save them,” Mydei declares, somber. Shamefully, Neikos doesn’t correct him, yearning to hear the once-familiar note of approval in his voice. “That counts.”

He hasn’t tried to save them for a long time, not when Lygus had set the Black Tide to start in his hometown, not when every time he wakes up in a new one, his home was already up in flames and everyone he once knew and loved were dead.

“Does it?” He can’t help but ask. These days, being Neikos the Flame Reaver meant that it’s all he can amount to be. The Deliverer, once prophesized to save the world, now reduced to someone that tries to save it.

A pathetic shell of a hero, brittle and broken down by the weight of his sins, the blood on his hands, and the heat of the coreflames.

“Yes. Now you better believe it, because…”

Neikos tilts his head curiously. “Because?”

“Because I said so,” Mydei says loftily, sticking his nose up as he crosses his arms. “I am your fiance. I know what’s best for you.”

Neikos chortles, short and scratchy, but it’s there. The sound surprises them both, and they stare at each other awkwardly before Neikos looks away, clearing his throat.

“We should go.”

“I…” Mydei blinks, seemingly dazed. “Alright. Well, I’m not going anywhere. I’ll go where you carry me,” he says, looking pointedly at their intimate position.

Right.

“The castle must be in chaos right now,” Mydei remarks as he watches the trees leisurely rush by below them. “Hopefully Father finds my letter before his heart gives up.”

He shrugs at Neikos, like he finds his Father’s behavior over-the-top and exasperating. “He’s always been too dramatic.”

Right… Neikos hopes he’ll never encounter King Eurypon in this cycle ever again. The man would stab him on sight, and it would probably upset Mydei.

He sighs.

“You are Amphoreus’ strongest warrior,” Neikos points out sometime later. Continuing the conversation they had as they were escaping the palace, he adds, “Yet they treat you like you are less because… you are an omega?”

Mydei sighs. “To them, I’ll always be my second sex before my achievements. It is why they attempted to marry me off in the first place. They were hoping to wed me to an alpha of their choice so they could ‘preserve the crown’, or whatever that meant.”

“I didn’t think that the Kremnoans… would discriminate beyond strength,” Neikos says carefully, but Mydei only shoots him an bemused look.

“You are thinking of our warriors and the general populace,” Mydei says. “The council and the upper echelons of society think otherwise. Old fools who had forgotten what it is like to step into a battlefield, where sex or class do not matter.

“They insist that Kremnos needs an alpha ruler to leave no room for doubt. ‘While we do not discriminate between second genders, the other city states do. We must have an alpha ruler so they won’t look down at us’ is what they always say. Personally, I think it is them who cares about it the most. The irony is laughable.”

Neikos grows more agitated, upset at Mydeimos’ flippant yet resigned way of speaking about the incredibly sexist treatment against him. Neikos had noticed a few hints during past cycles, but he has no idea if it’s always been this bad or if it was just this one.

Perhaps he doesn’t know Mydei as well as he thought, to be unaware of this.

“You smell angry,” Mydei observes, thrilled. A purr begins low in his throat as he rubs the scent gland on his wrist over the one on Neikos’ neck. A reward, Neikos realizes, shuddering. “Make no mistake, I am angry as well. However, I’m aware that most of my power comes from my Father’s blatant favor and my soldiers’ loyalty. Now is not the time for it to be known.”

Your people would move mountains with just a word from you. I would destroy this world for you if you so wished, Neikos thinks, remembering the way the citizens all had looked at him with awe. Their eyes clearly sparkled whenever they laid eyes on their prince, but Mydei has always been quite oblivious.

“Then why… come to me and not your Father?” Neikos asks. “He loves you. He would protect you… I think he would do anything for you.”

Neikos thinks of the way Eurypon looks at his son: a proud King and a loving Father. Just like Neikos and the people of Castrum Kremnos, her King would also do anything for Mydei.

Mydei laughs, throwing his head back like he’s just heard the funniest thing in his life. Neikos looks at him confused. Had he judged their dynamic wrong? But then the omega shakes his head as he wipes tears from his eyes.

“It’s because he loves me too much that I can’t come to him,” Mydei explains. His smile is wicked as he looks up at Neikos. “Father would tear the council apart, inciting civil war within the kingdom, which isn’t something we can afford, considering current tensions with Okhema and rebel groups trying to exact revenge on my Father. Seems like conquests make plenty enemies.”

Oh. Neikos should have known. Mydei would never choose himself over his people, his kingdom, his duties. It’s one of the qualities the original Phainon had fallen in love with.

“You have plenty of enemies, too, Neikos,” Mydei goes on, hardly noticing Neikos’ flinch. “The advisor who threatened me knows this as well. He was probably the one who sent the assassins after you to frame you for something.”

“Frame me?”

“Yes,” Mydei nods, blasé. “I suspect he wanted to make you violent by sending them after you. The moment you lash out, he’d rush to my room in false concern only to find me dead, and would proceed to accuse you, the violent criminal guest, of murder.”

Neikos swallows as Mydei clinically lays out his hypothesis.

“Father would be too overcome with grief and rage to care about justice, and would be calling after your head. Meanwhile, he’ll be laughing away in his room for hitting two birds with one stone.”

“Two birds…?”

“One, I am finally no longer a threat to him. Two, he’s exacted his personal revenge on you,” Mydei explains. Neikos makes a confused noise. “Don’t you know? His son participated in the tournament.”

Ah.

“I see…” Neikos says. “Does this mean there were assassins in your room as well?”

“Oh yes, two of them. I was just pinning their corpses on the canopy when I noticed your presence below my balcony. Your scent is very noticeable to me, and I rushed out knowing it was you.”

Neikos feels like he’s been slapped on the face. “Mydeimos… couldn’t you have mentioned that earlier?”

“Call me Mydei,” He orders, then blinks in befuddlement. “What, the assassins? Why? I already took care of them.”

“… never mind,” Neikos says. “This still doesn’t explain why you wanted me to kidnap you.”

“I do not want to give up my claim to the throne or to give you up as my alpha,” Mydei explains slowly, like this was something Neikos should already know. “So the best solution is to remove myself from the castle. That way, we’ll both be out of danger and we can mate without any interruptions.”

Neikos may be high off the ground, but he still manages to stumble at Mydei’s casual declaration of mating. He doesn’t think he’ll ever get used to it, Mydei’s bold and blatant interest in him. The happiness that suffuses him thrills and guilts him at the same time.

“You want to mate me?” Neikos gapes at him. “But… I thought—but I am…”

“—the alpha that made me submit,” Mydei interrupts him sharply. “Perhaps the conversation in the throne room confused you, but my genuine desire for you trumps the original intention of the tournament. As for your criminal status… I have decided that I shall share the weight of your sins, however heavy they may be. As your mate.”

Mydei gives him a stubborn glare, clearly expecting a fight when in truth Neikos is very close to swooning. An alpha being courted by an omega like this was practically unheard of, but then, Mydei has never cared about what he or he can’t do as an omega.

Mydei sighs. “Look, I will not force myself on you if you do not feel the same. I only want you to think about it. If you do not want me, then I will apologize for involving you in my mess and let you go. If you do, then we can mate when my heat comes in a month.”

He says it all firmly, confident, like Neikos’ answer wouldn’t make or break him, but Neikos can hear the undercurrent of vulnerability and can feel the way his hands trembled as he gripped at him.

His anxious scent is also a dead giveaway, and the realization that Mydei had never hid his scent from him right from the start makes him feel stupid. He’d been thinking that Mydei was only making do with him, but that hadn’t been the case at all, had it?

After all, Mydei had been the one to let him in Castrum Kremnos.

Oh. Mydei had chosen him from the start, Neikos had been blind one all this time.

“… I’ll think about it,” Neikos murmurs, even though every instinct screams at him to accept the omega’s proposal. And he wants to, oh how he wants to, but there are a lot of things to consider.

For example, could Neikos remain sane when he moves on to next cycle, knowing he’s left behind a mate he loved? Could he even kill his own mate? He doesn’t want to know.

“Thank you,” Mydei smiles up at him, a gentle thing, face glowing prettily in the dawn’s light. His scent is back to being sweet, and a tinge of relief lingers in the air. “It’s all I ask.”

Neikos nods, and they fall silent. Mydei leaves him to his thoughts, assuming that Neikos was truly thinking it over.

Neikos, meanwhile, already knows his answer. After all, he’s never been able to resist Mydei.

“A tower?” Mydei snorts when they finally arrive at the heart of Aedes Elysiae. “How cliche.”

Neikos frowns at him sadly. “You don’t like it?” He’d been hoping to impress Mydei with this fortress. It was something he’d built himself, after all. With the wards he’d woven in place, not even Lygus himself could break into it.

“I do,” Mydei tells him as he hops out of Neikos’ hold. He looks around, observing the prairie in front of the tower and the forest behind it. “This is perfect.”

“… perfect for what?”

“Have you ever read stories of dragons locking up princesses in towers?” Mydei gestures to the stone building with a smirk. “The princess has no way out and has to wait until a heroic knight comes to slay it and rescue her.”

“I…” Neikos slumps. Was Mydei asking him what he thinks he’s asking him? “Mydei… I’m sorry. I can’t transform into a dragon.”

When Mydei turns to him in surprise, Neikos hurries to say, “But I can learn how to… if you really want me to! Whatever you want, I’ll do my best to give you.”

Mydei fully faces him, lips twitching. “Bend down, Neikos,” He orders, pointer finger moving in a ‘come hither’ motion.

Hm? Neikos bends down, confused, but ready to prove his words. Mydei’s scent turns fond and happy the moment he does, reaching out a hand…

… to pat his head.

Neikos stands there, head bent down as he looks into Mydei’s pretty face with wide eyes. He’s not sure why he’s being treated like a pup, but he finds himself liking the soft caresses on his hood.

“You’re eager to please,” Mydei says. “But I am not asking you to turn into one. Ours will be a different story. I prefer you alive than dead, and I’d hate it if some misguided fool came all this way to ‘save’ me.”

Mydei scratches his chin before finally letting go, letting Neikos straighten up to his full height. “After all, I’m right where I want to be.”

If Neikos could blush, then he would be blushing. He’ll never get used to Mydei’s earnest flirting and romantic lines, and he hopes that he never will. “Then what story are you… hoping to weave?”

Mydei’s grin is wickedly sharp, his sharp omegan fangs glinting in the morning light. Neikos finds himself already fearing the answer. “Tell me, Neikos. Have you ever heard of the term ‘atticwife’?

“I’m not going to trap you in this tower, Mydei,” Neikos’ (reasonable) protests are ignored as Mydei inspects the tower’s only room with a critical eye, clicking his tongue at the dust that gathered.

Neikos wants to wither in shame, but in his defense, he never expected he’d be bringing home a mate anytime soon. “And I’m not going to… to… atticwife you!”

“Why not?” Mydei asks calmly, rummaging through Neikos desk, as if looking for something. He lets out a triumphant little noise when he pulls out a blank piece of parchment. “Do you have a pen or a quill?”

“In the second drawer,” Neikos answers. “I… where did you even hear that term?”

“Princess Castorice of Aidonia is a spectacular writer,” Mydei answers absently, writing down something in the parchment. “She’s dabbled in plenty of genres, but I personally think her adult works are the best. There was this one short novel of hers where the alpha takes the omega and keeps him safe from the people who were out to kill him.”

Mydei walks by him and into the kitchen, opening cabinets and wrinkling his nose when he finds them empty. He writes a few more things down and continues, “The alpha is obsessed with him, and he learns to fall in love with her, and they end up happy… even though the omega never ends up leaving the attic the alpha locks him in.”

Mydei finally looks up, eyes glittering. “Hence the term atticwife. The premise is quite dark, I admit, but at the end of the day, it is fictitious. I enjoyed the bond that developed between the two characters.”

“…”

So it was Castorice’s influence. Neikos wants to bury his head in his hands, but refrains. He was pretty sure that Mydei was never this freaked-out when they had first met, but if Castorice was involved then it checks out.

“Why is your cabinets empty? Don’t you eat?”

“Not really…” Neikos says. He hasn’t thought of eating for a long time. There was no need to, and he saw no enjoyment in eating alone. “I don’t need to.”

“That’s going to change now,” Mydei informs him. “I am a skilled cook. What do you like?”

“I’ll eat anything you make me,” Neikos answers honestly, earning a warm smile from Mydei. He wants to wriggle in place and bask in the unspoken praise.

Then he remembers what Mydei had just said about his reading choices.

“But Mydei…” Neikos nearly whines. “I don’t want to be your captor. They… were lucky to fall in love but most cases… don’t work out like that.”

“Oh, I’m aware,” Mydei says, coming out of the bathroom. He’s still writing furiously, the parchment now full of black ink. “Like I said, it is fictitious. And I know it is not our relationship, but that doesn’t mean the rest of the world does.”

Mydei bounces on the made bed in the corner of the room, brandishing the paper at Neikos. He leans on the pillows once Neikos approaches the bed and takes the parchment. “What is this?”

“A list of things we need to make this hovel into a livable home,” Mydei says bluntly, rubbing his face against Neikos’ pillows and scenting them shamelessly,Neikos has to look away before he grows hard and makes things awkward for them. “You should purchase them at the nearest market.”

“Okay,” Neikos says, thinking of the stash of gold he’s hidden under one of the floor panels. It will be enough to purchase everything in this extensive list, he thinks. “I don’t… want to trap you, Mydei,” He repeats stubbornly.

“And I’m telling you, you don’t have to,” Mydei says, looking up at him with half-lidded eyes, clutching a pillow to his chest. The sight nearly drives Neikos crazy, knowing he’s definitely doing this on purpose. “I volunteer.”

What. “… to be my atticwife?” Neikos clarifies stupidly, jaw dropping when Mydei nods, pleased that he was finally getting it. “To be trapped here. In this tower.”

“Yes.”

“Is this… some kind of fantasy?” Neikos asks, baffled.

Mydei scowls at him, though his posture remains completely relaxed. On Neikos’ bed. Because this was his life now. Having a sweet-smelling omega on his bed blatantly making his interest known? Par for the course.

“No, but like I said, it’s what everyone in Amphoreus would think,” Mydei admits, then mutters, “Castorice’s book gave me a lot of inspiration.”

“Mydei,” Neikos begins urgently as he realizes something. “What was in the letter? The one you wrote for your Father?”

“Oh, you know,” Mydei shrugs, suddenly eager to avoid eye-contact. “My sentiments… and my apologies. I learned that with Fathers, it is easier to ask for forgiveness rather than permission.”

“You told your Father to announce to everyone… that you were atticwifed,” Neikos concludes for him, certain he was right when Mydei slides under the covers and buries himself in them. “By the Flame Reaver. Me.”

There’s a pause.

“Maybe. But at least you’d only be accused of kidnapping and not assassinating the prince.”

Titans above. Okay. Fine. Neikos can handle this. If if was just a cover-up, then that was fine. He was used to playing the villain. “Your Father is gonna kill me the next time we meet.”

An even longer pause.

“Maybe, but I give you the permission to fight back. You can maim, just a little. Just don’t kill him.”

“Did you mention how long you’d be away?” Neikos wonders. He ignores how surreal the situation is, fighting to keep himself sane.

“I told him that I’ll let him know after a month,” Mydei admits, voice still muffled under the covers.

Neikos gives up. “Okay. I’ll be back… I’m just going to put the wards up to prevent intruders from entering, but you are free to come and go… because you are not an atticwife.”

“I get it! I get it!” There’s an embarrassed tinge to Mydei’s voice now, and his arm pokes out of the blankets to blindly bat Neikos away. “Now go before I punch you in the dick.”

Neikos hurriedly slides back, hands covering his groin warily. He goes, but not without casting wary glances at the bed. After all, this wouldn’t be the first time Mydei has threatened to punch his unmentionables.

By the time Neikos got back, lugging with him carts filled with food, furniture, garments, and some basic supplies, the room is nearly scrubbed clean. Mydei is sitting on the floor, rubbing off grime from the wooden floor as sweat drips from his temple.

Neikos watches as one drops falls from his cheek and to the curve of his delicate neck, before sliding further down to his chest and into the valley between his breasts. He looks away, swallowing the saliva that’s gathered in his mouth and strains to keep his scent neutral.

Thankfully, Mydei has yet to notice his arrival, concentrated as he was.

Neikos clears his throat to announce his presence, and Mydei’s head snaps up at the same time a dagger appears in his hand. He relaxes when he sees its only Neikos, standing to meet him at the door.

The dagger disappears once more.

“You’re back,” Mydei greets happily, earlier embarrassment forgotten as he stands on his tiptoes to press a kiss on Neikos’ cheek. Just like in the throne room, his scent fills his nose, and Neikos has to hold his breath to stop himself from burying his face into its source. “Did you get everything?”

“Yes,” Neikos looks around in awe, having forgotten what the room looked like spotless. “Thank you. I haven’t been back here in a… long while. It’s nice to come back to a clean home.”

Mydei puffs his chest up proudly, a pleased smile on his face. “It’s the least I could do as your fiance. And I like cleaning. It gives my hands something to do when I’m not cooking or training.”

Neikos already knew that, but it’s not like he can explain how to Mydei. Instead, he reaches out and brushes a hand against the scent gland on his wrist, reciprocating the affection Mydei had given him earlier.

He lets go after a few seconds, turning away like nothing happened. He pretends he doesn’t see the stunned yet hopeful look on Mydei’s face as he says, “I left the carts at the bottom of the tower. Which… should we bring up first?”

Neikos is making his way down the spiral staircase when Mydei catches up, wrapping his wrist around Neikos’ elbow. There’s a light blush on Mydei’s ears and he doesn’t look at Neikos’ face as he clings to him. “Food first. They need to be preserved.”

“… Okay,” Neikos’ heart nearly beats out of his chest, the heat of the coreflames roaring against the surge of affection that swelled up at the adorable move. Crap. If these moments keep happening, Neikos would never be able to let Mydei go ever again. “We can… store them in the pantry.”

“Neikos!” Mydei gasps as he lets go to examine the food cart, picking up the tomatoes and lettuces that he’d plucked from his mother’s vegetable garden he’d preserved. It had miraculously remained unscorched, the only sign of life Aedes Elysiae had left. “These may be too much.”

Neikos had created the Tower by the mountains, right next to the gravetown and in front of the woods he and Cyrene used to play in. Its his home now, has been for many cycles, building it again and again every time he finds himself at the beginning once more.

“Is it?” Neikos blinks down at him, already missing his warmth. He wants to stick himself to Mydei’s side, like a clingy puppy, but he is unsure if it would he welcome when Mydei was so busy inspecting the goods, so he refrains. “I can put them back.”

“Put them back?” Mydei repeats incredulously. “Neikos, you can’t just put back products you’ve purchased.”

“They were from my Mother’s vegetable garden,” He explains pointing in the direction of the scorched town. From here they could see the houses’ skeletons, untouched yet eroding with the flow of time. “I managed to preserve it after the Black Tide came.”

“… I see,” Mydei murmurs, picking up a leek. “Then I’ll make sure to cook you the best dish you’ve ever had, in honor of my Mother-in-Law. Do you have a fondness for salads, Neikos?”

Neikos jolts, heart pounding. “Yes. How did you… know that?”

“Just a guess,” Mydei hums teasingly, gesturing to the cart. “From the amount of tomatoes and lettuce in comparison to the other vegetables in this cart, I’d be more surprised if you didn’t.”

Neikos scratches at his neck, sheepish. “I do. I hadn’t even realized that I…” He trails off. For a moment there, he’d really thought that Mydei had remembered something he shouldn’t have.

Perhaps Neikos was being an idiot for thinking so, but the possibility has never been zero, and that, more than anything right now, was his greatest fear.

He wants Mydei to keep looking at him like his. At Neikos. Not Phainon, not Khaslana, but him. He knows he’s being greedy, feeling jealous and competitive with his alter egos, but he doesn’t want to share Mydei’s attention. He wants him all to himself.

Perhaps Neikos had understood that fictitious alpha’s desire to keep his omega where no one could see him more than Mydei realized. The obsession, the affection, these were nothing new to him. In fact, they had only worsened when Neikos realized he was allowed to touch.

And that permission is what scares him the most.

Neikos watches Mydei rummage through the other carts, watching his face change from delight, to confusion, to shock the more he goes through their contents.

They say the Prince of Castrum Kremnos was a man with a beautiful but cold face, but to Neikos, his expressions were as clear and warm as the dusk.

He is aware that he had overindulged and bought more than what Mydei listed, but those had only been the bare minimum. That had been unacceptable to Neikos, who wanted to give Mydei the world, so he went ahead and upgraded the list.

Amusingly, Mydei had always been the frugal and humble type, despite his status as Crown Prince. He cared not for luxuries, insisting they had no use in the battlefield. And yet Neikos, even back when he’d been Phainon, had always wanted to pamper this silly and stubborn prince.

“Neikos! I asked for a wooden bathtub. Why did you go and buy an iron one?”

“Is this silk cloth? Linen would’ve been fine.”

“…Hm? A ceramic vase? This wasn’t in the list.”

… okay, so perhaps that last one was a personal indulgence. But Mydei seems to find it acceptable, because he places it back into the cart carefully. When he pulls out a velvet box, Neikos leans closer in anticipation.

“This is…”

It was a necklace. Similar to what he’d adorned in that fateful first cycle, but not quite. While that had been a gift to him from Phainon, this was a gift from Neikos. Rather than blue gemstones, Neikos had the jeweler embed dark purple ones. His colors.

He’d only remembered its existence when he’d opened up the floor board where he’d hidden his coins. It was something he made alongside the Tower. He had been feeling sentimental at the time, and in his desperation need to see Mydei, he’d made the necklace.

When he’d sobered up the next day, he’d been severely tempted to destroy it. He had a mission to do, and that necklace had been the physical manifestation of every selfish desire he’d been suppressing from the beginning of the Eternal Recurrences.

He couldn’t, in the end, and he’d decided to hide it his treasury instead. He’s glad he didn’t, now, not when Mydei is looking and smelling so over the moon as he stares at it.

“It’s a gift for you,” Neikos says softly. “You told me to think about… our mating. This is my answer.”

“It hasn’t even been a day,” Mydei says, dazed as he runs a finger over the amethyst stones. The fleck and sparkle in the afternoon light. “Are you sure?”

“I still don’t understand why you’d want… me as your mate,” Neikos says. Mydei snaps his head up defensively, but he quickly holds up his hands. “But that’s okay. I want us… to get to know each other… in the days before your heat hits. I want to court… you, Mydeimos. Is that okay?”

“Put it on me,” Mydei demands, shoving the velvet box at him. Neikos hurries to catch it, and Mydei turns around, putting his back, his weakspot, so trustingly to Neikos. “You know what my answer is.”

Neikos hands shake as he takes the necklace off the velvet box and unclasps it. He hovers, asking himself if he was truly going to make this final step.

“Any day now, Neikos,” Mydei snaps. “Preferably before my demise.”

Neikos flinches, but he reaches out a hand to gently sweep Mydei’s shoulder length hair to expose his neck. He spots the scent gland immediately, unmarred and unbitten. He wants to sink his teeth into it, until golden blood slips into his mouth and into his stomach, this Mydeimos forever a part of him, even if he moves on to the next cycle and meets a new one.

Neikos leans close to Mydei, his larger figure shadowing him as they press together, back to chest. Neikos lets his fingers caress the scent gland as he puts on the necklace, illiciting a shiver from the Omega.

“All done,” Neikos whispers, unaware of how close his mouth was to Mydei’s ear. The Omega squirms in Neikos embrace, the heat from the Alpha’s body warming him, before turning to face him.

“Neikos…” Is all Mydei says when he launches himself at him, wrapping his arms around his neck and his legs around his torso. Neikos spins them around, going along with the momentum as he hugs back.

Neikos closes his eyes, and allows himself get lost in the moment. “Mydeimos.”

Their month of courting passes in a haze of domestic bliss, and before they knew it, it was the day before Mydei’s heat was scheduled to start.

Neikos and Mydei had spent the days fixing up the Tower and turning it into something more domestic. Mydei commandeered the entire effort, ordering Neikos to carry things for him as they redid the interior.

Neikos had spent the entire time trailing Mydei, doing whatever he asked. Mydei really liked to reward him with sweet pecks to his cheek whenever he did a task right, and it worked. Mydei trained him effectively, and he found himself getting more and more enthused in anticipation of Mydei’s kisses.

They also started sharing things with each other. Mydei started to learn about Neikos, while Neikos had the pleasure of learning about this Mydei and everything he went through in this cycle.

Neikos talked about he was the sole survivor of Aedes Elysiae while Mydei talked about missing a mother he’d never really met. They spent their nights laying on Neikos’ bed, cuddling and talking about anything that came to mind until Mydei eventually fell asleep.

Neikos hasn’t needed sleep for a long, long time. His idea of rest has always been to meditate, but watching Mydei sleep and be so trusting was enough to rejuvenate him.

He’d trace Mydei’s sleeping features with his eyes. Starting with how his thick, long lashes would flutter as he dreamed, then to the slope of his nose as she shifted in bed, and ending with the way his forehead wrinkled when Neikos had accidentally tickled him as he was getting up.

He found himself staring at Mydei’s plush lips the most. The way they’d twitch when he was smiling at something in his dreams, the way he licked them when they went dry, and the way they slacked open and drool would escape and drip on Neikos’ chest.

Mydei always ends up embarrassed, face red as he jolted awake and wiped frantically at his pecs, muttering soft apologies to him. Neikos would always shake his head and grab Mydei’s hand, giving it a soft kiss.

“I’m sorry. You must be disgusted,” Mydei says, not meeting his eyes. He’s still mortified, then. “I never knew I drooled this much.”

“I didn’t mind at all,” Neikos tells him earnestly. Mydei narrows his eyes at him, suspicious, but when Neikos’ scent remains truthful, he lights up and cuddles him tighter. They had spent many lazy mornings wrapped in each other’s arms and suffused in their scents.

Sometimes, Mydei’s ass would settle snugly on top of his cock, and it takes all of Neikos’ self-control to not rut up against it. They were still courting, and while sleeping in the same bed was unconventional, both he and Mydei wanted to wait until his heat to initiate anything more than cheek kisses and scenting.

Neikos also loved to watch Mydei cook their meals. He’d wear this cute, pink apron that had the words ‘World’s Number One Princess’ on it, humming melodies under his breath. This Mydei was completely content, his sweet pomegranate scent filling the Tower like a gentle caress.

Neikos wants to drown in it.

It’s as he’s watching Mydei cut an apple into cute bunny shapes that he finally asks the question he’s been wanting to ask for the past few days. “Does it bother you… that I wear a mask all the time… even in sleep?”

“Not at all,” Mydei says, setting a smaller apple bunny next to a larger one on the plate, making them look like they were snuggling. “Why?”

“I think most people would… be bothered, being unable to see their partner’s face,” Neikos mumbles as Mydei takes a seat next to him on the kline. He offers the plate of apple bunnies to Neikos, and he takes one immediately.

“Are you asking me that because you’re bothered or because you think I should be bothered?” Mydei says, taking one bunny for himself and eating it. His cheeks are adorably round as he chews.

“Um… both, I think,” Neikos stares at the bunny in his hands. “I just find it hard to believe that me… making you submit was enough for you to think… that I am a suitable mate. Especially with my notoriety.”

“…Normally, I would’ve more wary,” Mydei admits. “ I am sure you’re aware that I was the one who let you in, but that was only because I wanted to piss Father off, and I wanted to challenge your strength. But the moment I caught a whiff of your scent, I knew you were the one for me.”

He waits for Mydei to elaborate more, but he doesn’t. Instead, he hands the plate to Neikos and hurries to kitchen, taking the lid off the boiling pot he’d set out. He takes a wooden ladle and stirs its contents.

Neikos stares at him, dumbfounded. “That’s it? My scent?”

“What do you mean, ‘that’s it’?” Mydei demands, placing his hands on his hips as he turns to Neikos. His brows are furrowed, and there’s a tiny pout on his face, like he can’t believe that he’s having this conversation in the first place. “Are you even aware of how divine your scent is?”

“No,” Neikos squeaks. Uh-oh. Looks like he’s accidentally worked the omega up. He takes a subtle sniff at himself, but like the other times he’s tried scenting himself, there’s nothing. He knows his scent has changed, so different than Phainon’s, but he honestly thought that he was scentless as Neikos, even though he was an Alpha.

“Well, it’s like ambrosia to me,” Mydei huffs at him. “I felt like I was about to fall off that balcony when you first entered the arena. Eucalyptus and campfire smoke… it was something I never knew I liked, but when I did, I decided I wouldn’t let you go without trying.”

“And that was enough for you?”

Mydei scowls at him. “I can’t tell if you’re genuinely asking or if you’re just fishing for compliments,” he says crossly, then he sighs. “In the few days I’ve known you, I observed that you can be quite the overthinker. But I’m not usually like that. I go with my nose and my instincts, and they’re usually enough to tell me all I need to know about someone.”

Mydei places the lid back on the pot and dips the ladle in a glass of water, then goes to stand in front of Neikos. He gently takes the apple bunny on Neikos’ hand and hovers it over Neikos’s mouth.

“So no, Neikos, being unable to see your face doesn’t bother me at all. Your scent was enough to tell me that falling in love, mating, and having pups with you is no hardship at all.”

Slowly, Neikos lifts his mask just enough to uncover his mouth, and Mydei gently cups his chin to feed him the apple slice. His fingers brush against his wet tongue as Mydei pulls them away, and Neikos nearly chases after them wanting more of the pomegranate that clung to them.

“If you don’t ever want to show your face, then that’s fine. If you do want to show me, that’s fine too,” Mydei gives him a bright smile, his eyes crinkling and cheeks bunching. “Your face won’t change what I see in here.” He points at Neikos’ bare chest. He’s only wearing his pants today.

He looks down, and looks back at Mydei. “My heart?”

Mydei’s smile turns cheeky. “No. These,” He squeezes a pec and Neikos yelps, crossing his arms to cover them. Mydei cackles and moves away.

“…Mydei is a pervert,” Neikos says sulkily, but that only amuses him further.

“Like I haven’t caught you staring down my chest, too,” Mydei snorts, and Neikos sputters, trying to defend himself by… he has no defense actually.

“I can’t help it, Mydei,” he says. “You’re very beautiful. From head to toe… you’re a marvel.”

“And I can’t help it, Neikos,” Mydei teases even as he blushes prettily. “You’re just so big and strong, with those scars,” he gestures to the gashes on Neikos’ torso, one he’d explained away as old battle wounds from his youth, “any omega would go crazy over you.”

Neikos really doesn’t think so, but he’s not about to be the one to disillusion Mydei.

Suddenly, Mydei stiffens, blush fading as he shoots a glare at Neikos. “And there better be no other omega.”

“No!” Neikos shakes his head rapidly. Was Mydei crazy? As if Neikos would ever be attracted to anyone than him. “You’re the only one for me, too, Mydei!”

“Good,” Mydei nods. “Now set the table. Lunch is almost ready.”

Neikos goes to do as he’s told as Mydei moves the stew from the pot to a large bowl. It’s piping hot, steam coming off in waves, but Mydei holds it like it’s nothing as he moves it from the kitchen to their table.

“I’ll show you my face during… your heat,” Neikos says quietly as they both sit down.

Mydei frowns at him from where he’s spooning the stew. “Like I said, you don’t have to—”

“But I want to,” Neikos cuts him off, ducking his head shyly. “I’d like to return your kisses, too, Mydei.”

“… okay,” Mydei’s voice is high and tiny and flustered, but when Neikos looks up, he’s too busy shoveling food onto his plate to meet his eyes. He can’t quite hide the small smile that plays on his lips, though, even as he looks away to avoid Neikos’ gaze.

Two weeks before Mydei’s heat, Neikos takes Mydei out the tower to show him how he cast the protection wards. He brings one of their smaller chairs out with him, sitting Mydei on top of it as he does his work.

Mydei hums, intrigued, as they snap in place in a sheen of gold before they flicker out completely. He’s also eating grapes, bowl in hand as he turns to Neikos.

“With wards like that, I can definitely be your atticwife,” is all he says to him. He looks up at Neikos with wide and teary eyes, then proceeds to put the bowl of grapes down to place a finger in his mouth and his other hand on his heart. “Oh, Alpha Flame Reaver, won’t you ever let me go?”

Neikos takes a step back, away from this sly minx currently blinking up at him. “You’re keyed to the wards. You can leave anytime you want, Mydei.”

Mydei sniffles, looking away as he pretends to brush a tear from his eye. He’s not the best actor; his lips keep twitching like he’s trying not to smile, while the rest of his face is neutral. He doesn’t look like he’s been crying at all. “I haven’t touched grass in over fifteen years. I’ve forgotten what the sun feels like.”

“But you’re outside,” Neikos says as he takes another step back. “You’ve touched grass, and the sun is high in the sky.”

Mydei hops off his chair, striding towards Neikos with a wicked glint in his eye. “Are you going to keep me here in this tower forever? I think I can live with that. But only if you…”

Mydei is finally standing before him, and he reaches up to trace a finger along Neikos’ clavicle. He leans in, breath hot on his chest as he says, “… if you take good care of me, alpha.”

Neikos, who is a head and a half taller than Mydeimos, who is known to burn cities down with a flick of his greatsword and end bloodlines with just one snap of his finger, bolts.

Mydei immediately takes chase, and they spend almost half a quint chasing each other in the prairie.

“Why are you running away, alpha?” Mydei taunts as he jumps into Neikos’ path. Neikos dodges, turning in the opposite direction. “Don’t you want me as your atticwife?”

“No!” Neikos insists, dodging Mydei’s reaching hands once more. “But you can be my… wife. Minus the attic.”

Mydei stops in his tracks, surprised, then beams up at him. “Alright,” he says, pleased. “I can be your wife. But in turn, you must be my attichusband.”

“What is with you and attics,” Neikos mutters as Mydei tackles him. They tumble on to the grass, and they spend a few minutes tussling and rolling around until Neikos manages to pin Mydei beneath him. He has to angle his hips away so his hard-on doesn’t brush against Mydei’s. “Can’t we… just be husband and… wife?”

Mydei grins up at him and pulls Neikos down until they are nose to nose. “Alright, Neikos. I was only teasing. It’s just the way you get so twitchy every time I say that word that makes me want to bring it up again and again.”

Neikos isn’t surprised by the admission. After all, this Mydei was…

“… such a brat,” Neikos growls playfully, burying his face into Mydei’s neck, who lets out a breathy giggle when Neikos frees his mouth from his mask and blows a puff of air into his scent gland.

“Neikos,” Mydei groans, wrapping himself more tightly around him when be begins to lick and nibble at the gland. Mydei’s scent is thick with arousal, spreading across the prairie as he arches his back in an attempt to push himself closer. “More, please.”

Neikos hums, making sure Mydei feels the vibrations as he nuzzles against his throat. He lets out this little whine when Neikos lavishes it with one last lick before pulling back.

Mydei stares up at him, chest heaving and pupils dilated. Neikos can smell his wet in the air, and can feel his cock straining in his pants. He clears his throat, but his voice still comes out rough and gutteral when he says, “We should stop here.”

Tears pool in Mydei’s eyes as he lets out one last whine. Neikos looks away before he loses himself and scrambles to do whatever Mydei wanted. Those tears were dangerous. “But Neikos…”

“I promised we’d wait… until your heat, remember?” Neikos brushes a strand of blond hair away from his face. “Just two more weeks.”

Mydei pouts at him, but when Neikos remains (barely) unmoved, he sighs and lets his grip on Neikos’ hips loosen, his thighs falling on to the soft grass. “… fine.”

Neikos sits up, helping Mydei up and handling him until he’s seated on Neikos’ lap. He’s careful to keep him away from the tent in his pants, though. He’s tried to will it away, but Mydei’s scent still lingers in the air.

Mydei is purring as he leans into Neikos’s shoulder. “There are a lot of flowers here.” He means this spot in the prairie they’ve tumbled on.

“Mm,” Neikos hums, then asks, “Would you like me to make you a flower crown?”

“You know how?” Mydei pulls back to look up at his face, and Neikos nods. “So do I. Let me make one for you, too.”

They head back to the Tower when the sun began to set, hands intertwined as they walked side-by-side. They’re wearing the flower crowns they made for each other, and they have to hold it against their heads when the wind picks up.

“The view looks beautiful,” Mydei murmurs, eyes fixed on the setting sun. The sky is cast in a warm orange color, tinged with hues of green and pink. “Peaceful, too. I can get used to this.”

Neikos thinks that his view of the omega in front of him was far more beautiful than anything else Amphoreus has to offer, but he can quite agree with the sentiment. He’s getting quite too used to this peaceful and domestic life, his hunt for Lygus and the Black Tide slowly being forgotten the more he spent time with Mydei.

But maybe… just maybe… he can forget about the whole thing and just spend more time with Mydei. Just this once, Just this cycle, he can indulge.

“I think so too.”

Two weeks later, on the morning of Mydei’s heat, Neikos is jolted out of his meditative state when he notices the room feels hotter than it usually was.

He turns to Mydei, who’s curled up on his side and lying facing away from Neikos, letting out little whimpers as he grips his stomach. Heat cramps. Neikos’ father used to have them.

He scrambles off the bed and heads to the pantry, but not before throwing the blanket off Mydei to let the cool air in. Omegas in heat run hotter than usual, and Neikos once read that cooling them off would ease the cramps that wracked them in the early stages.

He locates the flat block of ice that he’d cut off the night before, wrapping it in cloth before heading back to Mydei’s side. He climbs back on the bed, waking the Omega up with a gentle touch to the shoulder.

Mydei flinches, then leans into his touch, opening his eyes to stare at Neikos blearily. “Neikos…”

“I got you an ice pack,” Neikos makes sure his voice is soft, as omega senses are extremely sensitive in heat. “… you’re heat started.”

“No shit,” Mydei snaps at him, then groans when Neikos gives him a hurt look. “Nooo, I’m sorry. Neikos…” he sniffles, tears springing in his eyes as he reaches out for a hug.

Neikos indulges him right away, hoisting Mydei up and letting him curl on Neikos lap as he shivers and shakes from the cramps and the wind blowing in from the open window.

Neikos debates leaving it open, Mydei’s body might think it’s dunked in the freezing cold, but Mydei is heating up, evidenced by the way his cheeks and chest blush an angry red.

“What do I need to do?” Neikos asks, wishing he could take Mydei’s suffering for himself.

“Just embrace me,” Mydei says as he buries his face in Neikos’ neck and breathes his scent in. “I’m not quite horny yet.”

That was true. Mydei may be covered in sweat right now, but his flaring scent and the lack of slick dripping on the bed meant that Mydei was still in his early stages of his heat, in which his body was still prepping itself for at least a week of breeding.

Neikos leans forward, laying Mydei on their pile of pillows. Mydei blinks at him, curious as Neikos presses the ice pack against Mydei’s stomach, then arranges even more pillows to cover his sides. “What are you doing?”

“Keeping you regulated,” Neikos answers as he fluffs them up. He tilts his head, trying not to laugh when Mydei looks adorably squished surrounded by all the pillows. “My sire used to do this for my dam. Would you like to take your robe off?”

Mydei blinks at him, bemused, then looks down at his soaked-through robe, the only thing he wore to sleep the night before. “… I guess.”

As Mydei shuffles and takes it off, Neikos moves to strip his pants off as well, leaving him in his smallpants. When he looks back up at Mydei, he has his robes bunched up at his waist while his arms and torso are free.

He’s staring at Neikos, or more specifically, his crotch with a hungry look on his face. Yet, he still doesn’t smell aroused, and Neikos knows his cues. He’s gripping tightly to his self-control, wanting to go by Mydei’s face even when he wants nothing more than to bury his face in Mydei’s chest and lick the sweat off his hardened nipples.

So Neikos crawls back, hovering over Mydei and carefully runs his hand over his forehead, checking his temperature. He’s still running hot. “How are you doing?”

“Fine,” Mydei says, squirming in place. He reaches to wrap his arms around Neikos’ shoulders, but Neikos carefully pulls away. Mydei pouts angrily. “Why won’t you cuddle me?”

“You might overheat if I draped myself over you,” Neikos says, laying on his side to place a large arm over Mydei. “My arm and those pillows should be enough.”

“Mm,” Mydei agrees, sighing as he melts into the pillows. He grabs Neikos’ arm and places it higher, nearer to his mouth. “How are you so calm about this? Have you spent a heat with someone else before?”

Mydei sounds uncaring, but there’s a hint of insecurity in his scent. Neikos quickly reassures him by saying, “No. I’ve never been interested in an Omega before you, Mydei.”

Mydei growls and chomps at Neikos’ arm, making him blink at him. His omegan fangs leave tiny pinpricks on it, but its not painful enough that Neikos has to pull away. “What are you doing?” He asks, confused.

The question only makes Mydei growl and nibble at his arm more. He seems flustered yet frustrated about something, but Neikos has no idea why. In the end, he chalks it up to the heat, and lets Mydei bite at his arm as long as he wants.

They lay there, Mydei seemingly calm now that he’s temperature is more regulated. He still twitches from the cramps, teeth pressing into Neikos’ arm whenever they hit him.

Neikos tries to help with the pain by letting out his scent, calm and soothing. While he still can’t smell his own scent, because Mydei eventually calms down, eyes blinking sleepily and his bite on Neikos’ arm slacking.

The hours pass like that, and its near lunchtime when Mydei shifts and Neikos notices a change in his scent. He begins squirming, like he’s uncomfortable, and he lets go of Neikos arm to bring his own hand to his mouth before letting out a muffled groan.

“Mydei?” Neikos is alert in an instant, sitting up to see what was wrong. He lays a hand on Mydei’s stomach, under the ice pack, feeling it jolt under his touch. Cramps…? But then it hits Neikos before he gets to ask, Mydei’s scent flaring as Neikos gapes at him “I… are you…”

Mydei flushes a pretty red, the scent of his arousal intensifying as he bats at Neikos’ hand. He’s clearly almost at the apex of heat, now, the discomfort giving way to arousal. He accidentally kicks at one of the pillows, and it exposes the puddle of slick that’s dripped off him and pooled on the bed.

Neikos can feel his mouth watering and his canine’s throbbing when the scent of Mydei’s slick hits him like a sucker punch. He swallows roughly, holding to his self-control desperately and he slowly looks up to meet Mydei’s eyes.

Mydei moans at whatever look he sees in Neikos’ eyes. He reaches down to thumb at his tiny, omegan cock, the poor thing bobbing pathetically as Mydei sobs.

“Neikos, your eyes…” he groans as his pinky reaches down to flick the tip of his clit even as he rubs his cock. Greedy, greedy. So greedy for pleasure. “They’re glowing through your mask.”

His mouth, sinful and red from when he’d been biting at them earlier, falls open when Neikos tilts his head at him, silently urging him to go on. The move only serves to arouse Mydei more. “It’s so hot.”

Neikos moves closer, wanting to touch but unsure if Mydei actually wants him to. His hand brushes against the tips of his hair. “What can I do?”

“Touch me, Neikos,” Mydei begs as his hand speeds up. His other hand grabs a pillow from his side and chucks it far away, giving him more space to maneuver his body. “Please, touch me. Fuck me. Breed me. Please… please!”

Mydei’s voice grows desperate all of a sudden, and Neikos is taken aback when he arches and comes all over himself, his cock shooting cum to his chest and his cunt squirting all over the bed.

Neikos can feel himself throbbing angrily in his smalls, and fuck, he really wants to take it out and relieve himself but not yet. This heat wasn’t about him. It was about Mydei. Mydei, whose arousal was beginning to border on pain, his body overheating as it searches for release even after coming once.

“Are you sure, Mydei?” Neikos can’t help but ask. Just one last time. One more, and he’ll finally give in to his desires. “I won’t be able to hold back once I start.”

Mydei’s eyes flash, and in a burst of strength, he grabs Neikos’ arm and pulls him until they’re nose-to-nose. “I’ve always been sure, Neikos. The real question here is, are you?”

“…I am,” Neikos tells him. “I just… don’t want to hurt you.”

“You won’t,” Mydei says confidently, then places Neikos’ hand over his chest. “So please, Neikos. Help me.”

Neikos gives in.

Mydei wasn’t sure what to expect when Neikos scent starts pouring out, finally letting go of that careful restraint as he pulls back to hungrily let his eyes travel across his body. He can see the way Neikos’ saliva drips from his mask and onto the bed as they land on his cunt.

He probably doesn’t even realize it, so focused was Neikos on the way Mydei’s hand moved from circling his cock to slowly dipping them into his cunt. Mydei mewls when the glow behind the mask intensifies, dripping more slick onto the bed and the robe.

He holds his breath when Neikos reaches out, brushing those long and thick fingers against his clit in soft strokes. Mydei moans, loud, canting his hips upward for more. He wants to feel them deep in his pussy, reaching places he’s never been able to with his own.

“Neikos,” He whimpers, making the alpha look up at him. Mydei’s eyes water when the scent of eucalyptus intensifies, heady with arousal as Neikos pushes one finger in slowly. “Ngh!”

Mydei jolts when Neikos explores that one finger, pushing deeper even as he brushes his palm against Mydei clit. It’s gentle, tender, and Mydei can’t help but want more. He unfolds a leg from where he’d folded them earlier when he’d spread his legs and exposed his pussy in an attempt to entice Neikos. He kicks at him, demanding more.

“Harder!” Mydei intends to say harshly, but it comes out as a high-pitched whine when the kick jostles the alpha and slides his finger even deeper. “More! I’m not going to break, Neikos!”

“I know,” the alpha says solemnly, then proceeds to slip another finger into Mydei’s cunt. He bucks, forgotten cock bobbing, as Neikos spreads his lips and makes a small, strangled noise. “You’re beautiful here too, Mydei.”

“I know,” Mydei mocks, but he doesn’t stay smug for long when Neikos twists his fingers, brushing at his sweet spot so deliciously. Mydei arches his back, leaking more slick onto the mattress. “Neikos…” he mewls, exposing his throat.

Oh, he can feel the scent glands on his neck and wrists pulse along the rapid beat of his heart as he grips the sheets. He feels another orgasm creeping up on him as Neikos pistons his fingers in and out, growing rougher every time he comes back in. Mydei thrashes. “Wait! Wait! I’m going to come!”

“Then come,” Neikos says, not stopping his ministrations until Mydei actually does, spraying Neikos’ abdomen with his slick as his cock shoots out pathetic spurts of clear, watery cum. Mydei sniffles, finally realizing that he’d been crying the moment Neikos had pushed a finger in.

“You were so good, Mydei,” Neikos tells him gently when Mydei’s sniffling doesn’t stop, gently pulling his fingers out. Mydei twitches, overly sensitive, whining when Neikos rubs the same, sticky fingers on Mydei’s chest. “So good for your… first time.”

More tears bloom in Mydei’s eyes, humiliation warring with pleasure as Neikos thumbs his nipple in quick, rapid circles that has Mydei’s eyes rolling back.

He hiccups. “Was… was it that obvious?” Oh Titans, what gave him away? Was it the fact that he’d come so quickly from touching himself and inhaling Neikos’ scent?

“A little. Don’t worry… it’s my first too,” Neikos admits, lifting his other hand to do the same with Mydei’s other nipple. Mydei pants, so turned on that he nearly doesn’t hear the alpha’s answer. “Titans, you’re so sensitive.”

It does feel like he is, his cunt pulsing with every sweep of Neikos’ fingers. His thighs rub together, wet and slightly sticky from the amount of slick he’s leaked.

Neikos’ scent spikes suddenly, and Mydei follows his gaze to where was watching Mydei’s hips shuffle and cant upwards, as if looking for a phantom cock to breach him. The ache is agonizing.

Fuck me, Mydei thinks desperately as Neikos pinches his nipples and kneads at his chest roughly. Please, please, fuck me!

Mydei doesn’t realize he’s been babbling until Neikos presses his face against Mydei’s sweaty cheek, breathing Mydei in and letting out a soft growl. “Patience, my love. I’m not exactly… small.”

The words make Mydei sob. Whether it was from the desperation or the anticipation at the knowledge of Neikos’ monster cock entering him soon, he doesn’t know.

Mydei has slept on top and next to Neikos for the past thirty days. While they had never gone farther than aggressive scenting and foreplay before his heat hit, Mydei knows he’s big, even when Neikos tried to hide it by turning away or moving his bulge away from Mydei.

And if Neikos fucks him like the Flame Reaver fights, then Mydei knows he’s going to come out a changed man after his heat. Titans, he can’t wait for Neikos to put a baby in him.

“Mydeimos,” Neikos yelps, strangled. Oops. He’s been talking out loud again. And to think his tutors and instructors all thought he was a quiet little thing.

Neikos lets go of his nipples, making Mydei mewl pathetically and chase after his fingers. However, he freezes when he realizes what Neikos was doing. He watches, dumbfounded, as the Alpha reaches back and slowly undoes the buckles that kept his mask in place, inadvertently flexing his pecs and biceps.

The sight nearly makes Mydei drool, but the face that greeted him once Neikos moves the mask away stops him in his tracks completely.

Snowy hair falls above a dark violet eye tinged with white. Mydei looks at the other eye, only to see a old large scar, starting from the temple, crossing over the eye, down the nose bridge, and ending at the cheek. The wound is strange, a violet glow emanating from within. Neikos’ skin looks ashen, almost chalk-like, giving Mydei the impression of a time-worn stone statue.

Neikos looks back at Mydei, insecurity and anxiety seeping into his scent. What for? Mydei doesn’t know. There was no need for his alpha to worry, not when he looks like the most handsome man Mydei has ever laid eyes on.

“Mydei?” Neikos hesitates, and for the first time, Mydei sees the way those lips, once partially hidden behind a mask, shape into the syllables of his name. It sets a fire in Mydei’s soul, and he’s never been so glad that Neikos had decided to come to the tournament.

At Mydei’s silence, Neikos pulls back, ashamed and feeling a bit stupid for being so hopeful, when Mydei traps him with his arms…

… and comes.

His orgasm was as powerful as the last one, which Mydei feels should be impossible, but it isn’t. Neikos’ face shifts from alarmed to awe when he realizes what’s happened, and Mydei can’t even be ashamed when Neikos looks at him like that.

So damn adoring, like Mydei had hung the moon and stars that veiled the Evernight.

“Kiss me, Neikos,” Mydei demands, voice rough. “Please.”

There’s no hesitation in the way Mydei opens up his mouth into Neikos’, even as sharp fangs nip into his lip and ichor flows in between their tongues. Neikos pulls back a bit, spits into Mydei’s open mouth, then dives back in, rough and hungry and desperate, like a man taking his first breath after a long period of holding it in.

It’s like the last barrier between them is shattered, and they both lose themselves completely to the feeling and into each other. They ravage into each other, exploring every crevice of their bodies with their hands and mouths.

Mydei feels himself lose track of time, and before he knows it, Neikos’ fat cock is slowly pressing into him, inch by inch.

Mydei moans loudly as his back arches and his thighs quake. Neikos hadn’t been lying when he said he wasn’t small. He can feel his muscles burning from where Neikos has him in a mating press, head tilted so he could watch how exactly, Neikos enters him.

He bottoms out, and they both pant into each other’s mouths. Neikos leans further down to lick at Mydei’s lips, and the change of angle causes Mydei to cant his hips, making them both groan.

“You’re so gorgeous, Mydei,” Neikos murmurs unevenly as he pulls back, the tip of his cock the only thing left in Mydei’s knot-starved cunt. Mydei mewls, fingers reaching up and curling into Neikos’ hair in a tight grip.

“Come on, Neikos!” Mydei begs, feeling like he’s about to go insane. He’s tempted to throw a tantrum, but stops himself. “Fuck me properly, already! Breed me! Give me babies!”

Mydei’s heat has completely consumed him by now, his mind buzzing pleasantly and thoughts filled with nothing but alpha knot neikos breed. He shudders when Neikos pauses, then presses a large hand on his thigh.

Suddenly, Neikos slams into Mydei’s cunt, the movement inciting a punched-out moan out of him. Mydei is so wet it doesn’t even hurt, his pussy swallowing his large cock greedily—even a bit of his knot—his insides rearranging into the shape of it as easy as breathing.

Their room is filled with the sounds on skin slapping on skin, interspersed with Mydei’s moans and Neikos’ grunts and growls. Soon, Mydei finds himself purring, growing louder the harder the pace Neikos sets.

They’re both not going to last long. With Mydei sensitive with heat and Neikos barely holding back, it was only a matter of time. A few more hard pumps, Neikos is soon grinding into Mydei, more and more until his knot pops in, making Mydei feel incredibly full.

Mydei’s eyes roll to the back of his head as he comes once more, his cunt squirting once more and even as his neglected cock squeezes out a dry one. He thrashes in Neikos’ arms, overwhelmed by the feeling of too much too much too much, but Neikos holds him down, nosing into his neck and into his scent gland, and bites.

Mydei calms down right away, the mating bond working through them and opening the floodgates of emotion. Mydei can feel his elation reflected by Neikos, who is lapping at the blood that swelled up like it was Amphoreus’ greatest delicacy.

Neikos eventually moves them on their sides, careful of his knot still locked within Mydei. When Mydei smiles blearily at him, eyes tinged red with pleasure-induced tears, Neikos smiles back, slow and unsure. What a silly, adorable Alpha.

Mydei leans forward and gives him a peck on his lips, then immediately falls asleep.

After all, there had six more days of heat to go through. He and Neikos would need all the energy they could get.

Mydei is saddened to discover he doesn’t end up pregnant the moment his heat was over, the birth control pills that's been in his system for years too strong to override even when he hadn’t taken any for the past two months in preparation for his mating.

They’ll have to wait for a few more of his heats for Mydei to finally be pregnant.

Mydei writes a letter to his Father to update his status, proudly showing off his mating bite with a camera Neikos had bought him after the heat. He slips the photo alongside the letter, handing the envelope for Neikos to send.

He writes another letter to Castorice and Cipher, if only to assure them he was fine. They were his best friends, and he did disappear without a trace. He has to tell them the good news… and brag a little. Fine, he has included a selfie of him and Neikos. His alpha was a fine man, even with a mask on. Sue him.

Mydei is now an omega happily mated to the Alpha of his dreams. It’s a good life, he thinks.

It’ll be even better once he comes back to Castrum Kremnos and kick all of those advisor’s sorry asses, but that was a problem for another year.

For now, he’ll just bask in the feeling of successfully snagging his alpha.

Two years later, Mydei is now three months pregnant and sitting leisurely on a chair, watching his husband and mate leave to get him the milk he was craving.

He’s behind the wards, stroking his belly when he finds himself slipping into a nap. He blinks his eyes, sticky, and knows he’s in a dream when his surroundings change from a green prairie to his room back in Kremnos.

”What…?”

”You’re pregnant, huh,” A voice muses next to him.

Mydei jolts, finally noticing the figure sitting next to him on the canopy. “Who the hell are you?”

”What? Don’t recognize me? I would’ve thought you would know your own face.” 

Mydei rolls his eyes. “That doesn’t mean anything. You’re in my dream, so you could very well be a product of my delusions, or some sort of shapeshifter messing with me.”

’Mydeimos’ gives him a small smile. “That’s true. Yet you don’t seem inclined to punch me.”

“That’s because you’re not a threat,” Mydei tells him, stroking his belly. “My instincts would’ve gone haywire the moment I arrived here.”

“To protect the baby,” ‘Mydeimos’ finishes for him. “Tell me, are you happy, Mydei?”

“I am,” Mydei says. “I have an Alpha who adores me, and we have a baby along the way too.”

“Good,” the other omega nods firmly, though he can’t hide the hint of sadness in his scent. How strange. Mydei didn’t think he could smell another’s scent in a dream. “Cherish him. Cherish this life. It’s best you could ask for.”

“… I know,” Mydei agrees solemnly, making ‘Mydeimos’ nod once more.

”Good,” he repeats, standing. “I need to go now. Have a good one, Mydei. I bet your baby will be a boy.”

Before Mydei could open his mouth and protest, his surroundings shift, and he’s back at the prairie, with Neikos hovering over him. Ah, looks like he’s awake.

”You were dreaming,” Neikos says, tilting his head like an oversized puppy. “Was it good?”

Mydei takes the jar of milk that Neikos hands him, smiling as he leans up to kiss his cheek as a reward. Neikos perks up. His tail would be wagging by now if he had one.

“Who knows? I’ve already forgotten.”