The Avaly Empire loved its rules. Everything had to be in its proper place, and everyone had a role they were supposed to play from the day they were born.
Alphas were the leaders and protectors, blessed with strength, magical powers and natural authority. Omegas were the nurturers and peacemakers, gifted with sweet scents and in some rare cases, holy powers that could calm angry tempers and heal wounds. Betas filled in everywhere else, keeping trade running and knowledge flowing. The priests called it divine will, and most people seemed happy enough to believe that.
But for me, Cadiz Von Eberhart, that perfect divine plan had apparently taken a wrong turn somewhere.
The morning sun coming through my bedroom windows felt particularly cruel today, like even the light was mocking me. It was my twentieth birthday, which meant my life as an omega was supposed to officially begin. Imperial law said every omega had to be married by twenty, right when our heat cycles were meant to start.
The Empire claimed it was about stability, but everyone knew it was really about politics. Marriages created alliances, strengthened bloodlines, and kept the seven Great Families tied together under the royal family's control.
For my twin brother Cassius, this whole system was like a gift wrapped just for him. Everything about him proved the system worked perfectly. He was the ideal omega in every way. His pheromones had bloomed when he was only sixteen, which was supposed to happen at eighteen, smelling like honey and vanilla and making everyone around him practically swoon. His holy power awakened right around the same time, turning him into this glowing beacon of perfection at every social gathering. Nobles whispered that the gods themselves had blessed him.
And me? I stood in front of my mirror, tugging at my formal jacket and wondering if even my reflection felt sorry for me. Silver hair like Cassius's, but somehow duller, lacking the shine that made his catch light from across a room. Brown eyes that looked tired even when I wasn't. We had the same basic features, the same bone structure, but where everything on Cassius looked polished and perfect, on me it just looked... ordinary. Like someone had made two copies of the same person but forgotten to add the special finishing touches to one of them.
"Pathetic," I muttered to myself. My reflection didn't disagree.
"Young master Cadiz," Mari's voice came from behind me, soft and careful like always. She was about the only servant left who still bothered being polite to me instead of just pitying me. "Your father wants to see you in the main hall."
I nodded and took the cup of tea she offered. Jasmine again. The kitchen staff had been making it extra strong lately, probably hoping the smell would cover up what I was missing.
Every omega was supposed to have their own special scent, something that made alphas want to be around them. I had absolutely nothing. My pheromones had no flavor, and at twenty, it was pretty clear they never would. No scent, no powers, no value to anyone.
"Thanks, Mari." My voice sounded steadier than I felt. "Has Cassius gone down already?"
Her mouth tightened just a little, the way it did when she felt bad for me. "Master Cassius is with the visiting nobles. He looks especially dashing today."
Of course he was.
My twin brother drew attention like honey drew flies. Wherever he went, people whispered about how amazing he was. Wherever I went, awkward silence followed.
Walking through Eberhart Manor's long marble hallways felt like a funeral march.All those portraits of successful Eberhart ancestors stared down at me, probably wondering how their bloodline had produced such a disappointment.
My footsteps echoed in the empty hallways, reminding me just how alone I was in all of this.
My father, Lord Caspian Von Eberhart, had pinned all the family's hopes on Cassius. I was basically an embarrassment he had to deal with.
The main hall was already buzzing with conversation when I walked in. Nobles in silk and jewels filled the room, all here for the twins' birthday celebration. But nobody was pretending they'd come to see me. Cassius stood right in the center of everything, wearing cream and gold that made his silver hair look like it was glowing. His honey and vanilla scent drifted through the air, not too strong but impossible to ignore. I watched alphas unconsciously move closer to him, saw other omegas shooting him envious looks.
"There's our other birthday boy!" Father's voice boomed across the hall, way too loud and forced. He waved for me to come forward. "Come on, Cadiz, don't hide by the door."
The room got quiet when I walked toward them. Not the good kind of quiet where people are excited to see you. The uncomfortable kind where everyone suddenly remembers something they'd rather forget.
Father's smile looked like it was physically hurting him.
"Happy birthday, brother," Cassius said, flashing that perfect smile of his. He leaned close enough that I caught his scent full force, and it stung. Not because it was bad, but because it was everything I wasn't. "Father was just telling everyone about the marriage proposals."
My stomach dropped like a stone. Right. On our twentieth birthday, all the political maneuvering would finally be laid out for everyone to see.
"Thirty seven proposals for Cassius," Father announced, puffing up with pride. "Some of the finest alpha families in the Empire want him. The Dravens even offered to make him the only spouse for Aldrik Von Draven."
The whole room made impressive sounds. The Draven family was the strongest of all the Alpha houses, only the royal family ranked higher. Getting offered the main spouse position was almost unheard of. It meant real power and influence, not just being decorative.
"And what about Cadiz?" Countess Verona asked. Her voice was sweet, but her eyes were practically sparkling with anticipation.
The silence that followed was brutal. I kept my face blank, but inside I was dying. This was when everyone would find out exactly how unwanted I really was.
My father hesitated, his lips getting tight before he finally spoke. "There have been inquiries."
Inquiries. Not proposals. Just people asking polite questions, probably out of curiosity more than anything else.
"Actually," Father continued, and something in his voice made my chest clench, "we did receive one formal request."
People started gasping and murmuring. I kept my expression neutral even though my hands were getting sweaty.
"From the Ashforde family," Father said.
That name made the whole room explode into chatter. The Ashfordes were one of the three Great Alpha Houses, but everyone knew they were the weakest of all great families combined. Their heir, Raizel Von Ashforde, was supposed to be brilliant, but he was famous for hating omegas. He'd turned down seven marriage proposals in the past year, calling the whole thing pointless theater.
"Raizel Von Ashforde?" Duke Milligan's eyebrows shot up. "I thought he'd sworn off marriage completely."
"He rejected three families just last season," Countess Verona added, clearly enjoying the drama. "Said no omega alive could interest him. Can you imagine?"
I could feel everyone staring at me, waiting to see how I'd react.
"The Ashfordes specifically requested an Eberhart omega." Father said, clearing his throat. "For reasons they didn't elaborate on. It would be an advantageous alliance."
"Which son do they want again?" Marquis Blackwood pressed.
The pause that followed told everyone exactly what they needed to know. My stomach felt like it was falling into a pit.
"The marriage would be with Cadiz."
The entire hall went dead silent. Every single person stared at me, some with pity, others with barely disguised contempt. An omega with no scent and no powers, being sent to marry an alpha who was famous for rejecting everyone? It wasn't really a marriage proposal. It was more like throwing out the trash.
Cassius stepped closer to me, and for once his perfect mask slipped enough to show actual worry. "Father, surely....."
"The decision is made," Father cut him off sharply. "The Ashforde's emissaries leave tomorrow. Cadiz will go with them."
Tomorrow. Father probably couldn't wait for the Ashfordes to come pick me up formally, I'll be going with the emissaries tomorrow immediately instead.
Just like throwing out the trash.
Now I have 24 hours to pack up my life here.
As the nobles went back to their chattering, I slipped away without anyone noticing. The hallways were blessedly empty as I climbed the stairs to the library, my favorite hiding place. The heavy wooden doors closed behind me, muffling the sounds of laughter and music from downstairs. Here, surrounded by shelves full of old books and the smell of ink and paper, I finally let myself fall apart.
I pressed my forehead against the cool window glass, looking out at the gardens. My heart felt like it was breaking from a mixture of fear and resignation. Maybe this had always been inevitable. Maybe the only thing to do with a defective omega was trade him off to the weakest house, connecting one family's shame with another family's disappointment.
The Ashfordes were known for being interested in old magic, for keeping libraries that most other houses had long since gotten rid of.
Maybe there, far away from living in my twin's shadow, I could find some small corner of peace. Or at least some place where I could disappear completely.
Still, as I sat there with my hands shaking against the pages of a forgotten book, I couldn't shake the feeling that tomorrow wouldn't just be an ending. It would be a beginning.
whether I wanted it or not.