The music in the hall shifted to a slower melody, as soft strings weaved through the air, and nobles began pairing off to dance under the glittering chandeliers. The hall was a vision of gold and perfume, a dark battlefield wrapped in beauty.
Ren stood quietly at the edge of the room, fan half-open, his gaze never leaving the S-Grade Alpha king across the floor.
King Kael. The man whose name alone made ministers tremble, here to find bride and yet… his expression wasn't that of a predator hunting a mate. He looked bored and very detached. His golden eyes drifted over the crowd like one who'd seen this dance too many times.
Ren's lips curved slightly as he whispered to himself. 'Boredom, that, I can fix.'
****************************
He took one slow step forward, the fabric of his robe whispering across the marble floor. Every movement he made was calculated, demure, hesitant, with the faintest trembling of fingers. An omega's perfect act, but his eyes, those soft silver eyes, held a spark of mischief, the kind that only someone truly watching could see.
As he passed a group of gossiping nobles whispering about him, he let his voice, soft as silk, float through the air.
"Oh dear, I heard Your Duke's son lost half his estate gambling last month. Tragic, isn't it?"
The words slipped like honey into the air. A few heads turned and within seconds, the whisper spread like wildfire.
Ren continued walking like he just did nothing, fan hiding his smile.
He did not lie, he merely rearranged the truth to suit his taste.
********************
Kael's sharp senses caught the ripple of unease just like Ren wanted. He turned slightly, gaze following the delicate omega who had just caused half the hall to buzz with scandal.
Silver hair. Pale skin and a calm that didn't fit the submissive image he wore.
There was something, deliberate about the way he moved, like a dancer who already knew the choreography of the room. An omega who watched rather than merely existed.
Kael's Beta aide noticing his attention drawn to Ren, leaned in whispering, "That's Ren Verren, Your Majesty. The Duchess Verren's son."
Kael's gaze lingered. "Ren Verren…" he repeated quietly, tasting the name.
It didn't sound fragile. It sounded like a whisper before a storm.
**************************
Ren reached for a drink at the refreshment table, only to find his path blocked by a pair of broad shoulders.
"You caused quite the stir," came a low, even voice.
Ren froze briefly, not from fear, but from calculation, then, with a practiced grace, he lowered his fan, feigning surprise.
"Your Majesty."
Kael towered over him, every line of his body radiating authority. Yet his eyes, those deep, amber-gold eyes, were fixed solely on Ren's face.
"You seem rather calm," Kael said, studying him. "Most omegas I meet can't even hold my gaze."
Ren tilted his head slightly, lashes lowering. "Perhaps I'm too foolish to know fear."
Kael's brow arched. "Or too clever to show it."
Ren's heart skipped, not from fluster, but amusement. This Alpha was sharper than most.
Still, he smiled softly. "A king who reads minds. How frightening." Trying to draw more of Kael interest.
Kael's lips twitched, not quite a smile, but close. "You speak boldly."
"I only speak truth," Ren said, voice like a ribbon in the wind. "And truth often sounds bold."
Theo, Kael's right-hand Alpha, who stood and watched this senseed the cunniness from Ren and approached from behind, his sharp eyes narrowing as he spotted the exchange.
"Your Majesty," he said quietly, bowing slightly. "You're drawing attention."
Kael didn't glance away. "Am I?"
Theo's gaze flickered to Ren, assessing him like a threat. The omega's calm demeanor, the faint trace of honeyed scent… it was all too controlled.
"Be careful, Your Majesty," Theo murmured. "That one doesn't smell like innocence."
Ren smiled politely. "And yet, I'm the only one here without armor."
Theo's jaw tightened. "Words can cut deeper than steel."
Ren's fan snapped shut with a quiet click.
"Then I suppose I should be careful not to bleed."
For the first time, Kael let out a soft, low chuckle, to which Theo looked startled. Kael never laughed in public.
Kael stepped closer, lowering his voice.
"You interest me, Ren Verren. Attend court tomorrow. I want to see how your mind works when it's not hiding behind fans."
Ren blinked, feigning hesitation. "Is that an order, Your Majesty?"
"It's an invitation," Kael said. "Though I don't take refusal lightly."
Ren bowed gracefully. "Then I'd be honored to accept."
Their eyes met again, a silent clash of dominance and daring.
Kael's gaze lingered, as though trying to read what lay behind that serene facade, but Ren simply smiled, calm as ever, while his heart whispered beneath the surface:
Checkmate, already.
As Kael turned away, Theo remained behind for a moment, his gaze hard.
"I don't know what you're playing at," he said quietly, "but stay away from the King."
Ren's fan brushed his lips, concealing a faint smile.
"Then you should hope the King agrees with you." and with that he left before Theo could respond, steps light, expression unreadable.
Later that night, as the music faded and the guests dispersed, Lian found Ren sitting by the fountain in the garden, staring into the water's reflection.
"You met him," Lian said softly.
Ren hummed. "The King?"
"Yes."
Ren's reflection smiled faintly in the water. "He's fascinating like a sword, beautiful, dangerous, and very lonely."
Lian sighed, sitting beside him. "Don't fly too close to him, Ren. You could burn."
Ren dipped a finger into
the fountain, ripples breaking his reflection apart.
"Maybe," he whispered. "But fire looks prettier up close."