By the next morning, the palace knew.
Of course______it did.
Aarav hadn't even stepped out of his chambers before he noticed the difference—servants bowing a little deeper, guards standing a little straighter, whispers following him like a shadow.
He exhaled slowly. "I hate this already."
Kaelith walked beside him, composed as ever. "They are not reacting to your discomfort. They are reacting to your status."
"I had status yesterday," Aarav said.
"You have power today," Kaelith replied.
Aarav shot him a look. "I had power yesterday too."
Kaelith's lips twitched. "Now they understand it."
That wasn't reassuring.
They entered the council chamber—and the tension hit immediately.
Every seat was filled.
Every gaze was sharp.
Aarav didn't sit.
"Let me guess," he said flatly. "This is about my 'condition.'"
The crimson-robed elder inclined his head. "Your awakening as a full Alpha changes the political landscape significantly."
Aarav folded his arms. "That's a dramatic way of saying 'we're about to discuss things I won't like.'"
No one denied it.
An Omega noble spoke carefully. "With the Claim already established, your compatibility with His Highness presents… unprecedented opportunities."
Aarav's expression went cold. "Say it clearly."
Silence.
Then—
"Heirs."
The word landed like a stone.
Aarav didn't react immediately.
Then he laughed.
Not amused. Not angry. Just… disbelieving.
"I almost died in a war three weeks ago," he said. "I'm adjusting to a new world, a new body system, and a political structure that treats people like strategy pieces—and your first priority is reproduction?"
The chamber stiffened.
"It is not merely reproduction," the elder said. "An Alpha–Enigma union could produce—"
"—children," Aarav cut in sharply. "Not 'assets.' Not 'bloodline stabilizers.' Children."
Kaelith spoke then, voice calm but edged. "Enough."
The room went still.
"My partner is not an instrument of policy," Kaelith said. "Nor will I allow discussions of heirs to proceed without consent."
Aarav glanced at him—just for a second—but it mattered.
The elder pressed on carefully. "Your Highness, with respect, the continuation of the Enigma line is a matter of national stability."
"And it will be addressed," Kaelith said. "On our terms."
Aarav stepped forward now, voice quieter—but sharper.
"Let me make something very clear," he said. "I am not against having a family."
That caught them off guard.
"But I am absolutely against being rushed into it because it makes your system comfortable."
Silence.
Aarav continued, gaze steady. "If I ever choose to have children, it will be because I want them. Not because your council wrote it into a projection."
The Omega noble lowered her eyes slightly. "That… is understood."
It wasn't fully accepted—but it was understood.
For now.
Outside the chamber, Aarav exhaled hard.
"Your council has terrible timing."
"They have consistent priorities," Kaelith said.
"That doesn't make it better."
They walked in silence for a few moments before Aarav spoke again—quieter this time.
"…Do you want them?"
Kaelith stopped.
Aarav didn't look at him. "Children."
The question hung between them.
Kaelith answered honestly. "Yes."
Aarav nodded once. "Okay."
Kaelith studied him. "Does that concern you?"
"No," Aarav said. Then, after a pause—"It concerns me if it becomes pressure."
"It will not," Kaelith said immediately.
Aarav looked at him then. "Good. Because I'm not someone who walks into life decisions blindly."
Kaelith's gaze softened. "That is one of the reasons I trust you."
Aarav huffed lightly. "Don't make it sound like a compliment. It feels like responsibility."
"It is both."
They resumed walking.
After a moment, Aarav added, more casually—
"I'm not saying no."
Kaelith blinked.
Aarav kept his eyes forward. "Just… not now. Not because someone told me to."
Something in Kaelith's expression shifted—relief, subtle but real.
"Understood," he said.
Aarav smirked slightly. "Also, I just figured out how Alpha heat works. Let's not escalate immediately."
Kaelith actually laughed.
The tension eased—not gone, but manageable.
That evening, Aarav sat alone in the garden, watching the glowing koi drift through the water.
Children.......
The idea didn't scare him.
What scared him was losing control of the choice.
Footsteps approached.
Kaelith sat beside him, quiet.
After a while, Aarav spoke.
"If we do this someday… we do it right."
Kaelith nodded. "We will."
"No politics," Aarav said. "No expectations. No turning them into symbols."
"Agreed."
Aarav leaned back, looking at the unfamiliar stars.
"…Five would be chaos," he muttered absentmindedly.
Kaelith turned his head. "Five?"
Aarav blinked—then smirked. "Relax. Hypothetical."
But something about the way he said it—
Made it feel less like a joke.