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Being born as the sixth son of the king’s younger brother wouldn’t have been so bad if he was an alpha. Maybe with proper education and training, which seemingly only alphas were deserving of, he would’ve been able to join the royal army and slowly but surely make his way to becoming a general and making a name for himself. With a respectable title, it would’ve been easy to live a somewhat independent life, away from the curse of being a fifth son.
Sadly, destiny had other plans for Isagi. At twelve years old, Isagi found a great obstacle in his life. He was not an alpha, but an omega.
A poor, poor omega.
It was like a direct attack on the life Isagi had planned for himself.
He wouldn’t be educated in anything other than cooking and other house chores, like his other three older omega siblings. Isagi had very few memories of them. Being the youngest of them, he’d probably be married off to a prince from an insignificant kingdom the moment he turned fifteen—only his older omega siblings had the luck of being married off to alphas from the most prosperous kingdoms. Maybe he’d only get a rich merchant to secure funds for the crown, or a royal council member as a gift for their loyalty, or perhaps he’d been given to a powerful general as a prize for their achievements.
Then Isagi would forever be stuck inside a house, taking knot after knot until his belly got swollen with babies and the last drop of milk was sucked out of his breasts. Until he stopped caring about himself for his oh, so precious family.
The sacred role that he had to fulfill as an omega.
The life he’d been taught from the moment he turned twelve.
That was not the life Isagi wanted for himself.
Isagi didn’t want to become someone else’s omega, a possession, and lose himself in the process. Isagi wanted to live for himself. He didn’t want a stupid alpha to decide for him.
At thirteen, Isagi started to carefully plan the life he wanted to live.
After some research, Isagi found that the happiest omegas, or at least those whose lives he found more enjoyable, were the widowed ones.
They could enjoy their dead alphas’ wealth and privileges without being forced to bend their wills for them.
He wasn’t dumb. If he didn’t have a baby, he’d be tossed away for being a “useless” omega. Isagi could stand having only one baby for the sake of securing his future and avoiding all that continuing-the-lineage bullshit. And having only one baby wouldn’t drain him that much.
And so, Isagi began to take the first steps toward the life he wanted to have.
Isagi didn’t think that the news of his father dying would become such a blessing for him. Apparently, his father had drunk too much wine, fell from the stairs, and cracked his skull.
The regent king, Noel Noa, in an act of kindness, had asked for all of his father’s sons and daughters to come into the royal palace, so Isagi and his other alpha siblings wouldn’t be left unprotected.
The succession line was a mess, Isagi learned.
His father was the third child of his grandfather, and Noel Noa was the second.
The first born to his grandfather, who would’ve been the rightful heir to the throne, fell ill and passed away from an unknown sickness; thus, following the line of succession, Noel Noa was crowned as the king despite him not wanting the title.
It would’ve been as clear as a day. The firstborn died, so it was only natural that the second son would take the throne—
Except the firstborn son had a child, not with his official spouse, the previous queen. It was with a concubine.
Said kid was Michael Kaiser.
Since Noa didn’t want to be king, he had intended to give away the title to his nephew, but he found a great obstacle within the royal council. The most conservative, who also happened to be the most influential, members of the royal council were against the idea. In their eyes, the only thing that mattered was the blood. Michael Kaiser was only half deserving of the throne. He would never be enough in their eyes.
A mess.
Really.
However, Noa didn’t relent. He’d only take on the role of king until Kaiser turned eighteen. From then on, Kaiser would take over the title.
The members of the Royal Council were left with no choice but to accept.
It was hate at first sight.
Isagi couldn’t stand Kaiser’s arrogance, and Kaiser couldn’t stand an omega like Isagi. They made each other’s lives hell in the palace. That’s why Isagi almost threw up when he heard the maids talking about a possible marriage between him and Kaiser.
“The council members said it’d be the only way they’d approve of Prince Kaiser becoming the king.”
“Oh my! Despite being the fourth omega son, he’ll get to be the next queen!”
“But aren’t they cousins?”
“Who cares?”
“Isagi is such a lucky omega! I wish I could marry Prince Kaiser.”
Isagi quickly discarded the idea of marrying Kaiser. An obnoxious alpha like him would only make him lose his time. Even if his position as the next queen would be secured, Isagi didn’t think the efforts of putting up with him and dealing with his shit until he eventually killed him would be enough to make up for it.
Kaiser would probably humiliate him every moment he could.
Instead, Isagi looked at his uncle and began to plot in his head.
Wouldn’t it be funny if he managed to get into the current king’s heart?
If Isagi married him?
Isagi would instantly become the queen—the “current” queen.
What if he even gave him a kid… or maybe two or three?
What would be of Kaiser then?
Oh.
Isagi would love to watch Kaiser’s face if that were to happen.
Noel Noa was twenty years older than him.
But it was the best option.
Despite being a bit scared at first, Isagi quickly understood that behind his stern face and cold demeanor, there was a kind and respectful alpha. He never looked down on him for being an omega, nor did he make him feel less. As time passed and Isagi learned more about his uncle, he couldn’t help falling in love with the older alpha, and the way he listened to him treated him as an equal—not a possession.
(And also the way he scolded Kaiser when he was being a bitch.)
It was truly the best option.
Noa was the only one who saw Isagi for who he was.
After testing the waters and studying the older alpha, Isagi found the way to make him fall to his knees.
Sure, Noa was a respectable alpha who would never dare touch his brother’s youngest omega son—but he was an alpha, and as such, he was a slave to his instincts to possess and protect.
Isagi took full advantage of it. He waited until the signs of his upcoming first heat appeared and prepared everything to make his plan work. He’d be in the library accompanying Noa to read some reports, and what a pity! It’s his first heat!
“I- I’m scared. Please, stay with me,” Isagi cried, grabbing Noa’s sleeve. “I don’t want to be alone.”
At first, Noa tried to leave and call for a maid to get Isagi to his room.
“Ahh. It feels so w-wet and hot down here,” Isagi said. “Can you help me, please?”
The light in Noa’s eyes changed.
It made Isagi’s heart race.
Noa wasn’t looking at him like a nephew anymore. He was looking at him for who he made him believe he was—an innocent, weak omega who needed a knot.
The rumors spread like fire.
“The king is in the library with Isagi!”
“And? They always read together.”
“No, you don’t understand! Isagi is in heat!”
“What? They are what?!”
“King Noa stole his nephew’s future wife!”
Two weeks later, every civilian in the kingdom knew of them.
To preserve Isagi’s honor and reputation, Noa married Isagi.
The members of the royal council were ecstatic.
A huge weight had been lifted from his shoulders.
King Noel Noa would have a child with Isagi Yoichi, and thus their baby would be the rightful heir to the throne as they would have full royal blood running through their veins.
By taking an omega, Noel Noa had also taken the last step to cement his position as king.
“Fuck you,” Isagi mouthed when he spotted Kaiser in the crowd during his wedding.
As Isagi watched Noa with their baby in his hands, singing a lullaby, he thought that maybe he wouldn't have to kill him.