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[ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ғᴏᴜʀ ]
𝐀 𝐁𝐈𝐓𝐂𝐇 𝐈𝐍 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐓
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Another party, another day. Reo wore his damned scent patches to neutralize Nagi's scent, which would throw all his suitors off if they were to feel it. Reo's dad despised it whenever he came home smelling of his friend. Years ago, he would tell Reo there were better alphas out there, and Reo would bite his tongue to stop himself from blurting out there were not.
Yukimiya wasn't there — he had his rut that very weekend — and couldn't get out of bed. So Reo had to act this time, say hi, the pleasure is mine, as he gave handshakes and got stared at like a prize. He had no excuse to bail and no one to get distracted with.
Rosalie wasn't there; instead, another English alpha attended the event for her, this time a man. Reo was just taking a breath of fresh air before having to socialize again when the guy found him, blond hair just like his sister's.
"You must be the young Mikage," he greeted, sounding carefree. Reo offered his hand and the alpha kissed his knuckles, not breaking eye contact. "It's a pleasure to meet you, my sister mentioned meeting your father two or so weeks ago."
Reo wore his most charming fake smile, "I remember her. It was truly unfortunate that we couldn't talk at all at the event."
"She would've had nothing to talk about, anyway. Rosalie is terribly boring, which cannot be said about me." He smirked, "Are you boring, too?"
"Excuse me?" Reo forced a laugh. What was the guy getting to? "I'm afraid I don't understand."
"Oh, is my Japanese that bad?" he barked a laugh. Reo looked around to make sure they wouldn't attract any attention. When he focused on the alpha again, he found that the man had moved closer. "I was saying that she's no match for you, although she was interested. Your father does a great job bragging, making you sound quite interesting. If you're as special as he describes, we should talk a bit more. If you're not, however, I could always introduce you to my sister anyway."
If you're as special...
How bold. Did this guy believe that Reo would make an effort to impress him?
Reo chuckled, "What do you want to talk about? Stock? Would that make me sound smart enough for your standards? You come across as a very shameless man, has anyone told you that?"
"Did I offend you?" He didn't seem at all regretful, "I'm just wondering how you manage to get everyone's attention — even my sister's — when you look like... every other rich omega in this side of town."
Reo couldn't understand if he was being flirted with in some weird, eastern way, but he was almost sure that he was being disrespected.
"Let me tell you that this is the worst way to court someone if you're attempting to."
"I told you I'm not, at least for now," he grinned, "I'm asking what you have to offer, what you bring to the table."
Reo laughed in response, but he laughed at the man, not with him. "I'm sorry, did my father send you? All I've heard so far is that you're wasting your time with me for some reason"
"He did send me, to be quite honest. And I wanted to spark conversation after he said so much about you: first of your class, graduated from the best university... yada, yada. But I had one question as he kept babbling about you, young Mikage."
"Ask ahead."
"Does he assume you will successfully get every alpha wrapped around your finger? He didn't even ask if I liked omegas at all."
"People don't ask around here," Reo explained, "Yes, he assumes, and most of the time I deliver. Are you happy now?"
"Not at all. I want to know how you can deliver when you're nothing out of the ordinary."
Reo's left eye twitched. His omega had the impulse to punch this guy in the face, to show him that the one special thing about Reo was his right hook. But he contained that anger before he could act on it.
"Oh, you're one of those. " He gritted out, "An alpha that needs to knock omegas down a few pegs before trying to get them in your bed. That way, they'll say yes with their wounded egos."
The alpha was having the time of his life with their conversation. He smelt amused. Reo frowned; there was nothing he disliked more than being tested.
"You're so observant and defensive. It looks cute on you. How old are you?"
His hand trailed Reo's side and rested on his back. Reo didn't shake him off to avoid making a scene or looking defensive as he had said. "You came and talked to me without knowing?"
"Well, if your dad was offering you to anybody, I assumed you were of age. And you don't look as fresh as a rose, in my humble opinion."
"Twenty-three." He bit out. Reo was young; what the fuck was this guy trying to say?
Maybe he worked too much and couldn't completely conceal his under eyes. Perhaps that was what Nagi found so unattractive, that Reo was wasting away behind a desk while other omegas and people his age were discovering the world. He wasn't that interesting, was he? This alpha put it bluntly.
Oh, shut it. Reo really, really wanted to punch the stranger.
"You're single at twenty-three? I had my first engagement at that age."
Again, Reo was young. Was this guy getting married as soon as he presented?
"And how old are you?"
"Thirty-one, which means I can't waste my time with pretty things like you anymore, I'm afraid," his hand brought Reo closer. Was this supposed to be seductive? "When an alpha is younger, newly presented, they can have all the fun they want, parade themselves with partners that make a beautiful ornament by their arm. When a man reaches my age, however, they need a smart mouth around to settle down, do you understand?"
"And if I'm not interested?"
"Ah, sorry then." The guy let go, then shifted away. "The way your father insisted, I thought you were both desperate," he mocked.
Reo knew he was falling into a trap, but his pride couldn't handle being insulted for so long. "Desperate? I could get anyone I wanted if I so pleased. I have too many suitors to count with both hands, and you think a thirty-something fuckboy will win me over by ruffling my feathers like a child pulling at a girl's pigtails? You make me laugh."
"If you have so many suitors, then where are they?"
The omega frowned, disgust evident in his features, "Keeping their distance because you approached me first, you jackass-"
"I think it has to do with this, actually." He brushed Reo's neck, where the scent patch was soaking. He hadn't fucking noticed because of his anger. Reo stilled, shocked. "You stink of another alpha, and you're unmated. It sounds like everyone in this room must know of your whorish ways by now. And here I thought I was talking to an omega from a decent family."
Reo didn't have the time to reply because his dad grabbed him roughly by the arm, taking him away with a strength he hadn't used on him since he was misbehaving at age five. The foreign alpha smirked at Reo, enjoying the mess he had created by cornering him, and Reo only yanked his arm away from his father when they were outside of the building, on the first floor of the hotel.
"What?!" He spat, touching the area that was already starting to redden. No one should lay a hand on an omega because they bruise fast. His father taught him that long ago.
The older Mikage was fuming. "I allowed the scent patch even though you're supposed to have your natural scent out for public events, and you embarrass me by revealing you've been clinging to that Nagi boy so much that you smell like him!"
"I forgot, okay?! I forgot we had this dinner today. I didn't mean to ruin our stupid reputation, and no one would've noticed if you didn't send that English alpha my way. He was horrible to me!"
"Grow up, Reo. It's not the first time you've dealt with a jerk, and I had no idea Mr. Brown would upset you. You know better than this!" He pointed at his neck.
Reo didn't like making scandals or fighting any of his parents. He tried walking toward his car to de-escalate the argument. "Okay, see you at work," he made it as if to leave.
His father didn't let him though, he followed him. "You need to get over Nagi now, Reo, while you're still young." In your prime, while you're still desirable, he had meant to say. "It's been ten fucking years."
"I can't hear you!" Reo ignored him petulantly as he opened the driver's door, attempting to get inside his car.
His dad stopped him by force for the second time that day, "I'm serious!"
"Dad!" but even as he writhed, Reo couldn't free himself. His eyes were wide as saucers when his father's voice came out thunderous and authoritative next. He was using his alpha voice on him.
"Listen to me and listen to me carefully." He obliged, "You're meant to marry someone with a stable job instead of a random who can't do his own fucking taxes without your help. That Nagi guy does not want you. Why can't you get it through your thick skull? He doesn't want you, and no son of mine will crawl after an alpha like a bitch in heat. Have some fucking self-respect."
And he dropped it and walked away frowning as if it was Reo who offended him, as if he was to blame for this whole situation. In consequence, Reo was stunned.
He sat inside his car, head hurting after being commanded when he was no longer used to it, and didn't start the vehicle. He just rested his forehead on the wheel, regaining his composure.
He doesn't want you, he could reason in his head. Even father is ashamed, even that alpha could smell our desperation, even our suitors could see it. Regardless, his omega cried back, insisting it didn't have to be that way, insisting he proved himself to Nagi.
Prove what, how pitiful he was?
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