"Families have their rules," was the first thing the Matriarch said to him. The second was, "Next time, you should dress more properly."
Einoh didn't dare explain. He touched the restraint ring around his neck and glanced down at his clothes. His clothes had been freshly pressed, clean and neat, but it had been raining outside.
From the station to the mansion, even though he had carefully wiped his boots before entering, they were still speckled with mud.
The Matriarch scanned him from head to toe with a displeased look. He quickly muttered, "I'm sorry, madam."
She uttered a neutral "hmm," her emotions unreadable.
"In any case, you came here as a 'bride,'" she continued. "In front of others, you must remember your status."
The Matriarch controlled every aspect of the household. The Audric family was a prestigious Omega clan, conservative and noble, with strict hierarchies. Einoh, entering as a "lowly" Alpha, was under her guidance: every pinch of salt had its place, floors were waxed every other day, meals had to be personally served, but never at the family dining table.
For distinguished guests, the Audrics prepared a special seat; for a bride brought into the family, meals were taken in a kitchen annex. Additionally, he had to wear a restraint and chastity ring at all times to suppress his scent and regularly take suppressants, as most of the household were Omegas or Betas. And of course, as an outlier, he had to read the room constantly.
This was not difficult for him. Einoh had grown up under others' roofs, accustomed to submission. The Matriarch was pleased with this, which was why she had paid handsomely to buy him on the auction, placing the family-engraved restraint and chastity rings on him in front of witnesses, marking the "marriage."
By family rules, only the omega could hold the key. On the eve of the Omega's heat, the rings would be unlocked, and he would fulfill his Alpha duty to impregnate the Omega. Outside of that, removal required his omega's permission.
Einoh bore no complaints. Even when asked to remove his clothes on the auction, he remained obedient. Anyone who saw him would believe him to be the perfect bride: healthy, beautiful, an exemplary commodity capable of producing heirs for the Audric family.
That is, everyone except the young master himself.
At first, he had never even met Perseus Audric, his intended. The marriage was entirely the Matriarch's doing. She had hired private investigators to carefully select multiple Alphas. Compared to her son's career, she cared more about the family bloodline.
Einoh was forbidden from browsing books or photos, restricted from entering the young master's room freely. He could only catch faint scents through the slightly open door when cleaning the hallways: mint, with a hint of absinthe. He imagined the young master as someone fond of social gatherings; a noble Alpha should enjoy that kind of scent.
He was assigned a room next door. Inside, there was only a small bed, a narrow table, and a mirrored wardrobe. He rested there only in the early morning hours; the rest of the time, even late at night, he worked.
An Alpha of the Audric family had his duties. The Matriarch drank hot cocoa with nutmeg and spices before bed; he prepared the drink, served her, then cleaned the kitchen. Afterwards, he tidied the dining area, collected the day's laundry, boiled water, and washed the clothes with scraps of soap in a large wooden basin to dry the next day.
One night, while cleaning the Matriarch's dishes (she had eaten half an apple pie before bed), someone knocked on the kitchen door.
Einoh hadn't expected anyone but the Matriarch. He didn't open immediately. He checked the restraint around his neck, washed his hands, then hurriedly opened the door.
A young face stood there, dimly lit, not entirely unfamiliar.
"You're the new servant?" the man asked, scanning him.
Einoh realized he was still wearing a flour-and-butter-stained apron. He instinctively stepped back, but the man seemed to misread his retreat. He held a candle, casting light on sharp, aristocratic features and the red hair typical of the family.
A faint scent of the man's natural pheromones drifted from his movements. Einoh froze, and the smell of absinthe hit his nose. He didn't know the man, yet he recognized him as Perseus Audric, the young master.
"I need coffee. Double sugar, milk, and a side of cream," the young master ordered, his voice laced with fatigue. "Don't tell Mother I'm back. Just bring it to my room when it's ready."
Einoh opened his mouth, hesitated for a few seconds. Perseus was not at all what he had imagined. Should he reveal his identity first or answer the request?
He thought of the key the Matriarch had intended for the Omega, but if Perseus didn't use it, he was still not the acknowledged bride. Besides, a Beta servant could enter the young master's room, but an Alpha bride could not.
Perseus tilted his chin slightly, silently studying him. Einoh felt the gaze land on the restraint ring at his neck, and his shoulders shrank as if burned.
"Yes," he said, lowering his eyes and bowing. The candlelight drew closer. Perseus examined him for a moment, then withdrew.
"Bring it as soon as possible, and make it hot," he added, without lingering. "You know where my room is."