Third person pov
Ace had been out of the country for a few days. He returned late the previous night because of the prime minister's upcoming engagement.
According to the ministers, it would be better if the event were turned into a fundraiser—one grand enough to attract monarchs, presidents, and influential figures from different nations.
When Ace arrived, he chose to stay at his private residence in the imperial city.
Public appearances had never been his preference, yet he tolerated them well. In fact, there were moments he even enjoyed them. He often amused himself with the thought of how dull and mundane his world would be if he did not occasionally terrorize corrupt public leaders and remind them of the consequences of betrayal.
The following morning, Ace had been briefed
about a jewelry evaluation meeting scheduled for the day. He woke on time, preparing himself meticulously. Several other meetings awaited him, so delays were unacceptable.
He was still in his bedroom, adjusting the final cufflink on his sleeve, when his head of security, Owen Griffin, walked in without warning.
"When will you learn to knock before entering, Owen?" Ace asked calmly.
"When His Majesty finally brings home a mate," Owen replied, grinning devilishly.
"The previous mates I brought home didn't stop you from waltzing in whenever you pleased."
"None of them stayed in this bedroom," Owen countered smoothly. "You always used the west wing, and you never marked anyone, Your Majesty."
Ace smiled lazily. Owen was right.
He had never brought anyone into his sanctuary. Every woman he had considered mating with had stayed in the west wing, never allowed near his personal quarters. And none of them had lasted. Some left broken. Others left dead.
A dominant alpha could only mate with a dominant omega—only their constitution could withstand his own. Ace had searched for one for years, then eventually stopped. He had accepted the truth
long ago.
He would die alone.
Living too long without a mate would inevitably lead him to madness. He knew that better than anyone. His only remaining focus was to put everything in order before that day came.
He had less than ten years left.
Before madness could claim him, Owen would plunge a knife into his heart. Ace had made him swear it, and had even forced him to sign a binding contract. Better death than becoming a monster who slaughtered the very people he had sworn to protect.
His brother, the Duke of Vinland, was not fit to rule after him. Yet Ace could not kill him without proof—proof of corruption, proof of treason, proof of an attempt to usurp the throne. Only then would execution be justified.
Ace sighed and ran a hand through his silver hair, slicking it back.
"Is the security team ready?" he asked.
"Yes, Your Majesty. Five alphas will accompany us today. Since we're in the imperial city, we're keeping it minimal. The remaining units are following standard protocol and guarding all major points."
"Let's go."
Ace was already irritated by the meeting. He saw no reason to sit with nobles and ministers to discuss which pieces of jewelry should be sold at a fundraiser. To him, they were all the same—greedy, calculating, and self-serving.
He stepped out of his bedroom, Owen and the rest of the security team falling into formation behind him.
None of the palace staff had known when he returned the night before. But this morning, they were well aware of his presence. Ace deliberately let a faint trace of his pheromones, sandalwood and whiskey, slip into the air.
Mild for him.
For anyone below alpha rank, it was suffocating.
He did it intentionally. A reminder of who he was. A reminder of why betrayal was unthinkable.
As he walked through the halls, staff members dropped into practiced obedience. Men bowed their heads; women curtsied. It was royal law, one that applied to everyone within his territory, including visitors.
Outside, the limousine waited. The chauffeur stood at attention, bowing deeply as Ace approached and opening the door without delay. Royalty demanded decorum, and everyone who served the crown understood that.
The engine came to life, and soon they were on their way to the design building. The drive took thirty minutes.
Ace knew his arrival had been announced ahead of time. Staff filled the reception area, greeting him with bows and curtsies as he passed. He acknowledged them with a brief nod and headed straight for the elevator with his security detail.
The doors had just begun to close when someone suddenly ran in.
A girl.
She had curly red hair and moved with reckless urgency, barging into the elevator without a glance behind her. She neither bowed nor curtsied. She did not acknowledge his presence in the slightest.
She didn't even flinch.
Ace's eyes darkened instantly.
_
I entered the elevator, already impatient. I wanted to get this meeting over with as quickly as possible. Nothing could have prepared me for what happened next.
A young woman with curly red hair rushed into the elevator, oblivious to everything around her. She showed no fear, no submission, nothing. And worse…
She was a dominant omega.
My blood ran cold.
Owen immediately moved to intervene. She had breached protocol. In Zorak, no one came that close to the king unless summoned, or unless they were an officer, a noble, or a minister. I raised my hand, signaling him to stop.
Her scent was strange. Incomplete. Suppressed, but undeniably there. I could taste it in the air. She didn't react to me at all, didn't sense my presence, didn't feel my pressure.
She was smiling, lost in her own world, untouched by the danger she stood in.
A dominant omega. In my territory.
And I knew nothing about her. The elevator stopped at her floor, and she hurried out without a second glance.
Owen stared at me, clearly confused by my reaction, or lack of one.
"Get me everything you can find on her," I ordered quietly. "In the next ten minutes."
Owen looked surprised but said nothing. He turned to leave.
"Discreetly," I added.
He nodded once and disappeared.
The meeting took place in the conference hall. I sat at the head of the long table, my posture relaxed, my expression indifferent. Inside, my mind was in turmoil.
How could a dominant omega exist in my territory without my knowledge?
I let out a dark chuckle. Was someone playing a dangerous game with me, or was fate finally mocking me?
"I need a drink. Whiskey. Neat," I told one of the waiters positioned to serve us.
As I waited, my fingers tapped rhythmically against the table, echoing the unrest in my mind.
Soon, the director, Lucas, entered.
"Your Majesty, all officials have arrived and are requesting permission to begin."
I nodded absently.
The prime minister entered with several nobles and officials. The hall could seat over a hundred people, and it quickly filled with murmured greetings and reverent bows.
I acknowledged them absently.My mind was no longer in the room.It was following a red-haired omega whose presence consumed my very thought