Ellis Roselle — POV
How is this even possible?
The question repeats with every step I take, echoing through my skull louder than my hurried footsteps. My shoes strike the polished marble floor too hard, too fast, the sharp sound cutting through the Roselle mansion like a warning.
Portraits of my ancestors line the hallway—proud Alphas, sharp eyes, arrogant smiles.
Men who ruled. Men who were never controlled.
My hands curl into fists at my sides. Heat crawls beneath my skin, climbing my spine, settling heavy behind my eyes.
This doesn't happen to me.
It can't.
Not to Ellis Roselle.
The living room door is in front of me before I realize it.
I don't knock.
I don't pause.
I shove the door open with enough force that the sound cracks through the mansion's peaceful silence.
Sharp.
Violent.
For a split second, something reacts.
My mother flinches—barely.
Her cat flinches violently, claws digging into her sleeve.
I step inside.
The air feels thicker here. Heavier. Like it knows what's coming.
My gaze snaps to them, anger burning so hot it sharpens everything around me.
Father—Elias Roselle—sits composed, one leg crossed over the other, swirling deep red wine in a crystal glass.
Calm. Untouched.
As if my world isn't cracking open right now.
Beside him, my mother, Levinia Roselle, strokes her Persian cat with slow, measured movements.
"Shh, Neno, baby," she murmurs, pressing a kiss to its head.
"Everything is fine."
Fine.
She finally looks at me, the tilt of her head betraying her focus for a fleeting moment before drifting back to the cat.
"Ellis… you scared Neno."
I let out a short, humorless breath and drop onto the couch opposite them.
Of course.
The cat matters more than her son.
I study them more carefully now—and then I see it.
Black. Expensive.
Sunglasses.
Of course.
They're avoiding eye contact. Blocking me out on purpose.
My ability hums under my skin, restless, annoyed.
Reading minds has always been as natural to me as breathing—but only if they let me look.
My mother tilts her head slightly, her voice soft and falsely concerned.
"Why does your anger burn so brightly, son?"
The word irritates me more than it should.
"You arranged my marriage," I say flatly.
"With a Beta. Without telling me. And you still expect me to sit here calmly?"
The room goes quiet.
They exchange a glance—quick, silent, practiced.
My mother turns back to me, confusion carefully painted onto her features.
"Who told you that?"
I lean back, spreading my arms across the couch, forcing myself to appear relaxed when my chest feels tight.
"Big brother. He told me everything you've been planning in secret."
Father sets his wine glass on the table with deliberate care. The faint clink echoes too loudly.
"Everic really can't keep his mouth shut," he mutters.
Something sharp snaps inside me. "How could you do this to me?"
"We are your parents," Father replies calmly. "We have the right to make decisions for you."
The words ignite my anger completely.
"You have no right to choose my life partner," I snap. "Especially not a Beta." I turn my face away, jaw clenched. "I hate Betas."
I always have.
No scent. No presence.
No pheromones to respond to.
Empty.
Mother exhales softly. "Son, we're doing this for your own good."
I turn back to her slowly, a cold smile pulling at my lips. "If it's really for my good… then take off your sunglasses."
Silence crashes down between us.
Neither of them moves.
My smile sharpens. "You can't, can you? Because if you do, I'll see the truth behind this sudden marriage."
Father sighs, irritation slipping through his calm. "Ellis, you're being disrespectful."
Disrespectful?
I lean forward, voice rising. "You're ruining my life! And I can't even be disrespectful!"
"I'm Ellis Roselle—an SS-class Alpha. You're destroying my image by forcing me to marry a Beta!"
I pause, letting the words sink.
"I will not… agree."
"I've already given my promise," Father says firmly. "You have no choice."
"No," I snap. "No means no."
"Don't be stubborn," Mother says, her voice pleading now.
"Be good to us."
My hands clench tighter. "You force me into a marriage I don't want, and then tell me to be good?"
She hesitates, then tries again, desperation creeping in. "Even if he's a Beta, he's perfect for you. He's the second heir of the Stoneheart family. Smart. Intelligent. Good-looking—"
Before she can finish, Father slides a file across the table.
It stops directly in front of me.
Thick. Heavy.
Like a sentence being passed.
"In there is everything about him," Father says.
"See for yourself."
I stare at the file but don't touch it. My chest feels tight, my breath shallow.
"Why can't you understand one simple thing?" My voice drops, exhaustion seeping in beneath the anger.
"I don't want to marry a Beta. I hate them."
I rub my temple slowly, forcing my breathing to steady. "Find me a rare Omega," I say quietly. "With the sweetest pheromones. I'll marry without complaint. But this—"
I gesture at the file. "This is my final decision."
Father's voice hardens. "We are not asking. We are telling."
My stomach sinks.
"The date is set. Next week. Your bride will arrive in Crystal Country."
A pause. "I expect you to treat him well."
Bride.
The word feels wrong.
Heavy.
Suffocating.
I stare at them, something inside me cracking, a question rising unbidden.
Am I really their son?
Or just an asset?
I stand abruptly, the chair scraping softly against the floor.
"No means no!"
I shout. "I will not do this marriage—no matter what happens!"
I turn toward the door, my vision burning, pride the only thing keeping my spine straight.
Then—
"What if I disown you?"
The words slice cleanly through me.
My steps stop.
My body freezes.
To be continued....
"Welcome to my new world! A stubborn SS-class Alpha and a mysterious mute Beta await—hope you enjoy, and please support me with your love!"
Meowly 🐾