Celestio’s heart sank, though he kept his expression calm. He recognized the man – Lord Darion, a minor noble from the western lands, known for his ambition and lack of subtlety. An invaluable ally to the crown, unfortunately. His interview had painted him as unremarkable, and he had been seated about a dozen places away from Edess. He seemed to take a few of the castle’s servants as his personal attendants, but he hadn’t make any other impression during the banquet.

  Now, Darion’s lips curled into a smirk as he approached the Omega, his steps slow and deliberate.

  “Well,” Darion said, his voice low and smooth. “Sir Celestio, taking a moment to yourself? I was shocked to see His Highness without you at his side. It must be exhausting, standing by him all evening and maintaining your composure in a room filled to the brim with Alphas.”

  Celestio inclined his head slightly, his tone polite but distant. “His Highness’s needs take precedence over mine, Lord Darion.”

  Darion chuckled, a sound that sent a shiver down Celestio’s spine. This was the worst type of Alpha. “Always so dedicated. If only all Alphas could have an Omega as loyal as you. But even you must need a break from time to time.”

  “And my break is ended,” Celestio said firmly. “I must return to the banquet. His Highness will notice my absence if I remain here any longer.”

  Darion stepped even closer, his smirk widening. “I’m sure he will survive without you for a few more moments. You’re a rare sight, Sir Celestio. An Omega navigating the treacherous waters of court politics with such grace. It’s no wonder His Highness keeps you so close – he would be a fool to allow you to fall into another Alpha’s arms.”

  Or another Alpha’s bed, he meant. Celestio’s jaw tightened at the insinuation towards his prince. “Prince Edess highly values loyalty and competence,” he said evenly. “As does the kingdom. I am sure His Highness would be graceful enough to forgive minor transgressions from a lord such as yourself; but only at my recommendation.”

  Darion leaned in. The stench of his pheromones drifted into Celestio’s nose as the Alpha’s voice dropped to a conspiratorial murmur. “Is that what your kind calls it these days? Loyalty? The way he looks at you…. Any Alpha might think the service you offer is more than mere duty.”

  Celestio’s heart pounded in his chest. He met Darion’s gaze directly, his own expression unyielding. “Your imagination is vivid, Lord Darion,” he said sharply. “But I would caution you against indulging in baseless speculation. It does not reflect well on you.”

  Darion’s smirk seemed to falter for a moment, replaced by a flicker of irritation. “Of course,” he said, stepping back as though conceding the point. “Forgive me, Sir Celestio. I forget myself.”

  Celestio inclined his head, the gesture curt and dismissive. “If you will excuse me, I must return to my place beside His Highness.”

  Celestio turned and walked briskly back toward the banquet hall. He could feel Darion’s gaze on him as he went, the weight of it heavy and intrusive, but he didn’t look back. His steps were measured and precise, but he still felt feverish with unease. He only had to hold out for another hour or so – the castle’s guard would be able to escort Edess back to his chambers at the end of the night, once most of the guests had retired to their rooms and security would not be so heavily needed in the banquet hall.

  The familiar warmth and light of the banquet hall enveloped Celestio as he re-entered, the sounds of music and laughter washing over him again. Some of the guests and musicians had indeed departed, but there were still enough guests to determine that the party was far from over. He paused near the entrance, allowing himself to recalibrate. He adjusted his posture, smoothing his sleeves and straightening his collar before stepping back into the fray.

  Prince Edess was still seated at the head of the table, engaged in deep conversation with a group of nearby nobles. His expression was relaxed but impatient. His eyes flicked to Celestio as the advisor approached, a subtle question in the prince’s gaze. Celestio responded with a slight nod, reassuring his prince that all was well.

  And yet, as Celestio resumed his place by the prince’s side, he couldn’t shake the lingering tension in his chest. Darion’s words echoed faintly in his mind, a reminder of the precariousness of his position. He was the prince’s most trusted advisor, a role he had fought to earn and continued to protect; he was not the prince’s Omega – that was a role fulfilled by the prince’s future spouse or concubine. Most royalty and some lords had an assortment of Omega concubines, but Celestio couldn’t picture Edess with a relationship like that, and certainly not with him.

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  The banquet began to lose some of its earlier formality, the edges of propriety softening as the evening wore on and the wine flowed freely. The conversations grew fewer but louder, the laughter more frequent, and the air itself seemed to hum with the heavy mix of alcohol and merriment. The prince, remaining seated at the head of the table, was no exception. His goblet had been refilled several times and his usual air of calm authority had given way to something looser.

  Celestio stood by the wall near Prince Edess, close enough to keep an eye on the young man but still give him privacy in his conversations. The remaining nobles were in high spirits, their movements and expressions betraying the effects of the wine graciously provided by the rival vintners. It was a scene of revelry, but Celestio knew better than to let his guard down despite the joyous atmosphere.

  The air was hot and stifling, and he tolerated it for as long as he could. By then, the hall had emptied even more and only a few small groups remained at the table. The only person Celestio could focus on was Edess. When he couldn’t stand the sweltering room any longer, he leaned in towards the prince and spoke quietly. “Your Highness, I’m going to check on the castle’s security. I want to ensure everything remains in order.”

  Edess turned to him, his expression soft and slightly unfocused. His cheeks were flushed almost as much as Celestio imagined his own face to be, and there was a lopsided smile on his lips. “Always so diligent,” he murmured, his words just a touch slurred. He reached out, his fingers brushing along Celestio’s sleeve before closing around the fabric gently. “But you should relax, Celestio. After you’ve done your rounds, take a moment for yourself.”

  Celestio smiled down at him. “Your Highness, I –”

  Edess interrupted, his eyes narrowing slightly as he leaned closer. “You know,” he said, his slurred voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper, “I was wrong. I can smell your pheromones, and they are delicious.”

  The words hit Celestio like a hammer. He fought to maintain his composure, though he couldn’t stop himself from swallowing a lump in his throat. He kept his voice carefully neutral as he replied, “I assure you, Your Highness, I have taken the necessary precautions. It shouldn’t be noticeable to anyone else.”

  The prince released his sleeve with a soft chuckle, leaning back in his chair. “It’s faint,” he said, his tone light and teasing. “But you should keep an eye on yourself, Celestio. You’re too valuable to me to risk losing you to an inferior Alpha like one of these.”

  Celestio bowed his head, his mind racing even as he forced himself to remain outwardly calm. “Thank you for your concern, Your Highness. I will be cautious.”

  As he turned to leave, the prince’s laughter joined the chorus of voices at the table. Celestio glanced back briefly, his brows furrowing. The words were indistinct, lost in the din of the banquet, but he heard the unmistakable cadence of jokes and laughter… and words about Omegas. His chest tightened, but he didn’t pause. He needed to get out of the hall.

  The castle was a different world at night. The quiet stillness of stone corridors and the soft flicker of lanterns with the cooler air was one of Celestio’s favorite times. Especially tonight; it was a welcome contrast to the oppressive heat and noise of Edess’s party.

  Celestio moved with purpose, his steps light and soundless. His first stop was the main gates, where two guards reported that nothing was amiss. Satisfied, he moved on, his path taking him through the castle’s key points of entry and exit. At each post, the guards reported the same: nothing out of the ordinary.

  Despite the reassuring reports, Celestio couldn’t shake the unease that lingered at the edge of his thoughts. Edess’s words about his pheromones replayed in his mind, a quiet reminder of the risks he faced. He had been so careful, so meticulous in managing his condition, but even the faintest lapse could draw unwanted attention. In a room full of powerful Alphas, attention was the last thing he wanted. The deluge of pheromones was likely the culprit for his physical unease, although he still felt unwell after being in the cool air away from the nobles and their smells.

  As Celestio made his way back to the banquet hall for the final time that night, he allowed himself a brief moment of reflection. The night was winding down, and soon all of the guests would retire to their rooms. The banquet had been a success, a testament to the prince’s leadership and Celestio’s careful planning. But the weight of his position – the constant scrutiny, the delicate balance of power, the ever-present danger of being an Omega in a world dominated by Alphas – was a burden he couldn’t ignore.

  When Celestio stepped back into the main hall, the atmosphere had shifted. The once-vibrant energy of the evening was now a languid haze. The candles lining the walls and adorning the long tables were nearly burnt out, their flames flickering weakly and casting uneven shadows across the room. The golden glow that had bathed the hall earlier was now dim, leaving patches of the space in near-darkness.

  Only a few nobles remained in the hall, seated in clusters or sprawled drunkenly in their chairs while servants tried coaxing them to return to their rooms. Empty goblets and half-eaten platters littered the table. The air was thick with the pungent scent of spiced wine and the unmistakable odor of hungry Alpha pheromones. It hit Celestio like a physical force that made his head spin.

  He froze for a moment, his body instinctively stiffening as his senses were assaulted.

  Something was wrong.