The air smelled rich and warm—more than anything Eirian had ever known. His father's hand pressed against his back, not in love or comfort, but to shove him forward, to place him between a beta woman and another omega male.
Their scents were strong and distinct. From the aroma, Eirian immediately recognized the omega—Sandstorm pack, known for their fiery tempers and warm blood. The omega wore soft, sand-colored clothing, while the beta beside him donned a crisp, cool green. Eirian himself had only a simple silver gown, open at the back with long, flowing sleeves.
He stole a glance at his father, Edmund Rosario. Cold eyes. One hand rested carefully on his sister's back—the golden child, the perfect Rosario heir.
He remembered the letter from the palace the day it had arrived, his family trembling with anticipation. He had spent the morning fetching water for the animals, the cold biting his fingers, while his sister lounged in the mansion's warmth. When he returned, his father had looked at him with nothing but disdain.
"The palace has summoned the Rosarios to the crown prince's ball to find his mate," Edmund had said, voice sharp as ice. "They asked for your sister... but you're too old to remain unmarked. You will take her place, and if you're lucky, I won't kill you."
Now, standing among the other nobles, Eirian tried to hide his hands. His wolf whimpered inside him, frightened and confused by all the scents and faces. He kept his eyes down, focusing on the polished floor beneath his feet.
Heavy boots echoed across the hall as the crown prince walked past the candidates, one by one. The others trembled with excitement, whispers of awe and fear trailing behind him.
Eirian stayed still.
Ignored.
Invisible.
Then the steps stopped.
Two fingers pressed gently against his chin, lifting his face. Pink eyes like roses met deep golden-brown eyes that seemed to pierce straight through him.
"I choose you."
The words hung in the air, heavy and impossibly loud in Eirian's mind. I choose you.
The world seemed to tilt slightly as he tried to process it. Every instinct screamed to flee, to hide in the cold shadows of his father's estate, but two hands—firm, deliberate, impossibly strong—grasped his arms. The prince's grip was controlled, commanding, yet... there was something else beneath it. Possession. Expectation. Authority.
"Y-yes, Your Highness," Eirian whispered, barely above the sound of his own racing heartbeat. His cheeks burned with embarrassment. The whispers from the crowd felt like tiny needles pricking at his skin. The omega beside him froze, eyes wide with envy. The beta in green gave him a subtle nod of respect—or was it relief? Eirian couldn't tell.
Ryuu's golden eyes never left his face. Slowly, deliberately, he turned, leading Eirian through the hall. Each step echoed against the marble, every noble's gaze boring into them. Eirian felt like prey on display, a delicate creature paraded before predators he could barely comprehend.
His mind raced with thoughts of his father. You take her place... if you're lucky I won't kill you.
Lucky? He felt anything but lucky.
Ryuu didn't speak as they walked. His silence was suffocating, yet there was an odd rhythm to it—as if every step, every measured breath, was part of a ritual Eirian wasn't yet allowed to understand.
Finally, they stopped before a grand set of doors that gleamed under the chandelier's icy light. Ryuu released one hand from Eirian's arm but kept his gaze locked on him.
"You will be treated with the respect your position requires," Ryuu said, voice low, unyielding. "Do not embarrass yourself... or me."
Eirian nodded, swallowing hard. His throat felt dry. Respect... or death, he thought bitterly. He wasn't even sure he belonged here. Nobles whispered behind fans and hands, their eyes flicking from him to the prince like he were a delicate artifact they could either admire or crush.
Yet, despite the fear knotting his chest, a small, strange warmth stirred in Eirian's belly. The prince's attention—cold, sharp, and consuming—made him feel... noticed. Seen. Something Eirian had not felt in years, not since childhood, not even from the rare moments of kindness from servants or distant relatives.
Ryuu leaned slightly closer, voice dropping into a whisper that brushed against Eirian's ear:
"You are mine. Remember that."
Eirian's heart nearly stopped. His wolf whimpered, confused and electrified by the command, by the scent, by the unyielding dominance pressing into him. Mine?
The prince straightened, his golden eyes sweeping over the gathered nobles. "Let this be known. The Winter Mate of the crown prince has been chosen."
A murmur ran through the room. Some noblewomen pouted in disappointment; young omegas looked at him with envy; betas scowled. Eirian tried to shrink further into himself, but Ryuu's hand found the small of his back, guiding him forward with precise, unyielding control.
Winter Mate. The words repeated in Eirian's mind. He didn't understand what it meant... not fully. But he knew one thing: from this moment, his life would never be his own again.
And the prince... the prince wanted him.
Ryuu's hand remained firm on Eirian's back as they walked through the palace corridors. Every surface gleamed, every torch flickered in perfect rhythm, as if the entire hall were holding its breath in anticipation. Eirian's steps felt unsteady on the polished marble, his heart hammering in his chest.
"You walk like an omega who's never seen a palace before," Ryuu said, his voice low, carrying an edge that made Eirian shiver. It wasn't cruel... exactly. But it wasn't gentle either. It was command, and Eirian's wolf responded instinctively, a soft whine vibrating in his chest.
"I—I'm not used to this, Your Highness," Eirian admitted, his pink-rose eyes lowered, eyelashes brushing his cheeks. His voice trembled more than he expected.
Ryuu's grip tightened slightly, just enough to make Eirian's knees weaken. "No excuses," he murmured. "You are mine now. Do not forget it."
Eirian swallowed hard, his stomach twisting at the possessiveness in Ryuu's tone. Mine. The word echoed in his mind, leaving a strange warmth that mixed with the fear knotting his chest. He had never belonged to anyone—not truly. And now... somehow, he did.
The prince led him into a suite that overlooked the frozen gardens. Snow fell gently outside, blanketing the grounds in silver. The room was lavish yet cold, dominated by dark wood and polished stone. A single fire burned in the hearth, small but alive, throwing shadows that danced across Ryuu's sharp features.
Ryuu released Eirian's back, stepping close enough that Eirian could feel the heat radiating off him. The prince's golden eyes studied him carefully, examining every inch of his delicate form as if memorizing him.
"You will sleep here tonight," Ryuu said, voice softer now, but still firm. "And tomorrow... we begin the training you need to survive at my side."
Eirian's lips parted, unsure whether to respond. His wolf whimpered again, sensing the intensity radiating from Ryuu. Every instinct told him to retreat, but every nerve also screamed to lean in, to stay close.
Ryuu moved a fraction closer, just close enough that Eirian could feel the subtle scent of him—musky, commanding, with a faint undertone of smoke. The warmth of the alpha pressed into the omega's senses, making his cheeks flush, his breath catch.
"Do you understand?" Ryuu asked, his voice dropping to a near whisper, so intimate it felt like it was inside Eirian's mind.
"I... yes, Your Highness," Eirian stammered, unable to meet the intensity of those golden eyes.
Ryuu tilted his head slightly, his hand brushing against Eirian's hair—not enough to touch fully, but enough to make the omega's skin prickle with awareness. "Good," he said softly. "You belong to me now. Remember that. Always."
Eirian's heart thudded painfully in his chest. Belong to him... The thought was frightening, yet there was an undeniable pull, a thread of heat and safety and danger that made him ache in ways he didn't understand.
The prince straightened, the intimate closeness replaced by his usual cold composure, and gestured toward the bed. "Rest. Tomorrow begins your new life."
Eirian nodded, still trembling, his wolf whimpering softly inside him. As he laid down, eyes on the flickering fire, he realized that he had just stepped into a world where everything he had feared—and secretly longed for—was now within reach.
Ryuu had chosen him.
And Eirian had no choice but to obey... and maybe, somehow, to desire him in return.