Trigger Warning ⚠️
Eiran frowned slightly. "A visitor, Young master ?"
Yes," Sion answered, folding the letter neatly before slipping it into his inner pocket. His smile was faint, unreadable. "Though it's unclear when they'll arrive."
That alone was enough to unsettle Eiran, but Sion only leaned back against the chair, eyes half-lidded as sunlight spilled across the room. After resting for a short while, he stood and stretched again.
"Come on," he said lightly. "It's almost time to prepare lunch."
Despite his status or former status,Sion had learned many things since leaving the palace. Farming was one of them. Cooking was another.
Without a chef or maid, meals depended entirely on the two of them. Over time, Sion learned how to prepare simple dishes using fresh ingredients from their own fields. It wasn't luxury, but it was warm.
Today's meal was modest but comforting: freshly baked bread served with butter and honey, roasted chicken seasoned with herbs, fresh peas tossed with mint, and a few simple herb sauces. For dessert—something he planned to bring later to the orphanage,he intended to make a strawberry tart.
Eiran handled the more complicated tasks, while Sion focused on what he could manage.
"I'll get the ingredients," Sion said, already heading toward the smallholding.
The late morning air was warm, the scent of soil and greenery thick around him. He moved carefully between the rows of vegetables, brushing aside leaves with practiced hands, testing ripeness by touch before committing. He twisted each stem free rather than pulling, lowering the fruit into his basket as if it might bruise at a careless breath. Tomatoes glistened under the sun, warm and heavy in his palm. Strawberries peeked shyly beneath their leaves, lifted one by one, gathered with the patience reserved for fragile things
For a moment, everything was peaceful.
"M—Master Sion…"
The voice was shaky, breath uneven.
Sion turned sharply—and immediately covered his nose.
The scent hit him all at once.
It's an alpha pheremones.Thick and unstable.
His heart dropped.
"You—why are you still here?" Sion demanded, struggling to pull free. "You're not supposed to be—"
"I—I'm sorry,huff, huff" the worker stammered. He stepped closer, eyes unfocused. "I left something behind. I came back for it, and then… I started feeling strange.I feel unwell."
Sion's grip tightened as alarm spread through his body.
"And then I saw you," the man continued. "I don't know why, but I was drawn to you.To your scent ."
The world tilted.
Sion's back hit the ground as the man stumbled forward, his weight crushing down. The scent intensified, overwhelming, choking. Sion's hands shook as he tried to push him away, strength draining from his limbs.
Pheromones pressed in from all sides.
He hated this.
"I'm grateful," the man muttered hoarsely. "The fact that you save me and give me this job..huff."
Sion struggled, panic rising. "G-get away from me," he snapped. "You're not thinking clearly."
"But… I was always curious," the man went on, voice slurring. "About the rumors."
Sion's blood ran cold.
"They say you sold yourself for this land," the worker whispered. "At first, I didn't believe it. You don't look like an omega."
Sion gritted his teeth, body trembling.
"But I guess your pretty face gives it away."
The pressure increased.
Sion struggled desperately as the man is about to do something unspeakable.
That was the moment Sion knew he couldn't hesitate.
His body was already reacting—against his will. His scent wavered dangerously. If this continued, he would lose control.
No.
His hand scraped against the dirt.
Something solid.Then... he felt something .
A stone.Or maybe a small rock .
Without hesitation, Sion swung.
The impact was dull and sickening. The man collapsed instantly, unconscious.
Silence followed—broken only by Sion's ragged breathing.
His vision swam and his hands shook as he pushed himself upright, legs barely supporting his weight. Each step toward the house felt endless, his feet dragging through the dirt.
When Eiran saw him not far away from the entrance, words died in his throat.
He rushed forward instantly. "Young master—!"
Sion didn't answer. He barely registered being supported, barely noticed when Eiran guided him into the house and laid him down on the bed.
Eiran fumbled through the cabinet to find the suppressants.His hands were unsteady as handed them over.
Sion swallowed one immediately.
Even as the suppressant began to work a little, shame burned deep in his gut.
"I hit him," Sion said quietly. "Hard."
Eiran stiffened. "Who?"
"The worker." Sion turned his face away. "Go. Check on him. Make sure he's alive."
"But—"
"I'll be fine," Sion insisted, already reaching for another vial. "Go."
Eiran hesitated, torn, then nodded and hurried out.
Left alone, Sion sat in silence.
The suppressant worked—but not enough.He then start pleasuring himself .But no matter how many time he did it ,his body still burned. His instincts screamed to find an alpha to satisfy him . The reaction lingered, cruel and unwanted.
With shaking fingers, he took another dose.
He knew it was dangerous.
But he didn't care.
As the haze finally settled, Sion pressed a hand against his eyes, swallowing down the bitterness rising in his chest.
This wasn't the first incident.
And it wouldn't be the last.
He hated it.
Hated how his body betrayed him no matter how strong his mind was. Hated how alphas reacted to him even when he did nothing wrong. Hated the weakness forced upon him.
Once, he had been an alpha too.
Now he was just an omega.
A recessive omega.
One who could be dragged into ruin at any moment.
Sion lay back against the pillows, staring at the ceiling, jaw clenched.
I won't let this break me, hethought.