Chapter 69: 3.9 et Again
"This is a very rare case, Your Highness." Oliver recalled the royal doctor’s words. "Usually, the beast sign will appear on our body upon birth but there’s a few cases where they will appear when soone is exposed to a dominant Alpha’s pheromones, just like you. There’s even a 1 in 10000 chance that a Beta could turn into an Oga. Congratulations, Young Master. This is a joyful event worth celebrating."
The doctor’s expression was so excited that Oliver felt as if the one who grew a tail wasn’t him but the doctor instead. He even added. "Please take note that your condition is still very unstable. You should get more of that Alpha’s pheromones to stabilize your heat and also to see if more beast signs will pop up. Go for it, Your Highness! It’s even better if you two beco mates!"
Oliver buried his face into his palms, groaning. Get more of the Alpha’s pheromones? Beco mates? Hell, he couldn’t even find the so-called Alpha anywhere and his proposal was rejected even when he was in heat! What kind of Alpha was able to reject an Oga in heat? It’s not like Altair’s body didn’t react, Oliver grumbled inwardly. Or was he that unattractive that the Alpha couldn’t even bear to have sex with him?!
"Why are you sighing again?" Haga asked worriedly. "You have been acting weird ever since you returned. Isn’t it good that there’s nothing wrong with your body?"
Oliver instantly straightened up and put on a poker face. "What are you talking about? I did no such thing."
"Don’t lie." The nanny laughed. "It has all been written on your face. And what was the doctor talking about? An Alpha’s pheromones? You chanced upon an Alpha during your heat?" Her wrinkled face turned worried.
"No, I an—" Oliver got tongue-tied. How did he explain Altair’s presence to her? Most importantly, how did he explain the matter of him coming back in one piece if that was the case? An Alpha that could resist an Oga in heat and still act courteous with them with a sane mind... Could Haga even believe that kind of ridiculous nonsense?
He hadn’t thought of any excuse yet when a series of knocks resounded through the room. It was a high ranked servant who usually served the Main Palace. Oliver’s building was the furthest from the Main Palace—almost detached—and no one would even pass by so it was weird to see the servant here. He stood up, frowning. "What’s wrong?"
"Congratulations, Your Highness. The Emperor has heard of your good news and requests you to co to the dining hall as soon as possible."
"Dining hall?" It was Haga who asked. Her face was even more somber than Oliver. "What does the Emperor need His Highness for? He doesn’t usually use the dining hall unless there are guests."
"The envoys from Versatine Kingdom are here."
Haga scoffed. "Ha! Now that you have started to show prominent beast signs, the Emperor suddenly rembers you—"
"Haga." Oliver patted the old nanny’s arm to stop her. "It’s okay. It’s one of my responsibilities as the prince." His sentence received a glare from Haga. They both knew that it was nonsense. The Emperor had never cared about Oliver and if not for the monthly expenses and this small building he lived in, Oliver had even thought that his father had forgotten this oga son of his. Yet now he suddenly asked for his presence? What excuse would there be? Of course now that he had shown potential of evolving even more, the Emperor finally assud that he was good enough to be displayed to the guests—similar to so kind of victory trophy. Oliver sneered inwardly but still nodded toward the waiting servant. "Tell my father that I will be there soon."
"As you wish, Your Highness." The servant bowed and excused himself.
"Oliv..." Haga looked at him worriedly.
"It’s okay, Haga. Prepare my attire, please. I can’t afford to embarrass Alaze, can I?" Oliver forced out a smile. What did he expect? His father was exactly that kind of person. He only judged soone’s potential by the beast signs on their bodies. Sadly, his oga father just had to fall for this kind of scumbag. Sigh, his oga father should have gone to look for soone better, soone who was gentle, considerate but still hot and sexy as hell. Just like...Altair.
Oliver shook his head hard to disperse the thought. Why did he think of that stupid Alpha again?! He changed his clothes with a belly of grumbles and made his way to the dining hall after ensuring Haga for the nth tis that he would do just fine. Looking around at the grandeur luxury that was so contrary to his humble abode, Oliver couldn’t help but feel nervous. This would be his first ti making an appearance as a prince and he ought to endure as his Emperor father promoted him like a good to be sold. Just thinking about it made him exhausted. He should have told Haga to prepare an indigestion pill earlier.
The servant stopped at the door and bowed. "They are inside, Your Highness."
Oliver took in a deep breath and knocked on the door. "Father, it’s ."
An overly enthusiastic answer ca from within and goosebumps erupted along Oliver’s arms. He had never heard his father sound so...jubilant before. Not to the other guests, his concubine Ogas, and certainly not to himself. It made him wonder what kind of guests were the envoys from the Versatine Kingdom. Oliver hoped that they weren’t old patriotic n who thought too highly of themselves, just like Haga described them to be. He took one last deep breath and pushed open the door. In an instant, his eyes didn’t land on his Emperor father’s huge body or his half sister Rosemane’s overly shocked face but instead...on a pair of spiral horns atop of the beastman whose back was facing him.
Those horns... His eyes trailed down. And those extensive breathtaking wings. The breath that hadn’t been exhaled got stuck in his throat, causing Oliver to cough. The man noticed his presence and turned around and Oliver was promptly t with a pair of extrely familiar silver eyes which kept haunted his dreams these past few days.
Oliver couldn’t take his eyes off. His heart lurched inside his chest before starting to beat faster and faster. He knew that he had sworn to teach the Alpha a lesson if they were to et again yet Oliver couldn’t rember any of it. There was only happiness. Imnse burst of happiness to the point he felt light-headed. "You—"
The Alpha stood up and under Oliver’s spellbound gaze, offered a hand. "We et again, Your Highness." He said in that deep voice that struck a chord in Oliver’s chest.
"Oh? So you know each other already?" Emperor Bernard asked, pleasantly surprised. "Such a good coincidence that is!"
"When I first arrived here, I got lost once and His Highness kindly showed
the way. I owe him for that." Of course they knew that it was a lie. With those wings on his back, getting lost would be the last thing he had ever experienced but no one said a word. It wasn’t important what kind of encounter they had anyway. What mattered the most was how the envoy seed to have a good impression on Prince Oliver.
Oliver himself was stunned. Why did Altair lie? Oliver hadn’t shown him direction before. But then in the next second, he got the answer himself. Saying the truth would only put the Oga at a disadvantage. Not realizing his heat had arrived and let himself be carried away by an unfamiliar Alpha and returned unmarked, what would his father Emperor say regarding that? Altair lied...to protect Oliver’s dignity. To protect himself. The realization caused Oliver’s heart to tighten, it felt both sweet and painful at the sa ti.
Perhaps to help Oliver whose entire body was frozen in place, the Alpha himself reached out to grab his hand and led him to his seat. Oliver sat down numbly, still feeling the lingering coldness on his hand. As always, Altair’s skin would be cold at first—maybe because of his genetics as a flying animal—but gradually, it would turn hotter and hotter until the end, Oliver would be scorched by the heat emanating from it. His cheeks burned from the mory of last ti and he only snapped out of it when he sensed a sharp glare coming his way.
Oliver lifted his head to see Rosemane glaring at him spitefully. He raised a brow. Now this was rare.
Throughout his life, Rosemane was the one who always got the best of everything and if she didn’t, then she would expend every last bit of effort to make it hers. That made her grow up to be a bold, confident Oga—a total contrast to how Oliver was. All these tis, Oliver had always steered clear of her way so as to not cause any problem but... He clenched his fists. This ti, he wasn’t willing to do that. As he expected, a beastman like Altair would have a line of suitors behind his back, his charm was just too overwhelming and Rosemane was one of his victims.
He returned with a determined look which made Rosemane’s eyes widen in surprise. Why should he give way to her? He was also an Oga and a royalty at that. Moreover, Altair himself had promised to consider him as a mate. This ti, Oliver wouldn’t back down!
"My beloved child Oliver is also a very beautiful Oga. Look, he has just grown a tail on his first heat. Who knows? Maybe he will show more and more beast signs in the future!" The Emperor shot Oliver an approving look, laughing. Different from a few minutes ago where Oliver thought he would exert all his willpower not to show his disgust, he puffed out his chest and shot Altair a smug look which said, "Hear that? I am an Oga with huge potential!"
Lu Yizhou brought the wine glass to his lips and sipped on crimson liquid slowly, eyes landing on the overly proud black kitten, mirthful. "Yes." He said, surprising everyone in the room. "His Highness Oliver is very adorable indeed."
Oliver’s mind exploded into bits of pieces. W—W—What did that stupid Alpha just say?! In front of his father at that! Shaless! How shaless! He lowered his eyes and pressed the corner of his lips tightly to prevent it from curling up. It seed like he had thought too much. It wasn’t that Altair didn’t want to be his mate but he was just bidding for the right ti. Hmph! Such a sly Alpha!
Emperor Bernard blinked and broke out into guffaws. "Hearing that complint makes
so happy! Oliver, how about you go and give Altair a toast?"
Oliver nodded—too eagerly, in fact.
"Father?!" Rosemane demanded in disbelief but was shot down by a look from the Emperor. She backed down begrudgingly and shot Oliver another glare which was enough to drill a hole through the Oga. However, Oliver didn’t even give her any mind. He grabbed his wine glass and made his way to Altair. Each step resonated with his thumping heartbeats.
"Please receive this toast from
to thank you for the generous complint." He murmured with reddened cheeks.
Lu Yizhou stood up and clinked their glasses together. "I am just telling the truth." He added.
Oliver’s heart skipped a beat again. H—How could Altair say such a sentence with a straight face?! Nervous, he downed the wine and leaned forward to whisper. "I have sothing to talk to you about. et
in the back garden after dinner." Without waiting for the Alpha to answer, Oliver returned to his seat, afraid that his eagerness would be shown on his face. Wouldn’t that be too embarrassing?
He spent the dinner feeling antsy and anxious, hoping that ti could pass in a blink of an eye so he could demand a proper explanation from Altair. Oliver had never known that an hour could feel so long before. He almost let out a huge sigh of relief when the dinner ended.
Just when he thought he could finally have so alone ti with Altair, the Emperor suddenly said. "I have sothing to talk to you about, Oliver. Co with
to my study. And gentlen, I’m sure that you are tired from the long journey. Feel free to stay in the Palace in the anti. The servant will show you the way."
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