CHAPTER 4: MEETING HIM

JULIAN'S POV 

I was so shocked that I nearly lost my footing if not for my mother, who held my hand. "Ma... Marriage? With the Creeds? How? Why? Didn't you tell me then that it might be canceled, Why are we discussing it now?" I found it hard to comprehend what was going on. 

"I thought so, too, son. That was my initial thought until the first son of the Creeds, the new head of the family, sent a letter to us a week ago. He said he would like to get married to you in a month," My mother went on, and my mind went blank. 

What kind of joke is this?

Marriage?

With a stranger__

"How, Mum? How do you want me to marry someone I don't even know? What if he bullies me after marriage?" I felt like crying. 

Getting married wasn't that much of a big deal, but how could I marry someone I hadn't even seen before? 

This person might even be ugly

For a face-con, having to be with someone ugly was the harshest punishment, and I would have to be with the man forever. 

My mother patted my head gently, "Don't worry, Xavier is a very nice guy. He's only 24 this year, but the growth he has brought to the Creed is massive. Not only is their number-one standing in this country stable now, but their momentum in San Francisco isn't small either. I heard they are among the top powers there, too, and this is all because of Xavier. He will surely take good care of you," She went on and on, praising the absolute stranger who was about to become my husband. 

But how was this my business? "Can we cancel this marriage, Mum? I really don't want to be with a stranger," I cried, my eyes turning red, making me feel pitiful. 

"This is a promise that was made between your grandfather and his grandfather when they were still alive. There's nothing you can do about it," my grandmother's voice rang in my ears, and my eyes turned redder. 

A tear rolled down my face as I turned to face my grandmother, who had walked toward us at some point when I wasn't paying attention. "Grandma!" I shouted, anger welling inside me. 

"Julian!" She yelled back. 

"Not only do you need to do this for your grandfather's promise, but your father also needs their help. With the problem your father is facing at the moment, only Xavier can help. Don't you want to help your father?" She questioned aggressively. 

I turned to my mother as if waiting for her to tell me grandmother was lying, but her reddened eyes made my heart skip a beat. 

"Grandma is right, son. Your father bought a damaged diamond mine, which caused a big loss to the company, and right now, he's struggling a lot. If we don't get help, we might go bankrupt," my mother mumbled, her voice low and weak. 

My heart sank. "How did this happen? Why did no one tell me about this?" I felt weak from within as I questioned. 

"Also, must we receive help from the Creeds?" 

"Grandson, the decision is final," She firmly replied. "I already arranged a meeting with his family so the two of you can meet. I was about to head over to your apartment to tell you about it when you returned. Tonight, dress your best, and the driver will take you to the supposed meeting place," She said dismissively and walked away, leaving me standing like a statue. 

I shook my head, wishing everything was a bad dream. How on earth was I supposed to get married when I had never for once thought about it before?

"Mum," I called, my big eyes holding back my tears so I could look especially pitiful to my mother. 

"Don't you think I might like women? Why do you want me to marry a man?" I asked. 

Fortunately, I had never told my mother about my sexual preference before, so it could be useful at a time like this. 

My mother's expression changed as she held my two hands. Her gaze was filled with different emotions that slightly confused me as I wasn't able to recognize them. 

"It's not possible for you, Julian," She mumbled, her tone soft and complicated. 

I frowned, "How is it not possible for me? What do you mean, Mum?" 

She sighed, "You've been tested when you were born, son. You are an Omega," She explained, and I felt like everything had turned completely dark. 

Omega? Omega??

I took a step back, hoping my mother was only joking, but her expression said otherwise. 

"That's why I've always advised you not to sleep with anyone you are not certain of. That's because the moment you lose your virginity, your heat period will start, and every month, you will need an alpha to satisfy you until you've been marked by an alpha. I'm sorry, son. I shouldn't have kept it from you for so long," She continued, her eyes turning red. 

I laughed bitterly. 

This must be a drama. 

My mother was surely acting. But when did she become so good at acting?

An Omega?

In a world filled with different types of humans; Alpha, Omega, and Beta. Where men and women could be an omega or beta while only men could be Alpha, every man had always wanted to be Alpha, but unfortunately, there were still multiple men who were born as Omega. 

However, I had never thought of myself as one. I had always wanted to be manly, complaining about how I had no abs or facial hair. Even when I discovered that I like men, I felt like it was normal because many Alphas liked other Alphas and became couples, but this___

How could I be an Omega?

Thinking about how I might get pregnant one day and would have to nurture a baby in my belly for months, I felt the urge to die already. 

It just couldn't be___

Throughout the day, I was no longer myself. I couldn't even shed tears as everything looked so ridiculous to me. I found it very unacceptable. How could I be an Omega?

But there was an even bigger problem... Heat!

The night came as fast, and I was dragged out of my room by my grandmother, who gave no fuck about my depressed mood. She picked my clothes for me and made sure I entered the car before she turned around to return to her room...

I stepped out of the car, fixed my mood, and even checked my suit to make sure I wasn't dressed shabbily. 

Accepting or rejecting this marriage wasn't what mattered at the moment, as my mind was a big mess already, but I still made my way toward the restaurant with a cool face. 

'Are you Mr Julian Everly?" A waiter asked, and I nodded.  "Come with me, please. Mr Xavier is in our VIP room," He said and led the way. 

I had my back straightened as I followed the waiter, and we both entered a room, but before I could register the impressive decoration of the room, my eyes settled on the man sitting arrogantly in the room___

The handsome stranger?