THE ALPHA BROTHERS' FORBIDDEN OMEGA (Omegaverse)

ZEPHYR

Marek tapped twice against the mat, but I didn't stop. The same bloody, murderous rage and utter need to win had me blocking out his pleas as he begged, his cries filling the room while I bent his elbow, his arm twisting into an angle that was already looking wrong.

"He tapped. That's enough, cadet." Instructor Voss screamed, coming into the space between us, his hands hovering above mine, but he hadn't dared touch me. I'd seen the same look I'd noticed on most of the instructors recently… fear.

The training hall was one of the largest buildings on the grounds, built to accommodate hundreds of cadets at once. Its reinforced walls had endured years of combat drills, sparring matches, and the occasional outburst from cadets who hadn't learned to control their tempers. 

The academy trained fighters for the kingdom's military, and every division had its own rankings. A cadet's position determined everything from training privileges to the assignments they could earn after graduation. Losing a match was one thing. Showing weakness in front of the instructors was another.

I dropped Marek's arm with a bored huff, staring amongst the other cadets, curious as to who'd love to spar with me next. They all dropped their gaze, and an irritated huff of breath escaped me.

"That's your fifth strike for the week, and it's only Monday. Take the rest of the week off, or I'll be writing a note to your lead commander." Instructor Voss threatened.

I took a step closer to him and he flinched.

A smirk dropped, curling on my lips as I walked past him. He wasn't asking me to take time off to solve my issues — he was just a whiny pony, scared senseless he'd have to spar me next and no doubt lose.

The academy had rules for a reason. Cadets were expected to follow orders, respect their instructors, and know when to stop during a fight. I knew every one of those rules. I'd simply never cared enough to let them stop me when winning was within reach. The fact that I could be suspended from practical training didn't bother me half as much as the thought of being forced to sit around while everyone else trained.

"There he goes again, that maniac glint in his eyes…"

"Did you see him grinning when Marek begged?"

"He's insane, a fucking nutjob… why on earth is he in our division?"

"He's a perfectionist. A cocky one who likes to win everything. He gives me the creeps." They all muttered, not low enough that I couldn't hear.

They all spoke like it was a diagnosis, like I needed help… I mean, I did — I wouldn't be a top cadet in decades otherwise. I've been at the top of all rankings in five years. I was better than every fucking one of them, and they could go fuck themselves if they believed otherwise.

 The rankings were displayed on a board outside the main hall, updated after every assessment. My name had occupied the top position for five consecutive years, across combat drills, weapons training, and physical trials. No one had managed to take it from me for even a second.

Some cadets thought I was obsessed with protecting my position. Others thought I had something to prove. They could think whatever the hell they wanted. I had earned every mark beside my name, and I wasn't about to let a bunch of frightened cadets tell me otherwise.

I stopped at the top of the stairs of my dormitory, realizing I didn't want to stay holed up. I pulled out my phone, intending to place a call through to Kade, my fiancé — an arranged union between his family and what was left of my family. We'd be married in two weeks. I'd be done with this pathetic place… but I could drop by, surprise him.

 The cadets' dormitories stood along the eastern side of the grounds, separated from the instructors' quarters and the administrative buildings. Each division had its own assigned blocks, and cadets were expected to remain within their designated areas unless they had permission to leave.

 The artisans' dormitory was farther down the grounds, where cadets who specialized in painting, crafting, and other skilled work stayed. Kade had always been good at painting. It was one of the few things about him I could talk about without feeling like I was forcing a conversation.

I turned, steering away from the crowding cadets, towards the dorm of artisans, kade painted and was damn near perfect at it. I marched toward his dormitory, low mutters following me. I'd gotten used to their trash talking. I had nobody. Just Kade. I felt nothing much. I was loyal to him.

Gender wasn't a big deal — everyone was simply gender-neutral. Women courted men, men courted women, men courted men, women courted women. Everyone was simply gender-neutral when it came to relationships. Secondary designations were different. Alphas, Betas, and Omegas had their own place in society, and most people knew their designation from birth.

I was one of the rare people who had never developed a secondary designation. The doctors called it delayed differentiation, said it was just a late presentation. Most people had their designation from birth, but mine had never appeared.

People often assumed I was an Alpha. Five years of watching me dominate the rankings hadn't exactly discouraged the assumption. But strength didn't make someone an Alpha. My medical records still carried the same frustrating word: undifferentiated.

 It was an embarrassment I had learned to live with. The academy's medical officers had examined me more times than I could count, and none of them had been able to give my family a definite answer. Some believed I would eventually present as an Alpha. Others insisted that my body was simply taking longer than it should. I hated both explanations. 

I didn't need a designation to prove what I was capable of, and I certainly didn't need anyone treating me like I was incomplete because my body hadn't followed the same schedule as everyone else's.

I climbed the stairs, making my way toward Kade's dormitory. An Omega… my Omega, he would be, by the time we were wed. At least, that was what I had always been told. Kade had already differentiated as an Omega years ago.

A subtle knock rested on the door, twice. I could hear laughter and scrambling around before the door clicked, opening only slightly.

"Ze… Zephyr." Kade stuttered, looking a flustered mess, a robe held tied around his body, hickeys sprawling all over his exposed chest and neck. The heavy scent of sex and sweat stuck to the doorway.

"Who's in there?" I asked, uncertain what to feel. I wasn't heartbroken — he was an Omega, he had urges. I wasn't heavy on the sex. We'd only gotten together due to our families. I'd had my doubts he had a lover before we met, but I hadn't quite expected him to flaunt it off. We would be married soon.

"Zephyr… it's not what you think, you should… step back. I'll explain, I'll—"

I kicked the door sideways, causing him to lose his grip, staggering back a bit.

The first thing I noticed was his engagement ring on the floor, and slowly my eyes lined up to lock with the gaze of… High Lord Ciro.

Hot white rage exploded in my chest as the High Lord sat smirking, like this was a game he'd been playing and had finally been caught.

"You… him? You said he was your uncle." I retorted, the words biting and heavy against my tongue as I marched toward the bed, my combat boots thudding heavy as Kade slammed the door shut, scrambling after me.

"He… you don't understand, he… this isn't what you think." He begged, lies dripping free from his lips.

"Shame you had to find out this way. It had been so sweet and right — I was actually intending to have a few sweet fucks and then wish him a happy marriage." High Lord Ciro spoke, standing to his feet, his soft prick still striped with cum drawing from his tip.

I hated him. I only allowed his madness, thankful he was a High Lord and my fiancé's uncle.

"How long?" How long had this madness been going on? I asked, completely ignoring the shuddering Kade.

"We've been fucking for a while. He lied about me being his uncle, to keep you from suspecting me, and as for the sex? He's good at it. He loves to take it up the ass every time he begs for…"

My hands moved before I knew it, my rib-deep frustration and need for blood settling in. I slammed my fists into his face.

He let out a loud wail, falling with a thud onto the floorboards.

"You thought being a High Lord saved you?" I questioned, driving my fists into his face. I rolled over him, my hands flying in a fit of rage. I didn't stop. My vision was spotted, blood and cries and screams echoing around me… soothing the grating part of my mind…

A sudden, painful heat cracked down my spine, causing me to halt, a strong wave of nausea hitting me. I felt something knot tight in my throat, my insides burning as I screamed, falling off the High Lord.

"Zephyr." Kade's voice screamed, as he scrambled towards me. My entire body was erupting, tremors flooding my eyes and cheeks, prickles of pain jabbing everywhere, deep in the abdomen.

A strong rush of pheromones emanated in the room. Kade's hands dropped off mine, a shaky breath filling the room, my eyes rolled up to his shocked gaze as I shuddered, my consciousness slipping out slowly.

"O… Omega." Kade stuttered as I slammed my eyes shut, blacking out.