CHAPTER 3. First Heat

　　I could feel the drops of sweat trailing down to my chin as it dripped to the ground. I took in deep breaths in hope to fix my uneven breathing while the grip on the wooden sword tightened, my stance wide and ready for whenever Rodrick decided to charge towards me. My body felt feverish and I was silently wondering if I had pushed myself too hard during practice.?

　　“What are you waiting for, Princess?” Rodrick asked as he slowly moved to the side, eyes not leaving mine. He could clearly see my hesitation.?

　　“You sure like to talk a lot during practice,” I rebuttal, hoping that my taunting would make me come to me instead but I should have known that Rodrick would not be fazed by such a remark.?

　　“That is only because there is so much to talk about,” he beamed. “Such as the lovely weather we are having or the—”

　　I did not wait for him to finish talking as I pushed myself to lunge? towards him which he predicted easily when our wooden swords collided with a loud thud. The sounds of our swords clashing was all that filled the empty courtyard.?

　　“Stop going easy on me, Rodrick.” I huffed him with a glare even though I was struggling to hold my ground. My arms were shaking and my vision blurring. Something was wrong with my body, I could tell but my mind easily decided that it was due to fatigue and nothing else.?

　　“Whoever told you I was?” he smiled, pushing back against my sword. I tried to hold my stance but my arms were not cooperating. I quickly moved back from Rodrick in an attempt to pull my sword free but this only led to me tripping over my feet as I fell onto the ground harshly. “Princess!” he called out urgently as he kneeled in front of me.?

　　It was getting harder to breathe now as I gasped out openly. My body was starting to ache, skin starting to feel as though it was set ablaze. “Something’s wrong.” I finally admitted in a hushed voice.?

　　“Princess?” Rodrick called back to me as his hand reached out to help me up but he immediately jerked away, hand quickly reaching to cover his nose. “This scent…” he muttered.?

　　I furrowed my brows at his remark but then realisation kicked in. My rut has finally arrived. I forced a smile, thinking that it was better late than never but then my mind started to swirl and paired with the heat my body was giving off, I was starting to find it hard to stay alert.?

　　“Rodrick…” I called out, hoping that since he was a beta that he would be able to withstand my scent but when he remained unmoving, I pushed myself to look up at him. He stared at me with a confused look, hand still covering his nose and mouth he finally met my gaze.?

　　“Princess…you smell…sweet,” he spoke out almost as though he was unable to control his words.?

　　I frowned, not able to comprehend his words in my delirious state. “What…?”

　　There was a pause, until he dropped his hand and inched closer to me. “Forgive me but allow me to carry you to the infirmary, Princess.”?

　　He did not wait for me to reply since I could not even muster a nod from how weak I was starting to feel. Rodrick’s touch sent harsh shivers down my body to the point where I had to physically bite my tongue to not cry out. He lifted me up with ease and was quick to make his way to the infirmary. I wrapped my arms around his neck to feel more secure.?

　　“Sweet…” I repeated his words, resting the side of my head on his shoulder. “But I am an alpha…” I reminded him but even through my words I could tell how unsure I sounded.?

　　“...I apologise if I am overstepping by saying this Princess, but I have omega siblings and I have become accustomed to their scent when their…heat arrives. The smell you are emitting now is…similar.” he said hesitantly.?

　　“That’s not…possible.” I tried to argue but it was starting to get harder to stay conscious while my body heated up, my throat felt incredibly dry and worst of all I could feel painful knots forming in my core—begging for relief. My grip on Rodrick tightened as a pathetic whimper escaped from me. “Please Rodrick…I’m scared.”?

　　In response, Rodrick held me tighter in a reassuring manner as he rushed to the castle grounds.?

　　*

　　The days that followed felt like a blur, almost unreal when I had to get used to the suppressants to calm my heat. It feels unnatural to even think of it as such since all my life I was brought up with the thinking that I would be another alpha just like everyone in my family. Reality was crushing me with the burden of false expectations and all I could think about was where did everything go wrong??

　　Once my heat had passed, I was summoned to the throne room where my family members were present. There was no need for them to say anything because from the scornful stares of my half-siblings to the concerned gazes of my mother and Aiden, it was safe to say that the doctor had already informed them about everything. I stood in the middle of the room in front of my father who was seated on his throne. The silence was suffocating and I did not dare to look up at him, gaze fixed on the marble tiles below me.?

　　I waited for my father to say something, anything but he just sat there with his eyes plastered on me. After a beat, someone snickered.?

　　“An omega? Ha! This is hysterical!” Lilian said in a hushed voice yet due to the quietness of the room, her voice echoed. Someone shushed her but another giggle followed suit.?

　　“I always had a feeling that she was different, though I never imagined this was the cause of it all. Hmph. What a disgrace to the family name.” Elina chimed in.?

　　“Girls, hush now.” Their mother warned. They obliged only for a mere second when Lilian opened her mouth once more.?

　　“To think we share blood with a pathetic omega. Pff.”

　　“That’s enough!” My mother snapped. “You need to teach your daughters some manners!” she pointed at Lady Marie, wagging her finger at her.?

　　“Oh? How dare you speak to me in such a way when you gave birth to a lowly omega?” Lady Marie snarled.?

　　“You—” my mother started but Aiden was quick to wrap his hand around her arm.?

　　“Calm yourself, mother.” he told her in a soft voice.?

　　“My mother and sisters are right, this situation with Cordelia is truly…unnerving. An omega born into a royal family is unheard of!” Frederick finally spoke. “How should we approach this, father?”?

　　As thought in cue, I lifted my head to look up at my father. Our gazes met and yet his expression remained stoic and he showed no signs of saying anything. He had an arm propped up on the armrest, head leaning on his open palm while he looked down at me with an indifferent stare.?

　　“Surely the public will have a field day when they hear about this. Worst of all, we will be the laughing stock of the other royal families.” Elina said when father did not respond.?

　　“Do you really think Father would want to publicly announce that one of his offspring is an omega?” Frederick hissed.

　　“It would probably be easier if he killed her instead.” Lilian, my second sister, mentioned indifferently.?

　　My mother and Aiden’s head snapped in her direction. “You insolent girl—!” my mother started, hands balled up into fists by her sides.?

　　Although the atmosphere was suffocating and the insults spewed by my half-siblings only made my anger build up, everything was overshadowed by the fact that my mother and brother were willing to defend me and yet…all I could feel at that moment was humiliation to even cause them to be in such a position.

　　“But Lilian is right! A mercy kill would be fitting for a weakling such as Cordelia.” Elina laughed, words spewing out like venom. I unconsciously held my breath, afraid that her words would be my new reality.