Chapter 84: Am I In love?
Rhydian;
"What have they done to him?" I question as Ishu follows closely behind me to the Betas quarters.
"When I came to confirm, I couldn’t really see him. But the glimpse of his face I saw was disheartening, Alpha Rhydian. They’re really taking their time to torture him, first." He replies and I take a deep breath.
I know Elián doesn’t like Bram. He has every right not to. He sees Bram as competition. If only he knew... I only have eyes for him.
Not Bram, not anyone else... Not even if a thousand Omegas threw themselves at my feet.
I’ve found a gem in Elián... and he’s something I don’t mind discovering for the rest of my life.
He’s a gift. One I just realised fate was kind enough to bless me with. I’ve needed that chaotic ball of energy in my life for so long I didn’t even know my world was dark before he arrived.
The sudden sound of mocking laughter causes my steps to slow down and eventually stop.
The air is thick. With the smell of lust, and the metallic undertone of... blood.
I look to the lawn at my side and freeze when I see a group of Betas in a circle.
"You know what I heard about this fucker?" One of the Betas questions amongst laughter and I remain frozen as I watch them. Wondering if Bram is in the middle of that chaos.
"I heard that this little fool, sold his life to our Luna. For a few bags of gold, he surrendered himself to be used by her in any way she wanted. The idiot probably thought she was going to ask him to serve in her chambers!!" The Beta continues and my brows crease.
"But no!! Alpha Liandria made an Omega out of him!! He has the uterus of an Omega. Can you imagine that, a male Alpha who can reproduce!!" The Beta screams in biting amusement and the group of Betas bursts out in another fit of mocking laughter.
"No... that’s... that’s not true. I... I didn’t sell my..." Bram’s rather weak voice breaks through their laughter and the sound of a vicious smack cuts him off.
"Who asked you to talk, you abomination!? There’s no space for taboos like you anywhere!! A man who could give up his position as an Alpha for a few trinkets. Why’d you do it!?" Another Beta growls at him, and I try to move, but Ishu quickly grabs my arm.
"You need to calm down, Alpha Rhydian. You’ve already killed six of your men this morning. If you hurt any more, it will become an issue." He whispers and I stare at him in silence as my fists clench.
Calm down??
These fools are treating another person so horribly. How could they?? Have they no hearts?
Is everyone in this kingdom already mangled in the head? My mother’s tyranny has turned them all into monsters??
"What do you mean ’why did he do it?’ Haven’t you noticed how he’s always loitering about the Prince. I’m pretty sure Alpha Liandria got him like this so he can carry pups for our Alpha. But Alpha Rhydian clearly has no interest in him and is totally smitten by that other Omega boy!" Another of the Betas responds and as their laughter rises again, I look over at Ishu.
"Alpha, please..." he whispers and I clench my jaw as I turn back to them.
"Don’t worry, boy. We’re interested in you! Since you want to be a cum dump, we’ll fill you up with so much cum and piss, you’ll regret the day you decided to sell your Authority for money!" Another of the Beta says and as they close in on Bram, I lose it.
"Open wide, filthy Omega!" One of them growls and that when I’ve had enough. I march forward and as I get closer, I see a naked young man. Bruised all over, visibly limp, and being held up by a pillory.
My steps falter when I see one of the Betas loosen his pants and start peeing right on Bram’s face.
"Hey!" I growl, and they all jerk in fright as they turn to me.
"Alpha Rhydian!" They all chorus in panic as they bow to me, and I scowl at them as the Beta in front struggles to shove his dick back into his pants.
"What rubbish is this!?" I demand, and I’m met with silence from the trembling men.
"I asked a question! What madness is this?!" I push, and they look at each other clearly panicking.
"We... we were ordered to k...kill him Alpha." One of them finally manages to reply and I turn to him.
"And you wanted to fill him with cum and piss!?" I scream back the disgusting words at them, and they flinch.
"Get him down!" I order, and they steal glances at each other. Clearly shocked I’m interfering with my mother’s orders.
"Do not make me ask again."
The anger in my voice makes them realize that I’m in no mood for games and if they push me any further I just might end up truly killing some of my men today.
Two of them rush over to the pillory and pull it apart.
Bram falls to the ground with not even the strength to keep his eyes open.
I walk over to him, and I swallow... hard.
If I thought he looked bad this morning during Elián’s trial... now he looks worse.
Like he survived a stampede of some kind.
Purple, black and red bruises and blotches stretch along his skin and anger floods me.
His face is swollen, lip bursted, and there are cuts of different types on his face.
His legs, hands, abdomen, chest, neck, everything... there are signs of whips and testaments of assault that make me wonder how the boy is still breathing.
I look over at my mother’s men, and they flinch.
I bend down and try to pick Bram up, but he flinches.
"Al... Alpha Rhydian you can’t take him. We were ordered to kill him, Alpha. If we don’t, Alpha Liandria will..." One of the Betas begins, having the effrontery to interrupt me, my head snaps in his direction.
I stand up straight and glare at him. At all of the Betas here... at the evidence of my kingdom’s failed society... At the garbage my mother will leave behind for me to fix after her death.
"Aren’t you ashamed?" The question rolls off my tongue as disgust creeps under my skin.
"Alpha, Beta, Omega... you have let these tags rule every single aspect of your lives that you have lost morals and even compassion! How could you do this to another person!? And even laugh in their face!! The fact that you felt no ounce of guilt while battering another man like this shows how dark your hearts have become! What if he was related to you!?" I rant in anger I can not control and they stare at me in shock.
"Omega or not, the first thing anyone is, is a person. And it is cruel that you no longer see that. I am disgusted by you all! Ashamed even. Is this the filth I am supposed to be crowned king of someday!?" I rage and one of the Betas mumbles something.
My gaze instantly zeros in on him, and the other Betas around him slowly move back so I do not mistake them as the culprit.
His gaze is on the ground and he doesn’t even realize that the others have given him up.
"Mind speaking louder? I didn’t hear you the first time." I speak, and he looks up at me.
His expression shifts to horror when he sees that the others have betrayed him, and I walk over to him.
"If you have something to say to me, be a man and say it. Don’t talk under your breath. What. Did. You. Say?" I push with anger boiling in my veins and he takes a deep breath before looking me in the square face.
"You can not blame us for this, Alpha. Your mother created this system. We have lived by it for years. At first we resisted, but you can only resist for so long. Howleroot is an eat or be eaten kind of place." He begins, and from the anger he’s failing to restrain and the clear frustration in his voice, I know he’s not done.
"Go on." I urge him and he swallows.
"You may not know this because you’re the untouchable prince, but we are not untouchable. We are dispensable nobodies. Guilt is a luxury we can not afford under Alpha Liandria, and it is quite a shock that after so many years you’re only starting to speak up now. Isn’t it quite hypocritical that the only reason you’re so bothered about right or wrong now, is because you’ve fallen in love?" He adds, and I freeze.
In love??
"Speak to your Alpha with respect!" Ishu suddenly scolds from behind me, and the Beta falls to his knees.
"I’m sorry Alpha... You said a lot and... I had to let that off my chest or it will kill me." He replies and I take a deep breath.
I step away from him and stare at all the Betas watching in silence.
The young man’s accusations keep ringing in my head as they find and illuminate every guilt I’ve locked away in my heart regarding this place.
He’s right. I’m a hypocrite. I never said a word for all these years. I never complained. Never tried to help even though I knew what was happening was wrong.
And now I’m speaking?
I move over to Bram in silence and pick his almost unconscious body up in my arms and as he clings to me, I turn to the Betas.
"You’re right. I’ve been a hypocrite. And I’ve failed you all. I will try to fix that. I will try to rectify my wrongs, but I need to know that I’m not fighting for a hopeless or dead course. I can’t bring joy back to a heartless kind. There has to be compassion and the will to change things. If I... if I can get that from my people... maybe then we will be able to usher in a new dawn." I speak and they blink at me in silence.
Unable to face them any longer, I turn my back on them and start walking away with Bram’s naked body lightly shivering in my arms.
Since I can remember, I never had the guts to oppose my mother. In public or in private.
Fear for my mother has always ruled every aspect of my life...
So why? Why am I speaking up now?
Why do I care?
Is it... is it truly because I’m in love with Elián?
Am I actually in love with him??
Am I... doing all this because of him?