The Married Alpha Who Refuses to Be a Heartthrob (A/B/O · Alpha POV) - Chapter 15

“Stay here. Don’t wander off unless necessary.” Kaes assigned Abe to the room furthest from his own—he didn’t want to see the man.

“Yes, Governor.” Abe bowed his head as he entered the room, listening to Kaes’s receding footsteps. Beyond assigning him this room, Kaes hadn’t spoken another word to him.

Abe sat down on a chair, feeling a pang of sadness. The two servants he’d brought from home were helping him unpack. His adoptive father, the Marquis, had been stingy with him—the two maids were his dowry. The Queen, wanting to make his dowry look more respectable, had bestowed upon him a considerable sum of gold coins.

Abe had differentiated as an Omega at fifteen. His original family was impoverished; his parents had hoped to send him out to work once he differentiated as an Alpha. Unfortunately, he was an Omega, so his parents had no choice but to sell him for money.

Abe was relatively fortunate to be purchased by the Marquis. The Marquis’s eldest son had a limp, and fearing the son would never find a mate, the Marquis bought an Omega. Later, the eldest son unexpectedly found a partner.

With Abe no longer useful, the Marquis treated him as a servant. Unexpectedly, the Queen personally selected Abe to be the fiancée of Governor Kaes. This brought immense honor to the Marquis’s family.

Before leaving, the marquis warned Abe to serve the governor well. If the engagement were broken and he returned home, his legs would be broken.

The maid helped Abe settle into bed. He looked gloomy. “Young master, why are you unhappy? In a month, you’ll be the governor’s spouse.”

“He doesn’t seem to like me,” Abe muttered, burrowing deeper under the covers.

The maid stood by the bedside. “How could that be? You’ve only just met. Things will improve with time.”

Abe nodded. He knew she was right, but he lacked confidence.

…

Before they knew it, the day of Keith’s departure arrived.

That morning, Kaes and Abe sat at the long table for breakfast. Kaes occupied the head of the table. Abe intended to sit beside him, but the servant placed his plate at the opposite end: “Master Abe, please dine.”

They were now several meters apart.

Abe wanted to sit beside Kaes. He hesitated, looking at Kaes, who had already finished eating quickly and glanced up at him.

“Take your time. I’ll go see him off.” Kaes took the handkerchief offered by the maid, wiped his hands, and stood up.

Kaes’s face was dark. His mood was terrible. Keith was leaving, heading to the palace to be betrothed to someone else, while he was stuck here with this inexplicably thrust-upon fiancée!

He felt utterly depressed! It was maddening!

Kaes felt like he was about to explode with rage, yet had nowhere to vent it. Seeing his grim expression, others kept their distance.

“Governor, may I come?” Abe asked cautiously, both nervous and excited. Kaes had finally spoken his first words to him—their relationship might improve.

“You’re not the Governor’s wife yet.” Kaes shot Abe a cold glance before walking away.

Kaes reached the entrance. Long Shi waited outside with the carriage ready.

Long Shi: “What about Abe? Isn’t he coming with you?”

“I’ve had enough of that Abe. Keith is leaving, yet I’m stuck here having to see him every single day.” Kaes suppressed his voice as he climbed into the carriage, his anger still simmering.

“Then hurry and see him off.” Long Shi felt conflicted. The man he once loved now had a fiancée. Though he was deeply dissatisfied with him now, perhaps things would improve with time? For a moment, he didn’t know whose jealousy to feel….

Arriving at Keith’s rented house, Keith was packing his belongings while Erlan waited in the living room.

Erlan glanced at Kaes entering with a hint of amusement. “It’s only eight. Why not stay with Abe? I can take my cousin.”

“Forget him.” Kaes forced his irritation down, his tone finally leveling. He couldn’t be angry at Erlan—it wasn’t his fault. Perhaps Erlan had suggested Abe, but the Queen was the one who’d made the decision.

What grudge did the Queen hold against him?

“Keith’s upstairs.” Erlan gestured toward the staircase.

In Keith’s bedroom, he appeared to be packing two sets of luggage—one for himself, one for the parrot.

A newly purchased birdcage sat on the table. Keith had Xiaolu perched on his finger and was about to place the parrot inside. “Xiaolu, hop in.”

“No, I don’t want to. I don’t want to live in a cage.” Xiaolu darted behind Keith.

“Be good.” Keith turned to grab Xiaolu, only to be suddenly embraced from behind.

“…I caught a human version of Xiaolu.” Kaes pulled the person spinning around into his arms, as if they’d thrown themselves into his embrace.

Startled, Keith grabbed Kaes’s arms and shoulders, lifting his head to meet his gaze with a hint of surprise. ” How did you appear out of nowhere?”

“Are you really leaving?” Kaes gazed at the person in his arms with reluctance. “Will I ever see you again?”

He didn’t mention Abe, nor could he bear to imagine Keith marrying someone else.

“I wish I knew the answer to that question too.” Keith held Kaes tightly, burying his face in the broad shoulder. “Last night I told Vansen, but he just laughed at me, saying it’s nothing. He gave me a magic orb—he’s already infused it with his psychic energy—and claimed it can show our future together.”

“A magic orb?” Kaes pressed the back of Keith’s head, inhaling the faint scent of daffodils on his neck.

He guessed it was the kind used by wizards for divination.

Keith pulled Kaes’s hand toward the adjacent room: “Come see. Vansen left it for me. I haven’t used it yet.”

This was Vansen’s room. An altar stood inside, adorned with various crystals. The crystal ball at its center was covered in black cloth.

Keith lifted the cloth. The once-clear crystal now pulsed with psychic energy, purple light swirling within.

“Vansen said placing our hands on it lets us see the future.” Keith placed Kaes’s hand on the crystal, his own resting over the back of Kaes’s hand.

Vansen had already seen it, yet he remained relaxed. Keith felt they must still share a connection, but he couldn’t shake his nervousness.

“Will this really work?” Kaes asked doubtfully. He hadn’t believed in such things in his past life, and now his palms were sweating with anxiety.

He felt like a student waiting for exam results.

The psychic energy surged within the crystal ball like crashing waves. Kaes saw nothing, but Keith declared, “I see it! We’re destined to be together.”

“Huh?” Kaes was utterly confused. All he saw was purple light darting around inside—he couldn’t make heads or tails of a mage’s stuff.

Kaes’s earlier gloom vanished. He excitedly pulled Keith into an embrace. “I’m so happy! Wait for me to come back.”

Kaes was utterly confused. What good would returning do if they were engaged? Besides, he had a fiancée here—it felt like two mountains stood between them.

Keith beamed, dragging Kaes back to the room to pack frantically, as if preparing for a trip. “I need to hurry and pack to return to the palace. Oh, and here, Xiaolu is yours. I just bought a new cage yesterday.”

This time, Keith placed Xiaolu inside the cage, covered it with a cloth, and packed the newly bought dish and birdseed for Kaes.

Kaes lifted a corner of the cloth and saw the puffed-up Xiaolu inside: “If you leave Xiaolu with me, then you won’t have a companion with you?”

Keith pulled another cage from the corner, revealing a red parrot inside: “I also have a red one—a parrot my cousin gave me. Red Tea.”

Kaes took the cage with Xiaolu, pinched Keith’s chin, and kissed him: “I’ll give Xiaolu back when you return.”

Xiaolu mimicked their kissing and talking: “Goo! Boop boop boop! Kiss, please don’t go, okay? When can I see you again?”

Damn Xiaolu! Keith pushed Kaes away, ending the long kiss, feeling his face burn like it was on fire. He pulled down the cover of Xiaolu’s cage.

“How did you teach it to do that?” Keith felt awkward too. How could Xiaolu mimic kissing?!

“Outside birds taught it.” Keith insisted he only taught proper things. Trapped in the dark fabric, Xiaolu screamed for help: “Reddy, save me! Gugu!”

Red Tea: “…”

Kaes and Erlan escorted him to the port. Keith was in an exceptionally good mood, hugging both of them goodbye. Erlan thought it was absurd.

Abe stood in the distance with the maid, watching them. She saw Kaes cling to Keith for a long while, reluctant to let go, and then grab Keith’s hand as they parted.

Abe wasn’t stupid. He could see something was off. His heart ached terribly, as if struck hard, leaving him breathless.

He wasn’t even officially married yet, and already he felt a touch of jealousy.

The maid tried to comfort him: “Young Master Abe, I heard Lord Keith is returning to arrange his engagement. Anyway, you’ll soon be the Governor’s spouse. Cheer up.”

“I wish I could be happy…” Abe sighed, utterly dejected. He simply couldn’t muster any joy. His fiancé couldn’t be bothered to speak to him, yet clung tightly to someone else.

Over at the dock, the trio noticed Abe. He dared not study their expressions, turning his back and hurrying away.