The Married Alpha Who Refuses to Be a Heartthrob (A/B/O · Alpha POV) - Chapter 5

A Spark, A Scent, A Secret

Keith sat beside Kaes in the carriage, watching the Governor’s furrowed brow with quiet amusement. He chuckled softly.

“That reaction is normal… Alpha and Omega pheromones depend on compatibility. It’s not strict, but the match has to be within two ranks.”

He glanced at Kaes. “You’re SSS. That means you can only pair with S to SSS. A and B are out of range. C-rank civilians? Naturally repulsive.”

Kaes frowned. So even pheromones are classist here.

[System: “Two SS-rank parents have a 10% chance of producing an SSS child. If one parent is already SSS, the odds go way up.”]

So even this world’s system is as stressful as the college entrance exams, Kaes thought dryly. People here have to plan not just careers but marriages around class, profession, and rank.

“Talent is tested in early childhood. But talent alone means nothing without training. A gifted child who never learns is no different from a civilian.”

“SSS means that, with proper training, their output or ability can reach SSS standards. Some classes rely on critical hits. They were unstable but high ceiling. Others, like yours, are stable output.”

Kaes rubbed his temple. The nausea from earlier still lingered.

He turned to Keith, sunlight casting soft shadows across the mage’s serene profile.

“You’re an Omega too? That boy from earlier… he was nothing like you.”

Keith smiled, pulling out a small glass vial. “For fragile civilian Omegas, marriage is the safest path. Live quietly, stay protected.”

Noble Omegas had access to suppressants, education, and magic. Most became mages. Until marriage, they often hid their A/B/O status.

Kaes eyed the bracelet on Keith’s wrist. It was ornate and glowing faint blue. A bit flashy for a guy, isn’t it?

“You like bracelets?”

Keith raised his arm. “Want to touch it?”

Kaes hesitated, then brushed the glow. A jolt shot through his fingers.

“A weapon?”

Keith nodded. “Lightning bracelet. I use elemental magic, just swap the gear.”

He pulled out another vial, swirling with pale green liquid.

Kaes squinted. “Fire, ice, lightning…?”

“Also a special element, sorcery. I dabble. This,” Keith said, uncorking the vial, “is a simulated Omega pheromone. Might help with your nausea.”

Kaes sniffed cautiously. A faint floral scent. No reaction. Just… tolerable.

The nausea faded.

Kaes studied Keith again. A multi-element mage, skilled in alchemy, noble-born Omega. Someone like this should already be married.

“Thanks. I feel better.” He returned the vial. “You must have a fiancé, right?”

Keith froze. “Huh?”

His cheeks flushed. Kaes was his dream Alpha in gender, class, looks, everything. But this was so direct.

Kaes realized the awkwardness and pivoted. “I mean, with your qualifications, I’m sure you’re popular.”

Keith clutched the vial, face red. Is he… interested in me?

Kaes noticed the silence. “Is my pheromone affecting you?”

He checked his blocker patch. Still intact. No scent of gunpowder.

“N-no… it’s not that…” Keith stammered, grabbing Kaes’s hand to stop him from checking.

Another zap from the bracelet. Awkward silence.

“I don’t have a fiancé. No one wants to marry me,” Keith said quietly. “The Queen is my aunt. Plenty of suitors came… but once they learned I couldn’t bear children…”

Kaes blinked. Royal blood. Infertile Omega. Actually… ideal.

“Can I ask why?”

“Years ago…” Keith hesitated. Kaes didn’t look disgusted, he was just curious.

Before he could answer, the carriage stopped.

“We’ve arrived, Governor.”

Everything inside Keith’s villa was a novelty to Kaes. It was filled with small artifacts he’d never seen.

The villa was primarily decorated in white and featured a massive backyard.

By the window, a small bird perch held a green parrot. It squawked clearly: “Kiss! You’re back! …Who is this?”

The parrot hopped on the ground and bounced around Kaes, like a jumping chicken. “Who are you?”

One of the parrot’s wings smelled of medicine; it seemed injured. It tilted its head, its black, beady eyes fixed on him. “Caw-caw-caw!”

Keith bent down and gently cradled the parrot. “Say, ‘Governor, sir.’ …Please excuse him, Governor. He’s my parrot. He flew out a few days ago, got bullied by other birds, and now he can only hop.”

“Why does it call you ‘kiss’?”

“The little bird’s pronunciation isn’t perfect, and I can’t seem to correct it.”

“That’s a rather interesting nickname,” Kaes smiled, leaning in to look at the small green parrot. The bird had two red patches on its cheeks, a bit like its master.

Parrot: “Governor, sir… May you get rich! Caw-caw-caw!”

Keith felt a rush of embarrassment. The bird was impossible to train. He put the bird back on the stand by the window. “Stop talking nonsense and go play.”

They had only been inside for a moment when a knock came at the door.

Knock! Knock!

Keith turned and opened the door. A young painter stood outside, a canvas propped on his shoulder. “Sir! I brought the painting you requested!”

Kaes turned around. It was his portrait. The air froze over instantly.

The painter hauled the canvas inside, staring in astonishment from Kaes to the painting, secretly relieved that his copy was fairly accurate. “Oh, Governor! Tell me, how well did I capture your likeness…”

“…Uh, put that in the first room upstairs, will you?” Keith felt a wave of social death. He quickly interrupted the painter and directed him to the stairs.

Keith had completely forgotten he’d commissioned the painting.

“…” Kaes was silent, unsure what to say.

I’m feeling pretty awkward myself!

“Would you like tea? What kind?” Keith whirled around and rushed to brew tea, the clinking of cups sharp in the air.

“Anything is fine,” Kaes said, sitting on the sofa and watching the man’s flustered movements.

The painter came down and waved at them. “It’s all set, sir! I’ll be going now. I’ll come back next time; I have many more!”

“Yes, yes, that’s enough,” Keith replied, pushing the painter out and quickly shutting the door, internally screaming for him to leave.

Kaes followed Keith for a tour of the house. The alchemy equipment had all been relocated to the backyard, and there were many spare crucibles in the rooms.

Kaes asked why they had moved.

Keith explained that he loved playing with alchemy, but he was terrible at it yet couldn’t stop. Most of those crucibles were single-use because the odds of his experiments exploding were high.

The previous house didn’t have a garden, and he’d blown the roof off. He paid the landlord to fix it, but after several explosions, the landlord had enough. It wasn’t about the money; he was simply exhausted from constant roof repairs.

So, Keith had to move.

The sky gradually darkened. Keith didn’t have a chef, so Kaes suggested they eat out. Keith, however, insisted that his friend, a Warlock, was an exceptional cook and would be back soon.

Kaes agreed, though he had no idea what “Warlock cooking” truly meant.