The Masked Royal

Chapter 3 - Hidden

Aedion stared at the horizon from the window of his chamber. His thoughts are too far and deep. Its been a difficult battle in his mind and no matter how he think deeply, he will always be on a dead end, where he has no choice but to do what is bound to happen and its not among his choices but everything kept on leading him towards it.

He sighed when his eyes passed the vast forest where he stayed for almost a month before they made their presence known. He is fully aware that the calm forest is full of Rieka warriors, guarding their ground and the eldest son of the great alpha is the one leading their men.

Vidarr is a forest warrior, his alpha aura and dominance are very strong, suited for a future great alpha of this clan.

Aedion knew too well that he is in good hands in this place. He can hide himself from everyone except for the clan leaders and everyone he wanted to see and feel his presence.

Yesterdays talk with alpha Quinn has been a turmoil in Aedion's mind but its better for him to know what he will be dealing so he can prepare himself for the worst.

He turned towards the bloody sky as the sun is starting to set. He felt so alone and his heart is so heavy. This is the same scenery that he loved watching together with his parents, but now, he is watching it alone and he felt so lonely.

Aedion stayed for a while until the sun has totally disappeared and darkness invaded the sky. He felt more hollow and empty, his chest tightened tremendously that he wanted to weep in the agony that he felt but his misery was disturbed by a very musky scent that seemed to be pulling him towards it.

He looked around his chamber but there was nothing peculiar that would result to that kind of scent. Its floating in the air that its almost like its inside his nose or just beside him and the scent is intoxicating Aedion to a beautiful reverie.

He sniffed around until he totally left his chair just to chase the sweet musky scent until he reached the door. It seemed that its coming from the outside of his door. He abruptly went out but no one or nothing is outside, he can just hear a faint noise coming from the great hall since its almost dinner time and everyone have started to gather downstairs for dinner.

The scent is still very strong and its leading him towards the stairs as he continued to follow until he reached the bottom.

"Who are you? Where are you?" Aedion heard a faint voice inside his head and he looked around him but no one is around. The scent is getting stronger.

He reached the great hall full of clan members who are all preparing for dinner and just as he usually do, he would chant his way to go and fro unnoticed. He saw the great alpha and his family who are looking so flustered while talking to a tall man but Aedion cannot see his face. The more he would come closer the more he is so intoxicated by the scent.

"What's into you? We are not hiding something from you" Ariella is intently explaining to the unknown man.

"I know you are hiding some..." the man is insisting when he paused and abruptly turned around.

"Its you..." he mumbled firmly while Aedion was surprised that he just gaped looking at the man.

"What are you saying Liam?" the great alpha asked.

"Who is he father?" Liam asked without turning towards his parents. "Who are you?" he dazedly asked Aedion who gasped in return.

"You can see me?" Aedion whispered feeling so intoxicated with the overwhelming scent in front of him. He has the urge to bury himself to the mans body because of an undeniable force that seemed pulling him towards the man.

"I can, why?" the man mumbled softly while intently staring at him. "Its you" the whispered in bewilderment.

"Huh?" Aedion dazedly gaped at the man and his mind seeemed blank.

"The scent" the man whispered and unconciously reaching out his right arm towards Aedion.

Aedion gathered all his strength and slowly chanted for everyone to freeze including the man in front of him because the scent is too much, its making him feel hot and somewhere in his body is very uncomfortable. He felt so thirsty and...burning.

Everyone are not moving except the great alpha and his omega who are still gaping in confusion.

Aedion slightly crouch in pain while he is clutching his thundering chest.

"Are you okay?" Aedion gasped in shock when the man spoke who he thought was also frozen together with the others in the hall.

"You can move?" Aedion asked breathlessly while the man's arm are in the air and reluctantly reaching for Aedion.

"Yes I can, why?" the man confusedly asked.

"You are not supposed to move, you are supposed to be frozen like all of them" Aedion gasped his every words since he seemed to be lossing his breath.

"Why would I be frozen?" the man asked dazedly looking so lost if he will touch Aedion or not but he looked very eager to do so.

"What's happening to the two of you?" Ariella asked when she awakened from her confusion.

"Mother, he is...he is my mate" the man dazedly turned to his parents.

"Your what?" the great alpha gasped in disbelief.

"My mate" the man whispered while he returned to look at Aedion who is still clutching his chest and he gaped in shock when he heard what the man said.

"Mate?" Aedion gasped.

"Yes, mate. You are my mate,you felt it right? I felt you, your scent is all over the place" the man explained carefully.

"My scent? I have hidden my scent...no...I dont have a scent" Aedion whispered in disbelief as he thought of what the man said. He said he can smell Aedions scent which he have hidden a long time ago since his first heat occured and it was not difficult because his body knew it well too, he no longer have a scent of an omega since then.

"You are an omega Liam? But I thought you are an alpha, I am there when you are tested" Vidarr exclaimed who is just silently listening to the other's conversation.

Liam gaped at his brother and turned to Aedion.

"Im am an alpha and he is my omega" Liam said and pointed at Aedion who is still gaping in shock.

Another three pairs of eyes stared at Aedion in disbelief.

"I thought you are an alpha, everything about you is an alpha, you never smelled like an omega" the great alpha exclaimed im disbelief.

Aedion just closed his eyes because he cannot be able to look at the three people who, in one way or another, he have deceived.

"I cant tell you for now" Aedion breathlessly whispered while he gasped in pain and clutched his hand on the pit of his stomach.

"Are you okay? Whats wrong?" Liam immediately held Aedion's slender body against his which snapped all of Aedions self control and he suddenly lunge on Liams body.

"Pain...it hurts" Aedion breathlessly mumbled against Liams neck as they are both holding each other tightly.

"Aedion whats wrong?" Ariella asked when she saw Aedions pained face.

"It hurts" Aedion weakly mumbled as he cling tightly on Liams neck, snuggling the closest he can get on Liams body.

"Baby hang on there" Liam whispered so softly on Aedions ear.

"Mother whats happening? Why is he in pain?" Liam panicked when he felt Aedions body stiffened because of too much pain. He looked at his parents in panic.

"He is having his heat?" Ariella mumbled unsurely while looking at her husband.

"Heat? I dont have heat" Aedion mumbled softly.

"You are having your heat Aedion and if Liam is correct that you two are mates, its all triggered by Liam" Ariella explained carefully while looking at the pained man inside his son's embrace.

"What can I do to ease his pain?" Liam asked worriedly while pressing his lips on Aedions hair.

"Heat pain of an omega can only be relieved by his alpha" Ariella turned to his son. "He have suppressed his scent even to all of us that we all thought that he is an alpha but with his destined mate, he cannot control his body. His body will crave the scent of his alpha" Ariella added patiently.

"But mother, Aedion is very different from us. What will happen if Liam will claim him?" Vidarr interrupted with his sound analogy of the stituation.

His parents and Liam turned to him while in deep thoughts.

"Aedion is a normal omega who needs his alpha, whatever the consequences of their union is already beyond the law of men" one of the strangers suddenly spoke without all of them noticing that they have arrived.

Four pairs of eyes stared at the one who just spoke.

"Anything that would happen with Aedion and his alpha will not affect whatever he was planned for" the other stranger spoke with his usual serious face.

"I want to mark him, he is mine" Liam exclaimed possesively as he tightened his hold to Aedions body and stared at the two strangers who have interrupted all of them. He dont know them but the fact that his father and brother was not alarmed of their presence is enough reason for him not to be alarmed too.

"He is all yours, he has been preserved for something great but no one could stop the pull of two destined souls. We are entrusting Aedion to you, alpha Liam" the two strangers bowed at Liam for unknown reasons. They have been speaking in riddles since they brought Aedion a week ago.

"What is planned for Aedion?" the great alpha grasped what the strangers said and he was curious.

The strangers looked at the alpha of the Rieka clan with their piercing eyes.

"We dont know what it is, but destiny will lead him towards it. He was already predestined" one of the strangers explained briefly.

"It hurts" Aedion whimpered painfully.

"Take care of him alpha" one of the strangers exclaimed.

"Bring him to your chamber son" the great alpha ordered amd Liam just nodded before he carried Aedion into his arms and quickly walked towards the second level of the main house.

As soon as Aedion and Liam disappeared from the great hall, everyone automatically started to move normally again, as if there is no time gap that happened.

The strangers stayed for dinner but no one seemed to notice that their clan leaders have visitors who joined them that night. They all ate their food as if its just a normal night for all of them.

Everyones enjoyment over dinner were only interrupted by a very sweet smelling scent that engulfed the air and everyone are looking around the hall searching for the wonderful scent that they have inhaled.

The sweet scent lingered for a few seconds and it suddenly disappeared to everyones disappointment and they are all gushing and murmuring about the scent that all of them have briefly smelled.

The five people in the main table just looked at each other knowingly as they also smelled the same sweet scent. It was brief but they all know what happened when it suddenly disappeared.

Aedion has been marked by his alpha and no one could smell his scent anymore. He dont need to suppress his scent from anyone just like what he did before because a marked omega is owned, he is already one with his alpha and no one can smell his scent but his alpha.

Quinn and Ariella are just hoping that everything will turn out well because of what happened tonight. They could feel that something unusual and mysterious is surrounding Aedion but they cannot determine what it is and considering that Aedion also has the power of an elemental but he is not speaking openly about it so they just remained quite and wait for him to open up voluntarily.

Whatever the consequences of tonight, the Rieka clan will be ready.

"Vidarr, strengthen the patrol in the forest and all possible port of entrance and exit. No one enters and no one leaves without my knowledge" Quinn ordered his eldest son.

*****tbc*****