When Rivals Say I Do

Gentleman

Elliot watched warily as his parents and Vincent began interacting over lunch. Apollo, having been introduced to Vincent during meetings with the queen, was familiar with him and though they hadn’t formed any particular bond, he was used to Vincent’s presence.

Carmilla, however, had only seen Vincent at their wedding—this was only the second time she’d encountered him. The curiosity was evident in her eyes as she studied him, her expression a mix of amusement and intrigue.

Elliot, for his part, did his best to ignore what was happening around him. He shoveled his food onto his plate, as though pretending Vincent wasn’t even there would make him disappear.

The tension was broken when Carmilla, after a long stretch of silence, spoke up. “How’s Elliot treating you?” she asked, her tone light but tinged with a curiosity that was hard to miss.

Vincent turned slightly to her, offering a smile, though his eyes didn’t seem to quite match the expression. "He's been good," he replied, his voice calm and even, almost too calm.

Elliot scoffed, his fork stabbing into his steak with more force than necessary, the clink of metal against the plate almost echoing. “You don’t need to pretend, Vincent,” he muttered, his tone sharp, betraying the underlying frustration he felt.

Vincent met his gaze for a moment, his cool demeanor unwavering. “I’m not pretending,” he said evenly. “You haven’t done anything to make me hate you.”

Elliot rolled his eyes, the gesture exaggerated and dripping with sarcasm. "That’s why I ran away," he shot back.

“I apologize for my actions earlier,” Vincent replied and continued, “I had my suppressants upped by my doctor.”

Before Elliot could retort, Carmilla chimed in, “Elliot will do the same,” she said matter-of-factly. “We just had a conversation about it.”

The lunch conversation didn’t stretch on for long. Carmilla and Vincent did most of the talking, with Vincent playing the role of the charming alpha, as if trying to impress his parents. Elliot couldn’t quite understand why he bothered—after all, it wasn’t as if Vincent needed to win their approval.

Despite this, Vincent seemed genuinely pleased with himself. His smile could have been mistaken for contentment, but to Elliot, it felt more like the satisfaction of a performance well executed. When the time came to bid their farewells, Elliot kept his expression neutral. He didn’t want Vincent to see his relationship with his parents. He wanted to keep his guard up, no matter what.

As they entered their carriage, Elliot couldn’t help but feel a bit jealous of how cool and collected Vincent was with his parents. Meanwhile, Elliot was fuming a bit, still annoyed that Vincent had barged into the Leightons’ home. He sat on the opposite side of the carriage, watching as Vincent gazed out the window. He had to admit, the man did look good—very masculine, with a sharp jaw and broad shoulders. His blue eyes were piercing and hard to read.

Elliot sighed. If Vincent weren’t who he was, he might consider the marriage a success. After all, the queen had paired him with an attractive man. Suddenly, it hit him what he was thinking, and he slapped his forehead. There he was, accepting his marriage to Vincent just because the man was damn attractive.

Vincent was alerted by the sudden noise and glanced at Elliot, his expression questioning. “What’s the problem?”

“Just realized something stupid,” Elliot replied.

Vincent didn’t press further. He simply shrugged and left Elliot alone with his thoughts.

The sound of horse hooves echoed through the air as Elliot tried to think of ways to make his life less miserable within the confines of their marriage. He could focus all his energy on studying, learning his father’s ways and tactics as a diplomat, but a nagging feeling persisted in his mind—he needed to be an obedient omega to Vincent. And he hated every second of it.

“Aren’t you tired of acting like an alpha all the time?” Elliot asked. Personally, he always did his best to avoid the caricature of an omega.

Vincent tilted his head at the question. “What do you mean? This is how I always am.”

Elliot sank into his seat, dramatically waving his hand as he imitated Vincent’s voice. “This is how the Whitehalls do it,” he mocked.

Vincent rolled his eyes at Elliot. But ever since he was a child, he had been accustomed to being proud and taking on the role of leader. He knew that his family’s name and future rested solely on his shoulders. He had always carried that burden, and Elliot’s questioning of his upbringing bothered him more than he expected.

“It’s none of your business, Elliot,” Vincent snapped.

“It kind of is, since we’re married and all,” Elliot retorted sarcastically.

Elliot could tell he’d hit a nerve with Vincent, so he decided to push it further.

“I’m an alpha. I’m strong, confident, and scary!” Elliot mocked again.

Vincent wasn’t having it. He pinned Elliot to his seat, his eyes locking onto his with intensity.

“Yes, Elliot. I’m an alpha, and I’m scary,” Vincent threatened.

Elliot couldn’t move. The position in the carriage was awkward, but Vincent’s grip was unyielding.

Vincent leaned down, his face near Elliot’s neck. “I could mate you right now without any problem,” he murmured, his voice menacing. “But I’m being a gentleman.”

Vincent let go of Elliot’s hand and returned to his seat, annoyance clear on his face. It was always easy for Elliot to read the negative emotions on Vincent’s face.

Elliot touched his wrists, wincing slightly at the pain from Vincent’s grip.

“See what I told you? Always acting like an alpha. Try being yourself for once,” Elliot sneered. Vincent’s intimidation may have worked a little, but he wasn’t backing down easily.

Vincent didn’t even understand what Elliot was talking about. He was an alpha, and his personality was simply that of an alpha. He ignored Elliot for the rest of the ride, his mind preoccupied with the words Elliot had said.