Prologue
Haven Harold is a dominant alpha who has everything, has the freedom to dream and have everything. But Haven always uses his mind instead of his heart and doesn't care about love or a fated mate, what he hopes and wants is someone who is worthy and fits his criteria for a partner. Haven doesn't want his life to be controlled because of something called pheromones and he doesn't believe that the fated mate really exists even though he often hears stories about the fated mate from his family but someone like Haven who uses his mind and logic above all else will not believe in the fated mate.
Haven who is like that doesn't mean he doesn't have the heart to sympathize and love others. One day, he meets a girl who is a member of the royal family, a human hybrid. For Haven, the girl was someone who deserved to be beside him and be his partner. Even after that, he found out that the girl had a bitter life and couldn't have children. But Haven, who had always thought logically, put aside some of his logic and sympathized with that girl. Finally, the relationship between the two went very well and marriage became the goal of their relationship.
But maybe fate said otherwise, the girl left the bitter life she had been feeling and left Haven who thought she would be his life partner even without love.
At that moment, Haven felt his mate disappear and a sense of loneliness emerged, his logic and mind no longer working properly. Pheromone took over him, his control was lost because of the pheromone of an omega who was none other than the bodyguard of his twin brother, Raven. The bodyguard who is four years older than him Haven thought would be suitable for an outlet and just a game but it turned out that what happened was Haven who fell into a life cycle called to love and fated mate.
_
Princess Nora's death is a blow to Haven. The feeling of losing the person he thought would be his life companion made him shattered but his heart also felt relief from the departure of Princess Nora.
Haven meets Princess Nora while he is attending a royal party. The first impression he got from Princess Nora was that of a woman who deserves the title of Princess with a kind, smart and gentle personality. Haven initially thought that Princess Nora was the woman of his dreams and deserved to be by his side. But the more he gets to know Princess Nora, Haven finds the harsh reality of every smile that appears on the lips of the ideal girl in his eyes.
Haven felt pity in his heart, it did not love but a feeling that was stronger than love. It was a feeling that made Haven want to protect the girl, to take her out of the misery that an innocent girl had to endure from the cruelty of noble life.
Understanding each other and knowing each other's strengths and weaknesses, providing support and complementing each other's needs is what makes Haven and Princess Nora decide to have a serious relationship and agree to get married. They both know that there is no love between them but they both know that they need each other.
The harsh reality that others don't know about, Princess Nora can't have children due to a genetic disorder caused by the experiments her father carried out on her mother. Haven knew that, but at that moment he needed support to build a name for himself. Besides, Haven absolutely does not want to be in a position where he is controlled by pheromones like other alphas, like his twin brother, Raven. Haven wants to marry the person he really wants to marry purely out of his own mind without any pheromone interference.
Princess Nora and Haven seemed to be helping each other, they don't know what feelings they actually felt after being in a relationship for several months until they were finally engaged, but what is certain is that they both respect each other and promise to be the person who will always be there for each other.
Princess Nora's death seemed to destroy some of Haven's purpose in life and a feeling of emptiness rose in his heart. If usually, he would take time twice a week to meet Princess Nora and chat about the small things that happened for a few days and talk about their's plans for the future. Now Haven just sat in silence without anyone to hear him speak or people who just sat in front of him silent and busy with their respective activities.
The sound of the waves sounded so loud, the wind felt strong against Haven's face. Haven looked at the sea in front of him and said quietly, "Are you happier there now? You don't have to think about how people look at you, you don't have to think about how to survive in that cold palace. Nora, I'm sorry for not being always with you and I can not give you the love you expect. I'm sorry, I haven't had the chance to introduce you to happiness."
Haven remembered when he and Princess Nora came to this place, on this beach. Haven would always come to pick up Princess Nora at the Palace and drive to this beach and buy a beer that Princess Nora couldn't possibly taste at the palace. Both would drink beer but never once drank beer to the point of being drunk. After that, Haven and Princess Nora will go to the aquarium at midnight when the aquarium is closed and no one else is around. The two of them will talk about how the fish in the aquarium is so pitiful and the desire to release them into the open sea.
Haven drank his beer, already 5 cans of beer that he drank alone. His ears were red up to his neck but Haven wasn't drunk yet, he just felt that the beer made him feel warm.
Raindrops began to fall on the ground. Haven stood up and walked to his car parked behind him. Haven didn't start his car and just looked at the ocean by leaning his chin on the steering wheel until he unconsciously fell asleep there until the sun began to emerge from the ocean, morning had come.
There were a few more beers in the car and most of them were empty, Haven drank the rest of the beer quickly which made him even drunker. Someone knocked on the car window which made Haven who was leaning back in the car seat turn and open the car window.
"Young master, young master Raven told me to pick you up", Rick said stiffly.
Haven looked at Rick and suddenly said "You...an omega?".
Rick spontaneously stepped back away from the car, very concentrated alpha pheromone came out of the car making his body feel hot.
Rick is an omega, he is the nephew of the current head butler of the Harold family. It was unusual for an omega to be a bodyguard but the current Harold family didn't really care about gender, like Leynn's personal bodyguard who was a woman. Rick is a fighter from the pack who works under the auspices of Raven and usually just stays at home or just being a driver but since Raven has a relationship with Arzoo, Raven tells Rick to be Arzoo's personal bodyguard because according to Raven the safest person to look after Arzoo is a fellow omega. Since then, Rick has been working outside a lot to escort and protect Arzoo which has resulted in him meeting a lot of people in Harold's family as well.
"Young master..", Rick backed away from the car when Haven opened the car door and walked towards him.
"Come here," Haven's husky voice sounded sensual.
Rick seemed to have received an order that was difficult to refuse and subconsciously stopped in his tracks. But when Haven was only a few steps away from him, Rick immediately realized and immediately backed away from Haven.
"Young master...Haven, please wake up!!", Rick said with difficulty and pleading as his legs started shaking and limp.
Haven seemed to be still bound by one consciousness and immediately turned back to the car, then took the sedative and injected it roughly into his hand. Haven endured the pain and gripped the steering wheel tightly. Rick who was outside the car felt so weak that his legs were shaking which made him unable to stand and squat. Realizing that he was experiencing heat due to being close to an alpha who was in a rut, Rick immediately took the heat medicine that was in his coat pocket and immediately swallowed it without water.
The sound of the cellphone ringing made Rick realize and immediately pick up the phone, "Hello".
"Yes, I have found young master Haven. We will be right back," said Rick to the person behind the phone.
Since Rick had come in a taxi with the excuse that he had to drive for Haven then now he had to keep doing his job even though he just almost got in heat period. Rick approaches the car and sees Haven has injected the rut drug so Rick feels otherwise nothing will happen.
Rick knocked on the car window and made Haven who was looking down on the steering wheel get up and open the car door, "Get in".
Haven shifted into the driver's seat and let Rick drive. The car was so full of alpha pheromones which made Rick feel hot that Rick said quietly, "Young master, may I open the window?".
Haven who closed his eyes and leaned against the window just said yes, "Hm".
Rick opens his window so the pheromone in the car can get out then he puts on his seat belt, getting ready to drive but he sees Haven who he thought was asleep had not put his seat belt on. Rick want to help Haven to use the seat belt, "Young master, seat belt".
As Rick was pulling his seatbelt to put on, Haven opened his eyes and the alpha's eyes glared at Rick. In the blink of an eye, everything went black and Rick was suddenly under Haven. Rick is very shocked and panicked trying to get away from Haven but his strength is clearly inferior to Haven who is an alpha with a body bigger than Rick. Plus, Haven is currently in a rut so his strength is getting stronger.
"Young master!! Stop it!!", Rick pleaded.
Haven ignored it and immediately took off Rick's black tie, then violently tugged the white shirt Rick was wearing until it ripped and the buttons fell off. The broad chest that is not too muscular with pale skin looks sweaty which makes it tempting. Haven looked at him sharply then looked at Rick's thin lips which were slightly browned because Rick was a smoker so he could faintly smell cigarettes if he was very close to Rick like Haven at this time but usually no one would notice if Rick was a smoker because there was no smell of cigarettes from him.
Haven was about to kiss Rick's lips but Rick refused and turned his head the other way every time Haven would bring his lips to Rick's. Haven seemed annoyed and immediately bit Rick's neck until Rick let out a painful sigh. Haven's bite marks are seen bleeding a little, if Haven bites his neck back a little more then Rick will be marked by Haven so Rick gets scared and immediately covers his neck with his hands. Haven kissed Rick's body further down but a moment later Haven stopped and leaned his body against Rick's body, Haven fell asleep. Haven was no longer moving so Rick heaved a sigh of relief because he realized that his rut medicine had just worked.
Rick immediately put Haven in his seat and fastened his seat belt then Rick himself tidied his clothes and immediately drove away to take Haven home.
_
"Young master, the car is ready", Rick said calling for Arzoo.
"Oh ok", Arzoo walked towards the car.
Rick opened the back door of the car and after Arzoo got in he closed the door and then he himself got into the car. Said, "Where are we going, Young master?".
"I want to go to a bookstore, do you know a bookstore that is comfortable to read near Harold's company building?", said Arzoo.
"There's a good bookstore in building B near the company," Rick answered stiffly.
"Oh, then we'll just go there," said Arzoo agreeing to Rick's proposal.
Rick immediately took Arzoo to the bookstore in question. Ever since he was assigned by Raven to be Arzoo's personal bodyguard, Rick has been around Arzoo almost 24 hours so he can't think about what happened to him a while ago. After all, since that incident, he had never seen Haven again and he himself was sure that Haven would just take it as an ordinary mistake and forget about it immediately.
Rick followed Arzoo into the bookstore until noon. Arzoo after receiving a call from Raven immediately rushed to the parking lot to meet with Raven. Rick just followed him in silence, Rick didn't talk much and seemed stiff but because Arzoo wasn't a talkative person either so it wasn't too awkward for the two of them and it could even be said that working to look after Arzoo made him very comfortable because both of them only spoke when needed and there was no personal contact.
Arriving at the parking lot, Rick was a little stunned to see Haven who was standing leaning against the car door but his expressionless face made people not know what Rick was thinking. Rick remained rigid in saluting Raven and Haven. Haven didn't look at Rick at all and just treated him as before but that only made Rick relieved and immediately dispelled the incoherent thoughts.
Rick drove his car following the cars of the young masters in front of him. At the restaurant, Arzoo offers to join them for lunch but Rick refuses and Arzoo doesn't insist. Rick was waiting in the parking lot. After a while of waiting, Rick decided to buy coffee near the restaurant and returned to the parking lot to wait in the car while enjoying his iced coffee and two doughnuts.
After eating a doughnut, Rick got out of the car and took out his cigarette. Rick smoked next to the car with the ashtray and placed his coffee next to the ashtray. Rick had just taken a bite of his second doughnut when he saw Haven suddenly walk towards him. Rick immediately stubbed out his cigarette and placed the doughnut in his hand over the coffee cup. Haven glanced at him and was about to get into his car but he closed the car door again and walked over to Rick.
Rick was taken aback but he kept his expression flat and stiff. Haven looked at Rick and said, "Quit smoking and eat fewer sweets too".
Rick looked at Haven and didn't have time to say anything because Raven's voice sounded, "I thought you were gone already, Haven".
Rick immediately threw away his coffee and doughnuts and also forgot the cigarettes. Haven just stared at Rick's behaviour and turned back to his car. Haven said to Raven, "Um, I will be going now. Hurry back to the company later".
"Oh... Ready, Mr CEO", replied Raven jokingly.
_
It was night, Rick saw that Arzoo's room was dark so he could now rest. Rick reported to the head of the guard at the house before he returned to his room. Rick's room is on the 1st floor right below Arzoo and Raven's room which is on the 2nd floor. Rick opens his bedroom window and starts smoking his cigarette while sitting at the window. Rick started smoking when he was in the 3rd grade of high school, because of an incident he became diverted his anxiety or just discomfort in his heart by smoking cigarettes so that his mind and heart can be clearer. Rick who is an introvert is not very close to the other bodyguards, moreover, Rick is an omega which makes him and the other bodyguards keep their distance from each other so that nothing untoward happens.
Rick who was in his thoughts didn't realize that he had already taken cigarettes more than three times and was about to take another cigarette but a hand stopped him. Rick saw the person in front of him who was wearing grey pyjamas and he immediately jerked back until he accidentally dropped the cigarette ashtray in his hand and hit the pants of the person in front of him.
Haven calmly took the cigarette that Rick was about to smoke and threw it in the trash can then looked at his pants which were covered in cigarette ashes. Haven only patted his pants a few times before shoving Rick into his room. Haven walked into Rick's room through the window and without a word, Haven walked right past Rick and into the bathroom to wash his hands.
"Come here," Haven said like an order for Rick to go into the bathroom with the door open.
Rick walks into the bathroom and is shocked when Haven hands him a toothbrush, "Clean your mouth, it stinks of cigarettes".
Rick just kept quiet and took his toothbrush then started brushing his teeth and gargled until the smell of cigarettes left his mouth. Haven looked at it from the side and as if satisfied, Haven walked out of the bathroom and sat on Rick's bed. Haven said, "Why do you smoke?".
Rick who finished washing his hands walked out of the bathroom and stood in front of the bathroom, answering quietly "Don't remember".
Haven only glanced at Rick briefly and asked again, "Since when did you smoke?".
Rick replied stiffly, "Since the 3rd grade of high school".
"Oh, I mean how long are you smoking?" Asked Haven who didn't know Rick's age.
"It's been ten years," Rick replied after thinking about it for a while.
"Huh? Ten years?", Haven was shocked in disbelief.
"Yes, Young master," replied Rick flatly.
"You're older than me?", Haven asked in disbelief.
"Yes. I am four years older than you, Young master," replied Rick who was still expressionless.
"Hmm, then you must have had a lot of experience," said Haven who stood up from his seat and stood opposite Rick.
Rick was confused and asked, "What experience, young master?".
"Make love," said Haven, glaring at Rick.
Rick was shocked and seeing Haven's gaze made Rick look down. Haven said again, "So an incident like that time, wasn't a big deal for you, right? You're old enough to do more than that time".
Rick didn't know what to answer. To be honest, before that incident, Rick had never even joined hands with anyone other than his own family but if he was honest it could have made him even more awkward with Haven so Rick finally decided to lie and confirmed Haven's words, "Yes, young master. You didn't need to worry about the incident back then, I've forgotten about it."
Haven was taken aback but didn't extend or explain it any further. Haven turned away and said, "I will compensate you for the loss, I will transfer the money to your account as an apology".
Rick just looked down and didn't say anything at all hearing Haven's words.
_
To Be Continued