The grand hall of Panthara was silent, filled with the soft rustle of silks and armor as nobles and warriors alike gathered for the announcement. Kongpob stood among them, his heart pounding in his chest as he awaited the decree from his uncle, King Adiratna.

His stomach felt like a bottomless pit, he gulped, wiping his sweaty palms discreetly on the sides of his silk robes, afraid to catch his uncle's disapproving glance.

He was never summoned in the public eye. He was the forgotten omega, the spare heir. Meant to be kept alive for the sake of it.

It was not always like this. Kongpob was once the beloved prince, the first child of reigning King Kerkllai - his father. Or so he was told by his nanny .

Although his uncle was to be the King, he lost a hand in a war, being handicapped with one hand; his crowning was opposed by whole court of ministers. As the King, according to Panthara's rules must be able bodied and sound minded. So, Kongpob's father was made to ascend the throne. It was the day seeds of hatred were sowed in his uncle's chest. He became the spare heir.

It did not help that Kongpob's father proved to be the best king for panthara , no matter how short his reign was. He made numerous alliances, and secured panthara's border and culled every hand that raised towards Panthara with evil intentions.

But , the thing that Kong loved the most about his father's reign were the reforms. His father was of the view that by restraining omegas only to the homes , they were wasting half their talented individuals. The thought of omega's in public spaces - working, was novel to panthara. They were awestruck, and not pleasantly, that their beloved King would want their mother's, mates under other alpha's gazes , on streets. But, the king was adamant.

Soon, the public got the wind that, in his visit to Panna Kingdom, King has taken ill and their nothing their Healer did, worked. So Panna lent their royal Healer to King Kerkllai, who turned out to be, Achara, an omega. The King had lost his heart then and there to the gorgeous women. The Healer soon became Panthara's queen ,bore the King a son - crown heir Kongpob Suthiluck.

His mother was a power to be reckoned, she personally trained the male and female omegas in the art of self defence and healing. The traditionalist alpha's were not pleased with her, it did not help that people thought she was a witch who fed their king love potion or something.

It mattered nothing to royal couple, they rallied their reforms with double enthusiasm. His mother was enthusiastic about omega rights and soon gained Popularity among young omegas, who were seen by society as rebels. Omegas, now were an earning member and gained confidence to speak of their plights. The instances of omega's complaining against their alpha guardians , be it father, brother or husbands, increased. And thus increased the alpha society's ire against the omega queen. But nothing could be done. She had full support of the King and omegas whose life had taken turn for better.

Most of the reforms brought economic gains , so people were somehow able to swallow it. But some reforms were too big to be swallowed. The day Kongpob turned 11, his father held a grand celebration, Kong remembers wearing a silk robes just like he had today, his mother lovingly strapped a dagger to his waist. His father pinned the family insignia on the left side of his robe, a tiny replica of his own. Kongpob was to shift today and then he would be officially named as crown heir.

Kong turned out to be an omega. As decided, it did not affect the decision of the King. The moment Kong was announced the heir - all the hell broke loose. The court was staunchly opposed to even the idea of an omega sitting on throne.

The rebellions started from that day, in different , remote parts of their kingdom. One such rebellion took the kind king's life. Because, the King saw those rebellions as just his subject expressing some anger rather than seeing it as elaborate political trap as it was. He went personally to stop each one , he did stop tens of rebellions, changed people's minds. People were slowly coming to terms with the idea of atleast giving Kongpob a chance as crown heir. Until, the last one, where , according to official reports, angry mob had attacked the queen, and in saving her, the king had succumbed too.

Overnight, Kongpob became an orphan , but the kingdom got a new King - his handicapped uncle, the staunch traditionalist , King Adiratna. The alphas rejoiced while omegas wept as they were dragged back to the darkness .

All the reforms were taken back, omegas were again brought under veil of home and will of their alphas. Kongpob's weapon training was halted with immediate effect and he was tutored on how to become an obedient omega. His uncle wanted him to be model for omegas of their kingdom.

An omega according to his uncle is set of hands and legs and eyes and ears that were supposed to do what was told. Expressing their thoughts was unbecoming of an omega so was expressing discomfort or pain. An ideal omega should be like earth- giving, nurturing, patient and silent. It was not a place of an omega to question an alpha's decision . Alpha's were born to rule and omegas were born to serve them. It was how moon goddess deemed, it was her will. Who are they to disagree?

It was not like Kong did not rebel. He was his mother's child. He did opposed the pruning of his freedom and free will and was punished heavily for it - with being locked in a dark room without food and water, with whips, with torture. The day that broke him was the day when his uncle came to execute the punishment personally- with a knotted whip. Kongpob was ready , but , they brought in his old and frail nanny who Kong knew would die with just five whips and Kongpob's will not just broke but shattered that day.

From that day onwards, Kongpob was always on line, because failing to do so, would bring punishment on the people he was taught to consider his family. His old nanny and two of his personal omega attendants. So Kong learnt all that he was taught. Mainly, he had to unlearn his mother's teachings.

Fifteen years later, at twenty six, Kong could not even recognise the old headstrong omega he once was. He was definitely not it. His heart sped if even a thought to speaking against an alpha sparks in his mind. His hands sweat if an alpha's brows raise in displeasure. His knees give up if he was told he overstepped.

He had become the model omega, his uncle wanted to sculpt hi in to.

His only form of rebellion, came in form of his secret wish. He wished for the prince from tales of his mother be real. In his fantasies, his prince came on white horse and eloped with him to a place where he was loved and wanted. Where he too, had a voice and his opinions were heard.

He'd grown up on tales of love and honor, dreaming of the day when he'd find his own fairytale. Perhaps his fated mate would be a courageous prince or a noble warrior who'd defend him, someone with strength and gentleness, someone who'd look at him and see more than just an omega - born to serve.

All his hopes crashed, and broke, just like his courage fifteen years ago- in to smithereens. As King Reinir's voice rang out, calm and resolute, though a chill lay beneath his words. "Today, we announce the union of Prince Kongpob of Panthara with none other than General Reinir Karsvagar, the esteemed military commander of Panthara and guardian of our lands."

A murmur swept through the hall, quickly stifled by tense silence.

Kongpob's chest tightened, he bowed his head as the final nail was drilled in to the coffin of his dreams to ever find a gentle alpha.

General Reinir was known as king's right hand and enforcer of his will. He was like king's shadow. If he was being given to Reinir, a man twenty years his senior, set in to his ways- he should just revise all his lessons and hope not to be proved a disappointment to his husband. Or King Adiratna will skin him alive.

" General Karsvagar, you may mark your betrothed with claim of your house.

Kongpob swallowed, forcing himself to stand tall as General Karsvagar approached him, a serious expression on his face. The general held out a gleaming gold armlet, its polished surface reflecting the faint, amber glow of the torches lining the hall. Embedded within the armlet was a large green stone set between the tails of two black panthers, the insignia of House Karsvagar, symbolizing both authority and fealty.

"Prince Kongpob," the general intoned, his voice deep and steady. "With this, I mark you as my betrothed, to be worn until the day of our union."

Kongpob hesitated, his hand trembling as he extended it, fingers barely grazing the cool metal. There was no warmth, no promise, no whisper of hope in this exchange. Only duty, masked as fate.

His fantasies of a prince on a white steed or the gentle love he'd read about in forbidden books smuggled by his cousin Lena, felt distant, impossibly naïve.

The armlet clinked softly as his attendants secured it around his left arm, the weight settling against Kongpob's skin like a shackle.

He felt the gazes of the court on him-some with pity, others with satisfaction at seeing the prince obediently accept his duty.

No words were spoken as the king concluded the announcement. The crowd dispersed, leaving Kongpob alone in the grand hall, the gold armlet glinting faintly under the torchlight, a cold reminder of the life he had now been bound to.

.............

In the days that followed, Kong carried out his duties in silence, his once-lively spirit dampened. The weight of the armlet seemed to increase with each passing moment, reminding him of his role as a pawn in Panthara's endless power plays.

Although Kong had no courage or energy left in him to be furious, someone else was offended on his behalf. His cousin and eldest daughter of the King Adiratna — Princess Lena.

As soon as the celebration was concluded, she caught hold of Kongpob's fiancé and her lover — General Karsvagar.

That evening, she stormed through the winding hallways until she reached General Karsvagar's quarters, where he stood, his expression drawn as he gazed out over the kingdom he'd defended for decades.

"What is the meaning of this, General?" Lena demanded, her voice sharp with accusation. "You knew, you must have known! Kongpob is barely older than your eldest child—he has no idea what he's being forced into."

The general turned slowly, his face solemn. "I know," he replied, his voice a low rumble that seemed to echo with weariness. "Believe me, I know."

"Then why accept it?" she pressed, eyes bright with indignation. "You have served this kingdom faithfully, without question. I thought... I thought you were a man of honor. A man who would stand up for what's right. A man who would honor his promise . "

Reinir's gaze softened as he looked at her, and in his eyes, she saw the weight of unspoken words and buried feelings. "Lena," he began, his voice betraying a hint of sadness, "if there were any other way, I would take it. If there were a way to break this betrothal and marry you, free from the king's wrath, I would do so without hesitation. I proposed the king, hand of my eldest for Kongpob , but he denied."

The words left her silent, her anger cooling as understanding settled over her.

She'd long known of Reinir's feelings, sensed them in the way he looked at her, the rare smiles he reserved only for her.

But he had never spoken of it, never dared to act, bound by duty and honor.

Lena's voice softened, her anger dissolving into quiet sorrow. "So you would give up your own happiness, and his, for the sake of duty?"

The general's shoulders sagged, his face lined with weariness. "What choice do I have?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper. "The king's decree binds me. I am but a soldier in his service, and Kongpob... he is but a prince in a gilded cage. Neither of us has any say in the matter."

Lena watched him, a bitter smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. "So you choose duty over love."

Reinir's eyes met hers, and for a brief moment, she saw the man he could have been—the man who might have fought for her, if fate had been kinder.

"Sometimes," he replied quietly, "duty is all we have."

With that, Lena turned and left, her heart heavy, knowing she could do nothing to free Kongpob—or herself—from the iron chains of Panthara's traditions. She cast a final, mournful glance back at the hall where Kongpob's future had been sealed, where love and hope had been sacrificed in the name of duty.
..........

Days passed by, and Lena saw Kongpob dying a little with each day drawing towards his wedding. She didn't know what she could do that would grant both of their heart's desire. Freedom for Kongpob and for her — her love, general Reinir.

She thought and thought until one day, she was reading the book she smuggled and an idea struck her.

..........

The candlelight flickered in the stillness of Lena's chambers as she meticulously folded a letter bearing her cousin's name. Her heartbeat echoed in her ears, but her hands were steady, resolute. She had spent the past night weaving a tale of longing and admiration, crafting words that would speak to the heart of a man she'd never met, yet whose reputation had captivated her. He would be perfect choice for Kongpob.

The letter she held was addressed to Commander Arthit Rojanapat, the esteemed military leader of Rasina.

Known for his valor, his sense of justice, and the strict moral code he followed, he was unlike any man Lena had ever known—certainly unlike any of the powerful alphas in Panthara, who viewed Omegas as little more than pawns to be bartered in a political game.

For Lena, that view had been reinforced time and again, as she watched her father's ambitions tighten their grip on her family. But the moment her father, King Adiratna, declared his intention to marry her younger cousin Kongpob to general Reinir, Lena's heart broke.

It was not like her father did not know of her admiration for the general. He knew. And that is why he had arranged fir Kongpob to marry the general. Because the ten years age gap was too embarrassing, so he sanctioned her lover to be wed with  a man twenty years his junior.

It made her to hate her father a little more . He killed two birds with one stone. If the general stil pursied Lena, the king will charge him of adultery and execute him while accusing Kongpob of not serving his husband welk and sentencing him to death as well. She felt like Kongpob's blood would be on her. Lena could not bear the thought of it.

Kongpob was gentle and soft-spoken, never knowing what it meant to speak freely, much less to love freely. She, too, had been raised with obedience, but she had learned to bend it to her will. And now, she intended to use that will to free her cousin.

In her letter, she painted a picture of a prince who admired Arthit's courage, who had harbored secret feelings ever since he'd seen a rare portrait of the commander and read the accounts of his valor. She wove a story of unspoken dreams, of nights spent longing for a man who could protect him, not as property, but as a true mate.

"If you honor the courage it took to write this," Lena penned, "then I beg you to come for me. Come for me before I am bound to a fate I dread, to a man I do not love. I would be yours, if you would have me. If not, I will die before accepting any other man as my mate. "

With a flourish, she signed it  " Kongpob of Panthara"  and sealed it with his mark. The ink dried as her resolve hardened.

She prayed Arthit would be moved by the plea, that he would come for Kongpob as his savior and not his conqueror.

Days passed. Lena waited, her heart seized by both fear and hope, until a reply came at last.

Arthit had written back."To the Prince of Panthara," the commander's letter began. "Your words have moved me, and if they are indeed true, then I will honor your plea. If you would be my mate, I shall come to Panthara and challenge General Reinir for your hand. But I would not be amenable to eloping with you like a thief or a criminal . "

Lena felt a surge of relief mixed with trepidation. She'd succeeded in stirring Arthit to action, in planting the seeds of her cousin's freedom. But she knew the price of deception, and it weighed heavily on her heart.

But fate dealt its own hand when, only days later, Panthara came under siege by the Werebear King, Konrad, a ferocious ruler whose forces stormed across the land like a relentless tide. The kingdom was on the brink, and her father, desperate to save his rule, turned to General Reinir to defend their borders. Although Panthers were fierce fighters, they were proving to be mo match to rabid polar bears.

In this time of crisis, Lena wrote once more to Arthit, pleading for him to come to Panthara's aid. She hinted that, in this time of need, the kingdom would be all the more inclined to give him Kongpob's hand as reward. She urged him that the timing was perfect, that this was his opportunity to secure Kongpob for himself while also proving his strength and valor.

But Arthit's response was not what she'd hoped for.
"It is not my way to claim a man as payment for duty rendered," he replied. "I do not see marriage as a transaction or a reward. If you, my beloved prince truly wish my protection, I shall honor it as my duty . If it is so, send me your betrothal insignia as the proof of your identity. "

Lena felt her heart sink, the hope that she'd clung to slipping from her grasp. Kongpob's betrothal armlet was to be worn 24 by 7. The only moments he could take it off was to bathe . How will she be able to clone it , even if she wanted ?

Her lie had not been enough to sway a man of such honor and wit. Her carefully spun web of deception had met an obstacle in Arthit's sense of morality.

General Reinir was fighting with bear army, hoping to die rather than marrying the demure omega betrothed to him. Kongpob was poisoning himself with tiny dose of Rasina flowers smuggled through his attendants.

And Lena did not know what to do other than confessing to Kongpob and begging him for help....