Chapter 1

Everything you thought you knew about vampires is a lie. Ok, not really. Azrin might have been acting a bit overdramatic, but still, some of the stuff in human fiction was just wild. Rapidly the Chestnut-haired male flipped through the tattered remains of a human novel. Mentions of garlic, mirrors, and metal stakes to the heart, flittered across his viridian eyes. How they came up with some of this was absolutely fascinating. Scribbling down illegible notes to anyone but himself- scratch that. To anyone but himself and one other, Azrin began reaching for the next volume in the series when a soft click and the shuffling of booted feet caught his attention.

Scrambling to put away his recently acquired possessions, he hissed at his reflection in the mirror he had seen in passing. He was still in an oversized T-shirt and his underwear, the dreaded outfit for the ‘ceremony’ hanging pristinely next to the bay window of his room, untouched.

The steps were getting closer, and they did not belong to his shy, soft-spoken mother, which means it was one of two people. Considering the occasion, that was maybe a few hours from taking place, it could only be Auntie. Fudge, he was so dead, and unless he could shimmy into what he could barely consider clothes before sh- scratch that. Stopping time was more plausible at this point. He could do that, right? It was possible, for the love of-.

“Breathe, nerd. It’s just me, but fuck, that was hilarious. You looked like you were going to shit yourself,” Came an achingly familiar tone. It had Azrin breathing in relief even as his chest grew tight.

“Screw you, Lex. Why are you here anyway? Isn’t it your party?” He bit out, glaring hard at the blond cross-armed male in his doorway, a Cheshire grin adorning his handsome face.  

“That’s what you call a party? Christ, no wonder you’re holing yourself up instead. Fuck let me join, ok?” Lex replied. His mirth fell from his lips as he dawned a solemn expression, but his blood-soaked irises belied his amusement.

“What? So, your mom can ream both our asses? At least I’m built for it. You? Good luck with that,” Azrin responded. The verdant-eyed boy crossed his arms over his chest and quirked a brow. Lexus always had and probably always would bring out the best and the worst in him.

“Fucking gross. Thanks for that visual asshole; I could have lived my entire life without it. Though that settles the whole ditching idea, cause if I can’t get out of this shit, neither can you, Rin. Get fucking dressed; you have twenty minutes. Don’t even test me, nerd. I’ll strip and dress you myself, omega,” The blond bared his fangs and narrowed his eyes in challenge. Damn. It just had to be him, didn’t it?

“No. I’d rather show up naked than in that, to your courting ceremony. No, thank you. Alpha,” the omega bared his teeth back and released a low hiss. Backing down from Lexus was never a good idea; the male would absolutely steamroll you if you hesitated. Honestly, the omega should know; they were raised together, after all.

“Christ’s sakes, it’s not like I haven’t seen you in it before. I helped you get into it the first time you were presented to an alpha when you were fourteen moron,” The male rolled his eyes dramatically but dropped his arms and relaxed his stance.

“It's evolved since then, Lex. If you want to know what I’m talking about, go look,” Azrin gave the offending garment a sidelong glance and grimaced.

Hanging there, it looked normal enough. Omegan clothing was usually tight-fitting and designed to showcase desirable attributes like a supple chest and flaring hips. Sheer teal silk with gold embroidered cutouts.

“What the fuck are you on about now? Why would it evolve? It’s not an anim-. Holy fucking shit…those old bats have lost their ever-loving minds. Yeah, that’s a fat fucking no. Might as well just bend you over the dining table with ‘Please Fuck Me’ written across your ass,” At first, the blond had sauntered through Azrin’s room to take a closer look at the offending raiment, before devolving into his usual happy place -Pissed.   

Azrin had watched quietly, beyond curious about his friend’s reaction and used to the male coming and going from his personal quarters as he pleased. The anger had been expected, and the omega supposed the vulgar commentary wasn’t all that shocking. However, the explicit mental image of the alpha positioning him just so, then plunging himself into the Brunet’s slicked hole, was a bit too much for the omega. He felt his face flame, and tears blur his vision as Lexus turned to address him. Luckily, with scent blockers, and the knee-jerk reaction, alpha misunderstood his panic.

“Ah hell, don’t cry. Fuck! We have an hour or two before this bastardized charade of “maintaining traditions” I know you have some really nice shit in here. So which wardrobe is it, Rin?” Lexus approached slowly, unable to calm Azrin down with his lack of scent. It was endearing, the male was such a firecracker ninety percent of the time, but every so often, he would be soft.

“It doesn’t matter. I have to wear it if I attend, you know that. Lex, I’m sorry, but please? I really, really don’t want to go. I would be giving everyone the wrong impression,” The omega hung his head low, not wanting to face the wrath in the ash blond’s ruby stare just yet. This was about so much more than raunchy clothing, and he just had to make sure the male in front of him didn’t figure that part out. It would irrevocably ruin their relationship, and Azrin would rather die than lose Lexus.

“Are you fucking serious right now? So much for growing out of your chicken shit phase. Did your fear-clogged brain forget what mandatory means? Who gives a shit what the decrepit ashtrays think?” Lex’s voice boomed, and Azrin could see polished boots in the line of his downcast gaze.

“Lex, I-”

“Fuck off with that shit. I will find something for you to wear under it, and when I do, you will fucking put it on. If you refuse, I will be dragging you kicking and screaming to the venue, buck ass naked,” The alpha placed his hand under Azrin’s chin, raising it till their eyes met. There was something more in Lexus’s gaze, but the alpha turned and released him before he could ponder and analyze what it meant.

With clenched fists and a weak breathy sigh, the omega relented. Squeaking out an “ok,” he turned and led Lex to the wardrobe in the far back corner. The male didn’t miss a beat, swinging the doors open wide and thumbing quickly through the expensive fabrics. Obviously, he was looking for something specific, and Azrin felt trepidation drip down his spine, along with a drop of nervous sweat.

“Fucking finally! I swear, it doesn’t matter how many times I reorganize this shit for you, you always put it back in some random ass order and a different wardrobe,” Lexus complained. Azrin let out a loud scoff and rolled his eyes in response. It was his room; he could do with it what he pleased. The alpha was such a drama queen sometimes.

Said male turned around and presented Azrin with what he considered a worthy accompaniment to his omegan garb. He felt his mouth go slack, and his eyes widened as he registered just which article Lex had selected. The beautiful burnt orange of the Burns clan had him tearing up again. Of course, the alpha would want to make a statement, even if it was the wrong one.

Lexus had dyed, sewn, and tailored the fitted leggings for him just a few months ago. Azrin had been on a rather panicky tangent about how all omegan clothing was designed for females, and how sick he was of having his male genitalia exposed anytime he had to adorn the mandated clothing.     

It was humiliating, but in their culture, an unmated omega was free to be bitten, penetrated, and well…Used by any presented, unmated alpha whenever the urge struck them. His one saving grace was his age, and that tradition dictated that no omega could be touched till after their first heat, unless an alpha selected them during a courting ceremony.

“Lex, I can’t-”

“You can and you will. I made damn sure it met all of the Omegan apparel guidelines when I constructed it. The only thing it is not is sheer. According to the mandates, that is just the preferred choice of alphas. Since I am an alpha, and I fucking made the damn thing for you, the bats can blow me,” Lexus growled while pressing the attire into Azrin’s chest.  The male walked backward until he rested against the wall. He crossed his arms and adjusted his weight to one hip as he stared Azrin down.  

“Lexus, I can’t show up to your ceremony in the Burns clan’s colors. Even if you don’t pick a female today, they will all assume I’m a side piece you keep. If you choose one, I don’t want to be forced to submit every damn day, till I get my heat, to a territorial omega who gets the wrong idea because you decided to be a jackalope,” The omega ended on a whine. He knew his petulance wouldn’t get him anywhere, but the thought of his skin covered in a female’s warning marks had the hairs on the back of his neck standing and his face twisted into a snarl.  

“Were you, or were you not adopted into this clan along with your mother?”

“But-”

“Rin. Once upon a time, I may have been a petulant little shit who ranted and raved about mom adopting the annoyingly weak omegan boy along with her best friend. I know I hurt you immensely back then, but that was fucking years ago. You are regarded and treated as a son of this house just as much as I am. They are your colors, too, if that is your only reason, shut the fuck up and put it on. Unless there is something else, you want to say to me?” Lexus’s stare was fierce. He bared his fangs in a challenge.

It wouldn’t be the first time they had gotten into a physical altercation, and he was sure if they stayed in contact throughout their years, it wouldn’t be the last. Azrin felt a hiss peel from his throat, his omega rising to the challenge, but it certainly wasn’t the time. So, with great effort, Azrin tilted his head to the side and averted his gaze in submission. He couldn’t fight him right now, and there was no way he would admit the other reason, so this was his best course of action.

“Damn you,” The alpha growled out. He seemed to be waiting for Azrin to meet his stare because as soon as their eyes locked, the alpha averted his gaze respectfully in turn. Lexus’s words and actions confused the omega. Usually, the male was insufferable for days after getting Azrin to submit to him. Right now, though, he seemed highly unsatisfied with the Brunet’s acquiescence.

Did he know how Azrin felt about him and wanted the omega just to admit it? Doubtful, the alpha was far too sadistic to ever let that go unsaid for more than five seconds if he ever figured it out. He wanted a fight then, and Azrin had denied him in precisely the right way, that the male couldn’t force it. One point for the omega.