NOVEL NEXT #1
#1
Prologue
The man slowly extended his hand. His hand gently covered Enrique’s hand resting on the sofa armrest. Enrique flinched at the touch of the large, firm palm that completely covered his hand.
It was with those very hands that the man had bound his wrists, pinned him to the floor, and endlessly explored him. And with a voice full of ecstasy, pleasure, and desire, he had repeatedly whispered:
‘Enrique.’
“Enrique.”
Startled by the voice in his ear, Enrique quickly withdrew his hand. The fleeting touch of skin was intensely stimulating.
“That’s enough, go back. And come again for the wedding.”
Enrique threw out the words like an announcement and abruptly stood up. He no longer wanted to be in the same space as the man.
He turned sharply and took a couple of steps when it happened.
“Enrique.”
An arm reached out from behind and embraced him. Though the movement was undoubtedly gentle, being trapped in those large arms gave a sense of pressure that made it feel impossible to escape no matter how much he struggled.
“Isn’t it rude to touch someone’s body without permission, even if you are the fiancé?”
“I’m sorry. I know this is against etiquette, but I simply can’t hold back.”
The man whispered lowly with his lips against Enrique’s ear. The hot breath and husky voice on his ear made his spine stiffen. The man completely enclosed Enrique in his arms, as if claiming ownership.
“Do you know how many days and nights I’ve spent longing for you? I endured countless days imagining holding you in my arms like this someday. Now that I can finally hold you completely in my arms, how can I resist?”
The man tightened his arms even more, as if he couldn’t let go.
Enrique could vividly feel the man’s strong body behind him. The arms embracing him were long and powerful, seeming impossible to shake off. It felt like being trapped inside a tall, sturdy castle.
Somehow, his mind became hazy. No, it felt like his brain was melting. He felt as if everything that had always been armored like an iron wall was being peeled away layer by layer.
“You bastard… You’re releasing pheromones again…!”
Enrique said, gripping tightly onto the man’s arms that held him. But the man paid no heed and was busy burying his nose in Enrique’s nape, inhaling deeply.
“Do you know how good you smell? Sweet… fragrant, captivating… an intoxicatingly erotic scent.”
The husky whisper tickled his ear. Trapped in the man’s firm embrace, enveloped in his pheromones, the whisper was like a serpent’s temptation.
“Stop it.”
Enrique dug his nails into the man’s arm. He felt his body turning to mush along with his brain. His legs felt weak, as if he might collapse right there. But the man’s firm embrace saved him from such an unsightly display.
At this rate, he’ll be swept away.
Enrique thought with his thinning reason. It was absolutely impossible to shake him off by force. And it seemed unlikely that words would get through to the man who seemed to be losing his reason.
“I said stop…”
Enrique lowered his head, then suddenly threw it back.
“You bastard!”
Thwack-!
With a bone-striking sound, the man’s arms loosened. Though the back of his head that had hit the man’s chin felt like it was splitting, Enrique gritted his teeth and broke free from the man’s embrace. He then quickly turned and swung his hand towards the cheek of the man who was clutching his jaw.
Slap-!
The palm filled with irritation and anger properly struck the man’s cheek.
Whether due to the head-butt or the slap, a red streak of blood trickled from one of the man’s nostrils.
“You! Don’t appear before me until the wedding!”
Pointing his finger and shouting angrily, Enrique left the reception room with large strides, holding his throbbing head.
Chapter 1
Superior Omega.
Alphas and Omegas, known as descendants of the gods, make up a very small minority of the human population.
Although they look identical to humans, they have lifespans several decades longer, strong immunity to diseases, and a reproductive system quite different from humans. Moreover, they possess intelligence and physical strength surpassing that of ordinary humans. Based on these traits, this minority group monopolizes the upper class that rules most humans. As they are hereditary, it is extremely rare for them to mate with ordinary humans.
What’s unique is that Omegas are inherently rarer than Alphas from birth. The birth rate of Omegas is significantly lower. Alphas, who have several times stronger possessiveness and fighting spirit than ordinary humans, frequently engage in fierce battles to claim Omegas. This characteristic contributes to reducing the number of Alphas over time.
There’s another unique aspect to them.
Occasionally, even more superior individuals are born among them, usually called Superior Alphas and Superior Omegas. As the word ‘superior’ suggests, these individuals are born with talents far exceeding those of regular Alphas or Omegas. In the case of Superior Alphas, they show even more powerful physiques and stamina, as well as innate leadership and combat abilities. If they safely reach adulthood, almost all of them become figures who leave their names on a page of history, such as building vast empires. Their pheromones for attracting Omegas are also several times stronger, making them very advantageous in mating.
The same applies to Superior Omegas.
Superior Omegas, born even more rarely than Superior Alphas who might appear once in a hundred years, are desired by all Alphas for their strong vitality, intelligence, and deadly pheromones.
The value of Superior Omegas doesn’t end there. They are coveted not only by Alphas seeking mates but also by various countries across the continent seeking even more superior rulers, as they have a considerably high probability of giving birth to superior offspring.
For example, there’s the case of the Great Emperor of Ruben, who elevated a small city-state to the status of an empire. It is known that his mother, as a Superior Alpha who built an empire and ascended to the throne himself, was an extremely rare Superior Omega.
And now, for the first time in nearly 200 years, a Superior Omega has just been born and cried out.
*
The audience hall of the Shamier Royal Palace was buzzing with low murmurs.
The king, seated on the throne atop a low platform, carefully scanned the guests lined up in three separate groups in the audience hall.
Standing apart as if a line had been drawn between them were the envoys from the Ruben Empire, Baron Kingdom, and Monta Kingdom. In front of each country’s envoys stood the suitors who had specially made the journey to the Kingdom of Shamier for courtship, gazing at the King of Shamier with imposing faces.
Through the windows of the large and spacious audience hall, faint cheers could be heard. The cheers of the people were overflowing with deep joy and happiness.
Indeed, today was an important day for the Kingdom of Shamier. It was the birthday of Prince Enrique, the only legitimate son of the King of Shamier, and his first day as an adult. Prince Enrique’s coming-of-age ceremony was a day that not only Shamier but the entire continent had been eagerly awaiting. The reason being that Prince Enrique was the first Superior Omega born in the central continent in nearly 200 years.
Eighteen years ago, the fact that a Superior Omega was born into the royal family of Shamier, a wealthy but small kingdom, shook the entire continent. Especially the powerful countries surrounding Shamier began to overtly covet Prince Enrique, who was nothing more than a suckling babe.
Prince Enrique had received numerous marriage proposals from various countries even before he was weaned, and this soon escalated beyond diplomatic tensions into trade wars. Eventually, for the sake of the young prince and the country’s safety, the King of Shamier was forced to declare that he would not accept any marriage proposals until the prince came of age. The central continent finally calmed down for a while. Of course, now that the prince had finally come of age, it was obvious that the temporarily halted courtship war would erupt again.
As the prince approached adulthood, as expected, the previously subdued tensions and wars reignited. Countries with weak national power were naturally forced to declare their withdrawal. The remaining countries engaged in trade wars, political struggles, and even local battles to claim the only Superior Omega on the continent. In the end, the last survivors were the three great powers: the Ruben Empire, Baron Kingdom, and Monta Kingdom.
The atmosphere in the audience hall was quite sharp due to the fierce competition and power struggle between the envoys of each country.
The suitors standing at the forefront of these envoys flashed intense Alpha gazes at each other. Usually, even fights between Alphas to claim Omegas are incredibly fierce. But this time it’s for a Superior Omega coveted by Alphas across the continent. The tense atmosphere among the envoys hinted at their willingness to even risk war between nations.