I Became the Villain Alpha's Omega (BL)

Chapter 244: The Choice to Walk Into the Fire

"HUATCHI!"

Cherion sneezed sharply, the sudden vibration completely breaking the deep, slow kiss they were sharing. The abrupt movement jolted his sore muscles, causing him to let out a soft, irritated groan as he accidentally bumped his nose against the warm skin of Zarius’s collarbone. He rubbed his nose against the sharp line of Zarius’s collarbone, trying to bully the annoying tickle into disappearing.

Zarius’s powerful arms instantly tightened around Cherion’s waist, pulling the Omega back up flush against his chest. A low, rumbling chuckle vibrated deep inside the Alpha’s torso, his lips brushing against Cherion’s temple as he opened his eyes. His expression was softer and far more relaxed than the public ever got to see, entirely amused by the sudden interruption.

"Are you okay?" Zarius murmured, his deep voice thick and raspy from the heat of their kissing. He reached up, his large, calloused hand gently cupping Cherion’s cheek to tilt his face back up, his thumb brushing over the faint flush on the Omega’s skin. "You didn’t catch a cold, did you? God, I shouldn’t have let us sleep on the floor."

"I’m fine," Cherion muttered, his voice laced with a lazy, breathless reassurance as he leaned back into the warm palm, a wry smile touching his lips. "It’s nothing. Someone is probably just gossiping about me."

Cherion shifted his weight slightly, propping his chin up on Zarius’s chest. His gaze dropped straight to the Duke’s lips, a slow, mischievous smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "Now, where were we?"

Before Zarius could even answer, Cherion leaned down and captured his lips.

His body rested against Zarius’s like he’d personally decided the Duke made a better mattress than any luxury bed in the empire. As their lips met, the kiss started slow and deep, a lazy continuation of the passion that had consumed them hours prior. Cherion tilted his head and pulled away just enough to press slow kisses along the Duke’s neck instead. He nipped playfully at the strong jawline, listening to the satisfying, low growl that vibrated in Zarius’s throat as the Alpha’s hands gripped his hips tightly.

Last night, they hadn’t even made it to the bed. Driven by a fierce, desperate heat, they had ended up right there on the floor, tearing at each other’s robes in front of the massive fireplace. The furs and expensive silk sheets were an absolute disaster around their bodies, twisted together after a night neither of them had bothered cleaning up after.

They lingered in each other’s arms, sharing deep, slow kisses that tasted of absolute possession, completely ignoring the fact that the harsh daylight was already forcing its way through the edges of the heavy velvet drapes. It was already far past morning, but curled up by the fireplace with Zarius still felt like the safest and most comfortable place in the world.

"We really need to get up," Cherion breathed against Zarius’s lips, though he made no move to separate their bodies. "It’s already well past noon. If Reiner or Ezek think I’ve disappeared, they’ll start a search party."

"Let them search," Zarius grumbled, though he finally allowed Cherion to roll off his chest.

An hour later, the soft, lazy atmosphere of the morning had faded, and they were back to dealing with the things waiting outside that room.

Zarius sat behind his desk in his personal study, fully immersed and busy with his work while quietly sipping a cup of strong, dark tea. Though the rumors in the capital claimed the Duke had failing health, the sheer presence he exuded today was anything but weak.

Nearby, Cherion sat comfortably on the couch, casually reading through some books. He looked sharp, refreshed, and entirely dangerous in a high-collared, structured dark tunic that meticulously hid the deep bite mark and bruises painting his collarbone. Looking up from his book, Cherion watched Zarius focus on his tasks, thinking to himself how nice it truly was to see him so engrossed in his work.

So serious, so cute, so sexy...

His eyes lingered on the sharp line of the Duke’s jaw, his mind immediately wandering into highly inappropriate territory. Honestly, why wait until they went back to the bedroom?

They should just do it right here, right now. Sure, his body was still a little sore, but some things were worth the extra aches.

KNOCK KNOCK

Oh, God.

A quiet knock abruptly shattered the silence, forcefully dragging Cherion’s increasingly scandalous thoughts back to reality before they could completely derail his focus.

Reiner stepped into the room, holding a thick, cream-colored envelope sealed with a distinctive lavender wax stamp.

"Pardon the interruption, Your Grace, Lord Cherion," Reiner said, bowing deeply. He stepped forward and held out the letter. "This arrived just a short while ago."

Cherion raised an eyebrow, taking the heavy paper. "For me?"

Cherion slid his thumb beneath the lavender wax seal, breaking it with a clean snap. He pulled out the heavy, gold-trimmed parchment inside and unfolded it, his eyes tracking the elegant, scrolling cursive. It was a formal invitation to an exclusive Omega salon hosted by Marchioness Avery. According to the text, the gathering was scheduled for the day after tomorrow.

Cherion leaned back in his seat, staring at the cursive ink while weighing the pros and cons of actually attending.

On one hand, the cons were glaringly obvious. His reputation among the capital nobility was entirely toxic. The OG Cherion’s scandalous, aggressive behavior toward Philia had left a bitter taste in the mouths of high society. Walking into a concentrated room filled entirely with capital Omegas was the equivalent of stepping willingly into a hornet’s nest.

They would likely look down on him, whisper this and that behind him, and scrutinize his every breath. Furthermore, it could easily be a setup orchestrated behind the scenes by Philia’s faction to publicly humiliate him.

In fact, looking down at the elegant script, Cherion couldn’t help but feel a deep sense of suspicion. Raking through his knowledge of the original novel he had read, he recalled that the OG Cherion was barely ever present at these kinds of high-society gatherings, having been completely outcasted and treated like an embarrassing stain they all preferred to ignore.

So why now? Why suddenly extend an olive branch to the notorious, shunned Omega?

They definitely have an agenda, Cherion thought, his eyes darkening.

But on the other hand, the pros were far too valuable to ignore.

Marchioness Avery was a massive figure in high society. Aside from Philia, who only held immense sway because he was backed by his powerful role as the Crown Prince’s fiancé, the Marchioness was considered the most prominent, highly respected Omega in the capital. She was an old-money aristocrat who pridefully kept herself above the petty, everyday court drama, meaning her salon was a neutral ground where the truly influential gathered.

If anyone in this place possessed authentic, unfiltered information about the inner workings of the palace, or hidden leads regarding the dark curse afflicting Zarius’s health, it would be the high-ranking noble Omegas attending her estate. They knew exactly what their mates were doing behind closed doors, what secrets they whispered at night, and what political schemes they were plotting.

"It seems Lady Marielle has received a similar letter," Reiner added quietly, breaking Cherion’s train of thought.

Cherion tapped the edge of the parchment against his chin, his mind calculating the risks. If he stayed hidden away at the Valtrane estate, he would look weak, intimidated, and guilty of the rumors surrounding his character. But if he went, he might actually get something valuable out of it.

And even if he didn’t find any useful information or leads regarding the curse, it didn’t matter. Either way, he wouldn’t be the one losing.

He lowered the paper and looked across the desk at Zarius. "Can I go?"

Zarius didn’t even blink. He set his teacup down on the porcelain saucer with a soft click, his unyielding gaze locked firmly onto Cherion.

"You don’t need my permission for anything, Cherion," Zarius said, his voice entirely devoid of the typical possessive restriction other capital Alphas forced upon their partners. "You can do whatever you want to do. If you wish to go, then go. Just promise to tell me all the gossip when you get back, alright?"

Cherion’s lips curved into a genuine, warm smile. The freedom Zarius gave him was rare in this world, and it only made Cherion want to protect him even more fiercely. Turning back to the invitation, Cherion’s eyes narrowed into sharp, dangerous slits.

"In that case," Cherion murmured softly, his thumb slowly tracing the elegant gold foil of the crest. "I suppose I should go and get ready."