Yuuri holds on tight to the hem of his white dress shirt. The delicate silk wrinkling under the pressure of his small fingers.

"Please, mama."

His plea goes unheard under the frolic of feet about the room. His mother, Lady Katsuki, barks orders to the servants, the set of the tables, the placement of the decorations, the menu for the feast...

"Don't forget the scent blockers!" She yells right before rushing to a young maid holding four different bouquets of flowers. "Osmanthus and chrysanthemums are the only flowers allowed for the ceremony, are you a fool for bringing others?" The girl lowers her head in shame at the accusation, muttering soft apologies as she hurries off to correct her mistake.

"Mama!" Yuuri raises his voice as much as he dares and finally his mother turns her head barely at his direction. The young omega swallows the small lump in his throat. "I don't want…" he feels the eyes of the servants slowly upon him as he tries to speak. "Do we really need to do the ceremony?"

"You're ruining your attire," his mother smacks his hand away from the crumpling cloth. Puts a hand under his chin to raise it up. "Did you wash your face only as I asked? We don't want your scent to dissipate, how else will you find a mate?" She releases his chin with a disapproving nod and click of her lips.

Yuuri squeezes his hands at his sides. He was used to his mother dismissing him as such. After all, he was nothing but an omega. A male omega. It was shameful. An embarrassment to his alpha father and mother.

He can't shake the memory of disappointment in their eyes when they realized the fever he'd been running was his first heat. How he had been thrown in the small heat room in the basement next to the servant quarters and left there alone until it passed.

Ever since then he had felt like a thing in his own home. His opinion no longer mattered. His requests were no longer listened to. His freedom was taken. It was almost like he wasn't even a person.

It had taken a toll on him to watch his family distance themselves from him. From the shameful omega. Only good for marrying. Yet in some twisted way, he was still lucky. Still privileged because Katsuki blood ran through his veins. His family name protected him from true danger. Being a Katsuki guaranteed that his mate will be part of the nobility and that he will remain in well stature and cared for until he died. That his pups will have wealthy lives as well. If he bore alphas they would be lords and ladies of stature and power.

"Don't forget not to bathe," his mother repeats. "We need your scent to be the strongest in order to attract the best possible match. You don't want to end up with a mate that you can't even smell."

Yuuri sniffs his wrist at her words, not really noticing anything different from his usual smell. Then again he wasn't supposed to discern his own scent, that was supposed to be for the alpha that would choose him during the ceremony. Yuuri feels a cold shiver up his spine. His family had invited every single noble alpha of in the vicinity. A handful were close to his own age, but he knew some would be much much older. Twice and three times his age. Alpha's with money and power that wanted to buy an omega. A noble's omega…

One of the maids shrieks as a vase slips from her fingers and shatters on the floor. Lady Katsuki hurries to the scene, berating the girl for her awful behavior.

Yuuri bites his lip. Watching his mother do things he had never seen her do before. Things she wouldn't do if he wants shameful omega.

"Yuuri." His sister's voice brings him back to the room, his thoughts scattering along his mother's yelling. "Let's get you dressed."

Yuuri nods and follows in silence. His fingers crumpling the silk once more.

"The Katsuki Ball?"

Victor feigns interest when Chris waves the invites in front of his face. The beta bounces excitedly from toe to toe as they make their way towards the back of the manor grounds. "A masquerade ball! Once in a year event!"

"Wasn't it hastily planned and kept under wraps?" Victor asks uninterested. They head down the stone steps to the open exercise yard. "Why would I want to go to a masquerade ball of my family's rivals?"

"Rumor has it it's an omegan ball!" Chris says unable to hide his excitement. Victor drops a sigh chris doesn't hear, his friend was always like this. Seeking thrills in the gossip and go abouts of the noble class. "A Katsuki omega!" Chris continues. "They who parade their strong alpha line, have produced an omega. How shameful!"

"They already announced their alpha daughter and son. It's probably some distant relative using the family name to gain themselves a wealthy alpha and add them to their clan." Victor's hand closes over the hilt of his sword. He despised when noble families that carried the honor of this land abused their power to favor themselves. It was why this world was so divided in the first place. Though Victor's family was just the same. Power hungry. Always wanting to grow their clan.

"So?" Chris grins from ear to ear. "Isn't that even more exciting? What poor relative are they trying to sell off?"

"Omegan balls should be banned." Victor pulls the sword from its sheath, pointing it at the dummy in front of him. "Alpha's should not be so disgraced that they pay for the chance at an omega. They should fight for them, find them among the dozen scents scattered in the night!" He stabs the dummy vigorously with each word.

"Such a romantic," Chris mock laughs. "Sounds like something you would like to do."

Victor closes his fingers harder on the hilt. "Who wouldn't live for the thrill of finding their mate?"

"Then shame your parents already picked an omega for you." Chris say. "When was it that you are supposed to wed?"

"A month," Victor strikes the dummy with a sharp trust of his hand. "I met the omega. She will be an acceptable match."

"Acceptable?" The beta purses his lips. "What happened with the romance? The thrill of finding your mate?"

The blows become harder, angrier. "Her scent doesn't dissuade me. Her character is amicable. Her appearance pleasant." It wasn't a secret that noblemen and women didn't marry for love. Noble matches were always done behind closed doors and always with someone benefiting that wasn't the pair to be.

There were stories that long ago, before the quarrel between the houses had begun. The families would bring their children on the verge of adulthood together. Alphas, betas, and omegas alike. To share time. To form bonds. To find the mates they felt pulled towards to.

Nothing like now. No secret meetings between parents without their children's consent. No waiting in empty rooms just to meet a shy omega girl far too young to be anyone's mate. Victor feels the heaviness of the dummy as he hits it. "Not much else you can ask for in a nobleman's match."

Chris doesn't say anything. Victor takes deep breath after deep breath, feeling the sweat trickled down his face. If he thought about it. If he really thought about it. Omegan balls were the only thing that remained from the long ago tales.

"Right…" Chris drops on the bench by the training circle. "Then you should have no qualms in attending the Katsuki ball then. Who knows. Perhaps you will catch the scent of a pretty omega."

"Even if I did." The tip of the blade touches the dirt by Victor's feet. "It's not something I am allowed to pursue."

"That's the life of the only son of the mighty house of Nikiforov is it not?" Chris joins Victor inside the training circle. "The master of arms is going to have a fit. This was his favorite dummy."

Victor doesn't answer. Just swings the blade until it embeds itself in the dummy's head.

A small smirk blossoms on Chri's lips. "I know exactly what we should wear to the ball!"