Morning came to Torn in the form of a heavy heart...and a slight hangover. He looked around what used to be his home, still fully furnished and looking very cozy.

He memorized every room, every corner, every scratch and ding that held a fond memory of what was a peaceful and productive life. Soon, all of this would be taken away from him and replaced with a room in a palace he did not want...a place in a country he held no love for...and a husband he did not ask for.

He felt sick again, partially due to the alcohol still trying to vacate his system and stumbled to the bathroom to vomit. Once he emptied what little content he had in his stomach, he sat there for a moment, wallowing in his misery. Briefly...very briefly...he considered taking his gun, crawling in the bathtub and just ending it all out of defiance. He would much rather be dead than reduced to some royal brat's plaything

He shook that thought from his head as soon as it approached. He knew what the consequences would be for his actions. Not only would he Grandmother finally be rid of him, but she would just use Tear as his replacement.

No...it had to be him.

He heard a knock on his door, dragging him out of his self-loathing, "Gimme a minute!" he called out hoarsely. He stood, washed out his mouth and brushed his teeth before moving to answer the door. When he opened it, he was immediately engulfed in a tight embrace by Tess. The smaller blonde buried her face against his neck and sobbed openly, rubbing her nose against his scent glands for what could very well be the last time.

Torn caught his balance and gently embraced her, patting her back soothingly. He locked eyes with Jinx as the older Alpha stood in the doorway, looking very awkward and unknowing of what to say. Torn was glad for it to be honest. Everything that could be said, had been the previous night.

After a pitying look from Jinx, the gruff blonde cleared his throat and said, "Yer rides already here. Are you..."

"Yeah..." Torn motioned dismissively towards a duffle bag holding his clothes and a few basic necessities, "Had nothing to do other than pack." Tess pulled her face away from his neck to angrily declare what was obvious, "It's not right! They can't do this to you Torn! We have to fight it! Ashelin will back you up, and I know Arippa and Tear would-"

Torn shook his head and cut her off, "That's not the issue, Tess." He sighed and absently rubbed at his scar, no longer stinging in warning, "Countess Reista has the council so deeply in her clutches that they are able to overrule anything Ashelin says. Besides...it's me or Tear and I-I just can't do that to him."

He imagined his brother in his place...his Hiphog Heaven bar closed forever...Jinx devastated over the loss of his lover...Tear forcibly bred by some Alpha who didn't know and didn't care that he's repulsed by sex.

The alternative nearly made him wretch again, but he forced it down.

Tess was silent with barely contained fury and frustration from knowing he was right but still wanting to do something...anything...to stop this. With one final tight hug from Tess, and a clap on the back from Jinx, Torn grabbed his duffle bag and exited his apartment...though not without casting one last backwards glance at the life he knew, which had now come to a pitiful end.

As he approached the Palace's landing platform, Torn noticed both Arippa and Tear waiting for him, alongside Arippa's mate Eryn and Ashelin. They all had varying degrees of somber resignation and outrage.

Everything that could be said already was, but it still brought Torn some mild comfort to see that his feelings about this whole shitty situation were justified by the people before him...his family and friends.

Tear was the first to run up and embrace him. He could feel his twin's chest shuddering as he tried to hold back tears. Torn simply hugged him back, patting his back to try and calm him. Arippa was next, gently releasing Torn from Tear's grip so he could give him a less desperate hug.

"We'll try to come visit as soon as we can. Till then, chin up." Arippa pulled away and lovingly stroked the side of Torn's face, thumb running over the prophetic scar along his cheekbone.

Torn just nodded somberly.

Eryn walked over and patted his arm, unsure of what more to do, "You'll be fine kid. Just like Ari said, keep that head up and don't let those damn desert rats look down on you."

The corner of Torn's mouth twitched upward in what would've been a smile, but no number of well-wishes seemed to calm his heart. He saw Ashelin waiting for him near the transport entrance. With one last goodbye to his brothers and friends, he walked over to where Ashelin stood. The red headed alpha was stoic as ever, not letting her obvious pain and regret be shown on her face.

Torn was grateful for her effort.

If she had shown anything other than a stone face, he knew he wouldn't be able to keep up his own. Once more, she apologized, "I'm so sorry about this Torn...there was nothing I-"

"I know, Ash." Torn cut her off and gave a tired smile, "I never blamed you for this...not even for a second." He reached out and grabbed her hand, giving it a squeeze as she turned away from him. She reached down and picked up a large rectangular carrying case, "Here... we got you something to keep you at least a little happy."

Torn arched a brow and looked over it quizzically, "What is it?"

"It's a paint set. It's got an easel, two canvases, some paints, and a few paint brushes. I know you prefer sketches but-"

He picked up the case and ran a hand over it, "It's...perfect! I love it." He already felt a bit better, mind racing with ideas for things he could paint. Painting was the one thing he loved about his Noble Omegan upbringing. He always found comfort in the strokes of a brush or charcoal on a canvas. He looked back up at his friend and smiled, "Thanks Ash."

With that, he closed the distance and pulled his oldest friend into a hug.

They remained that way for a few minutes before the transport pilot shouted that it was time to depart. With one last wave, Torn boarded the transport and found his seat inside next to one of the few windows.

As the transport lifted off the palace landing, Torn watched as his friends and his city slowly became smaller and smaller...until it was nothing more than a brightly glowing speck in the distance.

The trip wasn't too long but Torn felt like he'd been travelling for days. His hangover was still lingering and the anxiety he felt coursing through him was nauseating.

Plus, he really had to piss.

Finally, he saw the rocky walls of Spargus approaching. They loomed in the distance, nowhere near the height of Haven's, yet still intimidating. He could see the beach lining one side of the city, leading to the open ocean. He saw the large bazaar in the center, and the massive sandstone palace at the western edge. The palace was perched on a grand mountain ledge, high above the streets. To a Spargus citizen, the smoky pilot light topping their monument was a pillar of strength and warmth...to Torn, it was a cold and terrifying prison.

But he would not continue feeling sorry for himself like this. He was a soldier-no... he was a leader damnit! He would walk through those gates with his head held high.

This would not be how his story ends.

He will not let some prissy, sand-dwelling Alpha keep him like a pretty ornament only brought out of its cage to be shown off and filled with seed.

If that was the Prince's intention, he had another thing coming.

Torn was not a typical weak Omega.

Torn was once more dragged from his inner hype session when the transport landed just outside the city gates. Torn let out a breath that he didn't even realize he was holding before gathering his duffle bag and art set and exiting the transport.

He set foot on the soft sand and immediately got sand in his eyes when the transport closed its doors and began to lift off. The winds caused sand to fly all over him, covering his clothes and hair in hot, irritating flecks.

Great...already off to a shitty start.

He shook the sand off as best as he could and quickly shuffled his way towards the entrance, where he could see some guards stationed outside...most likely waiting for him.

Once he was ushered into a large garage-like area housing many desert-specialized vehicles, he was greeted by a large man wearing armor made from what looked like Metal head bones. The large man approached him and gave a smile that seemed like it was meant to be friendly but held nothing but disdain.

"Hello there, Princess. See you got a taste of our desert out there." He motioned to the flecks of sand still littering Torn's clothes and hair. Torn stifled a growl and sneered, "A taste? I'd say I got a whole bite of the damn thing."

The larger man rolled his eye, barely containing his annoyance, "Yeah? Well, get used to that. Sand storms are common here, and even though the walls provide some protection, you're still liable to get dirty. You aint in Haven anymore." The man motioned to a couple guards standing behind him, "My boys can carry your stuff up to the palace for you. Princess." Torn narrowed his eyes, "I can do that myself, thank you."

"Really? I just assumed you needed some extra pampering to feel at home...y'know, being a Haven noble." The large man returned Torn's glare with a smirk.

He was testing him. The look in the man's eyes told Torn that to them, he was a joke. He was a noble who probably never did a day's hard work in his life and only got the position of Commander because of his status.

Well, Torn would play along, in that case...

"I see what this is...you seem to be under the impression that I'm some weak-willed priss, and with any other Haven noble, you'd be correct. But it seems no one told you that I'm a fucking soldier. Tell you what, I'm in a generous mood, and after that long ass flight I need some exercise. I'll let your 'boys' carry my bags if they can manage to pry them away from me before I knock them flat on their asses." Torn returned the man's smirk with his own.

The man let out another laugh and jeered, "Is that a challenge? You sure you can even back that talk up?"

"Try me." Torn tightened his grip on both the duffle bag and his art set.

The man looked him over for a moment, then nodded at his guards, "Alright then...just don't throw a fit when you get your toys taken away."

The two guards came up on either side of him. They walked confidently, already not perceiving Torn as a threat...and Torn used that to his advantage.

When one of them reached to grab his duffle bag, he swung his leg up and kicked him hard in the temple, knocking him backwards. The second guard tried to tackle him, but Torn easily dodged him and swept his legs, knocking the guard to the ground. The first guard ran up and threw a punch at Torn's head.

He easily dodged the swing and tossed his duffle bag high up in the air. The guard glanced upwards and that gave Torn an opening. He jabbed his fingers against the guard's exposed neck, forcing him to double over, and finished him off with a hard knee to the nose.

As the guard fell to the ground, Torn ended the scuffle with a flourish by catching his duffle bag before it hit the ground and turning to give the Guard's leader a dramatic bow, "Satisfied?"

The large man was wide eyed, but he bore a large smile on his face as he clapped in amusement, "Damn, Cherry! Looks like the King was right 'bout you after all! Great to see Haven's military hasn't gone soft!" He finally crossed the distance between them and offered his hand, "Name's Sig. I'm the Commander of Spargus's military."

Torn was hesitant for a moment, wondering if this was another test, before setting his duffle bag on the ground and taking the offered hand, "Torn Reista, Comman….former... Commander of Haven's military." He felt a lump form in his throat.

Sig locked eyes with him briefly and Torn thought he saw a flash of pity in his one eye, "Pleasure to meet you. Let's get you to the palace for your check up."

"Checkup?" Torn followed Sig as he turned to the inner entrance to the city.

"Just a physical with the royal family doctor. Nothing too invasive. Just making sure there's nothing...wrong." Sig 's tone at the last word tipped off Torn as to what this Physical might really be about.

"They wanna make sure I can have kids." Torn wasn't stupid. He knew why he was here.

Sig shrugged, "That, and they'll probably test you for diseases." He gave a slight shudder, "Man, I do not envy you right now. I can go toe to toe with Metal Heads any day, but pap smears scare the living shit out of me."

Pap smears?

Torn scented the air in Sig's direction briefly...and it confirmed something shocking, "You're...an Omega?"

Sig's pace faltered briefly, and he gave Torn a weird look, "You're just now figuring that out? News flash...you are too."

"I mean...you're not...like..." Torn didn't really know how to say it...

"I'm not skinny and girly? That what you're tryna say?" He narrowed his eye in irritation, "Again, neither are you."

"I didn't-" Torn sighed, realizing his intent came off wrong, "I'm just...surprised to see another Omega like...me. Noone in Haven looks like me, and if they do..." He stopped there...

They're altered...

Sig turned away, "Yeah...I know. It's the reason I left in the first place. To escape the altering process."

"You lived in Haven?"

"I was born there, Cherry. I was so big people assumed I was an Alpha. And my pheromones were so weak it was easy to pass as a Beta." Sig rounded a corner as they entered the bazaar. Torn briefly looked around, seeing people sending curious glances their way.

Sig continued his story, "I entered the guard and got found out during a physical. I was scheduled for Altering, so I left. Best damn decision I ever made."

Torn winced. He remembered the altering process from when he was a child. Omegas with nonpreferred body types were starved, surgically altered, or even force-fed to achieve a specific body type. Thankfully, that was one of the things they managed to get rid of in the last two decades.

"Guess we have people like you to thank for that?" Sig turned to Torn and gave a genuine smile, "Sorry about that little thing at the gate...I just had to know who I'm entrusting my Prince to."

Torn nodded, "It's fine. I get it."

They finally reached the bridge that led up to the palace, and Sig stopped right at the threshold, "Alright Cherry, it's time to put my grunts through their paces. I'm sure you can make it the rest of the way?"

"I'm not an idiot." Torn replied, "I'm not afraid to ask for directions either."

"Good to know." Sig turned and gave a small wave, "Catch ya later, Cherry."

Torn turned and stared up at the enormous structure. He took a deep breath and moved forward. He was confident in his ability to figure out where to go.

Two hours of wandering through endless hallways later...Torn was no longer confident that he could find his way. He had even asked several maids for directions, and he still couldn't seem to find his bedroom or the infirmary.

He was now beyond frustrated and entered being livid territory.

So, as he turned around what seemed to be the hundredth corner, it was understandable that he would be a bit upset when someone crashed into him at full speed.

An orange and red blur not only knocked Torn to the ground, but also broke open his art case and scattered his supplies everywhere.

"What the fuck?!" Torn sat back up and surveyed the damage, immediately seeing red when he noticed the paints had burst open and spilled out.

"Ugh my head..." The orange and red blur turned out to be a man with bright orange hair and hideous buck teeth.

"Oh, it's gonna be more than just your head asshole!" With that, Torn lunged at the other man and bragged at his shirt, right under his chin, hoisting him up to a standing position. Torn got right in the other's face and growled threateningly.

The younger looking man went pale as his dark blue eyes went wide with fear, "H-hey man! What's the big deal?!"

"You fucking destroyed my property! That's the big deal!" Torn thrust a finger towards his paint set, which the ginger man's eyes followed until he saw the unintended destruction.

"Geez dude, it's just some cheap ass paint-"

Torn let out a roar and shoved the other man against the wall, now holding him up with both fists so the boy's feet no longer touched the ground, "That YOU destroyed when you came racing around the corner like a fucking rat! Do you have ANY idea how important that 'cheap ass paint' is to me?! I SHOULD-"

"You should what, Prick?"

Torn turned to face another man who was now standing behind them. The second they locked eyes...something weird happened for just a moment.

Torn felt...something...his anger dimmed just a little.

However, it came right back when he caught the new scent of an Alpha.

This blonde-haired, blue-eyed shrimp of an alpha had the audacity to growl menacingly at him. The Alpha took a step closer and growled, "Let him go. NOW!"

He wasn't even using his Alpha voice on Torn, and Yet Torn felt his grip slacken on the other boy's collar. The ginger slumped to the ground and scrambled away from Torn to hide behind his friend. Torn glared defiantly back at the smaller Alpha and hissed, "That rat-faced bastard owes me new paint."

"I don't owe you shit!" Ther ginger squeaked out safely from behind his friend.

The blonde crossed his arms, "If anything, you owe my friend an apology, you mop-headed grandpa!"

That...was a new one...

It still pissed Torn off, but he had to give the kid creativity points. He stood up taller and marched over to the little shits who made this already shitty day even shittier. He was a full head taller than the both of him, so when he saw the blonde's resolve falter slightly, it gave him a confidence boost, "You bastards are runnin around the halls like hell's chasing you. So, unless you want an ass-beating too, I suggest you step aside and let your boyfriend take responsibility for his actions."

The blonde's face twisted in anger, and he let out a loud growl that reminded Torn of an angry kitten. For all his bravado, it seemed that this boy was all bark and no bite.

At least...that's what he thought before the blonde suddenly threw a right hook right at Torn's face, catching him on his cheek and forcing him to stumble back. Torn was stunned for just a moment before he sneered and returned the punch with one of his own, getting the kid in the stomach and making him double over. He was about to bring up his knee to connect with the brat's nose when he suddenly found himself shoved against the wall by said brat.

He didn't even see the guy move, but holy shit when he looked in those angry blue eyes, it caused every muscle in his body to seize.

The kid bared his teeth at him, and his blue eyes were so dark they almost looked black...or...maybe they were black?

Torn tried to force his body to respond, but he was hypnotized by this blonde asshole's eyes. There was something about him that was just...off.

"Jak! Forget it man! We gotta go!" The ginger looked panicked as he grabbed persistently at his blonde friend's shoulder.

The blonde seemed to consider continuing their rumble before he released his grip on Torn and growled out one last threat, "You put your hands on him again, and I'll remove them!" With that, the blonde turned and raced back down the hall with his annoying orange friend.

Torn was left alone in the hallway, wondering what the hell just happened. If anyone else had dared touch him like that they would be spitting out their teeth...

...so why did he freeze up like that?

A gasp pulled him back to attention and he turned to see a maid staring down at his spilled paints, slowly seeping into the rug. He gave an apologetic smile and started helping her clean up.

Thankfully, this maid actually knew where Torn was supposed to be staying. After they cleaned up the mess in the hallway, and salvaged what they could of Torn's paints, she led him down the hall to a large door.

It was literally just 12 feet away from where he was assaulted by the two idiots.

He thanked the maid for her help and quickly shut the door. He slumped against the door for a moment, looking over his new room.

It was about the size of his old apartment, just more open. There was a couch and coffee table with a large tv in front of it, a small kitchenette area with a minifridge, sink, cabinets, and a kitchen island made of stone. He felt a lot better when he also spotted a coffee maker perched near the sink. On the far left side was a large king sized canopy bed, looking far too elegant for Torn's tastes, and another door that most likely led to a bathroom. Torn tossed his duffle bag towards what looked like a closet and gently set his paint case down on the stone coffee table before he decided to wash away the still lingering sand.

He entered the bathroom and immediately saw a bruise starting to form on his cheek. That fucking prick!

He touched the bruise tenderly, judging the damage before lamenting that he would probably be sporting it for a few days. Torn quickly stripped and entered the shower, thanking whatever gods were watching for the hot water.

When he stepped out and toweled off his body, he heard a loud knocking on his door.

"One minute!" He called out as he rummaged through his duffle bag for a simple pair of workout shorts and a t-shirt. He decided against underwear for the moment, not like he was going anywhere, and moved to open the door. Two people stood on the other side. A short old man with green skin and a pretty young girl with green hair. The girl looked him over, judgement clear in her eyes, and the old man gave a friendly smile, "There you are! We got worried when you didn't show up for your check-up." The old man easily pushed past Torn and entered the room, "I'm known as Samos, the royal doctor and sage of green eco."

"And I'm his daughter, Keira." The girl crossed her arms as she stared up at Torn, "Royal nurse and sage-in-training." She bent down to pick up a large doctors bag before pushing past Torn as well.

Torn grumbled lowly, "Would it kill you two to ask permission before you barge in?"

"You avoided your check-up, so we had no choice but to 'barge in'." Keira retorted, slightly miffed.

"I didn't avoid shit! I got lost in this damn maze of a palace!"

Keira raised a brow in disbelief, "Seriously? Did it not occur to you to ask for directions?"

"I did! Several times! Noone in this damn palace can seem to agree on where anything is." Torn threw his hands up in frustration before sighing, "Can we please just get this over with? I'm exhausted from traveling and stressed out beyond belief. This day has been one huge pain in the ass."

Samos nodded, "Of course, please sit on the bed and we'll begin."

Torn moved quickly to the bed and sat down. The soft mattress tempted him briefly to just lay down and be lulled to sleep, but that feeling went as quickly as it came when the check-up began.

They checked his blood pressure, heart rate, breathing, and even took a blood sample. When Samos left the room with the sample, Keira brought out a data pad and began typing on it, "Unfortunately, we can't do your pap smear or fertility tests here, so you'll need to actually stop by the clinic tomorrow for those tests."

Torn winced, "Is that really necessary?"

Keira nodded, "Yep. We need to make sure your city didn't trick us by sending a dud."

"Don't worry, I'm fertile enough." Torn tried his best to hide his anger at the assumption. For a male omega he was surprisingly fertile, according to his last checkup back in Haven. Which made his current situation that much worse, because it meant that he would be able to get pregnant quite easily.

He began to see visions of his belly rounding, erasing the abs he worked so hard for, his pecs swelling with milk, and ugly stretch marks appearing on his hips and waist...which would remain long after the parasite has been removed from his body.

He felt bile rise in his throat once more.

"I trust you won't get offended when I don't just take your word for it." Keira finished typing out her observations and closed her pad. She gave Torn another once-over before saying, "Look...I know this must be hard for you. Damas said you weren't exactly thrilled with the idea of an arranged bonding, but Jak is the sweetest, funniest, and most wonderful guy you'll ever meet. He's been through a lot and deserves someone who can give him love. Please just...try?"

Torn bit the inside of his cheek in thought before nodding slightly, "I'll try my best."

He didn't really mean it...

He was honestly hoping that he wouldn't have to spend unnecessary amounts of time with the Prince. His plan was to hole up in his room, only coming out for important events. When the time came to do the deed, he would lie back like a corpse and take it, then hope that the shower would be hot enough to scald away the imprints of his unwanted mate's hands and scent.

When Torn looked back up at Keira, she seemed to buy his lie. She gave him a small smile then turned away, "Thanks. Alrighty, I'll let you get some rest then." She walked to the door and paused before she opened it, turning back once more, "Oh, before I forget, King Damas requested that you join him and Prince Jak for dinner tonight. Your closet has been stocked with outfits. If you need anything use the intercom to call a servant."

"Gotcha." Torn stifled a yawn as he felt the weariness in his bones start to set.

Keira left the room, closing the door behind her, and Torn finally allowed himself to fall backwards onto the bed. He stared up at the ceiling for a moment, letting the day's events finally process.

This was it...no going back to the way it was before.

From now on...he was the Omegan consort to Prince Jak Mar of Spargus.

Lucky him...