An absolute waste of time.

Dron huffed as he paced back and forth in the small testing room. He was ready to get out of there. 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

It had been a long while since the frustrating woman had left the space. Dron couldn’t understand what was taking so long. Usually if the omega hadn’t chosen to test Dron’s body, he was let out of the room the minute they were whisked away to safety.

Dron closed his eyes and couldn’t stop the fleeting memory of the feel of the woman’s hip under his hand. He probably would get in trouble for that. He wasn’t supposed to touch the omegas unless he was explicitly asked.

Is that what she was saying? He groaned at the memory of the woman speaking in her foreign tongue. How he wished he could’ve pulled her closer.

The second the thought filled his mind, he squeezed his hands together tightly. He wouldn’t allow that woman to take the last thing he had to himself. His mind.

Just thinking about her seemed to drive him mad.

Maybe that was the holdup. The security was probably trying to figure out what they were going to do with Dron since he touched the Omega.

He would take the punishment. He knew that it was wrong but he couldn’t stop himself. There was something about the woman that called to him. The feeling of touching her had been nearly euphoric.

He shouldn’t have gotten so close. His time in punishment would be a good reminder that he should never lose himself. No matter how beautiful the bait in front of him was.

Dron through his head back and roared at the sky. He wanted to go home or to the cells. He just wanted to get out of this room.

At first he thought it was because he was in a strange place but the longer he breathed the more he realized that the woman had left her aroma behind. Her scent wafted around him. It made the stay in the room so much more unbearable. Dron didn’t know what about the scent was making Dron so aggrevated and he didn’t want to stay in the room but until he was released he was stuck there.

Dron tried to settle himself and just before he started to walk toward the door to bang on it, it whooshed open.

Dron took a few steps back and fell into a military stance. He looked around the room as a few elaborate society members walked in. It wasn’t what Dron had been expecting. He thought there would be soilders.

"What is this?" Dron questioned.

"Don’t be so suspicious." The one in front spoke. Dron had only seen this alpha a few times. But only from a distance.

"Don’t be suspicious? How could I not be? Did the omega accuse me of something." Dron asked.

"No, the omega hasn’t said you’ve done anything that you shouldn’t have. Do you have anything to confess?" The man asked. His feathered browed raised.

The man, Suqit, was one of the high leaders of the Puxyn clan. He was gilded. The sides of his face gleamed in the dim light of the room. Basically the fowl descendant of a man was untouchable. He would never be seen in the same room as Dron unless something extraordinary had happened.

Dron worried just what that could be.

"I have nothing to confess." Dron clenched his jaw.

"Good...good. Than I have the grandest of news for you." Suqit jerked his shoulders once in an upward position.

Grand news? Dron couldn’t begin to understand what that would be.

Dron waited for the man to tell him what this news could be. The silence in the room was deafining.

Suqit looked off to the side before lifting his hand to look at his long talon nails. The alpha didn’t have to hurry up for anyone. In fact, he could stand there for the entire day and all Dron would be able to do is wait for him to say whatever it was that he was there to tell him.

It was infuriating but Dron knew better than to speak up about it.

Finally after what felt like an entire moon cycle Suqit opened his mouth to speak.

"Dron, I’m pleased to inform you..."

In the brief pause a million possibilities ran through Dron’s mind. What could be so important that one of the high level society members would come to see him? It had to be another tour of duty. They were shipping him off to fight again in the great war.

Dron was disappointed, but he knew it would be coming eventually. He’d only hoped that he would get some downtime before he would have to go back to the blood and gore that was combat.

He sighed and waited for the man to continue.

"... That you have been chosen as a husband."

The world faded away for a second, and Dron desperately tried to understand the words that were coming out of Suqit’s mouth. There had to be something wrong with his language device.

It was the only possibility.

"What was that?" Dron questioned, hoping that maybe a repeat of what the man said would change the words.

"You’re to be wed. Congratulations." Suqit pulled his shoulders back, and though the man tried to keep a pleasant look on his face, it was clear to Dron that he wasn’t happy about what he’d just said.

Husband? There must be some mistake. No one ever chose Dron to be their husband. Used him for an orgasm, sure. But he was never chosen to be a companion. He was cursed. A shameful mark on the community. It had to be some sort of trick. The more Dron thought about it, the more he convinced himself that he was right.

"No." Dron said out loud before he had the chance to bite the inside of his cheek.

Suqit jerked to a stop. His grey eyes narrowed to slits as he turned and looked at Dron like the hated creature he was. "Pardon me?"

"This is a trick. I don’t know what anyone has been told, but the foreigner doesn’t know the way of our people. She didn’t mean to choose me, and if she did the only reason she would choose me is that she’s trying to get something out of me. Maybe military secrets? Information about our culture. This is wrong, I won’t do it."

Suqit huffed before he turned around fully and slowly walked back in Dron’s direction.

"You are right. None of us gilded can understand why the foreigner would ever select a monstrosity like you. There were far better candidates. Still, the omega has made her choice. We confirmed it. You will care for and provide for her as any husband should. Unless you are telling me that you are shirking your duties as an alpha and would rather spend the rest of your days in the black cells. I can arrange that for you...happily."

The threat was real.

If Dron didn’t go along with this insane plan, he’d be doomed to spend the rest of his life in the cells. If he did go along with the plan, he’d be stuck with a foreign stranger in his home for many moon cycles. There was no winning for him. Not in this situation.

Resolved, Dron lifted his shoulders up once, and Suqit turned to leave the room without saying anything more.

Dron had just agreed to marry the omega. Any other alpha would be happy, jumping with joy to maybe find someone to father children with, but Dron was dreading the entire process.

He’d been trained. Had gone through the schooling. He’d been tested, but he never once thought he’d actually have to use any of the skills he learned. No one would ever choose the cursed alpha.

Not unless they were being made to.

His earlier ideas that the woman must be sent to him as a punishment sprang to the front of his mind again. Someone was toying with him. Playing with his emotions.

Dron was determined not to come out scarred from the soon-to-be encounter with the woman. He’d do his duty to keep out of the black cells, but that would be all. He’d stay as far away from the omega woman as possible, and once his marital period was over, she’d spread the word of how horrible a spouse he truly was.

He’d never have to go through this again.

Piece by piece his plan clicked in place in his mind.

A sense of relief washed over him. Soon the woman would be begging to be released from their marriage. This ruse would be over sooner than anyone would ever think possible.

The second man in the room, a royal guard, stepped to the side and opened the door, allowing Dron to leave the room.

It was time to go find his wife.