The gates opened with a deep, resounding creak.
At once, the guards struck their halberds against the floor, the sound commanding silence. Conversations dissolved mid-sentence, laughter faded, and every gaze in the grand hall turned toward the entrance.
The youngest prince of their wise king had arrived.
Nael stepped into view.
For a brief heartbeat, the hall forgot how to breathe.
He looked ethereal—so striking that anyone standing beside him would inevitably seem lesser, diminished by comparison. Anyone except Leonar Velcrest.
Leo walked at his side with steady, unyielding composure, his presence sharp and grounded, like steel beside sunlight. Where Nael radiated an otherworldly grace, Leo embodied quiet strength. Together, they created a balance so seamless it unsettled the room.
People stared.
Some stunned by the harmony between them—so perfectly matched it felt almost sacrilegious—yet they were not a pair. Not lovers. Not mates. They were companions here, bound by duty, loyalty, and something deeper that needed no name.
Nael walked forward with straight posture and a confident gaze, each step measured, unhurried. His formal attire clung perfectly to his refined frame, as though the garments themselves had been crafted solely for him. The cut accentuated his shoulders, the line of his waist, the elegant strength beneath delicate beauty.
It was as if a Greek deity had descended into the mortal hall.
Many present were seeing him for the very first time.
Alphas forgot to blink, their instincts stunned into silence. Omegas and betas felt no jealousy—only awe, pure and untainted admiration blooming openly across their faces. There was no rivalry to be felt when confronted with something so impossibly beautiful.
Too beautiful for this world.
Some among the elders remembered him as a child—a soft, bright presence trailing behind tutors and guards, laughter echoing through palace corridors. Yet this young man before them bore little resemblance to that memory.
He had exceeded every expectation.
No longer just the king's youngest son.
He was Elyndria's Sun-Blessed Omega—
and as he walked beside his knight through the stunned hall, it became clear to all.
Nael came to a stop before the throne.
For a moment, the vast hall seemed to fade away.
The king of Elyndria—his father—looked down at him, and the stern authority he carried for the world softened into something warm, unmistakably human. A gentle smile curved his lips, one reserved only for family.
Then, to the quiet shock of many present, the king stood.
He descended the steps of the throne with unhurried grace, ignoring rank, ignoring formality. When he reached Nael, he opened his arms and drew him into a firm, genuine embrace.
"Happy birthday, my son," he said warmly, voice carrying just enough to be heard, yet meant only for Nael.
Nael stiffened for a heartbeat—then relaxed, returning the hug. The familiar scent of home, of safety, wrapped around him, easing the tight knot in his chest.
For those watching, it was a rare sight.
Not a ruler and a subject.
Not a king and a prince.
Just a father holding his child, proud and relieved, as if the world beyond them did not exist at all.
For everyone present, that single embrace erased all doubt.
This omega was not fragile. He was not sheltered. He was power, acknowledged openly by the king himself.
The king turned, one hand resting on Nael's shoulder.
"Today," he announced, voice calm yet carrying to every corner of the hall, "I introduce to you my beloved son—the pride of Elyndria."
A ripple passed through the crowd.
Nobles straightened. Alphas inclined their heads. Betas placed hands over their hearts. Even seasoned courtiers felt the weight of the moment. This was not a mere presentation—it was a declaration.
One by one, they stepped forward.
"Your Highness," voices overlapped with reverence.
"Happy birthday."
"May the sun always favor you."
"Elyndria is blessed."
Praise filled the hall, sincere and unrestrained. Wishes followed—formal, heartfelt, awed. Some spoke of his grace, others of his presence, many of his future. Nael received them all with composed elegance, posture straight, gaze steady, a faint, confident smile resting on his lips.
This was the day the world truly saw him.
King Anderian take with to eat this gesture start the banquet. He was tired with all this stuff and took a little slip from his father.
Nael had just slipped his fingers around Leo's arm, already scanning the hall for the nearest escape—some quiet corner, some pillar thick enough to hide behind—when a familiar voice cut cleanly through the noise.
"Running away already, little brother?"
Nael froze.
Slowly, he turned.
Approaching them were three figures who commanded attention without trying.
At the front walked the crown prince—his first brother. Tall, composed, eyes sharp yet calm, carrying the kind of presence that did not demand respect but naturally received it. His gaze held the depth of someone who weighed consequences before words, wisdom etched into every measured step. He truly looked like a king in waiting, the perfect inheritor of their father's crown.
To his right strode the second brother, broad-shouldered and unapologetically imposing. A general through and through. His posture was straight, his build powerful, every movement screaming discipline and strength. Thinking was secondary to action for him—muscles before strategy—but none could deny his battlefield brilliance. The air around him felt heavier, charged with alpha dominance.
And beside them, the third brother—equally striking, equally alpha. His presence carried a different edge, sharp and observant, eyes glinting with amusement and something unreadable beneath. He wore his majesty like a well-fitted cloak, effortless and dangerous.
Three top-tier alphas.
Three princes of Elyndria.
As they stopped before him, Nael felt Leo's arm tense under his grip.
The crown prince's gaze softened slightly as it landed on Nael. "You disappear faster than I can congratulate you."
The second brother snorted. "He's grown bold. Slipping away right under Father's nose."
The third brother's lips curved faintly, eyes flicking to Leo and back. "Or maybe he knew we'd corner him."
Nael straightened instinctively, his attempt at escape thoroughly ruined.