Hua Ren’s heart pounded in his chest. He had expected this question, but it didn’t make it any easier to answer. "Because I would not remain a soldier.” He answered truthfully. “Omegas are not allowed to do many things, Your Majesty. I would have been treated like any other Omega. Forced to marry, to bear children, and to serve my husband for eternity.”
The Emperor leaned back slightly, eyes narrowing in thought. “Is that such a bad thing, Hua Ren?” His tone was genuine, as if he couldn’t fathom why an Omega would reject such a life. Those laws were put in place because Omegas were weak in nature and needed to be cared for.
Hua Ren looked up briefly, before lowering his gaze again. “It is not, for those who desire it, Your Majesty. But that life is not for me. Your Majesty is already aware of my prowess in battle. That is where I belong. On the battlefield, protecting the Celestial Kingdom and its leader.”
He hesitated for a moment before raising his head, finally meeting the Emperor’s gaze. “Besides,” he continued, “I am a defective Omega, Your Majesty. I cannot perceive or release pheromones. I have never experienced heat, and I do not feel whatever it is Omegas feel. I even believe that I may be barren. Sometimes, I feel like I am a soul in the wrong body. I am not fit to be a housewife, Your Majesty.”
The Emperor was caught off guard by this revelation, his brow furrowing in surprise. He released a surge of his pheromones, expecting to see Hua Ren react but nothing happened. Hua Ren sat there as if the air had not changed, unaffected by the powerful Alpha aura that should have had any Omega quivering in response.
“You really can’t smell it.” the Emperor said, astonished, leaning forward slightly.
Hua Ren, realizing what had just happened, shook his head. “I really cannot smell it, Your Majesty.”
The Emperor’s eyes narrowed, contemplating the implications. This was unexpected. He was silent for a moment until the voice in his mind cut through his thoughts. 'This is bad. If he cannot smell your pheromones, how will you control him?'
Ignoring the voice for now, the Emperor spoke aloud. “What about marking? Has anyone ever tried to mark you before?”
Hua Ren shook his head, his fingers tightening slightly around the teacup. “No, Your Majesty. There has never been a reason for anyone to try.”
The Emperor’s gaze sharpened. “Not even your mate?”
Hua Ren’s body stiffened. The question was too pointed. He wondered, did the Emperor know about Sheng Fei? But then he realized the Emperor was likely fishing for information, not confirming it. He had to tread carefully.
“I do not have a mate, Your Majesty,” He replied, keeping his voice as calm as he could manage.
The Emperor seemed relieved by this answer, his shoulders relaxing slightly. “Everyone has a mate, Hua Ren. You just haven’t met yours yet.”
Hua Ren felt a pang of guilt for the lie, but he couldn’t let the Emperor know that his true mate was the leader of the Rebels. “I do not want a mate, Your Majesty,” he said. “I only want to fight for you and stay by your side for eternity.”
The Emperor was surprised. “You want to stay by my side for eternity?”
Hua Ren felt his face grow warm, a blush creeping up his cheeks. He quickly lowered his head, avoiding the Emperor’s gaze. “Your Majesty is the reason I joined the army in the first place. I saw Your Majesty sparring with a group of new soldiers, and I just... I was...” He trailed off, unsure of how to put his feelings into words.
The voice in the Emperor’s mind chuckled slyly. 'This is starting to sound like a confession.'
'I know.' The Emperor thought. 'This is surprising.'
'Very surprising.' The voice agreed.
“What I’m trying to say is that I’ve admired Your Majesty for a long time,” Hua Ren finally said, his heart racing due to nervousness. “I’ve always wanted to be by Your Majesty’s side. That is why I worked so hard to become the first general of the Celestial Kingdom.”
The Emperor’s lips curled into an amused smile. “So what you’re saying is that you have feelings for me?” he asked, his tone teasing.
Hua Ren’s eyes widened in horror. His mind never registered the Emperor’s teasing tone. Realizing how inappropriate his words had been, he quickly slid from his chair and fell to his knees, his head bowed low. “I’m sorry, Your Majesty. I-I didn’t mean—”
“It’s alright, Hua Ren,” the Emperor interrupted, a soft smile still playing on his lips. “Sit down.”
Hua Ren hesitated before obeying, his heart pounding, his face still flushed with embarrassment. Just what had he done? How did the Emperor quickly realise his feelings? Was the Emperor going to kill him?
'I can’t believe we’ve been such fools.' The voice muttered in the Emperor’s mind. 'We’ve been looking for his weakness, but his weakness has been you all along. Look at him blushing. He’s in love with you.'
The Emperor’s smirk deepened. 'This just made things much easier.' He thought.
“Actually, Hua Ren, I came here to ask something of you.”
Hua Ren straightened in his seat, eager to please. “Anything you want, Your Majesty. This humble servant shall do it.”
The Emperor nodded approvingly. “Good. Because I came to ask for your hand in marriage.”
Hua Ren’s eyes flew open in shock, his body going rigid. “M-Marriage?” he stammered, his voice barely above a whisper.
“Yes,” the Emperor said, smiling at Hua Ren’s stunned expression. “I want to marry you, Hua Ren. I want to mark you and make you my Omega.”
Hua Ren stared at him, his mind spinning. He opened his mouth to protest but couldn’t find the words.
The Emperor found his reaction endearing. “You said you want to stay by my side for eternity,” he continued smoothly. “Isn’t this convenient?”
“B-But, Your Majesty, I—”
“Do not worry,” the Emperor interrupted. “I won’t confine you to the palace like my other Omegas. You won’t have to bear children either. You will remain a general and continue to protect our Kingdom. The only change will be that you’ll be married to me and bear my mark, permanently."