48 The Second Brother

Elys skipped up the stone steps of the Rydel estate with a big smile on his face that widened even more, when he saw who was waiting for him at the front doors.

"Lorcan!" Elys squealed, running up to him and throwing himself into the older man's arms. "Lorcan, you're here! I missed you!"

The tall man chuckled, and slightly tightened his grip on the omega. "Me too, sweetie. Sorry for not being around these days."

Elys shook his head, burying his face into his brother's strong chest and inhaling the comforting scent of cinnamon deeply. His speech was muffled into the shirt, "It's okay, Lorcan, I know you were busy with work. I'm just so happy to see you again."

"You were late today," Lorcan said, readjusting his grip on the teen and walking them inside the house where it was warmer.

Elys grinned, pulling back to look his favourite brother in the eyes, "I usually stay back after class for extra help, but I ended up staying longer than usual today." He couldn't possibly tell Lorcan about what had actually happened and be responsible for his brothers fighting again, but he technically wasn't lying either, just omitting some parts of the story.

Lorcan arched a brow, "You actually asked someone for extra help? Really, Elys? That doesn't sound like you at all."

Elys huffed, lip jutting out in a pout. "Wrong. I don't ask idiots for help, Lorcan. Yuliang is not an idiot. He's the smartest, most beautiful, most amazing guy in Fiore!"

His brother smirked, "Really, now? The smartest, most beautiful, most amazing guy in Fiore, hmmm? Who's that, your crush?"

Elys' face flushed bright red, and he let out an outraged squawk and slapped Lorcan on the shoulder. "No! Yuliang's my practicals teacher, Lorcan! And-and he's an omega! How could I have a crush on him!"

Lorcan laughed, brown eyes crinkling with mirth, "Is that so?"

"Yeah. Though, if I liked omegas I bet I would have the biggest crush on Earth on him. He's so amazing, Lorcan. I want to be just like him when I'm older," Elys gushed. He slid out of his brother's hands to sit beside him after Lorcan walked them over to their lounge room couch. "You know he's only seventeen too?"

Lorcan looked suitably impressed, but Elys felt like his brother was mostly just humouring him, "Really? He's only seventeen and he's teaching at your university?"

Elys nodded, playing with the sleeves of his sweater. "He's doing an internship under Professor Belmont so that he could do the Certification exam next year."

Lorcan looked thoughtful, "That's very ambitious of him. What Family is he from?"

Elys laughed, "That's the thing, Lorcan, Yuliang doesn't belong to any Family. He's a commoner from Sundan!"

"Really? Are you sure?"

"Yeah. His last name is Davos. He's not affiliated with any Family either. Not even Belmont. Yuliang told me that he didn't even know who Professor Belmont even was until he met him on his first day here, when I asked him about it. He's an actual common-born omega."

Lorcan's face expressed genuine surprise. "Well, that does make him quite impressive, doesn't it?" Then he frowned. "Impressive enough that it's going to be a warzone in Society if he ends up Certifying."

A matching frown formed on Elys' face. "Oh, I didn't think about that."

Among the upper class of Fiore, which could be divided into three key factions, omegas were coveted for different reasons:

Among the business families, it was simply a desire for their rarity.

Among the Talents; the musicians, the actors, the artists, it was the desire for increased visibility and status among their peers.

Among the aristocracy; the 21 Noble and five Founding Families of Fiore, it was, partly because of desire, but mostly they coveted omegas because they were a necessity to their continued survival.

"Do you think he already knows or should I warn him?" Elys asked, chewing his lip out of worry. The last thing he wanted was to see Yuliang unknowingly get snatched up by the wrong sort of people.

Lorcan patted his brother's head with a reassuring smile, "He's working with Belmont. I'm sure Emil will look out for your mentor; that man's as honourable as they come."

Elys wrinkled his nose. "I hate to agree with jerkface Seth, Lorcan, but I still don't understand how you could be friends with a Belmont."

His brother laughed, "Elys, that man has saved my life so many times over my years in the Force. The real question would be how I could possibly be enemies with such a man. Judge a man based on their actions, not their name."

Elys mulled over the words and nodded. Yeah, he supposed, that was fair. Yuliang never treated him or anyone differently based on their names or appearances. It was one of Elys' favourite things about Yuliang. Being treated for who he is, not what he is. "I'll try."

"Good. By the way, Elys, did you start using a new perfume?"

"What, no. Why?"

"No, it's nothing. I was just thinking that you smell really nice right now."