I Became the Villain Alpha's Omega (BL)

”It goes pants, naked, dress. Dress is always at the absolute bottom of the hierarchy.”

Cherion leaned his shoulder against the carved frame of the dressing room, an amused smile tugging at the corners of his lips as he watched the utter tragedy unfolding in front of the full-length mirror.

Marielle stood stiffly on the small pedestal, her arms held slightly away from her sides as if she were afraid that moving too quickly would cause the fabric to explode. She winced at her own reflection, her nose wrinkling in deep displeasure. For a woman who spent ninety-sicpercent of her life practically living in structured trousers, heavy riding boots, and tailored leather vests, the current situation was clearly equivalent to medieval torture.

Standing a few paces back, Reiner and Ezek were watching the scene with vastly different reactions. Reiner, completely unable to contain his usual cheerful energy, had a bright, poorly hidden grin plastered across his face, his shoulders shaking with silent amusement as he thoroughly enjoyed the spectacle. Ezek, on the other hand, looked like he was trying very hard to pretend he was a decorative statue in the corner of the room, keeping his expression perfectly stiff as he desperately ignored the Duke’s terrifying sister suffered an internal crisis.

”Come on, you look absolutely beautiful,” Cherion said, stepping forward to smooth out a stray wrinkle along the waist of her skirt. ”And honestly, it’s not that bad. Stop looking at the mirror like it insulted your ancestors.”

”Easy for you to say,” Marielle grumbled, though she stayed perfectly still as he adjusted the fabric.

Cherion hummed, taking a step back to admire the full picture. In all honesty, this was the very first time he had ever seen Marielle in a proper high-society gown since the day they met. And despite her aggressive grumbling, she looked completely gorgeous. The dress was a soft light blue, breathable and practical enough to let her move comfortably while still fitting her sharp athletic build perfectly. Elegant, simple, and thankfully free from the mountain of unnecessary ruffles capital Omegas seemed emotionally attached to.

”Zarius is going to be incredibly pleased when he sees you,” Cherion added casually, knowing exactly which button to press.

Marielle’s grumble cut off instantly. She blinked, her posture shifting from irritated to remarkably compliant in a fraction of a second. ”Fine. If it makes my brother happy, I will endure it.”

Cherion hid a smirk behind his hand. The only reason she had even agreed to put the gown on in the first place was because Zarius had casually mentioned the day before that the color would look good on her. The moment those words had left the Duke’s mouth, Marielle’s fate was sealed. She would have worn a sack of potatoes if Zarius praised it.

”Ugh, seriously though,” Marielle sighed, carefully stepping down from the pedestal. ”If it wasn’t for my brother, and you, there is absolutely no way I would ever willingly go to one of these silly gatherings looking like this.”

Cherion walked over and gave her shoulder a reassuring, affectionate tap. ”I know. Thank you, Marielle. I really appreciate you backing me up today.”

Turning back toward the large mirror, Cherion looked at their side-by-side reflection. While Marielle’s dress was a solid, striking light blue, Cherion’s outfit was a tailored combination of light blue and crisp white. He had chosen white specifically so he wouldn’t melt under the sun, keeping the layers light, airy, and effortlessly sharp.

”Alright, the carriage is ready, and we probably shouldn’t make the Duke wait,” Reiner announced politely as he stepped forward and opened the heavy double doors.

The group made their way down the grand staircase and out toward the main courtyard. Zarius was already standing right beside the large carriage, waiting to send them off.

Hearing footsteps, Zarius turned around. The second his eyes landed on Cherion, the Duke’s usual cold expression completely softened into something warm and dangerously focused.

”You look incredible,” Zarius said quietly as he stepped closer. His gaze swept over the light blue and white outfit, a small deeply satisfied smile tugging at his lips. ”Thank God this is an all-Omega gathering with no Alphas. If there were other Alphas there today, I’d honestly regret letting you leave the estate.”

Cherion laughed softly, cheeks warming a little at the shameless possessiveness. ”Thank you. But stop staring at me for two seconds and compliment your sister too. She suffered greatly for this outfit.”

Zarius blinked, shifting his gaze over to Marielle, who was currently standing with her chin tucked in, looking unusually self-conscious. A warm, genuine look crossed the Duke’s face as he stepped toward her. ”You look as beautiful as always, sister.”

Marielle’s entire face lit up instantly. The lingering irritation from the tight corset and the heavy skirts vanished in an instant. A massive, beaming smile broke across her face, and she proudly took hold of her skirts, executing a perfect, cheerful twirl right there in the courtyard. ”Of course! I won’t tarnish your name or make you feel embarrassed for even a second, Brother!”

Zarius chuckled softly, giving her a fond nod before turning back to escort them into the vehicle. He held the door open, offering a large, steady hand to help Marielle step inside first, followed closely by Cherion.

Once the two of them were comfortably seated on the plush leather cushions, Reiner climbed in after them, settling onto the opposite bench. Outside, Ezek smoothly mounted his horse, taking his position right alongside the carriage doors as the primary escort.

Just before Reiner closed the carriage door, Zarius noticed the unusually large, heavily packed canvas bag resting on the floor right next to Reiner’s feet. The Duke raised an eyebrow, looking through the window at Cherion. ”What exactly did you bring along? That looks a bit excessive for a simple tea party.”

Cherion leaned closer to the window, offering a sweet, entirely innocent smile. ”Oh, that? It’s just my little emergency bag. You never know what kind of unexpected situations might come up at these high-society events. It’s better to have a few things that might help me out, just in case.”

Zarius stared at him for a second, a knowing, highly amused glint appearing in his eyes.

”We’re going!” Cherion said, giving a cheerful wave from the window as the carriage finally began to roll forward. ”Bye-bye! Don’t miss me too much!”

Zarius stood in the courtyard, watching the heavy carriage wheel out through the grand gates of the estate, a helpless smile remaining on his lips until they completely disappeared from view.

The ride through the capital was smooth, filled with Marielle’s continuous complaints about the fabric of her sleeves and Reiner’s quiet, methodical updates on the guest list. But as the carriage finally turned down the long, pristine boulevard leading to the upper-aristocratic district, the lighthearted atmosphere inside began to settle into a focused, calculating silence.

Nearly an hour later, the heavy vehicle slowed to a gentle stop.

Outside the window, the sprawling, immensely grand estate of Marchioness Avery came into view. The courtyard was already packed with luxurious carriages from every prominent family in the capital, and dozens of elegantly dressed Omegas were mingling near the entrance, their sharp whispers and hushed giggles echoing through the air.

The sound of hooves stopped right outside their carriage door. Ezek dismounted smoothly, his armored boots hitting the cobblestones with a heavy thud. Face perfectly blank and professional, he stepped forward and pulled the carriage door open.

Reiner stepped out first, adjusting his uniform before standing to the side, one hand casually resting near his hip.

Inside the carriage, Cherion caught Marielle’s eye. The nervous, self-conscious girl from the dressing room was gone. In her place, Marielle’s eyes turned sharp, her shoulders throwing back into the posture of a true Northern warrior as she prepared to step onto the social battlefield.

Cherion smoothed down the front of his light blue and white attire, a slow, dangerous smile spreading across his face.

Let’s see what’s waiting for us.