Chapter Text
Queen Mary sighed from her throne, a gesture heavy with exhaustion and disdain. Only a few months had passed since she had assumed power after the death of the previous queen, and she was still unaccustomed to the weight of monarchical duties. Among them was dedicating four hours daily to hearing the petitions of her people, an activity she found tedious and often unproductive. Most of the requests that reached her were repetitive and uninteresting to someone of her stature.
Seated on her majestic throne, she barely paid attention as two figures entered the royal hall after long hours of waiting. She gave them a fleeting glance, her eyes briefly landing on the piece of paper one of them held. With an exasperated sigh, she closed her eyes, preparing herself to listen to yet another proposal she had already dismissed in her mind.
"Good morning, Your Majesty," said the man as he bowed deeply, accompanied by a young woman who mirrored the gesture in complete silence.
"Speak," Mary ordered curtly, her tone making her lack of patience clear.
"My name is Sam Bourbon, and this is my sister, Demi Bourbon. We come with a proposal that we believe could revitalize the town. We only need your financial support and permission to carry it out."
Sam stepped forward and extended the piece of paper toward the queen. It contained a rudimentary sketch of the project they had in mind. Mary took it, examining the design with a cold gaze.
"Explain," she commanded indifferently, already prepared to reject the idea if it didn’t convince her in the next few minutes.
"Our proposal is to open a bar that we will manage ourselves. We both have experience in crafting beverages, and we believe this project could stimulate local commerce, attract more visitors, and generate income for the town."
The enthusiasm in Sam's voice was evident, but Mary remained unimpressed. For a few seconds, she examined the sketch before returning her gaze to the two siblings.
"An idea... intriguing, but I fail to see why I should risk resources on something so trivial," said the queen, her tone laced with disdain.
"This isn’t trivial to us. This bar is our chance to move forward, to contribute something to the town," Demi suddenly interjected, her voice breaking the silence for the first time. Her eyes lifted defiantly to the queen.
The young woman’s boldness surprised Mary, who leaned slightly forward in her throne, fixing an intense gaze on the brave omega.
"It seems you’ve got some nerve, young lady. Not many dare to address me in such a manner..." Mary murmured, leaning slightly closer. Then, she caught something that piqued her interest: a sweet aroma with a faint hint of alcohol. It was unmistakable—Demi was an omega.
A dangerous smile spread across the queen’s lips. Demi, aware of the shift in atmosphere, tensed. Unintentionally, she triggered her defense mechanism, releasing pheromones into the air. But instead of pacifying the alpha, this seemed to fuel her interest.
"Don’t worry; I’ll forgive you this time. However, I’ve decided to support your project," Mary announced, her serene expression unable to hide the sinister glint in her eyes.
"Thank you, Your Majesty. We can repay the funds with the bar’s profits. In a few months, we should be able to clear the debt," Sam interjected, hopeful, unaware of the queen’s true intentions.
Mary shook her head slowly.
"That won’t be necessary. I already have another form of payment in mind."
Sam frowned in confusion, while Demi remained motionless, her discomfort growing under the queen’s unwavering gaze.
"And what form of payment would that be, Your Majesty?" Sam finally asked.
Mary smirked coldly, turning her attention entirely to Demi.
"The omega. My condition is that she becomes my wife."
Both siblings froze at the queen’s unexpected proposal. The impact was clear: Demi fell into a silence laden with unease, while Sam reacted almost immediately, determined to protect his younger sister.
"This is unacceptable!" Sam exclaimed, his face flushed with anger. "My sister is not an object to be traded, and even if you’re the queen, I won’t let you treat her that way."
With a sharp movement, Sam reclaimed the plans he had handed over, as if ready to abandon the audience then and there.
Unmoved, the queen maintained her imposing demeanor and responded with icy calm.
"I am not trading anything. I’m offering an agreement I consider fair. You will have your bar, and all the profits will be yours. In return, I will receive something of equal value: a consort. That is my demand."
She settled back into her throne, her posture radiating authority, as if the man’s protests were nothing more than a meaningless murmur.
Demi, who had remained silent, finally spoke again, this time refusing to meet the queen’s gaze in a silent act of defiance.
"Why would I do that? You don’t even know me. You have no right to ask something so absurd."
The queen smiled, a smile as unsettling as it was calculated. Her eyes fixed on the young omega with the intensity of a predator locking onto its prey.
"I don’t need to know you to know that I like you. You are a young omega, yet your demeanor shows a rare maturity. You are beautiful, and I’m certain you’ll be useful in fulfilling my primary purpose."
Demi’s heart raced at those words, while Sam struggled to maintain his composure, though the tension in the air was almost tangible.
"And what is that 'primary purpose'?" Sam asked, his voice now tinged with barely concealed fear.
The queen didn’t look away from Demi, her smile widening slightly before she answered with chilling frankness.
"The primary purpose is to give me an heir."
A heavy silence fell over the grand hall, oppressive and suffocating, as if even the air had frozen at her declaration.