Chosen (Omega Levi x Monarch Reader)

Chapter 1: Levi

"The announcement came out today," Levi's mother told him after he sat down at the table in their cramped kitchen, while she prepared a pot of soup on the stove. "It's time for the Choosing."

"Oh?" Levi muttered neutrally. He'd never been interested in that sort of thing, but he listened for his mother's sake, knowing she – like so many others – viewed the Choosing as a sort of real-life fairytale.

The Choosing was a ceremony that came around roughly thrice in a lifetime, give or take. When the heir to the throne – always an alpha, thanks to the dominance of the royal bloodline – was ready to select a mate, all eligible omegas were summoned to the palace to take part in the months-long event that Levi could only describe as "mass dating". Those the heir decided against would be sent home, sometimes in large groups, sometimes one by one, until the heir decided who they wanted to mate. Historically, the heir's choice had been based on more arcane values for omegas – attractiveness, submissiveness, fertility. But as society had evolved, heirs began to treat the omegas more like human beings and less like objects to be bred. Although, the heir's mate was still expected to bear children, thus continuing the royal line.

Only this time, it wouldn't be an heir – it would be a monarch. Queen (f/n) had initially put off selecting a mate longer than usual while she was studying abroad. But when the previous monarch had suddenly died of illness, she'd been forced to return and immediately assume the throne. She'd postponed her Choosing another year while she simultaneously mourned her parent and gotten used to running the country. Levi supposed he felt bad for her, as much as one could feel bad for a person they've never met. He'd come close to losing his own mother several times due to her recurring illness.

"Mhm," Kuchel continued. "Exciting, isn't it? Just think – one day, you're a regular citizen. Then suddenly, you're the Royal Consort. Wouldn't that be something?"

"It'd be something, alright," Levi agreed, though he knew he and his mother had very different takes on the Royal Consort.

She picked up on the subtle ire in his tone. "Come on now, petal. The Royal Consort can have a huge influence on this country. Not only do they birth and raise the next monarch. The last few Consorts have been permitted to sit on the Royal Council. They can have a voice in how this country is governed."

"If you say so," he conceded with an idle wave of his hand. Levi believed the seat on the Council was only for show – it wasn't as if any of those conceited alphas would actually listen to an omega. However, there was no reason to get into an argument with his mother over it.

"Well, in any case, we'll have to get you ready for the trip to the palace," she murmured, still stirring the soup. "Maybe buy you a few sets of nice, new clothes. I have some money saved up."

Levi's chest ached. His mother's heath issues had affected her brain somewhat, and she tended to forget things – nothing major, like who or where she was, thank the Moon – but little tidbits, such as Levi's age, sometimes slipped her mind. "Ma, I can't go to the palace. I'm not eligible for the Choosing. I'm too old," he explained gently.

He'd been glad when he'd turned twenty-six two years ago and officially gotten past the age limit – silently thanking Queen (f/n) for putting off her Choosing long enough for him to become ineligible. Sure, he supposed there would've been some nice aspects of becoming the Royal Consort, like not living in a hovel, not having to steal in order to pay Kuchel's medical bills and put food on the table. But even if he would've had a chance of being selected – which he didn't think he would, because he was too pale, too thin, too rough and scarred and calloused – he wouldn't have been able to bear a life as a glorified broodmare. It would've driven him mad.

"Oh – didn't you hear?" Kuchel chimed happily. "The queen raised the traditional age limit. Now, all unmated omegas between eighteen and thirty are able to participate."