Magnate's Blood Crown

Fifteen

"If you decide to leave this house today with the intention of going against me, I will never see your face again!" Lawan's voice echoed through the halls as Nanon made his way to the door.

Nanon turned, a bittersweet smile on his face. "What difference will it make? You hardly see my face as it is, mother. We only see each other during your brief breaks from duty. In those moments, you remind me of my filial duties and how much of a disappointment I am because I am an omega, or because I don't behave like one."

Lawan's eyes widened, left speechless by his words, as did everyone else in the room.

Nanon shook his head, his smile tinged with sadness. "Who decides these roles? Who decides how an omega should behave and how an alpha should behave? If I react to the pheromones of alphas, it's my fault. If alphas react to my pheromones, it's also my fault. If I don't study art, it's my fault. If I study architecture and crafting, it's also my fault."

"Nanon..." Chalerm stepped forward, but Nanon raised a hand to stop him.

"You decided to bring an alpha into our home. You decided to allow him to court me. You decided to let me go out. You decided to let people see us together. You let people think I was already engaged. Then, you decided it wasn't good. You decided to call off the wedding. You decided to slap that alpha's mother. But it's all still my fault."

Hiran held Lawan by the shoulders as she slumped to the ground, shocked.

"You thought it was wise not to refuse a prince's request, you thought it was okay to send me to the palace. You thought you should follow me there. You thought I was innocent of the rumors. Then you thought the general's proposal meant the rumors were true. You thought I wasn't good enough for him. And then you thought to ask for time to deal with the royal decree. But..." Nanon slumped to the ground, tears streaming down his face. "But it is still... all my fault, mother."

Chalerm rushed to Nanon's side, embracing him.

Lawan, tears streaming down her own face, watched her son cry. "It's my fault that I was born an omega. It's my fault my pheromones are strong. It's my fault that I am like you. It's my fault that I don't fear your punishments. It's my fault that I look into your eyes and answer. It's my fault that you could never see me as more than a responsibility. It's my fault that Aunt Noi and Grandma had to raise me. My existence is my fault, mother. I've realized that."

Chalerm wiped Nanon's tears. "Enough, Nanon. Let's stop crying now. Please. I beg you." He hadn't realized that he was crying too.

Nanon collected himself and nodded, wiping Chalerm's tears. "Yes, that's what I thought. It's enough now."

He stood and looked at his parents, still sitting on the ground. "I will not let you all be troubled because of me. If my one decision can save you from royal punishment, I will make it today."

Lawan and Hiran stared in disbelief as Nanon wiped his remaining tears and walked out of the house, followed by Nuea and Arak.

"So, you came back here?" Mimi said to Nanon as she saw him approaching the palace.

"Greetings, Crown Princess." Nanon bowed respectfully.

"It's unfortunate that I must now accept greetings from people like you in the palace. Previously, it was only during our visits to temples for charity or markets for festivals." Mimi scoffed.