A nightmare.
Dron looked around at the fanfare and compared it to his worst nightmare.
If Dron had his way, he'd never be stuck in a situation like this, but it was the law. Every eligible alpha male was mandated to offer himself up to the Omegas in society.
It was the fourth time Dron had been put through the process. It was humiliating.
Dron was seventeenth in line. Seventeen out of twenty-five. Not the worst and not the best. And the only reason Dron was placed so high in the line was because he had substantial financial assets. Still, the omegas present would never choose him.
There would be a few, just as before, who would select him just to get closer to the cursed alpha, but none of them would ever choose him to be a husband.
The first two times that he was served, Dron had hopes that maybe things would change. Desperation and the need to procreate would surely force the community to get over their silly prejudice.
It was the exact opposite.
They laughed at him, insulted him. Made him feel like he was lower than he already made himself to be.
Dron didn't want to be there, but he knew if he tried to slip out of the procedure, he'd spend the rest of his days incarcerated.
All he needed to do was get through. Dron exhaled deeply as the beginning of the procession started.
All the alphas were displayed on a long stage. Dron looked to his left and saw Rynax. He was a merchant. Recently, Rynax made some poor investments, and his net worth took a hit.
He was far from poor, but Dron could buy him out a dozen times over if he wanted. Not that he wanted to.
Rynax turned his head and looked Dron over. He glared for a second before he focused his eyes to look to the front.
Dron examined his outfit. He tried to look presentable, but it was never enough. Not when he was constantly compared to the ones around him.
Rynax had on a pair of dark blue leather pants, seams encrusted in gems. A white shirt that opened in the front that displayed his breasthorns and golden markings. The man wore more jewelry on his hands and wrists than Dron thought necessary. He was an alpha, but many thought he was too flashy to be taken seriously. He was a joke. Still, Dron was sure that Rynax would be picked for a husband ages before he would.
A harsh hiss sounded in the air, out of the norm from the cheering public. It drew Dron's attention. He turned his head to look for the sound, which didn't take him long to locate. Directly in front of him on the other side of the aisle was a woman, older and slightly wrinkled. She glared at him and hissed again. The outcry from the woman sparked several others to look in Dron's direction. The same hatred that he'd always seen on the people's faces was clear on theirs.
Soon after, a new round of hissing began. Stronger and with more vitriol.
A large group of onlookers was focused on Dron. He wanted to walk away, wanted to get away from the anger being spewed at him, but that would land him in the black cells.
So he endured.
It would all be over soon, at least he hoped it would.
The most that would happen would be one or several of the omegas would choose him for inspection, have him take all his clothes off just to see if he indeed had all the parts that were needed to do the job before sending him on his way.
It always seemed to be a surprise that the cursed Alpha was indeed just the same as every other Alpha, less the unsightly marks that marred his skin. It didn't matter how many times he exclaimed to those around him that he was the same as everyone else; no one believed him.
The security betas on duty took their time putting a stop to the jeering. Dron was appreciative even if he knew they didn't do it for him. It was forbidden for anyone to distract the omegas as they did their choosing.
The cheering crested for a moment before a soft sound of awe washed over the crowd as the first of the Omegas and their guides were slowly paraded down the middle road.
Dron kept a straight face as he watched the Omegas rush to pick who they wanted to spend the next few moon cycles with.
Light illuminated in front of Rynax, and alphas on either side of him. As he suspected, every omega that even dared look at him grimaced once they got a look at the black markings that snaked around his arms.
Omega after omega passed by him, and though he was supposed to keep eye contact with each and every one, he found himself looking down at the ground.
He'd been humiliated like this before, but it never failed to cut him to his core.
Was he that undesirable?
Would he never find a willing wife, let alone a mate?
Would he never know the companionship that so many other alphas strived for?
He'd been standing there for well over an hour, counting the shadows as they passed by him. Inwardly cringing as the lights for the other alphas cast a shine on the sides of his body as if to remind him that he was so close but yet so far away.
Why would he watch as the prizes he knew he'd never get a chance to compete for looked upon him with disgust?
A soft gasp echoed through the onlookers. Dron assumed one of the newer Omegas must be making an appearance. The royal court always thought it best to save the most sought-after omegas for the end of the procession.
Dron didn't bother to look up. There was no need to torture himself any further.
At least when it was all over, he'd be able to go back home and get more rest.
He tilted his head, trying to listen for the near-silent mechanism that propelled the omegas platforms down the road. The one right in front of him was the last one he could hear.
It was the end.
Dron shuffled slightly from foot to foot, ready to jump down off the stage and exit the process.
He fisted his hands and controlled his breathing. It was almost over. Almost…
A bright light illuminated beneath him.
Impossible.
Dron's mind refused to acknowledge what he'd seen.
His light was on. Surely, it was a mistake. Someone had pressed the light too late as they were hoping to select Rynax.
It had to be a mistake.
Dron's head popped up, and he expected to see an omega staring back at him in complete terror.
Instead, what he saw nearly caused his heart to stop.
A woman from a clan that he'd never come across stared at him. He gasped, as did the rest of the crowd and even the alphas on either side.
She was gorgeous in a way that Dron couldn't explain. Her long brown hair shone like diamonds in the bright sun. Her eyes, a dark brown but intense. Her skin looked like the brightest color sand, yet she had no markings.
Dron kept her gaze, waiting for her to realize that she'd made a mistake. But she made no move to remove her marker from him.
She truly wanted to observe him.
Dron refused to get his hopes up.
It would be nothing more than more humiliation. He'd strip naked for her. She'd maybe even allow him to enter her, but he'd never be allowed to experience completion.
The longer he kept his eyes on the beauty in front of him, the stronger the anger grew inside Dron. He wanted no part of whatever game she was playing with him.
He was tired.
He just wanted to go home.
If this omega wanted to test out the monster, he'd prove to her just how monstrous he could be.