#evermore masterlist

There would be set rules around what kinds of omega’s could participate—they had to be over the age of 18, in good health and have conformation with a doctor, and be willing to enter the lottery. Any omega who was thought to have been entered into the Lottery under false pretences was removed. It was, for the most part, a well-structured and almost flawless event.

And for any chosen omega, their family members would receive a stipend for their service and time.

There have been many successful pairing’s in the past with these matches, with only the best and the most rigorously trained alpha’s being accepted into the games. The focus was on strength and agility but hadn’t innately rested solely on the physicalities. The alpha’s, if they had wanted to be considered, must have the basic ability to read and write, to have the physical ability to care for their mate.

It was a test of strength, a source of entertainment for the people; a way to bring them all together. And this year’s lottery was anticipated to be the most exciting yet.

*************************************

“Are you nervous?” Your handmaiden, Anna, had been paid by your mother to accompany you during the trip across the ocean. Aside from your mother sending your handmaiden with you, your older brother had accompanied you as a kind of guard while you were here.

Your trip from the rolling hills of your home would lead you to Germany, the country that was hosting this year's event. You had arrived a few days before the event had actually begun, to settle yourself and grow accustomed to the cold that could afflict the area this time of year.

“I’m excited,” you replied to her question, while your attention was drawn through the window toward the market below. There was an electrifying buzz in the village that pertained to the event, the excitement over the gladiator like alpha’s that were waiting for you.

“I’d be afraid, what if I had gotten some brute?” Anna’s fingers wove the ties for your stay through each designated hole and had begun to tighten it around your body. With each tug of the stay ties, your body jerked lightly. You chose not to focus on the feeling of the corset being tightened, but rather on the activity going on outside.

You were standing near the window, the image of you getting dressed protected by a wooden porter—one that allowed you to still gaze out the window without being seen. Furthermore, you had been watching for as long as you could, even taking your breakfast earlier by the window. You wanted to take in all you could have the Germanic village, before you oiled be whisked away to God knows where.

You had made your desire to go into the market and explore known to Anna and your bother—regardless of the risk that it would pose to you. There were rules set in place for the omega, for their safety, before the event had taken place. The alphas who came here to fight in the event were strong and formidable; however, they were still alpha’s. And these alphas could have been affected by being in the presence of others who were fighting for the right to you.

A look at the omega before the event could result in trouble for you. There would be a preemptive fight, they could be an attempt to break the competition before it even began. This resulted in their being a strict kind of lockdown for the chosen omega until the event would begin.

The only chance the alpha’s would have to see you before the event—and to get access to your scent as a motivator to fight their damn best—was the dinner the night before it began.

The dinner that you would attend is merely hours away now.

There was a formality wherein the chosen omega would receive a single gift from each alpha fighting in the arena—and the omega would choose their favour with one alpha before the fight. The favour would not give the alpha any kind of advantage or special treatment. It would, however, give those placing bets on the fight another gamble: would the omega’s choice win?

“I think this will be a good one, call it an intuition.” The stay was done being secured, and a shiver ran down your spine when the door to the small cottage you had been assigned opened.

You cast a glance over your shoulder, watching as an older woman walked inside carrying wood. She had dumped it by the door before her eyes were cast upon you and your handmaid, neither a smile nor frown on her face. It was the neutrality that you had come to expect from the people here, who were not invested in the Lottery.

“The host for the event had instructed you both to be there no later than an hour before it begins.” The woman was cordial regardless of her neutral expression, and had bowed her head in respect for both of you before she left once more.

Your attention was flitting from the door of the small cottage back toward the glass window that overlooked the market. Your attention was fixated on a few of the alpha’s that were lingering around the stalls; the few of them that were there had gardened attention from the villagers milling about. The open stares, the gawking from children passing by had all been par for the course.

“We should do your hair, miss. And finish the final preparations.” Anna had led you away from the window and the market buzzing, toward the final layers of your dress that were laid out.

In mere hours you would leave this cottage for the night, and find out exactly what kind of alphas were vying for you.

After the first courses of the meal, there would be a brief reprieve where you would get a single chance to meet the alphas. You would be presented with a gift, and by the end of the dinner you were expected to choose your favourite. There was no advantage really to selecting your favourite pick of the alpha’s apart from giving those placing bets an edge—to see if the omega’s choice was the winner.

The moment you stepped through the entrance with your handmaiden in tow, you were amazed by the appearance of the hall. The vaulted ceilings had given the impression that it was a much larger space than expected. There were 4 rows of long wooden tables with a walkway through the middle of them, dividing them. At the ends of the tables were kegs with spigots that had been set up to provide drinks for the attendees.

There were a series of windows along the sides of the hall to let in natural light in the otherwise darkened space. And at the front of the hall were the largest windows, separated into pieces to create a trifecta of glass panes that had emphasized the importance of whoever had sat there. It was mystifying really, all of these details that were as captivating as the event itself would be.

Already there were people preparing the hall, setting out what they would need in terms of having dinner. Pewter, wood and brass utensils were set out on the tables beside bowls made of the same material. At the head of the table, however, the materials were made of silver and more coveted metals—a significance for the high status class sitting there. You, of course, would almost directly be sitting in the middle of them all, the focus meant to be on you.

You stood there for another moment taking it all in until you and your handmaiden were beckoned to enter further. You walked toward the head table and then beyond, you were led past the kitchen to a small room which you could use to make any last-minute adjustments to your dress—or if you had chosen to hide or emphasize your scent.

As the door closed behind your guide, you were alone with your handmaiden. You looked over your shoulder toward Anna, your eyes flitting over her as she fussed over you. Her attention was focused on the corset and the bindings of your dress.

As she worked with finessing the dress, you had studied your reflection through the glass. The chemise you wore under your dress was soft white and had long sleeves that tapered off at your wrists. The outer layer of your dress was a deep green, almost resembling the colour of the thick forests that surrounded the village you were in.

The corset was binding around your waist and gave your chest support as needed; however, it was not suffocating like your mother requested. The dress itself was simple yet beautiful, it was designed with an almost square neckline that was modest and secure.

To add details, there was gold thread that was sewn into the dress to resemble soft and airy wisps along the skirts. Your hair was pulled out of your face and secured with a simple three strand braid that was then adorned with small and delicate flowers.

You stayed silent as Anna fixed your dress, your attention quickly flitting from your reflection back to her. When her fingers ceased working on the dress, she had stepped back and reviewed you with speculation. There was a brief and wavering emotional instability that passed between the two of you. It was rooted in the fact that this was the beginning of the end for your friendship.

When this was over, you would head off with the alpha that won the grand event. You would be whisked away to who knows where to live with your future mate and lay down roots. Anna would return home with your brother, she would return to working for your mother. And while there was the ability to send letters back and forth, you would undoubtedly miss the conversations you had with her, the long-winded ideas and dreams that you shared with each other.

She had been your handmaiden since you were twelve, she had been there for you when you had no one else to talk to. Your brothers had been busy working with your father, your mother tending to the house and keeping her social status. You were the only girl in your family aside from your mother, and you remembered your childhood being lonely.

In place of playing with your brothers, and being allowed to run wild, you had Anna. Of course, Anna had let you run wild without your mother’s knowledge. She had left you to run through the woods by your home, under the condition that you try not to get too dirty.

You felt closer to Anna than you had your mother, and you were already mourning the loss. Anna had taken care of you like you were her daughter, and now you had to say goodbye.

“I’m going to miss this.” You finally broke the tension and turned to hug her, omega to omega, letting the hug linger as the weight of your indefinite separation linger. “I will miss you.”

Anna had returned the hug, her arms embracing you as you did her. She squeezed you tightly and smoothed her hand down the back of your hair, soothing you as if you were a child needing your mother’s protection. Once she had pulled away, she cupped your cheeks and focused your gaze on her, making you listen to her as she gave you one last piece of advice.

*************************************

There was an unequivocal haze that seemed to settle over the dining hall when the night had kicked off. The tension that pilfered the space from wall to wall was solely rooted in the 15 alphas that had come. There was a flow of ale and wine that had already begun afflicting them, and you had yet to officially make an appearance.

From behind the doors that separated the kitchens from the opening dining hall, you had peeked out to get your first look. 15 alphas sat around tables, boastfully drinking and speaking raucously among each other. You had spied through the crack, watching them as best you could, and with every passing second, you had become a little more anxious.

The heady mix of their scents was offset by the surrounding scents of omegas and mated alphas—yet there was something unseemly about the mixture. You had previously been excited if not eager about the event, about the future that awaited you, and now you were having second thoughts.

“It’s almost time.” The reminder was given to you at the eleventh hour—the last possible moment of peace you could be given. “You need to go out there.”

The door was pushed open, the dignitaries, and high social class members had left first and took their seats at the head table. All that was left was for you to leave, for you to take your place and have the attention of the dining hall on you.

“Now.” The door could no longer hide you, and with a tightly bound heart thrashing in your chest, you had stepped out.

You followed the path toward the head table, the skirt of your dress brushing against the ground as you walked. One foot was placed in front of the other as you walked, and when you climbed the few steps that led to the head table, everything came to a stop.

Silence ran throughout the room, and all eyes were on you. Your attention had likewise wandered the room, speculating and analyzing the alphas that were sitting at the table. There was no shortage of differences between the alphas when it came to their appearance, yet they had one common characteristic—they all looked incredibly strong.

The alphas were generally large and foreboding, as most alphas naturally were. There were few that had stood out among the crowds, one in particular was an alpha who towered above the rest. This alpha in particular made the others in his midst seem as if they were just coming into their own.

His size was not just rooted in his broad shoulders and wide chest, he looked like a beast of a man, standing easily above 6’5”. He appeared as if he would take on a mountain and turn it down, rocks crumbled by his feet. There was an assuredness that he carried, as if he knew how impeccably strong he was without having the arrogance of a younger alpha.

He was the oldest among them and regardless of that, he had stood out among them. His hair was dirty blonde, with a faint appearance of what could be light brown in his hair. His eyes, when he had looked upon you, were light blue and captivating like you had never seen before. This alphas jaw was firm and sculpted, matching and mirroring his sturdy and implacable strong body. There was a set of scars on his chin, near the bottom of his jaw, that had healed and faded, adding to his ruggedness.

“…let the feast begin, and good luck to you alphas as you head into the fight.” The male host of this dinner—responsible for all the decisions—had begun and finished his speech by the time you had been drawn back into focus. With a look wanting you to sit and not stand like a fool, you had fumbled to sit and ducked your head, warmth radiating in your body.

The stares of the alphas were as easy to pick up on as the emotional state that seemed to roll off them. It covered the floor and seeped up the walls like an invisible fog. Their arrogance and the cockiness that they would come out the winner was stifling, it was beginning to make it difficult to breathe.

Regardless of how they were making you feel, you had doubled down on trying to control your emotions. You swallowed the nervousness that was eating at you and focused on trying to fill your stomach. Perhaps if you didn’t retain an empty stomach it would be harder to become overwhelmed by their scents.

The attempt to remain consistently unaware of their stares and scents had failed you when a pair of eyes bore into you. It was only halfway through the second course of food when you had felt that spark of recognition. You had raised your head and cast your gaze upon the row of alphas that would be fighting for you in the arena. The entertainment that would transfix the village was starting now in the dining hall—eyes were on you from all over.

There were a few alphas looking your way as they talked among each other. It wasn’t the verbal exchange between them that had unsettled you presently; you couldn’t hear what they were saying but their eyes…

Their eyes communicated all and of the alphas that were currently looking your way, they shared a common animalistic glint. There was something in their eyes that had fired off warning bells in your mind. It was the idea that lingered at the back of your mind, registering the ugly image of you being taken upon a victory unexpectedly.

The look in their eyes unsettled you, and you wanted to avert your gaze before a set of icy blue eyes caught your attention.

The mountain of an alpha, the one who was the oldest and the most formidable, he had caught your attention. Unlike the other alphas in the room that were looking at you as if you were a piece of meat being tossed to the wolves, his gaze was different. He was studying you without the innate dangerous nature so boldly reflected in his gaze.

There was interest, curiosity that had been caught in his beautiful eyes, attraction and perhaps the kind of basest alpha nature that he contained. But there was more, he wasn’t lacking in the ability to be as seedy as the alphas around him and yet be obtained from it.

You had to break your gaze when the exchanged glances had become too much. You couldn’t hold his eyes anymore and had instead dropped your gaze to the silver spoon sitting beside your plate. You ran your fingers over the simple deign embedded into the end, your mind reeling from the expectations you had—and the reality that shattered them.

The courses had finally come to a halt, the middle of the feast had arrived and a break from the food was needed. The moment that you had been waiting for now felt soured, and you felt anxiously apprehensive about being so close to the alphas.

You had leaned back as best as you could in your chair and stretched your legs in front of you. You had more than once been grateful the table cloth was covering your legs from view, especially while you stretched. The first of the alphas had come to the table, bearing a gift of a belt for your dresses made from leather that had been inscribed with the picture of a flower.

While you had thanked the alpha for his gift, the scent that had clung to the leather made you internally shudder. There was a kind of acrid underlying smell that hadn’t settled with you. And it wasn’t just the scent of the first alpha that had unsettled you; it was the way his eyes seemed to be guarded—likely hiding something unsightly.

Alpha after alpha had come, some gave you gifts in silence while others had made remarks about your future.

There was a generalized understanding with those that had spoken to you that you would be bedded almost immediately. You found yourself growing tired and weary of the whole event, and there was an unnaturally sickly heat that was bugging you. It was a slow build of beads of sweat rolled down the back of your neck. Your scent had begun to feel overshadowed by theirs, and you felt off centred by it all.

“There’s only two more, only two more…” you mumbled under your breath, grateful for Anna’s quick thinking to remove the alphas gifts—under the guise of giving you space, when really you just wanted room to breathe without them.

Heavy footsteps had stolen your attention, and the sight of the massive and older alpha startled you. You had nearly jumped out of your skin when he approached, and you were given no choice but to crane your neck to look up at him. Meeting your surprise with the quirk of his lips that threatened to form a smirk, he had bent down to greet you.

“Du bist wie die Maus.” His accent was thick and poignant, his voice husky and deep.

It was almost soothing to say the least, unlike the other scents that felt suffocating, this alpha felt soothing. There was an undeniable and constant faint scent of smoke and metal, integrated with leather and naturally occurring musk. It was an alphas scent through and through without being acrid or stifling.

“A mouse?” It was the first you had spoken to an alpha in return, and your voice remained quiet as he kept a cordial and polite distance. And when it had come time to give you a gift, he had removed something from his pocket and placed it upon the table in front of you.

“It’s a flower.” You spoke again, lifting the flower from the table to cup it in your hands. There were eight petals surrounding the centre of the flower, with wide bases and a narrowing at the top of each petal. In the centre was a series of small and slightly flat circles that formed the stigma of the flower, eight of them to match the eight petals.

“I made it. It’s edelweiss,” his voice had been the only factor that drew your attention from the flower back to him, and his blue eyes. “A flower from my home in Austria.”

There as tentative hold he had on you, some kind of captivation that rendered you still yet not uncomfortable. You had clutched the flower tightly in your hand; both impressed by the craftsmanship and the beauty of the flower. It was unlike the other gifts you had received, most of which were generalizations of what the alphas thought an omega would want.

But this…you loved this. You adored this gift, this difference that would seem so insignificant to others, was ultimately your favourite.

It wouldn’t take any second thought to choose between the alphas.

Three days of fighting in the arena like a gladiator had led him here. König was the last standing alpha in the final fight to win you over. The need to win was a slow burn that coursed through his veins with an undeniable urgency to crush everyone in his path.  

He had set out to win an omega in The Lottery, he had driven himself to the point of physical exhaustion during the final sweep of the battle. He was like a gladiator fighting their life for enjoyment of others—only it wasn’t his life on the line, it was yours. And your fire, that spark of life that was alive within you was on the line.

He had to win this Lottery, if not for himself than for the omega who was watching from the shielded box above the arena. 

“That little bitch,” the alpha beneath him was still spewing debauchery from his mouth, even while laying bleeding, “should be passed around for coin. She could make a fine whore-” 

The sickening crunch of bones breaking beneath his hand was the final blow. The alpha who was inflicting König’s rage was finally silent, forced into unconsciousness by the fist he deserved. And as the crowd’s powerful thundering chants continued, König had raised his head and looked upon the spectators, only searching for you. 

Amongst the roaring crowds that were cheering for the sport and some cheering for him, he only found you. You were sitting there among the upper-class hosting family, that metal edelweiss flower clutched in your hands. He could see your lips moving as you spoke to your handmaid, something intelligible to him yet it was your eyes that conveyed the most emotion. 

Vibrant fear that was so bold in your eyes had only become lessened and danced along the line of vulnerability once he had won. It had occurred to him before, when you visited him when you shouldn’t have, that you were dependent on him. But more than he had expected; more than you had let on. 

Because in The Lottery, the alpha that won was final. And in your eyes, every other alpha was going to end up killing you—if not physically then they would kill your spirit. And in doing so, you would lose every part of yourself. There would be nothing left within yourself to carry on with your life with any of the other alpha’s. 

Even if you knew very little about König, there was an understanding that you'd settled yourself with: König was the only alpha who would even remotely allow you to be yourself. And that was big leap of faith, a lot of trust that was placed upon his shoulders. 

He watched you, the rest of the crowd fading into obscurity until all he could focus on were your beautiful eyes casted entirely upon him.  

“Das Omega gehört mir!” König raised his voice, the thick and husky tone echoing and silencing the crowd as he made a declaration to you and the crowd. A promise, a vow, a statement had been proven during this last fight in the Lottery. 

You were his.

***************************** 

The fire in this designated cottage that would host the winning alpha and the omega for the night, was crackling and popping. Encased in the stone fireplace was seasoned and dried wood that was being eaten at by the flames, further casting the interior of this cottage in a soft glow.  The night of the winning fight was meant only for the alpha who won and the omega. The high of the final fight had proven too overwhelming in the past for the chosen omega if they were surrounded by crowds of people. To ease them and their minds over their future, the night of the fight would be a celebration with only the omega and the alpha. 

It was private event with food and wine sent to a secluded cottage, one that was guarded to prevent others from crashing it. Inside the space would be everything and anything requested by both the omega and alpha. For the night and well into the next morning, there would be a strict order not to intervene in the night’s celebration between alpha and omega. 

König was the first to arrive at the cottage, the first to step in and catch the smell of spiced meat and fresh fruit. The victory meal that was placed along the table, set up as an intimate dinner that would be the kickoff to your relationship. And soon you would join him here, the two of you would be alone and without the threat of any other alpha’s. 

It was satisfying and he was all too happy to acknowledge the pleasant streak of natural possession that was starting to root in his chest. Though it would not manifest itself as control or an egotistical demand that you cater to his every whim, it was primal and powerful. 

You were his omega, you were his future mate. You were going to be his lover, his other half. 

And König knew that if anyone or anything threatened the happiness and health of his future mate, of his omega, a dangerous and deadly alpha would be released. He would spare no effort to defend you, even with his life. 

And it started now. It started tonight, with Glühwein he brought with him from Austria. The spiced wine was a delicacy, it was a celebratory drink that he was sure you would enjoy just as much as he had. This Glühwein that he had brought for you, in the event he had won, was enjoyed by many back in his homeland, and in his village. 

König had just finished setting the bottle down upon the table and had just removed his hand when the door opened again. You had stepped in carrying a small basket with you, and from the basket he could detect the smell of freshly baked bread. You entered the cottage and shut the door behind you with a little force and then you turned to face him. 

Your eyes found his from across the room, a kind of anxiousness that was only natural in the presence of an alpha who had beaten out everyone else. He was a brute physically, a mountain of a man in the flesh despite being older than every other alpha and could understand your hesitation. Regardless of how pleased you were with him winning, you were guarded. 

There was so much that could go wrong in this night, so many expectations that you likely had, and it was up to him whether he validated your fear or not. Although you were hesitant, you had still stepped toward him and set the basket on the table. 

“I forgot we could have brought something from home. I would’ve brought something baked but it would’ve been-” you stop yourself and let the basket go before you run your hand down the front of the dress. 

It's beautiful and it suits your body and skin like a glove. However, it strikes him that the hosts of this event and your handmaiden had likely approached this night as if they had to wrap a gift. As if the host and your handmaiden were under the impression that you would’ve been thrown to the floor and taken at once. 

“You’re nervous.” He couldn’t help the smirk that wanted to form, the air of cockiness that had resounded from the pride that he had won. “You don’t need to be nervous, I'm not going to hurt you.” 

“So...do you want to-” Your voice hitched as your hands had reached behind your back to the stays of your dress, trying to undo the first tie that would loosen it. Your eyes told him even more than your voice had, than your actions could ever. And he could see it, and his confirmations were confirmed. Even without saying it outright, the way your hands trembled and the way you had shifted in place had given him every indication that he was correct. 

Both the hosts and the handmaiden of yours had likely given you a talk, told you that an alpha like him would be on a high after winning. That he would want to have and take his omega immediately and have you bedded down the moment he laid eyes on you. 

“Come eat,” König had stepped toward you, his hand reaching for your forearm to pause your shaky movements, “I can hear your stomach growling. And I have wine from Austria I think you would like.” 

Your arms fell to your side, and you watched him with a calculating gaze, following his movements as he stepped away from you again. How quickly you could go from nervousness and apprehension back to your curious and mindful self was admirable. You were still on edge of course, but you were back to the little maus he had met two days ago sneaking outside of the camp. 

“Food? That’s what you want to start with?” You followed his path, your voice lending itself to your emotional position which in turn made König look back at you. He had smirked this time, his eyes alight with amusement at this omega who was more than he expected. 

“Would you prefer it if I threw you in front of the fire and took you immediately?” His voice was teetering on the edge of both a tease and a taunt, one that drew your arms across your chest and your lips together. 

“I’m just surprised.” Your three words had been the last before a slightly awkward silence on your end, meanwhile König was busying himself with uncorking the wine he had brought. “I was expecting-” 

“You were expecting the habits of an alpha with no diligence, patience or control.” He rebutted your statement as he placed the cork down on the table and started to pour you some of the spiced wine. 

“I just assumed after all that-” your voice had betrayed you, and it trailed off to a conclusion of your thoughts and feelings, your expectations that you would've been taken physically.  

“-after all that, I have an omega that I am taking back home to Austria. You will settle into the country and into the village, you will be welcomed by the people I left behind. You'll have a home, a mate and husband.” He had set the glass in front of you, not forcing you to take it though he hadn’t waited for you to take a drink. 

“And children?” Your fingers wrapped around the girth of the cup and lifted it to your lips. You sipped on the wine, the first taste of the spices and the flavors was pleasant and had warmed your tongue. 

“In time, when you are ready.” He was watching you, his blue eyes fixated on you as you drank the wine to gauge your reaction of the Austrian favourite. When it was apparent that you noticed the temperature of the wine, König had chuckled into his glass and set it down on the table. 

“Glühwein is a spiced wine served warm or hot. It is usually served on special occasions, usually holidays, but I thought you would like it now.” König had approached you as you continued to sip on the wine like it was water, and his hand rested upon yours to lower the cup again.  

The taste of spiced wine had warmed your bones and introduced a giddiness to your body, the kind of lightness that had been fully embraced. It was the combination of fruits and spices; a delicious mix that had made you hum delicately under your breath. 

“Not too fast, maus. You will be drunk before you even know it.” He knew you like his voice; that you liked the qualities of it. König could see the way you reacted to the deep and husky baritone that made you shiver pleasantly. 

“It’s easy to forget it’s wine when it tastes so good.” You set the cup down and licked your lips free of any residual wine before you glanced at the food that was sitting on the table. A celebratory feast that was prepared for you two alone while the rest of the village were having a bigger and more public party. 

“We could start with your name, maus. Unless you would like me to call you maus or omega for the rest of our lives.” König reached for you as he spoke, drawing his hand up and over your shoulder to rest on your back. He had directed you to sit down at the table, using gentle force to get you to rest and then he had moved to sit next to you. 

“Y/N,” you conveyed your name as you reached forward and used a knife to cut a piece of meat, setting it upon the pewter plate in front of you, “maus works too.” 

“Maybe kleiner Fuchs,” he hummed in response, sitting next to you while reaching for a knife to cut some of the bread, “you are craftier than you seem.” 

“Fox?” Your body was so close to his, your scent was hitting him with an addictive draw that made him irrevocably and irresistibly drawn to you. “You think I’m crafty?” 

“I think that if you were raised wild without your social graces, you would be a force to be reckoned with.” König offered you a piece of the bread he had cut, pleased when you took it without a second thought. 

“I was raised wild, well kind of. My handmaiden Anna, she was more my mother than my actual mother was. She allowed me to run wild in the woods outside our home, within reason I mean. I always wanted to do more, but I was lucky she let me do what I had.” Your explanation of your, somewhat wild upbringing, had made only solidified the idea that you with any other alpha would have been a disaster. 

König was astute, he was able to read people and understand where they had stood on a level that some others might not have. Although at his home in Austria he was a blacksmith, he had made himself a wealth and life that was comfortable and suited for himself, an omega and future children. And in his every day workings as a blacksmith, he was able to gauge people as they came to do business with him. 

Whether they were honest and willing to pay for the quality of his work, or whether they would try and weasel their way into a cheaper price. Most of the people he surrounded himself with in the village were honest, good people who had valued each other’s craftmanship like it was gold. 

König was very astute, and he knew that when the pair of you went back to his home, you would thrive as an omega. You wouldn’t be constrained by the personal rules some alpha’s had liked to box their omega’s in, you would be safe and well taken care of. He was your alpha, he would protect you and provide for you. He would make you nests for when you went into heat, he would care for you when you were sick and needed rest. 

And when the time came for the two of you to have children, König would be devoted to you and any children you would have. He would be a good mate, a good father, and he would give you the life you deserved. 

He waited too long for an omega to not be the best alpha he could be. 

Others might have seen the place he was given as disadvantageous, being so far from the training ring and given the most isolated camp, but he knew otherwise. The oldest alpha in the Lottery had seen the wisdom of being the closest to the forest.

There was an unsurmountable need to be closer to the natural beauty of the Germanic Forest that was reminiscent of the nature in Austria. If anything, it had filled König with the hopefulness that, upon returning to Austria victorious, he could show you the beauty of his homeland.

There was much König wanted to show you, and it was his ego feeding into the confidence that he could not only win you over, but he could have you falling in love with his village as well. There was, of course, the chance that he would not be successful and would have to admit defeat.

But unlike the other alphas, König had garnered your favour, and with it he had been given a scrap of clothing. The cloth you had given him had been interlaced with your scent, a gift that had been exchanged for the edelweiss.

König’s hand tightly clutched the cloth in his palm, burrowing it beneath curled fingertips as he drew it toward his lips. He inhaled the intoxicating combination of your scent, something naturally sweet and indulgent. It filled his nostrils and acted as a tight coil that burrowed its way deep into his heart and soul.

The omega for this current Lottery was desirable and captivating in a both naive and understated manner. At first appearance the omega was cautious as most were, raised and trained in all manners of societal norms. Yet there was a spark there, there was a fire burning within the omega that guaranteed more that met the eye.

Beautiful eyes and a softness that most omegas carried, you were delectable. Your scent alone carried such an addictiveness that was impossible to ignore. The quietude about you was both endearing and mesmerizing because he knew there was more underneath the outwardly guard you had put into place.

The rumours they had heard before even settling into the fighter’s camp was that you had voluntarily joined the Lottery. You had willingly wanted to be here, to be involved, and that had overall heightened the stakes. The alpha’s had begun milling rumours themselves—mostly based around what alpha would get the privilege of winning and fucking you. 

That is the depth of their interest, it seemed. Alpha’s who were more in line with boys than men, who wanted you for the sake of proving themselves. In the end it would come down to them not having the gumption and the knowledge to have a mate. 

König was unlike the others. He was unlike the other alpha’s who wanted a cunt to settle into. König wanted a mate; he wanted a wife, and he wanted an omega who he could have for his own. His years as a single alpha had certainly brought omegas into his bed yet none were ones he could commit to.

His years of being unmated and single, of taking an omega for a season were split between other obligations. He was pulled into fighting for his home country, for years he was a beast that inflicted fear into the hearts of enemies. And when he was not fighting, he was running a blacksmith’s shop on his property in Austria. He was an alpha who was good with his hands, a steady fighter and craftsman.

König had obligations that kept him from taking a mate, and only now was he ready.  The Lottery for this year would be the final and only attempt at taking a mate.

König would not fail; he would win the omega. Regardless of the cocky alpha’s that had placed bets on each other, and the favourable conditions they wished to find themselves in, it was clear who the favourite was.

You had placed your favour with König; the eldest of the alpha’s come to fight for you. And the revelation that you had chosen the oldest of the alphas to have your favour for the upcoming fights had started a ripple effect—especially in the fighter’s camp.

And it all started with the cloth in his hand, the material that has your scent all over it. He lifted it to his nose and inhaled your scent for a second time, fixating on everything that was you. It was invigorating and sweet, intoxicating that had engrained unyielding desire within him. The more König had inhaled your scent the more addicted he was going to become to it.

He was willingly inhaling your scent, committing every portion of it to memory, and had only ceased when movement from outside his tent distracted him. He could hear it, the snapping of twigs and small branches as someone navigated the forest outside his tent, and if he had been any other alpha he might not have detected the subtleties.

But he was a seasoned alpha, and he had spent his entire childhood and youth having to hunt and provide for himself and his mother. Hunting, tracking, and snaring was a way of life for the people in his village back in Austria, and even the subtlest of sounds had been registered.

König’s head lifted, his eyes drifting toward the slight tapering of his tent and the lush green beyond. There was a subtle gust of wind that would pick up and translate the lush green fauna into a natural covering that would hide any peeping omegas.

The thick cluster of trees outside the encampment were the slight distraction from the scent clinging to the cloth. However, when the wind had started to pick up, he had received the confirmation he was waiting for, and he knew that a little omega was spying on him.

The cloth was dropped to the cot he had, and he had risen to his feet, large and long strides took him to the front. With his left hand grabbing the flap, he pulled back the canvas holding it against the support post. His blue eyes narrowed as he studied the exterior of the tent, his ears trained to notice any small sound. 

It was a small, fleeting moment of silence before he found what he was looking for. The corner of his lips quirked up into a smirk and he had stepped out, letting the canvas fall naturally.

“Maus.” He spoke again, crossing his arms over his chest as he tilted his head and tucked his chin to his chest. “You should not be here, it’s dangerous for a little thing like you.” 

The moment he had spoken, without even having to lay his eyes on you as you were hidden in the bushes, your movements had become still. He could detect your scent that had become thicker with your nerves, radiating as if it was conjoined with your state of anxiety, or lack thereof objectively. However, it wasn’t just your scent that König had detected, it was your heart racing like a war drum. Just beyond the canvas tent he would call home until he returns to Austria, and beyond the treeline, was a little omega spy descending on the camp.

“I wasn’t going to go into the camp.” You reiterated your promise to keep your distance and yet König found reasonable doubt within your statement.

There was nothing to suggest that the curious little omega would not try and get a better look at the alphas that had come to win her hand. “I just wanted to see the camp.”

König felt mirth bubble in his chest and the sound that slipped from his lips was a sure-fire sign of that pleasure. He had stepped out of the canvas tent and let the flaps fall back into place behind him, before he had approached the treeline.

His large and strong hand held back branches that would have obscured your path, and he’d taken another step to duck under the natural covering. Once he was within the confines of the forest, König’s blue eyes had flitted around the immediate area until he found the little notch you’d carved for yourself.

There you were, trying to hide yourself at a distance behind a thick tree with rough bark. Your hands had cupped the trunk of the tree as you took a glance around the bark to catch his gaze. You were dressed in clothes that you’d likely swiped from a man, an alpha no less. It was an effort to hide the true nature of your designation, and to fool the handmaiden meant to watch over you. Your hair and part of your neck were covered however, another attempt at obscuring your lovely scent.

“Are the alphas that interesting, kleine maus?” His thick voice was muffled by the trees and his mirth continued as he carried himself toward you. “Or is there some other reason why you would risk your safety, hmm?”

Your hands gripped the rough bark, fingertips curling against the natural grooves. You had pressed your chest further into the girth of the trunk, yet neither the hard wood nor the clothes could hide your figure or your natural scent.

Even with your best efforts at hiding it behind the stench of another alpha.

“I wanted to get a better look at them without the constraints of social graces,” the way you say the words makes a smirk form on his rugged face. It makes him believe wholeheartedly that you know better than you let on—that the alphas going to fight in the ring are not as they try to be perceived.

Perhaps he had misjudged you, albeit he had a better perception of you than any of the others, but still…maybe König was going to be as surprised by you as you would be him.

“And you left yourself open to the possibility that I would take an opportunity-“König’s heavy footsteps break another few dry pieces of kindling as he brings himself within an arms reach of you.

“You won’t, you’re not like them.” You cut him off, persistent in your stance that he was better than them all.

“You trust someone you have only met a day ago? Are you naïve?” He extends his hand and brushes a lock of hair back beneath your head covering. Although he shivers when he feels the silkiness against his fingertips, and for a moment he wonders how you’d look with it laying loose against his bed.

“You would’ve done it by now. You’re different.” Your voice is soft, a tremble of sorts, when he presses in and traps you against the thick wall of trees. “You’re…good.”

He hums in his throat and swallows a rebuttal, a compliment that you too are good. Instead he runs his fingers against your cheek, his blue eyes studying you with great and heightened interest.

“You will enjoy your first winter in Austria, maus.” He, again, speaks in confidence and with an edge. If it were anyone else it would be an egotistical comment, but from him it is truthful and honest.

He is speaking what you both desire for entirely different reasons: a win.

*********************************

Your fingertips stroked the details of the edelweiss flower made of metal. It was resting in your palm and had remained the sole focus of your attention as you sat beneath a covering atop the grandstand of the stadium. The gladiator style event had begun with the alpha’s taking to the arena and battleground with the sole intent of winning.

It was your hand that would be on the line for the taking, your body and the right to mate would belong to whoever won. There was hope in your mind that it would be the alpha from Austria, a kind of Hail Mary compared to the others. They were absolute brutes if Anna’s words had rung true.

It was, of course, only hours before that she’d come rushing to speak with you. Of course, she scolded you about the day prior when you met König briefly, but there were other matters at hand. Most importantly was your future, and the degrading depravity of the alphas that were fighting.

“They injured the women sent to the camp for pleasure,” Anna had whispered the warning to you before she was getting you dressed, “they were too rough. The brothel owner is seeking reparations-“

“Daft girl,” the virtuous falsity of the upper class family— responsible for planning the dinner and the opening ceremony—was verbalized with a comment meant to grab your attention, “the first competitors are up.”

The edelweiss in your hand was slipped back into the pockets of your long skirt, securing it in the depths. Then you had stood from where you were sitting and approached the edge of the balcony. The heels of your hands rested against the edge, you leaned over to see the alphas ready to spar.

The first of which from the frigid northeast, had only black hair that was streaked with dark strands. His hair was cropped short and held little shape as it laid against his head. He was not overtly tall or stocky, rather he was on the side of lithe athleticism, with clear strength but not a large stature. His brown eyes, though you’d only seen him once at the dinner, seemed both dim and dead.

“Italian and Russian,” Anna had spoken to you, her hand resting on your shoulder to pull you from the edge, “the Russian is from a family known for the love of power and wealth.”

It was a warning in of itself, and the rumours about every alpha had circulated almost as well as the betting pool. It was these rumours that had swirled through the village during the days they were training, that formed your distaste.

The Russian was power hungry and wanted money, a recipe for disaster when paired with the ruthlessness of his family. He had bragged, openly, about the state of the omegas that mated into his family, and it would not be good for you.

“And the other?” You questioned Anna as she attempted to pull you from the edge. “What about him?”

“I think the Austrian is the best choice-“the ringing of the bell had signified the fight, and within a moment you heard it.

Though death was not allowed in the Lottery, the goal was submission. And immediately as the bell had rung, the alphas were at each other.

You watched as the Russian had first gotten the upper hand through speed. His hand had grabbed the arm of the other alpha resulting in an injury already. The crowd began screaming and cheering, jaunting as they had, as the Russian twisted the opposing alphas arm.

Though the Russian alpha had caused the first injury, the other alpha was not giving up. The Russian took a blow to the chest with the other alpha’s fist, knocking the wind of out of him. With his arm freed, the Italian alpha had begun the assault, bashing the Russian into the wall of the arena.

The Russian was pinned and the Italian was using the dulled weapons to begin trying to break bones. The cuts on the Russian began to show from the assault, the Italian alpha getting a number of blows in before he was thrown off.

The first splatter of blood dusted the ground, as the Russian had used the very weapon the Italian had to break his nose. The blood continued, the sound of animalistic growl and grunts, a bloodying fight to ultimate submission.

“You shouldn’t watch this.” Anna tried to pull you away again, and yet you couldn’t possibly tear your eyes off.

“-only until submission!” Someone cried from the grandstands, and only then had you realized that the Russian was starting to choke out the Italian. He was giving no quarter, showing no mercy for the other alpha who was, now quite literally, struggling for his life.

“Enough! Enough!” Guards had started to swarm the arena, the Russian was ripped off the other alpha and bound by his hands. You watched it all as the Italian struggled to breathe, as the alpha laid there fighting to catch his breath again.

“They can’t kill each other, the Russian will be disqualified.” Anna’s voice briefly broke your focus and you turned your head to look her way. “Only until submission, that is the rule. He took it too far.”

There was blood dripping down the Italian’s face, the alpha’s nose was broken and there was a cut above his left eye. But even more twisted and derelict was the bite marks on his face. The Russian was a brutalist, he was so close to animalistic that it was maddening.

“It’ll only get worse from here.” Anna had pulled you away, successfully this time, and made you sit back down under the covering. “The next fight is going to be held within minutes. The Italian will be seen by a doctor, righted and then he will expect to fight tomorrow.”