Reborn as a villain:Claim the omega, Kiss the beta, Kill the dukes-Chapter 136: Two faced

Chapter 135

Sebastian

The palace grounds stretch endlessly, manicured to the point of cruelty.

Every hedge is trimmed within an inch of its life, every stone path scrubbed until it gleams. It is a place designed to project control—order imposed so thoroughly it almost feels violent.

I walk beside Prince Anderson beneath the pale afternoon sun, my steps measured, my expression pleasant, my thoughts anything but.

I am here for one reason.

And I am failing.

I angle my path deliberately, steering us closer to the eastern wing...the bastard’s wing.

The air here feels different, heavier. Guards in formal black move with quiet precision, their eyes alert, hands never straying far from their weapons. The security is unmistakably tighter than the rest of the palace, rivaling even the King’s own wing.

It irritates me.

"—Oh! How did we get here?" Anderson says suddenly, slowing his steps and looking around with exaggerated confusion.

"This is Jack’s side of the palace."

Of course he notices now.

He really has never been the sharpest tool in the shed.

"We must have been engrossed in conversation," I reply smoothly, without missing a beat. My tone is light, effortless, as though this were a harmless accident rather than a carefully calculated drift.

"Time escapes you when you’re enjoying yourself."

"Ha! True!" Prince Anderson laughs, clapping his hands together once, delighted by the idea.

I smile.

My gaze flicks toward the guards again. They move in pairs, their patrol routes overlapping, efficient and deliberate. This isn’t decorative security. This is active defense.

"The security here is... intense," I comment casually, as though merely making conversation.

"Far more than I remember."

The prince nods immediately. "I know, right? But you can’t really blame him."

Oh?

I keep my expression neutral, encouraging.

"Apparently," Anderson continues, lowering his voice in what he clearly thinks is conspiratorial, "when Jack’s omega and child were on their way here, they were attacked."

I stop walking for half a heartbeat before resuming, careful not to let the pause show.

"Heavens," Anderson goes on, shaking his head dramatically.

"Who would be bold enough to attack a royal convoy?"

My incompetent men.

Useless, the lot of them.

Fortunately their men failed too, I suppose that’s the only positive factor.

"And of course," Anderson continues, oblivious to the storm behind my calm, "Jack’s gone completely overboard with security. But Father and Russell agree with him, so what can I say?" He shrugs.

"They don’t think it’s excessive at all."

Of course Russell would agree.

The ever-loyal heir. The perfect son.

Only Anderson remains blissfully ignorant.

"Have you seen the omega?" I ask lightly, as though curiosity alone motivates the question.

The prince’s face falls instantly.

"No!" he complains, pouting like a child denied a toy. "Isn’t it unfair? Father has. Russell has. Grace has. Even Mother’s seen him!"

I have to consciously unclench my jaw.

"All I hear," Anderson continues with a sigh, "is that the omega is extremely beautiful."

Extremely beautiful.

Beautiful is such a small word. An inadequate one. It does not capture the way light seems to favor him, the way his presence alone can still a room.

Beautiful doesn’t even begin to cover it.

"Well," I say coolly, masking the surge of possessive anger curling in my chest, "you haven’t exactly proven yourself to be the most... reliable sibling."

Anderson laughs at that, unbothered.

"Fair! But honestly, what do they think I’d do? Fancy my own brother-in-law?"

He laughs again.

I do not.

My fists tighten at my sides, nails biting into my palms. For a fleeting moment, a violent image flashes through my mind,sharp, vivid, deeply satisfying.

I let it go.

"Come on," Anderson says cheerfully, slinging an arm around my shoulder.

"Let’s head back to my wing."

I resist the instinctive urge to shove him off.

Instead, I allow myself one last look toward the bastard’s wing.

The windows reflect the sky, offering nothing of what lies within. Somewhere beyond those walls, my rose is being kept,guarded, sheltered, claimed.

He’s being touched by another man’s gaze, perhaps even his hands, and the thought makes my pulse darken, my vision blur with rage.

He will be back in my arms.

Back where he belongs.

Even the wind seems to carry his scent, intoxicating. I remember his voice, trembling and helpless.

My beautiful rose.

I think of his screams—how they broke into sobs when I pushed him too far, how his eyes glistened with tears that reflected my face.

I think of his trembling hands clutching the sheets, his throat raw from pleading, the way he would look at me after. The memory hits me like a drug I can’t quit.

He was perfect.

Bruised, marked, claimed—he was mine in every possible way.

The bastard prince thinks he can erase that?

I will burn this entire gilded cage to the ground before I let that stand.

The security here is nearly on par with the king’s own quarters. A sign of fear, not strength. He’s afraid someone might steal his precious omega.

He should be.

I will get him back. It matters not who stands in my way—king, prince, or god.

***

Ciel

I shudder. It’s so sudden that even I don’t realize it until Nolan’s hand finds my shoulder.

"What’s wrong?" he asks, concern furrowing his brow.

"Nothing," I say quickly, forcing a small smile.

"I just... felt a chill run down my spine for some reason."

He glances toward the ceiling vent. "Really? Should we turn down the AC?"

I shake my head. "Nah. It’s probably nothing." But the uneasy feeling clings to me. Like someone’s gaze, crawling over my skin from miles away.

"Probably," Nolan says, still watching me. His fingers brush against my wrist before he lets go.

I look at Nolan again, his blue eyes soft, a faint smile tugging at his lips as he sits cross-legged on the bed. 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

"So," I start, breaking the quiet, "about what we were talking about earlier."

He freezes, eyes widening slightly. "Ciel, no."

"Yes," I say, grinning.

He immediately starts to scoot away, shaking his head like a guilty child. "Ciel, drop it."

"No escape," I declare dramatically, narrowing my eyes.

"Ciel—don’t you—"

I jump.

With a laugh, I launch myself across the bed and tackle him, clinging to him like a monkey. He falls back with a startled noise, arms flailing for balance before instinct kicks in and he wraps them around me.