Chosen (Omega Levi x Monarch Reader)

Chapter 10: Levi

For the first time, Levi felt glad to be moving on to the next round. He found himself wanting to stay at the palace for reasons other than the promise he'd made to his mother. He certainly wasn't in love with the queen, or anything like that. But...he did think it would be nice to get to know her better, like Armin had said.

By the end of the round, five participants had been eliminated, leaving twelve. Hanji's wish was granted - all five in her group got to stay. Annie remained as well, and Levi couldn't tell if Armin was happy or sad about that.

From now on, there would be no more "rounds" or mass eliminations. The participants would be sent home one at a time as the queen saw fit, until she chose a mate. Despite having better odds than ever, the ten remaining omegas were also more anxious than ever. Levi tried to stay away from the others and their nervous energy as much as possible. He was restless enough on his own.

It didn't help that no further direction was given for an entire week after the last round ended. They didn't know who the queen would take on a date next, or when. Would they all still get equal time with her? What if the queen had favorites? What if they weren't one of the favorites?

Eventually, Hanji called the group together for another announcement. Because the participants had been away from home for so long, the queen had invited their families to visit the palace for a weekend. The queen would be absent during this time, so the omegas could enjoy this visit without pressure.

It wasn't the information they'd been waiting for. Yet, Levi felt relieved all the same. He missed his mother terribly, and now that things with the queen were going...well, how they were going, he was desperate for his mother's advice.

Would Furlan and Isabel be allowed to visit, too? While they weren't his blood relatives, they were as close as family, and they all lived in the same house. He hoped they could come.

------------------------------------------

The weekend arrived, and Levi made his way to the front of the East Wing with the rest of the omegas. Some of the others were openly expressing their excitement, smiling and giggling, even bouncing on their toes while they traded stories about their families. However, Levi kept his mouth shut and his hands in his pockets. In Ore, showing your emotions was akin to displaying your hand in a game of cards, and he'd been conditioned to keep a neutral expression, even and especially when he felt strongly about something.

When they arrived, dozens of people were waiting in the foyer. Some of the other omegas squealed and immediately ran to hug their families. Meanwhile, Levi cautiously slipped through the crowd, looking for hair the same shade as his own.

He saw Katarina with a female he assumed was her mother, though neither of them looked happy. Perhaps her family was as cold and haughty as she was. The apple never falls far from the tree.

Meanwhile, Liliana and Juliana were passed around one very large family, giving hugs and kissing cheeks. Only an older male in the back didn't exchange any affection. Instead, he greeted each girl with a brief nod, then watched their subsequent interactions with a stern gaze.

All of them were dressed in luxurious styles similar to what Liliana and Juliana wore every day. Levi had assumed the omegas came from money, but here was the proof. If they'd been in Ore, Levi probably would've tried to rob them.

Kuchel was small and easily hidden by the plentiful taller bodies in the room. However, Levi's eyes eventually met a pair of grey irises that matched his own. Only then did a smile touch his lips, much smaller than the bright grin on Kuchel's face.

His gaze remained only a second before Isabel's energetic waving caught his attention. Furlan stood with an arm around her shoulders, probably to prevent her from jumping through the ceiling. Levi could tell he was trying to look cool, despite the dorky grin on his face.