“Kaiba-sama, again, we cannot thank you enough for your generous gift. Paying for the DNA gender determination test for all of our children here at the orphanage, it means the world to us!” Sister MaryLouise gushed. “The hormone test is free through the national schools, but it’s not administered until the last year of middle school. Many families won’t adopt without knowing the results. It’s understandable, of course. Bringing an omega child into an Alpha home - or vice versa - could be very stressful for everyone involved. We strive….”

Kaiba Gozaburo let the woman prattle on as he reviewed the more important test every child took. The IQ test. Eight had scored in the high range, but two had scores that were literally off the scale. Brothers. Both prepubescent. He found their names on the gender results list. One Alpha, one omega.

“I want to meet this one,” Kaiba interrupted the nun and pointed to a name.

“Oh?” Then she seemed to realize what he wanted. “To meet…! Oh, of course! I hadn’t thought -” She stood and hurried to her office door. “Sister Clarice!” She stepped out of the room.

When she returned she was composed. “They’ll be with us in just a moment. I’m afraid there are some questions I am required by law to ask. Are you married?”

“No.”

She entered something in her computer. “Do you own your home or rent?”

He smirked. “I own KaibaManor which has ten bedrooms, fifteen and one half bathrooms, four kitchens, and large yard.”

“Room enough for a family to grow.” She smiled, typing. “Are you employed? Yes. KaibaCorp. Occupation. Would ‘owner’ be correct or ‘CEO’?”

“Both, actually.”

There was a light tap on the door. Two young boys entered.

“You wanted to see my brother, Sister?” Seto, the elder, asked.

“I want to see the boy,” Kaiba answered. “You can wait outside.”

“I can,” Seto agreed, “but I won’t. After all, Kaiba-san, I’m sure you would not be so heartless as to separate siblings.”

“I only need one son.” The Alpha was the younger boy, but apparently the omega was the smarter.

“I see.” He bowed. “Come along, Mokuba.”

“Seto!” Sister MaryLouise gasped. “Your brother has a tremendous opportunity -”

“Boy,” Kaiba said mildly. “Do you have any idea who I am?”

“Kaiba Gozaburo, CEO of KaibaCorp a global conglomerate in several industries including arms, electronics, and cybertech.”

“Huh.”

“I promised my father that one day I would run the world. So I study who runs it now.”

Kaiba looked over the test results again. Someone made an error. This boy was no omega. “What about you?” He pointed to the younger boy. “Nothing to say?”

“Why? Nii-sama said everything right.”

“I want to adopt one son, not two. If I said I wanted you, what would you say.”

Mokuba thought for a moment. “I’d say if we’re going to be here for dinner, it’s my turn to help in the kitchen.”

“I’m rich, kid. You don’t want to go with me?”

“I go with Nii-sama.” He shrugged.

“There is a simple solution,” Seto offered. “Adopt us both. Consider me a failsafe.”

“Ok. Let’s say I take you and leave him.”

“I am afraid I will not go without my brother.”

Kaiba was at an impasse. His own son was dead as far as he was concerned, being kept alive solely by experimental technology. Having another child would require tedious days finding a genetically compatible ovum, and a surrogate, and then raising the resulting child from birth. Finding a male Alpha child in the right age range was simply easier and more cost effective.

“What if I won my place in your home?” Seto suggested. “I recall reading that you play chess.”

“That sounds like a challenge, boy.” Kaiba smirked. “I’m a chess master.”

Seto nodded. “If I win, you adopt both of us. Tonight.”

“And if you lose?”

“If I lose, then my brother is better off without me.”

“Kaiba-sama,” Sister MaryLouise physically stepped between the two. “Perhaps, this may not be a good match. Not all children are well suited -”

“Shut up, woman! Make yourself useful and get us a chessboard.”

It was a surprisingly short match.

When Seto heard that Kaiba was coming, he began researching the man rich enough to fund expensive medical tests for them all. When he saw the brief article mentioning his son’s car accident, Seto formed a plan. The executive was disappointingly easy to predict.

As was his chess playing. Seto had memorized the twelve opening moves Kaiba was known to use, and the twenty-six responses. When he said ‘checkmate’, Seto had to hide a smirk of satisfaction.

The man glowered. “Fine. Alright, boy. Do not make me regret this. Kaiba is an Alpha house, always has been, always will be. The first time someone questions that will be the last time anyone sees you alive.”

“Kaiba-sama!”

“You, quiet,” he snapped at Sister MaryLouise. “What do you have on their family?”

“We have full records. Their father was -”

“Don’t care.” He waved her silent. “Download the data to this drive.”

“Sir, we don’t usually…. Very well.” She typed for a moment. “There. So. Shall we complete the form?”

“If a family member picks up a child, do you complete the form?”

“Well, not usually. We just note that the family reclaimed the child.”

“Good. So you can note the record that I reclaimed my brother’s children.”

“Oh, but sir, you’re not -”

“Sister, I want to take my brother’s children home. You, I’m sure, would want to have every child’s gender determined when they arrive from now on. Wouldn’t it be nice if we both got what we wanted?”

“Nii-sama,” Mokuba sounded genuinely confused, “is Kaiba-san our uncle?”

Seto looked at the man. “Yes,” he answered finally, looking at the Nun. “Yes, he is. Sister MaryLouise is just going to correct our records, and then we may go home.”

“Go pack whatever you need,” Kaiba instructed as the woman began typing again.

“If you will provide clothing and such, there is nothing here we need that others do not need more.”

They left almost in secret - no goodbyes, no tears. 

A limousine was waiting. Inside, an omega man was dressed as a woman with a plunging-v neckline and an elaborate jeweled collar.

“This, boys, is my private secretary and pet, Roland. Roland, this one is Seto, that one is Mokuba. They are the Alpha sons of my omega lover.”

“That’s not -” Seto covered Mokuba’s mouth to stop what would have been a tactical error.

“She died,” Kaiba continued as if he were not interrupted. “And I now have custody of my sons. Any questions?”

Roland looked down and began making notes on his tablet. “Are we grieving her loss, sir?”

“Well,” he drawled, “it was tragic that she felt the need to run away with another man, but karma happens.”

“Very well.” Roland finished typing. “Kaiba-san, Kaiba-kun, welcome home.”

“Thank you, Roland-san.” Seto nudged his brother and they both bowed respectfully.

“Roland, tomorrow, take them out and buy whatever kids need. And take care with the pretty one. If I discover he’s not an Alpha, I’ll replace you with him. Am I clear to both of you?”

“Yes, Kaiba-sama,” Roland replied smoothly.

“I will not disappoint you. Otou-sama.”

“Hrump. Have someone in security assigned to them, and get them in school. No. Put the short one in school. Get this one a teacher who can follow my schedule. Still plan to run the world, kid?”

“Yes.” Seto looked at his new guardian. “I promised my father. Otou-sama.”

“Alright. I’ll take that promise. You better not make me regret this.”