Seto sat on his bed and stared in the mirror at the bite mark on the side of his neck.

On one hand, he had dreamed of a bonded partner ever since he first understood the concept. A lover who was indelibly part of you.

On the other hand, this would be a corporate disaster.

“Seto-chan?” Roland tapped softly on the door. “May I come in?”

Seto got up and opened the door. “Certainly, Isono-chan. Come see the fashionable new collar I’ve bought.”

The man bowed. “Please forgive the familiarity, Kaiba-sama.”

“Nothing to forgive.” Roland had earned the right to call him that. “I’ll have to adjust to it from everyone, won’t I?” Roland remained inclined. “Ugh! Forgiven! Where is Katsuya? If I am bonded to the man, I imagine we should be doing something legal.”

“He’s in the executive clinic at the office. Under observation. Tamura struck him rather hard.”

“Did he?” Seto smirked. “Jealous rage?”

Roland cleared his throat. “Yes, actually. He’s been suppressed.”

“Should you and I be concerned?”

“No, sir. It was a response to another Alpha attacking you. When you screamed, we both panicked. In all honesty, I think we were both in shock.”

“Who else witnessed my debacle this afternoon?”

“No one else entered the bathroom. Finance was meeting with your brother, and Tech was in route to see you. They blocked the entrance for anyone else. Currently, they believe that Jounouchi attacked you.”

“What?”

“Kaiba-san indicated that Jounouchi is strongly attracted to you and he had instructed Jounouchi to avoid you.”

“Why on earth would he do that?”

“He believes you are not attracted to omegas.”

“I’m not,” Seto chuckled. “But I also never considered that an Alpha would be passing as one.” A thought occurred to the executive. “Roland, this may not be a disaster. In fact - make-up! Do you have - find me something that will hide this. Most of it will be covered by my shirt, but he picked the exact wrong angle.”

“Sir?”

“Send in my valet. I need my grey tweed. White silk. The heather blue tie. Tell my brother I need to speak with him. Make sure Security understands that Katsuya is a guest, not a prisoner.”

“Yes, sir.” Roland hurried out, cell phone in hand.

Seto began choosing his accessories. Mother of pearl tie clasp and cufflinks. Black leather belt and shoes. Subtle accents that show wealth, but not vulgarity. One should show one’s future spouse class and decorum.

“Nii-sama?” Mokuba tapped on the open door. “You wanted to see me? Are you alright?”

“Yes, brother, I’m fine. I - ah! Tashi. My grey tweed.” His steward bowed and went straight into the closet. “I’m fine. And you have misjudged the situation.”

“I have? Wait - what situation?”

“Katsuya.”

“Who? Oh, that model, Jou. Misjudged what?”

“My - I should say ‘our’ - mutual attraction.”

“Mutual? Since when are you into omegas?”

“I’m not.”

“So what, not omegas in general, just him?”

“No. Not omegas at all.”

Mokuba gave him a confused look. “Are you saying Jou’s a Beta then? ‘Cause there is no flippin’ way…. Big bro, there is no way that - that -” Seto turned his neck so the bite mark was clearly visible. “He BIT you!? Oh that fucking son of a BITCH!”

“Mokuba, calm down!” Seto found himself grinning. “I wanted this. This is why my heat cycle has been so erratic.”

“You don’t really believe that Fated Pair bullshit, do you?”

“I’m afraid I must. I went into heat the moment I met him, and it never truly abated until I held him in my arms.”

“You mean until he jumped you.”

“No. Until I jumped him.”

“Huh?”

“I attacked him. He was in a compromised position. Which reminds me, I’ll have to ask him what the devil he thought he was doing. But I was the aggressor.”

Mokuba stared at him for a moment, then shook his head. “I still think that test was wrong. You are the most alpha Alpha anywhere.”

Seto hugged him. “No, Brother, I’m not. And for once, I don’t find that distressing.” He let the boy go and stepped into the room he used for his suits. Tashi assisted him changing clothes. “Now, Mokuba, in order for this to work, nothing can change. Katsuya and I continue to play the same roles.”

“In order for what to work?”

“The marriage between Katsuya and I.”

“The what?”

“He’s virtually custom-made. I have suits that are not as well tailored.”

“Sir?” Tashi actually stopped buttoning.

“An expression, Tashi. If my suits were not flawless, you would have been fired years ago. As I was saying. You may continue your stance that I am not generally attracted to omegas, but I expect you to welcome Katsuya with open arms. A modest wedding I should think. Two or three hundred guests should be sufficient, don’t you think?”

“Nii-sama, are you ok?”

“I’m fine.”

“Tashi-chan, give us a minute.” Mokuba waited until the steward left. “Big bro, it’s not your fault. You don’t have to marry him. You don’t ever have to see that bastard again. He raped -”

“Raped? Are you insane?”

“It’s ok, I get it.”

“You think I am some kind of sexual victim so weak that I would marry my attacker?”

“Calm -”

“Mokuba, the day anyone or anything other than my own biology takes advantage of me is the day I shoot myself in the head!”

“Nii -”

“There have been fourteen companies merged into KaibaCorp. Fourteen times that someone paid the expensive cost of believing that I would allow anyone to lay their hand on me without express consent! They touched me, they thought I was young and weak, and they learned at their peril that I eliminate anything that threatens me. Katsuya will find his dick in his throat before he can force it in me!”

“Nii -”

“Is that what you think of me? A weak pitiful creature being preyed upon by Alphas lording over me?”

“No, I -”

“There are no Alphas superior to me, Mokuba. None! Not you! Not Katsuya! Not Gozaburo! NONE!”

“YesNiisama!”

“When Gozaburo began losing money, I am the one who started a profitable new industry! I am the one who saved this corporation. I am the one who put myself at risk daily to secure a home and a future for you!”

“ImsorryNiisama!”

“Do not EVER for one moment believe I need you to protect me!”

“ImsorryNiisama!”

Seto was breathless. He realized he was shaking as Mokuba cowered on the floor beneath him. A sound made him look me up. Roland, Tamura and Tashi watched, distressed, from the doorway.

“Get up, Mokuba.” When was the last time he succumbed to an uncontrolled rage? “Even before me, you should never cower.”

“Yes, Nii-sama,” he said softly, head bowed.

The boy scrambled to his feet as Seto tried to straighten his clothing and steady his trembling nerves.

“You may never show weakness. Never. Not to me. Not to them. You are the heir of Kaiba Gozaburo. Everything you do is judged against you. If you kill a lion barehanded, they will say it was only a kitten.” He took a calming breath then stroked his brother’s face. “You are not yet my superior, but one day you will be.”

“Never, Nii-sama.”

“Then I will have failed.” Seto took another deep breath. “My response to Katsuya may be in large part due to an unforeseen biochemical response. Would you feel more comfortable if I actively suppressed -”

“Kaiba-sama, please forgive my interrupting,” Tashi spoke up. Seto looked at the man and saw everyone in the room giving the same look of surprise. “I know it is not my place, but I would be remiss if I did not speak.”

Tashi was the first member of Seto’s personal staff when he arrived at KaibaManor. In all those years, he’d never spoken out of turn. “Go on.”

“My first position was with an omega who attempted to suppress his bonding. It changed his personality in ways you find unpleasant.”

“I find? I know him? Who?”

“Sir…,” the Beta hesitated. “To tell you who - I would be betraying the confidence of knowledge gained -”

“Knowledge you gained while in a position of trust,” Roland said. “We understand. But Kaiba-sama cannot fully judge the risks without understanding the relevant facts.”

“The name will not leave this room,” Tamura assured him.

Tashi considered for a moment. “Pegasus Maximillion-sama. He was bonded to a woman who died. He was unable to cope with her loss, and attempted a suppressant.”

They were all silent for a moment.

Then Mokuba let out a harsh laugh. “No, Nii-sama. No, I would not be more comfortable if you suppressed this. I’ll be much, much less.”

As will I, Seto agreed silently. “Moving on. The fact remains that Katsuya has a preference for the omega role, making him well-suited for my needs. Marriage is a simple, socially accepted way of dissuading other suitors. I wish to discuss the situation with Katsuya, and if he does not agree with my proposal, we will cross that bridge at that time.”