"Please," Vale pleaded quietly, "I can explain..."

His heart was thudding painfully in his chest. This day was never supposed to come. He should've stuck to the plan. Should've ended the engagement years ago. Should've never betrayed the best thing to have ever happened to him.

Vale was the only child of a marquis, and so the day he'd presented as beta—unable to carry the family name—the deception was set in motion. His sire had refused to abandon him in an orphanage or to see him become a commoner and a servant. Marquis Tareth had been determined to safeguard his only son's future.

As soon as it became obvious Vale could convincingly pass for omega, he began to be educated as one. A convincing fake scent was crafted for him, and he was engaged to an alpha. It would've been far too strange for an unclaimed omega of his station to forgo the consort selection process, after all. It had always been a risky plan. And as bad as Vale felt for tricking his betrothed, he was terrified of the dire consequences of being discovered.

The plan had been for Vale to end the engagement once he came of marriageable age, then claim he was too heartbroken for another mate and stay single. But when Marquis Tareth was conned into massive debt, Vale couldn't bring himself to break things off. His betrothed's generosity was the only thing keeping House Tareth from financial ruin. Vale continued the deception, making excuses for why they should delay the wedding, ignoring the ache in his chest.

Until today, when his betrothed found his perfume. His blockers. Everything.

As he finished explaining, Vale lowered his gaze. He hadn't just lied to an alpha in high standing—he was a beta, trying to bypass imperial inheritance laws. His life was over. His sire...

"Please." He closed his eyes, dropped to his knees, and bowed low. "I know I have no right to ask, but spare my sire, I beg of you. The lie, the excuses, it was all my doing. I'll serve you for the rest of my days. I'll do anything. Do whatever you want with me. Just, please..."