The alpha said nothing about his actions and simply stood at the bottom of the stairs, staring at him as he walked until they were face to face. Arren had to look up to get a better look at the alpha, who was tall and was stepping to the last step of the stair.
The alpha did take that step, and he was now on the marble floor. Possibly because the alpha thought it was a little rude to make him look up so fiercely. It was as if the man had done nothing because their height difference remained significant and he still had to look up, but the burden on his neck was lighter this time.
Arren decided to begin their conversation with a playful glint in his eyes. His tone was tinged with flirtation. His sweet voice could make anyone relax and answer all of his questions.
"Are you an investigator or a member of the royal court?" What appeared to be a harmless inquiry asking for the visitor's identity now had a different meaning as the question came from an omega who had clear motives, which were to subtly flirt with the Alpha.
He was never the shy type, and as a result of his upbringing and the influence of his peers, he grew up to be very expressive and unafraid to take action if something or someone piqued his interest. He was clear to those he wanted to avoid, and the same was true the other way around.
It was not to be mistaken that he was liberated though. He wasn't conservative, but that didn't mean he was open to sex without attachments. While society had progressed to the point where having sex with anyone, especially in times of heat or rut, was already considered normal, Arren still couldn't accept the practice. Though he was very experienced in flirting, he did it on occasion. It was just that he never took it seriously and seemed to be only having fun with it.
Arren's reaction would be priceless if he knew who he was currently flirting with.
Spade didn't think the omega would take the initiative to talk to him. It was also ridiculous and audacious of the omega to question him about his identity because Arren didn't recognize him. He had not anticipated this at all.
Someone didn't recognize him, and this person was the son of an important noble in the empire. For a brief moment, Spade was at a loss for words. While he was surprised, nothing came out of it, and he kept a straight and dignified face.
Arren waited for the Alpha to respond. The alpha gave him a strange look for a split second before it vanished without a trace. He tilted his head, perplexed by the alpha's reaction. Did he say something wrong?
He didn't have to wait long before the man in front of him responded.
"Royal investigator," it was a short reply. Only two words, but they were enough to make Arren scream internally once more. Damn, his voice was so good. The voice was deep and the vibrato was kind of husky. It had a hint of maturity to it, which made it more appealing and sexy to listen to.
Fortunately for Arren, he kept his cool and didn't blush, which would have been extremely embarrassing. The first rule of flirting was to not let the other party know that you are very interested; otherwise, you would be the passive one. He kept his mischievous smile on, but his hands behind his back were already fidgeting with his fingers. Calm down, he needed to relax. Don't give this alpha the impression that you're easy to get!
The air was filled with a sweet but aggressive scent. It reminded Spade of the smell of autumn and cherry blossoms. It was refreshing and peaceful but the scent also gave an impression of the upcoming temperature of winter. It was piercing cold but in a much gentle way.
It best represented Arren, who was approachable and friendly, but he was the only one who realized it was just an image he created to protect and hide from the unavoidable reality.
"You're a royal investigator?" Arren exclaimed, taken aback.
He was aware that because of his father's position, he could mobilize and contact a large number of people to assist with the investigation, but he did not anticipate the involvement of a royal investigator. It should be noted that they were directly under the command of the Emperor. He didn't think his father could persuade the emperor.
It wasn't exactly surprising, either. This incident was indeed suspicious, and that person in the palace would immediately notice something amiss.
Arren no longer found this unusual after accepting his own conclusion. He clearly had no doubts about the alpha's identity.
"Are you looking into the last incident?" Arren inquired, his eyes bright. He fixed his gaze on those amber-colored pupils. He wasn't very specific, but he knew the alpha would get it. Sure enough, he nodded without changing his expression much.
"Mn. I came here for that reason," he replied simply. He looked down at him, his voice particularly deep but, for some reason, also softly spoken. Arren, on the other hand, missed this detail. His mind was somewhere else.
"Really? Can you tell me some details? Just some little details are enough," Arren exclaimed as he revealed his intention. He had the right to know certain details as the victim, right?
However, contrary to his expectations, the alpha shook his head and mercilessly rejected his request.
"We are not allowed to disclose any details while the investigation is ongoing," Spade said, not even blinking as he lied and pretended to be an investigator.
Arren was taken aback by this response and couldn't help but become enraged; his gentle smile had faded and been replaced by a frown, his eyes glaring at Spade, who was now posing as the royal investigator.
"Why? I'm the victim! I have the right to know the details of the investigation, 'no? I'm involved in this too," he said, his tone no longer sweet or playful, and while the shouts were controlled and sounded like a whisper, the anger in the voice was still palpable.
To be honest, Arren couldn't care less about that investigation, he just wanted to probe about Ashton. He won't be able to help much anyway, so what was the point of worrying? But the alpha's response infuriated him. He was treating him as if he was pointing his nose at something he shouldn't. Fuck, Arren thought, if only the alpha wasn't his type, he'd already kicked his guts right there and then. He didn't give a damn about his position.
He was completely annoyed. Could he just be more polite?
Spade was actually speaking nonsense. He just didn't want to say anything to Arren.
"I know, but it was protocol, and I have to follow our department's rules," Spade threw bullshit after bullshit. He was an expert in this field. Even after all the lies he told, his solemn expression remained unchanged.
Arren rolled his eyes, and he was now ripping off the mask and revealing his true self; he was never the gentle and delicate omega at all.
"Fucking useless policies," he cursed, but he had no intention of hiding himself any longer. Arren didn't care if the alpha was upset or turned off by his behavior.
He was bold and daring which is a trait seldom seen in an omega. Regardless of the consequences, he expressed his true feelings. Who knew if the Emperor was the one who put the policy in place? He didn't have time to think about it.
Spade was not enraged, but rather amused. He was reminded of the omega cursing like a machine gun that night. Arren wasn't the sweet and gentle man he appeared to be earlier, and this was the real him. He remained silent, neither agreeing nor disagreeing with the omega.
Arren became even more enraged when he noticed the alpha wasn't speaking and refusing to argue with him, believing he wasn't taking him seriously. The hand he was hiding behind his back was now crossed in his arms as he shot him a piercing look.
"Then what about Ashton? Don't tell me I wasn't allowed to know the whereabouts and condition of that bastard who drugged me?" he gritted his teeth. He was now inquiring about this important matter but rather the one thing he really wanted to know.
The Alpha raised his brows and stared at Arren as if surprised by his question. Arren had no idea why the air around him had become intense and potentially dangerous. He was certain it wasn't directed at him, so he ignored it, assuming the alpha despised Ashton as much as he did. He simply waited for the response, his gaze never leaving to continue staring.
"Yes, he is in custody, and no one is permitted to see him while the investigation is ongoing in order to prevent anything bad from happening to the suspect," he stated flatly. He spoke as if it were second nature to him, and while his tone remained low, the meaning of his words did not please Arren in the least.
"Why? What is wrong if I wanted to meet him? Fuckin hell, do I look like I would be in the way of your damn investigation? Let me remind you, I'm the victim here, Mister Royal Investigator." He fumed as these unreasonable policies irked him so much.
It sounded ridiculous and unjust. He only wanted to see Ashton and beat him up to express his rage. What was fucking wrong with that? Was it really that difficult to inquire about suspects these days?