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One of the few consistencies to being an omega in the Red Keep was the rules. There were many of them. His mother had outlined them all very thoroughly when he presented. Aegon hadn't really listened, of course, but she had tried.
"This is important, Aegon, you'll be vulnerable during your heats. You need to stay in the nest, with your pack."
Aegon had no problem with that, truly. He liked curling up in his mother's bed, in the nest she'd built for them. His brothers let him scent them properly, just like mother, and Helaena would curl up beside him every few months to ensure she was appropriately marked as well.
It was all very simple. Easy even. He didn't understand why there needed to be so many rules.
"Aemond's an alpha now, Aegon, he can't join you in the nest. Not during your heat." His mother told him sharply. She told Aemond too, lips pursed and eyes wide. His brother had promised her he'd avoid the nest during Aegon's next heat.
It was ridiculous! Cruel! Aegon whined, writhing in the blankets and pillows. His pack's scents surrounded him, yes, but he was alone.
Aemond was an alpha. Daeron was in Oldtown. His mother had been called to the king's chambers.
Was the first rule not that omegas required physical touch? He'd craved it since he was a child, before his presentation even. Little nudges, a palm on his arm, something!
Helaena couldn't do that. Couldn't help him. She'd fled, crying, when he started sobbing. Aegon resigned himself to his new reality, to suffering through his heats rather than relishing in their warmth.
Except, when he woke up, the aching he expected hadn't come. A solid weight was pressed against his abdomen. A body curled up with him, small limbs wrapped around his torso. A child. Their scent faint and unmarked by another omega.
Aegon clung to them at first. Rubbing his cheek over their hair, flooding the room with his scent. He rocked them in his arms. Mumbling comfort as they sunk into his hold. His scent.
Only once his scent was thick and hazy in the air did Aegon's eyes flutter open, his chest throbbing as his body seemed to scream out to feed his babe.
Not that he had one. The one part of his mother's lecture Aegon had bothered to pay attention to was the explanation of which sex acts would get him pregnant and which wouldn't. But his instincts forced their way through regardless.
There was a baby in his nest and no other omegas to care for them. They were his now. His to protect, care for.
"Joffrey?" Aegon sat up with a hiss as he looked down at his side. His breath hitched, eyes wide as he surveyed the mop of dark curls. Tiny nose wrinkling at his sudden movement, Joffrey's hands fisted in his shirt.
His nephew was not a baby. More importantly, he wasn't some unclaimed child without an omega. This was Rhaenyra's son. A boy with two alpha parents. Two, very aggressive, alpha parents.
Heart racing, Aegon pushed his hair out of his face, cursing emphatically. The boy smelled like him. Scented thoroughly, because of course this was the one thing Aegon did as an omega he actually did well.
Breathing even, Joffrey slept deeply. He was young, and unpresented, Aegon's unmated scent had probably overwhelmed him. The boy didn't wake when Aegon shook him, just mewled, burying his face in Aegon's chest.
"Okay... okay," Aegon inhaled deeply, throat bobbing, "I can do this. I can..."
He had no idea what to do. Joffrey had to be returned to his pack, to Rhaenyra. But Aegon couldn't just hand him to the kingsguard outside the door could he?
His body throbbed, chest aching at the very thought. The kingsguard weren't pack. They definitely weren't Rhaenyra's pack. He couldn't just abandon a baby- a child... Joffrey was a child.
"Fuck," Aegon bundled his nephew into his arms and slid from the bed. He swayed, whimpering as he stepped further from the nest.
Aegon would just return Joffrey and then come back. He'd wandered his mother's apartments during his heat before, carrying Daeron as he searched for food even. Rhaenyra's apartments weren't that much farther. And Joffrey was fairly light.
"Your grace!" The kingsguard shouted as he walked out. Whining, Aegon flinched away. He held Joffrey tighter and the boy nuzzled against his throat.
More shouting followed him. More white cloaks appearing every time he turned a corner it seemed. Refusing to leave him to his task even as they avoided his general vicinity. Their alpha scents were noxious and dripping with panic. Aegon pressed his nose to Joffrey's hair.
Not a baby, Aegon reminded himself. Definitely not his baby. Even if Joffrey smelled like him. Like his.
Joffrey was Rhaenyra's and Aegon couldn't risk upsetting her. He was a threat. His mother said so. First born son, omega or not, Aegon could challenge her claim when their father died.
He had to protect his pack, had to make sure she didn't think... Had to return Joffrey. That was all.
The haze of his heat was settling over his mind properly. He could feel himself shaking. His limbs growiny heavy as he pushed open the door to Rhaenyra's apartment.
Several guards had jumped out of the way when he appeared in the hallway. Faintly, their various scents lingered at the edges of his perception. Alpha and betas, every one of them.
None of that prepared him for stepping into Rhaenyra's rooms. Into the thick scent of alphas. So many alphas. His knees gave out as someone shouted, "Aegon?!"
How could their rooms smell so much of them? Rhaenyra had only come from Dragonstone a few days ago.
"Egg," the voice was talking again. A hand cupped his cheek and his eyes fluttered closed. The alpha huffed, voice sharp, "Egg! Look at me!
Jace. It was Jace. When his eyes opened he found himself staring into his nephew's dark gaze, pupils blown. He smelled nice. Strong. Like a proper alpha.
"Did something happen? Are you okay?" Jace demanded and Aegon's chin dropped. He looked at Joffrey. He was well protected, warm in Aegon's arms with Jace crouched right in front of them. Almost like their own small pack.
His nephew hadn't tried to take his brother away from him yet. He'd asked... Aegon blinked, head rising, "No. No, I'm fine." His words slurred, "Joffrey came... came into the nest. I didn't..." He took a shuddering breath as Jace's scent softened around him, the edge of his rising anger gone. His own scent sweetened and Aegon felt something coiling in his gut.
"He's not accustomed to an omega's heat," Jace reminded him, arms finally reaching for his brother, "I'm sorry if he bothered you."
"No~" Aegon whined as Joffrey was taken from him. He scrambled forward, pressing against Jace as someone - a beta, a nanny - took the baby- the child from between them. Jace inhaled sharply as their chests collided and Aegon clawed at his shoulders.
He was picked up then. His arms wrapped around Jace's neck as the alpha held him to his chest. "I'm taking you back to the queen's chambers okay? To your nest?"
Aegon sighed, head lulling against his nephew's shoulder. He had a very pleasant scent. And the throbbing calmed, his body relaxing into the alpha's arms. The sturdy hold of an alpha with a firm chest. Warm.
"You could've just given Joff to a guard," Jace swallowed thickly, throat bobbing as Aegon nosed at the base of his neck. Near his scent gland. "You... you shouldn't have left your nest, Egg."
Giggling, Aegon pushed a hand into Jace's hair, inhaling deeply, "An egg in a nest." He kept laughing, breaths coming quicker as he gulped down Jace's thickening scent. Finally, he mumbled, cheek rubbing against Jace's throat, "Had to return the baby to his pack. Scented him. Mine. But not."
If that made any sense to his nephew, he didn't let on. Jace just kept walking, carrying him. Protecting him. As if he were his. As if Aegon belonged to him.
Maybe he could?
"You could give me a baby," Aegon's eyes widened, gasping as a shiver ran through his body. Jace choked. But Aegon kept going, rambling, "I could be yours. Then my claim would be yours too."
"What?" Jace croaked, pausing. Hands squeezed at him. Jace's chest was heaving. Aegon mouthed at his neck.
Yes. It would work. He'd be part of Rhaenyra's pack then. She'd protect him. Jace would protect him. His siblings would be safe. Daeron could come home.
Whining, Aegon tightened his grip on his alpha. His brother had been gone so long, hadn't been scented in years. Their mother's scent had surely faded from his by now. Aegon's.
"Fix it," Aegon begged, crying into Jace's throat. "Please, fix it!" His nephew could merge his pack with theirs. Rhaenyra's and his mother's. They'd all be one. All together. Aegon would scent them all, make them all his.
No one could hurt them if they were all one pack.
"What are you talking about, Egg? We're already the same pack," Jace groaned, walking again, even as Aegon tugged at his collar. "No one will hurt you-"
"Nyra," Aegon slurred, moaning as he kissed at Jace's chest. His scent was blossoming out. Raging wildly as arousal settled in Aegon's gut. He felt something wet dripping between his thighs. "Nyra has to kill us, to protect her claim."
The snarl from the alpha had him keening and then Jace kicked open a door. He was shouting. Shouting for Aemond.
Another alpha took him, Aegon cried out, clinging to Jace. His body trembling. The other alpha had his scent, was his, but not in the way Aegon wanted. He wanted Jace. Wanted his nephew to claim him.
Everything hurt now. Stabbing pain ripped through his abdomen and Aegon screamed. He thrashed in the nest. His mother's lingering scent, Helaena's, his brother's. None of it was enough.
More shouting followed as he sobbed, clawing at his body. At his throbbing scent glands. They were wrong. His scent was wrong. He needed his alpha. Needed Jace.
He screamed his throat raw. His wrists were held against the pillows around him as he thrashed. It was almost a blessing, when his vision went black and the pain dragged him under.
The nest was in tatters when Aegon came awake. He groaned, curling up on his side as his head pounded.
Alone. He was alone. Again.
Had he not been? At some point?
Cursing, Aegon stumbled to his feet. He crashed immediately to the floor, his legs too weak to hold him. Chest heaving, Aegon cried out.
"You're up!" The door opened. Helaena stood there, pale and wide eyed. Aegon stared up at her. Panting.
"What happened? Why is..." Aegon trailed off, gaze flicking over the nest. Over the torn sheets and the pillows and clothes that were now strewn across the floor.
Helaena's head tilted, her lips pursed, "You don't remember?" He shook his head. "Joffrey snuck in. You scented him and then... you must have panicked."
"Panicked?" Aegon felt cold, his chest tightened, "I didn't hurt him did I?!"
"No! No!" Helaena startled. Her hands waved wildly as she shook her head. Face flushing, her shoulders hunched in.
"Helaena!" Aegon snapped and she sobbed. She sniffled, hands scrubbing at her face.
His sister knelt in front of him, trembling hands ghosting over his, "I'm sorry. It's all my fault. I never should have left you."
Aegon raised his hand, palm hovering beside her cheek, "Just tell me what I did."
"You left the nest," Helaena admitted, cringing, "You... you wanted to return him, to his pack and well... You said some things, to Jace, when he carried you back." Aegon blinked. "About... about him giving you a baby, and merging our packs."
Oh. His stomach dropped. That was bad. That was very bad. Exhaling, Aegon used the wall to pull himself up, "How angry is the king?"
"He's here, now," Helaena inclined her head back towards the door as she rose to her feet. "He wanted to speak with... with everyone. Jace said you needed Mother, so... Rhaenyra came here. With him."
Gods. He'd officially fucked up worse than he could have ever imagined. His grandfather probably wanted to wring his neck. Clawing at the wall, Aegon managed to walk to the door.
Helaena fretted beside him as he stumbled his way forward, towards his mother's solar. Her scent was strong, Aegon could pick if out from across the castle, but it was not the one he followed.
Jace. His nephew's alpha pheromones were thick in the air, intoxicating even. Aegon's eyes fluttered as he felt his body react. His gut clenching. A fresh wave of slick slid over his thighs.
He was coated in it. His breeches tacky, the fabric clinging to him. Aegon wrinkled his nose. His heats had never... He'd never wanted a mate during a heat before, just his pack. His mother. His siblings.
"He was left alone, unattended, during a heat!" Rhaenyra's voice was harsh, nearly a snarl as she made the accusation, "This is entirely your responsibility! Your failure!"
Stepping into the room, Aegon hadn't been sure what to expect, but seeing his elder sister chastising the king was... that hadn't been it. Beside her, Jace stood, as tense as a bow string. Glaring at his grandfather.
It was his brother who spotted him first though. Joffrey ripping away from Rhaenyra's side to run for him, shouting for him. The rest of the room snapped to attention and every eye fell on him.
"Wait!" Jace snatched his brother up. His throat bobbed as he surveyed Aegon. Eyes dark, pupils dilating as his nostrils flared. Aegon whimpered, eyes squeezing shut.
"You shouldn't be up," his mother was at his side. He leaned into her touch, her scent.
A pungent wave of panic curled around him. Aegon's eyes fluttered open. Aemond. One wide eye trained on him as he stood a full step behind their mother. Aegon's nose wrinkled.
"Why is your face all bruised?"
His brother flushed, turning his head away, "I, uh, had to restrain you. You wanted..." Aemond's gaze flicked briefly towards Jace before he finally looked back at Aegon, "You were hurting yourself."
Wide eyed and gaping, Aegon flung himself around his brother, "I'm sorry! I'm really sorry!" He'd hurt him. Hurt his brother. His body shook as he cried.
"Aegon," the king cleared his throat and Aegon flinched. Viserys stood up, frowning, "As has been made very clear to me..."
Rhaenyra scoffed, arms crossing over her chest. Aegon blinked as the king flushed. Aemond shifted them back, placing himself between Aegon and the king.
"...you are not to blame for what's happened." Viserys leaned heavily on his cane. He forced eye contact, "I have been remiss in caring for the omegas of my house."
"Daeron is coming home," his mother whispered, smiling brightly as she wiped the tears from her face. Aegon stared. His head turned from his mother to the king, and then finally to Rhaenyra.
His sister's smile was tight, her jaw clenched. She inclined her head forward, "I think you'll find that Jace and Joff have both been scented thoroughly, little brother, but it seems the rest of my brood still need your attention. When you're up for it."
Cheeks burning, Aegon nodded mutely.
"Can I have a hug now?" Joffrey huffed, shoving at his brother's chest until Jace put him down. He looked up at Aegon with wide, trembling eyes, "You're our omega too right?"
"Yes," Jace answered for him and Aegon's skin pebbled at the sound of his voice. A warmth spread through him, like fire beneath his flesh. The rough grumble as Jace told his brother to be patient, to be gentle. It had Aegon squeezing his thighs together
Joffrey whined, head falling back. He tugged on Jace's arm, "But I want my cuddles now! You stole him before!"
Biting at his lip, Aegon hid his face in his brother's shoulder, swaying on his feet. Gut twisting, arousal spiking. He was too close to his heat for this, for... for Jace.
His nephew groaned, eyes fluttering. Jace swallowed. Rhaenyra tugged both him and Joffrey back a few steps as Jace's gaze snapped to him, heavy and wanting.
"You need to lie down," his mother cupped his face. Her eyes narrowed on his, darting down to his flushed cheeks. She could certainly smell it, his slick pouring out of him, just as Jace had. "You're still coming down from your heat. Still..." She stopped herself, frowning, "You should be in bed."
"Jacaerys, escort Aegon back to his room," the king ordered and everybody else tensed. Viserys huffed, "They're to be betrothed, yes? Jacaerys carried him here in the middle of his heat, hmm? Aegon hardly needs to worry for his virtue." He gestured sharply, looking pointedly at Jace, "Now, take him away from here, go."
Despite the king's arguments, Jace was still hesitant to touch him. A hand hovered behind his back, grabbing at his waist only when he stumbled. Keeping him up, steady.
"I don't understand what's happening," Aegon admitted as they came to the door of his room. Not the nest. His bedchamber. Where there was a bed.
Jace cursed, pushing Aegon against the wall as another wave of slick had his scent spiking. The kiss was desperate, hard, and it left Aegon panting. His fingers twisted in his nephew's doublet.
"You asked me to fix things," Jace whispered, pressing their foreheads together. His eyes fluttered. Smiling, he kissed Aegon again, softer. Chaste. "That's what I'm doing."
"We're... to marry? The packs becoming one?" Aegon bit at his lip, eyebrows arching high. Jace nodded.
A hand skimmed over his side and Aegon shuddered. Jace grinned, "One pack. As we should've been the whole time." His hand slipped between them, rubbing at his stomach, "Your other request will have to wait, I'm afraid, until your next heat, or my rut."
Rocking forward, Aegon moaned. His head fell back, throat long as he presented it to his alpha, "Not if..." He reached for the door, hand shoving uselessly at it, "We could try now."
The king found himself on the receiving end of a second tirade from Rhaenyra when they were discovered later, Jace buried inside of him. Aegon petting at the alpha's hair as his nephew panted against his throat. Their mothers shouting in the other room.
His alpha smelled content. Sated. Aegon kept his arms tight around his neck. His body thrumming as Jace's seed took root. He'd have a baby is his nest after all.
Getting drunk during his mother's lecture all those years ago might have been the best decision he'd ever made. Not that he'd tell her that.