Opinions are a dime a dozen; everyone has one and they differ in every way. There's no easy way to distinguish right from wrong when it comes to an opinion. Fact and fiction are even harder to differentiate between. The only benefit to an opinion is that everyone has one. Similar to a belief system, an opinion can make or break the way a person sees the world. An opinion, however, shouldn't be the end of the line. An opinion was only as good as the source.

The sound of the train chugging along made him feel sleepy. Ashley Darcy wasn't a captive aboard the train, a simple passenger was a better description. Boarding the train hadn't been a free-willed decision he'd made on his own. The omega knew he had to make a decision though, to save his mother or not. While boarding the train wasn't a decision he'd made freely, he did so out of obligation to his cause. Ash knew that he couldn't let his mother die, not after everything she'd ever done for him in his short nineteen years of life. There was so much for the unicorn to see and do. Surely whatever was in store for the omega wouldn't hold him back.

Ashley preferred to go by Ash. People often assumed him to be a female omega when stating his first name in full. It wasn't a bother that they believed him to be female, it was more of the disappointed look he received when people saw he wasn't female. It wasn't that male omegas were rare, it was more of male unicorns tended to be alphas rather than omegas. He was an anomaly and because of that, he was in this situation in the first place.

Gregory sat next to Ash, reading a newspaper that had been picked up before boarding the train. The beta paid little attention to Ash's fidgeting. They had struck a deal of sorts, a promise in return for his ailing mother's recovery. His mother, Faith Darcy, had fought in a war, having lost her horn in the process. It was a grueling ordeal for the omega mother, but something that was surely killing her. Ash had struggled for years to understand his mother's reasoning for not seeking treatment. She'd always told her son that it was of no use. A unicorn in horse form without a horn would die a swift death. Ash had been young when he'd first seen his mother's form without a horn. It had been the topic of many questions in his youth.

He had always thought his mother's paint-horse form to be beautiful, horn or not. She used to tell Ash not to show his unicorn form to others. Even though he should be proud of who he was, Faith would tell her omega son that it was dangerous to do so. To show other people his shimmering coat and golden, glistening mane would bring him bad luck. Of course, Ash didn't believe in bad luck. Then again, it was partly why he was here right now.

The trees and farmland passed by, the train whizzing through fields of flowers and corn. It was a long journey from his home to their destination. Ash could only imagine what he would do to pay for his promise for saving his mother. He propped his head in his hand, his elbow against the ledge of the window and thought of all the things they would do together, once she was no longer dying.

Having met Gregory a week ago at a bazaar in the square, the cat fae was on a box in the cobblestone street, preaching of rare items and even rarer benefits. Ash approached the fae and asked about healing items, which were sadly out of his price range. The omega didn't dare offer anything he couldn't part with though. But Gregory had a sixth sense, as many feline fae had. He could smell what Ash was and struck a deal on the spot. All Ash had to do was go with Gregory to assist in paying his debt to another, and he would heal Ash's mother's illness.

It sounded too good to be true, but as the magic was produced, a sample of sorts, Ash brought the liquid vial home to place in his mother's tea. And sure enough, it worked. Only for a temporary twenty-four hours though. Ash knew then that he had no choice but to follow through with the conditions of the offer.

The train started to screech as it approached the next stop. Ash hated the sound of the squealing of metal brakes against the wheels. Gregory pulled a small watch from his pocket and looked over to the omega. 

"Time to get going," he said before grabbing the suitcase with Ash's belongings. The beta fae had explained the deal to Ash. He would pack a bag for a couple of nights, they would travel by train to a different country where he would help another. Then he would be given the potion needed to heal his mother's ailment. It sounded simple enough, even if Gregory refused to answer the questions as to what he needed to do to help this other man. Gregory wouldn't disclose any personal information about the other to Ash. It was frustrating.

As they exited the steam train's cabin, Ash looked around the platform. It was quaint and tiny. The platform they had boarded from had been large and bustling with people. There had been a few other trains on platforms parallel to theirs. It was a busy place compared to their destination. There was one other person on the platform, working the service counter for ticket sales. 

Ash looked over to Gregory who proceeded to lead the way away from the train as it wailed its horn and started to leave the station. As it did, it revealed a parked car behind the station. The car was older in style, better suited than a horse and buggy.

His bag was placed in the back and they climbed in before the beta took off. The ride was slow and jolted its way along as gears were shifted along the road. The antique car puttered all the way to a large mansion that loomed up ahead. As the road turned onto what appeared to be private property, Ash could only wonder who lived in such a place. What did they need him for anyway?

The car would stop with a jolted halt in front of the mansion's front door, there was another omega and a beta standing there waiting for them. They were dressed as servants only making it concrete in Ash's mind that the property owner must be rich.

"We were expecting you an hour ago," the beta said. He isn't much to look at with short brown hair and dark brown eyes. Short in height, the most noticeable feature about him was the scar that covered his cheeks and nose like a bandage.

"The train was delayed, but we're here now," Gregory answered with a smile. The omega maid turned toward Ash and gestured to be followed. Whatever was going on started to feel fishy for a moment. Not trusting his instinct, Ash followed everyone inside the brick mansion. What a mistake that would be.

Gregory was still carrying his bag as Ash looked around with a curious gaze. There were paintings and portraits on the walls, tapestries, and suits of armor in corners along the hallway's path. Large, dark wooden doors lined the hallway on either side, closed and hiding what lie behind them. Ash was amazed at the sheer grandness of the building, but Gregory was still silent about what he was needed for. The omega was starting to fear he might be trafficked at this rate. Surely a mansion of this caliber wouldn't traffick omegas though. It was wildly known that last year, over one hundred omegas from his city alone had gone missing, trafficked to high-end buyers. It wasn't anything new as omegas were trafficked all around the world as commodities. And while that was the thought that crossed Ash's mind, he didn't think to ask why he was there. With a timid and slightly nervous feeling rolling around his stomach, Ash continued following the servants and Gregory until they came to a large dining hall. There were some servants waiting along the wall, serving an alpha who sat at the table enjoying a meal. 

It had to be dinner though, as the view from the windows showed oranges crossing the sky, signaling the sun was setting. The train ride had taken all day, as they had left early in the morning. Having so much distance to cover should have also alerted Ash's instincts of what was going to happen to him.

The alpha looked up, a stoic expression on his features as he chewed a portion of his food. It smelled delicious and Ash had to tell himself that he wasn't here to eat the best meal of his life, or so he assumed it would taste.

"Lord Ghent, I have found the omega to assist you," Gregory stated with a proud tone of voice. He ushered Ash over, who looked more than just a little nervous now. Why did Lord Ghent need an omega? Red flags started to fire in his head as alarm bells went off.

"You're late, Gregory." the alpha said. His tone of voice was distant and sounded displeased. It was hard to get a read on him, as he continued to eat his meal as though they weren't even in the room. His eyes traveled from Gregory to Ash, who was startled and looked at the alpha with wide eyes. Ash felt his blood turn cold as he was certain he was being sold to this Lord Ghent.

"The train was delayed. Nothing we could do about it. But you'll find I've provided my end of our deal. This is Ashley Darcy." Gregory said all in one take. Gregory's hand was light on Ash's back, pushing him forward for a better inspection. They all stood a little ways away from the table though, making it seem difficult to get a better view from such a long distance. Lord Ghent's eyes trailed down Ash's body in a way the omega could feel. It was a physical once-over that made a shiver run down his spine. Lord Ghent received a similar once-over, although Ash's gaze was not nearly as intense. Lord Ghent was handsome. As many alphas were, he had a strong build with muscled arms and assumedly a toned chest. He had long, black hair, pulled up into a straight hanging ponytail. With alabaster skin, a strong jawline, and high cheekbones, he looked like a god from the heavens. The most noticeable feature was his eyes. A bright but deep emerald green that made Ash believe they could be real gems. They made direct eye contact with one another and Ash took a step back.

"Why am I here?" Ash asked. The air in the room changed and Lord Ghent looked over to Gregory.

"You didn't tell him?" he asked. The sound of the chair scraping against the wooden floor made Ash jump. Tell him what? All eyes turned to Gregory who started to fluster. 

"Ashley and I have our own agreement. I felt no need to inform him of his obligation to uphold it." the cat fae explained. Gregory's tail swished around his back, exposing the true reason people shouldn't trust a fae. They were tricksters and often wanted to make deals and promises. Gregory was short for a beta. He had a round belly that protruded over the waistline of his pants. His hair and fur on his ears and tail were a blanched white, making Ash believe he was an older fae.

"Wait, what am I here for?" Ash asked as he turned toward Gregory with an irate look. How could he have been so stupid? Trusting a fae to save his mother was stupid. If she only knew where he was right now. Not that she could have done much in her ailing state. Without her horn to keep her healthy, his mother was too close to death to travel this far from home. Another indicator that he shouldn't have been so stupid.

"Lord Ghent is seeking a bride and you are here to fulfill the position," Gregory stated with a pleased expression. His cat-like, ice-blue eyes made Ash's stomach drop. He was to be married? To Lord Ghent? This was a joke! It had to be…