Chapter Text
As a Crown Prince, omega, and the future King of England, Jude Bellingham was more than used to getting whatever he wanted, wherever he wanted it - until he met Erling Haaland, his newly assigned bodyguard, the alpha of his dreams, and the one he seemingly couldn’t have.
Bodyguards and security teams weren’t strange concepts to him; being a part of the Royal Family meant he had to deal with people following him everywhere he went since the day he was born, and it was always better to be safe than sorry.
He could say that his parents were overprotective of him, but he couldn’t blame them, not really. Jude was not only the heir to the throne, but an omega as well, which wasn’t exactly something a lot of people were happy about.
Obviously, the heir to the throne was expected to be an alpha just like Jude’s father, the current King, and for most of his life, everyone - including himself - thought that was exactly what was going to happen.
Looking back, it was nothing but misconceptions and prejudice that led people to believe that. Jude was tall, short-tempered, and bossy - traits that were intrinsically linked to alphas. But then, against all odds, Jude presented as an omega, and everything changed.
It was not easy for him to accept it at first; Jude felt like he was a disappointment to his parents and his country, and blamed himself even though there was nothing he could’ve done about it.
With time, things grew better. His mother, an omega herself, spent months soothing and reassuring him in every possible way, making sure he learned as much as he could about his subgender and the changes in his body. Jude realized he didn’t need to change, and that there was no such thing as alpha and omega traits - people were different and complex, and that was what made them interesting.
Still, that didn’t stop him from feeling like a fraud, sometimes. He stood out among the usual omegas because of his height and social status, but was deemed too pretty and emotional to blend into a crowd of alphas, which left him with a bitter sensation of never being able to completely fit anywhere.
At the back of his mind, Jude wondered if he would ever find a mate. Of course, that wasn’t necessarily a problem to the royal family, - arranged marriages were a thing for a reason, and Jude knew that was probably what the future reserved for him - but Jude dreamed of true love.
Perhaps it was the omega in him speaking, or his primitive instincts getting the best of him; all he knew was that he longed to find someone who would love him as he was, even though he wasn’t sure there was someone out there who could do so.
Erling Haaland came to prove him wrong, and to turn his whole world upside down.
The alpha didn’t seem to think that Jude wasn’t fit for an omega, or that he was inferior because of his subgender. He respected Jude’s opinion and listened to what he had to say; he never complained about his unexpected wishes even when Jude knew he was acting like a spoiled brat; and for the first time in his life, Jude allowed himself to be taken care of in a way he’d never been before.
Terrifyingly, he realized it felt good.
For someone who spent years thinking of himself as an alpha and struggled not to act like a fragile, stereotypical omega on a daily basis, Jude was surprisingly happy about finally being seen as an omega; one could even say he was elated and proud.
It was pathetic, and a bit embarrassing, but Jude couldn’t help it. For the first time in his life, Jude had to deal with the mortifying notion of falling in love, and wanting something, someone, he seemingly couldn’t have.
–
Jude first met him a few months ago after the head of his security team quit overnight.
When it happened, it caught him and his parents by surprise; the older man had worked with them since Jude was a teenager, and they considered him part of the family. Even so, it seemed like the other didn’t share the same feelings as them, and with nothing but a few words and a letter of resignation, he disappeared and never looked back.
His parents had to look for someone to take his place as quickly as possible. At first, Jude wasn’t convinced Haaland would be a good option - he was only three years older than Jude, and relatively new to the security business. However, the royal family had access to the best sources of information, and Erling was highly praised by everyone who knew and worked alongside him.
In fact, Jude heard that he had avoided two murder attempts during his last mission with no weapons other than his bare hands, and also beat four different men while being handcuffed less than a year ago, and even though he wouldn’t admit it out loud, he was impressed.
Jude let the responsible adults take care of the whole ordeal, deciding to accept whatever they thought would be best for him. So far, his security team had worked perfectly well and managed to protect him at all costs, and he had no reason to doubt his parents would choose whoever was better fit for the job.
When the time came for him to meet Haaland, Jude wasn’t sure of what to expect. He knew he would probably be big and buff, - that was almost a mandatory requirement for bodyguards - but other than that, he didn’t spare much thought about his appearance.
His first mistake, Jude would later realize. If he had prepared himself mentally for it, perhaps he wouldn’t be rendered speechless at the first glance he caught of Erling Haaland. As it was, though, by the time they came face to face, Jude could do nothing but gape at him, praying that his surprise and interest weren’t painfully written all over his face.
Because standing in front of him was one of the biggest, most impressive alphas he’d ever seen. Don’t get him wrong - Jude was very tall himself, much taller than the average omegas, so he was used to being the same height as most alphas he met during his life. He had never, ever, felt small before, not in the way he did at that moment.
Haaland wasn’t only big in stature; he was built like a goddamn warrior, with broad shoulders, muscled arms, and a seemingly perfectly sculpted torso - not that Jude paid any special attention to that area, of course. He was merely taking notes on his new bodyguard, very professionally.
Obviously, Haaland’s size was the most impressive thing about him, and the first thing anyone would notice as soon as he stepped into the room. However, Jude also took note of other smaller, perhaps indifferent details - his hair was long and very blond, tied in a tight, compact bun at the back of his head. It was also shaved on the sides and close to his nape, an interesting choice that screamed personality. He smelled just as powerful as he looked, and even from a certain distance, Jude’s nose was completely invaded by his scent.
Usually, most alphas Jude met smelt pretty much the same; earthy and sweaty, sometimes so strong it made his nose itch. Others carried a trace of spice behind their scents, intense in a way that would give him a headache if he smelled them for too long. Haaland, however, was nothing like them.
Although his scent was undoubtedly strong, it was also warm and comforting, making Jude want to get closer to him and inhale more of it. Haaland’s smell could only be described as woody, smooth, and fresh, the opposite of overbearing.
Jude didn’t know why it affected him so much; all he knew was that he was trouble, and that he needed to clear his mind and focus.
He stepped closer until they were only a few steps away from each other, and extended his hand so that the other could shake it, which he did. The man’s grip was firm, and his hands were so big Jude couldn’t help but stare at them for a few seconds more than would be considered normal.
“I’m Erling Braut Haaland, your new bodyguard,” the alpha spoke first. “It is a pleasure to meet you, Your Highness.”
“Jude Victor William Bellingham,” he introduced himself in return, holding back a giggle when the other man frowned and blinked at him in surprise. “What? I thought we were exchanging our full government names.”
“Jude,” his mother interjected, sounding very much annoyed and displeased by his little attempt at humor. Whatever. His mother, Denise, always wanted him to be proper and act like the Prince that he was. “Be nice.”
Jude rolled his eyes, but complied. “It’s nice to finally meet you, Haaland,” he said, hoping it would satisfy both his parents and the alpha. “Your reputation surely precedes you, and I look forward to working with you. I’m sure someone has already briefed you about everything you need to know, but feel free to ask me if you have any questions.”
“Of course,” Haaland agreed easily, and a small, soft smile appeared on his plump, pink lips. Jude wasn’t staring at them, not at all. “You may do the same.”
–
Haaland’s first schedule as Jude’s bodyguard wasn’t too difficult or out of the ordinary, which was why Jude didn’t think it could go wrong.
He should’ve known better.
The task was easy enough: accompany Jude to an interview with the most viewed news channel of the entire country. The alpha did his job pretty well, keeping a close eye on everything and everyone as they made their way to the location where the interview would take place, and maintaining a short distance between them when Jude stepped outside.
Jude tried not to think too much about it; Haaland was literally paid to do that, and Jude had no business getting flustered at the feeling of the alpha’s body pressed close to his, his firm, muscular chest colliding with Jude’s back every once in a while. It didn’t matter that Haaland’s powerful, woody scent invaded his nose and took his breath away, or that he wanted to lean into the other man’s touch.
He needed to focus and leave those kinds of thoughts behind.
The interview started easily enough. The room reserved for it was small yet comfortable, and besides Jude, there were only the interviewer, the cameraman, a staff, and Haaland there, which created a welcoming atmosphere. The first questions were the same ones he always answers: “How are the King and the Queen doing?”, “Is everything alright at the Castle?”, “Any news about your future coronation?”
Jude replied to them the same way he always did - not giving too much information, but saying just enough to keep everyone satisfied and interested. People liked to know about the Royal Family, and it was his duty to share small bits of information about their daily life.
Then, out of nowhere, all hell broke loose.
“Your Highness, if you allow me, I’d like to ask you about something that everyone is dying to know,” the interviewer started, and Jude had a bad feeling. He opened his mouth to remind him to stick to the agreed questions, but the other continued before he could say anything, “Your Highness is already 23 years old, but still unmated. Could you tell us the reason for that? Is it hard to meet an alpha who is worthy of Your Highness?”
Jude glanced around the room in shock, embarrassment, and desperation, and found that Haaland was already looking at him, his jawline clenched in a clear sign of discontentment, and eyes dangerously intense.
He made to move, but Jude subtly shook his head. He turned back to the interviewer, willing his voice not to waver as he said, “That is a personal subject, and we do not wish to make it public. But I assure you, there’s no need to worry. When the time is right, I will marry and keep the royal bloodline alive. For now, I’m focused on studying hard and preparing to become a King someday.”
“So it must be hard to find a fitting alpha, then,” the man stated, ignoring what Jude just said. “Wouldn’t it be wiser to focus on that for now? I mean, with all due respect, we all know that an omega King wouldn’t be the best option. In my opinion, finding an alpha to rule alongside you is indispensable, if not obligatory.”
For a minute, Jude feared he didn’t hear it well. There was no way this man was really saying that, and accusing him of being incapable of ruling the country just because of his subgender.
Then, Jude remembered all the times he’d heard these exact things before, and all the times he thought the same about himself - afraid he would never be good enough, or that he wouldn’t be taken seriously because he was an omega, or, worse still, that he’d have to spend the rest of his life proving his worth again and again because nobody trusted him.
The self-loathing and repressed insecurities floated back to the surface, and Jude felt his scent turn sour, anger and sadness mixing. His eyes were burning, and he knew what that meant, but he couldn’t cry, wouldn’t cry, not in front of everyone else and a camera.
He tried to get his emotions under control, opening his mouth to speak even though he could feel his throat closing up, but someone else spoke first.
“In my opinion, you should learn to shut your fucking mouth and only share your stupid thoughts when someone expresses their wish to hear it.”
Haaland.
Jude’s head snapped towards the place he stood, noticing that, in the blink of an eye, the alpha crossed the entire room and moved in the direction. He towered over the interviewer, his tall figure seeming impossibly taller since the other was sitting down, and Jude could see the fear in the man’s eyes as he looked up at him, his jaw dropping comically.
“Who do you think you’re talking to-”
“No, who do you think you’re talking to?” Haaland growled. The sound reverberated in the air, making a shiver run down Jude’s spine, but not out of fear. Later, all alone in his bedroom, he would have enough time to think about his reaction. For now, all he could do was watch the scene in front of him with unblinking eyes, entranced. “This isn’t an ordinary person, and you’re not at a pub chatting with your mates and spitting prejudiced bullshit. This is your Crown Prince, His Highness, and you will not offend him in my presence. Do you understand?”
“But-” the man stuttered, not daring to move even an inch.
“I said, do you understand?” Haaland pressed again, taking one step closer so that his legs almost touched the man’s. Jude still couldn’t look away.
It was shameful how much the man’s behavior touched him, both emotionally and physically. Apart from his parents and the palace employees who worked with him all his life, Jude had never had someone else defend him like this. Haaland seemed livid, serious, and authoritative, and Jude was undeniably pleased about it. Never mind that Haaland probably did this because it was his job - Jude was happy all the same.
The interviewer’s voice snapped him out of his thoughts. “Yes, I do,” he said, voice cracking. “I’m sorry.”
“You should apologize to him, not to me,” Haaland pointed out, and then he turned to Jude, his hard eyes softening a fraction when they landed on him.
He heard the man apologize to him, but it sounded like a muffled, fading noise at the back of his head. He didn’t want to spare him another glance, and he couldn’t look away from Haaland even if he tried, so he vaguely nodded, distracted and confused by his own turbulent feelings.
All he knew was that he wanted to get out of here.
As if reading his mind, his bodyguard took the lead and said, “That’s far from enough, but it will have to do for today. Your Highness, let’s go back to the Palace.”
–
Once they were back inside the car, Jude felt himself relax a little bit against the leather seat, if only for a moment. He was glad to be left alone, away from cameras and prying eyes, but then, the interviewer’s words started to ring in his ears again, and all the emotions he felt resurfaced with full force, taking his breath away.
More than that, Jude also thought about the way Haaland acted, and about how much he liked it. Jude didn’t want to be that kind of omega - a weak, pathetic omega who needed an alpha’s reassurance and help to defend himself. All his life, he feared that would make him exactly what others claimed he was: fragile, unfit for the Crown, and a terrible leader.
Yet, at that moment, he couldn’t do anything. Deep down, he was grateful for Haaland’s help; of course he was; it really was one of the first times someone defended him like that, especially an alpha whom he barely knew. His omega was smug about the whole thing, and he hated himself a little for that.
“Hey,” Haaland’s voice interrupted his intrusive thoughts, startling him back to reality. “Your Highness, are you okay?”
“Don’t call me that,” Jude muttered out before he could think too much about it. “Please, just call me Jude. We’re going to spend a lot of time together, and I’d prefer if you just called me by name.”
“Jude,” the alpha repeated slowly, almost as if it pained him a little to comply. Jude found that he liked the way his name sounded on his mouth a lot, especially since it was accompanied by his deep, soothing tone, and with an accent he couldn’t quite point out just yet. “Are you okay?”
“Not really,” he admitted, unsure of why he decided to tell him the truth. Something about Haaland made it impossible for Jude not to trust him, which made him feel even more insane. “It’s just- I should be used to it by now, and I’ve heard worse things in the past, but all this bullshit just makes me so mad.”
Jude didn’t realize he was breathing harder and starting to hyperventilate until he felt a hand on his shoulder, and inhaled a fresh wave of calming pheromones coming off the alpha next to him. Somehow, Haaland managed to get so close to him that their thighs were touching, and the sudden proximity was enough to make Jude pause, ceasing to breathe altogether for a few seconds. He could feel the heat coming from the body next to him, and it was all he could focus on.
“Jude, you did nothing wrong,” he told him, and instantly, Jude wanted to believe him. His omega jumped inside of him, delighted to receive this kind of affirmation from the alpha who had just protected him. “You shouldn’t be used to people being assholes. I’m sorry if I overstepped and made you uncomfortable, but I couldn’t just stand there and watch him ask you those questions when you were clearly bothered by them.”
“You didn’t overstep.”
Haaland sighed, and this time, he was the one who relaxed. His hand was still on Jude’s shoulder, and he moved it in circles slowly, almost as if unconsciously so. “I’m glad,” he said. “I would’ve hated to be fired on my first day of work.”
For the first time in hours, Jude laughed, freely and openly. “Oh my gosh, it is your first day,” he only just recalled. “I’m sorry for giving you so much trouble so early on.”
“Jude, I’ve literally been stabbed on my first day of work before,” Haaland told him, and although he sounded deadpan and his tone held no emotion, Jude knew he was telling the truth. He gasped, horrified. “This was a walk in the park, except for the part when I really wanted to punch that guy in the face.”
“I wouldn’t have fired you for that, either.”
“You could’ve told me that before,” Haaland joked, and they both laughed again. He was already feeling better, and he didn’t know what to think of that. “Seriously, though, I’m sorry for that. It seems like most alphas are douchebags in England, and I’ve only just got back here.”
“You have nothing to apologize for,” Jude told him. “If anything, you showed me that not all alphas in England are douchebags.” Then, just because he was too curious to hold it back, he added, “Where are you from, by the way?”
“I was born in Leeds, actually, but I grew up in Norway. My parents are Norwegian,” Haaland replied, and okay, Jude could totally see it now. That explained the whole warrior, Viking vibe Haaland emitted. “I’ve lived in England before, but I’m still not used to the way things work here.”
“I’ve lived here my whole life, and even so, I can’t say I’m completely used to it either,” Jude confessed. “I think I would like to live somewhere else, too, just for a change. Do you miss Norway?”
“I do,” Haaland said, and his tone turned nostalgic, tinted by a trace of longing. “But I visit my family and friends whenever I can. What I miss the most is speaking to them in Norwegian - it is never quite the same, trying to express yourself in a language that is not completely yours.”
“I wouldn’t know,” Jude confessed, although he felt sympathetic. He could only imagine the struggle. “Could you tell me something in Norwegian, then?”
Haaland turned sideways so that he could look at his face, clearly surprised by the offer. Jude felt his breath catch in his throat, suddenly very aware of how close they were, and of everywhere they touched. Haaland considered his words for a while, and then he seemed to make up his mind. He said, “Du er nydelig.”
The accent was rich and strong, and it rolled off Haaland’s tongue easily, naturally. Jude felt a blush rise to his cheeks. “What does it mean?”
“If you decide to learn Norwegian one day, you’ll know,” he teased, and Jude made an affronted noise. “What? You asked me to tell you something, not to teach you.”
“Teach me how to say douchebag, then. I have a feeling it will be very useful in the future.”
They spent the rest of the ride home laughing.
–
Over the course of the following weeks, Jude learned a lot more about Erling Haaland.
For one, he was very methodical about everything. He wanted to know every single detail of Jude’s schedule, which included his favorite spots to visit, the places he went to the most daily, and even who his closest friends were. Haaland also planned every outing very thoroughly - Jude almost felt like there was no spontaneity in anything he did anymore, but he couldn’t really say he was displeased with it.
Because another thing he learned about Haaland was that he was the most attentive alpha he’d ever met. It came with the job, he knew, but it was impossible not to feel flattered by it. Jude’s omega was constantly beaming, and more often than not, he had to physically contain himself from doing something stupid like purring or, god forbid, baring his neck every time Haaland used his bossy tone on him.
It was bad.
It was also very confusing. Jude had begun to accept that he was attracted to the older man - it would be silly of him to try to deny the obvious, and even if he had tried to do it, his body betrayed him. Every time Haaland stepped into a room, Jude would get momentarily breathless both because of his face and his scent. Every time he had Haaland’s eyes on him, which proved to be a lot considering Haaland’s job was to watch and protect him, Jude could feel his skin prickling, burning from it.
Haaland was very affectionate, and he always made sure Jude was comfortable at any given time. He brought him food if Jude spent too much time without eating anything, gave him one of his jackets the one time Jude forgot to bring his own, and he also touched him a lot - it was a grip on his elbow when he lost ballance, the press of their thighs when they were in the backseat of the car going somewhere, a hand on his waist guiding him as they moved past crowded spaces.
Talking to Haaland was easy, too. Being a Prince, Jude never really had someone to open up to other than his family and staff members. He had some friends, of course, but he couldn’t see them all the time, and when he did, he tried not to ruin the moment with his depressive thoughts and worries, so he kept everything to himself.
Haaland wanted to hear about it, though. All of it. He made it very clear from the beginning. Wherever Jude struggled with something, he was there to listen. If Jude was feeling sad, or insecure, or was bothered by other alphas, Haaland would find a way to intervene; never as aggressive or direct as he was with that interviewer on his first day at work, but efficient all the same.
What really confused Jude was the fact that, for all the caring and constant touches Haaland showed him, it seemed as if he didn’t allow Jude to do the same to him. If Jude reached out to him first, or got too close to him, he would get a troubled look on his face. If Jude laughed a little too hard at one of his jokes and slapped his arm playfully, or placed a hand on his chest, Haaland would step away almost immediately, all but running to the opposite direction.
He didn’t get it.
Sometimes, Jude could swear that he saw the interest he felt towards Haaland mirrored in the man’s eyes, but then, he would do something like pull away when Jude tried to hand-feed him, and his omega would be so hurt. He had been blowing hot and cold - Haaland pampered him, spoiled him, and took care of him a lot, but when Jude decided to be a little bolder and test the waters, the alpha would put up a wall between them, suddenly acting indifferent.
Even so, no matter how much he struggled with that, Jude was still a sucker for Haaland’s attention and affection, and he clinged into that like a lovesick pup. It wasn’t as if Haaland was doing something to upset him purposefully; maybe he simply didn’t feel the same way as Jude did, which was fine. Totally fine. He’d rather have those moments than none at all, and at the end of the day, Haaland would be there either way - it was his job, after all.
All Jude had to do was calm the fuck down and learn how to keep his emotions at bay.