Ferdinand
He was going to be an alpha. Had he been a beta, they would have kept him longer. Sometimes the betas turned into omegas by the time mana sensing developed, but no budding alpha ever changed into an omega and they already had the alpha they needed.
They sent notification to the boy's father of the child’s developing status. The Aub debated what to do for weeks. Bringing in an alpha male into a family with a beta heir could unsettle the political balance. But when he thought back to the flashing eyes of Dregarnuhr's messenger, he knew that no matter what the danger, he couldn't disobey the gods.
So he was brought to Ehrenfest and when he turned 10 was baptized as Ferdinand. Veronica, the Aub's wife, tried everything to suppress the boy's alpha nature, to push him into being a beta, or better yet an omega, and to serve her son, Sylvester. She would sneak potions that promised to transform him into an omega into his food, but while the drugs nearly killed him several times, they had no effect on his alpha status.
As the Ehrenfest heir grew, it became certain that he would remain a beta. A strong beta, but a beta nonetheless. Arguments could be heard sometimes coming from the Archducal suites about marrying away their only alpha child before Sylvester’s status had been certain.
Veronica started giving her son potions to make him appear more alpha. He would have to take them for the rest of his life, but beta Aubs were rare, practically unheard of. While Georgine, Sylvester's older alpha sister had already been married to Aub Ahrensbach removing her as heir, Ferdinand was still in Ehrenfest. And if people realized that Aub Ehrenfest passed up a male alpha in favor of a beta, they would riot.
The winter after he turned 13 brought Ferdinand to the Royal Academy. He overlapped with his brother for one year. Though their relationship at home was strained, at the academy they were close. To protect his brother’s position, Ferdiand used the resources and lessons of the academy to develop an even more effective masking potion for Sylvester. As far as anyone outside of Ehrenfest knew, Sylvester was an alpha, and it was imperative that it stayed that way.
During his six years at the academy Ferdinand developed a reputation. Not only was he a brilliant student, masterful musician, powerful knight, and devious ditter player but he was also the most dominant alpha walking the halls of the school, more dominant than most of the teachers.
His dominance led to Dunkelfelger trying to bring him into their Duchy through marriage. Unfortunately they had neither omegas nor betas in the Archducal family, so the young alpha Magdalena was betrothed to him instead. Like many alphas she did not easily accept having such a major decision made for her and instead took advantage of Dunkelfelger's law to engage herself to prince Trauerqual. The prince was handsome and kind, but as a beta he was not an equal match to be her husband.
Beta couples were common, and alpha males often took betas as second or third wives, but to have an alpha woman as the third wife of a beta man was simply not done. Still Magdalena demanded it, and her actions brought the end to the war, but also led to a break between Dunkelfelger and the Royal family.
With his engagement dissolved before it was ever formalized, Ferdinand moved on.
He graduated with a perfect academic record. He went home to Ehrenfest and prepared to take over as Knight Commander. At eighteen he was young, fit, and eager. His cousin Karstedt, who at the time filled the role, would help make up for his inexperience and advise him from his position as Sylvester's head knight.
Ferdinand had barely set up his room and office in the knight's dorm when he was forced to box it up again. The death of his father, Aub Ehrenfest, forced him away from noble society. Without his father holding her back, as weak as his efforts were, Veronica's attacks on Ferdinand would only grow more brutal. For his own safety, Ferdinand was sent to the temple.
Over the next few years Ferdinand established himself within the temple, rising to the position of High Priest, just below the High Bishop, who heads the church.
He would also still give support to his brother, helping the new Aub with paperwork whenever he was available. And when the Aub needed something, Ferdinand was always available, even when he wasn't.
His days were growing almost predictable. And then came the summer Baptism when Ferdinand was 23.
Nothing has been predictable since.