I was in such a panic as I left Ronak's massive estate that I didn't pay attention to where I was going. The part of the capital I was in was completely unfamiliar. The more I hopped about, the more pain arched through my body. Wh-why did Ronak have to be so rough? I couldn't keep going, so I decided to take refuge in an alley until I caught my breath and recuperated. My thoughts were all over the place, and I wasn't thinking clearly at all.
"Whoa, mister! You just fell out of the sky!" I rubbed the tears out of my eyes and looked up to see two kids approaching me. Guess I didn't notice them when I picked a spot to sit… "Is that magic, mister?" The little boy excitedly looked up at my golden platform as it faded away in a shimmer.
"It might have been, who knows?" I shrugged and smiled. They were really cute. The little boy was wearing patched-up overalls with a brown flat cap over his curly orange hair. The little girl was wearing a simple blue dress that paired well with her dark blue hair that was done up in pigtails. I just wanted to pinch their cute little cheeks!
"Awe you some alpha noble?" The little girl's big silver eyes looked like they had stars in them; she was so excited.
"Mmm, I'm not an alpha." I figured it didn't hurt to tell these kids. They were probably betas, so it wouldn't matter.
They furrowed their brows, confused. "But betas can't use magic…" They shared a look, and I giggled.
"I'm an omega, not an alpha." The little boy looked really confused, but the girl didn't even blink.
"Is that why you have such a pwetty mawk on you?" She pointed towards my shirt, which wasn't buttoned properly. I let out a little yelp and went about fixing my buttons, but the gold on my chest brought me to a halt. My blood ran ice cold as I saw the intricate gold pattern adorning my skin. I didn't even notice before because I was so upset… A bitter flavor started to coat my mouth. Wh-why did I have to have a physical reminder of him?
I didn't want the kids to see me upset, so I put on a pleased face. "Yep, an alpha gave me that." I could feel tears wanting to form in the corners of my eyes, but I pushed those emotions out of my mind and focused on the kids.
"Oooh! He must love you a lot to give you such a pwetty mawk. My mommy told me that when an alpha weally loves their omega, the mawk is extwa pwetty! So he must be a weally nice alpha." L-love? Nice? More like confusing and awful…
"Do some more magic, mister!" The little boy tugged at my sleeve with big, curious green eyes, and I giggled. They were sure cute kids, and I appreciated the distraction.
I held out my hands and gently blew across my palms. It was completely unnecessary, but it made a nice visual effect as I produced multiple small light orbs, which I sent bobbing around the alley. They looked like little gold bubbles floating around, and the kids absolutely went nuts over them. I knew they would; most kids did. The boy reached up and poked one of the bubbles, causing it to pop and rain shimmers of gold down onto his head. They both let out cries of delight, and I couldn't help but smile. It reminded me of being little and running through fields to capture fireflies on warm summer nights. I'd gather them into jars and let them illuminate my room before setting them free and going to bed. Th-those were simpler times…
"That was so fun! Thanks for showing us, mister!" The kids ran over to me after popping all the bubbles with big grins on their faces. I-I wish I could find it in myself to smile that brightly…
"I want my big sista Mawge to see!"
"But she's still hurt, Luna." Luna let out a sad grunt and nodded her head. "She couldn't leave her bed to come see."
"She's hurt?"
"Yeah… Mawge fell and bwoke her leg… Now she can't walk. Daddy has been woking extwa hawd to earn money to heal her." Oh no… My ultimate weakness. She looked up at me with sad little eyes and blinked slowly. "C-could you come show her the spawkly bubbles?" It wasn't like I was busy, and it sounded like I could probably help her sister…
"I can spare some time, but we have to walk slowly. My legs are a bit sore." I patted my legs, and the kids nodded their heads enthusiastically.
"Okay!" They cheered in unison while grabbing one of my hands. They tried to pull me to my feet, but they didn't really help much. I might be light, but I wasn't that light. They were so cute though, hehe. "My name is Luna, and that's Ollie! He's my cousin!" Luna gave me a big smile, and I wanted to reach down and pinch her adorable cheeks. She was really struggling with her 'r' sound, but that only made her even cuter in my eyes!
They kept hold of my hands and directed me down the streets. It was surprisingly busy for early morning, but I guess early birds did like to get up and get things done. People were rushing about, market stalls were set up selling their wares, and adventurers wearing armor were milling about. Were we close to the guild? I-I should have familiarized myself with the capital a bit better… I'm pretty sure I could wander around for hours and never see the entire capital, though. The place was massive. This part of town was far busier than the nobles' shopping district, though. It was exciting. The people were more diverse, and the stalls seemed more interesting.
"This way!" I had gotten distracted staring at all the interesting things and didn't notice that the kids were trying to turn down another alley.
"Sorry, I wasn't paying attention…" I was busy looking at the yummy-looking food a vendor was selling. Maybe I should return and buy myself some breakfast.
"Oh! Awe you his alpha? You have pwetty mawks like he does!" Luna's comment sent a shiver down my spine. I slowly turned to see who she was talking to and froze. I wanted to flee, but I didn't want to scare the children and cause a scene. My stomach did multiple flips as I gazed up at Ronak. He was wearing simpler clothes… that were still fancy, but nothing compared to what he normally wore… He looked like he rushed a bit to get ready because his buttons were a bit askew as well… Wh-why did a sense of relief wash over me? Th-those weren't my feelings…
"Yes, I am his alpha. I'm impressed you noticed." Ronak smiled, which was a creepy sight, and bent down to gently pat Luna's head. Everything about this scene was wrong. S-since when does Ronak smile or be nice?! It was making my skin crawl. "Where are the three of you headed?"
"We're going to show Marge the pretty bubbles!" Ollie exclaimed while waving his hands around. Was he trying to represent my bubbles? I'd snicker, but I was far too busy feeling creeped out.
"I see, the sparkly bubbles Micha makes are rather pretty." Ronak smiled again, and I wanted to turn and run away. Who was this man? H-he just looked like Ronak, r-right? "Can I join?"
I wanted to shake my head no, but the kids both excitedly shouted, "Yes!" To my horror, he picked Luna up into his arms like a proud father, and she excitedly pointed down the alley. "This way!" It would have been adorable if I weren't reeling in shock.
Ollie grabbed my hand and reached over to grab Ronak's free one. W-we felt like an odd little family walking down the streets… Except that daddy was a monster, and mommy wanted to run for his life. Thankfully, neither Ollie nor Luna seemed to notice the absolute panic attack I was having.
We made it to a quiet housing district that was rather quaint. The small houses had gardens out front, and some even had chickens milling about. It felt odd being in such a place after bathing in Ronak's stupidly opulent tub. "We're almost there! It's that house!" Ollie pointed towards a quaint house with a thatched roof and a woman standing out front tending to some chickens. When she looked up at us, her eyes went wide with fear. She was clearly Luna's mother. She had the same dark blue hair and silvery eyes.
"L-Luna, Ollie! Wh-who have you brought with you?" She glanced at us and instantly became fidgety. Why did Ronak have to come? H-he was clearly intimidating everyone. Thankfully, he sat down Luna and she happily ran over to her mother.
I gave her a warm smile to try and ease her fears. "Sorry to impose. The kids ran into me, and when they saw that I could use magic, they wanted to show Marge as well."
Her gaze turned to her daughter, and she gave her quite the scathing glare before returning her attention to us. "I would hate to waste your time. Our humble abode is hardly fitting for the likes of you." Her eyes nervously flicked between Ronak and me. She probably would have been less worried if stupid Ronak hadn't appeared. Wh-why was he even here? How did he even find me?
I cleared those thoughts from my head and focused my attention back on Luna's mother. "I think your house is rather charming. It reminds me of the houses around the village I grew up near." Her house was incredibly cozy-looking. I wouldn't mind sitting down for a cup of tea with her if there wasn't an alpha with a creepy smile lurking behind me. "I heard that Marge's leg is broken. If you're not opposed, I might be able to heal your daughter's leg."
She pursed her lips and stared at the ground for a moment. "I-I couldn't ever accept such a thing. We have no way of paying you back and-"
"I wasn't offering because I wanted you to pay me… I just wanted to heal it because I could…" A broken leg wasn't too hard to mend. I preferred healing bones over other things anyways. It might also give me time to think of an escape route.
"Please don't worry yourself over-"
"He's offering you something that you could never dream of paying for. Why are you turning down such an offer?" R-Ronak! I-I knew that fake smile only hid your true self! D-don't speak to people that way!
"Mommy? What's the pwoblem?" Luna asked while tugging on her mother's long skirt. "Haven't you been pwaying to the goddess evewy night for Mawge's leg to get better? He can use his pwetty spawkles to fix Mawge!"
"I-I guess if you're insisting, then there shouldn't be a problem…" She didn't look terribly convinced as she accepted my offer, and I couldn't blame her after what Ronak said.
"Y-you stay out here," I mumbled to Ronak as I followed Luna's mother into the house. Actually, i-if you disappear, that would be nice.
Ronak did as I asked and stayed outside with the kids while Luna's mother guided me into their small house. It seemed to have two bedrooms and a kitchen attached to a living space. Just as cozy as I thought it would be. She knocked on one of the bedroom doors and led me into what seemed to be Luna and Marge's room. The little girl, who was maybe around ten, peered at me with confused eyes
"Mom?"
"Sweety, this is a nice gentleman who's going to heal your leg." She waved to me and opened her mouth like she was going to say more, but didn't. Ah, she doesn't know my name…
"Hello, it's nice to meet you, Marge. My name is Micha. I heard that you had a broken leg, so I offered to heal it for you." She looked similar to Luna and her mother, but her eyes were a striking yellow, not silver. Hmm, she must get that trait from her father.
Her eyes nervously darted between me and her mother, who nodded her head. "He insisted upon helping, and I don't want to see my little girl be unable to walk for the rest of her life." She looked at the floor with disappointment in her gaze. Mmm, I couldn't even imagine not being able to help my child… N-not that I'll have any now… I wouldn't want them to have a man like Ronak as a father…
"M-may I see your broken leg so I can heal it? I have to press my hands against it, but I promise, I'll be gentle." I raised my hands and wiggled my fingers around while trying to give her a warm smile. I wasn't sure if I was very convincing due to the turmoil inside of myself, but I was trying my best to ease her fears. Marge nervously pulled the blankets back, revealing her terribly discolored leg that was bent at an odd angle. It was way worse than I had imagined. "Mmm, I'm going to have to straighten that so it doesn't heal at an odd angle. I doubt you want a limp for the rest of your life… I might have slightly lied when I said it wasn't going to hurt…" I gave Marge a worried look, but she bravely nodded her head. I felt terrible about lying to her, but a gift I had once received came to mind. It had been a thank-you gift, but I never truly liked it enough to put it on my bed with my other stuffed animals. I held out my hands and summoned from my storage a plush bear. The moment Marge saw it, her eyes lit up. "Here, for lying to you. Make sure you hold onto him really tight while I work and keep your eyes shut until I tell you, okay?"
Marge nodded her head and did exactly as I asked. Alright… now to get down to business. Marge let out a slight cry as I reset the bone, but I tried moving as quickly as possible so the pain wouldn't last. At least I understood how others were feeling, unlike someone else. I gently placed my hands over her break and began mending the bone. It took just a moment, and it was done. Of course, I had to stitch back some torn muscles and burst blood vessels, but that wasn't too hard for me.
I smiled at my finished work, but grimaced at her terrible bruise. It reminded me of the multiple ones still lurking on my body. I shook my head, trying to rid myself of those thoughts, and held out my palms. Multiple light orbs began dancing around the room, and the girl's mother let out a slight gasp. "Open your eyes, I'm all done."
The moment Marge opened her eyes, they went wide, and she let out a very cute gasp. "Whoa! They're so pretty!"
"Here, would you like to try standing?" I held out my hand for her, and she cautiously took it. Her leg must have been causing her a terrible amount of pain because she was hesitant to stand, but once she did, her eyes opened wide in surprise.
"Mom! I-It doesn't hurt anymore!" Marge jumped up and down excitedly and ran to her mother to give her a big hug. Heh, her mother was giving me a wide-eyed stare as she hugged Marge back.
"I'm sorry I can't do anything about the bruise… It should go away with time." The light orbs slowly popped as I stopped supplying them with mana. Mmm, I wish I could do something about the bruise…
"I-I owe you my life! Wh-what could I possibly give you?!"
"N-no." I held up my hands in surrender. "I really don't want anything. I did this out of the kindness in my heart, not because I wanted something…" I really didn't want anything. It would just make me feel guilty. Well… I guess I want the alpha in your yard to disappear, but… she can't make that happen…
"Please! I insist!" She hugged Marge, and Marge squirmed about from being squeezed too tightly. Heh, my mother used to do that. I looked back up at the girl's mother, and she had tears in her eyes.
"Your thanks are enough for me. I'm just happy that Marge has a bright future now." I squatted down to be more level with Marge. "Remember to be safe! While I'd happily heal you again, I can't promise you'll be able to find me. My family doesn't…" W-would I even be able to return home now?... "Live very close to the capital…" My voice became a bit quiet as my gaze drifted off.
I stood and let out a little sigh. Gah! I-I'm an emotional mess! I should get out of here.
When we exited the house, I almost passed out from the sight I beheld. R-Ronak was… p-playing with the kids… l-like a normal human… Wh-who is that man and what has he done with Ronak?! I almost felt queasy watching him as he tossed Luna up into the air. She let out a pleased squeal as she fell back down into his arms. "Me next! Me next!" Ollie excitedly cried as he ran circles around Ronak.
"Mawge!" Luna squealed as she squirmed out of Ronak's arms and ran over to us. "Youw leg is all better?"
"Ahuh! Look!" Marge did a little twirl, and Luna excitedly hugged her sister. I was… a bit jealous getting to see their cute family… I… wanted to have kids like them one day… N-never mind… I-I'll never have that now, so there was no point in thinking about it… Tears tried swelling to the corners of my eyes, but I forced them away.
"Maybe I'll see you around? Have a nice day!" I turned and started walking away before my emotions got even more out of control.
"Thank you!" The girl's mother called over to me. "If you ever need something, let us know!" Her offer was nice, but unneeded. I guess I needed this shadow to stop following me. It was nice getting to do something kind…
I walked a few blocks away so I was out of sight before creating a platform to jump onto. My foot didn't even manage to graze the platform before Ronak snatched me up into his arms. "You're pushing yourself too much. You won't be able to attend classes if you don't rest." Wh-why did he care?!
"P-put me down!"
"No. Not until you're thinking clearly." Ronak peered down at me, but I refused to look at him. I-I just wanted him to disappear. "I was going to take you back to your dorm so you could change into something less… revealing…." I peeked at Ronak to see him b-blushing? He thought this outfit was revealing? I glanced down at myself, and I thought I looked fine, but my eyes caught sight of the golden mark adorning my skin through my thin white shirt. I-if people see this… I'll never live it down…
"H-how did you find me?"
Ronak's head tilted to the side as he stared off into the distance. "I just… know where you are now… sort of like how I'm being flooded with your emotions… I didn't realize that omegas experience so many…" Wh-what? I-is that why I kept feeling strange feelings that weren't mine? N-not only am I stuck with him, but I have to be aware of his emotions?! I-I don't care about his emotions! Wait… th-that means that no matter where I go, he can follow? No! Th-that's not fair!
I let out a loud gasp as fear started to course through me. I-I can't handle this! I-it's too much! It was like everything in my life was crumbling down around me. Everything that I had strived for and wanted in life, gone. Completely gone in an instant. It didn't even make sense. We didn't even like each other. I even asked Ronak why he thought he liked me, but it wasn't even an answer! Why?! What would possess him to do such a thing?! Just because I smell good to him?! Th-that wasn't an excuse!
My heart was racing to the point that I could hear it in my ears, but I did manage to make out Ronak's voice over the thumping. "Take a deep breath. Calm down." Ronak forced me to look at him and tried to prompt me to breathe, but I didn't want to look or listen to him. He was the problem, not the solution! My eyelids became a bit heavy as Ronak's pheromones assaulted my system. "Yep, that's it. Breathe." Now that I was looking at Ronak, he looked a bit frazzled. Was I stressing him out? "Tell me where your dorm is so I can take you back. I doubt you want anyone seeing you right now." That was… oddly considerate…
It took a couple more breaths, but I managed to calm down enough to vocalize where my dorm was. "I-its in building two… room 103."
"Okay. Just continue breathing. I'll take you there." I nodded my head as Ronak scooped me up like a large toddler. I rested my head on his shoulder and stared out into the red void. Stupid calming pheromones…
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Ronak
I… don't fucking regret what I did…, but… I don't enjoy knowing how upset Micha is… I know his head is reeling, but I was feeling overwhelmed, too. I didn't know that bonding would assault me with all sorts of new goddamn senses. I instinctively knew where he was and how he was feeling. Not just emotionally, but physically too… I might have been a bit rough on him, but holy shit, I didn't realize just how weak he was. It wasn't my fault fucking him felt so damn good. He was lucky I didn't lose myself to the sensation because I wanted to. I'll… have to be a tad bit gentler going forward… I didn't realize I bonded with a golden marshmallow.
Mmm, he was so squishy in my arms. Even slightly sedated, he kept bombarding me with emotions. Just fucking pick one! Stop cycling through so many goddamn emotions! It's exhausting to be aware of! I wanted to scold him, but couldn't bring myself to. Grah! Why the fuck did he flee in the opposite direction of the academy?
Micha's emotions started dissipating even further, which startled me. I paused to check on him, and he was lightly snoring on my shoulder. It's… probably best he fell asleep. I was starting to get a migraine. Overwhelming didn't even begin to describe what it was like to have to feel each of his emotions. I… wonder if he can sense mine? They wouldn't be nearly as volatile as his, but… I'm curious…
Hmmm, building two, huh? I'm surprised that more people didn't know that he was an omega. He kept the fact hidden pretty well, not that it would matter anymore. He was mine now. Now and forever… let's see… 101… 102… 103. So this is supposedly his room? Using my spell, I easily slid under the door and entered Micha's room.
It's damn small… His single bed was against the far wall, and a desk sat next to the door. Between the two was a small wardrobe, and opposite the wardrobe was a door. Huh. It's not a terrible dorm… I guess. He has like no shit in here though… except for on his bed. Where in hell am I supposed to lay him down? Why the fuck does he have so many childish stuffed animals?
I angrily shoved the stuffed animals out of the way and carefully laid Micha down. Hmm, guess he can't sleep like that… I wandered over to his wardrobe and was shocked to see how empty it was. He only had one uniform and a few clothes for the weekend. These are the pajamas he was wearing in the dungeon… guess I'll change him into these…
I swear, Micha turned into a wet noodle when asleep. You could wiggle him about and manhandle him all you like, and he wouldn't even stir. Fuck, how does he sleep so soundly? I guess I've gotten better sleep since sleeping with him… You'd think he doesn't have a care in the world though. I ran my fingers along the golden mark that adorned his collarbones and shoulders as I worked on dressing him. The mark took a major portion of his back, too. I've never seen a mark so large and flamboyant before…
I peeked into the side door and was surprised to find a small bathroom, but I doubt the academy would let him use the commons bath, so I guess I'm not that surprised… Hmm… for being his dorm, there aren't too many traces of him.
Micha was all tucked into bed, but I found myself still lingering. I didn't want to leave…, but I probably should. He'd be pretty damn upset to find me here… Is he always going to feel that way about me?
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Micha
Hmm? My dorm? How did I get here… Oh… right… I peeked around my dorm, but I didn't see Ronak lurking anywhere. I guess he really did drop me off… Ack! D-did he put my pajamas on me?! Wh-why?!
Glancing out my window made me feel a little disoriented. The sun was already dipping in the sky, yet I was sitting in my pajamas as if only waking up. The day felt wasted. There wasn't much I could do besides grab some dinner and do some homework. I'm sure I have plenty to do after missing a week.
A strange tension washed over me, and I froze while getting out of bed… That… had to be Ronak, right? I guess it was true… I could feel what Ronak was feeling… H-hey! Why were a bunch of my plushies on the ground?! Don't tell me that big meanie threw them!
I rearranged them back to how they went and wandered into the bathroom to relieve myself. On the way out, I caught sight of the gold on my collarbones in the mirror. Oh… I slowly pulled my shirt off and stared at the gold that accented my collarbones and draped across my shoulders delicately. I nervously picked up the hand mirror Terra purchased for me as a gift and turned around so I could see my back. A loud gasp escaped me, and the mirror almost fell out of my hands. Wh-why was it so big?! I-I don't think my parents have anything on their skin, and they share a bond… L-Luna wasn't telling the truth, was she?! Gah! How am I supposed to keep this hidden?!
My nerves started bubbling up like I was going to drown again, but I took a deep breath to help steady myself. A-at least he isn't keeping me hostage in his house… and he's giving me space… Yeah… think about the positives, Micha… There weren't very many positives, though…
I started putting clothes on to hide the mark, but I had a bit of a problem. Most of my weekend clothes had open or wide collars. Besides a few winter clothes, I didn't have many options. My academy uniform should cover me…, but I don't want to wear it on the weekend…
A knock on my door sent me flying away from my wardrobe in shock. "Micha?" I pressed my hand against my racing heart to calm it as I realized it was just Terra at my door.
"Just a second!" I called to her. Mmm, I'll have to wear this one then! "Hello, Terra," I said, opening my door. Terra's face instantly looked relieved when she saw me. Mmm, her floral print dress was pretty. It even had a nice bow on the side that matched the colors of the flowers. She looked nice in it.
"Micha, you've gotta stop disappearing without a warning! I've been so concerned!" Trust me, Terra, I would prefer being with you any day over what Ronak's done…
"S-sorry… I wasn't feeling super well after getting back from the dungeon…" I wanted to pull Terra into my room and burst into tears, but I didn't. I was afraid that Ronak would be mad… that he'd hurt her. I didn't want to see Terra get hurt. Ronak hurting me was one thing, but I couldn't bear to watch him going after my friend.
"I guess I can't blame you. I can't even begin to imagine what that was like." Terra gazed at me with warm and accepting eyes. I can't believe I met someone as nice as her. I really lucked out.
"Do you want to get some dinner with me?" I really needed someone emotionally stable to keep me from crying. I felt like the dam inside of me was about to burst.
"That's what I came here to ask you!" Terra giggled as she grabbed my hand and pulled me out of my room. "Why are you wearing such a thick high-collared shirt? Fall might be around the corner, but it's still warm out." Ugh, oh, I knew Terra would notice something being off.
"I umm… was just feeling a bit chilled." I fiddled with my shirt's long sleeves. Please don't ask any more questions… She was right, though. The moment I stepped outside, I was feeling the sun's warm rays a little too much in this shirt. I-I have to endure. There are no other options. If I don't wear clothes that hide my skin, everyone is going to know what happened.
"Hey, I was wondering if tomorrow you wanted to-" Terra started to ask me a question, but was interrupted as an unpleasantly familiar voice called out.
"Terra! What are you- oh… You're with him…" Ivette's smile instantly soured. Oh, goody, as if life hasn't handed me enough lemons… Ivette whipped her maroon colored hair over her shoulder with her free hand and glared at me.
"Ivette, I believe I've asked you to be polite to Micha," Terra said with a strained look on her face. Ivette was a childhood friend of Terra's, but she did not like me in the slightest. In her opinion, I was nothing but an annoyance that hung around Terra. I know… because she's told me to my face a few times…She definitely was consistent. Constantly rude.
Ivette's blue eyes looked me up and down for a moment before she scoffed. "I don't see why you surround yourself with such… lowborn people." She spat. I flinched slightly, but tried to keep a pleasant expression on my face. Why did she hate me so much? I've hardly even exchanged words with her… Is it really just because my father is a lord and hers is a viscount? Did it really matter what title my father held?
"Ivette! Micha is a lovely person when you get to know him! Also, if you're so concerned about me associating with people of lower ranks, does that not mean I shouldn't be friends with you? Your father is only a viscount…" That was a fair point. Terra's father was an earl. Thus, Terra's family ranked above Ivette's.
"That's hardly a fair comparison. My family is nothing compared to that of a lord's." She snapped.
Terra let out an annoyed sigh and glanced over at me with an apologetic look in her eyes. "Ivette, I'm not arguing with you about this. Both you and Micha are my friends. I'm not picking one of you over the other." Ivette let out an annoyed 'tsk'. "I'm headed to the dining hall with Micha. If you want to join, you may, but I'm not going to listen to you being rude the entire time." Terra put her hand on her hip and stared at Ivette, who wilted under her gaze.
"Fine, I'll see you later, but you should watch who you're friends with. He's tarnishing your reputation." Ivette turned on her heels and stormed off into the commons area. So mean…
Terra let out another sigh and glanced over to me. "I'm sorry she's always like that, Micha." She said in an exhausted voice. Terra had tried all sorts of things to get Ivette to be nice to me, but of course, nothing had worked.
"It's not a problem." I didn't want Terra to feel guilty over the actions of another. It wasn't her fault that Ivette didn't like me.
"You're always too nice, Micha." Terra giggled. "I think… she doesn't know…" Doesn't know…? "You know…" Terra wiggled her finger at me and then pointed in the general direction of our dorms.
"Oooh…" Ivette didn't know that I was an omega? I guess that would make a little bit of sense, but I still don't think she'd like me even if she knew I was an omega. I got the impression that she was jealous of my and Terra's relationship because Terra chose me of her own volition. Terra simply knew Ivette because Ivette's father worked under Terra's. From what she's told me, it seems like she's friends with Ivette simply because her family lived near theirs.
"It's her loss either way." Terra shrugged. "Shall we go get some dinner?"
"Let's." I smiled. I was incredibly hungry since I hadn't eaten breakfast or lunch. Even the night prior, I only ate chocolate and a little bit of an egg quiche… Not that he's right in the slightest, but maybe I should try to eat things in addition to sweets… Nah! Who am I kidding? Sweets are the best, and I could definitely use some right now.
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Dinner last night was exhausting. The moment omegas we knew saw us, they swarmed us like flies. I was bombarded with questions about the dungeon and Ronak. Gah! Ya know what I could have gone without? Hearing about how handsome and scary all the girls found him. Talk about ruining all my delectable chocolate. I was trying to get my mind off of him ruining my life, not think about him even more. By the time I made it back to my dorm, I collapsed down onto my bed and let out a sad whimper. Hiding what happened was going to take more effort than expected…
I wasn't sure if it was because I slept so much yesterday, but my night was restless. I just felt… lonely all night… Ugh, just thinking about it sent shivers down my entire body. D-don't tell me the bond was going to prevent me from getting a good night's sleep. I-I know I got used to Ronak force-cuddling me b-but I-I didn't need him to sleep soundly! Nope! No way!
I think I need to get my mind off him. Properly this time. "Where are you headed, Micha?" I looked up from the pavement to see Layla walking over to me. Her leg looked like it was doing fine after I healed it. Even her bruising was practically gone. That's good.
"Just was about to head into the capital… Did you need something?" While I did share my monster hunting class with her, I never really saw her outside of class. Seeing her here now was odd.
"My family wanted to give you this as thanks!" She smiled while putting a coin pouch into my hands.
"N-no. That's not necessary at all, Layla! I helped you out because I could. Not because I wanted something in return!" I tried to force Layla to take the pouch back, but she was dodging all my attempts.
"Pft! When my father heard that you healed my leg and I didn't even have a scar, he wanted to give you about triple that. I knew you would feel uncomfortable, so I talked him down to that amount. It's not much, but if you don't accept it, I'm afraid my father will personally hunt you down to reward you." L-Layla sounded like quite the daddy's girl… I did hear that she was her family's only child, so maybe that explained it…
"I really can't accept this! I didn't do anything special!" I desperately tried to put the money back into her hand, but she was resisting with a big smile on her face. Eventually, she burst into giggles and stepped away from me.
"Nope! Not going to happen! If you're unwilling to accept it, at least donate it to the orphanage I hear you visit. My father might be furious to hear that you donated it instead of keeping it, but oh well. Anyway, I have a study group I've got to get to. I'll see you later!" Layla turned on her heel and high-tailed it out of there, leaving me with the satchel of money.
I nervously opened it to investigate and gasped. T-ten gold?! Her father wanted to give me triple this?! That's too much! Even this amount is too much! It was just a simple healing spell! Even the orphanage would freak out if I gave them this money! Well… I guess I could use it to buy them treats and snacks… I did wish I had something to give them… Guess I should stop by a store before going to the orphanage…
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"Micha here! Micha here!" The little ones cheered as I entered the orphanage's main hall.
"Lord Micha, how delightful to see you!" June was busy helping to serve the kids as they sat down to a breakfast of porridge. "Would you care to join us?"
"Actually… I brought something for you all." I walked over to an empty part of the table and brought out the fresh fruits and nuts I had purchased from my storage. I had other things in my storage, but there was no point in bombarding them with things all at once. I could give them stuff here and there with each visit. Like something for them to look forward to. I didn't even use a fraction of the money either. I wasn't sure why Layla gave me so much, but I was happy to share the good fortune.
"Wh-what's all this?!" June asked as she looked at all the delicious produce I picked out.
"Someone gave me some money for healing them, and I thought I'd get you all something since I was visiting." I grinned. The kids all started going nuts over the fresh fruit. I knew they didn't get it terribly often, so I'm sure they'd enjoy it on their porridge.
"Are you sure?" June picked up one of the peaches and gave it a wide-eyed look of admiration.
"Absolutely." I pulled a small knife out of my storage and went about helping June and the few other caregivers carve up the fruit for the kids. I was rather sticky by the end of it, but I didn't mind at all. The kids were absolutely adorable as they gobbled up all their breakfast. "Tucker, how could you still look so down after getting to eat such delicious fresh berries?" I teased as I sat down across from him to clean my hands. He was by far the oldest kid here at the orphanage. I guess no adoptions ever panned out for him. I think he was about fourteen, so I doubt he'd be getting adopted by anyone now…
He ran a hand through his curly, dark brown hair and stared into his bowl for a second. "Guess I should be thankin' ya."
I giggled at his bad attempt at a thank you. "You're welcome. I'm glad you enjoyed them. Did anything interesting happen over the last week while I was in class?" I didn't see the point of stressing them out over my welfare, so I didn't mention the dungeon. I doubt they purchased newspapers anyways.
"Nope. Same thin' day after day here."
"That's not too bad. I wouldn't mind some monotony in my life." I could tell from Tucker's expression that he didn't understand what I said, but June had walked over, so I didn't get a chance to simplify my sentence.
"We can't thank you enough, Lord Micha." Gah! She really didn't need to give me a title or bow her head…
"It's no problem. I'm just glad you could all enjoy it. Oh, I almost forgot. Did you ask around?" I wanted her to see if any families in the area could use some medical treatment. I figured while I was here, I might as well make myself useful.
"Such a giving soul you are." June glanced over to Tucker, then back to me. "I did ask around, and I found two families that could use your kind offer. I have to keep an eye on our newest resident today, so I asked Tucker to take you there."
"Oh, perfect! That sounds great!" I smiled over at Tucker, and he quickly looked away from me. Hehe, was someone shy? "Do you need a moment, or shall we head out?"
"W-we can go now," Tucker said as he rose from his seat.
"Be nice, Tucker."
"Yes, Miss June," Tucker said as the tops of his ears went red. Hehe, so cute.
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Ronak
"Is all this truly necessary, my lord?" I turned slightly so I could glare at Gerard. I already told him the point of what we're doing, and I hate fucking repeating myself.
"Don't you think it's time to clear some skeletons from the ducal closet? Besides, we still haven't found where that bastard hid the paper trail." I jokingly grumbled as we wandered from shelf to shelf, looking at all the old shit that was in storage under the estate. It wasn't just old shit down here either. There were all sorts of dangerous items and contraband that we shouldn't have possession of. I knew about all the stuff at the main estate, but I rarely wandered down here. There was a lot of shit that my father had recently put down here. I knew where he was getting all the illegal stuff, too. I just needed solid evidence. Fuck, I can't wait until all this stuff blows up in his face.
"I guess there are some things that need to be removed." Gerard stopped to give a cage that contained a dead dog an annoyed look. Clearly, my father had forgotten about the dog and let it starve to death. Thankfully, it had died so long ago that the husk of what was left didn't stink. I'd hate to be down here during its prime decompositional state.
I was about to turn the corner when something caught my attention. Micha… was leaving the academy grounds, wasn't he? Where does he think he's off to? He should be resting and calming down. Not charging off to places-
The sound of metal drew my attention, and I tried to dodge as quickly as possible, but it was too late. A thin blade whipped forward and dug into my chest, making me angrily hiss. Had I not dodged at all, my father's annoying trap would have dug into my shoulder and possibly left my dominant hand useless. Thankfully, as I stepped back, it only managed to graze me, but that didn't mean it didn't hurt. "Fuck! I thought we removed all his shit!"
"Either something was missed, or he's sent someone down here to set up more. He could have caught wind of us snooping around down here." Gerard stepped closer and snapped the blade off the device, and looked over at me. "We should probably get that bandaged. Who's to say that he didn't lace the blade with something unpleasant?"
I let out an annoyed huff, but my head slowly rotated in the direction that Micha was in. Where the fuck is he going? "Fine. I'll have it bandaged. I'll be leaving the estate anyway." Shit, I felt so anxious knowing that he was wandering around the capital unsupervised. Granted, he was marked now and fully mine, but that didn't mean I wanted him to get into trouble. He should know better than to make me feel anxious.
"Don't you have plenty of paperwork to catch up on?" Gerard gave me a bit of an exasperated look, but I completely ignored him.
"There's always fucking work to be done." I snapped. "I'm sure it can wait a goddamn minute for me to look at it. There shouldn't be any pressing matters right now anyway."
Gerard let out a soft, defeated sigh. He and I both knew that the majority of my 'work' right now was simply corresponding with nobles from my territory as I filtered through the bastards. It needed to be done eventually, but waiting a few hours wouldn't hurt. Especially now that Micha's on the move. All he's going to do is distract me from my work anyway. "Then let's go get you bandaged."
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Micha
Tucker led me to the first house, which wasn't too far away from the orphanage. The father of the family had gotten his hand crushed while at work, and while it was quite the mess, I was able to restore mobility to his hand. It would be red and blotchy for quite some time, but leaving it untreated would have ended in grim results. "Where are we headed off to next?" I was feeling way better, and the tension inside my body had disappeared. Yeah, getting out of my dorm was a good decision.
"Wh-who'er you?" Tucker asked, which puzzled me. I turned around to investigate and let out a loud yelp. Wh-what was he doing here?!
"The real question is who are you and why are you dragging Micha around the capital?" Ronak stared down at Tucker with annoyed eyes, and poor Tucker just opened and closed his mouth a few times in shock.
I ran over right as Ronak went to grab Tucker's collar and stood between the two. "Wh-what do you think you're doing?!" I gasped.
"Why are you running around the capital with him?" Ronak asked again.
"Th-this is Tucker, he's a boy from the orphanage and-"
"That's not what I asked." Ronak snarled before quickly looking away. Gah! He doesn't even let anyone get a word out!
"He's g-guiding me to a commoner's house…"
"Why?" Ronak's eyes kept glancing at me, but would quickly dart away. What's up with him?
"T-to heal people that need it…" Don't tell me he was going to yell at me. His gaze turned sharp for a second before mellowing out.
"I'll come-"
"N-no!" A wave of irritation hit me before slowly dissipating. "Y-you make people nervous…"
"Do I make you nervous?" Yes…
"A-a little…" More like a lot… A wave of sadness washed over me, and I had to blink my eyes a little to clear my senses… That's so disorienting… Wh-why was Ronak sad? He never cared in the past about how I was feeling…
"Then I will stay outside." He wasn't letting go of the idea of joining us, was he? I didn't dare tell him otherwise, so I nodded my head and grabbed Tucker's hand, hauling him away from the scary alpha.
"Wh-where were we going, Tucker?" I asked, desperate to get this over with so I could flee back to my dorm.
"Th-this way…" He mumbled, clearly feeling as terrified as I was. He led me down a few quiet streets before leaning over and whispering to me. "Wh-who is he?" I wanted to respond with a monster, but didn't have enough of a death wish to follow through.
"An alpha…" I guess… he was technically mine now…, but I didn't want anything to do with him, so I refused to claim ownership. W-we might have a bond, but I refuse to admit that he's my alpha…
Tucker peeked behind us, but quickly turned around. Even I could tell simply by the gaze being bored into our backs that Ronak was scowling. Hmm… I must not have been able to sense every emotion of his because it was clear that he was mad, but I wasn't able to feel anything. Maybe it's just the strong ones?
"I-it should be this house…" Tucker said as he came to a stop. I nodded my head and glanced back at Ronak. He took a step back and didn't move as we approached the door.
Tucker knocked on the door, and an older woman with gray mixed through her light brown hair came to the door. "Welco- ah! The Goddess herself sends an angel to my doorstep." H-huh? W-was she talking about me?
Tucker seemed a bit confused for a moment, but he eventually managed to respond to our odd greeting. "Mrs. Wepen, this is Micha. Miss June talked to you earlier about his visit. She apologizes that she couldn't come herself, but we have a new baby at the orphanage."
"I couldn't possibly accept the healing of an angel; my family is hardly worthy." Mrs. Wepen's silvery-blue eyes wouldn't leave me, which was uncomfortable.
"I-I'm not an angel… I'm just a student attending the academy." I tried convincing her otherwise, but it didn't help.
"The archangel Michael is so incredibly humble." I wasn't sure why, but that name felt so… natural… Was it the extended version of my name or something? I'll have to ask my mother… Being called an archangel felt really weird, though…
"So, you don't want your son's injury looked at?" Tucker seemed incredibly confused, and I couldn't blame him. I was feeling the same way.
"To think that the archangel-"
"Either say yes or no, lady. We have places to be." A shiver ran down my spine as Ronak took a step closer to us. Apparently, he couldn't handle listening to Mrs. Wepen anymore.
"Ah… how unfortunate that a demon comes to my step as well…" Ronak took a slight step back, which I found a bit odd. Was he… bothered about being called a demon? "I will permit these two to enter my home, but not the likes of you. I don't wish to welcome you or your kind into my life; things tend to go sour when demons appear." It took everything in me not to snicker. Mrs. Wepen might have been talking nonsense, but she got one thing right. Things did go sour when Ronak got involved.
"What happened to your son?" I asked in an attempt to distract myself from laughing.
"So kind of you to ask. He works at a logging company and had a twenty-foot tree land on him. He was engaged, but his fiancée ran the moment he got hurt. She didn't think he was going to live." Mrs. Wepen walked us back to a small room where her son was. The moment we entered the room, my concern tripled.
Most of his body was wrapped in bandages, and many of them needed to be changed. The fact that this man was still holding onto life was a miracle. I didn't even have to use my spell God's Eyes to see how bad of shape he was in. His chest looked almost… pressed in, and every breath he took was a death rattle…
"Tucker, go inform Ronak that it's going to take a while… I can't guarantee anything, but I will try my best. Please leave me to work. I will exit the room when done." Tucker didn't look thrilled by his assignment, but I didn't want Ronak barging in here.
"Yes, of course, archangel." Stop calling me that! Mrs. Wepen left with Tucker and closed the door behind herself.
I took a deep breath to calm my nerves and stepped forward. There could be no more hesitation. I needed to act, and I needed to act now. Even if the patient didn't live, I would do my absolute best. I brought the bandage scissors from my storage and got to work.
I had no idea how much time had passed, but that didn't stop me. It was like piecing an intricate puzzle back together. First, I started with bones. The things that gave structure to the human body. It became clear to me as I worked that he took the impact from behind because his spine and ribcage were a mess. It would be a literal miracle if he could walk again. Even his skull had a decent-sized crack running along it. His brain seemed fine, but for a tree to cause that much damage is frightening. Then I moved on to repairing his muscles as much as possible. They were all sorts of torn and misshapen in places from the brutal impact of the tree. His vascular system had been ripped and shredded in places, so I did my best to repair it. I'll definitely have to brush up my knowledge on it because I felt the least confident while putting it back together. Lastly, now that everything was returned to where it belonged, I went about checking on his internal organs. Many had been battered, bruised, and even pierced by ribs, so there was plenty of work to be done.
By the time I got done, I was exhausted. I only used maybe a quarter of my mana, but the sheer time and brain effort it required left me ready for a nap. It wasn't easy stuff either. I had to merge two spells so I could see what I was doing and heal him. I can't say he's going to live, but at least he has a better chance now. Even his breathing sounds lighter and more even-paced. Not the horrifying rattle I walked into. I cleaned off my hands and opened the bedroom door.
Tucker was sitting on the sofa, looking nervous, while Mrs. Wepen was down on her knees, praying to the gods and goddesses. "I'm done. There's nothing else I can do for him. It's up to him now if he'll live or die."
Mrs. Wepen looked up at me with teary eyes. "I'm positive that he will live thanks to your work, archangel Michael." Again with that name… It made me feel oddly… irritated… "Thank you! Thank you so much!"
"Y-you're welcome." I glanced out the window and saw that it was almost midday. "We'd better be going, Tucker needs to get back to the orphanage." I also wanted out of there. Something about Mrs. Wepen made my skin… itchy… The realization of what was waiting for us outside was rather upsetting, though…
I was grateful that Mrs. Wepen didn't try to get us to take anything, but she did thank me way too much. S-stop calling me an angel! It's weird! "What took so long?" Ronak grumbled as he sat up from the fence he was leaning on.
"Th-the patient was in a critical condition and needed intense medical treatment…" Why was I having to explain myself to him? He should have just left while I was busy.
"Will he live?" Ronak walked over to me and stared down at me with curious eyes. Does he have no concept of a personal bubble? H-he was all up in mine!
"I-it will depend on how his body reacts… I-I did the best I could, but there's a chance he could still die…" Why did Ronak care?
"Then why waste your time healing someone who's going to die anyway?" I looked up at his curious eyes for a moment before glancing over to Tucker, who looked uncomfortable. Talk about being insensitive. Tucker was an orphan whose parents left him behind. Were people not welcome to second chances?
"B-because everyone deserves a chance…" What sort of questions was that? Did he expect me to turn my back and let someone die just because there was a chance they could die after my efforts? Ronak and I… live two very different lives… don't we? "Tucker, sh-shall we get you back to the orphanage?" I grabbed Tucker's hand and started walking off, but Ronak's hand grabbed mine, pulling me back over to him. Eep!
"Why are you holding his hand?" Ronak snapped, causing Tucker to take a few steps away from us. He wrapped his arms around me and growled gently. W-was Ronak… j-jealous?
"H-he's a child!" Ronak can't be serious, right?
"He's not a child. He's old enough to wield a weapon and become an esquire or rookie adventurer." Ronak's arms slightly tightened around me. "Stop holding other men's hands." Th-this was a joke, right? The wave of annoyance that was washing over me told a completely different story. Ronak did not see this as a joke…
"P-please let me go. I-I won't hold his hand…" Tucker looked insanely confused as he took another step away from us. I, however, couldn't believe how much Ronak was overreacting. Tucker was only around fourteen. I wouldn't describe that as being an adult.
Ever so slowly, Ronak released me, but kept a firm grasp on my hand. Maybe Ronak was right about Tucker being an adult because he was acting far more mature than Ronak was. "Lead the way." Ronak snapped while glaring at Tucker.
Tucker turned and practically ran off, but we were able to keep up with him. Thankfully, we weren't too far from the orphanage because being dragged by Ronak wasn't terribly fun. I thought you were all concerned about me, and now you're pulling my arm out of its socket.
"You two are back fast… Tucker? Stop running around the main hall! Someone could get hurt- Ah… H-hello, who might you be? Micha?" Tucker ran off into the orphanage to hide, leaving me trapped. Wait! I want to run away too! June's eyes curiously glanced between Ronak and me, but eventually drifted down to our interlocked hands.
"H-hello, June… S-sorry about Tucker…" This big jerk scared him. I-I'm scared too! I still haven't been able to figure out why he's here!
"How did things go?" June's attention didn't drift from Ronak, but it was clear neither he nor I was going to bother to introduce him.
"Th-they went fine…" I would have given her more details, but I was just so tense with Ronak hovering around. This was my safe place. Somewhere I'd go when I needed to be away from the academy and he… was tarnishing it…
The door to the play yard opened, and three of the little girls wandered in. They had to be around two or three, but the trio were best friends and just completely adorable. "Micha!"
"Micha back!"
"Bub-bles!" Hehe, when they saw me, their faces lit up and they excitedly toddled over to me. Despite being incredibly stressed, I couldn't help but crack a smile. How could I not when three cuties were coming my way?
"My-kuh! I made giff for fwoot!" I squatted down to be more level with Pyper and her friends. To my surprise, Ronak released my hand, but kept a close eye on the interaction.
"You made me a gift? That's so nice of you, Pyper! Did your friends help?" I couldn't help but smile brightly. They were so cute!
"Ahuh! Tada!" Pyper pulled a little bouquet of dandelions out from behind her back and presented them to me. They were looking a bit squished from being handled by a toddler, but I couldn't have been more pleased by the five yellow flowers people considered to be weeds. I didn't think they were bothersome at all. I'd pick them when I was little to make flower crowns and bracelets for me and my mother. Maybe I'll show them how to make them in a couple of years…
"They're so pretty! I love them! Thank you! Can I tell you three a secret?" Their eyes went wide, and they nodded their heads in excitement.
"Se-cwet?!" The girls muttered to one another. I knew they weren't going to keep it, and I didn't care. It wasn't much of a secret anyway.
"Yeah, it's a big secret," I said while pretending to be serious. "I've got a lot more goodies in my storage, but," Their excitement was palpable as they gasped and shared excited glances. "I'll give them out next time I see you all, okay? Too many goodies in one day is bad for you." I reached out and patted Pyper's head, but felt Ronak's gaze turn a little accusatory towards me. H-hey… They were growing kids. I was an adult. A little sugar here and there isn't that bad for me…
"Okay! Supah se-cwet safe with us!" I giggled and rose to my feet, but was surprised as Ronak grabbed my hand again. "Who dat?" Pyper asked as if just noticing the large, glaring monster beside me.
"Th-this is Ronak… he attends the academy with me." I smiled, but it was far more tense than the smiles that adorned my face a moment ago.
"You wike?" She asked while pointing to our hands. Ehh… why did she have to ask that question? No, no, I don't like him, but I can't say that out loud. Gah! Wh-what do I say?! D-do I lie?, but I don't want to lie…
To my surprise, Ronak squatted down and looked at the three girls for a second. "You ask a lot of questions." Pyper must have thought that was a good thing because she let out a giggle and happily beamed at his scary face. Wh-why did the kids not find him scary? Did they not have eyes? "Why did you give Micha flowers?"
"He put fwoot on my pouwige." I could tell Ronak was a bit confused because he gave Pyper a weird look.
"Micha brought fruit for all the kids at the orphanage to enjoy on their breakfast porridge," June said to help translate.
Ronak didn't even look up at June as she spoke. Honestly, he looked like a beast observing something peculiar. "What kind of fruit did you have?"
"Bewwies!" Pyper smiled excitedly and smacked her mouth as if still able to taste the sweet berries.
Apparently, Ronak's curiosity had been piqued because he stood back up and snatched my hand before I could hide it. "Let's go. You have a man's blood on you, and you seem too warm in that shirt." I blinked in surprise as Ronak dragged me away. He wasn't wrong, but I never agreed to go with him…
I didn't want to cause a scene, so I quickly turned back to June and waved goodbye at her. "Wh-where do you think you're taking me?" I asked now that we were out on the busy streets.
Ronak paused for a moment to give me a confused look. He pulled me up into his arms and ducked down an alley before melting down into his travel spell. I panicked and tried to flee his arms, but his grip only tightened. "Your ears work, do they not? We're going to get you some clothes that aren't covered in blood and don't look ridiculous on you. It's hot outside. Why are you wearing a turtleneck when you're uncomfortable?"
H-he knew I was uncomfortable because of the heat? Just what was our bond informing him?! I looked down at my shirt and sure enough, it had some blood on it. I did have to lean across the guy to take bandages off his far arm, so I have to imagine I got it on me then. I looked up at Ronak, who seemed distracted by his spell, and noticed that his bond mark arced up the left side of his neck. "Y-you're not hiding your mark?"
Ronak glanced down at me, but returned his attention to the spell. "Is that why you're wearing such a ridiculous shirt?" H-he didn't have to be so mean… "I'm not hiding it because I have nothing to hide." I… guess he was the one who chose to mark me… Not that I understood in the slightest…
"I-I don't want people to know yet…" Or ever, but that probably wasn't an option.
"Clearly." Ronak brought a hand up and tugged on my collar. "You're making things unnecessarily hard, but I'll play along for now." H-he would? That was oddly… nice of him…
"Thanks…"
"I noticed you don't stutter around others, but you stutter when I'm present." D-did I say he was nice? I take it back. What was I even supposed to say to that? It was his fault that I felt so nervous…
"S-sorry…" That was the best I could do. I was incredibly overwhelmed and frightened because of him. If anyone was to blame for my inability to speak, it was him.
"You don't need to apologize." The strange feeling of moving passed, and Ronak emerged from the red goo with me. We were back in the nobles' district, which made me nervous. I didn't want anyone to see me with Ronak. "I had my attendant make an appointment for us so we wouldn't be bothered." H-he did?! When? He's been with me the entire time!