Chapter XVII – H for Heat
Arthur moaned in pain and felt something in him burn his insides. God, why did he have to go through this every damn month! It hurts like hell and he becomes so pathetically useless! But that's the curse of being an Omega and still a virgin at 16: Having your Heat periods.
Why did Fate hate him so much that she made him an Omega? And a crap one at that!
"I want to die …" The Omega whined in a low mutter, burying himself in his bed covers, sweating buckets and gripping his stomach as the pain shot through again.
"Not on my watch, brat."
Arthur flinched as he recognised the distinct smell of his Alfa brother. Glancing up, he glared hatefully at the teasing smirk of Patrick. Why did they guy have to be the only damn doctor in their family?! At the young age of 24, Patrick Ryan Kirkland, the eldest of Bridget's children, has just come out of medical school a couple of years early (he skipped a few grades) and with a top of his year degree. Yeah, having a genius brother can be infuriating. It's nothing to be surprised about. The Kirklands are strong Alfas and that doesn't just mean "Strength". They are all extremely skilled in whatever they do … so long as it doesn't involve cooking. How else would their Clan have reached the top and become so feared and respected?
And in comparison to all those amazing Alfas … Arthur is just a stupid weak Omega who still gets his Heat periods! Heat periods are something Omegas start getting when they grow fertile and able to give birth. Usually it starts at puberty at the age of 13-14. It's painful and it happens once every month for more or less a week, depending on the person. It is an effect of the body seeking the need to reproduce as Omegas have evolved into a breeding race and as such their bodies react to that need aggressively. The way to solve this is either to wait until it passes. Or to have a sexual relation with an Alfa. Only once is enough since after that, the body stabilises thanks to the Alfa particles that remain from the intercourse. It's like a hormone that only Alfas can provide Omegas but once done, the Heat periods become more regular and a lot less painful. They then turn into just normal periods with normal bloodshed and nothing more.
Most Omegas try to mate as soon as after their second Heat because of how painful it is. They don't even care whom with as long as it can stop. But of course, Arthur is a proud arrogant stubborn idiot and refuses to submit to any Alfa no matter how much pain he goes through! And that is currently why Alfas are all banned from approaching him, even family, for this whole week. Aside from Patrick who, as a doctor, keeps a close eye on him and tries to help ease the pain with medicine he specially prepared himself. Patrick's field of study right now is to find a drug that can ease the pain of Omegas and provide them the Alfa hormones their bodies need when in Heat, without forcing them into sexual intercourse. After all, it's situations like these that give Alfas the opportunity to oppress Omegas as they will. That and a bitchy (more than usual) Arthur is not something the Kirklands deeply enjoy.
"Here, kid. Drink this."
Arthur glanced suspiciously at the odd coloured drink. Is it supposed to be purple with bubbles coming out of it?
"Another one of your test-runs? I'm not a guinea pig, you know?"
"Well, I don't exactly have a willing in-heat Omega every day to test with, so be a good boy and drink the medicine! Doctor's orders! Relax, you know I would never poison you. I did test it before handing it to you."
"Yeah like you tested all the previous tries. They worked like fucking magic!" Arthur rolled his eyes before cringing in pain at a sudden shudder and the crushing of his guts melting like magma.
"Don't be stubborn and trust me. If it doesn't work, I'll try something else. Please, Arthur?" Patrick whispered in his most gentle voice. He knew how to deal with patients but he always found it fascinating the way to soothe an irritated Omega in heat. Seriously … if Omegas were as stubborn as his brother in enduring pain just out of plain principles and pride of not submitting to Alfas … then the world would be governed by Omegas. It's unbelievable the pain they must go through. As an Alfa, Patrick could sympathise but he knew he would never understand it.
Reluctantly, Arthur drank the medicine. Sticking his tongue out at the bitter taste and turning away immediately as he rolled himself into a foetus ball under his covers. Despite his boiling fever, he felt as chilled as if he were in a bleeding blizzard. Fucking Omega hormones!
"Done! Now Leave!" He ordered and his older brother was quick to respond.
With a sigh, Patrick left his younger brother to his lonely agony as he walked back down the stairs to report to his family. He knew that an Alfa presence too close to Arthur for too long was only making the pain worse. Even if the Alfas are family, their scent is a torture to Arthur in the state that he is in. And anyway, none of the Alfa Kirklands wanted to have to deal with Arthur's 100-increased-temper when he's in this condition.
"Well?"
Patrick glanced up as he was pulled into the circle of people gathered in their living room. He shook his head with a sigh.
"I gave him my newest drug but we'll have to wait to see if it will have any effect or not."
"None of your previous ones worked." William groaned before getting shot an angry glare by the ginger haired.
"Well, it's not like anyone has worked on this before me! I'm not continuing a field of research already in place! I'm starting from scratch! Why don't you try it if you're so confident?"
"Enough! This is no time for petty arguments!" Bridget ended her boys' argument. "I need to go to work now and so does everyone else. We'll just have to wait and see. And if it doesn't work, we'll deal with Arthur as usual."
"Veee … What does as usual mean?"
Many sets of greens and blues settled on the worried Italian. Somehow, his aura felt unstable, as if edging between Alfa and Omega. It felt odd and disturbing for most people in the room.
"It's alright, Feli-dear! Arthur is just going to be really grumpy and in a lot of pain for a few days but it will pass. Sadly, there is nothing we can do except give him space. He can't have us, Alfas, near him in those times. It makes him even crankier. You know how Heat periods work, don't you?"
Feliciano nodded before lowering his head in defeat. He knew. He had heard of it but never really witnessed it for himself. He could not begin to imagine what Arthur was enduring all alone. He wished he could swap places with Arthur. He wished he could ease his friend's pain. He wished he had arrived earlier on that incident at the Wangs and maybe Arthur would not have undergone a pre-mature Heat-period. Stress can occasionally cause unstable heat-periods and make them come earlier than expected. Plus, this Heat looked worse than normal, probably due to Arthur over-exerting himself all the time. After all, forcing an Alfa dominance from your body when you know that your heats are approaching is never a good idea.
"I … I should have realised … I'm sorry …" Matthias apologised again. How many times has it been now?
All the Kohlers and the Kirklands had gathered here along with little Feliciano, rushing back to the Kirkland household straight from the Wang's property and without warning.
"Don't worry Matthias! You couldn't have known! Hell, none of us knew and you know how Arthur never likes to reveal his weakness." Edward Kirkland smiled kindly at the guilt-struck Dane. "You did an excellent job in realising what the problem was and reacting accordingly. I thank you for that."
Matthias nodded but his expression showed that he was not convinced. Feliciano watched him and also all the others. So many Alfas in one room and they are all so powerless. Amazing how the strongest of men becomes utterly weak when situations get out of his reach. Nature is a tough opponent!
"In heat? He fainted due to his heat?" Francis gasped as he, Kiku and Matthew listened to Feliciano's retaling.
They were supposed to only be Feliciano, Francis, Matthew and Kiku. But somehow, Antonio (normal for him to be concerned as he was one to have witnessed the event), Lovino, Gilbert, Ludwig, Alfred and Ivan were also gathered around the Italian, listening to his every word like a mantra. Lukas was around too but only as an observer and to keep an eye on them. Their strange little group attracted the whole school's attention. It was fascinating to see all those different races, Alfas, Betas, and Omegas, melt together as they all felt concerned by the same topic. And for once, the Alfas were not being jerks. The Betas were not cold-hearted machines. The Omegas were not weeping uselessly like they normally would and kept straight faces. For once, all these different races were moving with a common reaction and it was probably an impression but Feliciano felt that they could finally understand each other!
"So that's why …" Antonio whispered to himself, though he didn't know if he felt relieved or even more worried. He had feared the worse and that it might have been his fault. But now he didn't know what to think anymore. None of the Alfas did. For the first time in their lives, they finally realised how little they knew or cared for Omegas. Only now do they understand how painful the life and struggles of an Omega could be. And how powerless Alfas truly are. For Betas like Kiku and Francis, they had normal periods and never got Heats due to their constitution. But now, they realise how fortunate they are and how much they … care of their Omega friend's fate. Essentially, the only one not worried or freaking out was Matthew and consequentially, it was odd but he was growing more and more present as his invisible weak self was slowly fading.
"What's with all of you? Can you stop making such pitiful faces?" He snapped and suddenly, everyone looked at him in astonishment. They almost thought that he was Alfred from the strong tone of his voice.
"M-Matthew? Hey man, don't freak us out like that …" Alfred tried to force a smile on his crestfallen face but instead, he got punched by his brother.
He got … PUNCHED … by his brother.
That was unheard of.
Matthew felt a sudden surge of anger course through him. He understood Arthur's ordeal perfectly since because of this jerk of a brother of his, he never got a boyfriend or any kind of physical contact with other Alfas! It sickened him that Alfred, who never gave a damn about his own heat-periods, was suddenly acting all sappy and compassionate! It revolted him to see those Alfas who couldn't care less for the reason why Omegas often ask them out and how they bang them without any concern, would only now realise the reasons and the desperation of those Omegas! And they dare to look over Arthur's situation with pity?!
"Did you just … punch me?" Alfred muttered though there was no anger in his voice, only shock.
Matthew growled angrily and for a moment, he reminded everyone of Arthur. Except his aura was still one of an Omega. An angry Omega. And his furious state was causing an odd feeling in the Alfas present, like an old instinct that kicked in only when in presence of your angry mate. Matthew is not mated but he has been hanging around those Alfas for so long that he became almost like the equivalent of a mate, allowing the Alfas to not feel irritated all the time by the lack of Omega presence around them. They never noticed but now, they felt suddenly tiny in front of Matthew's anger. The natural instinct of an Alfa to protect the Omega. Most people forget this but if Omegas ever decided to rebel, they could easily take over charge of society.
Because an Alfa cannot argue against an angry Omega.
The reason this doesn't occur often is because Omegas tend to naturally have a submissive attitude and a huge patience. And Matthew beats the records in patience! He has to live with Alfred every day, that must count for something! And that is the first time in his entire life, that Matthew feels such anger in him. And the first time he lets it out.
"Yeah! I punched you! What are you going to do? Beat me up?" Matthew smirked and felt an overwhelming sense of power in him as he saw the stunned state of his brother. Alfred could not even move. He wasn't afraid but he just could not move.
"All of you … all I see is the pity and misplaced compassion in your eyes. So now you realise that Omegas don't have it easy! Big deal! If we wanted pity, we would have complained about it already! Do you think Arthur would want you to pity him? Do you think we should be pitied? We don't feel ashamed of having our heats! It gives us pain and to some it also brings humiliation. But we won't accept pity, especially from Alfas!" Matthew shouted angrily at them.
"Alfred, you never bothered taking notice of my condition whenever I'm in heat! You never ask! You don't even realise that I'm not attending school during those times! And now all of a sudden you feel like playing the good little Samaritan? Well it's too little too late!"
"M-Mathew … I understand your anger but maybe you should calm down …" Francis patted his younger step-brother's shoulder but he got shoved away.
"Calm down? No! I've been calm my entire life! I can accept and endure many things but I will not stand for such humiliation! You all have no idea of what it feels like to have your insides burn while feeling as cold as ice! You have no idea the pain and excitement your fucking Alfa scent causes to us and how delirious it makes us! You think those Omegas that come up to you for a one-night-stand are just for fun? They had to swallow back their pride in order to qualm the agonising pain! Every damn month! I'm 16 and I'm still, like Arthur, having this hell every month! Because of fucked up Alfa concepts that would make me unclean for marriage if I were to have sex beforehand! Do you know what century this is?! You all make me sick! And you dare think that you should pity us? We don't need pity! We need … no, we want respect! It's not like can't endure the pain! You little whiny Alfas would never have lasted more than a day if you had to have heats like us! And you still thing you're that strong? You still think you can protect us when you are all panicking like lost puppies over a simple Heat incident? You're all pathetic!"
Matthew slowly calmed his breath and in the stunned silence that followed, the Canadian Omega realised exactly what he had just said and immediately, his shy and timid personality kicked in as he stuttered an apology for losing his cool like that. The rest of the day, each and every one reflected on their past actions and beliefs, slowly, seeds of doubt and trust started to spread in their hearts. Doubt of what they had always known and thought as an absolute truth. And trust in people they would never have even thought possible to even familiarise with.
Races don't mix.
As teens mulled over their thoughts, Alfas, Betas and Omegas all thought the same thing:
Why not?
AN: I'd like to thank all of you reviewing and following this story! Your comments always make me delighted so thank you all!
Also, I am trying to make it in time for Christmas with a Christmas chapter but I don't know if I'll make. Which means that I'm putting my other on-going stories on stand-by for the moment.
Why did I impose myself a deadline? I'm an idiot.