Chapter 9

The steam from the breakfast porridge sifted through the cold room. Another artic night replaced by the morning dawn. Covered in his blanket, Aaron stared down at the bowl. His mind tracing back to last night with Zane.

"That was before she disappeared."

Those words playing on repeat for the last three days. He remembered Zane telling him that he too would have disappeared if he fought the man from the Gala.

"What did he mean by that?" Aaron stirred his food with a spoon. It didn't make any sense to him.

"If his mother is dead he should just say so."

He dropped the utensil. The food splattering a bit against the table top.

Aaron wasn't feeling particularly hungry.

He had woken up that morning feeling a bit off. It had reached a freezing point over night.

"Maybe it's a cold?" He gripped the blanket as he wrapped it tighter around his body.

"She disappeared".

Aaron thought about it over and over. When he had asked Zane what he meant, he wasn't given an answer.

He tilted his head up.

He actually hadn't heard or seen any other Omega living in the house. Nor was there a single portrait of a mother figure for the two Alphas.

He threw himself back onto his bed and rolled himself up.

"Why should I care. It's not like I'm a part of this household." He pressed his face onto the sheets.

His view of the Alpha Brothers had changed in the month he had started living there.

Zeke seemed to be an overbearing and overly friendly guy while Zane was the opposite. He didn't quite seem all there; and if he was then he was a typical rich person. Living in his own world.

Aaron tried to concentrate but couldn't. He started to feel light headed again.

Covering his head with the blanket he sighed.

A knock came at the door.

"Aaron. Please Pardon me but you are being summoned by Lord Fletch."

Aaron peeked his head out.

"Zane?"

Anna's eyes were wide. She shook her head slowly giving a serious look.

Aaron pulled himself out of his little nest.

"Super". He mumbled as he stood on the cold floor.

Walking down to the main parlor, Lord Fletch was sitting in his usual arm chair while the same doctor who had examined him on his first day stood next to him.

The Lord didn't say a word.

The doctor, a frail man who looked to be in his late sixties, came over to him.

"Good morning Mr. Winter. I am sorry you had to be woken up so early. I am here on behalf of the Fletch family to give you your monthly examination."

He lead Aaron to the physicians room.

"Monthly examination?" Aaron questioned.

"It is customary that an examination be done every month for you since I've been told you've been with your Alpha. And a few times at that". He winked and nudged Aaron with his elbow.

Aaron gave a disgusted smile.

Walking into the room he had Aaron sit on the examination table.

"And since you've been with an Alpha it is precautionary to check you for any signs of disease, problems or even the possibility of pregnancy."

Aaron scrunched his nose at the word.

He and Zane were the only two that knew they hadn't actually had relations. Aside from Zeke who had his suspicions.

He laid down as instructed. His back against the cold examination table. He felt like he was running a slight fever. The waves of the cold metalic material felt refreshing.

Aaron looked at the ceiling trying to bring his attention to anything other than a pair of hands poking and prodding him.

"Hey doc, I was wondering you were able to get me some cold medicine perhaps?

"Cold medicine?"

Aaron continued looking around the room.

"Yea, see I've had a headache since this morning, I think I might be coming down with somthing."

The doctor sat back a little in his stool. He peeled the gloves off.

"If you don't mind I'll be right back." He stood up.

"Go ahead and put your bottoms back on I'm all done", He smiled back at the Omega as he shut the door behind him.

Aaron hopped down and dressed himself.

He flopped back down in a nearby chair and wait. And waited. AND waited.

The Imega started to feel a twinge of anxiety.

He walked over to the door and cracked it a bit to get a better look.

Throught the Crack he was able to hear some muffled voices. Aaron strained to listen only to be startled by one of his guard dogs looking back at him.

He shut the door.

Aaron began to pace around the small area.

A few minutes later the door opened up as the doctor came back through.

"Alright you are all good to go."

The Omega gave him a questionable look.

"Are you sure? I mean what about my cold?"

The doctor smiled.

"No need to worry, you are perfectly healthy, just be sure to drink plenty of fluids!" His voice a little more chipper than when he left.

All Aaron could do was nod.

The doctor gathered his things and left down the corridor to the right.

Aaron to the left.

He had never been more happy to be back in his room. He fell onto the bed on his side. Laying down made the world stop turning. His headache seemed to be soothed by his fetal position.

Anna had watched by the door with a bit of concern on her face. She closed it silently letting Aaron be.

---

"Mom? Mommy?" A young Aaron opened the door to his parents room. His mother, laying on a large mattress on the floor, she had wrapped herself with as many blankets as she could.

"Mom are you sick?" Aaron made his way over to her as he placed his small hand on her forehead.

He watched her breath harshly as her cheeks had flushed red like a fever, her forehead felt as if she was on fire.

"Mommy...should I go get daddy?" Aaron asked. His voice trembled slightly as if he was about to cry.

His mother turned to look at him.

"No baby, I'm alright. Come here", she forced a smile, beckoning Aaron to crawl next to her.

She laid looking at him. He recalled the sweat on her forehead as her brown hair stuck to it. Beads falling down her cheek.

She took her slender finger and traced Aaron's face, around his eyes, the bridge of his nose. Her calming gestures calming him down. He looked at the bags under her eyes and her painful expressions which seemed to come in waves.

"Does it hurt?" He asked as he stared at her face.

Both set of blue eyes looking at one another.

"Mommy is going to be fine. You don't have to worry about her." She smiled to give her son some reassurance.

She pulled Aaron into a tight squeeze. Nuzzling her face in his brown hair.

"Just you being here makes me feel better".

Aaron hugged her back. His smile stretching across his face.

"Don't worry mom, I'll be right here".

"Aaron?" His mother called out to him.

He didn't reply.

"Aaron? Aaron?"

His mother's voice slipped away as it was replaced with a different one.

Slowly opening his eyes, Aaron came face to face with Anna. She had knelt to his bed side. The same concerned look.

"Aaron I know you're not feeling well, but you need to get up."

She softly spoke to him.

He groggily looked at her and then shifted his gaze around the room. The sun had just begun to set, the room had dimmed.

"How long was I out?" He asked, lifting himself to an upright position.

He felt a dizzy spell coming on: clutching his head in his hands.

"Aaron. They are here to take you to Lord Zane".

The Omega was having a hard time concentrating on Anna's words.

He frowned, trying to comprehend what she was saying.

Anna's voice became lower than a whisper.

"You are experiencing a heat cycle. At least that is what they are telling me."

In that moment those words snapped Aaron back to reality: if only for a moment. His heart began beating rapidly.

He began to panic as he quickly looked to his left then his right.

"C-calm down a second" Anna reached out to touch his arm.

Aaron pulled back. He glared at her.

Turning over to his left he opened up a small drawer on his night table.

A small white tablet lay at the bottom.

Picking it up, Aaron thought back to when Zeke had given it to him.

"It's all I have..." He mumbled.

"Aaron?" Anna peeked over him to see what he was going.

As quickly as he could he tossed back the pill and swallowed.

"What did you do?!" Anna began to panic.

This caused some of the other maids to panic as well.

He grabbed Anna's arm.

"I'm fine". He tried to reassure her.

The panic in the room died down as well.

"I really hope you were right Zeke". Aaron thought to himself.

Anna and a couple other maids got him up.

He didn't realize how far along he was until he was standing. His body had felt clammy and weak. His heightened senses made him be on alert. A twinge around his stomach made him hold himself.

"I don't think the pill is going to work". He grit his teeth.

Anna and some others had carefully lead Aaron to the same chambers once again. From the outside Aaron stiffened.

Anna knocked, announcing to Zane that Aaron had arrived.

The doors opened and the servants had set Aaron on the small couch. They bid Adeu to Zane and shut the doors. A noticeable clicking noise echoed.

"What was that?" Aaron asked. Clutching his body.

"They locked the doors". Even Zane was confused.

He looked at Aaron.

"Hey...you don't look too.."

"Stop!" Aaron shot a hand out at Zane.

"It's my heat cycle". He breathed heavily.

Zane's expression changed. He whipped his head to his bedroom doors.

It was finally clicking.

"Well?" Aaron asked between breaths.

He was trying to hold out as long as possible.

"What do I do?" "What should I do?"

Zane looked at him.

He didn't reply right away.

"I...I don't know". He managed to speak.

"Well what did the other...Omegas do while in their heat in your presence?" His face now burning up.

Zanes eyes widened.

"They never were around long enough to go into their heat cycle.

Aaron almost stopped breathing.

Now in this enclosed space. It had become a dangerous situation.