The Omega Eclipse (Book Two of the Omega Game Series)

Chapter 2

Katala

    “Baltus!” I exclaimed in happiness when I finally saw him step into the palace. I ran the last steps of the stairs that led me to him and threw myself to the tall Alpha.  He laughed, catching me in midair and spinning me around while I laughed loudly, feeling the entire world spin around me. When he put me down I started jumping up and down in excitement, “did you bring them?”

    Baltus lifted his eyebrows as if he had no idea what I was talking about. I didn’t know from what hole Baltus had come out this time but he was covered in dust from head to toes. His thick black beard looked unruly and unkept, his face darkened after many hours under the sun. I could only presume his job as a Blacksmith Master and tutor of the young princes was hard, but he usually looked a lot more...bathed when I saw him. Either way I could hug him again for all I cared. He was like everyone’s grandpa and he always remembered to bring my favorite sweet rice cakes when he visited.

    “I don’t know what you are talking about Little Flower,” he said innocently and it was Nira’s turn to jump over me and hug herself to his other arm. Her red hair looked positively wild after our bath. Her curls bounced when she gave Baltus a smile that was all dimples.

    “Did you remember to bring me Basbousa?” asked Nira, fanning her thick eyelashes and Baltus laughed, eyeing us both and then pointing at his back with a thumb. Nira and I frowned at each other and looked over Baltus’s back to…Oh no. Nira was the one to curl her lip in disgust, “What are they doing here?”

    I didn’t say anything, but seriously, what were they doing here? Standing by the threshold between the front doors of the palace and the entrance of the gardens were Noctis and Aros. They looked equally dirty and darkened by the sun. The leather of their armors were covered in mud and Aros’s brown hair was several tones lighter by what it seemed to be chalk. I was afraid to ask where that chalk has come from. Even dirty, covered in dust and chalk they still looked...powerful.

    Noctis had grown another head taller and his large shoulders had widened even more. His black hair appeared to be blacker than the night and spotless, a real miracle considering the state of uncleanness in which they were all in. When I looked at him his black eyes zeroed back on me. They seemed to flicker with that strange spark of black fire I could see in his pupils when we were close. His scent hit me at once and-confused and afraid -I took a step closer to Baltus, searching for the older Alpha’s strength. Noctis’s strong scent of aggression only seemed to grow and Baltus sighed, pushing his head back and staring at his grandchildren.

    “Noctis, can you stop that? You are frightening little Katala,”said Baltus, who gave me a reassuring smile that I mirrored at once, “apologies Little Flower, Noctis is currently experiencing some aggressive outbursts. A normal sickness every boy suffers on their way to adulthood.”

    “But is he going to be alright?” I asked worriedly, swallowing nervously at the memory of the voices’s warning. Could it be he was already sick? Oh Gods, I really needed to do what the voices told me to do that night. To my surprise Baltus only tilted his head back and laughed.

    Noctis pushed his grandfather away from me, positioning himself between us before throwing a bag full of sweet rice cakes at me. My favorite ones, with extra almonds on top. I smiled, catching the bag and looking from him to Baltus.

    “Thank you! You remembered,” my smile only turned bigger when Noctis’s eyes darkened, strangely focusing on my smile. I grew shy under his intense stare and started chewing at my lower lip, a nervous gesture of mine. His forehead creased for a moment and then his black eyes focused on his brother, who was at his side, trying to win a stare down contest against my cousin. Currently I didn’t know who was winning and who was losing. Nira crossed her arms over her chest, raising an eyebrow at Aros. Aros’s blue eyes seemed to blaze in irritation.

    “Do you realize this is my home? Mine, Valnira, not yours. I can come and go how many times I want because it’s my palace, not your palace,” he gnashed his fangs at her, a snarl that was also a warning, “and who the hell likes Basbousa either way? Do you have any idea what we had to do to get your Basbousa?”

    “I don’t know Aros,” said Nira with an ironic smile, “ you usually go to a vendor and buy them, but I’m guessing by the mud covering your face that you can’t even get that straight.”

    “You are always so f*****g ungrateful!” he growled at her and Nira narrowed her light blue eyes at him.

    “Aros! Watch your language!” growled Baltus, but Aros only seemed to be paying attention to Nira.

    “Say that again, I dare you,” she said coldly, taking a step closer with an aggressive air.

    “Or what?” he snapped, curling his upper lip in another threatening snarl.

    “Or nothing!” she screamed back at him and then rolled her eyes at the prince, “you are not worthy of my time either way.”

    “I’m done,” Aros threw the bag of Basbousa he had been carrying like a treasure to Nira, who picked the bag and managed to hiss at Aros at the same time. They both circled each other like a pair of hungry wolves. I tried to move and stop them from fighting each other but Noctis halted me, grabbing my hand and pushing me back, to his side. I gasped at the contact against his skin. He was burning hot and his body felt like stone at my touch. My cheeks flushed and bewildered by the sensations I looked down. To my surprise Noctis growled at me and his hand squeezed my own with a possessive tug.

    “Why don’t we all take a step back from the little Omegas, hmm?” intervened Baltus right then, making me breathe easier, I couldn't understand what was happening to Noctis and Aros but they weren’t usually this aggressive around us. Baltus raised his voice over Noctis’s deep growl, “Aros? Aros I don’t want to repeat myself, step back. Noctis, let Katala go.”

    I looked up then and met his black eyes. Noctis’s eyes had always seemed to me the most beautiful eyes of this world. Their shape was similar to that of their father’s and Baltus’s, but the dark irises that made them so unique were incomparable. I could get lost in those eyes. I could do anything for those eyes. The powerful emotions running through me were strange and wild. I’d never felt something so...uncontrollable before. It was both fascinating and frightening to see his Alpha Instinct meet my eyes through Noctis’s pupils. And there was also something more there, a power that seemed ready to swallow me up.

    His growl turned eerily lower and Baltus cursed under his breath, moving by my peripherals. A long shadow moved right underneath Noctis’s skin. For an instant I thought it was my mind playing tricks to me, maybe a rebound from hearing voices and perceiving things that others couldn’t feel, nor see. I just knew I could see ominous black shadows reaching for Noctis from the dark corners of the palace. They were terrible shadows of the darkest black and they were coming for him. I knew then that if Baltus touched Noctis in the state he was in, something horrible would happen to Baltus. I couldn’t let that happen to either of them.

    I did what it first came to my mind. I hugged him. My heartbeat was a maddened staccato against my chest and my hands were clammy from the fear I was feeling, but I still hugged him and softly tugged at the back of his black hair. Noctis seemed to freeze, not moving, not even breathing. I caressed the back of his neck and his entire body seemed to shiver under my touch.

    “Baltus, take her away from me,” he growled and his voice echoed in a weird ultravoice for a while, even after he finished talking. His entire body was vibrating now, his strong hands fisted at his sides. Baltus didn’t need to be asked twice, he pushed me fast to his side and then hugged me to his chest, giving his back to Noctis. There was a very deep howl that managed to give me goosebumps. I heard the sound of a body clashing against another body. Then Aros cursed loudly and something seemed to crash against the floor and break. There was the sound of growls and then over the mayhem I heard the clear voice of the only person that could fix this entire situation.

    “Noctis! Aros! Stop! Now!” roared Uncle Wolf and everyone and everything stopped at once.