The Omega Secret (Book Four of the Omega Game Series)

Chapter 4

Didoka

The Main Island

Present day...

“That was quite the speech, little sister,” said Kotani, easily matching my pace while I walked faster across the royal grounds, nearing the side building that housed my chambers. It had stopped raining but the night was dark and starless. Heavy clouds occluded the night sky, threatening with more showers to come in the future. It was one of those nights that made you feel unstable, like those aerial plants that had managed to live with the roots in the air. 

The grounds were divided into rose gardens and small ponds from where I could see frogs croaking. I’d been pushed into those ponds every single day of my childhood. In fact I was more familiar with some of those frogs than I was with some of my siblings. I couldn’t even see the beauty in the royal gardens anymore. I could only see that place where Nuna had slapped me, or that other place where another sister had yelled at me. Instinctively I never looked around and I walked fast, ignoring the view and the people as much as I could. 

Kotani was impossible to ignore though. He was smiling while he looked at me, enjoying my irritation with amused eyes. I stopped and looked up at him, crossing my arms over my chest and shrugging.

“Why do you even bother inviting me to the war councils? You know the other Alphas hate it when you bring me in. I genuinely believe they would contradict me even if they know I am right, just for the sake of contradicting an Omega that they consider way weaker than them,” I groaned with a heavenward glare, “How can they be so blind?”

“They are the product of generations of Alpha control,” explained Kotani, his yellow eyes focusing on one of the ponds that was the closest to us. He frowned, apparently interested about the pond while he still spoke to me, moving closer to the small pool of water, “Changes are feared by Alphas. They simply don’t know how to bend the trunks to let the snow fall from their branches. They prefer to hold on until the weight of the snow breaks the tree.”

“Are you comparing Alphas to trees now?” I asked him, stepping by his side while we both watched the calm surface of the pond. It looked like a mirror, only reflecting our images and nothing else. 

“There’s no better comparison,” said Kotani, inspecting with his eyes the black waters, almost as if he could see through our reflection, “Alphas would never let you win Dido. It is not in their nature to do so. You have to learn to pick your fights against them. Tonight, at the war council, you let your emotions control you.”

“It is hard to be the one in control when they are so damn blind!” I screamed back at Kotani and my brother frowned, straightening his back and looking down at me with a surprised expression marking his face.

“This is not like you,” he said, his eyes narrowing with a smart gleam brightening them from the inside, “You are way smarter than this. Why are you letting your emotions run so out of control?”

I surveyed my options while I studied those wise, old eyes of his. I could lie to Kotani but I knew we both were above those games of pride. He had always known when I was keeping something from him. And he was right. I’d been out of control tonight. I could have made the Alphas see reason in other ways, but pushing them too far would only make them snap back like they have done. I understood all of this, but still my heart was beating too fast, my blood running too hot and my skin too warm. I was out of control and out of excuses to explain my behavior. With a sigh I sat on the rock bench behind me and closed my eyes for a moment before gathering the strength I needed to admit the reality of my current situation to Kotani.

“I’m...I’m sick Kotani,” I said softly, watching him widen his eyes in terror. I licked my lips and shook my head, rushing to explain what had been happening to me recently. The intense, overwhelming Heats, the changes in my scent, my unbalanced emotions. I saw Kotani understand it at once. He nodded, taking a seat beside me.

“I feared something like this might happen,” he said slowly, staring solely at me with eyes that weren’t his. It happened at times. I knew when Kotani was the one in charge and when it was the Boosaardig. Around me the Boosaardig was always careful, almost caring, but with others...with others it was always lethal. It had been like that since the day Kotani had fallen in the lake and returned to this world carrying inside a creature from another place. My brother had never explained to me in many words what it felt to be a vessel to an evil creature like the Boosaardig, but I’ve read all the bibliography about them. They were inherently evil. They fed from souls using tricks and methods that had made me cry. And they were wise, very, very wise. I’d always wondered if they were also capable of loving. I’d seen the Boosaardig genuinely care for me but I’d always wondered if that was Kotani’s emotions influencing the ones of the Boosaardig. Kotani patted my head then, giving me a reassuring smile, “This will pass though. You have been taking good care of yourself. I will reinforce your Beta guards, in case your scent attracts any Alpha around you. You will need to stop going to the library and remain in your chambers until the Omega Instinct is back to what it was.”

“That might take a while,” I whispered, staring worriedly at him. The Boosaardig seemed to stare back at me and lock his eyes with mine. With a nervous sigh I looked away, “Anyway, your coronation is tomorrow, I will need to be in attendance.”

“Then after the whole ceremony is done,” pushed Kotani, lifting his scarred eyebrow at me, “You need to rest and to stay away from Alphas for a while. Think about it like a vacation of sorts.”

I snorted at that.

“Not having to see General Oxa’s face for a while? Count me in,” I said right away and we laughed, enjoying each other's company. I grew sad right away, worried about Kotani. He had never liked other people’s company apart from myself and although he was famous for his numerous romantic conquests he hated intimacy with women. He never let his lovers grow too attached, kept them safely away and discarded them fast. I was worried that he would never let himself find a wife, that he thought he didn’t deserve one for who he was. For what he was. I’ve tried to find a way for us to get rid of the Boosaardig but my research had been cut short during my time at the Hidden Library. I returned the smile that he was giving me while we both looked up, to the dark night sky, “I will find a way to help you Kotani. I will not rest until I find a solution.”

Kotani only shook his head at me, still looking at the sky.

“Just focus on resting, little sister. Get better. I need you more than what you can imagine so focus on that and let all your other worries to me,” he said and for once I didn’t know if that had been the Boosaardig talking or my brother Kotani.