21 The Other Mate Mark

Sean opened the door to his house in a rush, concern hung on the young Beta's face. When he went to pick up Tiza after school he was informed that they weren't there. The six, almost seven year old had gone home early due to a stomach ache. Most likely the child walked home instead of waiting around for their uncle to come get them because even Tiza knew how unreliable the man could be.

He rushed into the main room and noted that his father wasn't home, the lack of alcohol present in the air a testament as such. The Beta relaxed and searched in their shared room for the Alomega. When he opened the door a heavily sweet aroma covered his senses, so strong he had to cover his nose.

The room they shared was only a few meters bigger than a walk-in closet, all it housed was a feeble bed which the two shared and a chest in the corner that held their clothes, on top of the chest sat their most important clothes, their dance attire and shoes. On the bed, Tiza lay huddled underneath the covers. Next to them lay a picture frame with Tiza's mother inside it. She was brilliant in her costume and her appearance was complemented by the bouquet of peonies she held.

Sweat coated Tiza's forehead where their platinum locks stuck to it. Sean approached and carefully placed a hand on the others forehead only to find they were burning up. This didn't look like a normal stomach ache. He jostled the Alomega awake.

"Tiza, are you ok?

The Alomega grunted and weak emerald eyes looked up through heavy eyelids.

"S-Sean...my tummy...hurts."

Sean was worried. He didn't know what to do, he was twelve and had no knowledge of how to care for a sickly person and there were no other adults around. His father couldn't help even if he was here, the man was always too occupied with a bottle of liquor to give the two of them the time of day. He told the child to give him a minute and he would try to do something about the pain.

The Beta ventured into their dingy bathroom and searched the mirror cabinet for medicine. He found the bottle he was looking for, with the label that said 'fever reducer'. Then he grabbed a cup from the kitchenette and filled it with tap water. He'd seen his father do this plenty of times over the years and hoped it would help his cousin out.

The Alomega was lifted into a sitting position and Sean helped him take the medicine.

"Did you eat anything today?"

They shook their head, "I left before lunchtime…"

Sean frowned and settled Tiza back down on the pillow.

"Let me see if I can find you something, ok?"

No matter how much he scavenged their poor excuse for a pantry and the nearly empty fridge Sean couldn't find anything, well anything edible at least. He thought he had stashed away a few of those snacks they got on the last shopping trip, but he guessed his father found them.

Going back into the bedroom he moved their chest of clothes and wiggled the floorboard under it until it came up, revealing a shoebox underneath. Inside it was a wad of crumpled up Euros. The Beta, for a number of weeks, had been stealing money from his father's wallet after he would get paid. The older man was convinced that they cut his pay and would go on drunken tirades about it often, little did he know Sean was the one taking away his hard-earned money.

It's not like the boy wanted to, but he needed to. If he didn't keep Tiza and himself fed then who would? The lunch at school was their only reliable meal, but even then it did little to fill the tummies of the growing children. He pocketed a few of the bills and returned everything to its place.

Coming up to the Alomega he placed a chaste kiss on their forehead.

"I'll be back in a little bit ok? I'm going to get you something to eat before I go to lessons."

He wished he could stay and be with his cousin but in order for the two to continue their ballet lessons one or the other had to be there, that was the deal that was made. They were already lucky enough the company was letting them learn for free, but they had the death of Tiza's mother and their star performer to thank for that. Sean was determined to make a name for himself and get Tiza and himself far away from his father and hopefully a better life. He was still so young though and it was a far off dream, but he was determined nonetheless.

.................................…..

Sean felt rather pleased with himself as he walked the cobblestone street back to the house. The Beta was able to get more for his money than he thought he would. Granted some of the fruit would have to be eaten soon but fruit was good for you, so he figured it would help relieve whatever was ailing Tiza.

As he approached the door he noticed it was left slightly ajar and he panicked. He ran into the house to see his father by the stove holding a large metal spoon over the lit flames. The spoon was red hot, the intense color hurting the boy's eyes. For a moment he thought he was unnoticed until his father turned his head to him.

He was drunk again. His eyes looked far off and the scruff of his beard was dirty making him look deranged. How they let him show up to work like that Sean would never know.

"Robin, there you are you bastard."

Robin? His father's brother Robin?

"Did you know Melody has a mate mark? I guess you two really weren't made for each other after all...don't worry though, your big brother is about to fix her for you."

The man took the hot spoon and went into their bedroom from where he could hear Tiza's quiet mewls of discomfort coming down the hallway.

"..."

A blood-curdling scream pierced the air.

The bag of food dropped to the floor and Sean ran. His feet carried him to the source of the scream and he felt his blood run cold. His father towered over Tiza, that hot spoon pressed into the flesh of their thigh sending the smell of burnt flesh and blood into the air, his other hand pressed to Tiza's throat. The Alomega's other leg trashed about and their hands clawed at the one on their throat drawing blood from it. Tiza's screams, although muffled, were hoarse and shrill.

Sean charged at his father using his entire weight to knock the man over causing his head to hit the wall and the spoon to be dropped onto the floor. The grip on Tiza's throat lessened and the child gasped for breath.

The knock to the head seemed to snap the man out of whatever hallucination he'd been in. He considered his surroundings, his son cradling Tiza in his arms, the spoon that laid a few meters away, the sweet smell that permeated the air.

The smell of an Omega in heat.

The man ripped Tiza away from Sean and brought them close to sniff at their neck. With his clear eyes, he looked at the child. A minute ago they had looked like Melody since she died all he saw when he looked at her child was her. All he felt when he touched them was her. Now it was like a violent reality check that she was dead and that this thing in front of him wasn't her. It wouldn't even be what she had wanted it to be.

He considered Tiza with disgust and pushed away his son that tried to pry the child away from him.

"Get out, Sean."

"No! Don't touch them!"

"I SAID GET THE HELL OUT!" he bellowed.

Something came flying at the Beta and he moved just in time to not get hit by it.

It was his father's pocket knife, now deeply embedded into the wood floor by his feet.

Sean ran.

He ran so hard and fast his legs felt numb. Tears flowed down his cheeks just thinking about what he was running away from. He saw images of his father choking Tiza, disrobing Tiza, being on top of Tiza while they cried out for help like they had done countless times before.

This time was different though, his father looked like he was angry, and he was ashamed at himself for running away and letting Tiza take the brunt of his anger. But he was more ashamed there wasn't anything he could do to protect him even if he stayed.