6 the heat and the hunger

Kaito was an emperor of ancient times and he was the first one to say that fasting was an important virtue in the old times. Be it military or the rituals, fasting was something that was almost expected to have a better composure.

However, his inexperienced body did not get the memo at all as it continues to fold on itself in the hunger pains. Really, it was a painful experience overall and one he did not wish to continue.

The first day was easy enough, his body having enough energy to function like a normal human being but by the second day, his body was not ready to handle the stress. It was only Noah who was keeping him going with his gentle hands and soft voice.

Jess came to his mind a lot, what she was doing, what new was going on in her life. He was sure he loved her and yet the feeling seemed to be a far cry from what he had felt once. The love still existed but between the depravity of hunger and his body's demand, they felt much less prominent than before.

"Master, please have this" insisted, the one voice he sought was the one his friend possessed. Maybe it was because of the sweet smell in the air or because of the repressed feelings he had contained inside himself, he longed to hear the soft voice over and over.

"Noah" his own voice sounded as foreign in his ears, a harsh softness present in it that sounded borderline mental if possible.

"Please rest your body, master. It's going through the necessary changes right now and soon you will be able to feel the wolf inside you" Noah's words were soft and warm but they were devoid of feelings too, almost mechanical softness in a way.

Kaito knew the other was doing this because it was a job for him and not an actual emotional commitment and it honestly stung him that he was all but a job for the other at this point. What had he done wrong exactly to land in this situation?

But the burn inside his very core did not allow him to dwell on it for long at all. It flared and faded in alternate circles, be it an hour or mere minutes. He could not tell when he would get relief next.

The three days of hell were finally over once he felt the heat subdued and yet his body did not cooperate at all. His head swam in circles due to the fatigue and yet there was no rest but the voice.

He thought he hallucinates his grandfather's presence inside the room but his heat mellowed brain refused to take anything into account. Maybe this was what heat was like for omegas minus the sexual frustration.

Thank god he was an alpha.

As soon as everything was over, he woke up to the realisation that he had not dreamed of everything. At least not the part with his grandfather since the elder was staring him right at the face, the unnerving stare still aimed at his face.

"Finally awake? Good, you survived without any external help" the old man sounded as if he was talking about the weather outside. Noah was not looking at him once again but this time Kaito did not have enough mental awareness to ignore him.

All his mind whispered to make the other look at him.

"You" Noha was addressed" Bring the medicine and the food here, then go and inform the other that you will be joining toward the south" as soon as the omega left, the hollowness was back inside him, gawking on his very soul and it was difficult for Kaito to swallow the reflex to call the other back.

"Do you feel anything different Kaito?" Kaito was not sure in what capacity he was supposed to feel different exactly. From his grandfather's tone of voice it sounded like the answer should be fairly obvious and yet he found himself fumbling to reply.

He had nothing to contribute currently when he had not even checked over his body yet.

"Nothing? Really nothing? Maybe it will come with time. Now tell me Kaito, what are your ambitions for the future?" The older man was almost in his face now and Kaito felt himself cower back.

But the aura of the other alpha was much less prominent now and somewhere in the back of his mind, he could feel a faint presence. He felt much more whole than he had ever since his rebirth.

"I want to gain the power to achieve my goals" Kaito let out carelessly, his mouth having almost no filter and he could not tell if the older one was surprised or disappointed at his answer. Kaito felt too much, had too many plans but somehow all his mouth spouted out was the most simplified version of what he wanted to do.

"Power to achieve goals? Well, it's as good a goal as any I suppose. Just hold up all the values of the Seni name bestowed by our founder and you will succeed in life" Kaito wanted to roll his eyes.

Maybe the old man was really blinded by his glory in his golden days or just liked to live in a fairy tale he had constructed in his own head because Kaito could tell that he never 'bestowed' any values.

No, he had died far too young so maybe it had been Jess who had done so in the end. Or maybe even his son who was born a year after he died.

Kaito was missing too much information overall.

"I will" but he replied with a simple answer to not arouse any suspicion. Kaito, as a child had never rebelled against authority and he would not start today of all days.

"Remember our purpose, to defend these lands that are our own," the older said and at his confused expression continues, "You will soon understand what being a Seni is all about and why we are the chosen ones of the god"

Or maybe Kaito was wrong and the older was just a power-obsessed man really inside his own head.

Noah soon returned, his arms full of the supplies of food and medicine and once again, his attention was stolen. The food was heavenly after the three days and he felt his energy return.

But things seemed to have changed after his three days of daze, the fog that clogged his senses thinning over time and he could smell.

Smell like he had never done before since his rebirth and he could feel the feeling in the back of his mind getting more and more prominent. An almost growl of happiness left his throat at the feeling and the amusement could not be stopped when the fox almost jumped at his side.

This was what he had been missing, the part that made him a real alpha, a real wolf - the animal inside him was coming back and with it his power.

And then the blue eyes met his own and the weird feeling from the previous life was back with a vengeance, just a lot more powerful this time around and it pointed toward Noah.

He was more than sure now, more sure than he had even been in his life before - Noah was someone who was important to him and they had a connection. His instincts howled at him for his neglect and he vowed to never take them for granted again.

"We will be leaving for the south tomorrow evening, master Kaito. Please be ready by that time" the fox had not spoken for the whole time but when the food was finally finished, he spoke out.

Kaito, who was busy, finally diverted his attention from the food to the person adjacent to him. The other was and he could finally smell the other fully - the same sugary, sweet smell he had once ignored.

It had never been unpleasant though but now it was enchanting, not dissimilar to Jess's perfume she wore once upon a time though.

It was eerily similar.

"I see. Will you be accompanying me?" Kaito teased the fox, just to get a reaction out of the other. He expected to show something, anything at his teasing but the face that looked back at him was blank and he felt himself flatter.

The scent did not change at all too which discouraged him a lot. But he had to consolidate himself that it was for a better cause overall. He could finally repay the other for everything he had to suffer under Kaito's hand and by his family.

"I'm ordered to look after young master Kaito so I will. Please don't mind my presence too much" Kaito did not mind at all. On the contrary, he preferred that a lot too.

He could feel himself shifting toward the other in his temperament but he did not care much because he was sure that he still loved Jess a lot and that would overcome any attraction his alpha held for Noah's omega.

As long as he focused on helping others, he could live out his life in no regret at all and be happy overall.

"I-I see. I'll see you tomorrow then?" Kaito asked, and if a pleading tone managed to worm it's way into his tone, he did not care much for it at all.

"Tomorrow then" the older left pretty soon after that and Kaito could only watch as the other was almost out of the door.

Then the fox looked back at him, the situation was reminiscent of the one so far back in his life when they had been smaller. And then the moment broke as the door closed behind the fox, the blue disappearing behind the door and so did the wonderful smell of his.

And so the Wolf was left to his own thoughts, his mind in its own depths as he thought back on everything that had happened in the previous days. He had met the past, found out about the things he had no business to find out about and met the people from his past.

And somehow he knew that this was all but a beginning to whatever that was going to happen in the coming days, he could feel it inside his bones and in the very breath, he took.

That night was the first of many he actually dreamed of the past and with it, everything he was trying to repress came back to haunt him back in full dose. It was the start of many restless nights to come.