Chapter-12: Making A New Friend And Protecting The Alpha From Getting Punished

The cathedral of Sigor was one of the most noticeable buildings located in the center of the city, its spires and domes dominated the skylines.

The remarkable decorations and innovative construction techniques of every cathedral were meant to lift the mind and heart to the contemplation of Celestia.

As soon as Hael and Irwin reached the narthex—the main entrance area of the cathedral, the Omega gasped in amazement.

It was his first time. Sigor has one of the largest cathedrals however the one in the capital city, Frostburgh of Coldbourne was spectacular and famous worldwide.

"Wah, it's so huge," Hael's eyes wandered everywhere. He had to bend his neck backward to see the pointed ends of the spires touching the clouds.

Irwin smiled seeing the Younger's amazed expressions. He was like a curious child running all over the humongous building whenever his eyes caught something interesting.

Arik and Maven were staring at the Omega feeling happy and sad at the same time.

Happy that Hael became cheerful and sad because they felt guilty seeing him having fun with such small things as visiting a local cathedral.

He was the same as the young wolves running around which made the Alphas yet again realize how much the Omega was isolated from the outside world and had to live a lonely life in Lucian's mansion.

It was just as if a thousand needles were pricking their hearts continuously. Arik balled his fist feeling bad.

Maven felt his nose stinging as he tried to control the tears looking up at the ceiling to make the salt water go back where it came from.

Cause being a step-brother he knew how gloomy Hael was all the time and seeing him all bright was evidence of how their family treated the little Omega.

Hael was so excited seeing the architecture of the building but his irises suddenly expanded and he started darting towards someone.

"Hael, slow down. It's not good for you to run like that," Irwin ran behind him.

Arik and Maven too sprinted right behind them.

"Emris!" Hael shouted as he hugged a man who had a smaller physique than the Omega.

Well, Emris Amorist was Hael's best friend on earth whom he considered his soulmate.

But there was no way for Emris to be here in this world of werewolves, utterly impossible.

"Uh... excuse me, who are you?" The small person had a perplexed expression on his face. 

He was startled when Hael hugged him out of nowhere calling him with a name he was not familiar with.

Hael frowned as he broke the hug hearing such a hesitant voice from his friend, "Emris? It's me, Hael. Is it because I am looking younger that you can't recognize me?" 

"Eh? Sorry but I am not the person you are looking for. I am Davian... Davian Farrel, not Emris." 

"What, impossible! You look just like Emris... wait," Hael realized the person in front of him was an exact copy of his best friend but he was looking younger and more feminine.

While his friend Emris though he was smaller in height had the charm of a macho man, his voice was rough, his earlobes all pierced, he had tattoos on his back, and looked like a local gangster with a cigar in his mouth.

But the one in front of him was looking so cute and innocent. His voice was mellow, his earlobes were pure without any piercing holes, and his tattoos...

"Right, tattoos," Hael turned Davian back and pulled his shirt a little to see the tattoo which was a crescent moon, a star below followed by an open-winged Pheonix and then an infinite symbol stylized at the end.

But there was none. Davian had no such tattoo which meant he was not Emris. 

Davian's cheeks heated up turning red, "You-" 

He was about to turn around but a large muscular man pulled Davian into his arms covering his back with his long black coat and pushed away Hael.

Arik immediately caught Hael and glared at the person but then his eyes widened, "Killian? You, why are you here?" 

"Brother Arik and Brother Maven too?" Killian was shocked.

Maven then noticed the Omega in his arms, "Is he your mate? The one you married three months back?"

Killian nodded and he broke the hug letting Davian look at them.

"Wifey, they are my brothers who always supported me in everything. My father works as the chief bodyguard of Brother Arik and Brother Maven, he is the eldest son of Lucians," Killian introduced.

"Ah, wait! Aren't you the actor who became famous recently and had a big scandal when the illegitimate son of Farrel entertainments C.E.O., that troublemaker asked his father to marry you and he-" Irwin was cut off when Maven held his wrist shaking his head signing him to stop speaking.

Davian downcasted fidgeting his fingers. Killian noticed that and surrounded his arm around the Omega rubbing the side of his shoulder to ease him.

"Um, we need to go. Brother Arik, brother Maven, I will see you guys later," Killian was about to excuse himself along with Davian when,

"Wait, I am sorry. You must be scared by my sudden embrace. I... it's because you looked just like my friend I had once... I am sorry," Hael held the other Omega's wrist.

He still couldn't get over the fact that Davian was similar to his friend Emris and for some reason, he didn't want to let the Omega leave without making everything clear and letting him know that he wasn't a freak to hug whomever.

"No, it's fine... but I am not your friend Emris," Davian spoke looking at the Omega in front of him hesitatingly.

It was also the first time he ever felt some strange connection with another Omega. He felt like he had known him for ages.

"Right, Davian. Can I have your number? Even though you are not my friend I want to be friends with you, is that okay?" Hael asked carefully with expectations in his eyes.

Davian couldn't turn him down for some reason and nodded handing over his phone after unlocking it.

Hael smiled as he took the phone and called his number from it then saved his number on the other's phone as 'Hael - your soon-to-be best friend' which warmed the heart of Davian.

Seeing the interaction between both the Omegas the three Alphas and the Beta were amused.

Davian embraced Hael, "I will talk to you later, my soon-to-be friend."

Hael became emotional remembering his friend Emris whom he missed so much and Davian's hug gave him the same amiability.

"Yes, we will." Hael patted Davian's back as they broke the hug.

Hael waved his hand feeling emotional as Davian waved him back and walked away with his Alpha who bowed to Arik and Maven respectfully before leaving.

"Um, Hael, are you guys that familiar with each other? But he is the illegitimate son of Farrels, known as a mischief maker in Frostburgh," Irwin questioned as they walked inside the hall of the cathedral.

"So he is similar to me. But why are there so many bastard sons? Seriously, the old generation Alphas and Betas need to keep their dicks-" Hael's mouth was covered by Irwin who was wide-eyed.

"Oy, it's the cathedral. You can't speak foul language here," Irwin shook his head.

Hael removed Irwin's hand from his mouth, "Tsk, I am stating the facts. Even the Moon Goddess will agree with me. Though they had mates they cheated on them, isn't it a sin worth punishment? Not only that they left their mistresses in pregnancy to fend for themselves... if only my mother..."

The Omega gulped down his saliva remembering the dream where his mother's dead body was being taken away and he was chasing the vehicle while crying.

He was just a five-year-old. If it wasn't for that dream he couldn't even remember it clearly as it happened long ago.

He couldn't recall his mother's face clearly when she was alive but could still feel the warmth inside his heart whenever he thought of her.

If only his so-called father hadn't impregnated her without marking, she would have been healthy after Hael's birth but because of the difficult labor, her health deteriorated, and even so, she fought with all her might to take care of her child.

But the environment in the slums they lived in, the lack of food and necessities due to poverty, she lost hope eventually and her condition worsened. In the end, she lost the fight leaving her young and innocent son behind with so much remorse.

Wasn't it all because of that father who took him in just to exchange him for property right after his eighteenth birthday?

Involuntarily, a tear slipped past his right cheek. He harshly wiped it off and marched towards the Moon Goddess's statue.

Irwin sighed as he stared back at Maven and Arik who saw how the Omega became emotional after mentioning his mother.

They never heard anything about Hael's mother. Maven only knew his younger brother was brought home after his mother's death and that she used to be a maid working in Lucian's mansion.

The Bishop and a few Popes were standing directing the people to various appropriate locations.

As soon as Hael stepped on the stage in front, the Bishop felt a vibration. He looked at the Omega with a surprised expression.

Arik, Maven, and Irwin bowed to the bishop and Popes there. 

"Your excellency," Arik addressed the Bishop stepping forward.

"Just call me Father, I am nothing but one of the servants of her holiness, Moon Goddess," the bishop stated.

"Father, we're here to get him baptized," Arik gently pulled Hael towards him but the Omega glared and pushed him away.

"But son, he is pregnant," the Bishop voiced out.

The four of them were astonished by how the bishop guessed it right without even checking his pulse.

"Yes, Father. He is pregnant but he is only nineteen-years-old and last year he couldn't attend the ceremony," Maven explained.

Bishop's face became grim, "Don't you know it's illegal to mate before twenty-one years in Coldbourne? Who is the father of the children?" 

They were yet again dumbstruck at how the Bishop knew Hael was pregnant with twins.

"It's me... Father," Arik stood politely with hands together, his head down.

"You must be punished for the sin you committed," Bishop's voice was stern.

"I will accept my punishment," Arik agreed without a second.

Hael was dumbfounded, "What punishment?"

"He has to kneel on the frozen lake and take a hundred strikes of celestial lightning for losing control over his desires," the bishop declared.

"WHAT?!" Hael and Irwin shouted at the same time.

Maven already knew the punishment would be severe so he told his friend not to come to the cathedral and that he alone would go but Arik insisted cause he wanted to show Hael how sincere he was by his words to take responsibility.

"I accept," Arik didn't hesitate.

Bishop signaled the Popes to take Arik to the frozen lake but Hael stood in front of the Alpha stopping them, "He wasn't at fault. It was me who drugged him which made him lose control."

Arik felt giddy seeing Hael trying to protect him.

"Son, move away. It doesn't matter what you did, if you weren't blessed with children you shall also have to receive the punishment but you cannot at present in your situation that's why your Alpha will be punished in your stead too," the Bishop spoke.

"No, I won't allow it," Hael stood on his ground firmly.

He did hate the Alpha for everything he had done to him in his first life but it was he who drugged Arik so if the other lost control it was because of him.

So, his sense of justice won't allow him to stand back and see Arik getting undeserving punishment.

"Hael, even if you drugged me I should have at least marked you while mating. I didn't which is an unforgivable sin, so I deserve the punishment," Arik tried to reason out.

"You shut up!" Hael yelled at him, "Don't listen to this foolish Alpha, Father. I think it's unfair for him to receive the punishment for the sin he didn't do and what hundred celestial lightnings? He won't even survive after ten, do you want my children to be fatherless? You can't be so cruel, right Father?"

"Son, there is nothing unfair. He sinned, and he accepted to receive the punishment. If the Moon Goddess thinks the punishment isn't appropriate then her holiness will stop the lightning," the bishop enunciated.

Hael sent daggers through his eyes at the bishop and stormed towards the statue, "So, if Moon Goddess agrees that Arik isn't at fault then he won't have to get punished, right?" 

The Omega touched the leg of the Moon Goddess's statue and that was it a white light spread through the hall widely blinding everyone.

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