Chapter 23 - Late blooming

That kiss was magical.

All his life, he hadn't been able to get into a relationship as he was focused on boxing while living in the United States. Although he had been attracted to a few girls during his teenage years, it didn't mean he had the courage to ask them out on a date.

What's more, he never considered getting involved with boys.

To Nathaniel's surprise, he didn't feel so awkward around Jake.

It was comfortable to be by his side. Just talking was enough, but now that he'd kissed him twice... Well, it was kind of hard not to think about it.

He could still feel the kiss Jake had given him, and on top of that...

His fingers touched the mask that covered his face. Nathaniel could still feel the pressure of the alpha's lips on his scars. It was the first time anyone had touched his face like that. Although his mum had touched his scar once, people usually avoided it.

Jake had not only touched them, he had kissed them.

After that, some jock appeared in the kitchen looking for water, which made the two boys move away before they were caught. Jake's words, however, kept hammering away in his head.

What else could he teach Nathaniel?

— He's strange.

— Nathaniel Callegari.

Raising his head, the boy got up from his chair, following the doctor who called him.

Right, now he needs to take care of that as soon as possible.

Walking to a specific ward in the hospital, Nathaniel followed a doctor with thick, flame-red hair. Her elegance with every step also caught the boy's attention, as she stood out from the other doctors.

Dr. Priscilla had been taking care of himself since he had returned to Brazil. Once a year Nathaniel consulted her to make sure everything was all right. And since his body started reacting to pheromones, his check-up was brought forward that year.

Her consulting room was at the end of a long corridor. As soon as Nathaniel walked through the door, the doctor closed it and went to sit behind her desk. A private clinic had its pros, there everything was neat and decorated without a heap of stuff.

— All right, have you brought the tests I asked for last time?

Nathaniel sat down and took his rucksack off his back. He took out a folder and handed it to the doctor, who looked for the printed test results.

— I did as you asked and didn't take any suppressants before the tests.

— I remember you had told me that you had never taken inhibitors before.

— That weekend I travelled with my brother's friends, and because of an alpha's pheromones I went into... What, in heat? — The doctor looked at Nathaniel, who shrugged his shoulders — This alpha gave me an inhibitor, he said it was weak.

— An alpha purposely released pheromone in front of you? Could you tell me more about what happened? — Nathaniel lowered his mask, but before he could speak she gave him an ultimatum — And preferably don't hide anything from me.

Well, he didn't intend to tell her the shameful part about being masturbated, but Dr. Priscilla knew him well enough to know that there was more to it.

Besides, she wouldn't judge him, right?

More details were needed so that his health could be properly assessed, right?

So Nathaniel began to tell her everything that had happened. He refrained from detailing what wasn't necessary, but when it came to the symptoms he had experienced that day, he told her everything he could remember.

After this conversation, the doctor took out a red pen and pointed to Nathaniel's examination.

— You see, here in your blood test omega genes were found. So this "friend" isn't wrong.

— I'm an omega?

— That's right — Fiddling with the computer, the doctor turned the screen round, also showing an anatomical image of the human body — But you see, in recent decades new studies have been carried out on the classes, and it has been discovered that there are subclasses.

— Subclasses? — Nathaniel pondered, trying to remember something — I must have seen one or two documentaries about it...

— It's something that affects omegas and alphas, called the dominant and recessive classes. Dominants have a stronger body and their physical stamina is also strengthened. They hardly ever get ill.

For some strange reason, Nathaniel imagined one of the dominants as a Power Rangers megazord.

— Right...

— Their pheromones are also more intense and have a strong effect on their partner. Unlike recessives, whose bodies are a little more ordinary, if not more fragile. If I consider the data from the latest published research and your test results, I can make a pre-diagnosis that you're an omega recessive, Nathaniel.

— Is that a bad thing?

Crossing her arms on the table, the doctor pondered.

— That would explain why it took so long to flower. And if you wanted to get pregnant in the future, the chances would naturally be low. But your case...

Ah, Nathaniel didn't like it when she used that calm tone to talk about him. He knew something good wasn't coming.

— In my case...?

— Nathaniel, your body is very fragile because of the accident. I'm sorry, but a pregnancy would put your life at risk, so I recommend that you take great care.

A pregnancy?

Nathaniel never considered that. I mean, he'd just realised he was an omega, so he wasn't so worried about that kind of future.

Even so, he felt slightly sad.

— I see. Because I've awakened as an omega, does that affect my health?

— Let's see, did you write down the days when you felt unwell?

— It's on the last sheet, on the back.

The doctor looked for the sheet and assessed Nathaniel's notes.

— Recessive omegas have their heat well spaced out, usually every three or four months, and for a short time. You've had some very close cycles...

— In all situations I was exposed to alpha pheromones.

— Nathaniel, the other time you told me that you started to feel this way when an alpha was in heat and dumped pheromones on you — the doctor murmured — Is it the same alpha that helped you now?

Swallowing dryly, Nathaniel nodded.

— Is there a problem?

— Yes. He could be responsible for your blooming.

Jake? Well, it made sense since Nathaniel had started to feel pheromones after meeting him. But he didn't realise it would be that much.

— And why would that be a bad thing?

— Hm... Remember you told me about feeling an alpha's pheromone, and that your body reacted in repulsion? And then you became calmer with the help of this friend of yours? — Nathaniel nodded — Let's say that you unconsciously marked your friend as your alpha.

— What? — Nathaniel shouted — I-I did? But I never bit him, nor did I...

— Marking is different from biting. A bite is a fixed bond that can't be broken. It's something physical. A mark, on the other hand, is psychological and can be undone.

Nathaniel couldn't answer any more, he was so shocked that he just continued to listen intently.

— Once you mark the alpha as yours, your instinct will react to it as if it were a lifeboat. Considering primitive biology, it would be as if your omega instinct prepared your friend's alpha instinct to receive the bite in the future. It's a moment when you get closer and more intimate, showing how good it feels to be with each other.

Covering his mouth, Nathaniel felt his stomach turn over.

That was exactly what was happening between him and Jake!

It was no wonder that he felt uncomfortable after waking up. While he was in heat, everything seemed fine, but afterwards, with a clearer head, he couldn't imagine how it was right.

Because it wasn't.

Jake was his friend, and as far as he knew friends didn't do that sort of thing. Such intimacy could only happen between a couple. If it hadn't been for his weak body, Jake would never have had so many problems.

It was his fault.

— What should I do then?

— We'll start you on a weak treatment so you can start controlling your pheromones. Talk to your friend and explain the situation to him. If you have any problems, you can call me and I'll explain it to you myself.

— Do I really need to tell him that?

The doctor smiled slightly and nodded.

— It's for your own good. With your friend knowing that his pheromones affect you, it's good to have him around in case you get suddenly hot or ill because of someone else's pheromones.

— Haa... So it's going to take a while for this heat cycle to stabilise. What a nuisance.

— Your body isn't used to the high amount of hormones and other chemicals that are produced during this period. We need to get used to it and get it to learn to control itself, just as all hybrids learn in adolescence.

Clenching his fingers, Nathaniel was nervous about having to give his new friend so much trouble. Things between them were already confused because of what had happened on the trip, although after that night by the pool, the two of them were no longer alone.

Now that he knew it could have been caused by something uncontrollable inside him, it was even more embarrassing. It weighed on his conscience.

A beep on the computer caught Nathaniel's attention.

— Just in time, the results of your heart scan arrived. Let's see...

Strange things have happened to Nathaniel since the accident. Could it be...

— Doctor, could this have been caused by the heart I received?

The doctor looked at him over her glasses and then smiled sadly.

— No, Nathaniel. It's something you're producing yourself. Your new heart is healthy enough to handle your entire body. Your check-up is even very good. But I recommend that you avoid excessive physical exertion, your runs are the most you should be doing.

Of course it would be.

A healthy heart for a damaged body.

Lowering his head, Nathaniel couldn't accept it.

That person deserved to live longer than him.