Chapter 47

There was no denying that she was beautiful.

Some would say that she was the most beautiful woman they had ever seen. Charming and mesmerizing with every smile and every move, and it was only a matter of time before she caught the interest of a man who would later become the father of her child.

They had a passionate year together.

It was fast, it was exciting. He was a well-known and liked member of a neighboring pack, and she was his beautiful secret he liked to keep to himself.

Maybe it was no surprise to anyone but her naïve self when she fell pregnant and he suddenly became a stranger. The man she loved and thought loved her back wanted nothing to do with her anymore. Not when he had to take responsibility.

After all, he already had a wife and a kid on the way.

"But he's your son, too." She pleaded with him holding her heavily pregnant belly in desperation. "You can't abandon him, us, like that."

And with cold hazel eyes, he scowled and walked away without saying a word.

Shortly after that, Aurelius was born.

There was a little bit of resentment directed at him from the very beginning, but she knew it wasn't Aurelius' fault. He was blameless in all of this. His father was the one who left, and he was the one who lied about his wife and child keeping them a secret from her – she didn't even suspect a thing.

But it still felt like her lover left her because of Aurelius.

It didn't help that he also inherited his father's eyes, and it always threw her off how similar yet different they were in the warmth they held. While they were both the same golden hazel she had once loved, Aurelius often had this warmth that was absent in his father's eyes. It was almost curing her from her hatred towards their similarity.

Their eyes might've looked the same, but they were so different.

And it was easy to love Aurelius at first.

From the very beginning she knew that he'd grow up beautiful. He took a lot after her, and it delighted her how well-behaved and intelligent he was despite not saying his first words yet. Always ahead of other kids his age, always better behaved, and she mistakenly thought that he'd also grow up better than his half-brother just to spite her lover who preferred his omega wife over her.

She prayed every day that their son would end up a useless omega like his mother. Unlike his half-brother, Aurelius had two beta parents. She didn't think her prayers will ricochet back.

"We'll need to do more tests, but it is almost a certainty." The doctor had told her holding the infant Aurelius' tiny hand in hers as she took his temperature. "You'll need to bring him tomorrow for further testing."

Denial was the first thing she went through as she shook her head. "There has to be some mistake."

"We'll know tomorrow."

But she never brought him back. Instead, she packed up everything and left as soon as she could. Once confirmed, she couldn't risk people knowing about her son. This was all too embarrassing.

She didn't know what to do about the hatred that grew, and she couldn't hide the contempt she felt every time she stared at her confused son who didn't know what he did to anger her so much.

The more he grew, the more it was apparent.

Omega children were said to be gentle, caring, and very sensitive. They weren't as active as other children, and instead preferred to play inside in a quieter environment. Aurelius was never fond of playing with other kids, and she always noticed how he just couldn't keep up with them. It was hard to bury her disgust every time she watched him fumble to fit in.

Everyone had beta children, why was hers the omega?

When Aurelius was doing his homework in their little dining area, she could clearly remember the way his eyebrows furrowed in confusion that wasn't cause by his schoolwork. He pushed his chair back whimpering at the sound that it made suddenly very hypersensitive to it. Something was making his breaths shudder and he didn't know what.

He was fifteen when it happened.

"Mom," He sobbed looking at her with a pained look on his face, panting desperately for air. He was clearly struggling. "I don't know what's happening to me."

There was nothing said to him as she approached him in a detached manner before she placed a hand on his forehead. She watched as he let out a whimper, flinching from her touch. He was burning up.

Tears were running down his face as he spoke pleadingly. "I'm scared. It hurts."

He was silently pleading for her help, but he didn't dare to do it directly.

She got all the confirmation she needed.

"This is happening because you're disgusting." She told him without an ounce of mercy in her voice. The pain he was feeling was well-deserved and justified for all the heartache he caused her. All the disappointments. "You're an omega."

Aurelius didn't even have time to ask about that when a wave of pain wrecked him. Many questions ran through his mind, and he wondered just what that word meant. What was it that was happening to him? Why isn't she helping him?

It was too painfully hot, and he found himself burning for something too shameful for him to voice completely unaware of the sweetness he was emitting.

Of the attentions he'd attract.

"You will tell everyone you're a beta. You'll hide this." His mother told him glaring down at him with repulsion. It made him feel like he was something dirty, something bad and unwanted. "Can't have you embarrass me further than you already have."

He wept. "But-"

But he always thought he was a beta.

When he tried to get up, he was surprised to feel his feet wobble as he staggered and fell. Not one move was made to help him, and he cried feeling all alone despite his mother being right there.

While he was used to her not loving him, it was the first time he felt like she hated him.

The hard wooden floor felt like blades cutting him, his skin was sensitive to anything that it came into contact with, and the heat concentrated on certain spots made them feel unbearably hot. He couldn't help but take his clothes off just to relieve himself from it all, even for just a tiny bit.

His mother, however, walked away leaving him writhing on the floor.

It was such a despicable pathetic display, and she couldn't watch more of it.

She might have gone to the city looking for a solution for his heats, but she didn't do it for him. She did it for herself so he could hide this revolting thing he was born as, and she didn't want to see it as well. If medications can make him act like a beta, then she was willing to do anything to get them.

And while she wished she would go back and find him dead on the floor, she wasn't so lucky.

The only thing she was upset about whenever he left was the fact that nobody was making her the usual morning coffee, but that was such an insignificant thing she was willing to give up if it meant that she wouldn't have to keep this ruse any longer.

Not even when he disappeared for a week did she care or raise any alarms. His friend Rowan even came to inquire about his whereabouts, but she didn't care enough to know the places he goes to.

Not even when the door open did she care. In fact, she was disappointed that it did.

"Oh, you're back."

She said not hiding the disdain and disappointment in her voice when he walked in, and he didn't bother to be hurt by it. At some point he just stopped caring for her scathing words, and she didn't know why it annoyed her so much.

He looked up at her and answered her simply. "Yes."

Not another word was exchanged between them, and they both liked it that way.