Page 128 of Knot Their Omega

I can’t remember the last time I acknowledged my emotions. Allowed myself to accept that something or someone hurt me to this point where I feel like I’m sinking into a void of sadness.

“Nathaníel?” Kenji croaks, forcing us to look at the standing Alpha, and how he stares at a tiny marking on the side of his thumb—a mark I realize is a little tattoo.

It’s not his fascination with the mark that has us all concerned.

It’s the tears rolling down his cheeks.

“Nathaniel?” Astraea’s voice is soft and tender, carrying a welcoming call. It’s enough to catch Nathaníel’s attention, and those tear-filled eyes lock on whatever expression our little Omega is giving him. “Come,” she whispers.

For a second, I can see him questioning himself, but a second later, he’s taking the necessary steps to land himself near our little cuddling nest with Astraea. Kneeling into the nest, he ends up lying down so his head is resting in Astraea’s lap.

She doesn’t make any comment about it.

She just runs her hands through his hair while he focuses on the mark on his thumb, tears still streaming down his flushed cheeks.

I don’t know how long we’re silent, but I hold my breath when Nathaníel ends up saying something.

“I promised her,” he whispers. “Suzy. That… I’d take care of him. That I wouldn’t let another sibling perish senselessly…”He fights hard not to sob, but the whimper is heart-wrenching as his parted lips tremble. “Maybe this is fucking karma. Payback for him sending Suzy away with those bastards, but… where does that leave me? Why… does… it hurt… so fucking much…”

Astraea’s arms snake around his neck, pulling him against her.

“It’s okay for it to hurt,” she whispers while her words seem to resonate with all of us. “Pain means we’re still alive. The agony emphasizes that our hearts are still beating. Which also means we can do something about it. Destiny isn’t written instone, even if it feels as if there’s no way out of this void of hopelessness.”

Her words are almost like a musical masterpiece.

Written words of knowledge woven in a way we can all relate to.

Where we can all understand and accept that the lows are a part of life.

Just like the highs.

“My little bro… has cancer. Stage… four…” He’s sobbing by the time he tries to finish the diagnosis, but Astraea won’t let him finish. She just holds him even tighter as she calmly hums words of encouragement, leaving me to give up on fighting the tears that threatened to fall even before I left the room.

Kai’s and Kenji’s devastated looks prove neither of them was expecting this. They don’t hesitate to reach out with comforting hands, doing their part in giving both of us some form of touch to remind us that they’re here.

That we’re all together.

I know when we leave this room, we’ll have to get back to our lives. Jump back into the swing of life, starting this tour and pretending as one of our pack members isn’t going to ‘not exist’ anymore in a few months.

Deep down, I’ve accepted that none of this is going to be easy, but unlike in the past, when I felt like I was dealing with dreadful circumstances on my own, I can look around this nest and feel supported.

Loved.

The reins from this point onward will be up to Nathaniel Jr. to grasp and whip, for I know I no longer can carry the weight of it all on my shoulders.

It’s not my weight to bear, and maybe that’s why having an Omega in your lives is essential to realize how important this balance is to both our kinds.

Without Omegas, we fall down a hole no one can prepare us for…

Without Alphas, Omegas are trapped in circumstances they’re desperate to run away from…

“We’ll get through this together, okay?” Astraea says those hopeful words, not just to Nathaníel but to all of us.

For the first, I want to believe them with all my heart.

Peaceful Symphony

~ASTRAEA~

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