Chapter 16 CHAPTER 016
The engagement party is worse than Soren imagined. There are so many people and too many lights from cameras and chandeliers, and there are too many fake smiles surrounding him that Soren is tired of seeing them and returning those fake smiles for a fake engagement party. It was Reign’s mother’s idea to throw this boring party, and if Soren didn’t hate her before, he certainly hates her now.
“Congratulations.”
“When is the wedding?”
“You’re very lucky.”
He doesn’t know how many times he’s nodded, and all those words are from guests he doesn’t even know, while Reign stands beside him the entire time, calm, composed, and untouchable. One hand resting lightly at Soren’s lower back like a reminder for Soren to play his part well.
And here Soren thought he was finally going to rebel against the Enigma's rule of perfection; maybe it’s because the man goes from hard to soft and then back to hard again. Reign is so good at acting that Soren’s acting skills are no match. Right now, he stands beside Soren, as cold as stone, and reminds him to behave.
Soren counts the minutes in his head before this torturous party ends, but then, something starts to feel wrong. Soren frowns at the small feeling nudging at the tips of his fingers, followed by a faint warmth that spreads through his chest, then a dull ache low in his stomach.
Soren blinks, and he swallows hard because he immediately recognizes the familiar feeling. His breath catches in his throat, and his hand clenches at his side.
Suddenly, the warmth grows hotter, his skin feels too tight, and the scents in the room suddenly feel stronger and overwhelming.
Alphas, perfume, wine—everything hits him at once, and he feels like his breath has been knocked out of his throat. His fingers tremble slightly around the glass he’s holding.
No. Not now. His suppressants can’t be fading now. He needs to get out of here before his scent starts leaking.
Reign leans slightly closer. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” Soren says too fast, his breath slightly coming out fast.
Reign’s eyes narrow faintly, and Soren forces a smile at the enigma before he can speak. “Excuse me. I need to use the restroom.”
Soren doesn’t wait for Reign’s response as he slips his arm and puts away his glass of wine before he rushes towards the direction of the restroom.
The moment he’s out of sight of the crowd and within the walls of the empty restroom, his composure cracks, and his breathing turns uneven while his vision blurs.
“Fuck,” he whispers under his breath. He locks the door immediately before dragging himself to the sink. Even the bright bathroom lights feel too harsh.
He grips the sink, staring at his reflection in the mirror. His pupils are blown wide, his skin is flushed, and his scent—he can feel it trying to surface, slowly cramming the space in the restroom. “No,” he breathes. His suppressant is not supposed to fail now. He can’t be exposed like this. He didn’t even carry a suppressant like he usually does, afraid Reign might be able to sniff it out.
Immediately, his shaky hands reach for his phone in his pocket, speed dialing Theo’s number, and the alpha answers on the second ring.
“You better not be drunk calling me,” Theo says from the other side.
“Theo,” Soren forces out, swallowing hard as he grips the sink with the other hand, “It’s happening…my suppressant…I can’t…”
Soren fails to form any reasonable words, but Theo gets it, judging from the sound of hurried movement from his side.
“Send me your location. I’ll come to you immediately.”
And that’s all he says before the call ends with a loud beep. Once Soren manages to send his location to the alpha, the phone slips out of his trembling hand, and he slides down, dropping on the cold tile floor.
His body aches like it’s being pulled apart from the inside; his inside feels like he’s burning, while his hands won’t stop shaking.
After suppressing his omega nature and heat for so long, each time his suppressants start to fail, even the slightest change hits his body with a force that is unbearable and has Soren feeling like he’s dying.
He presses a hand over his mouth, trying to control his breathing. If someone walks in…if someone smells…he squeezes his eyes shut. He has to hold on until Theo finds him while praying that Reign doesn’t find him first.
Time flies, and Soren lost count of how long he sat on that cold before a knock came from the door, and Theo’s voice came from the other side.
“Ren…” he calls his name in a whisper.
“Theo,” Soren whispers as he drags himself up, and with difficulty, he unlocks it to reveal the alpha in a facemask, and his scent is concealed with scent blockers. Theo slips inside quickly and locks it again, and one look at Soren, and his expression changes.
“Shit.”
“I know,” Soren whispers, his face already pale from pain, while a thick black vein stretches on his left wrist. He slides back to the floor, his breath coming out softer and slower, like he is losing it. “Help me,” he cries out, eyes going bloodshot from fear and pain. He doesn’t want to be exposed like this. What’s going to happen to his sister? What’s going to happen to the life he wants to build for himself and his sister?
Theo moves fast, pulling a small case from his jacket. “You’re burning up,” he mutters.
Soren laughs weakly. “Thanks.”
“Shut up.”
Theo pulls out a syringe. Soren turns away slightly, bracing himself against the sink. “Hurry,” he mutters. He has wasted so much time. Anyone could come looking for him now.
Theo injects him smoothly in his left hand. The sting is sharp and painful, but Soren feels the surge of the suppressants flow through his body. His body goes limp for a moment while Theo sprays scent blocker along Soren’s neck, wrist, and collar before every part of the restroom, masking the heavy sweet scent of omega pheromones.
“Stay still,” Theo orders, and Soren leans heavily against the counter, eyes half-closed. The suppressant starts working slowly as the heat in his body starts to dull and the sharp edge of pain softens.
“You scared me,” Theo mutters, squatting in front of him. “You can’t keep doing this.”
“I don’t have a choice. You know that. I can’t live as an omega. No matter what, I have to keep this secret for as long as I live." Soren looks at him weakly, the color on his face returning slowly. Soren feels like he can breathe again.
Theo slowly reaches out and brushes the strand of hair from Soren’s face. “We’re lucky this time. I can get you out of here.”
Soren shakes his head; he can feel his strength returning, but moving feels like the hardest thing he will do. “I can’t leave, Theo. I can manage,” he says, and then he tries to get up but stumbles against the wall. Theo quickly supports him by the arm before Soren stands properly. “I need to return to the party. Thank you, Theo.”
Theo nods. “I’ll stay here for a while," he says and heads to one of the stalls in the bathroom. Soren watches him vanish before opening the door of the restroom, but comes face-to-face with Reign, whose hand is on the doorknob.
Soren’s heart drops to his stomach while Reign pins him with a gaze before scanning him over. Soren forces a smile. “Hi,” he says. It’s silly, but it’s better than nothing. He steps out of the restroom and shuts the door behind him.
“You were gone too long.”
“Stomach ache. I think I had too much to drink.” He lies smoothly, going as far as to hold his stomach to show he’s still in pain.
Reign steps closer, his gaze judging. Suddenly, he grabs Soren’s right wrist. Soren’s breath catches, but he watches without struggle as Reign lifts his hand to his nose, sniffing while his gaze doesn’t move away from Reign’s face.
Soren gulps, but before he can say something, Reign suddenly yanks him closer. Soren’s entire body goes rigid, but Reign’s expression doesn’t change.
“You smell different,” Reign says quietly. He has never been so glad for scent blockers, but the fear of being caught nearly chokes Soren in the throat because Reign is not an alpha. He has double the senses of an alpha and more, but everyone knows he hates omegas, so he won’t keep Soren for a second longer, right?
Reign won’t keep an omega by his side. He has already made that clear, but what about an omega that lied to him? Will Soren go unpunished? Soren doubts that.
Soren forces a shrug. “I threw up, and the restroom has mixed pheromones. Probably that and the r. Can we go home? My stomach still feels funny."
Reigns stares at him a moment before he nods. “Let’s get you home."
~~
The moment Soren steps into his bedroom, he’s rushing to his bathroom. He bends over the sink, gripping it hard until his knuckles turn white, and then he starts to cough violently, and on the fourth one, red splatters into the white sink.
Soren freezes. It’s blood.
He stares at it for a long second while his chest aches deeply, Theo's words seeming to echo in his head. ‘The stronger the suppressants, the heavier the consequences.’
Is this worth it? How long can he do this? What if Theo can’t save him next time? Fear and doubt fill his head.
With shaking hands, he turns on the tap quickly, washing the blood away, and wipes his mouth.
He looks at himself in the mirror again. “You’re fine,” he mutters.
He has to be fine.