Nari, rubbing her bruised shoulder, got to her feet. Maiden stood over her, removing the elastic bandages from her fists.
- That's enough for today, - she said.
- Let’s do it one more time! - Nari insisted passionately.
- No, - the Alpha shook her head, - you’ve had enough. We’ll continue tomorrow.
- I can go again!
- Inariya! - Mae snapped, causing the girl to flinch.
- Using a growl is against the rules, - Nari muttered.
- Just tell that to the Alphas who will be attacking you, - Mae said grimly, - please calm down. Your skills are improving every day, but you are still an Omega. No matter how hard you try, you will not become stronger than an Alpha physically. I agreed to teach you self-defense only because Noah asked. You're doing well, but your strength lies within your call. You need to develop that.
Nari didn’t respond, lowering her gaze. Since that day, she had been very careful using her call. As if she was afraid of it. The feeling that enveloped her that day frightened her, and she couldn’t even explain it to herself. Ever since she, Leo, and Iris settled at Sigma’s headquarters, Toneri had visited her every day. He was always polite and patient. But it was more than obvious that he had big plans for her. Nari understood this and immediately offered him her help. Her call – regeneration and healing – could be useful. But Toneri needed something else. Until now, Nari had managed to avoid this conversation, but she felt that soon she wouldn’t be able to change the subject so easily. She simply would not be allowed to.
Every day she trained with either Maiden or Noah. Sometimes she even paired up with Iris, who turned out to be surprisingly agile and a cunning fighter. In physical strength, like any omega, he fell short compared to Mae and Noah. His fighting style was cleverly tailored to utilize his call. His movements focused more on pressure points, fighting for escape.
Leo only trained with him. The first few weeks he simply remained silent. Iris took full responsibility for him. They lived in neighboring rooms. He fed him, dressed him, took him for walks. And he constantly talked to him. After a month, Leo slowly began to come back to life. He started to integrate into the group of omegas who followed Sigma. He was offered a place in the kitchen and agreed. As he began to cook for others, he poured his soul into every dish as if he were still cooking for Di.
Nari communicated with him less and less. He still reached out to her, but she didn’t. The girl found it hard to be around him, hard to look him in the eye. She still blamed herself for his sister's death, so all these months they had not really talked. Nari skillfully avoided Leo. They almost never remained alone together. And for some reason, she felt that it was better this way.
- Are you done? - Nari heard a voice from behind.
Noah stood at the doorway of the training room, and behind him, she saw Leo and Iris. Maiden approached the Alpha and lightly pushed him on the shoulder.
- Calm down the omega, - she whispered, - she might get injured accidentally.
- Hey!!! I can hear everything!!! - Nari shouted at her back.
- I hear nothing. Naaaaaothing! - Mae ran out of the room, - I’ve gone deaf, deaf!
- Mae! Wait a second! - Noah turned sharply and ran after her, - I was looking for you!
Nari stood there in the middle of the room looking at Leo, who stood in the passage. There was nowhere to run. Iris, sensing the situation, slowly turned and disappeared from her line of sight. Leo, realizing that he had been given a chance, took a step towards her.
- How was your training? - he asked cautiously.
- I’m tired, - the girl replied, - I want to rest; I’ll take a shower. So, I’m probably…
- Nari, wait! - he grabbed her hand, - why are you running away?
- Don’t make up things, - the girl’s eyes darted around, - I just want to…
- Leave. Disappear from my sight again.
- That’s not true.
- Then stop! Talk to me!!!
Nari silently looked at the hand he was still holding.
- I know why… I understand everything!
- If you understand, then let go.
- No! How can I?! Leave you while you're destroying yourself from the inside?!
- I don’t understand what you’re talking about.
- You are not to blame for Di's death! - Leo shot back, - and you… keep blaming yourself! And that’s why you have been running away from me for almost four months! I… I need your support! I need you! Don’t hide. Don’t run away!
- Leo, please…
- No! Listen to me! I've been trying to tell you this whole time!..
- Leo!
- Nari, I love you! - he tightened his grip on her hand, - I love you. I've always loved you. And I would never… I would never blame you for Di's death!
- Leo, I…
- I know. I’m not asking you to respond. I just had to say it. I promised Di that I would confess to you, - suddenly Leo smiled, for the first time in all this time, - phew, it feels lighter now.
Nari blinked in confusion.
- Don’t look at me like that. And don’t apologize, or I’ll feel even more pathetic, - he laughed quietly, - seriously. I promised to confess to you. Dionna insisted. But now, saying this out loud… it feels so... foolish.
- Foolish?
- Well… it’s you, Nari. You’ve always been so close and dear to me. So imagining you responding to me in kind feels somehow unnatural, - Leo squatted down, covering his face with his hands for a moment, - haha… I’m sorry. I hope you won’t run away from me anymore. And we can be friends.
- Uh-huh… - the girl nodded uncertainly.
- And now, go where you were going, - Leo waved her off cheerfully, - I’ll stay here a bit longer. And for the love of everything holy, don’t say anything. Just one of your eloquent looks is more than enough.
Nari didn’t know how to respond. Softly smiling, she nodded and walked away. Leo sat for a few more minutes in the middle of the training room, looking at the floor.
- That was brave, - he heard a voice from the door, - you know how to surprise.
Looking up, he saw Noah leaning against the wall at the entrance.
- Tch… - Leo’s expression immediately darkened, - I could do without you being here.
- Don’t you shake around me anymore? - Noah smiled slyly.
- What do you want?
- Just showing you some respect, - the Alpha shrugged, - is it really so hard for you to accept me? I’m not your enemy.
- I hate you, Noah Adelson, - Leo said coldly.
- Interesting, why would that be? - Noah slowly walked around the room, sizing up what could be done there, - I don’t remember what I could have done to offend you?
- Don’t play the fool, - Leo got to his feet, - you destroyed something important to me. Before you showed up… Nari… she was!..
- What kind?! Weak? Naive? Scared?
- She was mine!
Noah froze. Leo looked at him defiantly. The air around vibrated.
- She never belonged to you, - the Alpha's voice sounded like a low, quiet growl of a beast.
- Just as she doesn’t belong to you!
- I would sell my soul for just one hope that I could one day say that she is mine! - Noah took a step towards him.
- Stop! - a voice rang out from behind.
Noah, as if enchanted, stopped. His gaze turned vacant, like a marionette. Leo recoiled from him and turned around. Behind stood Toneri.