– The moment this gets known in the corporation, – Leo said, – you will become too valuable to them.
– I think Adelson suspected this would happen, – Dionna sighed heavily, – otherwise, why would he care so much about her?
– You're right, – Nari fell onto the couch, – Alphas don’t do anything for no reason. Especially if it’s something good for omegas.
– All this is nice and poetic, – Leo sat across from her, – but I’d like to know who beat you up like that.
– If I say that, – the girl waved her hand, – just scratched a bit, that’s all.
– Nari.
The girl rolled her eyes.
– Fine, fine, – she raised her hands in surrender, – I broke up with Kanetika, it started to rain, and I decided to take a shortcut through the alley. And there were two drunk betas. I tried to walk past. But they immediately figured out that I was an omega. And then you can guess what they were planning to do...
– Bastards, – Leo growled angrily, – just because we’re omegas… they think they can do whatever they want!
– It all ended fine, – Nari continued calmly, – a third beta intervened.
– A third?
– Uh-huh. He was strange. He spoke so calmly with them, yet there was more threat in every word than in all their actions, – the girl said thoughtfully.
– Wait, stop. You mean to say that a third beta warded off two drunk betas? He just protected you and let you go? – Leo asked incredulously.
– Yes, – the girl nodded, – he explained to them what awaited them if they harmed a favorite. And they let me go.
– Did he ask anything from you? Didn’t touch you? – Dionna said in surprise, – just took you and let you go?
Nari nodded.
– Suspicious.
– I thought the same, – Nari admitted, – he was kind of… odd. Looked like an Alpha, but wasn’t an Alpha.
– You’re saying he’s handsome? – Dionna asked mischievously.
– Hmm… well, he’s not ugly, – Nari pondered for a second, – wait! Di! Stop it! I wasn’t examining him!
– Is that so? Pity, – Dionna slid her plate towards herself and began eagerly devouring her noodles, – by the way, eat up. Leo was so worried the noodles wouldn’t be cold, and you two are just chatting away…
After dinner, Dionna immediately fell into a deep sleep on the couch. Nari gently stroked her short, dark hair while Leo cleaned up the table. On Dionna's neck, a barely visible web of reddened pulsating veins showed. Nari’s gaze grew heavy. Previously, the web barely reached her chest, but now it had risen to the collar…
– The doctor said the disease isn’t progressing as fast as we feared, – Leo whispered, noticing her gaze.
– Huh? Really? – Nari carefully moved Dionna’s head from her lap to the pillow and stood up, – that’s good, I suppose.
She covered her friend with a blanket and headed for the door.
– I’ll probably go, – she said, – thanks for dinner. Tomorrow I’ll cook.
– I’ll walk you out, – Leo set the plates down and followed her.
Their apartments were arranged in a row. First Leo, then Dionna, and finally Nari. They stopped at the door. Leo leaned against the balcony railing and gazed up at the sky.
– The disease isn’t progressing, – he repeated quietly, – but it isn’t being cured either.
– I’ll figure something out, Leo, – Nari said, – if I can heal external wounds, then sooner or later, I can heal genetic diseases too!
– The stronger your call becomes, the more dangerous it will be for you, – the boy shook his head.
– I don’t care. If it saves her life…
– Right now, her life isn’t in danger, so… no need to push it. Don’t try to jump higher than your head.
They were silent for a while longer. Finally, the girl broke the silence.
– Listen, have you ever thought about what you’ll do after the seventh round of the Arena?
– You have to survive until then, – Leo smiled, – so far, that has been difficult for most.
– And yet?
– I’d like to… I don’t know… travel? See something besides this damn ghetto?
– Sounds a bit uncertain.
– If you think about it, right now my only wish is to survive, – Leo sighed, – just like all of us. So why the sudden questions?
– Just, today Kanetika was talking again about changes and her dreams, – gazing at the cloudy dark sky, Nari said, – she talks so freely about what she wants that sometimes I feel a bit envious.
– She’s a beta, Nari, – the boy’s voice turned steely, – they’ll never understand us omegas. They have different problems. What to wear for work and what to order for lunch. For us, the issue of survival is urgent. If you’re not on the farm – your goal is to reach the seventh stage of the arena. That’s it. So, we don’t have the right to other desires.
– Wanting is normal, – Nari suddenly whispered, – for instance, I want to live, not just survive.
– To do that, you need to reach the seventh stage. And survive it!
The seventh stage. The same ethereal, elusive seventh stage of the Arena that all favorites aspired to reach. Every year, the Arena season began in spring and ended in late summer. With their song, the omega's call sang into the roots of the World Tree, nourishing it with the life energy that allowed the tree to endure another winter. It was a kind of competition. Whose call gives the Tree more energy, that one wins. It took six stages to complete, to defeat six favorites, to be the first. And then, they would allow you to the seventh, final stage. The longed-for seventh stage allowed Omegas to be freed from both the Arena and the Farm. To become free.
– If you reach the seventh stage, you will become free, – Leo said seriously, – then you can use your call without worrying about anything. Then wish. Whatever you want and as much as you want.
– I want to have wishes now, Leo.
– I understand. But I just ask you to be careful… – the boy hesitantly placed his hand on her shoulder.
An awkward silence fell. Nari looked at him, he looked at her.
– Well… I guess I’ll go… – the girl finally broke the pause, – goodnight.
– Yes, goodnight, – Leo jerked his hand back as if he had burned it, – see you tomorrow. Until tomorrow, right? Tomorrow morning… we’ll see each other!
– Uh-huh, – Nari disappeared behind the door of her apartment.
And Leo turned and lowered his head onto the balcony railing, knocking it three times with his forehead.
– Good job, boy, you’re doing great, – he heard a neighbor’s voice from above, – at this rate, in about three or four years, you’ll take her by the hand.
– Go to hell, Anek, – Leo muttered, – no need to gawk.
– Eeeeeh no, – the man shook his head, scratching his beard, – you are my favorite soap opera! I won’t miss a single episode.
– Anek, don’t bother the boy, – a woman from the apartment above stepped out, – after all, he’s not an Alpha.
– He’s too weak even for an omega, – the man grumbled, – you, Zoe, by the way, know that too. He’s got nothing to look forward to.
– Well, who knows! Nari is a smart girl; maybe she’ll take everything into her own hands?
– Does she need that?
– Maybe she does!
– Yeah, yeah, – Leo waved, – I’ll leave you to discuss my personal life, folks; I won’t interfere.
"Wanting is normal" – flashed in his mind.
– And what am I supposed to do if I want you?.. – Leo whispered to himself.