CHAPTER 3

From light chills on my arms on family vacations to warm tears, my reality drastically changed.

It was the summer during high school and my college’s debut. The same way they had done before my brother entered college, we had chosen the destination of holidays. Even though he was studying medicine and got into a most prestigious college, they didn’t make any difference. Nash had chosen Liali city and I had chosen Andùla. It was the last days of the break when I started to feel bad. It was a slight discomfort at first but it suddenly got worse.

« Those are painkillers –» My mom put the box next to me, brushing a streak of hair out of my face. « I will stay with him » my mom declared to my brother and dad. Everyone was already dressed in beach attire, with the cliché flower tops and shorts.

« Mom, I am not dying » I managed to say, not moving from below the cover despite my clothes sticking to every inch of my skin and my breath warming my face.

« But this is your vacations » She punched me back wholly into the sofa.

« I already enjoy it plenty, have fun or I’ll feel bad » 

She didn’t answer

«Dad, Nash. Take mom with you » I looked at my brother,

« Alright,» My mom agreed «but keep your phone next to you and call us if anything you feel bad »

« I’ll bring water and snack – and we won’t come back late because of tomorrow » My father said, as we were going home tomorrow morning.

« Thanks » I smiled,

I watched tv barely listening to it, I moved and closed and opened my eyes relentlessly to find comfortable positions. I forced myself to breathe in and out extra-hard before sitting up. The sunrays sipping the window bothered me. I put the cover off me when I started to have hot flashes and felt extremely ill-at-ease, and it freed an unawaited scent. 

A sweet scent. Coming from me.

An omega scent.

It was gone as soon as I sniffed it. 

But, oh, the panic it triggered in me didn’t settle one bit.

Had I smelled it wrong ? I never had many occasions to smell this kind of pheromones.

No, it was brief but obvious.

I had emitted alpha pheromone before so this was strange. Did I have a hormonal imbalance ? I needed to know what was going on and find a solution before my family was coming back.

I gathered my strength and went to the shower, putting the off-scent anybody could use. I changed clothes and put mine in the washing machine in case my family went back sooner.

I was in front of the pharmacy and panicked, so I just stayed in front of the doors. What was I supposed to ask there? I couldn’t be seen taking suppressants as far as it was from my home.

I could bribe someone to buy it but I wasn’t even sure. Someone got out  and looked at me warily.

I  went in a corner and got on my phone, I had a message from my family so I messaged back. Then I googled «Manifesting as omega » and clicked on the first link

While we know from childhood our secondary gender, its manifestations happen later in life dependent on the gender. For omegas,  the mean age is twelve and the symptoms vary depending on the person, nonetheless there are a few that-

Chills

I needed one thing : verify it and take action if necessary.