The car ride to the clinic was suffocatingly silent. Alex stared out of the window, his reflection barely visible against the glass, his thoughts swirling like a storm.
When they finally arrived, he glanced up at the building and realized with a small sense of relief—it was a private clinic. Small. Discreet. Perfect. Exactly what he needed.
At least Damien hadn't dragged him to some massive hospital where too many eyes would be watching, where a single slip could unravel everything.
Damien, to his credit, didn't push. He stayed behind in the waiting room, arms crossed, his ever-present frown deepening as he watched Alex follow the nurse inside.
The examination room was quiet, save for the faint hum of medical equipment. A woman stood by the desk, flipping through a chart. She was tall, with warm hazel eyes and soft, expressive features framed by dark curls of hair.
She looked up, offering a professional yet kind smile. "Alex, right?"
"Yeah," he muttered, sitting down heavily in the chair.
"I'm Dr. Addison. I'll be handling your check-up today," she said, setting down her clipboard. Her eyes quickly scanned him, her gaze sharp, assessing. "You don't look like you've been taking care of yourself."
Alex snorted. "Yeah, well. Life's a bitch."
Dr. Addison didn't laugh. Instead, she pulled up a stool and sat across from him. "Let's start with some basic questions. Any dizziness? Nausea?"
"Both," Alex admitted. "And fatigue. Like, really bad."
She nodded, jotting something down. "Appetite?"
"Nonexistent. I lost almost ten pounds in the last four days."
Her pen froze mid-air. She looked up sharply. "Ten pounds in four days?"
Alex shrugged. "I haven't exactly been eating."
Dr. Addison exhaled slowly, clearly trying to keep her composure. "That's extremely concerning."
"Yeah."
She placed the clipboard down and folded her hands. "We'll need to run blood work, which will reveal everything we need to know about your condition. But before we proceed, is there anything I should be aware of?"
Alex hesitated. He hated this part, but there was no way around it. If he wanted real treatment, she had to know.
"I'm not actually a beta," he confessed, his voice quieter now. "I'm an omega. I've been taking secondary gender suppressants to pass as a beta."
There was no shock in Dr. Addison's expression. Only a slow, sad nod. "I see."
"You're not surprised."
"Unfortunately, no." Her voice softened. "It's not uncommon for male omegas to be forced into hiding their gender, either due to family pressure or…" She glanced toward the waiting room, where Damien was still sitting. "Other circumstances."
Alex frowned. "It was my choice."
"Was it?" she asked, arching an eyebrow.
He didn't answer.
Dr. Addison sighed. "You do realize those suppressants are incredibly dangerous, right? They wreak havoc on your system, disrupting your natural biology. The longer you take them, the worse the side effects become."
"Yeah, well, I was planning to stop," Alex said, his voice tight. "I've already decided to cut ties with the people who made me take them in the first place."
"That's good to hear," Dr.Addison said with a look of approval. She stood up. "Alright. Take off your sweater. I'll do a light physical examination."
Alex obeyed, peeling off the thick fabric. The moment he did, her gaze zeroed in on his neck.
She reached out, almost hesitantly, and peeled away the bandage. Her fingers barely ghosted over the wound, but even that light touch made Alex wince.
"You were marked," she stated, her voice dangerously calm.
Alex rolled his eyes. "Technically, I was bitten."
Her grip on the bandage tightened. "Alex," she said, her voice clipped, "when did this happen?"
"Four days ago."
She looked horrified. "Four days?"
"Yeah."
"This wound should have already scabbed over. Have you been bleeding like this the entire time?"
Alex nodded, his head starting to pound.
"And you have been experiencing nausea, body aches, and stomach pain this entire time?"
"Yes."
Dr. Addison stepped back, rubbing her temple. "Alex," she said carefully, "is the man outside the one who did this to you?"
"Yes. But I don't want him knowing I'm an omega."
Dr. Addison let out a slow breath, as if trying to contain her frustration. "So he bit you this savagely while thinking you were a beta?"
Alex hesitated before nodding.
She muttered something under her breath before crossing her arms. "How long have you known him?"
"Five or six weeks."
"And have you spent any of your heats with him?"
Alex stiffened. "We're not in a relationship."
"That wasn't my question."
His face flushed. "Yes," he admitted reluctantly. "That's how we met."
Dr. Addison exhaled, her expression unreadable. "Did your body react strangely when he bit you?"
Alex hesitated, his face growing warmer. "…Yes."
"Describe it."
His fingers curled against his knees. "When he licked my nape, my body just—reacted. Like it wanted to open up to him. And when he bit me, I kind of… lost control."
Dr. Addison's frown deepened. "Did you have unprotected sex during that heat?"
Alex swallowed. "I think we used a condom," he said, voice uncertain. "But maybe at some point we… didn't?"
Dr. Addison let out an annoyed sigh, pinching the bridge of her nose before looking back at Alex with a level of seriousness that sent a cold shiver down his spine.
"Alright, first things first," she began, her voice calm but firm. "You're in worse shape than I initially thought. You've lost a significant amount of blood from that unhealed bite, and if we don't act now, your condition will only deteriorate further. We're going to start with a blood transfusion to stabilize you. Along with that, you'll need an IV drip for fluids and nutrients. Your body is in a severe state of depletion, and if we don't replenish what you've lost, you'll end up in organ failure sooner rather than later. Quite frankly, I'm surprised that you are still standing."
Alex swallowed, his throat suddenly dry. "That bad?"
Dr. Addison gave him a pointed look. "Yes. That bad."
Alex sighed, running a shaky hand through his hair. "Fine. Do whatever you need to."
She nodded, making a note on her chart before fixing him with another sharp gaze. "But that's not all, Alex. We need to address the root of the problem."
Alex nervously bit the inside of his cheek. He already knew what was coming.
"You have to stop taking the secondary gender suppressants immediately," she said, each word deliberate. "They are the reason your body is shutting down. The reason why that bite refuses to heal. It's natural for an omega's system to recognize an alpha's pheromones through a mating bite, process them, and begin the healing process while reinforcing the bond. But because of the suppressants—and their extremely dangerous side effects—your body can't do what it's biologically designed to do. Instead of accepting the alpha's pheromones, it's rejecting them. That's why you're still bleeding, why you're weak, nauseous, and in constant pain. Your body is at war with itself."
His heartbeat was thundering in his ears. "And if I stop?"
"Your body will begin to recover naturally. Your system will slowly start regulating itself again."
Alex let out a bitter laugh. "Right. And then what? My pheromones will come back, and Damien—" He stopped, shaking his head, his voice rising with frustration. "I can't let him find out. He can't know I'm an omega!"
Dr.Addison leaned forward, her expression softening, but her tone remained firm. "Alex, I need you to listen to me. Right now, you're prioritizing hiding over surviving, and that isn't an option anymore. Your health has to come first."
He clenched his jaw, looking away.
There was a beat of silence before she spoke again, this time with an uncharacteristic hesitation.
"Alex," she started carefully, "there's also one more thing we need to consider."
"What?"
She hesitated for only a fraction of a second before she said it.
"You might be pregnant."
The words slammed into him like a wrecking ball, leaving him breathless.
She paused before continuing, her tone firm but gentle. "It's possible that the reason why the alpha felt such an overwhelming need to mark you—and the way your body instinctively reacted to it—is because you're pregnant."
Alex's heart was hammering in his chest.
"A pregnant omega unconsciously seeks protection and reassurance from their alpha, sending signals that they want to be marked, to be bonded. And an alpha, whether aware of it or not, will feel an irresistible pull toward the omega, driven by an instinct to claim them. That bond ensures the fetus can thrive, feeding on the alpha's pheromones, growing strong and healthy within you," Dr. Addison explained. "Your alpha's subconscious has probably already picked up on the signals. Even if he doesn't consciously acknowledge it, his instincts are likely screaming at him that his omega is carrying his child. He may try to suppress those urges, but biology is not something you can fight. I wouldn't be surprised if he's already experiencing a deep sense of protectiveness toward you."
A cold and humorless laugh escaped Alex. "A deep sense of protectiveness? "That has to be a joke. That man—" His voice caught, and he quickly shut his mouth, lowering his gaze. "I'll do whatever you tell me, Dr. Addison… as long as you make sure he never finds out what I am. Never finds out about the baby… if I really am pregnant." He said after some thought.
Dr. Addison studied him intently then, finally, she nodded. "You are my patient, Alex. That means your condition is confidential. I will not share this information with anyone unless you give me permission. So for now, try to calm down and focus on your health. You're already in a fragile state. "
Alex nodded stiffly, but his mind was anything but calm.
As if on instinct, his hand drifted toward his stomach, hovering there hesitantly. His heart pounded against his ribs as the realization settled in.
If he really was pregnant with Damien's child…
What the hell was he going to do?