Page 69 of Primal Bonds 1
The more Lan explained the struggling power between the three clans, the more I understood that Adam was in deep trouble, and it was all because of me. The realization only made me feel sick to my stomach. What if one of the other clans found out about Adam’s low life essence and decided to attack? Ah, shit. That just meant Adam had to find a way to increase it as soon as possible, and I decided then that I’d do whatever it took to help him.
“What about omega?” I asked, since Nolan mentioned an alpha could increase his life essence by mating with an omega. “Do you know anything about that?”
“Omega?” Lan asked. “What the heck is that? I’ve never heard of it.”
It looked like I reached a dead end here. But strangely enough, why did I have the feeling I had heard of that word before? Sometime long ago?
A knock came, and we turned to see Adam at the door. Chuckling, he said, “You boys still munching on the snacks, huh?”
Lan said, “Beastkin boys have big stomachs.”
Adam chuckled. “More like a bottomless pit for you, Lan.” To Aka, he said, “Chase is about to leave.” He nodded to the front door.
“Oh,” Aka said, standing up. “I’ll go and see him before he goes.” And he was out the door.
“What about Master Nolan?” Lan asked.
Adam said, “He’s too drunk to go home and is currently half dead in the study room. Why don’t you be a good bodyguard and drag him to the other bedroom?”
Lan rolled his eyes. “Why the heck did he have to go drinking so much?” He got up and then headed out the door.
Alone with just the two of us, Adam came to stand beside the bed and asked, “How’s your wrist doing?”
I raised my bandaged wrist to show him and said, “It’s feeling better, and I managed to not get it wet when I showered.”
“Good boy,” he said, ruffling my hair. “Then have a good rest and don’t stay up too late.”
“We’ll go to bed soon,” I said. “We have plenty of time to hang out and catch up some more tomorrow.”
Adam nodded. “Mm-hmm.”
He was about to leave when I said, my voice hoarse, “Adam?”
“Hmm?” He turned to look at me.
I licked my lip and said, “Thanks for… saving me.”
He chuckled. “You’re welcome. Good night, Shiro.”
Goodness, he was very nonchalant about it, wasn’t he? The saving me part, that was. I knew he didn’t want to worry me, which had been why he had never even mentioned it to me the fact that he had saved my life by giving up some of his life essence, the source of his supernatural power, or whatever it was.
Emotions playing havoc within me, I said softly, “Good night, Adam.”
“Mm-hmm.” He left and shut the door behind him.
I settled in bed and rolled over to my side, my mind still on Adam.
“Omega,” I said softly. Again, why did I have the feeling I had heard of that word before tonight?
Alullaby?I could hear this beautiful, soothing humming of a lullaby near my ears, and I opened my eyes. Before me, I saw the flickering of flame dancing in a hearth, giving out a sense of warmth and coziness, a long-forgotten sort of feeling that had only recently resurfaced.
“Are you awake?” I heard a soft, feminine voice say, and I tilted my head back to see a beautiful woman with long pale hair and blue eyes looking at me, a gentle smile on her lips. I found that I was in her arms, my head resting against her.
“Mama,” I said, my hoarse voice small and high-pitched, echoing with emotions, while my heart was racing. “Mama…”
She cupped my face and chuckled. “What’s the matter? Did you have a bad dream?”
I swallowed hard as I moved around and hugged her tightly, burying my face against her. I could barely wrap my arms around her and realized then that I was once again a child, that little Shiro still clutching on to hismother’s skirt and needing a hug and a kiss when he was frightened.