Omega Manual chapter 47
Roses
The clear sky of early morning soon became overcast. Dark clouds slowly rose and eventually covered the sky, blocking out the sun. The north wind blew relentlessly like a knife. The snow had not yet melted, but new snow mixed with ice pellets swept in under the cold wind.
Shelley’s hair tie was blown away by the wind shortly after leaving the villa, and his golden hair flew messily behind him.
Irey quickly caught up from behind, walking half a step behind Shelley’s right side.
For a few seconds, no one said anything. Except for the dull sounds of the wind and the dragging of luggage, the air was so heavy it almost solidified.
Finally, Irey spoke first.
“Why didn’t you tell me about Omegas not being able to buy houses?”
Shelley didn’t respond, just kept pulling the luggage forward.
“Unable to register any property,” Irey continued, “so all those things you mentioned before, buying houses, cars, even renting a whole train, none of it’s legal?”
Shelley suddenly stopped, and Irey almost bumped into his shoulder.
“What’s the use of me telling you in advance? Can it change the law? Can it change the fact that Omegas have no rights?”
“No! But at least we could think of a solution in advance!” Irey grabbed Shelley’s arm and forcibly made him look at him.
“What solution?” Shelley sneered. “Go stay in a cold, narrow, drafty hotel, or just sleep on the streets like a homeless person?”
Irey simply couldn’t stand Shelley’s stubborn temper anymore.
“You’re an Omega, but I’m a damn Alpha!” he raised his voice, “And I’m the Alpha who marked you, who has a legitimate bonding relationship with you! if the property can’t be registered under your name, If it’s registered under my name, wouldn’t it be fine?”
Shelley chuckled, “Are you saying you want me to spend six million to buy a house and give it to you?”
“It’s just a name on the deed, what’s the difference!” Irey got furious, “Are you buying a house to settle down here? Isn’t it just to live comfortably for a few nights! If you had written my name from the beginning, you wouldn’t have ended up being kicked out of the house and having to compensate six million!”
“That’s still my money, not yours!” Shelley suppressed his anger, “You don’t need to worry about me!”
“Do you have any sense of reason at all?” Irey raised his voice, “I didn’t make the laws, it’s not my fault that Omegas can’t live without Alphas!”
Shelley stared at Irey firmly.
For the first time, Irey saw so many complex emotions in Shelley’s eyes. Surprise, disappointment, hurt, amusement—all the emotions melted together in an instant, turning into a familiar, extinguished numbness.
“Irey Halton,” Shelley said, “I’m not your possession.”
In that instant when the words fell, Irey realized he had gone too far. His hand in his pocket twitched anxiously, subconsciously reaching for a cigarette, “Boss—”
Shelley lowered his eyes, said nothing, picked up the suitcase, and continued walking. Irey followed a few steps, but was stopped by Shelley’s calm but firm voice.
“Let me be alone for a while,” Shelley said softly.
Irey had to stand still, watching Shelley’s figure gradually disappearing into the distant snowstorm. His fingers finally found the cigarette box in his pocket, but he remembered the lighter was placed on the bedside table in the villa, probably thrown somewhere by those people.
He impatiently threw the cigarette on the ground, the white cigarette blending with the white snow, disappearing quickly when the wind blew.
Duhaat’s winter could be described as bitterly cold.
Although it snowed in Nantes every year, there was rarely any wind, and the temperature wasn’t too low. The thin layer of snow mostly melted away after one or two days. In the first two years after Manta MX was launched, many fashionable girls would wear short skirts to take photos in the snow.
But Duhaat, further north, was completely different. After a snowfall, just as the snow began to take away the warmth from the air, another snowfall would come. The howling wind from the north carried a piercing chill, and walking in such wind and snow, one’s exposed skin would soon become numb.
Shelley didn’t even wear a decent coat. The cold wind messed up his hair and collar, making his ears and the back of his hands turn red.
The whole city seemed to be in hibernation, with all doors and windows tightly closed, and the streets deserted except for homeless vagrants.
A few unkempt beggars huddled together in an alley filled with garbage, and there was one person lying alone on the cold hard ground for some reason. It wasn’t until Shelley approached dragging his suitcase that he realized the person had long been as cold as the ground beneath them.
It was too cold. If he didn’t find a warm place to rest soon, he feared he would end up frozen to death on the street like that beggar.
Among all ways to die, Shelley hated freezing to death the most.
To die in the cold, to die alone, to die in numbness, unable to stay conscious in the last moments of life.
He quickened his pace and headed towards a small bar that was still lit up.
Even in such cold weather, the small cabin was crowded with people, and the noisy voices could be heard from afar.
As Shelley walked into the bar, the noise suddenly stopped, and everyone in the bar turned their gaze to this unfamiliar blond man.
In the tense atmosphere, Shelley reluctantly spoke up, “A whiskey, please.”
Just one drink would do, at least it would warm his body up.
The bartender glanced at him, said nothing, and reached behind him to tap on a small blackboard.
Shelley looked up, and there, written in unclear handwriting with cheap chalk, was: “Omegas not allowed inside.”
Some people in the room laughed disdainfully, and someone even whistled frivolously. Shelley pursed his lips, said nothing, and turned around to leave the bar.
Every two streets he walked, there would be a bar or a shop still open for business, but whenever he walked in, he would encounter suspicious looks from the owners, and once recognized as an Omega, he would be ruthlessly kicked out.
As time passed, the blizzard gradually weakened, and a ray of sunlight pierced through the cracks in the dark clouds, causing the snowflakes to lose momentum and gently fall from the sky.
Shelley sat down in front of the large angel sculpture in the central square, not far from a toy store.
After the blizzard stopped, many children ran out of their homes nearby and gathered around the toy store, clamoring around a giant teddy bear. The teddy bear kindly handed out balloons to each child, and the shop owner smiled warmly, welcoming each child inside to take a look.
Only Shelley knew that just ten minutes ago, this shop owner had driven him out with a broom as if he had seen something dirty, and then self-righteously said to him, “This is Duhaat, we don’t welcome demons like you here!”
Watching the scene of the man playing happily with the children, Shelley couldn’t help but wonder with a bit of amusement what expression the shop owner’s face would turn into if these children turned into Omegas in the future.
Maybe it was because of that giant teddy bear, the children gathered more and more at the entrance of the toy store, and cheerful voices occasionally came from across the street.
Shelley sat on the cold steps, snowflakes falling on his shoulders and freezing into his scattered golden hair. He seemed like a beautiful and cold sculpture standing there for a long time, just like the angel behind him.
Until suddenly, a pair of brown, furry big feet appeared in his line of sight.
Shelley looked up, and the enormous teddy bear from the toy store across the street had somehow approached him, extending a soft paw, offering a balloon.
Shelley neither took it nor spoke. His lack of response seemed to perplex the bear, who swapped the balloon to its other hand, then rummaged in its pocket, producing a dirty piece of candy, laying it out in front of Shelley.
Shelley glanced at the candy but showed no interest in taking it. The bear persisted for a while, still receiving no response, so it reluctantly withdrew the candy.
Seeming even more troubled this time, the chubby bear paced anxiously, its furry feet shuffling in place. Yet, it didn’t leave; instead, it delved into its pocket once more, eventually pulling out a vibrant red rose, offering it gently.
Shelley lifted his head, gazing at the teddy bear’s endearing face, then at the rose in its hand, finally accepting it.
The fresh petals were vibrant, the faint scent wafting towards him, snowflakes glistening on its surface.
The bear then leaned down, enveloping Shelley in its furry embrace.
Soft, warm, the thick fur fabric completely enveloped Shelley’s petite figure, revealing only the petals of the rose and a small portion of his cheek.
Shelley closed his eyes, his body, nearly frozen from the cold, gradually warming in this fuzzy embrace. The bear deliberately avoided his neck, gently patting his back.
Snow continued to fall, distant sounds of children playing echoed, but time seemed to freeze, blending all emotions into this warmth.
After a while, Shelley finally spoke, “Halton.”
The bear quieted for a moment before a muffled, familiar voice emanated from the fabric, “Busted.”
“Who else but you would bring flowers to an Omega in the middle of nowhere?” Shelley said, his voice husky with emotion.