Omega Manual chapter 48

Come here for a hug

The bear released Shelley, setting aside the balloon, laboriously removing its headgear, revealing the face of Irey Halton.

Irey’s forehead glistened with sweat, his short hair at the temples slightly dampened, yet still astonishingly handsome.

They stared at each other at close range until a gust of wind made Shelley shiver involuntarily.

“It’s too cold. Get up, don’t sit here,” Irey pulled him up, firmly wrapping him in the plush fabric of the bear suit. Shelley stumbled a bit, being carried forward like a handbag by Irey.

Under normal circumstances, he would never allow Irey to treat him like this. But perhaps it was too cold, or perhaps the day had been too exhausting; the warmth of the teddy bear’s embrace was too enticing. Shelley simply pursed his lips, saying nothing.

Irey returned the teddy bear costume to the toy store, and when the shopkeeper saw the face of the Omega Irey held in his arms, her expression changed for a while.

“Is there an inn nearby?” Irey asked, “A decent one.”

Facing the tall Alpha, the shopkeeper finally put on a warm smile, pointing in a direction, “Yes, just down the street. It’s the best inn in Duhaat, with single and double rooms, and the prices aren’t too high…”

Without waiting for the shopkeeper to finish, Irey grabbed Shelley’s hand, heading in that direction.

Shelley remained silent, neither speaking nor struggling, allowing himself to be manipulated like a doll. When they reached the street corner, Irey stopped, releasing Shelley’s hand, “Wait here for me.”

Shelley obediently stood still, watching Irey enter a clothing store. Before long, he emerged with a heavy wool coat, draping it over Shelley’s shoulders, “Put it on.”

Shelley’s reaction was sluggish, his arm reaching out slowly to find the sleeves. Irey couldn’t bear watching anymore, lifting his arms to help him put on the coat properly, then squatting in front of him to button it up.

“After walking for so long, didn’t you think about buying some clothes?” Irey looked up at him, “Aren’t you cold?”

Shelley blinked slowly, “I forgot.”

Irey felt a mix of exasperation and amusement, straightening Shelley’s collar and hem, “I don’t know what to do with you… Don’t forget next time. If you get sick, I’ll have to take care of you.”

Shelley actually thought for a moment before nodding in agreement, “Seems so.”

Irey ruffled Shelley’s hair, then wrapped his arm around his waist, continuing forward, as if announcing to everyone on the road, “This is my Omega,” yet also simply wanting to provide more warmth to the person in his arms.

Duhaat’s best inn was just an inconspicuous single-story building. The innkeeper, a bespectacled female Alpha, only glanced at Shelley before displaying an impatient expression.

“Our Omega guests here can’t—”

“A deluxe double room, with private bath and central heating,” Irey interrupted her, speaking firmly.

The female Alpha looked up at Irey, their eyes meeting briefly before she clicked her tongue, retracting her gaze, and began writing the bill, “The room on the far east, 480 dollars a night, pay now.”

The price she quoted was at least twice as expensive as the one posted on the wall, but Irey didn’t say anything more, counting out a few bills from his pocket and tossing them onto the counter, then pulling Shelley towards the room.

“Why are you so willing to spend money today?” Shelley glanced at the wool coat on himself, then looked up at Irey, “You probably don’t have much of your salary left.”

“What else?” Irey shrugged, “Should I let you buy another house and give it to me for free?”

Shelley pursed his lips, silent for a moment, “I didn’t mean that.”

“I didn’t mean that either.” Irey stuffed the bill into his pocket, “I have a bad temper and I’m not good at talking. I just wanted to say you don’t have to hide everything and shoulder everything alone. You have an Alpha right by your side, but you didn’t even discuss it with me. I was a little upset. But saying those nonsense words was still my fault, so it’s natural that you’re angry.”

Shelley shook his head, his tone returning to its usual calmness. “You’re right, Omega can’t survive without Alpha, that’s just a fact. It’s not your fault, not the fault of the Duhaat people, not even the fault of society. The one who can’t accept this fact is me.”

Shelley remained calm, his expression serene, his eyelids slightly drooping, his eyelashes appearing particularly long in the sunlight. It seemed as though nothing could break him, nor could anything bring him to life.

Irey didn’t like seeing him in such a state.

Suddenly, Shelley felt a lightness under his feet, and then he realized that Irey had picked him up and was holding him horizontally in his arms.

“Halton!” Shelley instinctively struggled, but Irey’s movements were more skilled than before. He held him steady while closing the door with his foot, and before Shelley could react, his back had already landed on the soft mattress.

Irey’s lips met his, still carrying the chill of the cold wind. Shelley’s hands grasped Irey’s sleeves for a moment, then he gave up struggling, welcoming this sudden but very gentle kiss.

A kiss could warm someone faster than any fireplace. Warm breaths sprayed against each other’s ears, hot lips and tongues exchanging temperatures. Shelley soon found himself overwhelmed by Irey’s aggressive advance, emitting a few small whimpering sounds.

Irey didn’t continue to press further; he lifted his head, creating some distance between them.

“Why the hell did you suddenly…?” Shelley complained, his breath unsteady.

“Not willing?” Irey asked softly.

“Who would willingly be suddenly pinned down and kissed for no reason?” Shelley retorted.

“Then try pushing me away,” Irey suggested.

Shelley looked at Irey in confusion, then pushed his shoulder as suggested. But as he expected, Irey remained unmoved.

“Push harder,” Irey said.

Shelley exerted all his strength to push Irey, but as he thought, Irey only moved back a few centimeters, his strong arms supporting him, barely budging.

“How could I possibly move you?” Shelley frowned. “You know well the power gap between Omega and Alpha. Even if it were just me, three Omegas combined might not be able to do it.”

Irey nodded. “Then try punching or kicking me in the lower right abdomen.”

Shelley looked at him incredulously but still placed his hand where Irey indicated. “Here?”

Irey nodded.

Though not understanding what Irey meant, Shelley followed through. His fist hit the spot Irey pointed to, and then he saw Irey spring up from the bed like a coil, retreating several steps while clutching his abdomen.

“Are you okay?” Shelley was startled.

He hadn’t exerted much force with that punch, and he didn’t expect it to elicit such a reaction from Irey. But seeing Irey clutching his stomach, sweating coldly, it didn’t seem like an act.

Irey waved it off, sitting at the edge of the bed for a moment before raising his head and lifting the hem of his shirt.

Though they had been intimate before, either clothed or in dim light, this was the first time Shelley saw Irey’s bare upper body.

A gnarled scar ran through Irey’s lower right abdomen, and from the raised scar tissue, one could gauge the severity of the wound at the time. It seemed the injury hadn’t been treated promptly, likely undergoing numerous instances of tearing before becoming what it was now.

“This scar is from a fight I had with an Alpha two years ago,” Irey said, panting. “That bastard sneaked in a knife and slashed me like this on my belly. My intestines even spilled out at the time, almost died in the ambulance. It still aches in damp weather.”

Pointing to the scar, Irey looked at Shelley. “So, if you hit here, even with your strength, you can push me back. The lower body’s strength is much stronger than the upper body’s. If you use your full body strength to kick, at least it’ll leave me unable to move for half a minute.”

Shelley stared at him blankly.

“The world is messed up now, and those inhumane laws might not change anytime soon,” Irey said. “I can’t change that, nor can other Alphas. But if someday I do something you really hate, something unbearable, you can kick here with all your might. Even if you’re an Omega, you can totally take down this Alpha.”

Shelley’s throat rolled, feeling his eye sockets uncontrollably sore and tight, then his vision quickly blurred.

Five years ago, when he first discovered he was an Omega, he didn’t cry.

During his first heat, surrounded by endless waves of heat and pain, he didn’t cry.

When he was marked, he didn’t cry; when he was treated as an object, looked down upon by others, he didn’t cry.

He didn’t cry when he lost his mother’s photo.

He didn’t cry when he was kicked out of the villa by the bishop.

He didn’t cry when he was embraced by the furry bear.

But now, tears flowed uncontrollably, like beads off a broken string, completely beyond his control, streaming down.

“Hey,” Irey paused, scrambling for tissues, “what… Why are you crying? Don’t cry, I didn’t mean to. Should I let you hit me a couple of times, kick me?”

The tears poured even more vigorously. Though Shelley tried to shield his eyes with his arm, he couldn’t stop the drops falling like rain.

Irey was at a loss, so he tentatively asked, “How about… a hug?”

As soon as the words fell, a sturdy, warm body crashed into his embrace.