Asher
'I regret so much' a soft lingering feminine voice floated around inside Asher Blackrose's mind. All of the woman's regrets filled his heart with so much sorrow. A woman who died after a 40 year battle with a lifelong disease, one that doctors were never able to find neither a name nor cure for. A life full of heartbreak for always choosing the wrong partner; one where dreams were never pursued because of a feeling of that the goals could never be reached. A toxic family full of emotional manipulation and mental abuse.
This woman's tragic life invaded not just Asher's mind anymore, but his heart ached painfully for her. Almost like a video all of the pain and abuse she took from so called family and friends. Asher flinched with her at the curses and insults that were thrown her way. He could feel tears start to streak down his face, pouring down just hearing her last words right before she died alone in a hospital bed 'Please, anyone who is listening, please just let me be brave and determined in the next life. I have so many regret, I did nothing. I achieved nothing. I put my dreams on hold for people I thought cared. Everything that brought me joy, I abandoned for others and I'm the one abandoned at the end. Please next life, let me live with no regrets.' The voice was a desperate plea, for a life of joy, love, and pursuit of dreams.
Asher's face burned, as he wept for this woman; realizing who that woman used to be. Asher recognized that he was that woman in a past life. He was reliving all her pain, suffering, and regrets. It wasn't until after the final memories faded away that he was made painfully aware of his head feeling like it was being drilled by a jack hammer. A cacophony of sounds assaulted sensitive ears all at once; muffled voices, the steady beep of a machine, the sounds of the inflating and deflating of the bed under him. All of it overwhelmed his senses, tears still flowing from lidded violet eyes. A soft sob escaped from his lips, as he tried to calm down.
"Shhh. Asher calm down, I'm here." Asher suddenly felt that his body was gathered and embraced. Eyes still shut, he clutched the shirt beneath his hands as silent tears turned into a full sobbing cry. As Asher sobbed into the embrace, a gentle calming scent emitted from the person holding. The smell of a brisk spring morning, that kind of day that makes you eager for the beginning of warmth after the cold, dark winter.
Asher recognized that sent immediately, it was his older sister the current Duke of the Southern Province. She was releasing her Alpha pheromones to calm down my melancholic state.
"Asher, you need to reel in your pheromones." She whispered in his ear. It was only when she stated the fact, that Asher realized he wasn't just releasing his pheromones, but that they were pouring out of him, assaulting who knows how many people.
"Good boy." His sister snuggled him closer, stroking his messy black streaked violet hair, playing with the ends as she has done since he was a small child. "Take a few more breaths, just like that."
He obediently did as he was told, taking several slow and deliberate deep breaths. She continued to release her soothing pheromones, surrounding Asher with the calm familial presence that an unstable Omega like Asher so desperately needed at the moment. Asher let himself get immersed in it, after a few minutes, the weeping had slowly stopped. Laying against his sister's chest, eyes still closed.
"Good job, Asher. My little brother is so strong." She murmured as Asher slowly began to pull back. He slowly opened his amethyst eyes, that still shimmered with tears. Gazing into her emerald green eyes, blinking a few times, as his eyes adjusted to the bright lights. He gave a soft tense sigh, before blinking up at his sister, then snuggling deep down into her comforting embrace. Her strong arms encircled Asher petite form, compared to his sister's muscled six foot frame, he was barely five foot four, and his body was lithe.
Asher reminded himself that he was no longer in that world and he was not longer that woman. Instead of he was Asher Blackrose of the Southern Province, the only son of the late Duke and Duchess, younger brother of the current Duke, his sister Aislinn Blackrose. He was also the first Omega born into his entire family in six generations.
"Am I in the hospital?" Asher started to notice the surroundings, wires hooked up to his chest, a gown open in the back, and an IV in the hand. The smell of disinfectants had Asher wrinkling his nose, looking around this quite luxurious hospital room. Wood accents, the bed he was in, while a hospital bed was about queen sized, sleek, and hiding the fact it was a hospital bed.
"Do you remember what happened?" Her thumbs stroked along my cheekbones, wiping away the remnants of my tears. Asher took a slow deep breath, pursing him lips as he closed his eyes in deep thought.
"I remember us arguing and me running away. I went to the stables and was going to ride to calm myself down. I was riding Midnight...most of the details are blurry." They weren't actually blurry that much, Asher was just ashamed at the childish bratty hissy fit he threw at Aislinn, simply because she wanted Asher to represent the Kingdom at the Royal Academy.
"Your first heat came while you were riding. You were thrown from Midnight and hit your head pretty bad. You've been unconscious for a whole week. I was worried you'd never wake up." Her last sentence was spoken so softly that Asher wasn't completely sure he had heard it right. Aislinn continued to stroke his hair, at this point he wasn't quite sure whether she was soothing him or herself. A knock on the door pulled the two of them out of our embrace as a doctor entered the room.
"Now that everything has calmed down I'd like to check over Asher." The older gentleman gave an empathetic smile to the two. This had been Asher's doctor since birth, 'I'm pretty sure the old man was there on the day I was born.' he thought to himself as he looked up to his sister and she gave a nod.
"Absolutely Dr. Carter. I'll excuse myself" Aislinn let him go, she kissed the top of Asher's head before leaving the room. "We'll finish our talk after Dr. Carter gives his ok. Okay?" He simply nodded in response to her.
The check up was pretty quick and easy. Dr. Carter checked all the typical things to make sure that Asher's body was completely normal. Well as normal as an Omega body could be. Asher had read Omegaverse novels in the past, he had spent a lot of time in the hospital in that life. He read at least a novel a day.
"Well everything seems to be in order. You should be find to start the Academy in a couple of weeks." He patted Asher's shoulder comfortingly, when he saw the young man grimace at the word Academy. "I'll make sure you have enough suppressants to last until your break. You need to be diligent about tracking your cycle. You should have another 6 to 8 weeks until your next heat hits."
"Okay thanks Doc."
In all honesty Asher's original hang ups about the Academy had to do with a large amount of responsibilities, and also the fact that he hadn't had his heat yet, but that was no longer concern. Other than the fact that probably 70% of those wealthy enough to go and those of noble status kinda hated Asher's guts due to his previous attitude. Even though he'd known since the accident he got into when he was younger that he was supposed to present as an Omega, he had fought hard to try and be an Alpha. His attitude, way of dress, the way he talked down to others, it was all him fighting against his nature and trying to be an Alpha. He shook his head admonishing himself in his mind. 'You're an Omega, accept it, embrace it, move on.'
Well this was a chance for him to begin to whittle away at the regrets from his past life that was currently bogging down his mood. In his past life he didn't have the chance to attend college or excel at academics. The Royal Academy was basically like an undergraduate program, it's where nobility learned the art of politics, negotiation, as well as pursued subjects of interest to them. It also gave them a chance to make allies in other countries. However if he remembered correctly the Academy had a renowned music department, this gave Asher some pause to think.
It didn't take long for me to get discharge quickly, as long as Asher promised not to over exert himself at home and take plenty of rest. Aislinn told the doctor that she would have someone stalk Asher if she had to, to make sure he behaved. Not the best thing to hear from your older sister but at least someone cared. Finally after signing all the paper work, finishing up with getting read to go Asher was rolled in a wheelchair out to the car waiting for them.