Chapter 110
Golden First Market Plaza near Fremont Academy, City: Three Prongs Fork, Republic of Shantu, Continent: Barat, Year 2036, Planet: Grimoire
Still in the office, Lamberton knew when Grifton realized he'd approached the arena. He cleared his throat, and Madam Murray swiveled her head to look at a monitor he'd angled for her to see. "So, what is in there that has you watching so intently?" She knew what an arena meant. "Don't tell me you'll have him spar with someone?" Disapproval growled from her.
"No, I won't do that," Lamberton reassured her. "Just look and see who is inside the arena waiting for his arrival."
Madam Murray gasped. "Ah, his siblings and the men and women from the team he worked with at the Orphanage?"
Lamberton nodded grimly. "Yes, I finally managed to track them down and discovered their circumstances." He shuddered in recollection before arranging to have them return to his estate in utmost secrecy. "If I'd known they'd manifest secondary genders earlier..."
Madam Murray blanched. "I never even thought to have them tested for secondary genders." She was uneasy now. "So, what happened?"
Lamberton shook his head. "I fear the worst happened in their cases." Anger seared through him. "I would've done more to ensure they remained in my guardianship."
Madam Murray sighed. "So, should I prepare to attend a birthing event before the day is over?"
"No," Lamberton shook his head. "I was too arrogant a fool to believe that Grifton would be the only omega from that clutch of four."
Madam Murray frowned. "Okay...so what happened, exactly?" She was confused.
Lamberton sighed. "Do you remember the batch of five two-year-olds, six three-year-olds, and nine four-year-olds that shocked you speechless?" It was a long time before he told her whose children those were. "I brought them back a year ago."
It took Madam Murray a moment, and then she nodded. "So, they came from Amberlyn, Calico, and Marlayne? Is that what you're telling me?" Now, she recalled them. "I must say, they don't look like their parents at all."
Lamberton grimaced. "That's because they all resemble the alpha that sired them."
Madam Murray looked furious. "Do you mean to tell me that one Alpha imprisoned and impregnated them against their will?"
Lamberton rubbed his forehead. "Yes, I happened to find the details of that incident." He shook his head in disgust. "They weren't the only ones imprisoned and impregnated either."
Madam Murray growled in her throat angrily. She was too furious to speak clearly. At last, she inquired. "Could the reason for the recent attacks on Grifton have something to do with that state those three were put in?"
Lamberton shrugged. "No, that was something else. I am worried that he'll be targeted once we go to that new, still as yet, unnamed republic." From what he heard, the particular Alpha who imprisoned all the Omegas he could scent, and capture was put through horrific treatment, and their memories were erased. "I was lucky to find them when I did." Lamberton shook his head. "Had I been a month later, they would've been put to work in a mine as slave labor without memory of where they'd come from, and their identities were stolen."
Madam Murray's mouth thinned. "Is there anything that can be done about him/her/them?" She figured that if Lamberton wasn't naming the individual, it must be someone of extraordinary power and influence.
Lamberton shook his head because he could no longer talk about the subject. "A few others and I are working on a plan to terminate him from his position." He sighed. "There are rumors of a new prison being constructed for Alphas abusing their power in the same manner as he." He was skeptical about whether such a prison could hold in any Alphas with the amount of power and influence this particular jerk wielded.
~*~
While Grifton studied the arena warily, he shrugged in recollection that this was a different place and time from previous incidents. "I hope my unease is just provoked by bad memories." A sigh escaped him as he walked to the one area not barred with portcullis' that he thought was a bit excessive for such a place.
That was until he walked inside and headed to where he was scheduled to drop off two barrels' worth of meals and flasks. "Just what are people doing in here?" Grifton wondered as he found the people who accepted his burdens with pleasure.
"Oy, you don't need to run off so fast." One of the men, Caldine, grunted. "I figure you should explore the insides. You'll join the competitions in a year or so once you've ranked up as a merchantman."
Eh, was that already going around? Surprised, Grifton glanced at him. "All right, thanks for the tip, sir."
"Bah, just call me Caldine, I ain't no, noble." Caldine waved him off. "Besides, if you haven't noticed, there are more than workers here."
Oh, were there? Startled, Grifton looked around in surprise. True to Caldine's words, there were indeed other people. One of whom looked danged familiar and was already strolling in his direction. "On my way, Caldine."
Caldine rolled his eyes. "Start observing your surroundings better, kid." He shooed Grifton off with a grumble. "Stupid kids don't pay attention to nothing these days."
There was laughter from others. "Have you lost any caution these days, kiddo?" That familiar voice made Grifton's eyes widen.
"Denby?" He was in complete disbelief. "I thought you all had returned to other types of work."
Denby chuckled and grabbed him in a quick bear hug. He muttered. "Brace yourself, I'm not the only one here anxiously awaiting your notice." Denby released him and returned to where he'd been chatting with a small group.
"Coming," Once again, Grifton felt peculiar unease rolling through him. With some wariness, he walked after Denby, and this time, he took time to look at those who were waiting for them to join the rest. His eyes widened in shock. The entire time from the orchard was there and with some new faces. "It has been too long," Grifton murmured.
"That it has." A raspy voice agreed. "I'm so glad I got to see your face after all this time."
Shocked, Grifton looked at his cousins, no siblings, and was horrified at their gaunt bodies and sunken eyes. They even had marks from chains on their wrists, throats, and ankles. "What happened to you all?" Even as he asked, he opened his arms for them.
"Careful," Denby reminded them. "He's also recovering from a nasty injury."
Oh, that's right, he was. Grifton sighed. "I don't think it'll matter this once." He engulfed his brother and sisters in a tight embrace. "I'm just glad you're alive." It was obvious that they'd gone through one hell of an ordeal.
"Err, what's this?" He sniffed the air in shock. Pheromones? This wasn't an Alpha's scent, either. His siblings stiffened and pulled away. They wrapped their arms around themselves in a defensive posture that hurt his heart. Grifton hadn't known he could feel that pained over such an unmistakable wariness from them. "So, you're also Omegas?"
While Grifton hadn't experienced severe discrimination, he could tell that wasn't the same for his siblings. He sighed. "Something tells me you've gone through hell and back and survived." When he considered where they were located, he added patiently, "I won't force you to tell me anything." They looked relieved when he clarified, "Only do so when you feel safe enough to do so."
Denby's eyes darkened with rage when he finally figured out what happened. "Those damn Alpha assholes. I knew some of them were sadists, but this is unbelievable."
Evidently, none of the others had figured out what had imprisoned his siblings. Even more concerning to Grifton was that he identified faint Alpha pheromones still lingering on their bodies. "Did they manage to imprint on you?"
When they shook their heads with abject horror on their faces, Grifton sighed. "I only asked because if they had done so, it would've been difficult to stop them should those Alphas demand that you return to their estates."
"Hah, that's not going to happen." Calico spat furiously.
"They're in prison for harming minors." Marlayne looked uncomfortable.
"We were impregnated by one Alpha." Amberlyn clarified. "Although he tried locating you, we did our best to prevent him from successfully doing so."
Denby shook his head. "Instead, someone tried killing him these past six years." He threw his hands into the air. "I swear, what is with these insane bastards?"
Grifton rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah, I can see where you're coming from." A sigh escaped him.
Probably now wasn't the best time to admit he'd found someone he liked and was an Alpha. His mouth tightened when he realized he might've had a narrow escape.
Besides, there was no indication that the Alpha knew of his existence. He grunted when the others looked at him in surprise. "I just realized what a narrow escape I had shortly." Grifton shrugged.
His siblings exchanged glances. "Uh, not all Alphas are that bad." Calico reminded him. "Can't we use Commander Darmono and Merchant Lamberton as examples?"
Grifton blinked. "They are the exception." He'd had a few too many narrow escapes while on the streets. That had been no way to survive, especially as an omega. Grifton doubted he would've lasted long if he hadn't had Lamberton's secret backing.
"Anyway, I'm just glad you could get back here." He would've said unscathed, but instinct told him not to. If he wasn't mistaken, they all must've gone through pregnancies. They had all the visible signs. "I hate to be crass, but are you three all pregnant?" From what Grifton's senses were telling him, they were.
Their horrified expressions told Grifton his assumption was correct.
"We'd hoped we weren't," Calico admitted.
"I thought we managed the dosages right that would prevent conception," Amberlyn muttered in defeat.
"Humph, I knew that quack couldn't be trusted." Marlayne's hands clenched at her sides.
Amberlyn nodded soberly. "It was probably why Lamberton was nearly caught when helping us escape that hell-on-earth dungeon." She sighed. "I don't know what the other children will say when they hear the news."
All three of them looked dejected and miserable.
"Ugh, I'm glad I never confessed some superficial feelings I was starting to develop," Grifton muttered.
With this latest example, Grifton had no reason to believe he would get better treatment. That meant he would have to find a way to politely reject that Alpha without rousing his suspicions and making him too curious.
His siblings blinked at him. "Well, you might have a better chance at happiness," Amberlyn told him. "Certainly, ours was one of those situations that only happens once in a thousand."
Grifton sighed. "Uh huh," He wouldn't buy that for a second. "I will just stick to being single." He tilted his head. "So, when can I meet my nephews and nieces?" Grifton figured being a crabby bachelor was better than a bitchy broodmare in this situation.
"Err, you might have already," Calico told him. "They've been here since about a year ago."
Grifton shrugged. "Honestly? I've only been here for about three months, and I've only been allowed to walk around for roughly one week, I think."
He hadn't actually encountered any children that he could recall in all that time. "Shall we sit somewhere and talk?" He didn't want them remaining on their feet for too long.