Chapter Nine

Rishio knew that the past always caught up, but was not prepared at how fast it did. With an angel in yey'r house yey was thankful that Ourine was asleep by the time yey returned, as the angel was not so subtle with their presence.

"Why is the ceiling so low? How can the young alpha even fly in this cramped shoe box you call a house?" The angel complained for the nth time and honestly Rishio was already considering kicking them out.

" What is it about Ourine that you wanted to tell me?" Rishio turned to the angel who seemed entranced the light.

"Ah yes..." The angel started pulling away from the light,

" Ourine? Yes?" The angel asked to confirm the child's name, getting a nod from Rishio they continued,

" Is required to go to the Borderland."

" Borderland? You mean the place where you kind and the demons can go in and out without restrictions!?" Rishio asked unable to believe what yey just heard .

"Yes." Ebmiram answered nonchalantly.

"The child is not going anywhere near your kind Ebmiram." Rishio said firmly.

Ebmiram burst into laughter, clutching their side as if Rishio just cracked the world's most funniest joke.

" Oh? And what's stopping me from just taking gur right now?" Ebmiram asked smugly.

Rishio knew that yey'r alone could not overpower an angel, but still yey could not show any weakness infront of that creature as much as they were once helpers times changed, battles were fought and lines were crossed, and by the bloodlust that Ebmiram was emitting Rishio knew that the angel will kill yey'r if yey makes any wrong move.

" You will be breaking the treaty signed between the humans and your kind. Kidnapping a human child, furthermore an alpha will be seen as an act of aggression against the humans from your kind."

A short silence prevailed which was broken by the smug angel.

" Whew, am impressed Number Fifteen, look at you hiding behind the law, long way from breaking it for your own preservation isn't?" Ebmiram asked sarcastically.

Rishio stiffened by hearing Ebmiram's word that reminded yey'r of yey'r past,

" I did what I had to survive and you know that." Rishio replied coldly earning a smirk from the angel.

" Well, you are right, if I were to take the child and kill you, the consequences will be shitty." Ebmiram mused while walking around Rishio, their wings scrapping against the floor.

" However, " the angel paused and stopped behind Rishio, slowly approached the omega from behind and placed their hands on yey'r shoulders.

" What if it's the same authority that you hiding behind that has sent me?" Ebmiram whispered making Rishio stiffen at their words, yey'r eyes widening as fear and realization filled yey'r body.

Ebmiram walked in front of the omega, smirked at the expression the human had on yey'r face.

" They want the child the night after tomorrow's. Bring gur or I will be back."

With those words Ebmiram left yey'r house and took off, only the sound of their wings flapping away could be heard as they got further and further away.

To Rishio this all felt like a nightmare, a long terror filled nightmare.

The morning found Rishio wide awake sitting on yey'r favourite chair staring at the ceiling as thoughts raced around yey'r head like Ryuk chasing his favourite prey.

Yey knew that there was no way yey could hide Ourine from Ebmiram, plus the angel seems to be working with human authorities, but yey knew what awaited the child in the hands of the angels.

Far from belief, angels are far from merciful and demons are the worst, however nothing compares to humans led by selfishness and self preservation, they act as if no other choice is present whereas there exist multiple choices, they end up choosing one that requires a terrible sacrifice, not from them but from an innocent person.

That's why Rishio was not all eager to comply with Ebmiram's order, as much as the angel told yey'r it's a matter that would affect all the realms, to yey'r no life mattered as much as the child, not even yey'r own.

Yey was prepared to do anything, risk everything to protect the child, yey knew yey was going to fight monsters that were in angel, demon and human form but yey was prepared, besides yey did it once yey can do it again.

"Riiiiiiiiissssshhhhyyyy I aaaammmmm huuunggggrrrryyyy, am dyyyyying!"

Rishio was wrench out of yey'r thoughts by a whining child who was sprawled across yey'r lap.

Unclenching yey'r fists,that were the results of the unpleasant thoughts that dominated yey'r mind, yey stood from the chair making the child not so gently roll from yey'r lap, landing on the floor where gur looked up at yey'r with betrayal on gur's face.

Rolling yey'r eyes, Rishio bent down towards the child, who eagerly stretched out gur's hands to Rishio clearly understanding what was about to happen, and picked gur up placing gur on yey'r hip safely securing Ourine by placing an arm under gur.

"Oh you are?" Rishio asked while walking towards the kitchen,

" And you do not know where the kitchen is?" Rishio asked sarcastically.

"Kitche.. Kitchen? What is that word? Never heard of it." Ourine answered with equal sarcasm to Rishio's.

Rishio chuckled at the child's antics as yey placed gur on the floor and turned to prepare breakfast the the child had whined for.

During breakfast, the kitchen was filled with Ourine's chatter jumping from one topic to another and Rishio's hums in response and once or twice a gasp for dramatic effects.

The child finally stopped talking when Rishio placed food before gur where gur wolfed it down while trying to continue their conversation but stopped when gur saw Rishio's stern expression against what gur was about to do.

A short silence prevailed which was broken by clattering of utensil in intervals, courtesy of Ourine. Rishio took the chance to examine the child, from gur's unruly, curly hair which Rishio was tempted once or twice to cut it off, to gur's brown eyes which but inherited from gur's omegan parent to gur's golden wings which were tucked in, at ten the young alpha was already five feet something in height, gur's growth was not uncommon for alphas.

As gur approaches teen years gur's alphas features will become more pronounced, gur's wings will get bigger, gur's alpha canines will replace the normal ones gur has presently during gur's Shedding about six years from now,gur will be taller, gur's bed will need to be replaced, Rishio thought as yey smiled at the thought of an awkward teenage Ourine lumbering around in the house.

Yey'r smile quickly vanished as the thought of Ebmiram snuck into yey'r daydream.

Casting one last look at the child, Rishio made yey'r decision.

" Rine," yey called to the child who looked up at yey'r from gur's meal,

"Early evening we are leaving to visit old friends of mine, so pack up once you done okay?" Rishio said earning a nod of approval from the child who went back to gur's meal.

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" What do you mean you are going away for some time?" Naama asked Rishio.

Rishio invited yey'r friend over to inform yey'r that yey will be leaving and as much as Rishio wanted to deny it, yey was sure that this was goodbye.

Looking at yey'r friend's eyes that were filled with anger and confusion yey replied,

" They are back."

With those three words, understanding replaced the negative emotions that were present in Naama but dread quickly over took it.

"Ebmiram came to me yesterday.."

" Here!?" Naama interrupted Rishio.

"Yes, when you guys left I cleaned up, while I was taken out the trash, they were outside, waiting for me." Rishio replied answering Naama's unasked question.

With a hard swallow, Naama asked,

" Did you tell them we paid our share so we left the Pit fair and square?"

" They were not here for us." Rishio replied earning a confused look from Rishio.

" Well what did they want?" Naama asked.

With a sigh, Rishio pointed at Ourine who was playing with Naama's children.

Naama's eyes widen as yey quickly understood Rishio,

" They killed gur's parents?" Naama asked.

" Apparently, they did not. According to Ebmiram something bigger is out there and what I got from our conversation last night, Ourine is or will be the weapon to fight against it."

After a short silence and realization finally settling in Naama, yey said softly,

" So by you going away for some time that means..." Yey did not have to continue as they both knew what Rishio was planning.

" But what about Ourine's life? School?" Naama asked.

" That's why am going where I am going, gur will be safe there and will continue to live a normal life at least until gur is a full grown alpha." Rishio replied.

Naama clearly was not satisfied by Rishio's answer but yey knew yey had to take what Rishio have yey'r , for yey'r own safety, yey'r families and Rishio's.

" When are you leaving?" Naama asked.

" Early evening, we will travel all night and be there at dawn." Rishio answered.

Letting out a defeated sigh, Naama turned towards the children who were playing with Ryuk, looking at the young alpha fluttering above the beast yey said,

" Poor child, gur has no idea gur's life is about to take a whole new turn."

Following Naama's gaze, Rishio replied,

" Yes gur does not and I will do everything in my power to keep it that way until gur's is ready for it.

As the day progressed, Naama stayed to help Rishio pack up and close up yey'r bar and house.

" You better take good care of it. " Rishio said referring to yey'r bar.

" When have I ever let you down?" Naama asked earning a questioning look from Rishio which yey shrugged to it making Rishio shake yey'r head at yey'r.

" Ourine get on Ryok to your seat, the sooner we get on the road the better." Rishio called out to Ourine who waved at Naama's children and ran to the beast.

Rishio followed gur, helping gur up to gur's seat which was infront of yey'rs.

Making sure the child was secure, yey climbed into yey'r seat, this action was followed by Ryok getting up rearing to go to their destination and happy to get away from the children who were too playful for his liking.

"Well you are ready to go." Naama said to Rishio while directing yey'r children away from the beast.

"Thank you Naama." Rishio said gratefully, not only for the help yey got from yey'r today, but also for the years they have been together, for their friendship and yey'r loyalty. Yey was not sure if they will get to meet again for both their families' sake.

That thought made yey'r almost choke.

" I will see you when I do." Rishio said yey'r voice trembling from the emotion stuck at yey'r throat.

Naama looked up at yey'r, tears threatening to fall from yey'r eyes,

" I will see you when I do." Yey replied.

With a nod towards Naama and a wave to yey'r children, Rishio ordered Ryuk forwards with a gentle tug, leaving half yey'r family behind as the other half was seated infront of yey'r holding tight on to Ryuk as they rode towards their new lives.

"Ma" Yeiy called to Naama who turned to yey'r child.

" Yes Yei." Yey answered trying to swallow yey'r tears.

" Do not cry, Ourine promised me that we will see them again, Ourine nevee breaks gur's promises so do not worry we will see them again." The child replied smiling at Naama.

Letting out a strained laughter, Naama replied,

" Yes we will, besides Rishy is very stubborn,"

Letting out a sigh yey continued, " We will definitely see them again." Naama finished while looking at the disappearing figure of the running beast as it ran towards the rising moon.

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Shedding: similar to puberty.

Only alphas go through this, happens when they turn sixteen.

They shed off their old feathers to give rise to new ones also their normal canines to give way to alpha canines which are longer and stronger than normal ones.

Hence the name Shedding.

Takes a month to complete.

Children refer to their omegan parents as "Ma" the name was retained from the previous human way.