CHAPTER 17 - PLANS

Whatever it was, George eventually drifted off into an uneasy sleep.

–

Orlando, Florida, Wednesday, 9:06 a.m.

George was slouching on the side of his bed. Blinking sleep from his eyes. He had woken up, no less than ten minutes ago. He had gone to the toilet and a lady had served him breakfast.

He was staring intently at the leftover crumbs on the plastic plate. Many times he had caught himself hearing Karl's voice calling for him. But he knew he was still waking up, and was imagining it. 

At last, before George began to lose his mind, someone was rattling at the door. To his disappointment, it was Dr. Soot. He looked the same as yesterday, exhausted and half-hearted. Like he hadn't slept. Whatever it was, George wasn't able to think much longer before Dr. Soot sent his commands.

"Get up." He growled. Although the Omega hadn't done anything yet, he was already frustrated. George sighed, this was going to be a dreadful day.

The Omega got up and was handcuffed instantly. And led out into the open. He hastily glanced into Dream's room, but the Alpha was nowhere to be seen. He wondered if it was going to be another loop of yesterday, he hoped not.

He was pulled to the left this time. The two went through double doors, like ones you would find in a restaurant to the kitchen. They opened and flung back. But George's heartbeat started racing. In front of him, was a huge forest cased in glass. The exact one he was chased by the Alpha in. Was that day going to be today?

He swallowed the lump in his throat, but luckily, he was only pushed into a different room. This place seemed endless. George thought, was this entire thing all built for him? He couldn't think though when Dr. Soot continuously pushed at his back.

Once again, he was led into a room and sat down on a hospital-like bed. He was untied from the handcuffs. But surprisingly not put into other ones. A lady came up to him with nail clippers and began cutting his nails to stubs.

Right then, George knew, they prepping him for the forest. But besides the forest, he was worried about Dream. Are they doing testing on him too? 

"What have you done with Dream?" George asked, his voice morphed to hoarse over time. 

"He is in his testing." Dr. Soot answered bluntly.

You only bring him so you could manipulate me, Why are you testing him? The brunette sneered internally. He realized the lady cutting his nails had finished. And was whispering to another lab worker. 

Then, several different men came up to him. Holding big black sheets. They all circled him, surrounding him with the black sheets. No one was  telling him what was going on. He was widely confused. 

Something above him beeped, and it was a signal for everyone to back away. His mind was buzzing with questions, but he knew there was no point in asking. 

The Omega sighed, sometimes he felt it was him against the entire world. No one was on his side in this place. It felt like even Dream was choosing to be against him. Or was disappointed in him for dragging him to this place too.

"Update me on the heat injection." Dr. Soot broke into his thoughts. The first voice that wasn't whispering. 

"It's not coming up, somethings wrong sir." A tone fled the room. Somethings wrong? What's wrong with me? George felt his heart pick up the pace at the worry. 

"Move, let me see." Dr. Soot dug himself through the crowd of workers swarming around a computer. George could smell the confused scent waving off all of them. They all began talking to one another.

"It's like… It's like a barricade around it?" A question rose above the chatter. 

"What is this barricade?" Although he couldn't see him, George picked up on Dr. Soots's distinguished voice in the crowd. He sounded more frustrated than concerned. 

"I… I don't know." The Omega guessed it was the lady at the computer who responded. "Move, let me see." Dr. Soot had pushed the lady aside and was gazing at the screen, more intensely than the others. But, a barricade around what?

Silence lay in the air ever since Dr. Soot spoke. But suddenly, George was waved over with Dr. Soot's low growl. "That fucking Main Alpha!" He screamed. His voice felt like it could rock the walls. 

"What?" George choked out. His tone is tiny compared to the head lab workers. "That son of a bitch stopped the Omega from going into a heat!" Dr. Soot howled like George wasn't even there. But unexpectedly, he punched the wall so hard it crumbled from the contact. Leaving a hole in the wall when he removed his balled fist. 

Most of the workers flinched heavily, including the Omega. "Fuck sake." George heard the head lab worker mumble. He hastily stormed out of the room. At first, the brunette was only glad he was gone. But abruptly, he realized. He's going to get Dream!

George knew he had to follow Dr. Soot, he needed to help Dream. He glanced over at the other workers. They all seemed to be in a daze from the outrage. 

This was his chance. He rushed off the bed and headed for the door, bursting it open. The Omega barely saw Dr. Soot turning a corner. He flicked his tail and broke into a light run. 

There was no time to think about the caged forest he was running past. It came and passed like nothing. His main concern was Dream.

Going through another set of doors. He was in one of the main rooms, his and Dream's white-tiled rooms were connected to this one. When he saw a couple of lab workers sprinting after him. He flicked his ears and locked the door behind him. 

He spun on his heels and just got a glimpse of Dr. Soot's lab coat going turning to the left, around the two rooms where he and Dream stayed. 

He had to quickly jog to catch up. He peeked around the corner. His eyes watered at the shock of hormones coming from the head worker and this room he was putting a code into. 

Dr. Soot slammed the door handle down and flung open the door. George hugged the wall and squeezed through himself.

George bit back a perk of happiness seeing Dream. However, he looked drained. What did they do to him?

"Just in time sir, turns out the Main Alpha isn't fit for the mating process." A deep voice called to Dr. Soot. But the head worker ignored his statement and walked straight to Dream. Who was sitting on the side of a bed.

George was about to call out for a warning, but it was too late. Dr. Soot had picked Dream up by the scruff of the collar of his shirt. "You fucking asshole, you messed up all our plans." He growled into the other Alpha's face.

The Omega's heart grew cold when he saw Dream's face, it was pure defeat and confusion. He had no idea what was going on. "You stopped the Omega from going into heat." The lead worker breathed heavily onto Dream's face.

"Sir, why is the Omega with you?" An unknown voice put George into unwanted attention. He cursed under his breath but stood tall. But, Dr. Soot was the only one to approach him. Leaving Dream, who was now staring at him, wide-eyed.

Dr. Soot towered over him. Though, instead of saying anything, he just grasped his wrist and took him closer to Dream. Who was still frozen in a state he seemed that he couldn't get out of. 

The head lab worker took his attention from the Omega to the Alpha. "You will undo what you have done." He growled. "And you will put him into a heat."

Shocked silence rocked the air. "But, sir, we told you he isn't fit for the mating-" One croaked from the crowd, though was cut short.

"I don't care. We are running behind schedule." George could smell the commanding scent he was letting off. It was tugging something inside the Omega that he knew he couldn't let go.

"Now." Dr. Soot was growing impatient. George looked for something, anything in Dream's eyes. But nothing was in them. Only a dull green. His posture was slacked just like the brunette's. And the bags weighing his eyes down were a dangerous shade of dark purple. 

Before George could examine the Alpha any longer. Someone wearing a white coat stood between them and looked at Dr. Soot with bold eyes. 

"Sir, why don't we just get the new mating Alpha to put him into heat before the process." He reasoned. George was thrown a thought. The lion! They're talking about the lion.

The last time he remembered the Alpha lion was his distinguished forced smile before Karl's portal closed on him. 

"Let's hope he does it right then." Dr. Soot cautiously gave in. "Continue prepping the Omega, and put the Alpha in his room." The head lab worker ordered. "And bring out the Alpha lion instead."

Dream was still in his daze of confusion. "What are they doing to you, George?" The blonde fret. Before the brunette could reply Dr. Soot had answered for him.

"The mating process, now get him back to the prepping room." He explained. George looked at Dream with heavy eyes. They were both powerless in this place.

Both of them knew when George was cuffed and walked away. That they were running out of time. The Omega thought of what he heard from Karl. 

"Don't worry George, we are coming!" The time traveler's tone echoed through George's mind as he walked. If they were coming, they needed to hurry.