Tainted

Kain Locke

I blinked, snapping back to the present as the soft hum of the train reminded me where I was. Kael was still sitting next to me, his presence heavy like a mountain was sitting on my shoulders, almost suffocating. Maybe it was suffocating.

His dark eyes never left me, watching every tiny movement I made, every breath I took.

My hands gripped Brian tightly, too tightly. I had to force myself to loosen my hold as he stirred a little in my arms, his small head resting against my chest again, now facing Kael direction, completely unaware of what was going on.

"I don't know what you're talking about, and sir, I'm not Kain so there must be a mix-up somewhere," I said, denying his words.

"Is there?" he replied, leaning in closer. His arm rested on the back of my seat again making his presence too close for comfort, so much that the faint scent of dominant Alpha filled the space, making it hard for me to think. "So bad you look exactly like someone I used to know. Guess it's high time I pay my Optometrist another visit." He shrugged, before his gaze descended on Brian, he reach out his fingers, brushing it against Brian's soft curls. And I froze.

"What are you doing? Respect yourself sir." My voice came out sharper than I meant, as my hand brushed his away, I pulled the boy face away from him, pressing his head closer to me.

Kael raised a brow at me. A small, knowing smile tugged at his lips. He said nothing afterwards, and I couldn't be more glad he didn't.

The train jerked forward, then slowed slightly. Relief flickered through me as I realized my stop was coming up. I needed to get off this train, get away from him as soon as possible.

And fortunately for me the robotic voice of the train came very soon after.

[Next stop: Riverside Station. Passengers, please prepare to disembark.] It repeated.

I stood quickly, holding Brian tightly against me, 

I didn't turn around even though I could feel his heated gaze at my back. I couldn't. My focus was on getting off this train, putting as much distance as possible between Kael and I before everything I'd worked so hard to hide came crashing down.

Blending with the crowd came easy, my trembling hands reached inside my coat and brought out my communicator to see another message right below the one I'd received from Felix just about thirty minutes ago.

{Are you okay?}

Glancing back at the now gone train and replaced by another at the back of a pillar I hid, I exhaled and typed back a quick yes, before sliding it back into my coat pocket. The best option right now was moving away from this place like I'd switched residents and moved from one City to another, and with my current location being exposed, I could no longer risk it here.

I made my way quickly down the street to the checkpoints,

"Your ID." An official at duty asked with his hand outstretched.

I fished out my ID, give it to him, and I was allowed to enter the apartment after it was successfully scanned.

I climbed all the way to the third floor with Brian who was still sleeping in my arms, by the time I get to the door, my breathing was pacing than usual,

Knocking, I took the moment to calm myself down and soon enough, the door creaked open and at the door was Felix, holding out the door but as soon as he saw it was me, he stepped aside so I could enter.

"I was worried, you know?" He shut the door behind him as he ran his hands through his blond hair and huffed, dragging out a chair from under the single table in our shared apartment and plopped himself on it, "What were you thinking, going out in this chaos?"

"I had to pick him from school." I answered simply, laying Brian on the single sofa, also plopping myself just below it,

"The school would've done that. They surely will bring him back, You know just how dangerous it'd become right after earlier announcements. Yet you went out on your own and came back with a boy in your arms? Come on kain." he snapped, breathing in his palms.

"You said it yourself, it's dangerous out there, and you think I'll entrust the safety of my son to the school? On what assurance? Some spineless security guards?"

"I know. I know kain. I'm just worried, you don't know how worried I was when I woke up to see you're gone and I rang your communicator several times but it wasn't connecting."

"I need to sleep." I muttered, deciding to evade his questions and concerns, Felix was an Alpha, tall with an athletic build which will make you doubt he's only 19. we've only known each other for two months, he was a college student looking for a roommate just as I was also looking for a residence which was a lot of trouble as an Omega with a pup without an Alpha or a beta husband which will surely makes it to the headlines in City C.

However, Felix had such a good heart and so we kind of get along, I have nothing much to move in, so most of the things in the two bedrooms and a small sitting room apartment, where we are in right now belonged to him.

And for the past two months we've been living together on the note of not interfering with each other's businesses, but his sincerity was on another level that I couldn't help but ease up a bit of my guard around him given that he meant no harm.

Earlier that day, after Brian had been taken to kindergarten, I just came back from the local supermarket where I ran my morning shift only to be informed by Felix who had rushed back from college because of the news of the recent attacks in City C.

Things like this aren't a rare occurrence on this side of the Galaxy. After all, Arcania war which has lasted a decade before it was put an end to has left the Galaxy with unfilled holes which makes it vulnerable to attacks, thus allowing the likes of beasts and other possible enemies to sneak in, fortunately, the Galaxy can still contain them, but that doesn't necessarily means they've completely got them under control, today for an example.

"Then I better allow you some rest." He said in a low voice, pointing to the kitchen, "I made lunch, you can heat it up if it has gone cold. I'll be in my room." He stood up, ready to leave, but he hesitated at his room door, his hand hovering above the door knob, "I'm sorry I overreacted… but I'm also glad to see you return in one piece along with the little potato."

"Felix…" he stopped at the hearing of my voice just as he was about to enter. "Thank you. For everything." I added.

It was only then that he turned to face me with a smile on his face, "Mn. Let me know if you're going out there again, better we go together than go alone."

"Got it." I answered as I watched him open the door and stepped inside, closing it behind him as I leaned back against the seat, shutting my eyes for a brief moment, allowing my situation to sink in.

Felix is too pure to be tainted by someone like me, getting involved is already enough chaos, and the last thing I want is Kael finding me with him, that will only spread the flames and I don't want that.

He had been such a great friend and the only way I could protect us was getting the damn out of City C to any high populated City with few military training camps and centers, I should be able to lay low for sometimes.

Thinking about this, I stood up at once, going inside my room. The wardrobe was quickly unloaded as I picked out the relevant stuffs out of them and stuffed them into my box,

Drawing out the shelves, I collected my passports, general ID both real and the fake ones I've been using to cover my tracks while I was on the run. Like I'm about to. It was only a matter of a little time before I was out there again in a completely new place, starting over again, knowing less and running again even though all I ever wanted was a home, a place where I truly belong with my son.

Tearing out a paper, I wrote a quick letter to Felix on my table, placed the pen on it and gently carried the luggage back to the sitting room.

Carrying Brian was no problem, I strapped him to my chest and took a final glance at the place, however just as I stepped out of the apartment, my communicator beeped, a crystal blue holographic message icon bar floating above it.

It was a general message.