Chapter 12

"Is it safe to have this kind of conversation with them so close?" -Melina would ask a little nervous that Erika would come in at any moment and hear them-

"Calm down. Emma is distracting both Erika and Rose so we can talk calmly." -Alison moved her hand, shaking it from side to side- "Anyway… just tell me, are your growls getting more intense as time goes by?"

"Yes, it is becoming more and more difficult for me to keep them under control"

"It is something normal. As you can imagine, growls are something routine in life and as you think about time, it is natural that they begin to develop more and more… as the years go by"

"Years?"

"You will see the growls, whether from alphas, betas, or omegas, they come from separate glands that are developing little by little next to the pharynx. Normally the process takes at least 18 years to complete"

"That means that…"

"Yes… from the moment a puppy is born, the distinctive feature that will mark the level of aptitude of its life is developing. But don't be confused… although it is believed that with controlled situations along with some defined supplements, the development of the glands can be improved"

"So if Erika…" -the alpha would slightly clench her fists-

"You remembered what Erika did in her adolescence to become a beta, right?" -the blonde would look with slight sadness at Belion while sighing-

"Yes… I can't help but think that if only she had found out about all this before maybe…"

"Can you stop going around in circles in your head… for a moment I thought the same thing you are thinking now… when I was able to establish a friendship strong enough for her to talk to me about her past, it was impossible for me not to think about it, but…"

"But it is not possible, right?" -the younger alpha would end up looking at the older one who would only nod-

"Forcing a wolf to change its hierarchy group is impossible… once an individual is formed, you cannot change something at such a fundamental level"

"I see…" -Melina would bite her lower lip feeling helpless for a few seconds and then release it at the same time as she let her hands clench into fists- "what do you mean that the glands are the distinctive feature that marks the level of aptitude in life?"

"The quality and strength of these glands is one of the main factors responsible for both detecting which group you belong to and increasing the authority you exert… in addition to the typical distinctions of alpha, beta or omega, there is also a subcategory that, although it is not enough to receive a grade and establish itself as a general rule, is spoken of by word of mouth" -Alison gets a little closer-

"Those who are graded much earlier than time"

"You are paying attention…" -the blonde smiled slightly, looking at the younger girl with a little amusement- "As you know, in the world there are always those who stand out more than others… smarter people… faster… more charismatic… more capable… better in general. These receive the provisional name of Gamma, these are people who develop twice as fast and have twice as much time… you belong to that category"

"How strong will I be once I reach adulthood?"

"Hard to know… right now, at only 6 years old and under the difficult situation you find yourself in, you are more than prepared to compete with me on equal terms, so…" -he remains silent for a few seconds, seeming to think about his answer- "I can't give you a real or reliable estimate, but… if you continue developing at this rate… you could end up commanding a group of at least 50 alphas at the same time. Which would put you alongside the main leaders of society." 

"How do you know so many things?"

"Hmm?"

"How is it that you… being you… know so much?" -she would ask doubtfully looking at the older girl with a little distrust-

"First ouch… that hurt" -the blonde would look with a little anger at the white-haired girl finding herself a little offended- "Second… I have friends in some places who tell me things when we go out drinking… let's leave it like that. Third… it's a turn-based answer."

"Well… what do you want to know?"

"When did you qualify as an alpha gamma?"

"About 3 months ago… it was a night when I was in the living room and I was rereading one of my books while Rose fell asleep and Erika was working. That night I couldn't sleep because my body felt weird" -Melina would look at the palms of her hands, looking lost in her memory- "one moment I was sitting quietly and the next I was in the kitchen holding raw meat scraps feeling stronger than I ever felt before... I realized I was an alpha when I felt my fangs grow and when I began to smell my older sister's omega pheromones"

"So this is the moment when a doe makes an appearance... I wish I had been there to see it... it would surely be something worth watching... by the way... What did you do with the remains of the meat you ate?"

"Erika never found any trace... let's leave it at that" -she would look away a little embarrassed at the younger alpha-

"Okay… I won't ask anymore, I'm satisfied with what you said and I'm pretty sure why you want to hide your situation… it's your turn."

"Can you tell me why you keep my secret instead of telling my sister?… I know that one of the things you hate the most is keeping secrets… and that's why you don't usually hold back when you talk, making it seem like you're going to let your tongue out at times so you can let out what you know in the softest way possible, giving it a little twist of humor."

"You're much more perceptive than I expected" -the older alpha would snort- "you're right. I hate lying, especially to someone as good as Erika… but the fact that you're an alpha gamma brings its own set of dangers… as I already told you, you could occupy a position of power just by living long enough, that kind of ability draws attention like the plague. And the last thing Bel-Bel needs now is more attention… not to mention that you would put a target on your back in the eyes of the underworld, either to take their side by any means or to eliminate you from the root"

"I assumed so… my debt to you and your partner is much greater than I thought"

"I tell you this because I know that you are much more mature than expected at your age… at some point, this is going to come to light. Either because somehow someone finds out or you have to reveal yourself to protect both your family and yourself. But until that time comes Emma and I will remain silent" -Alison would kneel putting both hands on Melina's shoulders- "until then you will have to learn to suppress instead of holding in your growls. Because if you keep holding them in it would be harmful in the long run"

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