9. Threat

The pup took it and operated with ease, figured. The technology he had used was surely more up to date, but it was eventually all the same.

It was too late to scavenge for food, so I made soup with the bag of powder laid on top of the small fridge. That, we would get from the apartment complex every month, it was forcefully added to the rent we had to pay—just enough vitamins to not let us die, but not enough to let us live well.

"He is a sculptor? His talent is astonishing." The pup seemed hyped up again, and I smiled at that.

"There is a website for his shop. The prices are sky-high." Mhm, this Omega should have lived a good life wherever he was. I just hoped it was real and not fake.

"Oh...he had cut out his glands....." I froze when I heard that. It wasn't something that I thought this Omega had published. 

I turned around and went to him, kneeled on the bed, and cupped his face. Like he had done it with me. He looked at me stunned, unable to meet my eyes.

"N-n-not b-before g-glands d-developed. N-n-never. P-p-promise!" I said a bit too forcefully.

Heck, I didn't even know his name. But I just didn't want to lose this newly acquainted friend because he was young and impatient, and, because it was me who showed him something without reading through it carefully. I don't remember that something like this was on the site.

"You...." His eyes flitted between mine.

"You have done it?" He asked me in horror. 

I let go of him, and wanted to distance myself, scared he would now be grossed out. But instead he grabbed my arm and pulled me back, turning me and straddling me.

I was confused when my hair was stroked back, and I felt his finger tracing the scar that lurked out of the collar on my neck.

"You really did it. Because of that…you said that I shouldn't get my hopes up to end up with a body like yours…didn't you?"

"Y-yes." I said. Because he was already taller than me, he naturally would stay as tall, but I spoke about muscle mass. I had not much, but I also had not none.

"Did you do it after you were collared? How did you remove it?" He asked, and I closed my eyes. 

Removing one's own collar after getting it was a grave sin, and one could go to prison for it. However, the dark net provided instructions on how to do it, oneself. And after a mass of tries, I managed to do it.

"D-d-dark net, i-instruction." I said, opening my eyes again and turning my head to look over my shoulder. I could only see the pup leaning down to me with his naked upper body.

"W-w-what?" I asked, getting uncomfortable at the position we were in.

"Is it because of that, that you have no Omega-smell?" He sniffed my neck, reminding me of a predator.

"S-stop t-that." I moved up and he let me. Sitting by my side, he again burrowed his face in his hands.

"Sorry. I am sorry. I don't know what is wrong with me." He seemed all confused about his own actions.

"N-no p-problem. Omegas do-don't s-smell i-if n-not in h-heat." I informed him, by the way.

He again peeked through his fingers, looking like an adorable pup.

"Do you still get heats? Are you able to get pregnant?"

"B-b-both no." I said, scratching my scar below the collar.

"Why did you do it? Because of the heats?" He put his hands down and looked at me curiously.

"I w-wanted t-to stay a-as m-man." Second day, and I already had my secret uncovered. Cutting out glands is not forbidden, but taking down the collar is…I hope I didn't make a grave mistake in letting him close.

The pup nodded.

"What is your name?" He suddenly tilted his head, noticing we hadn't exchanged them.

"Valentin." I said. 

"Leon." He held his hand out as if he wanted me to shake it. I obliged and felt strange at purposefully getting acquainted with someone.

"P-please don't t-tell a-any-anybody." I pointed at my neck and thought I would at least get a halfhearted promise from Leon. But not only did he not react, he also didn't let go of my hand, tilting his head again in contemplation.

My heart fell, and I bowed my head, letting my hair cover my face. 

Ah... I am sad again.

Was I too lonely? Disclosing my secret, showing the dark web. I could get killed for all those. I just judged the pup with my feelings overtaking by pity, seeing myself in him, but he was his own person.

Fuck. Could my shitty life really turn for the worse?

"Hey, don't cry" He pulled lightly on my hand to get me to look at him and I did. Though I really liked to cry and get his compassion, I could just not do so.

"Okay, you are not crying, but you look as if you had your heart broken." He stated. 

Yes, that comes close to what I am feeling now.

"I won't tell anyone. Nothing you told me." He said, and I exhaled a long breath, only for my fear to be confirmed with him continuing to speak.

"If…" 

Yes… I should have known.

"I want you to cut out my glands." He said, and I looked at him in disbelief.