Jiggs' POV
Everything was dead silent. Mr. Voder and Melior both stared at me—frozen—as I clung protectively to an unconscious Silver, shielding him from the syringe loaded with the pregnancy formula... and somehow, I ended up getting jabbed instead!
"N-nooo!" I yelped, yanking the syringe out of my arm like it had personally betrayed me and flinging it across the lab. This can't be happening. I made that formula myself!
"You're history! A legend! The first ever Beta to achieve the miracle of pregnancy!" Melior announced, practically vibrating with excitement as if he'd just invented glitter that cures a deadly disease. "The Mysterious Man... a biological marvel!"
"I don't want this!" I wailed, panic rising like steam from my ears.
"It's quite alright," Melior chirped, way too cheerfully. "No changes to your physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual being. You'll just be capable of pregnancy now. Nothing major. However, I will need to examine you thoroughly in the coming days... preferably here... in the Breeding Lab."
"WHAT?!" I screeched, feeling the full weight of my chaotic life crashing down on me.
"Don't worry," he added as if offering me candy. "You'll get to choose: natural insemination with an Alpha male of your choice, or artificial insemination if you feel intimidated by the, ah... imposing size of an Alpha's manhood."
"None of the above, thanks!" I squeaked.
"You're now officially one of my test subjects," Melior declared, dramatically pointing at Mr. Voder. "And you! Why are you in my lab? Jiggs, do you know this man?"
He sniffed the air around Mr. Voder like a bloodhound. "Are you a Beta? I can't smell a damn thing from you."
I glanced at Mr. Voder. He gave me the tiniest nod.
"Yes," he said smoothly. "I'm a Beta."
(Yeah right—he just pulled the ol' Alpha scent cloak trick. Sneaky old man.)
"You look like an Alpha male," Melior muttered suspiciously.
"I just work out a lot," Mr. Voder replied with a wink and a flex. What a dad move.
"And what are you doing here? Who let you in?"
"Oh! He's my brother!" I blurted out, panic-mode activated. "He, uh... forgot his uniform, and I had the spare, so he came to get it from me. Totally normal!"
"Hmph," Melior grunted, frowning. He clearly didn't buy it, but hey, he didn't call security.
"So that means... you're not going to test on Silver anymore, right? Since I'm the new lab rat?" I asked hopefully.
Melior tilted his head like a confused puppy and blinked dramatically.
"Who said that? I'm making a new serum! Now that the formula is perfected, I'll test it on both you and the Sigma male! Mwahaha!" He spun around and started typing furiously into his terminal.
And that's when Mr. Voder seized the moment.
Quick as lightning, he snuck up behind Melior. The moment Melior turned to face him, Mr. Voder smiled and decked him in the gut. Melior crumpled like a stack of lab reports, eyes rolling back as he collapsed unconscious.
"Jiggs, now! While he's out—hack the system and steal whatever you can!" he barked.
My mind was still catching up, but my body knew what to do. I jammed a flash drive into the terminal and started copying every file, document, and secret lab recipe I could find. Meanwhile, Mr. Voder began unstrapping Silver like he was unloading a sack of rice.
As I waited for the files to finish copying, my eyes fell on my stomach. I placed a hand over it, gulping.
"Mr. Voder..." I whispered. "This is a dream, right? I'm not really... able to get pregnant... am I?"
He sighed, his face full of regret. "I wish I could say yes. I tried to intercept the syringe, but it was too late. I'm sorry, Jiggs. I didn't want this for you."
I let out a half-crazed laugh.
"What's the worst that could happen? The formula won't feminize me, right?! I won't turn into one of those Alpha males who look like Omega models? Right?! Right?!"
"That's the good part," he assured me. "You won't change. As long as you don't activate the... pregnancy trigger, you'll stay the same. You'll be fine."
"Wait—WHAT IF I SUDDENLY GO INTO HEAT?! What if my pheromones go haywire and every Alpha within a five-mile radius comes crashing through the wall like hormonal beasts because I'm so delicious, so sexy, so ripe, so juicy, so—"
"You don't give off any scent, Jiggs," Mr. Voder interrupted, deadpan. "Even if you go into heat, no one will know."
I sighed in relief. "Oh thank god. I thought I was going to get swarmed by lusty Alphas..."
"Sounds like you wanted that to happen."
I smirked. "Only if they pay! Pregnancy's a service now. I'm not some free baby bank! There's a fee, and it's above standard retail price!"
Mr. Voder chuckled. "I don't know if you're just insane or completely broken from what just happened."
"Umm... maybe both?" I shrugged.
The download dinged—done. I yanked out the flash drive and gave it to Mr. Voder as he slung Silver over his shoulder like a heroic potato sack.
"Let's go, Jiggs. We've got what we came for."
He started walking off, but I stayed frozen, staring at the unconscious Melior on the floor.
"Jiggs?"
"I feel kind of bad..."
"For what?"
"I don't think Melior's evil. He's just a chaotic little science gremlin with too much free time and a scary brain. I think... we could be friends. I want to stay. Earn his trust. He could be our ally in Verilios. And he's the only one who can monitor my body now that I'm officially... Mysterious Pregnant Wonder Man."
"You sure you'll be okay?" Mr. Voder looked back at me, genuinely worried.
"I'll be fine. Just give me time. I'll also try to infiltrate the Executioner Unit if I can. They want me too, especially Hart."
"Unbelievable. The three top commanders in Nihilex's faction all want you. I'll shadow you from a distance. I'll drop Silver at our hideout and come back to keep watch. If anything happens, I'll extract you immediately."
"Thanks! But uh... can you not tell Silver about the pregnancy thing?"
"Why?"
"Because knowing him, if he gets itchy in the middle of the night and we're sleeping beside each other, he might accidentally knock me up! I'm not ready to be a mom..."
"Fine. Whatever helps you sleep at night," Mr. Voder snorted before disappearing into the shadows with Silver.
I exhaled deeply, glancing back at Melior.
He was stirring.
Oh no!
I immediately flopped to the ground like a sack of drama and pretended to be unconscious.
A moment later, I felt movement. Melior sat up groggily and scanned the lab.
"What... happened?" he muttered, then his eyes fell on me. "Mysterious Man, are you alright?"
I held my head and groaned theatrically. "Ugh... my head... I must've blacked out..."
He slowly stood up, and I followed.
His eyes widened when he realized Silver was gone.
"W-where is my Sigma Male?!"
"I-I don't know! I blacked out too! I'm sorry!"
He clutched his head in agony. "My precious experiment! Gone!"
"Well, I'm still here," I said brightly. "You can examine me! Just... no baby-making, okay? I want to know what's happening to my body."
He sighed like a depressed frog.
"No choice... you're all I have left. Maybe you can help me capture another rogue Alpha..."
"I'll do my best!" I said with a cheeky grin.
"Lie down. I need to see what changes your body's undergone since it absorbed the serum."
And so, the Pregnant Wonder Man saga... continues.
I strutted toward the exam bed, where Silver had just been unconscious not too long ago. My foot was already dangling over the edge when—
"Wait a sec!" Melior blurted, eyes wide. "You can't lie down in uniform. You need to take it off."
"Are you serious?" I asked, clutching my uniform like it was the last bastion of my dignity. "I'm shy!"
"Do you want me to properly examine your body or not?" he asked, exasperated.
"But you're not gonna tranquilize me and then sneak sperm into my body while I'm passed out, right?" I asked, voice high-pitched with panic.
Melior smirked, his usual chaotic glint dancing in his eyes. "Depends on my mood."
"MELIOR!"
"Oh? Now you're calling me by my first name like we're old pals?" he teased.
"I dunno... I just feel kinda comfy talking to you," I shrugged. "We've got similar interests—tech, science, weird gadgets. Our personalities might clash like cymbals in a marching band, but we get each other. And deep down, I think you're not a bad person."
Melior paused, exhaled like I'd just hit him in the soul, and shook his head.
"You're right," he muttered. "All my life, I've never met anyone who speaks my language—someone who doesn't walk away when I ramble about quantum gene compression or pheromone modulating algorithms. I'm not evil. I just... like experimenting with odd things."
"So... you don't agree with Omega King's whole 'transform-the-Alphas-into-submissive-breeding-units' plan?" I asked.
He scoffed. "Absolutely not. That's why I made a formula that doesn't change their body or mind. I only wanted to see if they could get pregnant. My goal was never to forcibly mutate all Alphas. I want to give willing individuals the chance to experience something different. Alphas in love with other Alphas, or Alphas who want kids with Betas like you. That's it. I don't care about hierarchy."
I was... floored. For once, I saw Melior not as a manic science goblin, but as someone who maybe—just maybe—was on the wrong team but had the right heart.
If he lived in Aurivelle, I bet we'd be close. Like, eating lunch with Champ, partying during holidays, maybe even getting blackout drunk at birthdays.
Moved, I reached up, removed my helmet dramatically—as if I were in the climax of a superhero movie—my hair flowing in slow motion like a shampoo commercial with an over-the-top budget.
Then I glanced at him with narrowed eyes and bit my lower lip seductively, even though my soul was dying inside from the awkwardness.
Melior tilted his head, blinking. "You're not an old Beta?"
"Were you expecting a grandpa or something?" I snorted.
"Well, your intellect is so advanced—I assumed you were ancient," he admitted.
"Hey! I'm eighteen!" I grinned.
"Seriously?" he blinked. "You're so young... yet your grasp of technology is insanely impressive."
"Right back at ya, genius," I said, slapping his shoulder playfully. "You literally made a gene-altering pregnancy formula in your free time."
He stared at my hand on his shoulder. I quickly pulled it back, worried.
"Y-you don't like being touched?"
"No one's ever touched me before," he said quietly. "Except you."
"Oh... I do that with my friends," I said with a nervous chuckle.
"Friends?" he echoed, like it was a foreign word.
"You don't have any? Not even Hart or Elexa?"
"They're coworkers. We're not friends. My only friends are my computers and devices ever since my brother-figure friend left me."
"...Well then," I said, throwing an arm around him, "As of today, I, Jiggs—aka Mysterious Pregnant Wonder Man—am your official best friend!"
Melior scowled and shoved me off.
"Y-you don't want to be my friend?" I asked, feeling like a puppy just kicked. "You and I could talk about so many things! Technology! Experiments! I could teach you things, and you could teach me too!"
Melior turned his head, face flushed. He muttered, "Idiot..." Then looked back at me and said, "Just take off your clothes so I can examine you."
"Where's the fitting room?"
"There is no fitting room. Just undress."
"Seriously?! I'm embarrassed!" I whined, covering my chest and manhood like I was on a runway of shame.
"I've seen more dicks than I can count. Bigger than yours, too," he said casually.
Oof. Confidence shattered.
With no choice, I stripped right in front of him. And thus, Jiggs—Mysterious Naked Man—was born, cold and completely exposed to the elements.
I lay down on the examination bed while Melior stood beside me, attaching sensors to my body. A monitoring device lit up, checking my hormones and vitals.
Then—out of nowhere—he casually grabbed my manhood.
I smacked his hand on reflex.
"JIGGS!" he barked, eyebrows twitching.
"I-I got ticklish!" I giggled.
"I'm checking for shrinkage or structural changes. I need to ensure the formula didn't affect 'it'."
"I am four point five inches, by the way." I muttered shyly.
"Average for a Beta," he nodded. Then he pulled out a measuring tool and confirmed, "Still four point five inches. Girth's normal. Flaccid, two inches. Erect, four point five. Not bad."
"B-but I really can't get anyone pregnant anymore?" I asked, wide-eyed.
"Nope. You're sterile."
"No way! I need proof!"
"Fine. You need to ejaculate. I'll examine the semen for fertility markers."
"WHAT? Here?! In front of you?!"
"Where else? It's for science. I'm not going to sexualize it. Unless... you want me to do it for you?"
"NO THANKS! I got it!" I shouted, grabbing my junk—but then paused. "Are you really gonna watch me do it?!"
Melior laughed and shook his head. "I'm kidding. Relax."
He pulled out a device—familiar.
"A suction cup?!"
"Yup. Way better for sample collection. More efficient."
I swallowed thickly as he prepped the device. Then... he slid the lubricated suction cup onto me.
"ACK!" I yelled, grabbing his arm. "W-wait! What if this thing sucks out everything and I have nothing left?!"
"You will be exhausted," he said nonchalantly. "You'll probably pass out from the pleasure. Your body needs to recharge afterward."
"Wait—PROMISE you won't do any weird experiments on me while I'm unconscious! No inserting sperm, not even my own!"
Melior chuckled. "Your semen's not even fertile anymore. I'm doing this to verify our formula's effects. I promise... I won't touch a thing while you're out. Unless I'm in the mood."
"MELIOR!"
"Fine, fine!"
Then he switched on the machine.
The suction cup started working—smooth, slow movements, up and down. The inside was slick, warm, and way too pleasurable.
I clung to the side of the bed like I was about to fly off the planet.
"Ngghh..." I groaned, biting my lip as the sensation overwhelmed me. "A-acckk!"
Melior silently monitored the device, eyes glued to my suffering manhood.
My breathing got heavier. The pleasure built up like a tsunami crashing through me. I wanted to crawl out of my own skin.
"S-SHIT!" I gasped. "I-I think I'm gonna—"
"Good," Melior smirked.
"UURRGGHH!!"
I exploded, clutching the bed with white knuckles as the suction cup greedily drank every last drop of me.
I watched—horrified and fascinated—as thick white fluid traveled through the tube into a collection container... which was already half full.
By the end, I was gasping, sprawled out like a starfish that had seen too much. I couldn't move, couldn't speak. My soul had temporarily vacated my body.
"Nice. You filled half the container. Not bad for a Beta. An Alpha would've filled it to the brim," Melior said, casually removing the suction cup and cleaning it.
"The semen exam won't take long. Just lie there and wait."
And I... had never wanted to die more in my entire life.
Moments later, Melior lifted the container—yep, the one brimming with my dignity in liquid form, aka Jiggs Juice™—and began analyzing the contents with unnerving scientific glee.
Meanwhile, I lay there, splayed on the examination bed like a dead fish on a sushi platter. Completely drained. Physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
I stared blankly at the ceiling, letting my mind drift like a paper boat on a stormy sea.
What now?
If I can't get anyone pregnant anymore... and now I can get pregnant... then who do I want as the father?
Should I make a list? Like, Top Ten Hottest Alpha or Beta Daddies Worldwide? Rate them by looks, stamina, emotional damage level, and snuggle potential?
I was already mentally sketching a spreadsheet when Melior's voice broke through the fog.
"Your semen analysis came back," he said calmly. Too calmly. The kind of calm that makes you feel like a bomb's about to drop.
"We ran the full panel—volume, motility, morphology, concentration..."
He might as well have been reciting scientific terms for how much I absorbed, until—
"There's no sign of viable sperm."
Boom. Just like that.
My balls wept.
"So... it's the end for me..." I whispered dramatically, eyes glazing over like I was in a tragic soap opera. "Am I going to go into some... heat stage now?"
Melior turned to his monitors, glancing at the sensor tubes attached to my half-dead body.
"As a Beta? Nope. You won't experience heat like Omega males do, but you will undergo into a different heat stage probably. And since you are the first Beta to ever undergo pregnancy, I am not sure yet on what will be the effects on your heat stage. We will have to find out." he explained matter-of-factly. "Your testosterone and estrogen levels are balanced. Your body is now fully viable to carry a child. No complications detected."
"Oh..." I said, blinking. "So I won't suddenly release a scent that turns every Alpha in a fifty-mile radius into a drooling, horny beast?"
"Nope. No scent. Same old unscented beta body."
"Hah! Safe from Alpha orgies! Take that, pheromones!"
Melior rolled his eyes and waved an X-ray scanner over me. He checked the monitor again.
"As of now, there's no uterus formation yet. But in the coming days, you might feel a bit of internal shifting. Your body will start developing a uterus, and yes, the area around your rectum might get a little itchy—since a birth canal is also forming."
"EXCUSE ME?!" I shrieked, flailing slightly. "You mean, I'll have a full upgrade?! Like a... portable baby factory installed in my butt zone?!"
"That's... one way to phrase it," he muttered, deadpan.
"So... once the organs are fully developed, if I have sex with an Alpha, Beta, or Sigma male... there's a high chance of pregnancy—even without heat?"
"We still have to find out. You, as a Beta might undergo a different pregnancy process" he nodded, "Once development is complete, we will try to make you impregnated."
"What if I don't want it!"
"Then, you don't have to. It's your choice anyway. It is your body, your freedom."
He paused, then looked at me again, eyes softening.
"That's what I've been aiming for, really," he said. "Freedom. The ability to choose. Not bound by Alpha, Beta, Omega, Sigma roles. Just people. Choosing what they want... when they want."
I stared at him.
"Melior..." I said slowly, "Because you shared your truth with me... I think it's time I tell you mine."
His brow raised. "Hmm? What is it?"
"Don't treat me differently after this, okay?" I said, my voice low but steady. "I feel like you're not like the others. You deserve the truth."
Melior leaned in, his curiosity clearly piqued. "What do you mean?"
"What if I told you... I'm not from Verilios?" I said, locking eyes with him. "I'm a Beta from Aurivelle."
For a second, everything froze.
Melior blinked. Once. Twice. Then swallowed hard.
His breath quickened. Slowly, seriously, he began to walk toward me.
Oh no. I broke him. I triggered his villain arc. This is it.
Abort mission. I need to run. But I'm naked. How do I escape this?
What am I gonna do—sprint through Verilios buck-naked, waving my manhood like a distress flag while yelling, "I REGRET EVERYTHING!"?
He stopped right beside me.
"You're... from Aurivelle?" he repeated, eyes wide. "You—You're from there?"
I swear I saw lightning flash across his irises.
I'm dead. This is how I die. Naked. On a cold exam table. Betrayed by science and my big mouth.
This is so bad. This is so bad.
...
...
...
Silver's POV
I blinked myself awake—groggy, confused—and found myself... back in our hideout.
I bolted upright.
Where the hell was I?
My eyes scanned the room in full panic-mode until I saw him—Voder, seated calmly beside me, watching me with that annoyingly concerned Dad stare that made you feel like you'd just destroyed the family car or made something dangerous.
"How are you feeling?" he asked, voice low and steady.
"I'm... fine," I muttered, rubbing my temple. "Wait—how did we get back here?"
"Long story," he said, crossing his arms. "The important part is—I got you out."
I looked around again. Silent. Too silent. No cackling. No singing. No sudden thudding of feet or chaos that sounded like a raccoon had broken into a blender.
The silence was... eerie.
"Where's Jiggs?" I asked, brows furrowed. "He's not here?"
"He stayed behind. At the Alpha Breeding Lab," Voder said, dead serious.
"What?!" I shot to my feet—immediately regretted it when my legs wobbled like spaghetti. "He's gonna get himself killed in that freak factory!"
I started toward the exit, but Voder's hand clamped onto my shoulder like a steel dad-claw.
"Calm down. Rest," he said firmly. "He chose to stay. He made the decision himself."
"Tch!" I scoffed, dragging a hand down my face. "What the hell was going through that idiot's head?! Staying behind?! What is he, heroic now?!"
"Why are you so upset?" Voder asked quietly. "Are you... worried about him?"
"Me? Worried? Ha!" I barked a laugh, crossing my arms tightly. "You wish."
"Silver," Voder said, narrowing his eyes. "You can lie to yourself. But I can see it in your eyes."
I turned away.
"Why would I worry about him?" I spat. "I just don't want to lose my favorite toy. If he dies, I've got no one to boss around, no one to tease, no one to make clean my boots!"
"Is that it?" Voder said calmly.
"Would you just shut up already?" I snapped, glaring. "I don't need your psychoanalysis."
He smiled. Smiled. The nerve.
Then he raised a hand and gently placed it on my head.
"Get your hand off me," I grumbled, scowling.
But just as I grabbed his wrist to shove it away, he spoke again—quiet but heavy.
"I wasn't going to tell you this. Jiggs asked me not to," he said, voice suddenly grave. "But... I think you deserve to know."
My grip loosened. My anger froze, replaced by curiosity.
"What do you mean?" I asked. "Don't tell me he switched sides. If he joined Verilios, I'll kill him myself."
"No. It's worse."
He removed his hand and sighed.
Worse? What the hell could be worse than betrayal?
"Spit it out!" I barked. "Don't drag it out like some dramatic soap opera!"
"...Do you love Jiggs?" he asked bluntly.
"What?!" I recoiled like he slapped me with a frying pan. "Are you insane?! You wanna get punched, old man?"
"Silver," he continued, "You're a Sigma male. You avoid others. You value solitude. Yet, for some reason, you dragged him into your chaos. You chose him."
"So what? Why do you care?"
"Because I see him as a son. And whether you like it or not, I see you the same—because you came from Alaric."
I looked away. That name still hit hard.
"He's noisy," I muttered defensively.
"And?"
"He talks too much. Laughs at his own jokes. He's hyperactive. A walking disaster."
"And?"
"He can turn a spilled drink into a full-blown drama monologue!"
"And?"
"WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME, VODER?!"
"And?" he repeated with infuriating patience.
"Ugh!" I groaned, fists clenched, face burning. He wasn't going to stop until he wrung every last word out of me.
"AND... he's my source of happiness, okay?!" I growled, refusing to meet his eyes.
Silence.
I risked a glance. He was grinning like a damn Cheshire cat.
"So you're saying," he mused, "you brought him along not just to mess with him, but because being around him makes you happy."
"For entertainment," I insisted.
"Or maybe... you wanted his attention. A bold move for a Sigma male. You knew you couldn't claim him the traditional way—no scent marking, no bond. So you isolated him. You pulled him away from his friends, kept him at your side."
"You done playing therapist now?" I snapped.
"So you do care. Deeply. You love him? Admit it."
"I don't know what love is," I muttered. "Affection is... gross."
"Maybe not love. But importance. He's the light in your dark, miserable world. He's the reason you still smile—even if you hide it behind scowls. He's your calm in chaos. Your chaos in calm. And most of all... you're comfortable around him."
"Or maybe he is a chaos in my chaotic life already."
I clenched my jaw. My eyes burned with something I didn't understand.
"I have the right to not answer your ridiculous poetry," I muttered.
"You know why I'm telling you this?" Voder asked.
"...Why?" I replied quietly, still refusing eye contact.
"Because Jiggs cares about you. Deeply. I saw it in his actions. His choices."
I finally looked at him, searching his expression.
"Even when he's scared of your temper and murderous attempts to kill him and the others... he still chooses to stay. Because he cares."
"...Tch." I looked away. "He should. I'm his master."
"No," Voder said firmly. "He would sacrifice himself for you. Not because you ordered him to... but because he wants to."
And just like that, silence fell.
Not the peaceful kind.
The heavy kind. The kind where only breathing can be heard. The kind where hearts scream louder than words.
And in that moment, even I, the ever-menacing Silver... didn't know what to say.
"Would you risk your life... if Jiggs were in danger?" Voder asked quietly.
My eyes locked onto his—no more running, no more deflecting.
"...Yes."
His lips curved into a soft, knowing smile, and he gave a slow nod.
"No more explanations needed," he said. "I saw it in your eyes the moment you answered. That's all I needed."
Then, with the smug patience of a dad who just watched his son stumble into his first crush, he added, "So... you do love Jiggs."
"Tsk! I told you—I don't even know what that feels like!" I snapped, my voice laced with frustration and—maybe—a little panic.
"Maybe you don't know what love means, yet," Voder said gently, "but maybe you've already been feeling it—without realizing. Every time you're with Jiggs."
I opened my mouth to argue, but he didn't stop.
"I saw it. His sincerity. While you were unconscious, Melior almost injected you with a gene-altering formula. The kind that could make you—yes, you, Silver—able to get pregnant."
I choked. "WHAT?"
"But Jiggs..." Voder continued, his voice low and firm, "he didn't hesitate. He didn't think of himself. He threw himself in the way of that syringe to protect you. So much so... he's the one who got injected instead."
My heart slammed against my chest like a drum gone rogue. My breath caught in my throat.
"Don't tell me—"
Voder nodded gravely. "There's now a chance... that Jiggs could get pregnant. Because he chose to protect you. Because he put you before himself. This says a lot about Jiggs how he feels toward you, Silver. He might not be the serious type of person, but when he does care, he will show it upfront with no hesitations."
The air left my lungs like someone had sucker-punched me.
"And that's why," Voder said, eyes narrowing into that rare 'serious dad mode' he rarely used, "I'm telling you this not just as your comrade... but as a father speaking on behalf of his son—take care of Jiggs."
I froze. Staring. Processing.
"He may be chaotic, silly, loud, cowardly, and clumsy," Voder went on, his tone tightening with emotion, "but Jiggs brings life wherever he goes. He's a walking sunbeam, the kind who forces people to laugh even when they don't want to. His joy is infectious, even if his mouth never stops running."
He chuckled faintly, the kind of laugh that came from memory.
"Jiggs was the first real friend Champ ever had. He gave Champ a reason to smile. That's why Champ cherishes him so much. And now... Jiggs chose you. He walked away from everyone else... because he believes you need someone. Someone to stop you from sinking into the pit you keep digging for yourself. Someone to stop you from being swallowed whole by your loneliness... your anger... your past, even if he knows his life might be in danger sticking up with you."
My fists clenched. I couldn't meet his gaze.
"He stayed beside you—even terrified—because he couldn't bear to leave you alone. He wants to change you, Silver. Make you better. Not for him—but for you. And he won't say it out loud, because that's not who he is... but everything he does? Every chaotic, reckless, ridiculous thing? It's his way of showing you he cares."
The words hit me like a landslide. No defense, no counterstrike.
Voder wasn't just lecturing me.
He was handing me my own truth.
"And now," he added quietly, "he's not just a Beta. He's someone who sacrificed himself for you. So don't you dare let that sacrifice go to waste. Protect him. Take care of him. Be there for him. The same way he's always been there for you."
And there it was.
The emotional gut-punch of the year. The kind of speech that carves itself into your bones and never leaves.
I didn't respond.
Couldn't.
Instead, I stood. My feet moved before my mind even caught up. I turned and started walking toward the door.
"Silver?" Voder called behind me. "Where are you going?"
I paused, hand on the doorframe, heart beating loud in my ears.
"I'm claiming what's mine," I said softly, eyes sharp. "My ray of sunshine. My happiness."
And then, I was gone.
...
...
...
Jiggs' POV
"HAHAHAHA!"
"WAHEHEHEHE!"
SLAP!
SMACK!
The walls of the Alpha Breeding Laboratory echoed with our ridiculous laughter. It was just me and Melior, rolling around in hysterics as I recounted all the wild, unhinged stories of life in Aurivelle.
Honestly? I'd been terrified to tell him the truth at first. I thought he'd freak out, report me, or do some sinister experiment on me for being a "foreign Beta." But instead?
The moment I said I wasn't from Verilios, his eyes lit up—like a kid hearing about a magical land full of chocolate rivers and free candies.
"Really? You have to wait until 18 years old before you are able to distinguish if you are going to be an Alpha, Beta, or Omega in your kingdom?" Melior asked, "Coz we can already determine what's that child going to be as soon as it's out from their mother's womb."
"Well, so much for Verilios' technology, we can't compare."
"Though the life in Aurivelle sounds amazing," Melior said wistfully. "It's so different from what I've known here in Verilios. There, it seems like everyone is free."
"Oh, totally! I was just as shocked when I ended up here. I didn't even know there was a kingdom that reversed the hierarchy!" I said, waving my hands around for emphasis.
"Well, history plays a big part in that," Melior replied. "I could tell you the full story, but it'd take more than a day."
"Then let's make time!" I grinned. "And when this war's over, I'm introducing you to Champ. He's my best friend in the whole wide world!"
"I hope I get to meet him," he said softly.
"You will! He's actually an Omega male—but since Omegas are rare in Aurivelle, he pretended to be an Alpha. Unfortunately for him, I'm me, and evidence loves throwing itself at me, so I found out the truth real quick," I snorted.
"Well, he must be brave. Pretending to be something else in a society that favors Alphas... not easy."
"Right? And lucky too—he found an Alpha who genuinely loves him. His name's Deux. You should see them together. They're gross. Like, full PDA in every corner gross. I almost lost my eyesight from the trauma."
Melior sighed. "If only people could just love freely like them, you know? No dominance. No submission. Just... love. Equality. Understanding. That's the kind of world I want to live in."
"Exactly! That's why I can't stand Nihilex's plan. I'd never support that kind of future. Would you?"
"...Honestly? No," Melior admitted. "And after hearing everything about Aurivelle... I want that kind of life too. I want to have fun. Make friends. Party like you. Go to university. And most of all... I want to fall in love."
I grabbed both his hands with dramatic flair.
"Don't get the wrong idea, okay? I'm just being motivational," I warned him with a grin. "So? Help us, Melior. Let's make your dreams come true."
He hesitated. "I don't know, Jiggs..."
"You don't want Nihilex's plan either. And trust me, if it happens—Champ, even as an Omega male, won't stand for it. He hates injustice. And I know him—he'll fight it with everything he's got. So even if you're from Verilios... I'm telling you, Nihilex won't succeed. Because we won't let him. Champ Clan will fight."
"Champ Clan?"
"Yeah! That's the name of our clan with Champ being our leader. And guess what, he's gonna be our Omega King one day! I promise that!"
I leaned closer, this time more serious than I'd ever been.
"I may joke a lot, but this time I mean it, Melior. I want a world where we're all free—Alphas, Betas, Omegas, Sigmas. No chains. No fear. Just people living and loving without stepping on each other. That world can exist. We can make it. We will make it."
"But... if I betray Nihilex," Melior whispered, fear in his eyes, "he'll label me a traitor. He'll have me executed."
I smiled slowly.
"And what do you call us, huh? We're already his enemies," I said, giving him a playful wink. "You won't be alone, Melior. I'm here. And so is—"
Suddenly, the lab door slammed open.
I froze.
"...Silver?" I blinked.
"The Sigma male," Melior whispered beside me.
Silver stood in the doorway, eyes narrowing dangerously the moment he saw my hands still on Melior's.
I jerked away from him like I'd been electrocuted, my brain going into full code red panic. Oh no! I'm still naked! I hadn't even put my uniform back on!
I totally forgot since I got hooked up in our laughter and stories that I had been talking to him while naked!
Without a word, Silver stormed in, grabbed me like I weighed nothing, and hoisted me over his shoulder like a sack of flour.
"HEY! WHERE ARE YOU TAKING ME?!" I shrieked, squirming in his grip.
He didn't answer.
He just walked.
"JIGGS!" Melior called after me.
"Melior! Think about what I said! It's not too late! Remember—I'm your friend!" I shouted over my shoulder, flailing dramatically. "Silver, seriously! I'M NAKED! My butt is out in the open and it's just right beside your face!"
SMACK! He slapped my butt.
"Keep quiet!" he growled. "Are you trying to seduce that mad scientist? Planning to let him get you impregnated or what?!"
"W-what?! YOU KNEW?!" I gasped.
Ugh! That blabbermouth Voder! I told him not to say anything!
"I'm gonna ask Voder if there's a chastity lock for birth canals," Silver muttered. "You're making me worry too much!"
My heart stuttered.
"...Wait. Did you just say... you're worried about me?" I asked, eyes wide with delighted shock.
"You're too careless!" he snapped, smacking my butt again.
"OW!"
"If you get pregnant, the world might be doomed to an entire generation of mini-Jiggs! Do you know how terrifying that is?! World domination, chaos, glitter explosions and never ending laughter—"
He actually smiled—a rare, terrifying smirk.
"Actually, I might like that plan. In fact, I'll be the one to impregnate you. Then we'll raise an army and conquer the world."
"EXCUSE ME?!" I shrieked. "What do you think I am, a factory?! A baby-manufacturer for your evil Sigma legacy?!"
"Yes," he answered flatly.
"Tsk! This is exactly why I didn't want you to find out!" I groaned. "You'll be brutal! My poor birth canal! With the number of kids you're implying, I'm gonna end up giving birth to twins from two different exits! Surprise! It's a rectal-baby!"
"You're seriously losing it..." he muttered.
"I am losing it!" I wailed. "I'm a Beta who's been metamorphosed into a soon-to-be mother—and it was never even on my bucket list!"
He stopped walking.
Paused.
And then, with a softer tone than I'd ever heard from him, he whispered:
"Then add this to your bucket list..."
I blinked at him, confused.
"...To build a family. With me."
And just like that—my mouth hung open, my brain shut down, and my heart practically detonated in my chest.
Did Silver—the cold, chaotic Sigma menace—just... propose a future with me?
...
I think I'm gonna pass out.
"What... did you just say?" I gasped, eyes wide like I'd just witnessed a unicorn do a backflip.
"You heard me. Don't be stupid. You're not deaf or dumb," Silver snapped, clearly irritated—probably regretting every syllable that came out of his mouth.
"Wait—did I just hear that for real?! That came out of YOUR mouth?! Where's the old Silver who hated affection? Who hated joy, people, hugs, eye contact, living, breathing—?"
"Shut up," he growled. "Unless you want me to impregnate you right here outside."
My mouth clamped shut like a chastity vault.
HE'S USING PREGNANCY AS BLACKMAIL!
What the hell, Silver?! Typical Menace Sigma behavior!
Still, I looked at him, and for a second—just one second—I saw something new. This wasn't the same cold, merciless Silver I met on day one. This one still had the bite, the sharp tongue, and the glare that could melt steel beams—but... he was softer. Warmer. Kinder.
Well... maybe "kind" is a stretch. Less murder-y, let's say! Haha!
"Wait, why'd you even come barging into the Alpha Laboratory like a testosterone-fueled knight in edgy armor?" I asked. "I told Mr. Voder to let me stay behind. I was gathering intel!"
"From now on, you don't leave my side," he said firmly. "Where I go, you go. If I have to leash you on your neck like a pet, so be it."
"Whoa! That's a bit possessive—even for you!"
Before we could argue more, we suddenly heard voices—approaching fast.
We ducked into the thick foliage of the outer gardens, crouching low. My bare butt scraped against a very pointy bush.
"Ow! Ow! The branches are attacking me! Did you forget I'm NAKED right now?! My skin is fully exposed to mother nature's cruelty! Maybe these frenzy plants might get me impregnated instead!" I hissed.
"Shh!" Silver muttered, eyes narrowing.
Through the bushes, we saw them—Executioner Soldiers. And right in front of them... Commander Hart.
"The first wave of our army—is it ready?" Hart asked one of the soldiers.
"Ready, Commander Hart," the soldier replied, standing stiffly.
"Excellent. The first unit will move through the breached wall. The second... through the secret passage beneath the canyon."
My stomach dropped.
I whispered. "Did he say army?! What army?!"
A moment later, Hart marched away, flanked by five soldiers. And behind them...
Oh. My. Stars.
Nearly a thousand Executioner Soldiers followed in synchronized silence, marching like shadows come to life.
And the worst part?
They were heading toward the exact path that Silver and I had used when we first arrived—the destroyed wall Silver had blasted open!
"Silver," I whispered, heart thundering, "this is bad. They're going to invade Aurivelle. And I'm sure they're going to use the tunnel we passed through. We need to stop them. Now."
Silver looked at me, serious. "What's the plan?"
"Ughhh!!" I grunted, bonking myself on the forehead repeatedly like it was a broken vending machine. "Think, Jiggs, think—!"
And then—spark! A plan hit me like divine caffeine.
"Take me back to the Alpha Breeding Laboratory!"
"...What could we possibly do there?!"
"No time to explain—just run!"
Silver didn't hesitate. "Hold on tight."
And then—
WHOOSH!
We were off—Silver sprinting so fast it felt like I'd been strapped to a rocket. Leaves slapped my face, my hair flew like a tragic scene, and I was pretty sure I swallowed a bug.
"This better be a GOOD PLAN, Jiggs!" he yelled mid-run.
"Oh, don't worry," I shouted back, grinning despite the windburn and trauma, "It's either gonna save the world or kill us all! There is no in-between!"
Because with Silver, with me, and with the entire kingdom on the line—chaos is just another word for Plan A.
...
...
...
Third Person POV
While Silver and Jiggs tore through the forest like a blur of wind and chaos—leaves whipping around them, adrenaline fueling their every step—they had no idea that, miles behind them, something far more tragic was unfolding.
Back at the Alpha Breeding Laboratory... Melior was surrounded.
The quiet hum of machines, the faint scent of sterilizing fluid, and the dim lights of his lab had once been his sanctuary. His world of logic. Of sterile peace. Of dreams not yet realized.
Now, it was a cage.
Melior stood frozen, stunned after Silver's daring escape with a naked Jiggs. For a moment, he just let out a bitter laugh, shaking his head at the absurdity of it all.
But fate had other plans.
From the shadows, a female Omega appeared—one Melior hadn't expected to see.
"I saw and heard everything," she said, her tone heavy, eyes unreadable.
"Kaia?" Melior blinked, confused. "What are you doing here?"
"I know the one you were speaking to. Jiggs. He was my classmate at the university in Aurivelle."
"Really?" Melior asked, trying to smile. "Was it a good school?"
"I didn't come here to reminisce," Kaia replied coldly.
Before Melior could respond, another figure entered the room.
A presence so cold, so unnervingly composed, it sent an immediate chill down Melior's spine.
His knees nearly buckled.
"N-Nihilex?" Melior gasped, instinctively bowing in reverence.
The Omega King, dressed in dark regal attire, stepped forward with a soft, deliberate pace—every move calculated. His expression was calm, but his presence screamed danger.
"Kaia has informed me of your little conversation with the Beta male—Jiggs, was it?" Nihilex said smoothly, his lips curling into a smile so serene it was disturbing. "It seems he's managed to lure you toward their little rebellion. Have you forgotten where your loyalty lies, Melior?"
"I... I'm sorry, Omega King..." Melior's voice trembled.
"What are you apologizing for? It seems you wanted it."
Nihilex didn't stop walking until he reached the bed of a pregnant Alpha male—one of Melior's successful experiment subjects.
He smiled again, more like a serpent than a king, and caressed the Alpha's swollen belly with eerie gentleness.
"Impressive. You completed the mission I entrusted to you," he said, eyes gleaming.
Melior forced a nod, but his stomach twisted. There was something off—something worse than usual behind Nihilex's smile.
"Give me the formula for the gene-altering serum," Nihilex ordered calmly.
Melior hesitated for a breath, then turned to his terminal. His fingers were stiff as he pulled out a flash drive and handed it over.
Nihilex accepted it without looking, his gaze sweeping the lab.
"And the other formula," he said, pausing. "The one you developed... with Jiggs. Where is it?"
Melior's eyes widened in pure shock.
He knows.
He turned to Kaia, who stood rigid, her face cold, her betrayal unmistakable.
"You told him..." he whispered, but it was too late.
"Remove your robe," Nihilex commanded.
"What? Omega King, why?" Melior's voice cracked with fear.
"I do not tolerate traitors," Nihilex said. His voice remained low, steady. "As of this moment, you are stripped of your position as Head of the Technological Unit. You will be imprisoned and punished accordingly."
"No... Omega King, please!" Melior pleaded.
"My decision is final," Nihilex said with chilling finality. "You know I show no mercy to traitors. Not to you. Not to Alaric."
He turned to Kaia. "Erase everything on his terminal."
"No!" Melior cried out. He lunged toward the terminal and hugged it like a dying loved one. "Please, don't! I spent years building this—!"
Nihilex tilted his head. The air trembled.
Without warning, Melior collapsed to his knees. His body betrayed him, no longer under his control. He gasped as invisible hands forced him to submit before the Omega King.
Kaia, unbothered, began deleting his life's work—hundreds of documents, experiments, innovations, wiped clean in seconds.
Tears streamed down Melior's face.
He screamed inside, but no sound escaped. His mind raged while his body refused to move. And when Kaia finished, she grabbed the hard copies of the formulas from his desk and tossed them into the shredder, sparing nothing.
"A shame," Nihilex mused. "You're brilliant, Melior. But brilliance means nothing without loyalty. I'll find another to replace you. Besides... your mission is almost complete."
As the invisible grip on his body released, Melior scrambled back to his terminal. He frantically clicked through folders and backups.
Gone. Everything was gone.
He stared at the empty screen, heart in ruins.
Footsteps echoed through the corridor.
Executioner soldiers entered the lab, their armor red as rage, weapons at the ready.
"Seize him," Nihilex ordered.
Melior didn't even struggle. His mind was too shattered to resist.
But just before they reached him, he slipped his hand into his robe pocket and let a small, discreet object fall to the floor.
A small GPS tracker.
"Maybe... just maybe... someone will find me."
As they dragged him away, Melior stared at the floor one last time.
"I don't expect to be saved," he thought.
"But Jiggs, my friend... thank you. You reminded me what it feels like to hope. To dream.
Maybe someday... I'll meet your friends. I'll laugh with them, make memories... maybe even taste what it means to be free and be drunk. Maybe it's not too late.
I want to be happy. I want to be part of Champ Clan, too."
End of Chapter 45