"You know him?" Aahmes asked, looking surprised with his old deadpan face.
As if I knew any other dominant omegas aside from him and my DOME from years ago.
"Sorry, Habibi, I am bound by a vow of secrecy to never disclose details about my omega patients," I teased him.
Well, it really is top secret information, that's why I never told him the whole story about my DOME.
"If that's the case, then it's true that there are dominant omegas?" Nathan looked dumbfounded.
"Of course," Aahmes answered him, "in nature, alphas are compared to males and omegas to females. African Elephants are matriarchal, as well as orcas and hyenas whose females are larger than males. Even lion prides are mostly led by strong lionesses. In the insect world, some females are also bigger than males, as well as in many species of fish, reptiles and birds of prey. Not to mention octopi, and mantises who canibalize their males after mating. Why would you think that males are always superior?"
"But I can't understand how they can make an alpha submit to them!"
Aahmes, Mercy and I looked at each other and burst out laughing.
"Kuya, do you mean to say that an omega not only beat you, but even made you submit to them?" asked Mercy.
"I didn't say that!" her brother insisted.
"Tell me Nathan," I asked after composing myself, "which is stronger, an alpha's pheromone, or an omegas?"
It took a while for him to reply.
"An alpha of co–"
"Wrong!" I conked him on the head. "Stop deluding yourself. Don't be an arrogant idiot like your father."
"An omega's pheromones are stronger than that of an alpha," said Aahmes. "That is why its effect lasts longer and can cause other people to go into rut."
"And that's not even a dominant omega," I continued. "All alphas who visit the East Omega tower are given an inhibitor pill at the front desk. Did you drink yours?"
"Of course."
"If that's so, then try releasing your pheromone now." Nathan looked at my Habibi. "It's okay, you can try releasing it in the room."
Nathan concentrated for a while, but nothing happened.
"I can't..." he mumbled.
"For alphas, it is only the dominant ones like you who can release pheromones when ever they wish to," I explained. "Ordinary alphas are like betas on ordinary days, and could only release pheromones when they smell omegas in heat. In other words, they need an omega to trigger their rut before they can release their own pheromones."
"That is because males do not have an estrus or rut cyle," Aahmes added. "They are always ready for reproduction and simply need stimulus from females to enter a rut period."
"And now that you've taken an inhibitor, you will be forced to live as a regular alpha for a week," I said with a grin.
"Eh?" Nathan's eyes widened for the Nth time.
"Hehe, serves you right, Kuya! Did you know that Tito Eric formulated that inhibitor himself?" my Bebe Meme said proudly.
"Now, think of an omega that can release his pheromones freely," continued Aahmes. "Remember, omega pheromones are stronger and more potent, especially when it is concentrated on a single target."
My cocky nephew fell silent and looked pale.
"Is that why the issue about dominant omegas is taboo for alphas?" asked my Mercy. "Just imagine, an omega that can make all the alphas bow down to them!"
"Precisely! My Bebe Meme really is the smartest of them all!"
I hugged my lovely niece and was about to pick her up again, when I heard Aahmes clear his throat. He was staring blankly at me. I quickly her leg go and composed myself.
"A-anyway, e-hem..." I told her slow big bro, "that is the reason why an omega was able to dominate you!"
"What just a minute... what do you mean that I'll be an ordinary alpha for a whole week?!" he asked.
The idiot haven't even gone past that issue?
"That is the price of information," said Aahmes.
"Serves you right!" I pointed down at him. "I bet you did something stupid and perverted again, which caused this omega to punish you!"
"You've got that right, Tito Eric!" Mercy answered for her scowling brother who decided to shut up. "Kuya just got reprimanded in university for harassing an omega. Good thing a professor caught him before he could do anything!"
"I knew it!" I slapped myself on the forehead.
"But Tito, you and Dr. Aahmes really look good together!" Nathan suddenly said, trying to change the subject. "You're both so smart and good looking to boot!"
"That's right, Tito! It's nice that you've decided to stay with our uncle and even learned to understand Filipino." I was surprised to see my Mercy smiling shyly at my Habibi while batting her long lashes!
"He actually knows the language, he just refuses to speak it since his accent and diction is terrible!" I whispered to her.
I felt Aahmes' deadpan face glare at me once more.
"Will there be anymore questions?" he asked after nudging me painfully in the ribs.
"There's nothing more..." mumbled Nathan who looked like he just gambled his last fortune away.
"Ah, then why don't I treat you to some cake?" I placed an arm across my niece's shoulder, "Aahmes, come with us as well!"
"I am still busy," replied Aahmes who walked out of the room.
"Aw, and here I thought we can all go on a date!"
"Don't take too long," he said, ignoring me.
I watched him enter his own cubicle before turning back to the kids.
"So? What do you say about your future Tito Aahmes?"
"Approved!" said Mercy with her two thumbs up. "He's smart and handsome, just like you!"
"Of course! Would I have chosen anyone less?" I smiled smugly.
"I thought you said you weren't a thing?" Nathan frowned.
"Well, it's still complicated..."
"And we're not done with the topic of fated pairs yet!" he pressed me.
"Tsk." I glared at him. This cheeky brat could be such a nag sometimes.
"That's right, Tito, when we were kids, you used to tell us fairy tales about fated pairs," Mercy looked at me teary-eyed. "And now, you say it's all make believe?"
"And just how old were you back then?" I sighed.
"Well, you always fight with our dad, but even then, you never mentioned that Papa Louie and Papa Jonas were not fated pairs," Nathan pointed out.
"Well, that's because their relationship was real," I told them. I wouldn't want my precious niece to think badly of me.
"But the truth is, research shows that the fated pair syndrome is just an overreaction in the brain. It's just the strong pheromones that attract an omega to an alpha, and vice versa, even before they have a chance to actually bond."
"But for fated pairs, only one alpha and omega are attracted to each other's pheromones, right?" asked Nathan. "And vise versa?"
"True, since every alpha and omega has their own unique scent. Not one is exactly the same as another. And that very scent is what their partner gets infatuated with."
"Then, how can you say that papa Louie and papa Jonas are not fated pairs?" Meme asked with a frown.
"What I'm saying is, there in no such thing as fated pairs, but your parents are definitely perfect for each other. In fact, they have already been together even before they manifested."
Ugh...
The things I say for the love of my niece...
"And it would be better if you ask your father himself!" I added. "Ask him about Winston Heuer. You're all old enough to know the truth yourself."
"Fine then!" Nathan said with a pout.
"By the way, Mercy, I'll give you a book later, it can explain a lot about this `Fated Pair Syndrome', it's written by Dr. Abdel, I suggest you read it."
"Oh, he has a book about fated pairs?" Nathan asked with a grin. "Is that why you suddenly changed your beliefs?"
I glared at my obnoxious nephew.
I have to admit, he can be sharp at times. He's got Kuya Jonas' genes, after all.
"That's right," I replied. "His research had led me to realize that the fated pair myth could be explained scientifically, in fact, he has a theory on how to break unwanted bonds made by an alpha on unwilling omegas."
"Really, Tito?" Mercy asked with interest, "That means, omegas can now leave their alphas!"
"Exactly!" I hugged her and kissed the top of her head. "My Mercy really is soo smart! Just like her Tito Eric!"
"Of course Tito, we even look alike!"
"Okay, that's enough, we're going to the mall, remember?" Nathan butted in.
"Okay, just tell me what you kids want, Tito Eric will take care of you both!"