THE HIDDEN OMEGA: Disguised As A Boy In The Alpha Academy

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y as if in greeting. Birds chirped overhead, their wings flitting thr

er lips cracked, her skin pale. The red

blue eyes sunken into bony cheeks. His clothes were stained with

d and bolted upright, her body tremblin

eathed, pulling her into a shaky hug. His lashes fluttered, t

ked out. "It work

g to him, overwhelmed.

ke we planned," he said,

t you were... dead. Talia! You

s into a bag made

gasped, hand fly

anged. And as we guessed, your uncle did

sed, facin

bury you in secre

ffin. We received your b

ittle, nearly tripping over a wooden chair. After a brief hesitation,

o-red, and his heart thu

e will be here soon," he mumbled, tryi

d through the clutter, fingers twitching with urgency

g still as he bega

ou're caught, faking your death to e

ighed. "I know... I signed up for this.

ond. He just kept

chest. She'd planned this for months, but now th

Storm," he said finally. "You'll

o face him, brows

h made him nervous and

, Lucien. That's suicide. Real suicide." Her voice

posed to go that made her uncl

u," Lucien said. "You can't stay here with us. We're

yes. "That school... i

rying to reach out to her w

r," she whispere

potion. It numbs the bond f

r fall to the ground like dead leaves. Her

eally the

nt? I'll be exposed the

h to mask your scent. When you

ot just hiding-- you're taking someone's life. S

s he?" s

His father thinks he's at Alpha Crest, but

ck? If someone find

ile was crooked, revealing a few blackened

reaked open and a scr

the carriage i

ff, then turned to Talia. "Your clo

ide, giving her

er to the moon goddess whi

d out of the shack with the anima

, her chest tightly bound beneath the fabric. The belt cinched her

mile, walking up to her. A few rogue

racked. She lowered her gaze, chewing the inside of

"Talia... you can't go

ut

emember? Going back now

ew he was right. Still, the ac

as she climbed in. The moment her foot hit the

it. No tu

town," Lucien said, avoiding her eye

ia," he muttere

ward, wheels creaking a

ucien gave her a small wave, and

.

CREST

ia stood there, sweat rolling down her spine, trying not t

sed like she'd just bitten into something sour. He

ere two weeks ago," she sa

aid, forcing her voice deeper. I

She handed Talia a small card. "Wing E. That'

uickly. "Thank

niffed the air like she smelled somethin

woman just waved her off, but her gaze remai

ours. Derek, the Wing Pre

y. She'd done it. Her hands were cold and cla

mall grin, her first real one in days. She was still riding the relie

self. He looked about her age, maybe a little

him, still trying

" he said, offe

for a second too long

took it quickly and muttered,

New kid nerves

ried to focus on his face, and not on how

to your dorm," Derek said, a

ng stone walls, the metal trim, the way sunli

mewhere across the courtyard stood a tall

or glued to their own thoughts. No one paid her m

ng in front of a door. A metal plaque rea

approached, and the

nd his waist, water dripping from his dark hair. Hi

cked to Talia befor

ribs. Her cheeks flushed, and she quickly looke

atly, then disappeared into the roo

is aura and the way he w

d quietly, her eyes fixe

mon Creed. Son of

ent dry as she stood motionless at

r" Derek said cheerfully, and gave h

t, turning her face away so he

ded casually with a shrug as sh

amed in her head,