Chapter: 72
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The room was saturated with pheromones, not just peaceful ones but those that carried a threat to anyone who inhaled them. The message in those pheromones was clear: "Approach our Mate and face death." However, the Omegas standing at the door were unaware of this. Upon pushing the door open, they hurried inside, only to be immediately driven back by the overwhelming scent of the pheromones, which filled the room like an overused spray. The door closed behind them as they hastily retreated, breathing heavily with their backs against the door.
One of them held her head, trying to suppress a violent headache as she struggled to catch her breath. "We are so foolish!" Layla muttered, pressing both fists against the wall for support. She felt lightheaded at the thought and pressure was mounting in her temples. She wanted to rid her mouth of the bitter taste of the pheromones. "How could we forget what has been happening in that room for the past few days," she added under her breath, turning towards her companion.
"We truly acted recklessly by barging in without consideration," Noira replied. She was still panting heavily, fighting the urge to vomit.
Layla lowered herself to the marble floor, closing her eyes. "You should have anticipated the outcome, Ira; you are the more intelligent one between the two of us, whereas I am the impulsive one," Layla murmured before taking a deep breath to compose herself.
Noira chuckled softly, sitting down beside Layla on the floor. She gently rested her hand on Layla's shoulder, offering comfort before responding, "You're not foolish, you simply speak so much that you forget to think first," Noira chuckled softly.
Layla groaned slightly, scanning the hallway as she heard footsteps approaching from the stairs. "Someone is coming," she muttered, opening her eyes and pulling her knees up to her chest. She took another deep breath before straightening her posture and smoothing out her clothes, as did Noira.
A few moments later, Caleb appeared in the hallway. Noira and Layla breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing their Luna, who carried a large tray with a meal for the sleeping Dirk. Caleb smiled warmly at them as he placed the tray on a table beside the door. "Are you both alright?" he inquired, reaching out to place his hands on their foreheads. "You look pale," he observed, his voice filled with concern.
"We entered the room unprepared and now we feel unwell from inhaling the pheromones inside," Layla explained with a weak smile, attempting to wipe away the sweat forming on her brow and neck. Feeling a bit dizzy from standing up too quickly, she leaned on Noira for support.
Caleb shook his head, a smile of amusement on his face. "I knew you would act so impulsively," he remarked, affectionately ruffling Noira's hair. "That's why I brought this with me." He gestured towards the tray and retrieved seeds from the moonflower, handing three seeds to each of them. "Eat," he instructed, watching as they tossed the seeds into their mouths and started chewing.
They hummed as they chewed the seeds, then swallowed. Caleb nodded in satisfaction before addressing the duo. "This will help balance your immune systems so you won't be as affected by the pheromones, but you must avoid this room after today. Only interact with Dirk when he's outside the room; the Alpha's pheromones will always surround him since he's been marked, though they won't be as potent outside this room. It has become their sacred mating chamber, and you must respect that," Caleb cautioned, ensuring his voice remained steady and gentle.
"Thank you, Luna," they both murmured, with Layla picking up the tray and Noira pushing the door open once more. This time, neither of them attempted to enter the room until Caleb assured them it was safe to do so.
******
Upon entering the room, they found Dirk sitting upright, wearing a pained expression. When he noticed them fully, a smile crossed his lips, though he attempted to move, only to groan in discomfort.
"Don't move," Caleb advised, walking slowly towards Dirk. He crouched beside his son-in-law with a warm smile. "Where does it hurt the most?" he inquired, rubbing Dirk's lower back.
Dirk gazed at Layla and Noira, who wore sheepish grins, then returned his attention to Caleb. With a shy smile, he muttered, "My back...lower...down there," pointing towards his lower backside.
Both Noira and Layla suppressed a laugh, avoiding eye contact with Dirk to prevent further embarrassment, although their stifled giggles could still be heard.
"You didn't take all three at once, did you?" Caleb asked, his expression turning to a frown, then widened in surprise when Dirk averted his eyes toward the bed sheets. "You did?!" Caleb gasped.
Shaking his head, Dirk responded, "No. I tried, but I couldn't manage it. They felt like they would break me in half." A pained expression crossed his face as he clenched his jaw, shifting uncomfortably and biting his lip.
"Well, it's alright now," Caleb said as he gently cupped Dirk's cheek. "You'll feel better by tomorrow. However, you must avoid your mates for now, at least until you're fully healed. As newly marked, your desires will be heightened and difficult to control. Stay away from them until you've completely recovered. Do you understand?"
Dirk nodded eagerly, whispering gratefully, "Yes, Luna Caleb."
Caleb planted a kiss on Dirk's forehead. "Good. I need to prepare the ointment. You can remain here until I return, and Noira and Layla will assist you with eating and cleaning up," he instructed before rising to his feet. He then glanced at Noira. "Do not tease your brother-in-law, and you too!" he added, pointing at Layla. "Don't tease your brother!"
Both omegas nodded eagerly and waited for Caleb to depart before hurrying over to the bed to sit beside Dirk. "How was it?" Layla inquired, peering intently into her brother's eyes. Noira promptly smacked her across the head before fetching the tray of food. "Oh, right, you should eat first," she remarked, dividing the meal onto separate plates.
Noira assisted Dirk in standing and escorted him to the bathroom, closing the door behind him. She returned to bed and assisted Layla in preparing the food. Upon Dirk's return, Noira guided him back to the bed, ensuring he moved slowly to prevent any further discomfort.
Once they were all seated again, Dirk grabbed a piece of bread and began nibbling on it, while Noira handed him a bowl of mashed berries. Dirk couldn't believe how sore he felt, reflecting on how he had initially desired Tricc to make love to him again, which now made him cringe at the thought. He realized he wouldn't have been able to handle it in his current state, feeling as though a trailer had run over him, crushing his bones into jelly.
"So, spill all the details," Layla demanded, rummaging through the tray of fruit. "Three Lycgers must have been amazing!" She gasped, squeezing a berry between her teeth.
"I can't discuss that with either of you, but yes, it was incredible, they were truly extraordinary. I couldn't get enough!" Dirk sighed dreamily.
Noira scoffed and rolled her eyes. "I heard Kurt knotted," she began, prompting Layla to gasp and shift her gaze from Noira to Dirk.
"Why didn't you tell me about this?!" Layla demanded, turning to Noira, who shrugged indifferently. "Does this mean you'll be carrying his pup first?!" she asked, directing her question to Dirk.
Dirk shrugged and picked up a spoon, starting to eat the chicken soup. "Maybe, maybe not," he mumbled.
"But he knotted, and your Heat came, so you could be pregnant already, it's inevitable!" Layla insisted, grabbing a handful of berries from the bowl. "We're going to have a litter!" she exclaimed, tossing the berries into her mouth, eliciting a smile from Noira.
"You'll finish his fruit before he gets the chance to eat any, you silly girl!" Noira smacked her playfully, and Layla snickered.
"There's more than enough to feed the whole Pack!" Layla exaggerated, and both Dirk and Noira laughed this time.
"Seriously, stop eating his food," Noira warned.
Layla nodded with a pout, "Alright, alright..." She then turned back to Dirk. "Your hair is golden again, just like before... it seems you have got your abilities back... only you still have the limp in your leg." She mentioned, noticing he still limped when he went into the bathroom earlier. "Is that never going to heal?" Her voice held sadness in them.
"Let's not think about that now, Lay," Noira comforted, "I'm sure everything will be well again... what is most important is that our brothers are all home as we have prayed to the Moon Goddess all these years, and even better, I have a brother-in-law now!"
Smiling, Layla replied, "Yes, yes, you're right, Ira." She chuckled, "And I also gained three brother-in-laws!"
Before Noira or Layla could continue their conversation, the door suddenly swung open, revealing Caleb with a bottle of ointment and a soothing potion in hand. The omegas fell silent as Dirk finished his meal, then took the ointment into the bathroom to apply it as instructed by Caleb. Upon returning, Dirk accepted and consumed the soothing potion, feeling dizziness wash over him shortly after. Caleb assisted him back to bed, where he tucked him in carefully.
"I feel sleepy," Dirk mumbled, to which Caleb nodded in understanding. "You should, it's the effect of the potion. You'll feel better when you wake up," Caleb reassured, arranging pillows behind Dirk and positioning him comfortably against them. He planted a gentle kiss on Dirk's forehead as his eyes closed in sleep. "Girls," Caleb addressed as he made his way to the door. "Clean up and let him rest. He should be well enough to join us for dinner when he wakes up."
The omegas nodded and began tidying up, clearing away the plates. "What about my brothers?" Noira inquired. "How will you prevent them from getting to their mate?" Caleb turned to face her.
"You two must ensure Dirk is kept away from them. If needed, involve Raphael for assistance; he's skilled in handling matters like these, and I'm certain his Alpha wouldn't object," Caleb instructed before departing and closing the door behind him.
The girls squealed with delight, pleased with their assignment, and vowed to carry it out diligently.