"`Wag mong sasaktan ang mahal ko!"
(Don't you dare hurt my beloved!)
The professor called me 'mahal'.
It was just a small term of endearment, probably just a slip of the tongue, but he still called me his beloved.
I doubt he even noticed it himself, in fact, I find it surprising, that such a simple word could make my heart beat faster.
I watched him sleep, as I lean on his chest while we sit on the long couch in his nephew's hospital room.
His brows are wrinkled. He must be having a bad dream.
Well, with all that has happened lately, it is no wonder he can't sleep well.
I met this side of the professor once before, when I was attacked by an alpha.
The caring side, in spite of the tough exterior he weaves around himself.
He likes to act like a jerk, pretending that he doesn't care about anybody, even curse people and threaten to kill them.
But these are just words.
Empty words.
And the professor's bark has always been much worst than his bite.
As a matter of fact, the professor does not bite at all.
He's really just a pussycat. A very grumpy pussycat who hates being touched.
He will hiss and snarl and spit at you if you get too close, yet would rub at your leg when you least expect it, and even let you pet him once in a while, if you're not afraid to get scratched.
I guess he's just afraid that having people near him would get them involved in his fate.
That the devil might find more reason to make him do its bidding.
I pat his shoulder as he slept, comforting him. Soon, the frown on his face is replaced by a gentle smile.
"Sleep well professor, something tells me, tomorrow will be another tough day."
I took my phone out, wear my earbuds, and called my men.
"Report." I whisper to the receiver in Arabic.
'The place is clean, we have made sure that all traces of Prof. Antonio's nephew was wiped off. We also thrashed the whole place, making it look like the people who went amok destroyed everything, and got rid of the phones we found in the room to make sure no videos ware taken.'
"Good."
'As for the 4 perpetrators, they were sent to hospitals with the rest of the people in the club. They were unconscious, yet were showing signs of rut. Wahid followed two of them to St. Lukes, Athnan followed one tothe Medical City. The fourth one is in the same hospital as you.'
"What room?"
'512. Do we finish them?'
"No," I reply.
I was curious as to what kind of punishment Reubert had administered on them.
'We await further orders.'
"Yes. You may return."
I turn off the phone and look at the professor. He's still fast asleep and gently snoring. I carefully slipped away from his arms and walked towards his nephew.
Nathan seems to be sleeping peacefully.
He is no longer in harm's way, physically, though I am not sure about his mental state, or whether he would wake up any time soon.
I looked at the professor again, made sure he's still fast asleep, and stepped out of the room after wearing a face mask. I made my way to the elevator and went one floor down, then looked for room 512. The name `Ronald Allan Acosta' was written on a sign beside the door.
I knocked softly and turned the door knob. It was open, and inside, a saw a young man secured to the hospital bed in a fitful sleep, twitching, ejaculating semen from his erect penis. It was as if he was an omega in heat.
I went closer and saw a woman asleep in the long couch beside the bed. I tried not to awaken her, but as I came closer, she stirred and opened her eyes.
"Doc, is that you?" she asked, rubbing her eyes.
"Good morning," I answered after checking my watch. It was a good thing I was wearing my white suit. "I am Dr. Abdel, I just came by to check on your son. Has he awakened yet?"
"Not yet, Doc, as you can see... he's still... I mean..." she broke off.
I went closer to the patient, put some latex gloves on, and checked his vitals. his symptoms were exactly that of an omega in estrus, except, he was releasing his musky alpha pheromones as he orgasmed over and over again. It filled the room with a thick, pungent odor, that I was soon gasping for air in spite of the mask I wore.
"How is he, Doc? When will my son gain consciousness?" the mother asked.
"We cannot tell yet, as we haven't encountered a case like this before," I replied, "but rest assured that we are doing our best."
I left the room, thankful for the fresher air outside the corridor. I then made my way back to the 9th floor.
"Habibi, where did you go to?" asked the professor as I entered the room. It was a good thing that I passed by a vending machine before coming back.
"I bought some snacks since I got a little hungry," I handed him a candy bar.
"Do you have any coffee? What time is it?"
"It's past 3 am. I can look for some coffee, but I doubt I can make you your brew."
"It's okay, I can do with a 3-in-1, just something to warm me up..."
"Okay, I'll be right back..."
"Let's just call for delivery," he stopped me.
"Professor, this is a hospital, not a hotel. They don't have 24 hour room service here."
"Hay, let's just wait for the sun to rise. Just sit here beside me."
The professor placed an arm around me as I sat beside him and ate our candy bars in silence.
"So, where else did you go?" he asked after finishing his snack.
I looked up at him and sighed.
"I heard that one of the perpetrators are in this hospital," I confessed, "I decided to check him out."
The professor's face hardened.
"Which room? Tell me the bastard's name?"
"I will tell you when you are no longer aggravated."
"I am not aggravated! Why would I be aggravated? Besides, what could I possibly do to the son of a bitch? It's not like I could go in his room and unplug his life support or inject him with something or stab him to death!" The professor grumbled. "Is he on life support? Tell me he's on life support! That he's fighting for his life like the way Nathan is right now!"
"He is not on life support, though he is still unconscious, and he is showing symptoms similar to an omega in heat."
"That's it?!" he snapped. "Is that the worst Reu –" he stopped himself before mentioning Reubert's name.
"Tell me his room," he repeated.
"Sorry, but I won't let you do something you would regret later."
He looked at me, murderously, then shook his head and looked away.
"I hope they never wake up!" he mumbled.
I touched his shoulder, he shrugged me away.
"They will get what they deserve, sooner or later," I assured him. "Let's wait and see what will happen. I for one, am curious as to what their real punishment will be."
The next morning, two police officers approached Nathan's room.
They told us that Louie sent them over to guard Nathan, since the perpetrators might come back to finish the job.
We went home then, both too tired to talk on the road. When we arrived, the first thing I did was make some coffee for the professor.
"Thank you, Habibi..." he gave a long sigh before he took a sip. "I feel like I just lost a hundred thousand brain cells. I couldn't think of anything but exacting revenge on the bastards who did that to my Nathan."
"The coffee will make it better," I told him.
"I know... thank goodness for your delicious coffee..." he placed his head on my shoulder. I turn around to hold him.
"Are you okay, professor?" I asked. He's never this clingy unless he's very upset. "Would you like another cup?"
"No thank you... I just want some rest..."
We went upstairs, washed ourselves, and changed our clothes. The professor closed the drapes before climbing into bed and snuggling against me.
"Would you like a massage?"
"No... let's just stay like this."
He held me tighter.
"Aahmes... I have a bad feeling about all this. I know this isn't over yet."
"It's okay, professor, I'm here, I'll protect you."
"But my nephew... if they find out about his relationship with Dome... and the club insident... if news about DOMEs come out, then even you..."
"Shh..." I gently raise his face to look at me. "Everything will work out fine, you'll see."
I kiss him then, a gentle kiss he returned willingly. We held each other tight, feeling the other's heat, locking our bodies together in an intimate embrace until we fell asleep.
We woke up later, to the sound of the doorbell and the professor's phone ringing.
"Who the... goddamn nuisance..." cursed the professor who placed a pillow over his head.
"I'll go see who it is."
I was about to put on my robe when he pulled me back.
"I'll do it... who knows who that might be."
He put on some clothes and went down stairs.
"I'm coming with you," I hurried after him, taking his phone with me. "Why don't you go check your phone first?"
"I don't answer unknown callers," he replied as he opened the door and proceeded towards the gate. "The hell! Would you stop pressing my doorbell!" he shouted as he opened it.
"Professor!"
Reubert stood outside our gate, his hand still on the doorbell.
"How's Nathan doing?!"
Prof. Antonio took hold of his shoulders, pulled him inside, and started shaking him.
"Do you have any idea what time it is?! My Habibi and I need to sleep, too!"
"Professor, it's already 6 in the afternoon!" Reubert replied. I was surprised when I checked my watch. "Don't worry, Professor, I took care of everything," he continued. "I just talked with Dr. Webb, he said he would talk to my superiors as well."
"Everything?" Prof. Antonio glared at him.
"Everything. Although Dr. Webb said there will be repercussions on my part, he promised that your family and you won't be dragged into only trouble."
"Damn it...." the professor grabbed at his hair. I fear he might get bald soon.
"Get inside, we need to talk!"
It was only then that Reubert noticed me. He stared at me with his brows raised as I stood in my loose bedroom robe, then looked at the professor.
"Is this your partner, professor?"
Prof. Antonio looked at me, uncertain, so I answered for him instead.
"Yes, we are partners at work." I replied.
"Oh... Dr. Abdel, correct?" he smiled at me.
He still looked as rugged as he did last night, with his hair over his eyes and a pair of broken glasses held up with some tape, but upon smiling, I can see that he's a good looking fellow with the fine feminine charms of an omega.
"Please come in," I said as I led the way inside our house. "Have you eaten yet?" I asked, and was answered by Reubert's and the professor's stomachs.
"I'll fix something in the kitchen while you keep Reubert up to date, Professor."