We got to the del Mirasol's residence in less than an hour. I drove as fast as I could to get there early, since I couldn't wait to meet Reubert and Nathan.
I am hoping that my hypothesis could actually be proven, that Nathan's body is beginning to change.
I should get some blood samples at once to check if his estrogen and progesterone levels are rising. It would also be advisable to get an MRI and check for any development in his abdominopelvic cavity. Changes in his body, after all, can take as short as a couple of weeks to a month to manifest.
"Tito Eric, Doc Aahmes, please come in!" Mercy greeted us as she opened the door.
"So, where's Blondie?" Eric asked.
"They are waiting for you upstairs, Tito Eric."
"Then, I shall check on Nathan and Reubert first."
I follow my nose and hurry to the kitchen where I found the pair eating breakfast.
"Nathan, Reubert," they looked up as I came closer, "I've been wanting to talk with you for a while now."
I grinned at Nathan. As expected, his glowing skin looked much more supple than before. This is because the excess female hormones in his body had triggered an increase in his sweat and sebaceous glands.
I come closer and lift his arm, pinching his biceps. He has also started to loose muscle tone, his arms are now less defined, while the areas around his hips and thigh seem to have thickened.
This is phenomenal!
It shows that his body has began to redistribute his weight. If my calculations are correct, then Nathan will begin to grow a miniature womb by the end of the month!
"Ow! What are you doing?!" Nathan complained as I proceeded with my check-up.
"You look healthy," I smiled.
"Of course. After all, I'm taking good care of him!" said Reubert who pulled his mate away from me.
"Habibi, don't run inside on your own!" Eric said when he entered the kitchen with his niece, "It's rude to just barge inside someone else's house."
"I'm not your Habibi," I frowned at him. "Shall we go upstairs now?"
Eric led the way to a door at the end of the hall with Nathan and Reubert trailing behind. I could smell the pair's pheromones seeping out from inside it.
"Louie, are you civil?" Eric asked as he knocked.
"Of course I am!" Louie snapped when he opened the door. "You sure took your time, the bleeding have already stopped!"
"Sorry, I had to wait for my Habibi since he wanted to tag along."
"Who's your Habibi?" I frowned at him and looked at Josh who sat in their bed. "Is it okay to give you a check up?" I asked.
"O-okay po..." he answered.
"When did the bleeding stop?" I asked them.
"About 30 minutes ago..." Louie answered.
"Oh, did you use your saliva?" asked Nathan.
"Yeah," replied Louie who looked at me, embarrassed. "I tried licking the wound, since they said that saliva has antiseptic properties..."
"So, the alpha's saliva is needed to stop the fated pair's bleeding..." I mumbled. "It seems a fated omega's mark needs more careful attention after the alpha inflicts it. Understandable, since the pair is more intimate and not simply the result of a sudden rush of pheromones," I frowned. "But we still do not know why the blood didn't coagulate in the first place. Perhaps it is to pass more saliva into the wound, and thus, strengthening the pair's seal?"
"Say what?" I look up at Josh who was beginning to look worried.
"He said the wound didn't close earlier, probably so the alpha could pass more DNA from his saliva to the omega's wound, thus strengthening your bond."
"Or perhaps Josh is diabetic?" Reubert asked.
"I don't think so, since those scratches on his arms have already closed" Eric pointed out. "Just what the hell happened to you, anyway?" he asked Josh.
"It's a long story," Louie sighed.
"This is something definitely worth looking into," I piped in. "Do you mind if I take blood samples from the wound? As well as saliva samples from the alpha?"
"The bandages are over there," Louie glared at him and pointed at several cotton balls on top of their nightstand.
"I don't think this is..." Eric glared at me as well.
I guess, with all that Joshua went through, it would be insensitive of me to ask for more. I would have to do that some other time.
"I will just give you a quick check-up then," I said instead.
We all went downstairs after the check-up.
Mercy served us some breakfast, then we moved to the den with Reubert and Nathan. I was about to ask them questions when Eric beat me to it.
"So, how are you two doing?" he asked as we took our seats. "Do you still fight?"
"Quite frequently..." Reubert confessed with a grin, "...in bed."
"Sir Go, showing off what a pervert you are," Nathan said, irritated.
"Ah, I see behavioral changes in the omega's personality," I jotted down in a notebook.
"Do you still drink the suppressants I gave you?" Eric asked Reubert.
"Of course. It's part of the deal after all," the other replied.
I looked at him closer.
I could tell he was lying since I could scent a faint trail of pheromones emitting from his body.
It seems he is not following the professor's orders, which means I could get fresh samples from him without the repressing effects of his medication.
Good.
"Now, if you don't mind, I would like to get some more blood samples from you both," I told them.
"What for?" Nathan frowned.
"To make sure that there aren't anymore harmful drug residue in your system," Eric covered for me.
"Ugh... is there no end to this blood sucking?!" he complained. "It's a miracle I haven't dried up and died yet!"
I prepared my equipment from by metal briefcase and proceeded to extract blood samples from the two. I then handed them two vials each.
"What's this for?" Nathan asked.
"For urine and semen samples," I replied.
"H-ha?! Do I even need to give you semen?!" he looked surprised.
"Don't worry, I'll give you a hand," Reubert said with a grin as he stood and pulled his partner up.
"W-what the hell?!" Nathan's face turned bright red. "Let go of me! I can do it myself!"
Eric sat on the couch when the two left and heaved a heavy sigh. I sat beside him and labeled my specimens.
"Did you see, Eric? Nathan seems to be rounder than before," I told him.
"Yeah, seems like he's living the life in Reubert's flat. He looks so much better than he did back at the hospital," he chuckled. "I guess the Reubert and the brat really suit each other."
"He is starting to look more feminine as well. From the smooth skin to the softer angles, the rounder hips, the thicker hair..."
"Well, we've always had thick hair, it looks like he needs a haircut, though, it's starting to get a bit too long..."
I looked at the professor and sighed.
I cannot tell if he really does not notice the changes, or if he simply chooses not to. Or perhaps he really does not want anything to do with my experiment?
If that is the case, then I will just let him find out by himself that his nephew is slowly turning into something else.
I went back to my specimens and carefully placed them inside my briefcase. I can't wait to go back and check them under the microscope.
"Here's your sample."
Reubert was the first to return. He returned his two vials which I placed inside my case.
"I guess Nathan isn't done yet," he grinned.
"Yeah, what's taking him so long?" mumbled the professor.
"Is he having problems getting it up?" I asked.
"He doesn't seem to have any problems when we're together," Reubert said with a chuckle.
"Just what have you been doing to Nathan?" Eric asked Reubert. "Just a month ago, seeing a skirt flying in the breeze is enough to give him a stiffy. Now, it seems he can't get it up without you by his side!"
Reubert laughed awkwardly, his face turning red.
"I-I guess he just loves me that much, P-Professor, even if he still won't admit it."
"Hay..." Eric slowly stood up and stretched himself. "Habibi, did you bring that envelope I gave you earlier?"
"Right here." I handed him a brown envelope. It actually contains several photos of the DOME Reubert as a teen. Back when he was still being held in the facility in Tanay.
"You guys stay here, while I give my nephew a hand."
"What's that, Sir Eric?" Reubert asked curiously.
"Nothing. I just thought I'd give Nathan a little reward since he's been a good boy lately," he said with a sly grin before heading out of the living room.
"Dr. Abdel, can you tell me what's inside the envelope?" Reubert asked as soon as Eric was out of earshot.
"Just some old documents from the lab," I replied. "Anyway," I quickly added before he could ask more questions, "how are the two of you doing? How is Nathan reacting to the changes in his body? Have you noticed anything worth mentioning?"
"There's nothing much worth reporting, except for the things I've already told you," he replied. "He's still as stubborn as ever, but at least, we don't fight as often as we used to."
"Have you noticed any change in his scent?"
"No."
"His sexual appetite?"
"None."
"Have you been doing it as frequently as you can?"
Reubert gave a soft snort.
"As if we could. If I had it my way, I'd do him all day and night, but..." he paused and turned red. "Anyway... we have classes, so we can't really go too far. I try to make love with him every other day, though."
"And you keep your semen inside him for as long as you can?"
Reubert blushed even more.
"Yes, I even leave it overnight. He used to complain about stomach cramps before, but lately... Nathan doesn't seem to mind anymore..."
"Good, just keep at it until we get some results. I will call you over to the lab next week to get his MRI and check if he has developed a womb. Look for telltale signs of ovulation, like increase in sexual appetite, moodiness, and plumpness of the hips and chest."
Reubert fell silent.
I looked up from my notes and saw him looking thoughtfully at me.
"Dr. Abdel, do you really think he'll actually develop a womb?" he asked. "Nathan's been an alpha for a decade now, and he's turning twenty soon. I don't think an adult alpha could just change, and even if he does, don't you think it would come as a shock to him?"
"Well, at the beginning, perhaps, but he will learn to accept it through time."
"What if... he rejects it?"
I frowned at him.
"Why would he reject it? He should be proud to be the first alpha to develop a miniature womb."
"I don't think someone as proud as Nathan would just accept that," Reubert frowned. "I mean, he used to be a very dominant alpha. Now, he's a bottom, and might even get pregnant and give birth..."
"Of course, at first, he would find it difficult to accept, but with his partner by his side, I don't think there would be much problems."
Reubert's frown slowly disappeared.
"You're right. I'm right by his side. I should trust in him more," he said with a gentle smile. "T-that is, if what you say could actually happens!" he quickly added.
"We're back!" we were startled when Eric suddenly called our attention.
"F-finally!" Reubert stood up and grinned at his partner. "What took you so long? Did you fall asleep in the toilet?"
"Ha. Very funny." Nathan sat with Eric on the couch in front of ours. "Where's Dad?" he asked.
"Probably still eating in the kitchen," Reubert answered him. "Josh looked like he was famished."
"It is a common occurrence between mates, may they be fated or otherwise," said I. "After mating, partners usually attune their bodies to the other's biological clock, they would get hungry at the same time, sleep at the same time, and even wake-up at the same time."
"So, is everything good here?" asked Eric as he handed me Nathan's samples.
"Yup, we're almost done," Reubert replied.
"Why do I have a feeling that you're more interested in Reubert and I, than in Josh and Dad?" Nathan asked with a frown. I noticed he was hugging the brown envelope I brought with me.
"Obviously, it's because your dad and Josh are a regular alpha-omega pair," replied his uncle. "You and Reubert, on the other hand, are both dominants, with the omega, Reubert as the top."
"You are more interesting," I agreed, nodding. "Also, I have been busy for so long, this is the only time I can test you both."
"That's right, how is the investigation in the Club A incident going?" asked Reubert.
"The investigative body have decided to dismiss it as hysteria caused by an illegal drug that was probably circulated in the black market," I replied.
"There is a rumor, though, that it was a nerve gas attack," said Eric, revealing classified information. "They think that the military is creating some kind of weapon against alphas. So, you guys should be careful. Who knows what might happen if they find out about DOME's." He looked at Reubert and frowned. "If that happens, even your party won't be able to sweep this under the rug."
"What party?" asked Nathan.
"Nothing," Reubert mumbled.
"Tito Eric, what party are you talking about? What are you hiding from me this time?" he sounded irritated.
"The less you know, the safer you are," said Reubert, which does not help at all. "Just know that I can protect you. And that you can trust in me."
"I thought you said we were partners?" Nathan insisted. "Aren't you the cheesy one who kept insisting that we're now 'one body and mind'? Isn't it just right that I know what's happening around me?"
"Just tell him the truth, Reubert," said Eric.
Reubert gave a deep sigh.
"Let's just say... I'm acquainted with Gen. de Leon," he said with a deep frown.
Nathan stared at him.
"Who's that?"
"You don't know who the head of National Defense of the Philippines is?!" Reubert frowned at his mate.
"Oh, is that him?"
Reubert shook his head and sighed.
"Anyway, just know that Reubert is being backed by some very powerful people," said the professor, standing up. "Now, I think we should go back to the lab, right Habibi?" he placed an arm on my shoulder and grinned.
"Don't call me Habibi."
"But that doesn't explain everything!" Nathan complained.
"Ask Reubert for the rest later," Eric snapped at him.
"We will see you again next week for further testing."
"There's even more testing?!" Nathan glared at me.
"Of course, this will continue for at least six months to a year," I informed him.
"Don't worry, after next week, you would only need to be checked monthly."
I stared questioningly at the professor.
I was hoping we could visit them every week!
"Let's go, Mahal," he quickly added before I could voice out my protest, "it's time to leave."