~ this is the epilogue to Echoes of Betrayal ~

if you haven’t yet read the book, this won’t make any sense and has HUGE spoilers

Kristos is staring again. He sprung the whole doctor’s appointment bullshit at me and we rushed to get up and put actual clothes on for the most part. Ikka wanted to wear one of my shirts but we all agreed that his dick hanging out when Dr. Filo came through wasn’t the smartest idea.

Mostly because I would be the one tearing the doctor’s face off for accidentally looking. So now he’s stuffed in one of Kristos’ shirts, my scrunchie on his wrist. I too, have one of Kristos’ shirts on, our poor Alpha going to run out of clothing soon especially since Ikka already started gathering a few items to add to the corner of the room.

I haven’t had the overwhelming need to build another nest but watching Ikka collect a few things and start propping them up like a little bird was fascinating. Until my stomach grumbled and Kristos demanded I try to eat something. He’s hoping I’ll eat regular food but on the cusp of yet another heat, peppers are the only thing that will work. Unfortunately, the fridge is bare of them.

And… Kristos is still staring. He’s been doing it all morning, ever since he kissed my cheek, ever since he started offering little caresses—small, fleeting touches that feel deliberate. Every chance he gets, he’s brushing against me, his fingers trailing across his bite on my shoulder as he passes me a plate of eggs, his knee nudging mine under the table. It isn’t overwhelming, but it’s enough that I notice. Enough that I start wondering what’s going on in that head of his.

It doesn’t feel like he’s just enjoying the fact that I’m not pulling away from his touch anymore. There’s something else to it, something careful and soft. The way his gaze lingers a little too long, the way his lips curl into sweet, satisfied smiles whenever I acknowledge him—it reminds me of how Ikka acts when he’s seeking favor. It’s subtle, but it’s there.

And when I start piecing everything together, my stomach twists. Athena has left me so many damn clues. I’m not sure how I didn’t see it sooner.

Kristos frowns when he catches the way my nose scrunches, my expression pinching into thought. “What’s wrong, sweetheart?” His voice is low, warm, like he’s trying to coax something out of me. “You’ve got that look on your face again. I know you probably don’t want to eat, but—”

“It’s not that.” My fingers tighten around my fork, my appetite completely forgotten. The heat in the pit of my belly lingers for it’s bearable for now. “I’ve been trying to figure something out. Why Athena has been so protective at the gym.”

“She’s just looking out for you,” he says, too quickly.

My head shakes, my eyes flickering up to meet his. “Is she? Or is she protecting them?”

Ikka perks up from across the table, his brow furrowing as he stuffs an entire bite of scrambled eggs into his mouth. “What do you mean?”

It makes sense in my head, but saying it out loud might help me process it better. “My emotions are all over the place. Anger seems to be my default, and when I do let loose, it’s always violent. It’s reactive, instinctual, uncontrollable. Alphas get like that when they have unchecked aggression issues, but Athena told me that isn’t it. She said it’s not always anger I’m feeling—it’s just how my body processes it. And yesterday, she basically admitted she knows what’s going on, but she can’t say anything yet.”

Kristos catches on faster than I expect, shifting closer on the stool beside me. “You think the extra Alpha genetic material in your body is causing it.”

“Kind of.” I drag a hand through my hair, exhaling sharply. “Not exactly. I thought that at first—that my heats were happening because the Omega in me is warring for attention, like my body is constantly fighting itself. But I don’t think that’s it either. And my medication—it’s supposed to be curated specifically for my biology, the combination of Alpha, Alpha, and Omega, but it’s not working the way it should. It’s triggering sometimes.”

Ikka scoots closer, his sharp eyes scanning my face, searching for something I haven’t figured out yet. “Holy shit. I don’t know why we didn’t see it sooner.” His gaze snaps to Kristos, his voice rushing out in realization. “Remember when she first met Athena? Remember how she reacted to her? I thought it was weird. I nearly bowed down to the woman, my instincts demanding I submit to a true Alpha. There have been moments like that when Kyveli gets really angry, too. Times where all I want to do is submit. It’s not just a craving or a need—it’s overwhelming, like if I don’t do it, I’ll break. That’s why I was so scared at first. But she also found Athena’s scent safe.”

The room stills. Kristos absorbs the information in real-time, processing it as he leans forward, his jaw tightening. We all knew I was the dominant one in our pack. I had a little more Alpha essence than Kristos did, not that it mattered. But now…

Now I’m wondering if I have a lot more than just that.

Kristos exhales sharply. “That explains why Athena wouldn’t say anything.” His voice is quieter now, like the weight of the realization is pressing against him. “Something like that has to be proven by a specific blood test—the kind they only do at birth or with a mating kit to determine what a kid’s designation is going to be. That’s why they never realized what you are. You already had the extra genetic material.” He pauses, his fingers flexing against the counter. “Without the proper tests, it’s some unspoken taboo to claim that you or someone else has that specific gene marker because they’re an entirely different, protected class. Fuck, Kyveli. You’re probably not a Zeta-Alpha. You might be the first true-Zeta to ever exist.”

The words settle in the space between us, heavy and suffocating.

The unchecked aggression. The violent outbursts. The need for destruction. The way my mates respond to my mood swings, the way Kristos softens instead of trying to dominate me.

It all makes sense but it doesn’t make me feel any better.

I went from being a rare designation to an anomaly. A walking question mark. And if the media doesn’t have a fucking field day with this, Kristos and my parents definitely will.

However, it does answer one question. True Alphas tend to find solace in a pack, spreading their emotions through multiple bonds rather than one. Occasionally, they stick to themselves but they’re such a rare designation, maybe even more rare than Zetas that each t-Alpha people have come across behaves differently. The only one thing that connects them all is that overabundance of emotion that tends to express itself in anger.

For the few t-Alphas that find themselves in a pack–which isn’t all that incommon with other designations anymore–there’s usually one of each designation.

An Alpha. A Beta. And an Omega.

It’s a revelation that seems to cross my mates’ minds all at the same time as I look up to meet their gazes. Kristos and Ikka are sharing a nearly identical expression, a mixture of confusion and shock but it’s my Alpha’s words that break the silence. “Another one?”

The only thing I can do is laugh. A short, confused, desperate laugh meant to express the overwhelming thoughts running through my head. Because what else can I possibly do?