Hidden Truths

The soft click of the front door echoed through the house as Yumi stepped inside, the chill of the hospital still clinging to her coat. Beside her walked Leo, his face pale, eyes distant — too quiet for a boy his age.

She placed a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"Go to your room, Leo," she said softly, managing a small smile. “I’ll come talk to you in a while.”

Leo looked up at her, sensing the weight in her voice. Without a word, he nodded and quietly climbed the stairs, disappearing into his room.

Yumi stood still for a moment, her fingers tightening around the medical envelope in her hand. Then, with urgency flooding her veins, she took out her phone and dialed.

“Evan,” she said as soon as the call connected, “You need to come home. Now.”

There was a pause — brief but loaded.

“I’ll be there in ten,” came Evan’s calm but focused response.

---

By the time Evan arrived, the sky outside had turned a dusky gray. Yumi met him at the door, her expression tense and unreadable. She didn’t speak — just led him wordlessly to their bedroom and shut the door behind them.

She handed him the report.

Evan unfolded the papers and began reading, his trained eyes darting through the lines with practiced precision. But as he read further, his brows drew together in disbelief. His fingers slowed.

"This can’t be right..." he murmured. "Leo’s pheromone output is… virtually nonexistent?"

Yumi nodded slowly. "They said his secondary gender is dominant Omega, but… not like anything they’ve seen before."

Evan’s expression grew more serious. “His hormones are completely unbalanced. No wonder the results were inconclusive during the preliminary tests. I need to confirm this myself.”

Without wasting time, he retrieved a fresh blood sample from Leo, offering the boy a calm, steady smile and a gentle pat on the head. Leo didn't ask questions — he just nodded.

Evan drove to his private hospital lab that same evening. There, he ran multiple advanced tests, checking every hormonal indicator, every rare condition he could think of. Hours passed under cold fluorescent lights and humming machines.

When the final results came, they confirmed it.

Leo was an dominant Omega — but an extremely rare one. His pheromones were so suppressed, so faint, that they were almost undetectable. His body didn’t behave like a typical Omega’s. To the world, he could pass as a Beta without effort.

Back home, Evan laid the new reports on the bed and looked at Yumi.

“There’s only one way to keep him safe,” he said quietly. “From today… Leo lives as a Beta.”

Yumi sat down slowly, uncertainty clouding her face. “But how will we hide his real gender? What if someone finds out?”

“I’ll change his medical record,” Evan said. “I’ll file the test under a false report in the system. He’ll be officially classified as a Beta. It’s the safest route.”

She hesitated, her fingers wringing together in her lap.

“I just want him to live a normal life,” she whispered. “Without being feared. Without being controlled.”

“Then this is how we give him that life.”

She finally nodded, her voice barely a breath. “Alright… we do it.”

---

That night, they sat down with Leo in the living room, the fire flickering beside them.

Evan spoke gently. “Leo… we need to talk to you about today’s visit.”

The boy looked up, alert but calm. He could tell this wasn’t just another adult conversation.

Yumi leaned in and took his hand.

“Your body is different, Leo,” she said softly. “Your secondary gender is something very rare. But most people won’t understand it. They’ll fear it. Try to use it.”

Leo’s expression didn’t change much. He listened carefully.

Evan continued, “We want to protect you. So from now on, to the world—you’ll be a Beta. We’ve changed your medical file. No one will know unless you choose to tell them.”

There was a long silence.

Then Leo, in his quiet maturity far beyond his years, simply nodded.

“If it keeps me safe… I’ll do it.”

Yumi pulled him into a hug, fighting back tears. “You’re so brave, Leo. Thank you… for trusting us.”

---

And from that day on, Leo lived as a Beta.

Only three people in the world knew the truth.

Evan, now more than just his uncle, monitored Leo’s health carefully. He ran regular tests, ensured his condition stayed stable. Because even a small hormonal shift could change everything — and put Leo’s life at risk.

But Leo adapted. With quiet strength, he wore the identity the world demanded. Calm, composed… and hidden.

Because in a society that judged people by what they were born as—sometimes, surviving meant becoming someone else.

And Leo… chose to survive.

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