¹⁷I WILL TELL YOU EVERYTHING

¹⁷

I WILL TELL YOU EVERYTHING.

Overthinking can make anyone weak, so he stops those unanswered questions.

Iko goes out of the bathroom and wipes the few drops of water, he kisses Iko on the forehead and helps him dry his hair, and they lie next to each other.

The sound of the clock was audible; Iro turned to the side and turned back again until he opened his eyes and looked at the ceiling as if taking in his whole existence.

"You can't sleep either, brother?"

"I can't," Iro said, still staring blankly at the ceiling.

Iko lay on his back and said.

"Are you thinking of Mother?"

"Yeah," Iro sighs again, not because it was a burden but because he can't wait to get away from this place and never come back.

The silence was not long, and Iko sat up, fiddling with his hands.

"Before going to school, I stop by the kitchen and change the syringe into water."

He stopped and continued.

"Then I saw Father was the one making Mother go crazy, he's also the one taking action by force."

The last word was said silently. Iro didn't move; he was already expecting it, Iko really saw with his own eyes how their Alpha Enigma father hit and tortured their Alpha Enigma mother.

Until their mother was battered and had no strength to fight anymore, making him crazy, worse than an animal, after the drug entered his system.

Iro's hands form into fists.

Iko was silent, sniffing, and the scene of how their mother fought back so hard against their father was still playing in his mind.

Feeling helpless watching and hiding from behind.

"Can we ask Grandpa for some help?"

Iro laughed and got up, he looked at Iko and caressed the thirteen-year-old boy's head.

The image of their grandfather is always holy to Iko's eye, and he never tells him anything.

"You're still an innocent young man, and I want to protect that innocence."

"What do you mean?!" Iko suddenly felt naive, thinking he knew everything.

"Grandpa is the one running this mess, he will never lend a hand. This is the battlefield he makes. The weak shall die and the strong shall live, and we are born in the cruelest way."

Iko stiffened, unable to justify a thing.

"Brother, I don't understand. I thought it was Father?"

Iro couldn't understand himself.

Before, he was someone who would protect his little brother from the painful truth. But it's only him and Iko, the only people who can help their mother.

And so he sat facing him and told Iko the unbelievable truth.

"I will tell you everything." He held Iko's hands.

"But you better not be agitated, you promise?" Iro raised his little finger, their common habit arose in the chaotic atmosphere.

Iko doesn't know what to feel but still promises with his pinky finger.

The room was in eerie silence before Iro lifted his head and held both of Iko's hands. Preparation if Iko's pheromones get out of control.

"Mom was abducted after his college graduation, and while his parents were searching for him, they met with an accident, but it was entirely planned."

The confusion in Iko's eyes widened, and the hairs on his nape stood, seeing the sudden change in his little brother's face. Iro ruffled his hair with a faint smile and continued.

"After that, Grandfather forced his son on Mother, locking them together for a month, inducing their rut, until Mother got pregnant with me."

Trembling at the thought, Iko already had the idea, but hearing it aloud was shattering his prepared walls.

"Grandfather wanted a family lineage of only Enigmas, and you were born in the same process but in the worst way."

"Brother?" Iko felt like he could no longer continue listening.

Knowing that the family he's living with was the one that put their mother into a hellish life. But Iro is merciless, holding his hands hard while sending comforting pheromones; apologetically, he continued.

"When I was five, Grandfather locked his son again inside for another month, without result."

Iro stopped and choked because when that happened, he was pushed by his mother under the bed and told never to come out unless he said so.

"Brother, if you can't say it, please don't push yourself." Iko was holding in return to have the strength to listen.

"Then, he brought two ordinary Alphas, still without results for a month, instead of others doing it. Grandfather raped Mother, and that's when Mother got pregnant with you."

Iko got up, stumbling off the bed.

"It can't be?" He ran and vomited everything, followed by Iro, and tapped his back lightly.

"No! That's impossible."

He said that after recovering, his face was full of tears. The snake tattoo clinging to a black rose behind his ear was glowing.

Iro stares at it with confusion and hugs his brother, interfering with his pheromones before they can alert other people and tell them that an Enigma was born in the house.

After a while of Iko's outbreak.

The ticking of the clock overturned the silence; hiccups from crying were sounding with the minute hand.

"N-no, that's—hic—not true," Iko stammered, trying to break free.

Iro caresses his brother's back and kisses his forehead multiple times; gladly, he managed to stop the pheromones before they brought them any problems.

"I know this is painful to hear, but this is the truth and the reason why I'm begging you to never remove the skin mask, because once Grandfather knows Mom gave birth to an Enigma not only once, he will violate Mother."

...hic

Iko didn't hold back and cry again, not wanting to break free from Iro's hug anymore, at the end, he is still a child.

"Ssshh, you can cry when it's too much; I know it is painful."

"Brother, let's bring Mother ...hic out of here now. They're making him a breeding animal ... hic. I-I-I don't want Mother to get hurt again...hic."

"Just about time I can finally be your strength. I've worked so hard to be where I am now. Did you manage to have a good conversation with Mother? I hope he's fine; that will help us easier."

Iko was wondering why his brother knew something, but he set aside whatever doubt and trusted his only brother.

On the other hand, Iro was not expecting anything, if their mother cooperated.

The secretary of his grandfather is still their ace.