Leo
In all twenty five years of my life, that was the first time I had ever heard the words. ’’Janis Enigma.’’
It was an entirely strange term to me, but that was not the only thing that made my mind freeze. It was what Miller had just said about my scent.
An Enigma’s scent is supposed to be permanent, a dominant signature of our biology that never shifts.
My own scent had always been heavy black charcoal—strong, dark, and reeks of dominace.
For it to change was not just unusual; it was biologically impossible for any normal Enigma.
"How can that be?" I demanded, shifting uncomfortably on my seat.
My hands tightened around my warm teacup, the ceramic smooth against my palms. "There is no way I am... uhm..."
I paused for a moment, taking a deep breath and trying my best to understand the situation.
My analytical mind, which usually sorted data within seconds, was struggling to process this.
Just what the hell was happening? I wondered.
I looked at Miller, whose green eyes were filled with nothing but honesty and concern.
He wasn’t lying to me. He wouldn’t lie about this.
"So my body is changing," I whispered, the reality of it setting in. "And if my scent is softening... if it is turning into night jasmine..."
A sudden, terrifying thought gripped my chest.
Jasmine was a sweet, floral note. It was a scent typically associated with Omegas.
"Am I turning into an Omega?" I asked, my voice rising slightly as the panic returned.
I looked between Miller and Gerald, my heart pounding against my ribs.
I did not find the idea of being an Omega scary on its own. In fact, in terms of societal roles, there was nothing wrong with it.
But the speed of the thought terrified me. The idea that my entire genetic structure, the very foundation of who I had been for twenty-five years, could simply dissolve and rewrite itself in the blink of an eye was horrifying.
I was a doctor who understood human anatomy, and bodies were not supposed to change their fundamental designations overnight.
’’Am I going to wake up tomorrow and just be an omega?’’ I pressed, my breathing hitching as I seek for more answers.
Gerald raised a hand, his expression calm and reassuring. "Calm down, Leo. No, you are not going to become an Omega. Your genetic template is far too dominant for a complete designation shift. You are not going to wake up tomorrow to find your entire biological system rewritten. That is not going to happen.’’
I let out a shaky breath, but I still wasn’t entirely convinced. "Then explain it to me. What exactly is a Janis Enigma? I have never heard of that term before.’’
Gerald leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "A Janis Enigma is an extremely rare genetic mutation. In the history of our research, we have only documented a handful of cases. It is a dual-state designation. As a Janis Enigma, you do not lose your Enigma status, but your body develops secondary traits. You possess the biological capability to both impregnate a partner and, under the right hormonal conditions, become pregnant yourself."
I stared at him, my mind spinning trying to understand him. "That... that violates the standard laws of secondary gender division."
"It does," Gerald agreed. "But biology is full of anomalies. Along with this dual capacity, a Janis Enigma possesses a much lower level of natural dominance. Your pheromones are less aggressive, less toxic to those around you. Your scent softens, which is why Miller detected the night jasmine. It is your body’s natural way of balancing the extreme, destructive energy of a standard Enigma. It is a defense mechanism to keep you from destroying yourself and those you love."
I sat in silence, absorbing the words.
Lower dominance. A softer scent. The ability to carry life. It sounded like a biological miracle, a peaceful middle ground. But then, a dark shadow fell over my thoughts because I knew there would always be another thing attacked to it.
"If this is a known genetic anomaly," I said slowly, my eyes narrowing, "then why has it never been brought to my attention? Why is there no medical literature on this in our family archives or even around?’’
Gerald sighed, a heavy, somber look crossing his face. "Because the medical community of the past was blind, Leo. And because your father was the ultimate exception."
I froze. "What do you mean?"
"Lucas Ackerman was a Janis Enigma," Gerald revealed quietly.
I felt as if the air had been sucked out of my lungs. "No. That is impossible. He was the most dominant, violent Enigma to ever exist. He destroyed our family. He hurt my mother, he hurt me, and he spent his entire life radiating a suffocating, toxic authority. There was nothing soft or balanced about him."
"Because he was misdiagnosed," Gerald explained, his voice dripping with regret. "When Lucas was young, his scent began to shift, just like yours is doing now. But back then, the medical council saw any sign of softening dominance as a disease. They believed his body was failing, that he was becoming weak. They classified him as a standard Enigma suffering from hormonal degradation. To ’fix’ him, they put him on aggressive, high-dosage chemical suppression treatments. They forced synthetic Enigma hormones into his system to keep his dominance artificially high."
Gerald looked down at the wooden box in my lap. "Those treatments didn’t cure him, Leo. They broke him. They forced a dual-nature body to behave like a singular, violent force. The constant chemical war inside his brain is what caused his psychological decay. It drove him to the point of extreme, uncontrollable violence. He was fighting his own biology every single day, and the council was fueling the fire. He wanted to be with his family so badly.’’
"So they created the monster," Miller murmured, his grip on my hand tightening. He looked at me, his eyes soft with a deep, understanding pain. "They did that to him."
"Yes," Gerald said. "They misdiagnosed him, and by the time we realized the error, the neurological damage was already done. That is why we need to find out everything we can about you, Leo. We cannot let history repeat itself. You have the same genetic marker, but your system is still clean of those toxic synthetic suppressants. We have a chance to let your body transition naturally, without destroying your mind."