Things had changed so much. I barely recognized the place I had grown up in. The palace had lost its former glory. Moss now covered the walls and the wild vines from the wilderness crawled their way into the castle. The windows were blocked by the tall grass. I could only imagine the ignominy it brought to my father’s name.

I heard Rob had already taken over the throne without the proper consent of our father a year ago. How selfish of him do so! Father was still alive, and yet he was treating him as if Father’s very existence had come to an end. Glancing across the living room, my eyebrows furrowed in disgust to see his portraits plagued the walls, where our ancestors’ portraits used to be displayed. All I could see was Rob’s images.

I sighed. That was all I could do since my rights to speak my mind was taken from me. How selfish, right? It was my brother’s command – to shut me up and make me bend down to his will, which was something I could never accept.

Father clasped his hands together, a letter with a seal of gold was in his hands. He grinned at me, his eyes glistened. This didn’t look good. With him looking rather delighted meant I was in trouble.

“Why are you smiling all of a sudden?” I asked, giving him a suspicious glare.

He looked at me from head to toe. I was dressed in a tunic hewn out of extracted and stretched gold. It was tight and I could barely move a finger. Even a single step was a struggle. The tunic was premade two years ago and it was based on the measurement of my old clothes. I didn’t realize until now that I’d gained so much weight from staying with the Gryther family. I was well fed there. But in here, I was like an abandoned cat, waiting outside the door for crumbs and leftovers.

“Darren is coming in an hour or so. He should be here any minute now,” he said as he walked around me.

I frowned. “Who’s Darren?”

“He’s going to be your Alpha, a wealthy man from Torson’s pack. Such a fine man he is. I’ve heard plenty of good things about him,” he said, trying to make me like someone I’d never met before.

I took a step back, and then held my breath as I spoke. “Are you doing this for money?” I asked right in front of him, not scared of the punishment he might inflict on me as such phrase should never be used against such a man who held an important role in the society.

His eyes narrowed. “Be careful with your tongue, you might have forgotten who’s before you,” he said, glaring at me.

“Just tell me the truth,” I said, raising my voice an octave higher.

“I’ve said it already, Darren is going to be your Alpha.”

I shook my head. I could tell he was hiding something I couldn’t quite figure out. Father was good at hiding things – even if it was obvious and the evidence were all laid out, he’d find a way to get around it and free himself of scrutiny.

I took a step back. “No, I’m not going to marry anyone for money. I’ve agreed to be betrothed to someone to redeem my freedom, and I did it without a cost,” I said.

Father neared closer and pulled me by the neck as he slammed me against the wall. For his old age, he was surprisingly strong, given he was also ill. “You’re no longer part of this family so be thankful your brother and I are doing you a favor, you ungrateful bastard!” he said, spitting on my face.

I pushed him away and caught my breath. “I’ve got nothing to thank you for. You’re just using me for your own selfish benefits, and I’m sick and tired of it!” I yelled, the veins on my forehead popping.

Before I knew it, father swung his arm and struck me on the face so hard my ears rang. It felt as though my jaw was dislocated. Blood oozed out of my mouth as I saw him walk out of the living room…no expression of guilt on his face. I fell to my knees and buried my hands in my face as I cried out in despair. How I wished for Tom to be here right now. But that would be the last thing that could ever happen. Visiting a Blair by a Falston was seen as an insult.

I pursed my lips tight and breathed out.

* * *

Darren looked rather attractive. He was tall and well-built. He possessed all the traits of a firsthand Alpha. His shoulder-length hair suited his bad boy look. He had scars at the back of his neck, the marks of his legacy. I couldn’t imagine how he could possibly live with deep holes in parts of his body, those were from the bites of his opponents. He was considered to be the mightiest warrior in the Circle tribe, but regardless of his notorious reputation in the battlefield, I couldn’t sense wickedness in him. His aura was light and the way he spoke was gentle.

Father turned his eyes on me, which led to Darren to turn around and face me. “Darren, my son, Aiden.”

My whole body turned red from the attention he was giving me. Wrong word. Not attention, scrutiny. He scrutinized me from head to toe. My face burned red from the way he looked at me. It felt as though I was an object.

He reached out his hand. “Darren, the Alpha of Thonton’s pack in the West, fifty miles from here…” he said, his lips tilted into a smile, which made my head swim in delight. He didn’t seem as stern as I’d thought.

I shook his hand and grinned. Looking at him straight in the eyes, I couldn’t sense any connection of compatibility. I couldn’t feel any bond between us. Despite my best attempt to see through his eyes, I couldn’t break past his pupil. We simply didn’t connect, like the way Tom and I did. Perhaps the night was still early, but I doubted he was the mate destined for me.

“Please to meet you, Darren.” I bowed my head and bent my right knee down to show due respect he deserved, but he pulled me back up before I even touched the floor.

“Don’t bother,” he said. “You don’t have to do that when you’re with me. I’m no better than you.”

I nodded. “Right.”

For a fraction of a time, our gazes locked; he saw through me and I felt his aura invading the depths of my being. How come he could see through me and I couldn’t see through him?

“I’ve met all the members of your family, but they all shared one thing in common,” he said, frowning as if doubtful I belonged to this family.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I said in a serious tone.

“You lack the mole on the side of your mouth, which is something I’ve found common with your siblings. And you don’t smell like a rabbit. I can smell Falston in you.”

Father stepped between us. “He was conceived by a woman, not by an Omega male. My late husband had died the day my first born was born, and since my first born was ill-stricken, I decided to adopt a surrogate to secure my lineage,” he explained.

Darren’s lips parted with a convinced look on his face. “I see,” he nodded.

I swallowed. How come Father had never told me that before? Tears welled up in the corners of my eyes. Suddenly, I began wondering about those things he was keeping from me. What were those other things I should know about?

“Are you alright?” Darren noticed the sad expression on my face.

“Yeah, of course. I’m just quite prone to the dust; it makes me tear up,” I said. What a lame excuse, right?

Father cleared his throat. “So,” he began.

I knew where this was heading.

He looked at Darren. “Would you like to talk things further?”

“That’d be a good use of our time.”

They walked past me as if I wasn’t there. I couldn’t help but feel like a mere object, being sold off like a piece of double-dead meat. They locked themselves in a separate room and slammed the door shut. I sighed in relief, feeling nostalgic. From where I stood, the exit door was a few meters away from my reach. It looked so inviting.

Then, Tom popped up in my head. He detested seeing me lonely. Whenever I felt alone, he’d sit beside me and tell me the stories of his life. I’d heard them a million times already, and I missed hearing them again. I missed smelling him next to me, kissing me, and making me feel like I was the only one in the world.

Sweat soaked my whole body as I involuntarily trembled. I itched to see him again, but then fear gripped me. I couldn’t just run away and leave Darren behind. Doing so would put my family’s name in jeopardy. I tapped my foot on the floor, battling the wisdom of following my heart or Father’s command.

I took a deep breath and breathed out.

I looked at the closed door where Father and Darren were.

Then, I ran toward the exit door and pushed it open. Father’s chariot was parked in front of the house next to Darren’s stagecoach. The slaves stood in awe as I jumped into the chariot and whipped the horses forward. Adrenaline kicked in as the horses neighed away.

* * *

Beads of sweat trickled down my forehead. I didn’t really know where to look for Tom, but I had a feeling that he was at home so I headed in that direction. I whipped the horses forward so hard they cried out in frustration.

When I got to the Gryther’s manor, Drake was on the porch trimming the plants.

I jumped out of the chariot and called him. “Drake!” I couldn’t be any happier to see him again.

“Aiden?”

“Where’s Tom?” I ran toward him, panting.

“He’s in the garden,” he said, eyes wide open as he looked at me in disbelief. “What are you doing here? I thought–”

“I’ll explain it later,” I said, making my way to the back of the house where the garden was. I couldn’t wait to see Tom again.

When I got there, I saw him uprooting some of the flowers we’d planted together. He was shirtless and it looked as though he hadn’t taken a bath since I left. My heart swelled to see him again. I leaped toward him and wrapped my arms around his waist. Resting my face on his back, I closed my eyes and sniffed him. His scent comforted my troubled soul. I couldn’t care less if Father would declare my death. I was ready to die as long as I was with him. He was my life, and without him I was nothing but dust.

“Aiden?” he said as he recognized my smell.

“I can’t live without you, Tom,” I said, tightening my grip on him.

He turned around and cupped my jaw. “Did you run away?” His eyes shimmered with anxiety.

“Doesn’t matter if I did, as long as I’m with you, I’m ready to die.” I caressed his stubble chin and glanced at his quivering lips. “I love you, Tom. I don’t want to lose you again.” My voice gurgled as those words slipped from my mouth.

Without saying a word, he pulled me close and pressed his lips on mine. He sucked my bottom lip as our tongue intertwined. I pulled him closer and pressed myself into him even tighter. From behind, he ripped the hideous tunic and pulled it down from me. Then, he pushed me down to the bed of grass, the back of my head resting on his hand. I spread my legs open to occupy him.

“You’ve got no idea how much I’ve missed you,” he said, staring straight into my eyes.

“Us against the world.”

“I’m prepared to die for you, Aiden. Fear no more for I’m not going to let anyone take you from me again.”

At the last word, he buried his face in my neck and sucked it. His warm lips and wet tongue turned me on. He glided his body on top of me. I clung my arms around him and massaged his back. I could feel the fiber of his muscle flexing as he guarded my head with his arms. He ran his tongue on my face, licking my cheeks and lips as well as my chin. It tickled me.

I tucked my lips in, suppressing the loud moan from attracting anyone. I couldn’t sense anybody watching us…

He pinned my hands on the ground and licked my chest, sucking my nipples and stretching them with his teeth. It hurt, but the sensation felt so good I couldn’t help but close my eyes and revel in his closeness. He kissed his way down to my belly button.

I gasped for air as soon as he placed his hands on my waist and pulled my pants down. My manhood flipped erect at his face. He glanced at me – before mouthing my dick into his mouth.

Again, I gasped for air as a tiny moan slipped out of my lips. “Argh…”

He slid my dick down his throat, clenching his mouth tight before he pulled out. He mouthed it back in again. He kept doing it for a couple of minutes, and then he stood up, unbuckled his pants and pulled it down before turning me over. The smell of grass on my face was rather unpleasant to my liking; it tickled me, making me tingle.

I arched back and closed my eyes. He cupped my ass and pulled them apart, then he munched his face on it. Nothing could feel any better than having your anus licked by someone you love. It felt so freaking awesome.

My lips parted when I felt his finger make its way into me. It felt unnatural. Every time he slid his finger in and out of me, I gasped for air and moaned so loud, I literally had to cover my mouth. He licked my anus again before rubbing his dick on my opening. It was warm.

“Argh!”

I pulled away as the head of his manhood blocked my entrance. It hurt. My asshole hadn’t been stretched wide enough to occupy him. With his size, I doubted I could take him in.

“Does it hurt?” he asked, kneading my butt cheeks.

“Yeah.”

“Alright, I’ll take it gently this time. Just let me know if it hurts still,” he said, kissing my back as he slowly put his dick back inside me. This time, it didn’t hurt as bad.

“How’s that?”

I bit my bottom lip. “Much better.”

From behind, he fucked my ass, thrusting in and out of me ever so gently. Sweat soaked our bodies. I shuddered at the feel of him, suppressing any sound which might slip from my mouth. He laid on top of me, pushing himself in and out of me while nibbling on my ears at the same time.

Over half an hour had passed, I felt warm liquid filling me up. Then, I realized he came inside me!