by Olivia Black
“We stick out, but I guess that’s the point, right? These clothes tell everyone on the planet that we’re new and unmated.”
“Yeah, well, it would be nice to blend in a little bit more.”
“I don’t think it would be possible for us to blend in. Here, on Glecerus, we’re unique.”
Sebastian smiled. “That’s true.”
“I was going to talk to you last night after Mark left, but you took a shower and went straight to bed. Is everything okay?”
“Everything is fine.”
Georgie made a face. He clearly didn’t believe Sebastian, but he didn’t push the issue. “If you ever need someone to talk to, I’m here. And I can keep a secret.”
“Thanks. I appreciate that, man. And if you ever need someone to talk too, I’m here for you.”
“I’ll be happy when this week is over.”
“Why do you say that?” Sebastian questioned.
“I’ll finally have everything I’ve ever wanted.”
“What do you want?”
“A mate. Someone who will love me. And a family. Children. I never had any of those things on Earth. I grew up in an orphanage.”
Nobody ever wanted me went unspoken, but Sebastian could see the pain in Georgie’s eyes, and it broke his heart.
Sebastian wanted to wrap his arms around Georgie and give him a hug, but he didn’t. He was worried the attention might not be welcome or perhaps it would be interpreted as pity. So, he simply rose from his seated position and grabbed the gift he’d purchased for Aaron. It was a necklace similar to his, except the stone was green. With all the presents Aaron had received from admirers, Sebastian was sure he wouldn’t miss this gift.
“I bought you something today.”
“Oh my God!” Georgie’s smile was so bright it practically blinded Sebastian. He took the necklace from Sebastian’s outstretched hand. “Thank you so much. I love it.” Georgie threw his arms around Sebastian’s neck and hugged him.
“You’re welcome.”
After a minute or two, Georgie stepped back and put the necklace on, securing it around his neck. He stared down at the stone, running his fingers over the rough surface. “It’s so beautiful.”
“It looks good on you.”
“I’m going to wear it tonight.”
Georgie flashed Sebastian another brilliant smile before practically skipping down the aisle. He stopped along the way, showing off his necklace to the other men and chatting animatedly to anyone willing to listen. Sebastian watched him, surprised that such a small gift could have a huge impact.
Sebastian crouched down in front of the trunk and pulled out a sealed plastic bag containing a clean pair of pajamas. He removed his necklace and set it inside, tucking it in the corner before standing up. Sebastian closed the trunk and headed toward the bathroom.
Sebastian walked into one of the private shower stalls. He closed the door, and the lock automatically clicked into place, letting the others know that the stall was occupied. Clean towels sat on a small wooden bench in a perfectly folded pile. Sebastian placed the plastic bag beside the towels. He took off the pajamas he was wearing and pushed them into a slot in the wall marked Soiled Clothes.
He stepped beneath the spout, and the water automatically turned on. The warm water rained down over his head, the pressure far better than he was used to on Earth. The hot water came down in heavy sheets, peppering his skin. Sebastian placed his hands on the gray stone wall and ducked his head, placing his chin against his chest. He stared down at the floor, watching as the steam rose, wrapping around him like a blanket, caressing him. After a couple of minutes, Sebastian stood.
He held his hand underneath a metal tube, and a large dollop of soap shot out, filling his palm. Sebastian worked the soap into a lather before washing his hair and body with the fragrant liquid. He rinsed the soap away before stepping out from under the spout. The water immediately shut off. The cool air hit his skin, sending a shiver racing up his spine. Grabbing one of the towels off the bench, Sebastian dried off, quickly removing the moisture.
When he was done, Sebastian pushed the towel into the wall slot. He ripped open the plastic bag and got dressed. He pressed the button on the wall, and the door slid open.
Sebastian combed his fingers through his hair as he walked into the dormitory. He went back to his sleeping area and grabbed his necklace, securing it around his neck once again.
By the time Mark showed up, everyone was milling around, ready to go.
* * * *
Sebastian looked around the giant dining hall in awe. It seemed that each new place in Glecerus was more amazing than the last. The market place had been wild and exciting, but the royal dining hall was absolutely exquisite. Giant trees hung upside down along the ceiling, like chandeliers, each of the naked branches covered in strands of sparkling white lights. Rectangular tables lined the room with intricately carved chairs.
There was a raised table at the far end of the dining hall with a deep purple tablecloth. He knew from just looking at it that was where the royal family sat.
As he followed behind the group toward their table, Sebastian let his eyes wander over each person in attendance. He came to a screeching halt when he saw a familiar face. Jason. His heart jerked, and his eyes filled with moisture. His brother was standing on the other side of the room next to a Glecerian male. The man, who he assumed was Jett Q’Tal, had his arm wrapped securely around Jason’s waist, holding him close.
Without thinking about the rules or the consequences, Sebastian shouted, “Jason!” He stepped out of line and started moving toward the head table, ignoring Aaron and Georgie as they called out his name. “Jason!” He walked faster, making his way around the other guests. “Jason!”
As he drew closer, his brother’s head turned, and their eyes connected. Sebastian smiled. His vision blurred as tears ran down his cheeks. He started running, heading toward the brother he hadn’t seen in ten years. Before Sebastian reached Jason, something heavy slammed into him from behind. He fell forward from the impact, and he hit the ground with a residing thud.
“Ooooof!” The air was pushed out of his lungs, and he was unable to breathe. He panicked for a moment, trying desperately to drag air back into his lungs. Only when he was able to breathe did he roll over onto his back and stare up at the ceiling.
“Sebastian?” He tilted his head back, and his eyes clashed with his brother’s mate, Jett. “I’m sorry. The guards shouldn’t have hit you like that. They thought you were going to attack my mate. Do you need help, or can you stand on your own?”
“I can stand.” Sebastian sat up before slowly rising to his feet. He brushed off his hands and straightened out his clothing.
It took only a minute for Sebastian to realize that the dining hall was absolutely silent. He glanced around and noticed that all eyes were trained on him.
“Tell the staff to start bringing out the food,” a Glecerian male ordered. “We’ll start the welcoming feast now. And turn up the music. Nobody needs to hear our conversation.”
The other males in attendance jumped into action. It didn’t take long for noise to fill the hall, a mixture of boisterous conversation and the sound of instrumental music.
“High King Auden Q’Tal, this is my younger brother, Sebastian Cain,” Jason announced.
Sebastian’s eyes widened in surprise.
This was the High King? The gorgeous male before him looked too young to be the ruler of an entire planet. He was wearing a pair of black leather pants and boots with a long purple robe that touched the floor. His bare chest was exposed, showing off his bold tattoos and leaving little to the imagination. His snow-white hair was long, falling in waves down to his waist.
Auden reminded Sebastian of Regin in many ways since Glecerian males looked almost identical, except this man had an air of power that surrounded him.
Sebastian didn’t know what proper protocol was when meeting royalty. Not wanting to offend, Sebastian bowed, sho
wing his respect.
“It’s nice to know you have manners after that public scene.”
“I apologize, Your Majesty. I wasn’t thinking. I saw my brother and reacted. Please forgive my outburst.”
The king tsked. “You humans are ruled by emotion.”
Sebastian stood up straight but kept his head bowed with his chin firmly planted against his chest. “Yes, sir.”
The High King moved toward Sebastian. He reached out a hand, and Sebastian did his best not to flinch. The male placed a finger beneath Sebastian’s chin and forced him to look up.
“Look at those eyes.” His voice was barely a whisper, but the tone was seductive. Sebastian shivered. It was obvious that what the High King had to say was for Sebastian’s ears only. “You’re quite beautiful, Sebastian.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty.”
“And those tears…” He wiped Sebastian’s face, removing the remaining moisture from his cheeks. “There’s no reason to cry, lovely.”
“Your Majesty, I know it’s against the rules to see my brother before I’m wearing my mate’s mark, but I’m hoping you’ll make an exception.”
“I’m sorry.” He shook his head. “But it’s against the rules.”
“Please,” he begged. “I haven’t seen my brother in a really long time. I just want to hug him.”
“I don’t want to deny your request, lovely, but I cannot break the rules for you. If I did that, I would have to break the rules for everyone. Do you understand?”
“But,” Sebastian whined. “He’s right there.”
The king’s lips twitched as if he was about to smile, but in the end, he didn’t. “I’ll make you a deal.” At Sebastian’s nod, Auden continued. “If you allow me to pick your mate right now, you won’t have to wait to spend time with your brother.”
“Who would you choose?” Sebastian asked, genuinely curious. “And how do you know the Glecerian male would be right for me? Or even if the male would want to be my mate?”
The king did smile then. “I have a copy of your documents. I know which unmated males would best suit you. Any male would be lucky to have you as their mate.”
“Why would you want to choose a mate for me?”
It didn’t seem like the kind of thing a king would bother with. It seemed like a task far below his station, but for some reason, High King Auden Q’Tal was interested in picking out Sebastian’s mate.
Sebastian glanced past the king toward Jason. He stared at his brother for a moment, waiting for some kind of sign. Should he let the High King choose his mate? Did it really matter?
Chapter Seven
“Eyes on me,” Auden ordered.
Sebastian’s gaze immediately snapped back to his. Auden couldn’t help but stare. The human had blue eyes. It was a color he’d never seen before, dark and rich. But it was more than that. It was the emotion present in the young man’s globes that drew Auden in and held him prisoner. Glecerian males didn’t possess expressive eyes. They all had the same unreadable black pools that left their enemies scared and their lovers confused. Auden stared at Sebastian’s face, memorizing his features—a perfect little nose, high cheekbones, and plump, kissable lips.
“Make your decision so that we all may enjoy the welcoming feast.”
Sebastian swallowed, his Adam’s apple bobbing up and down. His brows furrowed, and he pulled his lower lip into his mouth, biting down on the meaty flesh. He looked as if he were contemplating Auden’s request.
After several minutes, Sebastian said, “I’ll leave it up to fate, Your Majesty. The winner of the competition will be my mate.”
Auden reluctantly dropped his hand. He took a step back and nodded. “I’ll look forward to seeing you at a later time. Please, enjoy your meal.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty. I’ll see you later.” Sebastian bowed once more before turning on his heel and walking away.
Auden Q’Tal, High King of Glecerus and one of the most feared males in the universe, watched with disappointment as Sebastian walked away from him. Since the young man’s arrival on Glecerus, Auden had spent every waking moment watching the live-streaming video feed. He was drawn to Sebastian, and nothing seemed to cool his attraction. Auden wasn’t sure if it was the young man’s brilliant eyes or his beautiful physique, but either way, Auden wanted him. He wanted Sebastian by his side, wearing his mark.
Auden strode toward the raised table. He took his seat among his family and looked out, surveying the crowd.
“Sire,” his eldest son, Tyak, said from beside him. “If you’re interested in the human, why did you remove his number from the auction? You could’ve purchased his documents.”
Auden didn’t have a rational answer. He’d made a rash decision without taking the time to think it through. It had been impulsive. When the new batch of humans arrived from Earth, Sebastian drew a lot of attention. The young man received a lot of interest from the unmated males. On their first night, when Auden heard that Sebastian was related to Jason, he removed Sebastian’s number, refusing to allow the other Glecerians to bid on him. It was an excuse to keep the human for himself, but after some consideration, he wasn’t sure if that was the right decision.
“I’m far too old to purchase a mate.”
“And competing against our best warriors was a better decision?”
“You’re missing my point. Yes, I want him, but he’s too young. I’m stuck in my ways. I’m unyielding. He needs a gentle hand to guide him.”
“And you think Captain Regin Priq’aq is the right male for him?”
The king growled. Just thinking of Sebastian’s hands on Regin’s chest drove him insane. He didn’t want any other males to have that pleasure.
“That’s what I thought.” After a moment of silence, his son continued. “Why not allow him to choose?”
“You think I should put him in the singles dormitory? That would only make things worse.”
Tyak shook his head. “There’s no reason you need to have the competition right away. When the week is over, invite Sebastian to stay in the palace with us. You can spend time with him and use romance like the humans enjoy. Once he’s carrying your child, there will be no need for a competition.”
“I’ll give it some thought.”
“Jason, what do you think?” Tyak asked, pulling Sebastian’s brother into their discussion.
“I don’t really want to be part of this conversation,” Jason said. “Sebastian is my younger brother.”
“I gave you advice when you were first mated to Jett.”
Jason scoffed. “Really? You think you gave me advice? I believe you told me that I needed to do my duty as the mate of a prince. I don’t remember the exact wording, but it went something like this…” Jason cleared his throat. “Get on your knees often, and worship Jett’s cock until he spurts in your mouth. And milk his shaft until you’re pregnant.”
“You said that to my mate?” Jett asked, clearly surprised.
“Oh yeah.” Jason nodded. “He gave me this advice while I was in the treatment room, getting your mark. I almost ran from the room in fear.”
“But I caught him,” Tyak announced to the group. “And now, you’re happily mated to my brother, and you gave Jett a healthy son, Bastian. So, you see, my advice works.”
“When I left home, Sebastian was only fifteen. I’ve been here for ten years. I don’t know the man that he’s become, so it would be impossible for me to give you any helpful advice.”
Jett wrapped his arm around Jason’s shoulder and pulled the human in close. “He was really happy to see you, my mate.”
Jason sighed. “I’m glad he’s here, but I would’ve preferred it to be under different circumstances. I can’t imagine what he’s been through.” After a moment of silence, he added, “I’d like to add one more thing on the subject of my brother. Since Sebastian’s number has been removed from the auction, and he doesn’t want Auden to pick his mate, there will need to be a competition. There’s no reason tha
t he should end up in the singles dormitory.”
“You’re right,” Auden agreed. “There needs to be a competition, and only high-ranking males will be allowed to join. Your brother is part of the royal family now.”
“I would be happy to compete as your proxy,” Tyak told him.
“I appreciate the fact that you want to help your sire, but I think it’s time for you to find your own a mate, Tyak. Both of your brothers are mated. It’s your turn.”
“I’m waiting for the right human.”
“How long are you going to wait?”
“As long as it takes.”
Auden couldn’t argue with that logic. He didn’t want his eldest son to rush into a mating. Choosing a mate to spend the rest of your life with was a decision not to be taken lightly. Once your mark was on another’s skin, it couldn’t be removed.
When his other sons, Lef and Jett, saw their mates for the first time, they both had the same strong reaction. And neither would be dissuaded from their choice. But the outcome had been different. Jett was happily mated to Jason, and Lef was unsatisfied.
It wasn’t a perfect system. There were still some flaws. But the Glecerian people were learning with each new batch of humans. They changed the requirements regularly, making it nearly impossible for the humans and Glecerians to lie on the tests. Human were required to fill out extensive applications and go through screenings when they volunteered. They were also given a manual so that there wouldn’t be any surprises upon arrival. And unmated Glecerians looking for human mates were required to go through a similar process.
Matching humans with Glecerians was an important task. It wasn’t taken lightly.
Auden’s gaze found Sebastian in the crowd. He stared longingly at the human, wondering what the future held. He still wasn’t sure if he should join the competition. After the death of his mate, a tragedy that happened years ago, Auden was lonely. He didn’t want to go to sleep alone any longer. He was looking for a male to warm his bed, but did he want a life mate, or could he satisfy his needs elsewhere? Was Sebastian the male for him?
