Stronger than Fate

by Dakila Reed

  “Yeah yeah. Go you two. Tag team me.”

  Rustom’s heavy lidded eyes narrowed into teasing slits. "Maybe I should call the enforcers and tell them to stick you in the middle of the rice field just like that?"

  Skye gave the alpha a deathly glare. "I'm not a freaking scarecrow."

  "But you..." Rustom stared once more at the flat strands refusing to reflect the lights within the room. He was trying to be more civil. But he failed. The alpha just laughed, and cackled a few some more. His hand brushed against the pile of the papers he was reading, causing them to fall down in a swaying silent drop to the carpeted floor. He laughed some more, almost into tears. "Oh God... what am I gonna do without you? You crack me up when everything in here gets too boring.”

  Skye bent and picked the fallen documents. He straightened them perfectly back on where they were filed in. When he looked at Rustom, the alpha was still grinning. "Glad to be your clown."

  "Aww... come here."

  The alpha pulled open a drawer and took a rectangular, clear plastic container containing colorful diskettes.

  "You're the only one I know who collects those things. One of the ladies down archive was about throwing them away. They don't work anymore but I figured you'd take them?"

  "Hell yeah!" Skye snatched the container and with eyes gleaming, moved it closer for much intimate view. "Thank you. They're assorted colors. Not the usual black ones! Wow..."

  Rustom smiled and stretched his arms before resting them at the back of his head. “In the era of online drives and modern saving devices, how can I forget what my best friend and partner in crime wants?"

  "Right." Skye mumbled, fighting off the sour hint in his voice.

  He wanted to retaliate more. But the minute he felt the burning grasp of Rustom's hand on his wrist, he closed his mouth and swallowed. Rustom's golden eyes glimmered with mischief. The alpha's gaze briefly landed to the partially closed double doors. And turning to him Rustom mouthed 'Tiago'.

  Skye's brain was still coping up with the tingling on his skin. But thankfully not late enough to process what was going on. Rustom had always been the one with very precise scenting abilities in the pack. No one knew if it was because he was a supreme alpha by blood or he was just really gifted. But 'Tiago', one of the pack’s advisers like Mr Barron, obviously wasn't someone Rustom was keen about.

  The supreme alpha respected the old adviser of his father. Although the old man's attempts at setting up Rustom for his second unclaimed daughter was becoming a chore, a bore, and a nuisance.

  Rustom pulled Skye on his lap, his mouth brushing along Skye's ear. The intoxicating cleansing scent of sun, along with the strong hands around his waist reduced Skye to a pulp. He looked back at the golden eyes beaming with mischief and cockiness in them. In this close distance, even the faint dusting of shaved beard around Rustom’s sensual mouth was so clear he wondered how it would feel on his chest, on his thighs…

  Skye nearly whimpered. Reminding himself this was just a game, he went to flirting mode. It wasn’t all that hard.

  "Not here Alpha..." he whispered.

  "It's okay,” Rustom growled playfully, his eyes laughing. “Just a little kissing... a little biting. I've missed you all day."

  Without warning the double doors opened. The old man in a fine suit with a balding head cleared his throat, obviously not surprised at the little tryst going on behind the supreme alpha's desk.

  "I hope I am not interrupting anything?"

  Rustom smiled, tightening his hard and dependable arms around Skye’s much lither frame. "No. Not really Tiago I’m on my break. What can I do for you?"

  "I am merely delivering this invitation. It’s that time of the year once again for the Allied Districts.”

  Skye could feel Rustom's annoyance. That invitation should have been handed to the receptionists or to any more reachable official district betas roaming around the premises. But because Rustom was a seasoned actor, a smart man with a caliber of his own, Rustom just nodded and took the extended deep blue card with gold embossed letters.

  The old man then stared at Skye with his unwelcoming brown eyes. He didn't say or do anything untoward to Skye. He was just plainly open about his animosity. Why Skye was always at the supreme alpha's side when there were more eligible omegas waiting for a claim was beyond the old man. And obviously, it wasn't just Tiago thinking that way. Sierra Nadre was a tolerant district. Still, it was a given not all could be pleased.

  "I see you two are still together,” Tiago commented, not hiding the disappointment in his voice.

  "Of course we are. I don't see us getting separated as a matter of fact."

  "How sweet,” the old man nodded with a mock smile. “Well, why don't you formally establish it? Put a mark on him already. So other much eligible omegas mooning over our supreme alpha could move on and set their eyes to somebody else."

  Skye swallowed. He always wanted that. That ceremony was nearly always in his dreams.

  "Skye is still young to be married,” Rustom replied easily. “We both have things we still want to achieve before exploring the married life."

  The adviser smiled. To Skye it looked like a grimace. "Twenty-four is not young for a shifter marriage. My oldest daughter got married at nineteen."

  "We're being more modern here Tiago, are we not? Shifters have more options now to choose a career than our ancestors who used to seclude themselves within the mountains. We’re able to mingle with humans too, much harmoniously now, adopting a few of their systems that are beneficial to us."

  "What is that supposed to mean. Supreme Alpha?" Tiago’s smile was almost gone.

  Rustom patiently waved in the air. "That we're respecting the old ways but embracing the new, more productive and fulfilling practices."

  "That's not the case with destined mates though, no. You'd sweep your fated omega off his or her feet and force them into mating if it needs be."

  Rustom chuckled and Skye, well he was left with trying to hold his anxiety.

  "Fated mates are rare,” Rustom considered. His fingers idly running a little circle on Skye’s arm. “They are more likely to be a fairytale in our shifter society. More often than not they don't even meet each other. I'm fine with Skye here beside me."

  Skye felt touched. And saddened at the same time. Them being this intimate in front of the others may be a lie. But Rustom’s words among other things have always been honest. Fine. It wasn’t the word he wanted to hear from Rustom.

  Tiago nodded. "It's rare but it's not impossible. Fated mates are force you can't stop. Every shifter dreams of meeting their fated mates, more so with a pack's alpha." The old man then eyed Skye pointedly. "Nice hair."

  Both Rustom and Skye watched the adviser bow slightly at Rustom before turning and leaving the room. Only when they saw the double doors click in an assuring lock did Rustom shake his head.

  “He’s still disappointed I didn’t claim his daughter.”

  Skye slowly turned to Rustom. Realizing he was still on his best friend’s lap even when the reason was already gone, he forced himself to get up with unhurried casual movements. He crossed his arms over his chest, resting his weight against the magnificent dark oak table behind him.

  Rustom started rummaging into the plastic. Perhaps, even if Rustom started poking into trash bins he’d still look regal. Such unfairness.

  “Why did you not claim her then? She was blond. Green eyes. Pretty and witty.”

  The alpha took a bite first of his treat, closing his eyes briefly with a groan as if the ham and cheese inside the bread was the elixir of life itself. “She’s what? Eighteen? She’s almost half my age. She should be in the university cramming for an exam or something.”

  Rustom broke a piece of his flying saucer and shoved it right into Skye’s willing mouth. Both chewed silently first and then Skye exhaled loudly.

  “I don't know. Sir Tiago… it's like he'd feel better losing you for his daughter because of your fated omega, than him losin
g you for a son-in-law because of a mere me."

  "Hah. He’s a smart man but refuses a lot of changing ways."

  "He just doesn’t like me for being me."

  Rustom stuffed his face with another of his favorite snack. Skye just remained watching his dream alpha. The larger man was always the epitome of an imposing and intimidating figure. He wasn’t the bulky kind of man but with just the right amount of everything a perfect alpha trained for war could ever be. And more than physicality, it was about how he carried himself that spoke volumes. Still, Rustom was kind, equal to everyone and he only resorted to violence when there was a need. If he didn’t get to make Rustom fall in love with him for real, a much better eligible omega, Tiago’s words, might appear and make him lose his chance.

  That brought Tiago’s little speech about fated mates back in Skye’s mind. He believed in fates alright. But it wasn’t the kind of magically appearing force from outer space. Fate is the result of one’s actions. Of one’s choice. And there was his choice, finishing the food he brought.

  For the long time that Skye was just perched on the side of the table, his gaze boring into Rustom, the latter looked up, frowning curiously at him.

  “What?”

  “About that fated mates... do you really not believe in them?"

  "Nah,” Rustom shrugged. He then pulled a bottled water from one of the drawers of his table and took a large gulp. “The idea is as absurd as the world is flat."

  “How can you not believe them? Male omegas are rare. But I am here in front of you.”

  "Well let's say I'd believe it with my own eyes. Anyway," Rustom picked up the invitation card waiting on his desk. He waved the deep blue envelope, smelling of faint roses. The alpha then teared the side, uncaring of ruining the elegant paper. He pulled the card out and skimmed through the contents all in two seconds. His eyes glinted with the usual dare and mischief when the alpha brought his gaze back to Skye. "Lookie here. The annual meeting for Allied Districts is two weeks from now, falling on your birthday. More like a dating parade if you ask me, that annual gathering. Be my date?"

  Skye planted his feet firmly on the floor, otherwise he would have climbed all over the walls. His birthday, or more precisely the day he was found and he became Skye Runnel of Sierra Nadre was a huge thing for him. A dressed up gathering falling right on his birthday? With his dream alpha? He could go crazy with happiness.

  "Aha, my acting skill is seriously in demand. You know aside from the occasional diskettes and treats, you should start paying me. And that’s overwork considering it’s my twenty-fifth birthday."

  "Aww Skye, you know I pay you enough. You like it when we play."

  Skye took the envelope and slapped it against Rustom's forehead. It earned him a chuckle from the man. The whole district was afraid to touch the alpha, fearing for any offense and the like and generally out of respect. And here he was, free to slap, free to touch and free to inhale every bit of the alpha scent in close proximity.

  Of course he loved it when they play.

  The room was dark. Rigid on his seat, he fixed his gaze which had taken a feral deep gold in the blackness of the room to the front. The only light came from the faint projector and the slides changing in front of him. Just seeing this, his appetite for lunch was gone.

  He shifted on the hard stool, his legs spread out like a long river. He didn't so much as lift his gaze away from the slides even when the door to the small room opened briefly and closed again. James came in with two cups of coffee. The beta's gaze quickly assessing the slides overlapping one after another as he handed the other cup to Rustom.

  "I was wondering where you are. You never miss lunch you man with a hole in your stomach," James commented in between his sips of his own coffee. His eyes slightly growing wider at the next slide. "Larri Devlin? Isn't that...? What suddenly brought this Rustom?"

  Rustom remained rooted on his seat, gaze not averting. "I joined one unit of the new ranks in the enforcers group last night with Jules," he replied with a hint of laugh that didn't quite match the glowing anger in his eyes. "You know, to buzz those newbies that being a part of the enforcer teams isn't just about walking the territory at night waving flashlights."

  James waited, eyes pointed at the still photo of a bright and smiling young man in the screen.

  "There on the south border, a middle-aged couple was setting camp fire. Near the swamp."

  "The swamp?" James repeated a touch alarmed.

  Pressing on the remote, another photo of the same cheery smiling young man with deep brown hair and expressive brown eyes came into view. Rustom sighed tiredly. "I approached the couple. Turned out they’re Larri Devlin's parents. Remembering his fifth year being dead." He ran a hand over his face groaning. "It pisses me off. It was such a tragic thing that time and no one from our pack, not in our entire district, not even me remembered this fucking heart wrenching tragedy."

  James contemplated for a second before crushing his empty paper cup in his hand. The photo slide changed from the cheery photo to that of a young man; naked, used, violated, face down on the blackened-by-the-evening swamp, left in an undignified state. The scent of his attacker forever washed away. "And looking at his pictures and case report makes you feel better?"

  "I don't know. We could have at least done something for the parents or— damn."

  "Devlins aren't a member of our district. It's natural you wouldn't be able to follow on their case. You're not in the investigation team either. You're a supreme alpha with other things to do. And besides, this happened when you were about succeeding from your father. Everything was... all over the place."

  "Member or not, their son was found brutally murdered in our territory. It leaves a fucking disgusting taste in my mouth."

  The beta sighed loudly and pulled on another steel chair close to Rustom and sat. "There was enough proof that the body was just tossed in to our border. No one in our district could stomach doing that. We've always respected and cared for our omegas. Although well... Larri was a male omega, and like they said, male omegas are rare, which made his case kind of popular."

  The slide slid into a newspaper clipping headlined 'Perfect Crime'. Rustom snorted with a grave laugh. "Perfect crime? Who came up with fucking words for a crime?"

  Both males fell into silence as Rustom pressed on the remote one slide after another. Hurried and getting angrier by the second. Fucker who killed Larri raped the young man first. Whoever blasted man that was, the man took the poor omega while he was in his alpha wolf form. Anyone, female or male omega in human form would suffer with no question, specially if the victim had walking disabilities in the first place. Defending, let alone running for dear life was impossible.

  "Morbid," James whispered the second an old clipping came up. A hazy 1960s photo reference of female omegas for sale. On their side was a smaller group of male omegas wearing price tags. Their prices considerably higher than the female ones. "They said it could be that Larri was being drawn for a similar slave market going on for many decades now. Which ever angle it was, nothing's been proven. So we could just make sure our borders have more eyes."

  Rustom glared at the words on the slide. His stomach churning in disgust.

  'Contrary to female omegas, male omegas do not bear children— almost. Scientifically it is due to a male omega’s low compatibility for match with an alpha’s seed. Probability of a match is no more than two percent. There are however a few records of successful childbirth by a male omega with an alpha. In werewolf lores these matches of rare incidents are called ‘fated mates’.

  Male omegas are highly valued in the black market for their availability to pleasure with the probability of spreading unwanted children among the wealthy shifter families next to nonexistent’.

  "I know I don't have the power to find Larri's killer,” Rustom groaned. “It's just, I dearly hope there would be no more Larri. Not ever. Female or male. At least if I could do it for our district and territory, then I’d say I at le
ast have been an effective leader."

  "I know," James agreed. "I daresay we are doing the best. Our enforcers do. You do too."

  Rustom flipped for the ‘off’ in the remote, pressed another and the room instantly filled with a glaring brightness. James squinted. Rustom just stared at the blank screen.

  "Can you cancel all my appointments for the entire afternoon?"

  "I've already canceled everything except that meeting with Adviser Tiago. That’s been getting dragged for a number of days now and it’s best you hear his proposal for developing one side of the mountain for tourist purposes," James said with a knowing look in his eyes. "Meeting will end at three which will give you fair enough time to check on Skye. Skye called in 'absent for personal reasons' early this morning but we’ve been around him since forever. Of course we know what time of the month it is.”

  Nodding, Rustom gave his beta, assistant and close friend a small smile. "Yeah. Thanks man."

  James swept his gaze around the entire room, looking for nothing in particular. "Skye's like throwing us all the firsts for a long time now, hasn't he?"

  Rustom stood with a helpless smile. “It’s bad enough he’s allergic to suppressants. He goes alone to that little old house in the fields to let his heat go by."

  “Of course," James nodded. "Unclaimed omegas are really vulnerable during their heat. And Skye is an unclaimed, rare and beautiful omega inside out, and still has no alpha he could call his own."

  He gave James a disapproving look, hearing all too clearly the emphasis the other added to the word 'unclaimed'. "Don't give me that tone James. I've never seen Skye in that way."

  "Well try looking. Maybe you'll see,” the man said coolly.

  "Stop this. We've had this discussion since Skye turned fifteen and I am honestly getting sick of it."

  James stood his ground, shaking his genius nosy head in a slow, emphatic way. "I'm just saying. Setting aside that ‘act’ so people don’t throw unclaimed omegas at your feet, both Jules and I thought that someday it would be you and him for real. You found him. You named him. And you're like a freaking hound guarding him every time a prospective alpha throws an assessing gaze at him. So... we really just don't see the point 'why not'? Fated or not, best friends make the best couple."