by Dakila Reed
He watched the lithe omega pad barefooted away from him. The sight was so domestic. Like this was really how it was supposed to be. He glanced back at the living room where Reece's stuff had started to accumulate. They hadn't crossed the line still and yet, the living arrangement made it seem so easy.
He followed Reece into the kitchen. While the blond was busy pulling out mugs from a cupboard, Rustom stepped behind the man, circling his arms around the man's waist. He released a sigh at the contact, a relief from having the smaller man disappear into his own larger frame.
Reece chuckled, continuing with his task. Rustom though was in no mood for tea. He hugged the man tighter, burrowing his nose and inhaling deeply the scent of the omega's hair that had become so familiar to him.
In response, Reece patted Rustom's snaking arms around his stomach, stroking gently. "You know Rustom, I understand I’m not allowed to ask about the week you’ve been gone. I know how districts handle sensitive matters from within. I am a son too of a supreme alpha after all." Reece turned to meet eye to eye with him. The green of his eyes startling in its depths. "So don't worry. I won’t ask. I won’t force you to tell me anything.”
"Thanks," he sighed. "Thanks I guess..."
Reece let the mug he was holding down and lifted his hand. He reached out, tracing the stubbles on Rustom’s face with his fingertips. The touch so light like feathers. “You sound very tired.”
“I am tired," he whispered, closing his eyes.
“Let’s move you to the bed then.”
Rustom shook his head, and tightened his hold of his fated mate. “Just a bit longer…”
“What are you being so clingy for?” Reece asked with a laugh. “This kind of treatment from you is all new to me…”
“Reece…” Rustom swallowed, breathing in his fated mate's scent deeply into his being. "You know Reece, I've been so blessed to have come across you…”
The omega huffed. "Are you drunk? There's no smell of alcohol on you though."
Rustom buried his face at the side of the man's neck. Unable to stop the first trickle of tears out of the corners of his eyes. "I'm so blessed really."
It was obvious how the omega tensed from the wet sensation on his skin. Drop by drop. Tears to skin. Reece slowly pushed the arms around his waist. But Rustom refused to let go.
"What's wrong?"
"I'm so sorry Reece," Rustom whispered. "I searched. I tried. But I'm sorry..."
With Reece pushing away harder this time, Rustom allowed himself to let go. The blond turned around, looking up at him with a mix of expression the most visible was hurt. Like the man already knew where this was headed.
"You searched," Reece stated softly with a nod. "You tried."
Rustom stepped back, leaning his weight to the edge of the kitchen top. He soaked up the sight of his sad fated and felt pain too. But...
"Is that why you refused to claim me so soon?" Reece demanded as he took tentative steps forward. "Is that it?" he asked, stopping right in front of Rustom, jabbing a finger at Rustom's chest, "Because this is everywhere but here?"
Rustom swallowed hard. His adam's apple seemed to have been stuck in the middle. He hated this. It was breaking him too. But he had to accept the reality so glaringly obvious now.
"I'm so attracted to you. Reece, believe me. But this whole month... it never went past beyond attraction."
"Fuck you Rustom Vera," the omega gritted. His eyes glistening from contained emotions. “After all the fawning? After all—” Reece closed his eyes briefly, “You've lost your mind. You're refusing your fated mate? You're seriously saying... that I am not enough?"
"Reece you’re more than enough. It’s just… I'm sorry Reece. I'm very sorry."
Shaking his head, Reece took little steps back. "We're fated. You said so yourself—"
"I'm already bonded, fallen without me realizing it Reece," he said, knowing the deep honesty in his own words.
“To whom are you bonded? To that best friend of yours?” Reece laughed, frustrated. “I genuinely wanted you! What the hell am I going to say? That my fated alpha refused me?”
Rustom knew this was unfair. This was unheard of. But better be unfair now than for the rest of their lives.
"It’s been forged all these years. That bond through time for me... turned out stronger than anything else..." And shame on me for realizing it late.
Everything was drenched in a depressing glint of red-orange. The sun was peeking final glances for the day from behind the mountains, completely leaving behind the humid temperature that was growing worse as they approached the middle of summer.
Skye wiped a bead of sweat from his forehead. He just passed a busy street and was finally comforted by the quiet empty lots before he had to come across another busy area within the district. It wasn't that Skye was avoiding people. He was just still tired from the things he found himself into a couple of days back. He was so tired, with no amount of resting easing the heaviness around his heart. It wasn't helping when some nosy and concerned people corner him for questioning. Of course that was inevitable after being hospitalized. To the outside though Skye agreed to just limit it to saying he'd been almost assaulted. By whom, the district betas and advisers with the supreme alpha's decision, was left unmentioned.
Skye knew and understood the purpose of hiding such thing. Women liked Adviser Barron. The young pups adored him too. To tell them he was a two-faced criminal was too much betrayal. What was important for Skye was the man was going to suffer for all his crimes in AD Hounds.
After passing the closed library, he came across the district central park where a huge tent was being set up. A district announcement that the supreme alpha wanted to make personally.
A couple of middle aged ladies were lining up plastic chairs for the officers and elderly. One of them looked up and waved at Skye. Skye nodded in return. As if that was the cue, the woman left her task, beamed, and headed straight to him.
"I heard SA Vera has some important announcements to make," she started with excited glee. "Do you have any idea what it is about?"
Skye smiled uncomfortably. "Uh... to be honest I don't know..."
The lady gave him an expression obviously not convinced. "You're our supreme alpha's closest person. How come you don't know?"
A much younger lady carrying a basket of flowers waltzed in. She flicked her red curls off her shoulders and gave Skye a small curtsy. "Come on Mrs Sasha. SA Vera has been out to Sierra Gena for two days and he comes back with this district meeting. What else could it be but the much awaited claiming announcement?" She looked at the orange-tinged sky with twinkling eyes before looking back at Skye. "It's a match made in heaven. Who would have thought our SA will settle with the rare fated? It's so romantic..."
Skye smiled tightly. Yeah. Romantic. And he's got nothing to do with it. Politely excusing himself, he continued with his lonesome walk towards his escape during his heat. He glanced back to the central park, the view now a tiny glimpse from where he was standing. Since Rustom was going to be busy with the beginning of his new life, there was no way that the man would still come around at the house in the fields. His own personal body guard during his heat would surely be stopping now, now that the man was going to settle down with somebody else.
He shrugged, adjusted his bag on his shoulder and moved slowly. After the district proper, came the much untouched side of Sierra Nadre. The fields he could walk around with his eyes closed became visible. Ahead, still very far was the small house. Somehow there was something different as he approached it. Something lacking. Something missing. How'd he'd survive feeling heavy like this he had no idea. But there wasn't anything to do but to accept this was how his love story would end.
Skye snorted, kicking a small rounded rock along the way. "The first page of my fairytale has 'the end' written all over it," he huffed, mocking himself. "What a story. Maybe I should build a club for all the omegas who had to step back for the fated ones?" He rolled his eyes. "Yeah...
a Facebook group. Yeah, with tags ‘martyrs’ and ‘lifecanbeunfair’."
He allowed himself to laugh. He allowed himself to make light of what was to take place sooner in Sierra Nadre and Sierra Gena. He allowed himself to joke about his feelings. But as soon as he stopped dead on his tracks, standing before the door and watching the dark windows of the little house, he felt hallow. He felt immeasurably sad.
For him, fate still was the result of one's actions. By staying here, he was fated to hurt. But it was his decision no one had forced on him. He'd rather be close to Rustom than far from the man.
"It's okay," he cheered himself. And he failed.
He unlocked the door, headed straight to the second floor and dropped to the bed. He tried to sleep but couldn't. All he did was roll all over the bed as he waited for the torturous heat he had to endure. By the time the room became cloaked with darkness, the first signs of his coming heat finally emerged. Perspiring and thirsty, he rolled off his bed and fumbled with his bag. He uncapped his bottled water, staring at the closed, curtainless glass-paned windows. He decided to push the windows slightly open, allowing a little fresh breeze into the room which was already filling in by his intensifying mating scent.
"The claiming announcement must be over by now..." He tossed the bottle of water to the floor and walked over to the corner of the room. Curling into a ball, he rocked himself. "Being alone during this time is something you need to get used to now."
* * * *
He must have dozed off. His temples pounding from within. His throat dry than a summer in a desert. Skye shook his head, lifting a hand to run over his sweat-slicked neck. He groaned, eyes tracing the tent in his own trousers. When he shifted, the slightest friction of fabric against his overly sensitive skin made him whimper. His eyes glistening from need.
He inhaled. And exhaling slowly, he blearily looked around the room. He must be dreaming. Again.
The familiar bluish tint of moonlight was being soaked up by the room's floor. Moon so large was right outside his window. And Rustom was there, standing by the awning, looking at him. Face so beautiful. Eyes so gold.
Skye smiled as he tried to stand. He'd had this dream multiple times he knew what to expect. He'd had this dream that this was the only place he could be free. Free to step closer. Free to touch. Free to expect that in this fragment of space in his mind, he at least was going to be happy. Cherished. That in this dream at least, Rustom had chosen him.
He waited. He waited because he always knew the Rustom in his dreams would always go over the window. Crossing the barrier of old walls. Crossing that thin line of where to cross and not. And Rustom did.
In a beat they were right in front of each other. And Skye did the first thing that came to his mind. He pressed his face into the man's chest. And inhaled. More than smelling anything, it was the sensation of warmth a morning sun usually had that was filling him in. He closed his eyes and drew in. Another, and another. He inhaled some more, soaking up this comforting scent, somehow easing the discomfort of his heat-muddled brain.
He heard an echo of soft laughter. Felt a pair of strong, calloused hands cupping his jaws. Felt himself being guided away from Rustom. And felt more than saw the distance between them. He was looking up. Rustom was leaning down. They were so close. Close enough for Skye to watch his own wide-eyed expression into the lake of gold that were Rustom's gaze.
There was something deep in those gazes. As if the man was wholly wanting him. As if Rustom Vera was actually acknowledging something else beyond. Skye searched those eyes for longer, before tracing the man's nose down to the man's thin lips. Lips that were coming slowly. Drawing closer. The alpha's mouth lingered just above his, the breath grazing on his own was enough to burn. And Skye, lost into his vivid dream, instinctively parted his lips as he closed his eyes to accept. To savor.
And then their lips touched.
Contrary to the hands Skye could feel digging firmly into his arms, the sensation on his lips was unbelievable. It was of the merest touch. Too delicate. Too feather-like. The man's hold on him loosened, and those large hands began to creep up, crawling their way over to Skye's warm and damp neck. Strong, rough fingers traced Skye's sensitive skin. It was ticklish.
His mouth was hot, his skin unbearably tingly. Something that Skye wasn't expecting to even satisfy him. But it did. He sighed into the man's mouth, breaking the kiss. And he just rested his cheek into the broad chest, letting the man shoulder all his weight as he let go.
When Rustom began threading his fingers lazily into Skye's hair, Skye laughed.
"What's funny?" the voice echoed, somewhat distant. Somewhat vague like it came from underneath deep waters.
Skye chuckled some more, pressing his nose into the taller man's neck. "This dream feels too real."
For a very long moment, the alpha was silent. A soft sigh escaped the man’s lips. Rustom then tipped Skye's chin gently, turning the omega to look at him straight in the eyes.
"Skye... I am real."
* * * *
The soft revelation had Skye stepping back. As if someone tased him, his nerves were prickling, the fine hair on his back standing on end. Scrambling away from the man of his dreams, Skye looked around the room. It was still the old, economical space where he spent the nights he was in heat. The same wrinkled beddings. The empty water bottle he tossed earlier on the floor was still on its rightful place. The only wrong thing inside this place was the very same man standing cautiously by one corner of the room.
Skye shook his head, using his hand to wipe a trickle of sweat running to the side of his face. He looked around, confused and feeling cornered.
"W-what are you doing here? You can't be here," he whispered. His voice a foreign hoarse whisper to him. "You've got a mate... fuck... why did you..." he threw the back of his hand over his lips, still feeling the lingering sensations of that one soft kiss. "Fuck..."
Torn between wanting to throw himself at the alpha so readily available to fill the empty throbbing space in him, and escaping from doing something so irreparable, Skye pedaled back to the wall, sinking down the floor and hugging himself. He knew the act wasn't doing anything in lessening the heady scent coming from him. Rustom had always managed to be clear-headed all this time. But not this close. Not when they're in the same room with only a bed in between them.
"Rustom... get out. You can't be here. What the hell are you thinking?" he whimpered, cursing his own lower body. "You're already in the preparation of claiming Reece. Don't subject yourself in this— this," he groped for words and found none. "My heat is going to cause you and me trouble. Get the hell out!" he shouted, before throwing his head into his knees.
In his very heightened senses, Skye heard the soft padding of bare feet on the floorboards. The very soft rustle of Rustom's clothes as the man began to move. The very calm, steady breathing from the alpha. All the rustling stopped just a foot away from him. Save from his own heavy breathing, and Rustom's calm one, the room was terribly quiet.
When Rustom didn't say anything, Skye dared to lift his gaze up. And he realized Rustom was right in front of him, sitting on his heels.
"I've been guarding you all these years during your heat," Rustom said, his voice with a trace of a smile. "No one on earth knows how to reign themselves better than I do."
Skye gritted his teeth. He wanted to cry. From anger, from humiliation, from need and this stupid want. Why did this man have to kiss him? It will haunt him forever, he was sure. It would torture him. It would turn him bitter. And it would finally drive him insane.
"That would have to change now," Skye said as he looked away. He was suddenly tired and just drained. "Reece... he wouldn't understand this best friend privilege from you."
"Skye... look at me."
But Skye didn't want to. Rustom may have self-control. But his was beginning to wane.
"Please? Look at me."
The sheer sound of begging from Rustom had Skye lifting his eyes from his crossed arms. H
e hesitantly looked at the man's form before him, waiting. He was waiting for whatever good reason this man had for crossing their invisible barrier, kissing him in his heat-induced hallucinations, and still staying when everything in the world said not.
It was obvious the alpha was weighing his words. But for some reason, instead of getting worried, Skye just stared like the idiot he was as he waited. Perhaps it was because of the hint of softness in Rustom's gaze that was calming the recoiling and confused wolf inside him. They allowed the silence of time float between them. A few more seconds. Seconds that turned to minutes. The occasional strong breeze rapped at the widely open windows. A sound of a faraway dog barking made it to their exclusive space.
Rustom finally opened his mouth, his words were too soft. Too unreal. That although Skye had heard every single word, he remained daft and couldn't understand the meaning behind it all.
"You... what?" Skye whispered in shock.
"Reece and I won't be getting married," the alpha replied softly. "I won't be claiming him."
Skye was dumbfounded. His guarded expression dissolving to a very confused one. "What— why? What's going on?"
Rustom gave a short laugh. "Yeah. That's exactly what they asked me earlier. Just... I did a lot of pondering. Fate and what's inside my chest don't coincide. I didn't know it could happen. But here I am."
Skye was confused, his head simmering which completely had nothing to do with his heat. He hastily stood, his weakened legs betraying he ended up falling on his butt instead. For the longest seconds Skye just stared at Rustom like he was seeing him for the first time. The alpha was just regarding him with a small smile. Just looking. Wordless. Waiting.
"Uhm..."
"You know," Rustom started. "I refused my fated mate, the chance of an offspring, because someone has already claimed this," the man glanced at his own broad chest briefly, then looking at Skye he added, "Claimed it completely without him realizing. And without me even knowing. That's what's going on."
