My Omega Mate

Chapter 7 - Jamie

Jamie stood perfectly still, his instinct telling him even one wrong move could cost him his life. He had always had a very acute sense of danger, so he made sure to avoid threats or turn himself into an unworthy target. But in this case, there was nowhere to run or hide and he himself was the reason for the almost palpable anger oozing from the man behind him.

He could barely think straight out of fear, trying to decipher what the alpha’s words meant. If he wasn’t planning on rejecting him, was he planning on killing him to break the bond? Or was he saying that…

Jamie could feel the alpha’s breath tickling his neck and for a moment, he wondered what it would feel like to be claimed. It would take only one bite, only one moment of pain, and he’d be tied to this person forever. It might be worth going through it just to feel that sensation for a few seconds if he were to die tonight. To fully belong with someone for the first time in his life.

“Do you realize,” the alpha whispered with a tense, hoarse voice full of struggle, “what you did just now? Do you realize what can happen to you if I lose control, even for a second?” His breath was so hot and his lips were so close to Jamie’s neck that he felt his body betraying him. He couldn’t think straight ever since walking into the room with his heart galloping like crazy. Now that he was enveloped in his mate’s delicious scent and the thrill of their kiss still lingered on his lips, he wasn’t at all surprised as he felt himself getting turned on while his legs grew weaker. He wasn’t sure he could refuse anything that man asked of him. He wasn’t sure he wanted to. “Turn around.”

Jamie swallowed the lump in his throat, turning around slowly, very slowly. He hesitated before looking up, gasping with panic as his gaze met the alpha’s. His mate’s eyes were shining in bright yellow, almost as if he was about to lose his rational thought and turn into a rogue. And if that happened, Jamie was done for. He couldn’t even protect himself against a regular rogue, an alpha one could tear him apart even before he could cry for help.

“Do you really want to be rejected?” the alpha asked in the same quiet, breathless voice and Jamie felt his chest tighten painfully as they kept staring at each other.

Of course, he didn’t want to be rejected. Who in their right mind would? But being rejected was better than being dead and if his pack found he was mated to the alpha, they were going to kill him or keep him hostage just for that fact alone. That was, if the man in front of him didn’t end him first.

His mate wasn’t gay, he said so himself. He had never been attracted to men, so this situation was probably driving him insane. Not to mention making him repulsed, maybe even offended. And Jamie had just kissed him because he didn’t want to be thrown away before he could even get a brief taste of the complete bliss his mate’s lips promised. His selfish wish was going to be his undoing. All he could do now was calm him down until he was back in control, and then run away.

“I-I-I’m sorry, it was f-f-f-foolish to do that after what you said,” Jamie said quickly, raising his hands in front of his chest to show full surrender. “Please, d-don’t be mad. This-s-situation is not what you think.”

“Huh?” the alpha said, confusion overtaking his features. The yellow in his eyes slowly faded, but didn’t disappear completely. It was working though, he was calming down so Jamie just had to tell him what he wanted to hear. The words were hard to come out and his chest grew even heavier, but he forced a small smile on his face, repeating in his head that this was for the best. The best for his mate.

“The mate bond,” Jamie said quickly, sensing his throat tightening even more. He stubbornly continued, hoping he was saying the right thing this time. “The mate bond it’s not a-a-always between lovers! I-i-it could be between friends and family, between like-minded people who understand each other perfectly, as if they were operating on the same frequency. So you d-d-don’t have to feel so conflicted.”

Jamie held his breath, waiting for the last of yellow to drain away from his mate’s beautiful dark eyes, when they suddenly flared in bright orange. A shudder passed through Jamie’s body when he realized he said the wrong thing again and a second later, a big hand grabbed his face, the alpha’s long fingers digging into Jamie’s cheeks almost painfully.

“Conflicted?” the Alpha repeated, and the smile that appeared on his lips scared Jamie more than any of the expressions Alpha Hunter had ever made, even when he was angry. “No, James. My head is very clear. Ever since I felt the pull, all I wanted to do was bite that pretty neck of yours and claim what is mine. All day, all I could think about was bringing you here and marking every single part of your body so no one else would even think of touching you. The reason I didn’t do it is not because I am confused about your gender or about what I want. It’s because if I do it, everything is going to become very complicated.” Jamie felt the alpha’s forefinger move over his cheek, rubbing against his lower lip before forcing its way into Jamie’s mouth. His finger pressed onto Jamie’s tongue and he obediently opened his mouth more, staring helplessly at his mate, whose eyes were overflowing with possessive longing.

It was all the same, with all of them. Even his mate. How cruel.

He wasn’t sure if it was their awareness of their own strength or the fact that they knew he couldn’t resist them that made them all treat him this way, but every single man that had reached out for his body — alpha, beta, or a warrior — they all wore that same hungry expression. It hadn’t bothered him until now because he had chosen not to see it. He had chosen to pretend it was something he decided for himself, even if he wasn’t the one in control.

But to see that expression on his mate’s face, he couldn’t bear it. Disgust filled his chest and made his head spin, and he felt his eyes watering. He tried to hold back his fear and disappointment, he was sure that the alpha could smell them clearly, but it was like the faucet had broken down and he no longer had control over his emotions.

The alpha pulled his hand away suddenly, turning his back to Jamie and moving toward his desk. Jamie leaned on the door, his feet shaking so much he wasn’t sure how long he could stand up on his own.

“Get out,” his mate snarled in a low, shaky voice. “Get out!”

Jamie jumped and reached for the handle, turning it gingerly and sprinting out of the room. He didn’t bother to close the door; he didn’t even bother to slow down as he reached the stairs. He tripped on the last one and fell face-first onto the ground, pain spreading through his lip and the taste of blood filling his mouth.

Gritting his teeth, he got up to his feet with a grunt and sprinted back through the corridor they had come from, through the yard, and through the wide-open doors of the Omega Quarters. He didn’t stop until he reached his room. He didn’t even slow down when somebody shouted after him.

Once he was inside the room, he locked the door and leaned on it. He knew full well that even a stronger omega could take it down if they decided to, but when nobody tried to, he let out a sigh of relief, slumping on the ground and wrapping his arms around his knees. His mouth was pulsating with pain and he could feel his lip getting swollen, but he didn’t care.

What had just happened? Why did he change his tune all of the sudden and send him away when just a few seconds earlier he looked like he was about to f**k him right against that door? Was it the tears? Did his rational thought come back — or just the opposite, did it drift further and further away? That’s the last thing everybody here needed — a feral alpha on the loose.

Why did the Moon Goddess have to pair them together?

Jamie rolled to his hands and knees and crawled into the bathroom, grabbing onto the sink and pulling himself up. He slipped his clothes off with trembling fingers, stepping under the shower and turning on the cold water. As the icy droplets hit his head and back, he flinched. He stayed still under their onslaught until he was drenched and shivering, but his heart had calmed down and his head had cleared.

He never should have left this room or opened his mouth. He should have only answered the questions obediently and waited for the outcome. What was he supposed to do tomorrow, then? He had to go and attend to Alpha Hunter and the others, but his mate… no, the other alpha would be there, too. What if he did something?

Jamie slammed his fist into the wall, wincing as pain spread through his hand.

“Damn fool!” he murmured to himself. He was just about to curse some more when a loud howl filled the night, so angry and terrifying, Jamie shuddered again. It didn’t take a genius to know who that belonged to.

He had majorly pissed off an alpha. His fate was going to be decided tomorrow, one way or another. And he didn’t feel very hopeful about the outcome.