Their Forbidden Bonds

Chapter Two

Damien's Pov

The bus that was ferrying us into the city was pretty quiet, with the radio a quiet buzz in the distance, lulling most of the men to sleep.

My seatmate, a young alpha, barely an adult, was already drooling and snoring. Unlike everyone else, I was wide awake despite my late night being already used to a packed schedule.

I looked outside the window, watching the sunrise and the skyscrapers in the distance reflecting the morning light.

At that moment, the driver upped the volume on the radio and the broadcast streamed in.

In news that has been a headline, it has been twenty days since the disappearance of Merrick Danes, and the nationwide search for him is still unsuccessful. A new discovery states that he was a ……

The bus hit a pothole, and the radio signal wavered. The broadcast cut out abruptly, and the news report was replaced by static before turning back in when the bus settled.

In more exciting news, in just forty-five days, Princess Nuru will be presented to the public for the first time. This is a momentous occasion for our kingdom, and excitement is building as the day approaches. Citizens from all over have been counting down the days, eager to get the first glimpse at their princess.

The more than enthusiastic radio presenter went on and all I could do was roll my eyes. There were many more important things to focus on than the parading of a royal omega.

What was occupying my thoughts was Amira’s ultimatum on whether I wanted her to be my omega. Our conversation played in my mind on a loop. She was an omega I had watched and admired from afar for a long time and had finally gotten the guts to approach.

Putting the thoughts on a back burner, I focused on the day ahead of me and to worry about it later in the evening.

The day would take a turn for the worse with my employer laying off some workers and I was among those laid off.

The news had been a hard hit and I decided to stew in my sorrows in the company of my best friend.

A small wooden sign ‘Bane Brew’ that had been eaten away by termites and whose paint had chipped off came to view, signaling my destination.

The small pub was tucked away in a dark alleyway, its entrance hidden by a tattered curtain. The walls were stained with years of smoke and the air was thick with the smell of stale beer.

My eyes stung from the smoke that decorated the bar like a layer of mist as I looked through the darkened room for my friend, Victor.

I had texted him earlier, needing company for the night.

The patrons were a rough-looking bunch, all alphas who lived in the slums. They sat hunched over their drinks, their faces etched with weariness and despair.

I spotted Victor at the back, as he waved me over, having started the party without me. It had been weeks since we had seen each other, each of us busy trying to make ends meet.

“Hey man,” I grunted the greeting while giving him a slap on his back.

“Hey,” he replied, pushing the mug of beer he had already ordered for me.

I settled beside him as we both quietly sipped our drinks. The beer was strong and bitter, but it went down smoothly and I felt the tension in my shoulders start to melt away.

I was responsible on most days, not wasting the few coins I earned in such establishments, but today was one of those days.

Not only was I unemployed, but Amira had the previous day said she would not accept my courtship until I paid her courting price. The amount she had said her Alpha father had set was exuberant.

But the heart wanted what it wanted.

It was either I paid up or I ran the risk of losing the only omega who I liked and seemed to like me back. More like tolerate me at best, but I was a beggar with only one shaky choice which I would fight tooth and nail to get.

I swallowed another bitter sip of the concoction, letting the warmth wash down my throat while surveying my other counterparts in the den. My best friend Victor was lost in his own thoughts, just like I was.

“The Princess is going to be presented soon,’’ an Alpha in the corner shouted while the rest growled in frustration and disinterest. That seemed to be the most interesting bit of information going around.

That was another useless function that the Kingdom was going to spend exuberant amounts of money on when it could have been channeled to better things.

Wolves outside the city were starving, jobs were hard to come by, and the few available jobs paid a pittance. In fact, to call the pay peanuts would be an understatement. It was more like paying workers with grains of sand.

“They live in those castles shielded from all the problems their citizens are facing just to call on us whenever they need to parade one of their shiny omegas,’’ Victor spat the sentiment, getting a few heads turning and clapping in the process.

I shared in his sentiment, bitter about everything, too.

On a normal day, I would join in on the bashing, but I was nursing a broken heart. My conversation with Amira still played in my mind and her ultimatum to mate me.

Fifty gold coins in omega bride price was what her parents had set, and she was not budging on that either. Truly not a small price for true love.

With my odd jobs, it would take more than four years to come up with the money in between taking care of my sisters and mother. I must have sighed outwardly and loud enough as I was met by Victor’s concerned eyes.

“What’s going on with you?

You have been quiet today.”

I shrugged, not wanting to share my burden with my friend, knowing he had his own issues to deal with.

“You know a problem shared is a problem half solved, don’t you?’’

He continued, not letting me off the hook.

“ It’s about Amira,’’ I replied, tired and not as excited as I usually was whenever I spoke about her.

“You finally grew a pair and talked to her, I see,’’ he grinned and winked while bumping my shoulder.

The darkness hid my blush as I nodded. It had taken a lot of courage on my end to approach her, despite having known her for a long time.

She was among the teachers at the school my sisters attended. With enough run-ins, we had gotten acquainted, and that was how my feelings may have been born.

Was it love or an obsession for the one omega who gave me the time of day? I wondered.

I didn’t know, but I knew that I wanted to be with her. I wanted to get to know her better, to learn everything I could about her.

I wanted to make her laugh, to see her smile. I wanted to be the one who made her happy.

And also hoped she could be the person who did the same thing for me.

“So what seems to be the problem?’’ Victor inquired.

“Shouldn’t you be celebrating? Let me get you another mug,’’ he continued, trying to whistle down the one waiter who was looking pretty overwhelmed by the turnout. We were not the only ones drowning our sorrows for the night in the best way we could.

I shook my head and stopped him.

“Aha! Did she reject your proposal?’’ he asked, as it finally dawned on him that things had not gone well.

“I can’t afford the omega courting price,’’ I replied, taking a swig of the beer, trying to hide the hurt in my voice. Silence welcomed my response. He knew of my financial situation just like I did his as we were among the very noticeably aging alphas who were yet to get mates.

“I have an idea,’’ he replied after some time, ever the solution finder.

Victor was just like that. He was not the friend that just offered a listening ear, he just found solutions for whatever. Right now I would have appreciated a listening ear most.

Someone to tell my fears of the future and the crippling loneliness I felt. My sisters and mother saw me as a provider and telling them of the thoughts that consumed me of late would just burden them and make them feel guilty.

“What is it?’’ I asked after finishing the last of my beer, ready to leave after our brief conversation.

“I know how much you want to mate, Amira. I know of a job in the city that pays better,’’ he continued.

“What is it?’’ I asked. I had done everything there was to do, from construction, cleaning, farming, table waiting, pup sitting. Everything was on my resume. Nothing too big or too small for me as long as I made some money.

“Before you say no, listen. There is this brothel I know,’’ I stood up, already refusing. I was desperate, but not that desperate. I had nothing against those who worked there, but that wasn’t for me.

I wanted to save that part of myself just for my mate and no one else.

“With the pay, you can support and come up with the money in less than two years,’’ Victor hissed, not wanting anyone to listen to our conversation.

“And why aren’t you there?’’ I asked without so much thought about my question that I knew the very answer to it.

“My parents,’’ he replied. Both his parents were ailing and in their old age and, since he was their only child, taking care of them had fallen on him. With no relatives, he was all they had. Caregivers were out of the question, too expensive in between the hospital visits and medicine.

“Sit, please,’’ he pleaded as he pulled me down.

“Your sisters and mother can take care of themselves as long as you send them some money. I don’t know why you are thinking so much about it. “

Did I need to point out that I was not a conventionally attractive Alpha? The lack of omegas swarming me spoke for itself.

“You are not as ugly as you think, ’’ he continued, as if reading my mind, taking my jaw and moving my face side to side, accessing me.

My face was nothing to write home about. Hours of working outside had me tanned over time. My mismatched eye color and the grays in my hair were other things.

“And that 'saving yourself for your omega' thing you have going on, let it rest. Your omega could be getting the best s*x of her life at this moment.’’ he continued, never one to mince his words.

That was why he was my closest friend. He knew so much about me and maybe it was the wake-up call I needed.

“Think about it okay,’’ he finally asked, and I nodded before getting up and heading toward the exit. Drinks were on him today. He would settle the bill.

At the entrance, I fished my phone out of my pocket and glanced at the cracked screen.

It was 9:00 PM. I had an hour before my shift at a small eatery where I cleaned and did the dishes. I stepped out into the chilly night, my breath fogging in the air, and I shivered, pulling my coat tighter around me.

I couldn’t just keep working at the same dead-end jobs. I needed to make something of myself. If I wanted to get Amira, something had to give.