Prologue
Jamue
It was finally happening. The meeting was tonight. And he wasn’t ready.
Jamue’s mouth turned dry as he stared out the pod speeding down the airway. He reached for the collar of his fancy long shirt and pulled, unable to breathe.
“Jamue?” his omega father touched his hand. “Are you alright?”
No. I’m suffocating.
But he didn’t say that. He willed his body to calm down and turned to his father. Poised and relaxed beside him, his father looked breath-taking in a shimmering blue long shirt and matching pants.
The colour complimented his black hair and grey eyes. Jamue prided himself on looking like him, except for the birthmark on his face. The mark took up half of his face, making him look like he wore a mask.
Not that anyone would know; he rarely went out in public without his concealing strip. He hated hiding his mark, but his parents insisted.
“Only a perfect and flawless omega attracts the best bond from a powerful family.” His omega father’s words echoed in his mind. He’d hammered those words into him ever since he was young. He had to be perfect and flawless for his alpha.
The one he was going to meet tonight.
A nervous energy coursed through his veins making him tremble.
Breathe, he told himself.
“Jamue?”
“I’m fine, father.”
His father touched his cheek softly. “Don’t worry. I taught you everything you need to know to please your alpha. He’s going to love you. You’re beautiful when you smile. Don't forget.”
Jamue forced a smile to his lips.
“See,” his father beamed at him, squeezing his hand.
“Will dad be there?” He hoped so. His scent would soothe him.
“Yes, your brother too. We’re merging our families; everyone should be there." His father sighed. “I would have preferred your first meeting to be private, but a social gathering will do too. Your alpha wants you to meet naturally to avoid an investigation from the council of alphas, even though we arranged your bond a while ago."
Of course, it looked suspicious for it to happen now, considering his first heat was five days away.
His parents had no choice but to move up the date. They were trying to protect him.
Jamue clenched his jaw as he thought of the law the council of alphas passed five months ago after the massive scandal that caused their Alpha King, Deltta Kohle, to be removed from office last year. All omegas about to enter their first heat cycles had to live in commune houses, whether they wanted to or not.
The law caused a lot of panic across the planet. While some omegas complied, others didn’t. They ran away, only for the authorities to force them into the communes.
It was a disaster.
Wealthy families scrambled to save their omegas, bonding them off to alphas.
Now it was his turn.
If it wasn’t for his fast-approaching heat, Jamue would have begged for more time. He wasn't ready to belong to an alpha.
But he had no choice.
Jamue sighed.