“Baby, what? Are you feeling sick? Did I go too far?” Hym tried to move away from him. But he held on.
“Don’t go. Hold me,” Jamue begged.
“Are you sure? I don’t want to make you worse.”
“Please,” he whined, needing his hands all over him. His scent, his claiming mark. He needed him to fill the desperate and needy void inside him. He tugged on his shirt.
Hym conceded. He dropped down next to him and wrapped his arms around him. Jamue sighed and leaned into him. He breathed in his scent. Hym murmured comforting words. He smoothed his hand over his body, caressing him.
"Sleep, baby. I’ve got you,” he said. Jamue nodded and cuddled closer into him, drifting away.
Distantly, he heard Hym’s connector going off. Seconds later, he felt his lips on his cheek.
“I have to go. Get some sleep. I’ll be back soon.” He kissed his cheek, and then he was gone. Jamue drifted back to sleep.
When he woke up again, it was already morning. And he had one thing on his mind. He had to find Holi.
He got out of bed and picked up his clothes. He pulled his connector out of his pocket and pressed Mac’s code.
“I can’t believe you left without saying bye to your alpha last night,” he said as soon as he completed the connection.
“Sorry, I didn’t feel well.”
“I saw you talking to your father. He said something to hurt you, didn’t he?” Mac asked protectively. “I wanted to come to you, but Deltta said I shouldn’t interfere in your family affairs.”
“I understand,” Jamue said, hurt.
Mac was his family. But his alpha was trying to protect him. Jamue wondered if he would allow him to help him now. “I need your help to find my cousin. I saw him last night. His name is Holi. He was working for the company that served food at the inauguration. Is it possible…”
“I’ll ask him.”
The connector went silent in his ear. He stared at it with a smile. Mac was the best thing that ever happened to him. Jamue was glad to have him in his life.
He put on his clothes and went to his room to get ready.
He wanted to leave the house as soon as he got information on Holi.
Excitement thrummed through his veins at the thought of confirming his hunch that Hym was his mate.
Jamue prayed his parents had nothing to do with what happened, hoped they didn't hurt his mate to get him to bond with Master Rosh.
“They wouldn’t do that,” he said to the empty room. But his father scared him sometimes.
He wasn’t a bad person…he believed he was doing what was best for him.
"Was he, though?" Jamue asked, irritated with himself.
He was doing it again, making excuses, allowing his father to control everything.
Taking his mate away from him...his life...his face...his joy...his everything. He was living a lie -Hym didn't know his true face.
It had to stop.
Jamue shoved to his feet and ran to the washroom. He stared at himself in the mirror, taking in the flawless skin, stormy grey eyes and perfectly styled black hair - the illusion of perfection created by his father for Master Rosh.
Jamue growled, turned and headed for the clothing cubicle. He took out the solution and poured a generous amount into his hand. He rubbed it on half of his face and peeled off the strip.
He walked into the washroom and washed his face.He stared at the mirror, taking in the mark.