“Communes? You can’t go back there. Why don’t you get bonded? That alpha…” Mac snapped his fingers. “You met him when we came to the Capital that first time, remember?”
“Yes, but that’s not what you think.”
Mac frowned. “No? He looked nice-ish, and I thought...”
Nice-ish? He wouldn’t say that about the alpha Master Rosh sent to fetch him. The alpha was a little scary and aloof. He barely spoke to him.
“Was I wrong?”
“Yes. He was…” Jamue trailed off as the door was pushed open, and their newly appointed assistant rushed inside, looking frazzled as he looked over his shoulder at someone.
Jamue gasped as his father walked through the door.
“I told him we’re not receiving any visitors right now, but he insisted,” Nava said.
His father’s eyes landed on him, brimming with disapproval.
“Is that…?” Mac asked, looking from him to his father. “The resemblance is uncanny, except for…”
His birthmark, Jamue finished for him.
He turned to their rattled assistant. His father could be a bit much when he chose to be.
“It's fine, Nava. Go and make sure everything is set up in the reception area,” he nudged him towards the door. He turned to Mac, silently asking him for a moment alone.
Mac nodded. “I’ll go with Nava.”
His father stared at him before he looked around him – taking in the distilling machine, delivery bots, and ending up at his desk. His face was pensive. Jamue wondered if he was proud of him.
He held his breath waiting…
His father turned to him with the same disapproving look in his eyes. A stab of pain went through him, but he didn’t let it take root.
I don’t need his approval.
Jamue turned and walked to the desk.
He pulled out his chair and sat down. His father walked close to the desk. Jamue nervously touched his pad. He knew why he was here. Master Rosh must have connected with him.
Honestly, he’d thought he'd tell them right after he met with him that night, but he hadn’t.
But since his father was here… he must have told his parents that they didn’t want to bond each other.
“When are you coming home?” he asked.
“Father, I’m not coming back.”
“What do you mean? We have to prepare for your bonding ceremony.”
What bonding ceremony?
His lungs constricted.
“I came to fetch you.”
No. Jamue shook his head. “I spoke to Master Rosh there’s no…”
“Stop making excuses, Jamue. You can’t take back your word now. Do you know what it took for your dad and me to ask him to consider you again?”