“Whatever happened has something to do with how I am.”
“Jamue… nothing…” He looked pained. Jamue dropped the takeout box on the couch and walked to him.
“Just tell me. I have a right to know. Whatever happened, happened to me. Please tell me. I need to know what's wrong with me.”
“It's no use,” Sirhe said, pulling him into a tight hug.
“Don’t say that,” Jamue sobbed. “Please Sirhe, tell me.”
“He’s planning a party…a prebonding ceremony party.” Sirhe sighed. “He wants both families to meet. I told him it was a bad idea, but he insisted. He was testing the menu when he baked the pastries. The invitations will be sent out by the end of the week. He’s planning the party for after the alpha king’s inauguration. He doesn’t want to compete with such a high-profile event. It’s going to be huge. He wants your bond to go public.”
Jamue stepped out of his brother’s embrace and returned to the couch. He was doomed.
To think, he’d walked away from his only chance to get out of this fiasco that morning.
He buried his face in his hands and screamed. His screams turned into uncontrollable sobs that shook his body.
“Fuck, Jamue,” Sirhe rushed to him. He wrapped his arms around him and held him until he stopped crying.
Jamue lifted his head and stared into space. He felt lost, pressured, and suffocated. His lungs ached, probably from all the crying, but it felt like there was no air around him.
“Are you okay?” Sirhe asked.
Jamue shook his head. “How can I be when you won’t help me.”
Sirhe opened his mouth to say something, but he quickly closed it. “I’m sorry.”
“What is it for this time?”
Before he could answer, a buzzing sound echoed around them.
“What’s that?”
Jamue cleared his throat and got to his feet. “It’s the door.”
He wiped his tears away as he walked to the wall next to the stairs, where a screen displayed the front of the building. He stared at the screen and gasped.
“What?” Sirhe walked to him. “What is it?”
“What is he doing here?”
A shiver scuttled down his spine at the sight of the alpha. He wasn’t sure if he was excited or anxious to see him, but he felt something. The alpha made him feel confused and overwhelmed.
“He? Who?” Sirhe came to a stop next to him. “It's… oh shit… what is he doing here?” He shouted, recoiling.
That was odd, Jamue thought, staring at his brother.
Why would he react like that?
“Do you know him?”
Sirhe looked uncomfortable for a second before he recovered. “I…technically no. I’ve seen him around. Do you know him?”
Jamue’s cheeks burned.
“I…” Lie, he told himself. “I met him during our opening day. He came with his brother. They bought a couple of cylinders.”
“Now, he’s back.” He sounded intrigued.