Chapter 11
The hotel room Baal had booked for them was the VIP suite, which Thorn probably should have expected, yet was still surprised by.
If dinner had been unnecessary, booking a lavish room such as this one was definitely way over the top. Didn’t they just need a bed or a single solid surface to do what the alpha had in mind?
“Unless you meant you wanted me to practice being spoiled,” he found himself saying as they moved through the foyer into the main area, “I’m not seeing the point of all this.”
Despite his words, he stopped in the entrance to the living room, mouth opening slightly as he took in the decorations.
It’d been decorated for Yuletide, with holiday lights strung up over large bay windows that overlooked a bustling night city view.
An evergreen tree larger than Thorn’s couch back home sat in the corner of the room, sparkling in the golden overhead lighting.
There were ornaments in whites and blues and silvers, and gold tinsel hanging from thick branches.
“Do you like it?” Baal had paused when he realized Thorn was no longer following, and was watching him by a dark wooden dining room table. There were big, poofy, red bows tied to the back of each chair, and a miniature version of the tree on the table as the centerpiece.
Thorn nodded. “I can’t remember the last time I decorated for the season.”
“You and your brother haven’t?”
“We couldn’t really waste coin on stuff like that.
” When they’d been younger, occasionally their dad would manage to scrounge something up from the dumpsters.
Wrinkled or torn decorations that people no longer wanted.
They’d kept them for as long as they could, but eventually they’d had to admit defeat and toss out the scraps that were left.
Thorn turned back to the big tree. “Aster used to love tinsel.”
It felt weird, talking about something innocent like that while in the presence of the alpha who’d hunted him down this Yuletide. Thorn had spent the holiday on his hands and knees, stuffed with alpha cock, instead of at the hospital celebrating with his sick brother.
At the time, he’d excused it away. Told Aster he was working. It wasn’t entirely a lie, since he’d joined the Hunt to make money in a sense.
Maybe next year…
He was getting ahead of himself.
What? Did he really think the alpha wasn’t going to get sick of him by then? Next year, there’d be another White Hunt. Another running omega.
Another shiny new conquest to replace the old, boring, and used one.
Though Thorn did suppose that would at least mean he’d be free to spend the holiday however he wanted. With no debts to clear, and a broken contract with Baal, he wouldn’t need to—
“Whatever you’re thinking,” the alpha’s growl caught his attention and had Thorn’s eyes widening, “stop.”
“What?”
“You’re too expressive, omega. I can read every emotion in vibrant color.”
Yeah, right. “What was I thinking about then?”
“Escape.”
Thorn blinked.
“Come here.”
Approaching an angry alpha was dangerous, but not seeing a way around it, Thorn tentatively did as he was told, crossing into the dining room area cautiously. When the alpha picked up a box from the table and presented it to him, he frowned.
“What is it?” he asked dumbly.
“A present.”
“For…me?”
“No, it’s for Espen.” Baal rolled his eyes. “Yes, it’s for you. Obviously.”
Thorn took the wrapped box but stared at the alpha, inspecting him. “I don’t think I’ve seen you sulky before.”
“I’m not sulking.”
“Sure.” He totally was, but who was Thorn to argue? Instead, he pulled out a seat at the table and settled into it, putting the box down so he could open the white and silver packaging.
“You don’t have to be so careful with it,” Baal said, noting how Thorn was peeling the folded edges so as not to tear the paper.
“I’ve never gotten a proper gift like this,” he confessed, too excited to even consider keeping that to himself. Even if there was nothing spectacular in the box, getting to unwrap something like this at all was thrilling enough for him.
Baal didn’t complain further, but he didn’t sit either. He hovered, waiting for Thorn to finally slip the paper from the box in concealed and set it off to the side.
The box was black, square, and around eight by eight inches. He couldn’t even begin to guess what was inside, and even though it was embarrassing, he hesitated with his fingers on the lid.
“What are you so afraid of?” Baal whispered, keeping his voice down as though afraid to ruin whatever moment Thorn had found himself in.
“What if I don’t like it?”
“Ah,” the alpha chuckled knowingly. “You’re afraid you will. Don’t glare at me, omega. Open it and find out. I promise I won’t be mad at you either way.”
Thorn lifted the lid and placed it to the side, then glanced at the contents, breath catching in his throat.
A leather collar was nestled against black velvet. It was white, with a thick band at least two inches high. The strap widened with a point at the center, with a silver ring attached to the middle.
Carefully, he removed it from the box, catching sight of the more delicate details.
The buckle at the back, where the strip grew narrower, was also silver.
On one side, a small dagger resting on a snowflake was etched into the leather, and on the other, there was a tiny rose.
Neither would be that noticeable from a distance; someone would have to be standing pretty close to make it out.
“You don’t have a claiming mark to cover,” Baal said, and there was something Thorn couldn’t place in his tone, “but this will keep people from gossiping about things they shouldn’t.”
Collars were gifted to both omegas and alphas by their significant others, but only if a relationship was serious.
Usually, that meant it was so serious they’d already exchanged mating bites, or were planning on doing so soon.
Technically, omegas didn’t have to bite alphas back for the claim to hold, but happy couples did it.
“You want me to wear this?” That meant the alpha planned on taking Thorn out in public. Show him around. The collar would prevent anyone from seeing the unmarred skin on his neck. They wouldn’t know he hadn’t been bitten.
“Not all the time,” Baal explained.
“But sometimes?”
“Yes.” He tipped his head. “Will you, omega?”
Thorn traced the etching of the rose with his fingernail. “No one has ever offered me a collar before.”
It was a pretty big deal. Maybe not on some planets, in other cultures, but on Synastry…
Was the alpha maybe actually planning on keeping him long-term after all?
“Let me help you put it on.” Baal took a step closer.
“No.”
The alpha froze.
“No, that’s not…I didn’t mean…” Thorn had never struggled with words before. “I’ll wear it,” he promised. “I just…want to look at it a little longer…Can I?”
Baal noticeably softened, and when he reached out to run his fingers through the hair at the base of Thorn’s skull, he didn’t pull away. “Of course.”
Pathetic. Did he seem pathetic? Like some stupid prospectless omega finally getting tossed a bone and going ravenous over it. But he couldn’t help it. Thorn had resigned himself to being alone. Had figured he’d never be gifted something as precious and meaningful as a collar long before then.
He’d dated that asshole for three years, and not only had the topic of mating been swept aside every time Thorn had tried bringing it up, but any attempts he’d made at suggesting collars had been completely ignored.
The worst part was that he couldn’t even blame his ex. Wearing someone’s collar was a public display of affection. A statement that let others know you belonged to someone already.
Why would anyone want the world to know someone like Thorn was their omega?
He’d been dirt poor, with a sick sibling and a drunkard father.
He wasn’t the type of person someone could be proud of having at their side.
Thorn must have sat there for a while, because when he finally managed to tear his gaze off the gift, Baal was nowhere to be seen.
Standing, he went to go find him, clutching the collar in one hand as he moved through the large open space to the back.
As soon as he turned a corner, he found the alpha in the kitchen.
Silently, he entered, stopping on the other side of a breakfast bar as he watched the other man heat milk on the stove.
“I’m making white hot chocolate,” Baal announced, catching him off guard since it hadn’t seemed like the alpha was aware he’d walked in. “It’s a little sweeter than the regular stuff, but also got some nutty notes that help balance the flavor out, if that makes sense.”
“I’ve had it before.” Once or twice, and always the cheap powder brand.
“Not like this,” he said, as though reading Thorn’s mind. He’d already set two glass mugs to the side, and after stirring the concoction in the pot, he filled one. “Careful, it’s hot.”
Thorn reached for the mug that was set in front of him, placing the collar on the table next to it, but a safe distance in case he spilled. He hadn’t spilled a drink since he was a child, but he wasn’t taking any chances.
He blew on the surface of the drink a couple of times and then tested it, clutching it closer after the first sip. “This is so good.”
“Should we make that the word of the day?” Baal cryptically suggested, turning around, holding his own steaming mug.
“Good wine. Good food. Good drinks.” The smirk he gave clued Thorn into the fact the conversation was about to take a turn for the devious.
“Now all that’s left is for you to be a good omega, riding his alpha’s cock. ”
“I have a better idea.” Thorn set the drink down and stood, reaching for the collar. He put it on as he headed around the counter separating them, adjusting the buckle and securing it just as he reached the underboss’s side. “I don’t have a gift for you in return, but I can give you a ring.”
“A ring?” Baal’s brow shot up when Thorn reached for his fly and then dropped to his knees before him.