Chapter 2
“You’re sulking again.” Sarang kept his eyes on the road as he drove them down the windy path that cut through the forest. Night had settled, casting shadows skittering from the headlights as they passed.
Shiloh caught his expression illuminated in the reflection of the passenger side window when they drove beneath one of several street lamps, and his mouth thinned in further displeasure.
He was pissed because of his reaction—over a gods damn bug bite—and how foolishly he’d tipped his hand in that one moment of weakness.
One moment, to add to millions of others exactly like it.
When it came to the man at his side, Shiloh turned pathetic.
Weak.
Snuffing him out, and this attachment along with it, would be the wise decision, and yet he didn’t even entertain the possibility. He’d long since accepted his fate where Sarang was concerned.
But if he was doomed to be a puppet on a string, he sure as shit wasn’t going to be the only one.
His mother had raised him to conquer, long before he’d presented as omega.
Even after, she’d been adamant he never allow that to stand in his way, and while their relationship had been tumultuous at best, Shiloh wasn’t about to disappoint her in that regard.
The alpha at his side was imposing, probably came off as intimidating to everyone else at a single glance. Tall, blond hair pulled into a bun, clean shaven, in a nice suit. Sarang could be scary, he wouldn’t have been made underboss if that weren’t the case, but Shiloh knew the truth of him.
The older man was a teddy bear. Soft. Built to comfort more than anything.
A damn romantic.
If only he’d stop drawing so many lines in the sand and let Shiloh fucking cuddle him.
Stupid, irritating, attractive alpha.
“I told you not to come.” It was easier to pretend like that was the reason for his poor mood, especially since he knew Sarang would fall for it.
Sure enough, the alpha’s hands noticeably tightened on the steering wheel, but just when Shiloh started getting his hopes up that he’d get a real reaction, all the tension drained out of Sarang as quickly as it’d appeared.
“You shouldn’t be away from home for this long,” Sarang said plainly. “I was instructed to bring you back.”
“I was literally at my old house,” he pointed out. “And like hell Kian ordered you to come here. You’re the underboss. Surely there are better things for you to be doing than following me all the way to another planet.”
The Dominus of the Eumia had been raised by an adoptive family on the neighboring planet Glyph. Once his position as leader had been secured, Kian had insisted on relocating their main branch. Shiloh and Sloane had gone along with it since the change seemed to offer better opportunities.
Laws were stricter there, and based more on fairness and justice, whereas the rules on Synastry still favored alphas and procreation above all else, including omega comfort.
Shiloh didn’t mind being omega, but it’d be a lie to say being one on this planet didn’t have its drawbacks.
“Technically, I was sent to check on the local branch,” Sarang informed him, completely unaware how something inside of Shiloh splintered at that revelation. “Since I was coming anyway, it made sense that I retrieve you. What were you doing?”
“What do you mean?” He crossed his arms and slid down in his seat, resting his forehead against the cool glass.
Sarang was silent for a moment and then replied, “Diogenes’ car was in the lot.”
“Jealous?” It was petty and pointless to instigate him.
Shiloh was never able to get a rise out of the alpha.
Tonight would be no different.
“Have you decided then?” Sarang’s voice dipped lower…or…maybe it didn’t. Maybe it was all in Shiloh’s head.
Maybe he was merely hearing what he wanted to hear.
Pathetic.
Weak.
Normal.
Good Light how he hated these moments of supposed normalcy.
And craved them all the same.
“Going to have to be more specific,” Shiloh said, which caused Sarang to frown.
“You’re acting strange tonight.”
“Strange how?” He knew how. He was snippy and less composed. But for the life of him, he couldn’t summon the usual veneer. Purging all that pent up rage downstairs had really done a number on him, and he felt exhaustion slip into his body.
Maybe a part of him was also hung up on Dio’s words.
That he never stood a chance with Sarang because the alpha didn’t really know him.
That he wouldn’t stand a chance with him the second he did.
A part of Shiloh, a desperate, needy part, wanted to prove him wrong.
“Is it because of him?” the alpha pushed.
“Him?”
“Diogenes.”
“What about him?”
“Shiloh.”
He rolled his eyes, then straightened in his seat and turned to face the alpha. “I’m honestly not following, Rang. Ask me plainly.”
“Diogenes was there tonight,” he stated, “with you.”
“Yes? And?”
“You told everyone you wanted space, yet welcomed him into your private territory. Does that mean you’ve decided to accept him?”
“Accept…” Shiloh blinked at him, momentarily caught off guard. “You knew about his feelings for me?”
Sarang grunted. “He’s hardly subtle about it. Everyone knows.”
Did they?
The two of them were going to have to have a talk about that later, but for now…
“Why would you think, even for a second, that I would ever accept someone like him?” Shiloh asked.
“Someone…like him?” He frowned. “I don’t understand. He’s a legacy member of the Eumia, who you’ve grown up with. He’s high standing—”
Shiloh snorted. “Yet you, after only three years with us, became the underboss instead of him.”
“That was your doing, not mine.”
“Upset, alpha?” Shiloh tipped his head in his direction, grateful for the darkness that helped hide his expression. He wouldn’t be wearing one of those sappy, soft looks he had to fit over his face so often. “Regretting your decision to follow my orders and rise in the ranks?”
Ever since their chance meeting at the salt farm, Sarang had acted as Shiloh’s righthand.
That somewhat changed when he’d been given the position of underboss, but it’d been necessary.
If Shiloh and Sloane were going to give up the throne, they at least needed people they could trust as close to it as possible.
Sarang was loyal to the mafia and to Kian.
But he always put Shiloh first, and didn’t keep that a secret.
“No,” Sarang said. “Being underboss means I can better protect you.”
“Protect me,” he sneered it before he could help it.
“Why do you sound like that?”
“I’m tired.” There’d been slipups in the past, of course. He was a good actor, but he was no god. Tonight was particularly obvious though, and he used his exhaustion as a suitable excuse just to get the alpha off his back.
Watching Kian dote on his new mate was proving detrimental to Shiloh’s mental health. He was irritable, prone to outbursts, and envious. So envious, in fact, it was a wonder the world wasn’t doused in green, what with how thoroughly he was consumed by the emotion.
Why did Kian get it all?
Was it because he was alpha?
Shiloh had never minded being omega, but now…He had doubts, and he didn’t like that. There was only one person in the entire universe who truly knew and understood him, and that was himself. The second he started second guessing things, he was doomed.
“Too tired to discuss Diogenes?” Sarang asked.
He seriously wasn’t going to let this go.
“What? Hopeful I’ll take another alpha so you can finally be free of me?”
“I wish you wouldn’t say things like that, Prince. It puts me in a bad place.”
Shiloh rolled his eyes. “You think I’ll punish you if you admit it?”
“I think,” he began slowly, as though trying to find the right words, “you’re the prince and I’m merely the underboss.”
“Which still puts you miles above Dio.”
“So…you won’t have him?”
“No.” Shiloh looked away and settled back into his seat. “I will not.”
The alpha was quiet for a moment, but when he spoke again, his voice seemed lighter.
Or, maybe it didn’t.
Maybe it was still all in Shiloh’s head.
“Would you like to stop for cake, Prince? There’s a famous shop on the way to the compound.”
His ears perked at this. “I’ll order three slices. And I will eat them all.”
The corner of Sarang’s mouth curved upward. “Understood.”
Interesting. Usually the alpha scolded him about his sugar intake.
“How long will your business take?” Shiloh considered convincing him to turn around, since it didn’t seem like they’d be leaving the planet right away, but the promise of cake and a quiet moment with the alpha stayed his tongue.
“It’s a routine check-in,” Sarang explained. “I have a meeting with Imperial Heir Altair in the morning, then a run through of the base. Our distribution site in Shadow City also needs—”
“Leave that to me.” If he was going to be stuck here, he might as well get some work done.
“We’ll stay together, or you’ll remain at the compound,” Sarang stated firmly.
“Don’t be absurd. If we split up, we can cover more ground. I thought you wanted me back on Glyph as soon as possible?”
“Synastry isn’t safe.”
He snorted. “You do recall this is my home world, right? I’ve lived on Glyph for less than a year.”
“And it’s been barely a year since you were taken off these streets and—” The alpha clamped his mouth shut, inhaling through his nose to calm himself, before trying again. “I’ve been tasked with keeping you safe. I won’t risk it.”
“The trafficking ring has already been dismantled.”
“You say that as though you have a shortage of enemies.”
“All right, that’s fair. But how many of them would be ballsy enough to actually come after me?”
“While the Dominus is off planet? Who knows. You’re forgetting how often you were attacked in the past. Isn’t that how we met? You were on the run and took shelter with me for a weekend.”
Sarang didn’t often bring up their meeting, and Shiloh was curious why he was talking about it now.