Chapter 35 CHAPTER 035
The ride back into the city is quieter, and Castel doesn’t talk this time. He sits behind Theo on the motorcycle, his arms wrapped around the alpha’s waist to keep himself from falling at the speed the alpha drives.
Castel doesn’t know how long they have been riding, maybe thirty minutes, maybe an hour, or maybe more, but the motorcycle finally slows down after what feels like forever in front of his penthouse building. But then, Castel’s heart drops to his stomach when he sees who’s waiting patiently at the entrance.
It’s Vikar Stone with six of his men surrounding the building as if they owned it. Castel stares with a sickening feeling in his stomach, with no attempt to let go of Theo. Castel shouldn't have come back here.
Theo sighs. “We’re here,” he says, once again forcefully ripping the omega’s hands from his waist and helping him get off the bike, but Castel hasn’t torn his gaze from Vikar, who watches him with venom in his eyes, his cheek still bruised from when he hit him at the party.
Suddenly, he’s walking towards them with his men. Castel unconsciously takes hold of the alpha, who raises a questioning eyebrow before following the omega’s fearful gaze to find Vikar and his men approaching.
Vikar halts in front of them, lips twitching into an eerie smile as his eyes flicker from Theo to Castel’s face. “You’re finally home, darling. I’ve been worried sick; you even left your phone,” he reaches out to touch, but Castel smacks his hands away and holds on to Theo even tighter.
“Don’t touch me!” he barks.
Theo looks down at the omega before the older alpha. His eyes darken, and the sweet omega pheromones morph into something bitter and sour. Theo smells fear off him. "Who are you?” he asks the alpha.
Vikar smiles at him, but there’s something in his eyes. “I’m Vikar Stone, Castel’s fiancé,” he holds out his hand for a handshake. Theo stares at the hand blankly for a moment before taking it. “Thank you for bringing him home. I’ve been worried sick,” he continues and reaches for Castel again.
“I said, don’t touch me!” Castel barks again, moving away from reach, but he still doesn’t let go of Theo’s arm.
All we had, darling, was a misunderstanding. I didn’t think you would be hurt by my words. I’m willing to apologize and make it up to you.”
Castel lets out a hollow laugh. “Apologize?” he repeats slowly, his fingers tightening around Theo’s arm. “You call that an apology?”
Vikar’s smile does not move even a little, but the veins at the side of his neck pulse slightly. “My dear…” he starts patiently, as if speaking to a stubborn child, "...you ran out of a party meant to celebrate our future together. Slapped me in front of my business partners, disappeared for hours…” his gaze flicks to Theo. “...and returned with… company. I’m willing to overlook all of that as long as you stop being so stubborn and come with me.”
“I’m not going anywhere with you,” Castel counters.
“Mr. McLaren,” Theo starts, and Castel snaps his head to look at him, a desperate look in his eyes that he hopes the alpha reads. “He’s your fiancé. You should go with him and clear whatever misunderstanding you both have.”
Castel doesn’t know it, but tears well up in his eyes as he continues to look at the alpha with that same desperate look. “You want me to go with him?”
A conflicted look flashes in Theo's eyes that gives Castel hope for a moment before that look vanishes, and the words he says leave Castel shattered.
"Yes."
Slowly, Castel unhooks his hand from his arm and takes a step back, his throat feeling like it’s about to close up on itself while his heart clenches painfully. Castel feels like he can't breathe, realizing once again that it’s his fault for expecting too much from an alpha who can’t even stand the sight of him because of his status. He obviously can’t wait to get rid of Castel and go on his merry way.
Caste lets out a hollow laugh, and just then, Vikar grabs his arm and pulls him to his side, wrapping his arm around his waist. Theo's eyes follow the movement, and his hands twitch at the side, but he doesn’t move.
Vikar smiles at him. “Thank you for bringing my fiancé home safely; have a good night.”
With that, Vikar steers Castels towards the entrance of the building, and Theo watches them, the men following closely behind.
Theo stands still while his alpha barks in his head, knowing the omega is in distress in the older alpha’s arms, yet he lets him go. His hands clench at his side as he waits, hoping the omega will reel his head once and look at Theo one more time, and Theo will take him out of here in a heartbeat, but that hope crashes when they vanish into the building without Castel looking back.
He lets out a sigh. The omega is engaged and is safe in his fiancée’s arms. Theo has been kind and generous enough to bring him home. His work here is done. With that, he walks back to his motorcycle and gets on, driving off without looking back.
~~
The moment the door of the penthouse closes behind them, Castel hits the floor from the hard hit that lands on his jaw, the crack of the slap echoing through the large living room, and for a moment, everything spins. Castel tastes blood instantly, filling his mouth.
Before he can take a moment to register the pain, both his arms are grabbed by the guards, and he’s roughly pulled to his feet. Fuck. His ears are ringing. He lets the guards hold him without struggle.
Vikar slowly walks toward him, folding the sleeves of his shirt to his elbows, and roughly, he grabs Castel’s face, venom in his eyes and jaw clenched so tightly. “Did you think you were going to escape from me?” he spat. “I paid your father a lot of money and signed away my fucking company just to fucking have you. You stupid little whore, you can’t escape from me no matter how hard you try!”
Rage drips through every word, and then his palm meets Castel’s cheek in a brutal slap that has his face snapping sideways, but he doesn’t get the time to breathe before another one lands, and another one, and another one until the alpha has his fill while Castel’s cheeks bloom brighter than a tomato, designed with the alpha’s fingerprints and blood on his tongue and rolling down from the corner of his mouth.
“You stupid piece of shit. You even dared to bring an alpha before me!” Vikar once again grabs Castel’s bruised face.
Castel stares at him through his lashes, and slowly a smile creeps across his face before he breaks into a humorless laugh, his eyes turning bloodshot.
The sound fills the large living room. The guards exchange uneasy glances while Vikar’s brows knit together.
“What's so funny?”
Castel coughs slightly, tasting more blood in his mouth. He rolls it around his tongue before spitting it onto the floor, then he lifts his head to meet the alpha’s gaze. “You’re pathetic. You picked the wrong McLaren Omega. Go ahead and fucking hit me, alpha. Have your fill,” he laughs again.
Vikar shares a glance with the guards before letting go of Castel’s face with a rough push while the guards release his arm, letting Castel drop to the floor.
Vikar clears his throat, eyes flickering awkwardly. “I believe you have learned your lesson this time, but I won’t be so merciful if there’s a repeat. Don’t even think of escaping; my guards have surrounded the entire building.”
With a hiss, Vikar storms out, with his guard behind, while Castel’s broken laugh doesn’t hide until the door slams and the lock clicks shut.
Castel doesn’t move from his position on the floor as a lone tear rolls down his face.