15 Call off the Marriage

Zeke wiped the sweat from his forehead, exhausted. His long legs broke from beneath him and collapsed onto the nearest stairs. 

He crawled underneath it and hid there. His breath came in small spurts and hot. 

'Oh God, I must have looked pathetic right now,' He ruffled his hair, it was dripping with his sweats. Even his uniform felt tight and uncomfortable with the clothes clinging onto his skin. 

Mika had really good stamina. Even though he was faster, Mika was more persistent. The only way he could escape Mika was to drop that bag of sweets. 

Damn! He should have just done that instead of running! 

Mika had immediately stopped and shoved those sweets down his throat, gobbling them down as he had starved for years.

He slid down the wall and leaned against it. Shrugging off the uniform suit, he unbuttoned a few buttons from his shirt and started fanning himself. Taking a few deep breaths as he tried to calm himself down. 

Thinking back about what happened with Jian Yu, he pulled out the lollipop he had snatched from him. When Jian Yu offered this to Mika, he felt… unhappy. 

He felt… angry. 

Possessive. 

He knew he wasn't supposed to feel this way, but he couldn't help it. 

Zeke laughed bitterly. 

'He's not yours.'

'Yet,' His inner demon whispered. 

Zeke heaved out a frustrated sigh. He hadn't wanted to go to Jian Yu, but he was getting more and more interested. 

Like how honey was attracting bees, he was attracted to Jian Yu. 

And…

He looked somewhat like…

Mom. 

Don't get him wrong. He wasn't into incest or whatever it was, but he had been hoping to have a mate like his mother based on personality--

--which was why he was furious about the arranged marriage-- 

--Anyway, the vibe Jian Yu gave off was similar. The kindness, the sense of security he felt whenever Jian Yu was close by. 

'But he is a Beta. He couldn't give you an heir,' Another demon in him uttered, reminding him. 'With your status, you can keep him though.'

'Argh! Shut up!' Zeke shouted internally. 

He raised the lollipop in his hand and glared at it. 'It's all your fault!' He blamed the lollipop. If the lollipop ever had a mouth or mind to speak for itself, it would definitely curse him. 

Chuckling, he twirled the sweet in his hand and something caught his eye. 

He blinked. Huh? 

He bolted upright from his slouch position and studied the candy wrapper. He furrowed his brows and traced the outlines. 

This symbol. 

He frowned. He had seen it somewhere before. 

He raked his mind. This symbol was so familiar to him. He recalled seeing it just recently. 

But where? 

Where had he seen it? 

XXX

"My Lord…"

"Hmmm…"

"Please put your feet down, My Lord." 

"Give me a break, Lynn. Your dear friend hasn't been resting peacefully for days," Derek Roderick pouted. 

"You are the Master of this household. Please act like one," Lynn, his personal butler, said sternly. "And please take your feet off the desk." 

Derek Roderick, the head of the Roderick Family, Master of the household, father of Zeke Roderick, whined. 

He took his feet off his huge mahogany desk, purposely kicking off the high stack of paper on his desk, making them flutter around. 

"My Lord…" Lynn gritted through his teeth. "Stop being such a child, you are an Alpha, a remarkable one at that." 

Derek looked at his butler, greyish hair and brown eyes. This guy had been with him since he was a child, he had accompanied him up and down. A best friend and a loyal one. 

Lynn's father was his father's butler, and he asked Lynn to be his, he was so excited when Lynn accepted it right away. 

Derek liked everything about him but his strictness. 

That's one thing he admired about Lynn but also hated him for it. He's too punctual that he actually carried his small and precious pocket watch like his baby. 

Derek stood up from his swivel chair and looked out at the floor to ceiling windows that surrounded his office. Admiring the huge fountain he had built for his deceased omega, a small smile decorated his face. 

"Just call me Derek, Lynn." 

Lynn just smiled in response and Derek sighed. 

See, too strict. 

Derek opened his mouth to speak but he was cut off by a loud bang. 

Jumping, both of them turned to look at the newcomer, who had slammed his door open. 

"Old man!" 

Derek twitched at that but it was his beloved son, so he would, as always, let it slide. 

Zeke stomped until he was standing right in front of his father. He turned slightly and dipped his head in Lynn's direction. "Uncle Lynn." 

Derek spluttered. "W-- Wh-- a--"

Lynn bowed respectfully in response. "Young Master." 

Derek looked between the two of them, his eyes darted back and forth and he coughed. "This is unbelievable. No… No… This is unacceptable! What should I do, my darling?!" 

Derek rushed to the left side where a huge painting was hung up high. Painted on the canvas was a young man with long white-blond hair, tied in a low ponytail. He was holding a banquet of red roses and each side of his eyes crinkled as he was smiling brightly. 

"My darling…! Your son no longer holds a respect for me, I have failed as a father and your husband! Forgive me, my beloved!" 

Derek sniffled and cried out. He kneeled in front of it and wailed. 

Zeke merely rolled his eyes at his father as if it was a regular act done by his father, which it was. 

"Call off the marriage," Zeke demanded. 

Hearing that, Derek instantly stood up and turned. All the cries and tears disappeared like it never happened. He crossed his arms behind his back and walked towards his desk. 

"No can do."

"Why? Is there something wrong with our business? You know I can always switch courses and take care of it for you. Do we need to resort to a contracted marriage? What's more, it's to that… that family…!" Zeke spat out every word in resentment. 

"No, it has always been your dream to be a prosecutor, I can't just take that away," Derek mumbled, shaking his head. Lynn looked at him from the corner of his eyes and shook his head. 

"Then why? Give me at least a decent reason why I should be married to that family." 

"Please forgive me but I can't tell you that now. It's not the time yet," Derek apologized.

"Dammit! Have you seen that Zeros?! Those shit-ass arrogant Alphas who only cares about wealth-- Do you really want to have a family member from that kind of family?!" 

"Young Master," Lynn said softly. "Please, not now."

"There is something you aren't telling me. What is it?" 

"Young Master, watch your mouth," Lynn hissed warningly. 

Zeke glared at Lynn. Alpha pheromones filled the room, fighting for dominance against each other. Zeke tried to overcome Lynn, but Lynn wasn't backing down either. 

"I'm sorry, my son," Derek lamented. 

Zeke threw his head back and closed his eyes, trying to control his fury. The alpha in him was roaring and he felt anger boiling up inside him, however he swallowed it down with difficulty. 

He clenched his hands into fist, preparing to smash anything or maybe anyone, but he stopped himself. He gritted his teeth in annoyance and looked straight at his father. 

"You better spit it out before I take this matter into my hands. I'm not letting you off, old man." 

He whirled around and stormed out of the door. But before he did so, his eyes unconsciously glanced around at the scattered papers on the floor. 

Papers that need signature and approval, all with the stamp of the Royal Family. Zeke guessed his father was doing the Queen's order again. 

What a lapdog. 

He clicked his tongue and walked away until a significant symbol caught his eye. Frowning, he stole a glance at the paper with that symbol before taking a peek at his father, who had looked away from him. 

When he reached the door, he turned his head over his shoulder. "Either you spill or call off the marriage, your choice."