Chapter 41 - Stay with me

Who was that person next to Nathaniel?

He didn't know that guy, and he'd never seen anyone like him in college. 

Jake didn't take his eyes off those two for a single minute. With his arms folded, he watched them intently as if he were ready for any emergency situation.

The fact that Nathaniel was an omega was a problem, since some other alpha could play the funny guy and try to steal him away from him. Just as there had been other times when Nathaniel had reacted to the pheromones of other alphas, Jake imagined that some bumbler could take advantage of this weakness.

He should have found a way to leave Nathaniel near the court or with someone he trusted to keep him company.

— Shit — growled the alpha.

— What is it, Jake? — Junior, one of Jake's friends, asked — Looks like you're going to kill someone.

— There's a worm crawling near my omega.

— Your omega? You're dating and you don't even tell?

— Tsk.

Stranging Jake's irritated attitude, Junior followed the direction he was facing and was surprised to recognise the joker sitting in the last row.

— Oh, he's an omega? I didn't realise. But who's the guy next to the Joker?

— That's what I fucking want to know!

— Argh, you're not nice when you're angry, Jake — muttered the boy fearfully — By the way, that guy can be Joker's friend, or something like that.

— It's not. I know it's not. Nathaniel doesn't have many friends, and the only one who does I already know, much to my displeasure. 

As if it wasn't enough that he had to keep an eye on the damn librarian, now Jake had to worry about a "nobody" who had suddenly appeared? 

Suddenly, Nathaniel stood up and left the gym. Surprised, Jake stretched his neck, watching from afar where he was going, but soon the omega could no longer be seen.

— Where's he going? — Jake jumped on Junior's back, trying to see where Nathaniel was going, but all he could see was the exit — What the fuck?!

— I'll say, you sack of potatoes, you're fucking heavy.

— Hang on, I just want to know where he's gone.

Junior held Jake's legs, trying hard to bear the weight of that alpha. Not that Jake minded too much. Unfortunately, he couldn't know where the omega went, and the boy soon jumped to the floor at the sound of the whistle. Guilherme left the court following the rota, paying attention to the game, but soon noticing the alpha's restlessness.

— Jake, what's wrong?

— Gui, do you see that guy sitting in the stands where Nath was?

The beta looked in that direction, surprised not to see his brother.

— Where's Nath?

—Focus, do you know that guy?

— Hm? No, I don't think I do. Why?

Scratching the back of his head impatiently, Jake turned to Junior and touched his shoulder.

— I'm getting out, cover me.

— Again?!

However, Jake didn't even bother to reply. He blended in among the reserves, moving to the back until he could sneak away. 

The match no longer mattered.

Something was wrong.

Nathaniel wasn't going to leave the gym before the match was over. And nobody was going to get close enough to him to sit next to him. Unfortunately, people knew very well who Nathaniel was.

Walking through the maze-like corridors of the gym, the alpha climbed a few flights of stairs until he reached the entrance hall. Spinning on his heels, Jake searched desperately for the tall man in the cap and white shirt. But no matter how many times he walked round the hall, he couldn't find a shadow of him.

Until he heard something.

— Huff...

— Nath! Are you there? — Jake shouted, heading in the direction of the sound.

With no answers, the alpha began to run towards the side entrance of the gym, finding Nathaniel sitting on the floor with his head resting on his knees. Running desperately, the alpha slid on the floor until he reached the boy.

— Nath! Nath, what is it, what's happened? — Hugging the omega, the alpha lifted the boy's face, his eyes widening at the sight of his bleeding nose — But what...? 

Jake quickly stroked Nathaniel's arms, then his neck and forehead. He didn't seem to have a fever, which was a relief. 

— Ah, Jake. Is the game over?

— Why is your nose bleeding?

— It must be the headache. 

Hugging him tightly, the alpha felt his heart about to leap out of his mouth. He only had to take his eyes off him for a second and his world almost fell apart. 

What was he supposed to do?

What could he do?

What if it was something bad? Should he take him somewhere?

Taking a deep breath, the alpha tried to calm himself. If he got even more nervous, he certainly wouldn't be much help to Nathaniel. As soon as he managed to calm down, the alpha looked at his omega again.

— What are you feeling now? Does your head still hurt?

— Yes, it does.

— Let's go to a pharmacy then, we can get you something.

Holding Nathaniel by the elbow, Jake managed to lift him up. Wrapping his arms around his waist, he walked him slowly across the square where the gymnasium was located. Ignoring the prying eyes, Jake swallowed all the questions he wanted to ask.

None of it mattered for the moment. He could wait for a more appropriate moment to find out what happened. As the alpha of this omega, he needed to focus on his own well-being first, right?

The nearest pharmacy was two blocks from the gym. Nathaniel could walk fine and even dismissed the alpha's help, saying it was no big deal. As expected, the omega was strong enough not to depend on Jake.

Still...

After arriving at the pharmacy and buying a packet of headache medication, the two of them went to sit on a bench in the shade of a tree. Jake took the opportunity to buy a bottle of water and quietly wait for the painkiller to wear off. 

He had no idea how he could help Nathaniel. He knew he had a health problem, as Guilherme had told him, but what exactly was it? What else could harm his omega?

At that moment, Jake realised that he knew nothing.

As much as he watched the omega, and paid attention when they were together, there were still many secrets between them. Jake had no idea about the small details that made up the beautiful art that was Nathaniel Callegari.

It made him furious.

— Did you leave in the middle of the match? — Nathaniel asked suddenly.

— I wasn't going to go on court anyway, so it doesn't make any difference whether I was there or not.

— That could lead to trouble...

He always talked about problems. Nathaniel always seemed to worry that he would be a nuisance to others. Jake liked this side of him, but at the same time he would have liked Nathaniel to rely on himself more. If he trusted more, would he tell Jake about his life?

He probably hadn't earned his trust yet.

Clenching his fists, Jake swallowed his anger at feeling incapable.

— I saw my omega next to a guy I don't know and then I saw him leave suddenly. When I find my omega, he's not well at all. Of course I'm going to drop everything I'm doing to look after you, Nathaniel.

The omega stared at him in surprise, looking away when it was embarrassed. Jake sighed in defeat when he saw him react as he always did. Precisely because he didn't know much about him, the alpha could only assume that Nathaniel wasn't used to depending on others.

— He was a journalist. He said that soon they were going to do a story to honour Ares, and they wanted to interview me.

Surprised by the sudden confession, Jake felt pathetic. Why was he so frustrated when all he could do was build up this trust?

This was his chance.

When Nathaniel's stepfather had told him about the journalists, Jake hadn't imagined that he would meet them so soon. As expected, he hadn't been uncomfortable before because of any nonsense. Jake had sensed that the man was strange.

The subject of the fighter was delicate, the journalists didn't have the tact to respect Nathaniel's space. The alpha had no idea how his mate had reacted to the journalist's proposal. And considering his condition, it must have been stressful.

— What do you want to do, Nath? 

— There's nothing to be done, Ares never revealed anything to anyone, so that's it.

— But he's not alive, you are. How long are you going to hide?

Nathaniel pressed his lips together and let out a sigh. He was expecting an outburst like the other day, but the omega held himself back, bending his shoulders as if he wanted to hide from the world.

Holding his hand, the alpha intertwined their fingers to calm the situation. The omega's head was probably already full of problems to deal with, Jake couldn't get impatient and want to rush things.

— Nath, I'm with you. Whatever decision you make, I'll help you as best I can.

Feeling the omega squeeze his hand, Jake smiled slightly relieved when Nathaniel rested his head on his arm. 

— If you keep acting like this, I might end up becoming dependent on you, Jake.

— As long as you've chosen me to lean on, I'll do my best to be your alpha.

Taking the liberty of leaning his head against Nathaniel's, the two of them remained quiet at that moment. 

Nathaniel was probably carrying the weight of the world on his back. A weight that took its toll, since the omega's health was a mess. Jake was only a newcomer in his life, he couldn't act as the master of the house and sort out what would stay and what would be thrown out of Nathaniel's life.

However, that didn't mean that Jake was going to stand idly by.

Now that he knew a journalist was hanging around Nathaniel, and had even taken the initiative to approach him, the alpha could move too. There was a way to protect his omega.

After a few minutes in silence, and hearing Nathaniel repeat ten times that his head was no longer hurting, Jake decided to put the problems behind him for the time being. There was no point in dwelling on problems that hadn't happened yet.

Looking around, the alpha found a small newsagent round the corner from where they were standing. Asking Nathaniel to excuse him, Jake ran to the stand to buy two Kibon chocolate ice creams. When he got back to the bench where the omega was waiting, Jake smiled broadly as he handed over one of the ice creams.

— I hope you haven't forgotten our little appointment.

After handing over the ice cream, Jake sat down next to Nathaniel and opened the packet. The sweet, icy flavour washed away all the bad feelings from before. Ice cream was indeed a weapon to be used against bad and uncomfortable situations.

— No... it's just that I didn't think you'd still want to go out after what happened.

— How could I forget our first date? — Realising that the omega was staring silently at the ice cream, Jake nudged his cheek to rouse him from his reverie — What?

— Wouldn't a date be a moment where the two of us share some activity together and alone, making it special?

— Well, technically speaking, yes...

— So this wouldn't be the first — Raising those light brown eyes, Nathaniel smiled — For me, every time we meet is special, so we've already had several dates, right?

Ah.

Jake felt his world become completely colourful. Nathaniel shone brightly with that smile on his face, making the alpha blush up to his ears. He could feel a tickle in his chest and an immense desire to laugh in pure joy. 

He understood exactly what Nathaniel meant, and it made him so happy that he could hardly contain himself.

Without holding back, Jake leaned towards Nathaniel and kissed him. A kiss that wouldn't be enough to show how much he loved that omega.

Yes, this was his new beginning.

Perhaps Jake allowed himself to create fantasies in his crazy head, and believe that his new beginning was a certain boy with a scar on his face who acted innocently.

Turning his face away long enough to glimpse the beautiful sight of a completely flushed Omega, Jake felt intoxicated. His body seemed to float in those soft, surreal feelings. 

He wanted more.

Much more.

Stroking Nathaniel's cheek, Jake let out a plea.

— Please stay with me, Nath.