Nine

OLAMIDE

When I opened my eyes to a new morning, I found Jason watching me.

"Morning," He murmured, looking like I had done something to irritate him even if his face was just inches away and the fact that we were both very naked. It felt unbearably intimate. "Sleep well?"

Why do you care? A careless thought ran through my head, long gone before I remembered this man had told me he could read my thoughts and of all the predictions he made, not one of them had been wrong.

"Don't worry," He said, pulling me closer. He smelled like spices. Old spices. "Considering you don't have the guts to say it, I take no offense."

It was time to chip in something that would make him happy. Words that made my stomach churn.

"Thank you, Alpha."

Jason smiled lazily. Like he had reached inside my head again. "That's the one thing I have to admit I like about you. You know how to play your enemies." He muttered something else but it was more of a whisper before he jumped off the bed and headed to the bathroom. He left the bathroom door open and his gaze lingered in my direction as he trotted to the shower and turned on the valve allowing warm water to splatter all over his body. I knew what he was doing and his sick mind did not betray of dead ass suspicion. He wanted to play a game. He wanted to see the choices I would make. A part of me wanted to make a dart for the door and run wherever my legs could carry me and another side wanted to stay. I wasn't sure why but the latter side was winning. My eyes drifted to his nakedness from the waist down and I liked what I saw. He had a big dick to go with his foul attitude and I absolutely cringed at the lust that dominated my mind.

"You like what you see?"Jason taunted, making me feel like a slut.

My eyes darted away quickly but the effect was in full motion. Something was very wrong here. I have read stories like this in the news. Stockholm syndrome. That had to be why I wasn't screaming and going insane. But it was one day. One day of realizing that the hell hole I thought I lived in was Bliss compared to the realities of the world I had recently been exposed to.

"It's not Stockholm syndrome darling" I heard him laugh. "It's the mate bond and trust me, the conflicting feelings you have for me now is nothing compared to hell you will have to go through when I mark you physically."

Mark me physically? What did that even mean? Before I could ponder on the nonsense he was spewing. He was out of the bathroom, drying off his wet body. My eyes were fixated on his half-hard member that was waving at me in a manner that felt like an invitation. I found it disgusting that I even harbored such a thought.

"I will be going out for a meeting today," Jason said, successfully breaking my intrusive thoughts.

I was not sure why he cared to tell me but he did. I did have to admit, it made me a bit relieved, and while I tried not to think of it. At the back of my mind, I felt this was the perfect opportunity to truly explore what I had somehow gotten myself into and how I could get out of it.

"Ok." I managed. Zeus meowed and walked up toe, brushing his fur against my skin and begging for a pet. The little ball of darkness was innocent, unaware of the predicament we were both in. Though the clear difference in this scenario was he had Luna and she was an angel while I was stuck with Jason.

"I will be leaving you in the hands of one of my trusted guards. He will show you around and help in any way he can. He will practically do anything you say excluding helping you escape." He continued, pulling out a bunch of clothes from his wardrobe and immediately getting dressed.

"Thank you." I forced myself to say but my appreciation left Jason confused, I did not even have to take a peek into his mind to realize it but I guess it was bound to happen if you were kept against your will and threatened death if you dared tried to escape. Nothing in this situation of mine warranted an appreciation but the fact that this depraved being went out of his way to get me my cat, maybe he did have a soul and that was something to be thankful about.

A knock at the door interrupted whatever was about to happen next and a thick baritone voice boomed; "Alpha Jason, your brother is here."

"I'm coming."

My heart stopped. His brother? The same one that wanted me dead before this happened? Jason seemed to have felt it too. I noticed a hint of concern in his eyes.

"Don't worry about Devin, he is not going to hurt you." But the gruff way he said implied that even he did not believe his words. I barely knew Devin but if there was one thing my first encounter with him had taught me, it was that Jason was a saint if they were to be judged side by side.

Jason finally put on his shoes and trotted outside. He opened the door wide and let the speaker from before in. It was only reflex for me to cover my breasts with the sheets.

"Ola, this is Axel and he is going to be your bodyguard." And like that was all he had to say, Jason scurried outside. Axel remained rooted where he stood as if expecting that I gave a request or an order. He was a young man, perhaps in his early twenties, olive skin and oily black hair pulled back in a ponytail and with tattoos covering his arms and neck. I caught the vibrant crow insignia tattooed to the left side of his neck. It was an awkward moment for both of us before Axel finally spoke.

"He's gone now."

I looked at him puzzled. Washed expecting that I did something rash? I could sense Jason's mind was no longer intruding my head but I sensed this was a test of some sort.

"Are you implying that I run?"

"No," He gave a soft laugh. "But I know Alpha Jason can be so stuck up. I just wanted you to know you can be you now that he's gone."

Very thoughtful, I jeered. Did nobody around see how sick this was? Were they just going to close their eyes to the truth? Just asking myself those questions made my stomach growl.

"Are you hungry?" He asked.

The growl in my pits wasn't that loud. At least, I was sure they were not. My only theory was that his kind hearing was oddly powerful and wanting to be alone again, I nodded to his question.

"I'll get you something right away." He smiled, gave a bow, and went out of the door but before he disappeared, I called him back. Something Jason said still bothered me. I did not want to admit that it did but I wanted these strange feelings to stop. I wanted to hate Jason. They kidnapped me after all.

"Axel, what is the mating bond like?" I asked.

"The mating bond," Axel began, thinking hard. I could sense he did not want to say something that would spook me out but the more he thought about what to say, the more it frightened me. "The bond is a special and very rare sensation between two individuals. It is higher than the bond between a human couple and it is also considered very sacred. Breaking it could mean suicide for both parties."

I wished to ask him more about the consequences of breaking a bond but that wasn't my focus. I was merely opening the path to my true focus.

"How does one get marked?"

"It is a love bite. When an Alpha succumbs to the heat. He gives his mate a bite that completes their bond, joining their souls as one and making it impossible for them to have sex with another apart from their mate."

What goddess validated this madness?