Captive Mate BL

Nikolai handled this even worse, his gaze chilling. "You’ve thought about getting married before?" He pressed, it sounded nothing like a question though.

Never been scared by Nikolai even when they were enemies, Angelo just shot the Alpha a skeptical look, even though if it were anyone else, they would be palming a gun.

"No." He said plainly, noticing that all of his attempts at teasing seemed to fall flat. "Are you alright? You seem strung up."

Nikolai was so exasperated he nearly laughed, madness alight in his eyes. "Well, my mate won’t wear a wedding dress, of course I’m strung up."

The car was rolling into the driveway then, they had gotten home.

Angelo found that he couldn’t focus on the joke, caught on the casual address. He had already accepted that he was mated, but Nikolai saying it made it all the more real.

The car had already come to a stop, but he didn’t step out, staring at the stately mansion he had picked out with Nikolai through the windshield. He really was mated with a home and was currently discussing a wedding with his mate.

When he turned to Nikolai, Angelo’s face was faintly flushed, a depthless gentleness in his eyes. "If you like wedding dresses so much, you can wear one."

Nikolai was frozen, falling headfirst into the Omega’s eyes despite his ruthless words. For a moment, the acid in his veins settled, the look in Angelo’s eyes answered a yearning he didn’t quite have a name for.

The moment was cut short too quickly when Angelo stepped out of the car, taking his phone out. "What do you want to eat?"

Nikolai got out of the car as quickly as he had gotten in, pulling Angelo into his arms. "You pick."

Angelo eyed him suspiciously. "You’re not going to butter me up into a wedding dress."

Nikolai buried his face in the curve of his neck, his smile hidden from sight. "Doesn’t hurt to try."

-+-

Caspian was all smiles when he arrived at the gun range, he had driven all the way here, which was his original plan. After all, Asher would be showing up too soon, and he would barely be able to get any practice done.

His smile cooled a bit when he stepped out of the car into the parking lot just as Jael was driving in. He didn’t even get to step into the range before his husband came running.

Caspian didn’t even bother going ahead, Asher hopping out of the car before it properly parked. "Is something wrong?" He asked patiently as the Mafia King beelined for him.

Asher didn’t slow down until he was in his personal space, pulling him into the scorching warmth of his arms like they hadn’t just seen each other that morning. "You’re cold."

Caspian couldn’t hold onto his anger when Asher held him, he sighed, his arms going around the Alpha’s neck. "You’re too warm." He scolded in turn, his voice soft. "Why are you here?"

"I heard you were bored," Asher spoke into the curve of his neck. "I’ll entertain you for a bit."

Caspian’s eyes sparkled a bit. "You’ll take me to the club?"

Asher pulled back slightly, his hands still on his mate’s waist. "I’ll take you home. We could play games... What do you think about a game room? I’ll have a VR rig set up for you."

Caspian let his hands trail down the Alpha’s shoulder, placing them on his chest. He pushed back slightly, "I can get home by myself just fine." He said coolly. "And there’s no need for a game room. I barely play anymore."

Asher caught his slender wrists covered up by a thick sweater and coat, immovable. "Do you still want to practice shooting?" He finally addressed.

Caspian looked up at his mate, his vibrant blue eyes were overcast like the skies overhead, but hope still peeked through. "Yes."

"It’s better to practice when it gets warmer," Asher bullshitted with a straight face. "I’ll bring you."

Caspian scoffed silently, he couldn’t believe he had almost thought that Asher would let him. Asher’s promises were simply distractions. The Mafia King had said the same about driving, and instead he had gotten him two bodyguards.

He glanced over his shoulder longingly; even if he did insist on going in, he would barely be able to do much before his body gave in to the strain. And if he pushed himself, he could get hurt, and then Asher wouldn’t let him leave the house for weeks.

"Alright." He agreed, but his gaze had grown distant, his voice gloomy like the winter clouds hanging low. "But you don’t need to drive me home, I’ll find my way back."

Caspian stepped back first, he didn’t even give the shooting range behind him a second glance, walking right to the car that had brought him.

"See you at dinner," He remembered to say, uncharacteristically serious. It was strange not to see the Omega with a smile on his face.

He didn’t care that Asher saw him get into the driver’s seat, driving off before Asher could recover enough to go after him.

"Jael?" Asher muttered, hazel eyes fixed on the retreating car until it went out of sight.

Jael had walked up to him then, waiting patiently for whatever Asher would decide. Even if the Mafia King canceled all his plans for the day to go to his mate’s side, the cogs would keep turning.

"Yeah?"

"I feel like shit."

Jael found that he couldn’t work up amusement despite the Alpha’s words. "You should go to him. You’ve got to talk things out." He offered half-heartedly.

It wasn’t that he didn’t mean it, but that Asher had a head made of titanium. Sure, Caspian wasn’t suited to their dangerous life, but the Omega hadn’t only chosen it, he had fought to be here.

However, Asher was too hung up on the life he couldn’t provide to see that, oftentimes treating his mate like the prize he had won off an auction.

"Yeah." Asher replied just as half-heartedly, having no plans to do that.