His Wolf

Chapter 19: Unravelling Threads

Maybe he'd jinxed himself. He couldn't explain what happened any other way. Arthit had been going about his business one minute, the next minute his phone had blown up with the insistent chimes of the Ocean Electric group chat.

Then he saw it.
The picture of Kongpob and him on the beach; kissing.

That's how P'Durian had been so sure Kongpob was seeing someone. She must have seen them. But why take a photo and why share it in the group chat?

Everything Arthit had tried to do was undone in seconds. He could feel eyes on him. The mild interest tempered by caution. After all, his boyfriend was an alpha's son. He hated it with every fibre of his being. 

The only people who didn't treat him any differently were his colleagues in the procurement department. P'Earth, Todd and P'Som-O smiled and went back to work like nothing had happened. It should have made him feel better but he contrarily wished they'd ask him about it.

Arthit hadn't seen or heard from Kongpob since the previous night. He'd been too upset to have a conversation about what he'd found out. He'd felt Kongpob get home, his presence pinging the radar inside Arthit. Rousing him from his bed and stealing his sleep.

He waited...holding his breath in readiness. Instead of a knock at his door, he'd felt their connection grow distant and then disappear. The disappointment lingered inside him like an emotional hangover, making it impossible to sleep even though he couldn't put a finger on what exactly it was. 

He woke up late to no evidence that Kongpob had tried to wake him up and no breakfast hanging on his door.

Already raw when he got to the office, the new 'development' made him feel a thousand times more exposed; more vulnerable. Work offered none of the relief it usually gave. He was too self-conscious. Every attempt to act normal fell flat. 

Arthit finally broke when he bumped into Kongpob at the coffee shop.

He had to put up with the whispers and stares and the people too impolite not to point. Arthit could bring himself to understand why everyone suddenly had such a profound interest in him. But he couldn't stand to see Kongpob looking perfectly normal. He acted like he didn't have a care in the world and Arthit couldn't hold in his frustration any longer.

He walked away without saying anything. Leaving behind his confused mate and even more juicy titbits for the office grapevine. His order of pink milk, forgotten on the counter even though he'd already paid for it.

He had no plan. Arthit only knew he had to finish his work and get out of the office. If quitting had been an option, he would have done that as well. He'd willing accept anything that gave him an excuse not to show his face ever again. It was hard to remind himself what he liked about working at Ocean Electric.

What was so amazing about a role he was ill-qualified for, in a department he knew nothing about, with people like P'John who went out of their way to make things more difficult for everyone else? He hadn't even wanted this job. 

But he liked it well enough to get as much done before it was time to head home and bury himself under his duvet with no hope of ever leaving the safety of his bed.

Arthit had never been so happy about his over-developed awareness of Kongpob. He was walking out of the building when he felt his mate. He hadn't made it very far when he saw him waiting in the main parking lot leaning against his scooter. Arthit turned around and ran. He told himself he did it in favour of using the back entrance but it was exactly what he'd feared would happen.

If it came down to fight or flight; Arthit was far better equipped to run.

"P'Arthit!"

He completely forgot that anything he could do, Kongpob could do better. He knew his mate had sensed his presence as well and followed him. Running on embarrassment and shame and fear, Arthit didn't have time for much sense. He flagged down the first taxi he saw and got in before his mate could catch up.