Wave to the Sky (Omegaverse)

Chapter 46: When Love Turns to Ash

Alon's Point of View

After leaving Caelus' office, I headed towards the elevator.

"Oh no," I muttered as I realized I'd left the bread I bought from the nearby bakeshop during lunch. I detoured to the Art Department to retrieve it and found it sitting on my desk as soon as I entered. "Can't believe I forgot this," I murmured to myself, grabbing the bag. As I was leaving the Art Department, my phone pinged with a message from Caelus, instructing me to meet him in one of the boardrooms on the fortieth floor. Curious, I asked him why, but got no reply. "What does he need now?" I wondered as I made my way to the elevator.

Eventually, I reached the fortieth floor and began searching for the board meeting room. Following a hallway, I arrived at a set of double doors with a sign reading 'Conference Room' above them. I pushed the doors open slightly and peeked inside, spotting a man with his back turned.

Caelus?

No, this man had light brown hair, unlike Caelus' jet-black locks. It was Sir Carl. I was about to quietly leave when he turned around and noticed me.

"Oh, Loony," he greeted me. "Surprise seeing you here. Can I help you with something?"

"Sorry, Sir," I apologized. "I think I'm in the wrong place. My apologies for disturbing you."

"No trouble at all," he replied, leaning against the conference table. "Looking for Caelus, I assume?"

"Uh, yeah," I responded, feeling a bit unsure.

"No need to be embarrassed," he reassured, folding his arms. "You two are already a couple, aren't you?"

I hesitated. Should I divulge that to him? I still felt uneasy discussing it. Before I could answer, he walked past me, closing the doors behind him.

"Don't worry. Caelus is on his way," he informed me. "Let's chat for a bit, shall we?"

"Um, sure, sir," I agreed.

"So, you and Caelus—are you a couple?" he asked again. "Because if not, I might steal you away."

"You're quite the joker, aren't you?" I chuckled nervously at his comment.

"Who said I was joking?" he replied, walking toward me. I instinctively stepped back, not realizing I was near the edge of the conference table. He reached out towards my neck as he approached, studying me with a smile. "Interesting," he murmured. "He's already marked you." He glanced at my neck again. "Didn't I warn you about falling for someone like him? He's a pathetic piece of trash. If you want someone better, stay with me. Choose me instead." He moved closer, and I could smell his cologne, making me feel nauseous. "What's happening?"

"Do you not know the effects of being marked?" he asked, surprised. "Your body responds to other alphas besides the one who marked you. But that's not a problem. Let me mark you, and everything will change. I'll be your new mate."

"I'm sorry, Sir Carl," I apologized. "I love Caelus. Regardless of his past or mistakes, I'm committed to him."

"I told you to make wise decisions, didn't I?" he reminded me. "And this isn't a good choice. I hold power in my hand. I can give you anything you desire. Just leave Caelus and be with me."

"I don't understand. We barely know each other. Why do you want me as your mate?"

"We don't need to know or love each other, Loony," he replied. "There's something more important in life—power."

"Why are you doing this?"

His expression turned serious. "Why? I want to hurt Caelus. I want to make his life a living hell. I have no interest in you, Loony. You're not even my type. But you make him happy... so, I want to take you away from him. It's exhilarating just to imagine making you my mate. Think about it. It's a win-win. You'll have everything you've ever dreamed of. Just tell me, and it's yours. All you have to do is leave Caelus, be my mate, and bear a child with me. Instant jackpot. In a month, you'll be part of the Carters, a billionaire. It's your golden ticket to a better life."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

"No," I coldly rejected him. "I'm sorry, Carl, but I need to go." I tried to push him away, but he grabbed my arm, pushing me against the wall, pinning me there, making me feel vulnerable.

"How dare you?" he muttered angrily. "No one... no one says no to me, you piece of trash!"

I started to feel genuinely scared. I tried to resist, but the effect of Caelus' mark weakened me. "Please, let go," I begged. Where was Caelus? I heard someone pushing the door. Before I could look, Carl grabbed my face and kissed me aggressively. I struggled to push him off, but he was too strong. "Caelus, help me!" I cried silently.

"What the hell?!" Caelus shouted when he saw us. He rushed over, pulling Carl away from me. I fell to the floor as Caelus started throwing punches at Carl, his brother joining the brawl.

"Please, enough!" I begged, trying to compose myself. Caelus was poised to throw another punch when I grabbed his arm to halt him.

"Let me go!" he yelled.

"Caelus, please, stop," I pleaded once more. He relented, causing Carl to laugh uproariously.

"Are you angry?" Carl asked Caelus, a sinister smile playing on his lips, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. Then, he shifted his gaze to me. "Thank you, Loony, for the assistance." Caelus and I watched him leave the conference room. I approached Caelus, reaching out to touch his shoulder. "Are you okay?"

"Get off me!" he snapped, pushing me away. Rising swiftly, he turned to face me. "I should have known. Just as I suspected, you're not who I thought you were."

"Caelus, it's not what you think," I began.

"Shut up! Stop lying!" Anger and hurt flashed in his eyes. "How much more must I endure? What have I done to you and Carl to deserve this pain?"

"Caelus, please, listen," I pleaded. "I love you."

"Stop with the games," he spat. "I see through you now. You've been playing a role all this time. I can't believe I fell for your act. I can't accept that I've fallen in love with someone who would conspire with Carl."

"How much did he pay you to do this? To frame me, even using your own body?" Caelus's accusation cut through the air, leaving me stunned.

"W-what?" I stammered, utterly bewildered.

"Don't play innocent with me," he spat. "I was ready to forgive you for what happened, but now you're just Carl's little puppet."

"I don't know what you're talking about," I protested, frustration mounting.

"You really don't know? Fine, let me remind you," he said, his voice laced with anger. "A year ago, Carl arranged a stag party. You were there, and so was I." He recounted the events, and I remembered serving drinks that night, but I couldn't fathom where this was leading. "You drugged me that night, didn't you? You waited in my room to take advantage of me. You were in heat, weren't you? You probably took something to trigger your cycle. We had sex, and you recorded it all."

He picked up his phone and showed me the video, his face the only visible part, but I could hear my voice moaning.

My jaw dropped as realization dawned on me. He was the man I'd slept with a year ago—the father of Miu.

"See, look at your expression," he taunted. "It's all there."

"C-Caelus," I began, wanting to explain about his son.

"Don't even say a word!" he shouted, kicking a nearby chair. It crashed against the wall, leaving me frozen with fear. "You're underestimating me, Loony. I'm not one to be trifled with. I'm giving you a chance to come clean. Admit what you did."

"B-but I didn't do anything," I argued weakly. His smirk was chilling.

"Still siding with Carl, huh? I wonder what it will take for you to give in. Are you prepared to lose your job at SkyHaven Toys? Do you think I'd just let you off the hook that easily?"

My job at FunHouse was the least of my concerns. All I could think about was Miu. I couldn't let Caelus find out about him. I feared what he might do, or worse, that he might take Miu away from me. I needed to prevent that at all costs.

"If I confess and say I helped Carl, will I still keep my job? Will I be in the clear?" I asked, desperate.

"I'm a man of my word, Loony," Caelus replied.

I nodded, tears streaming down my cheeks.