MINE, YOURS ONLY (SHORT STORY)

CHAPTER 1

Pon woke up to the faint light creeping through the blinds of his bedroom, signaling the start of another long day. He stretched, feeling the weight of the blankets on his body, and let out a soft sigh.

The bed beside him was empty. Sailub had already gone he was always up early, the sound of his footsteps leaving for work echoing in the quiet apartment long before Pon had the chance to open his eyes.

Pon sat up, rubbing his eyes with the heel of his hand. The cold air from the window made him shiver as he slowly pushed himself out of bed.

His body ached, not from any physical pain but from the emotional weight he carried. He had told Sailub nothing about the "friendly" date he had planned with Boss, his old high school friend.

He had been meaning to he always felt that nagging needed to explain himself to Sailub, to make sure the alpha knew exactly where he was going, even though it never seemed to matter.

But this time, Pon hesitated. Sailub wouldn't care. He never did. Even if Pon went somewhere without telling him, there was no reason to expect a reaction, much less a consequence.

After all, their marriage was a formality. It was just paperwork nothing more, nothing less. Sailub never asked about Pon's plans, never seemed to notice when he left the apartment or returned.

He was cold, distant, and if Pon was being honest, it hurt.

But there was no point in burdening Sailub with the trivial details of his life. So, Pon had decided to keep it to himself this time.

He had told Garfield about the date, just enough to assure him that he'd be fine, but he left out the specifics.

Where would he go? What time would he return? The answers didn't matter to anyone but himself. Besides, it wasn't like Sailub was ever going to ask.

Pon's routine had become automatic. He shuffled to the bathroom, splashed cold water on his face, and stared at his reflection in the mirror.

His eyes were tired, but he couldn't say why. There was always this dull ache deep inside him that never quite went away.

It was the ache of wanting something more than what his life with Sailub had become wanting more than the cold indifference he had come to expect.

But he wasn't foolish. He knew Sailub had never loved him. He was just there, a placeholder in a contract that had never been questioned.

As he brushed his teeth, Pon glanced over at the empty side of the bed again. Sailub had never truly given him any reason to think otherwise.

The silence in the apartment was suffocating, but Pon had learned to live with it.

He finished getting ready, pulling on a simple, comfortable outfit nothing fancy, nothing that would draw attention. He grabbed his phone from the nightstand, glancing at the screen.

There were a couple of messages from Garfield, asking if he was ready, confirming the plan for the day. Pon smiled softly, feeling a warmth in his chest at the thought of his old friend.

Garfield had always been there, always understanding. They hadn't seen each other in a while, and the chance to catch up felt like a small escape from the hollow emptiness of his marriage.

Pon sent a quick reply, telling Garfield he'd meet him at the mall, then tuck his phone into his pocket. He hesitated for a moment before leaving the room, stealing one last glance at the empty space Sailub had left.

For a brief, fleeting moment, Pon thought about telling Sailub just a quick mention of where he was going. But he quickly shook the thought away. It wouldn't matter. It never did.

----

Sailub sat at his desk, his eyes flicking over the reports in front of him, trying to ignore the growing restlessness gnawing at his insides.

It had been an endless stream of meetings, phone calls, and constant demands from clients that required his attention. The workday seemed to drag on, each hour blending into the next.

But despite the mounting pressure, something in the back of his mind kept pulling his thoughts elsewhere.

Pon.

He hadn't seen him since the morning, hadn't heard from him since the simple exchange they'd had before Sailub left for work.

Pon had stayed behind, as he always did, quietly existing in the background of Sailub's busy life. It was a routine, one that neither of them ever questioned.

Sailub glanced at his phone, the screen lighting up briefly with a message. It was from Garfield.

--"Pon's gone out today. He didn't tell me where, but I'm starting to get worried. He's not responding to my texts or calls."

Sailub felt his stomach drop. He stared at the message, unsure if he was reading it correctly.

Pon? Gone out? No communication? A knot tightened in his chest, but he quickly dismissed the feeling. Pon was an adult. He could go wherever he wanted. If he didn't respond, it wasn't Sailub's concern.

Still, something about it didn't sit right. Sailub shoved the thought to the back of his mind, pushing the message aside as he continued working.

He had too many other things to focus on, too many obligations to deal with. He couldn't afford to let something so trivial distract him.

The hours dragged by, and as the afternoon came to a close, the nagging sense of unease lingered in the air. His phone buzzed again.

This time with a call from Garfield. Sailub picked it up, his grip tightening on the receiver as he heard the urgency in Garfield's voice.

"Sailub, I need to talk to you about Pon," Garfield's voice crackled with worry. "He went out today with someone, just a casual date, but now he's not answering. I've tried everything. I can't get ahold of him. It's been hours, man. I'm seriously worried."

Sailub's heart skipped a beat, and the blood in his veins ran cold. Pon wasn't answering?

"Where is he?" Sailub's voice was tight, betraying none of the panic he felt rising in his chest.

"I don't know," Garfield replied, his voice faltering. "He went out with someone, but he hasn't replied to any of my messages. I don't know what's going on, man. You need to check on him."

Sailub's pulse quickened, a sense of dread beginning to settle in. His mind raced, images of Pon alone.

Unreachable flashing through his thoughts. It wasn't like Pon to just disappear, not without letting someone know. And yet, here they were. Pon was missing, and Sailub had no idea where to even begin looking.

Without a word, Sailub slammed his hand down on the desk, the sudden action sending papers scattering across the surface.

He stood up abruptly, his mind now fixed on one thing: finding Pon.

He had no time to waste. His emotions were a whirlwind, but beneath the fury, beneath the fear, something else began to surface a realization that made his stomach churn.

He cared.

He didn't know how it had happened, how his feelings for Pon had shifted so gradually. He didn't know when he had stopped seeing the omega as a mere contract, as a formality, and started seeing him as someone worth protecting. But now, it didn't matter. All that mattered was finding Pon.