Call You Mine

Chapter One

***warning: forced bonding/claiming, but there is no rape in this story (however, there was a past attempt)***

From the moment the alpha's teeth sank into his mating gland, Arthit remembered only the searing, white-hot pain that ripped through his entire body as he fought the bond forming between them. Vaguely, in the seconds that followed, he recalled the oppressive weight being lifted off his body, and the distant sound of his name being called over and over before he completely lost consciousness.

Being raised by betas who only knew betas, Arthit had learned about the mating bond through books and media—all of which romanticized the intense mystical bond that formed between alphas and their claimed mates, who was usually an omega, like him. For an alpha, to desire a person to the point of wanting to solidify their relationship with a claiming bite was, according to the media, the ultimate expression of their love. For an omega, to trust someone enough to willingly bare their neck to them—to choose to put themselves in such a vulnerable position—was, according to that same media, the ultimate expression of their love. It was beautiful, they said, and it was something that couldn't be forced.

But it wasn't always beautiful, and the one claimed wasn't always willing. To say that the claimed mate was putting themselves in a vulnerable position was a gross understatement and, in the days following that awful night, Arthit became intimately aware of how much control and influence an alpha could exert through the bond. He never wanted to be put in that position again, and therefore had no intention of ever taking a mate.

Thankfully, he doubted another alpha would want him considering how he'd managed to rid himself of the last one, which suited Arthit just fine. Falling in love wasn't on the agenda; rather, he wanted to focus on his studies. Due to his situation, Arthit was forced to take a leave of absence until it was resolved, effectively derailing his education for two years, but he determined to catch up to his peers. That is, assuming that the faculty director allowed him to double-up on his classes.

Now, on the first day of school, Arthit stood in front of the industrial engineering building wearing a button-down and tie, as was required of first-year students, and debated whether he should attend orientation or skip it. He swallowed thickly, his heart pounding, and anxiously ran his thumb over the the engraved E.N.57 on his gear. For two years, he'd dreamed of nothing else but this moment, but now that it was here, nervousness urged him to turn tail and run like a coward.

"Excuse me," a kind, pleasant voice inquired. "Is this the way to the industrial engineering orientation?"

The voice belonged to a tall, willowy alpha standing behind him. Arthit didn't immediately answer; instead, he gave him a once over, running over the length of his body critically with his eyes, and instinctively breathed in through his nose to scent him. That was a mistake. The alpha smelled like a mixture of iced coffee and fresh air after a rainstorm—a combination that inexplicably caused a feeling of calm to wash over him. Without thinking, Arthit inhaled a second time, deeply, enjoying the captivating scent of the alpha.

"Are you an omega?"

Snapped out of his haze by the other's question, Arthit blushed, mortified by his own behavior, and tried to cover up his embarrassment with a scowl. "None of your damn business," he said, stuffing his gear into his pocket before the alpha saw it.

The first-year opened his mouth to respond, but Arthit snarled at him and left before he had the chance. "Nosy fucking alpha," he muttered as he cautiously approached the door.

He opened it an inch and peered inside. None of the second-year students would recognize him since they weren't around two years ago, and he didn't see his friends. Excellent. The circumstances of the past two months had caused him to suddenly cut off contact with them and, knowing that they were probably angry, he may have dragged his feet on getting back in touch. So, they had no idea that he finally got that asshole to consent to the bond-breaking ritual and was returning to university.