章 15: Tell Them, I Dare You

[TAMIKO]

"I already said my peace, now leave me be, or I will let the whole pack know that you're mated to the pack slave, and that really won't sit well with you and your reputation, given how powerful you are, and how weak I am," Tamiko threatened with a laugh and Gabe smirked at him.

"Should I do that for you?" Gabe asked, his voice sincere as he looked at Tamiko.

At first, the broken Lycan thought that the alpha's son was at his antics again, but then the more he looked at Gabe, the more he realized that this bastard was really serious about telling everyone that they were mated.

And that made Tamiko question himself again. He had suffered so much at the hands of the man in front of him. For several years, he had endured everything that Gabe and his minions had done to him.

Like a loyal slave, he had been there, their object of ire, even when he had done nothing. They had made him feel like his entire existence was a pathetic excuse that the universe had decided to dangle in front of them like some unwanted creature.

Tamiko had no one, not even a person who could comfort him and tell him things would be alright. Granted, Danny was always trying his very best to be there for him, but at the end of the day, they were weak against the leaders of the pack and their devil children.

Maybe this was a chance for Tamiko, but was it something he wanted? Despite having wished to have someone in the past, Tamiko wasn't thrilled at the idea of having Gabe, of all the creatures of the night, as his mate.

"Go on," Tamiko said daringly, his eyes cold and he stared at Gabe like he knew something the man didn't know. Of course, he knew. He was a lycan and could do so much with his abilities right now.

Over the years, Tamiko had learned that he was different from the wolves and he had made use of the one place he hadn't been denied access to.

The Grealor Library.

Anyone could have assumed that he wouldn't go there and maybe that was why there were no restrictions there but then on many nights, Tamiko had stayed in the library to learn more about himself and his race. And boy did he learn a lot.

He was stronger, even though he always never fought back. He had noticed the changes in his body and learned that he was powerful, more powerful than all the people in the damned pack, but even then, he hadn't once tried to fight back.

But with the new revelation and the mate he was given, would Tamiko explore his abilities here with the wolves?

Would he let them know that he was a Lycan?

Would he let them know that he was stronger and easily the greatest warrior they had even though he had never once set foot in the werewolf training fields?

"—But if you do, you will lose me. Forever. That will make my life even easier, so go on Gabe. I dare you to tell everyone that I'm your mate. Do it, will you, and save me the agony of seeing your face daily.

"I dare you to claim me in front of everyone and let them know that the outcast you've been stepping on since time immemorial, is actually your mate. Tell them what the goddess did for you, I dare you," Tamiko said, this time, he had a smirk on his face.

He looked like he couldn't care about what would happen to him.

Tamiko knew that the mating ceremony would never change anything, because, after every mating ceremony, the wolves always went back to harassing him, hating him, making his life a little too difficult than it needed to be.

He was aware that there was nothing that would change for him.

Of course, if Gabe announced their mate bond, the people would change and they would pretend to love him, hell, Gabe himself would be forced to claim him and even mark him, and that was not something Tamiko wanted.

Tamiko hated Gabriel Grealor.

He despised him with all that he had and didn't have; and given the chance, Tamiko would have rejected Gabe.

Then again, what could be worse than a rejection of an alpha mate if not the ability to let the world know that he had found his mate, the person meant for him, and that he couldn't even do shit like claiming him in front of the world?

"You can't be serious," Gabe said with a soft whimper, though the whimper faded as his voice came back strong.

He sounded like he was about to command his mate, and well, Tamiko didn't really oppose that. If anything, he wasn't worried about Gabe lashing out at him again. He had gotten used to it. It had been a part of his life, so it wouldn't be anything new.

"Why?... Are you suddenly scared of Tamiko the freak?" Tamiko mocked with a laugh, and Gabe frustratedly ran a finger through his hair.

He knew that the goddess never gave second-chance mates, and he was well aware that the facts had their own reason for pairing the mates, and right now, he couldn't even think of any particular reason why the goddess would never pair him with the pack outcast.

It just didn't make any sense, not to Gabe and certainly not to Tamiko himself.

Tamiko hadn't even managed to process the fact that his tormentor was his mate; it was almost like the fates were high on something when they had done the pairing.

However it had been done and no matter what they did, they would have to be together, but would they, given Tamiko's newfound fury?

"I'm not stopping you, Gabriel Grealor. Tell the pack, tell the world that you got a mate, and that your mate is the outcast, and watch me reject you in front of that very world. If anything, I have nothing to lose anyway.

"I was born of nothing, remember?" Tamiko said, before he positioned himself to face the wall, ready to get back to his sleep.

Now that he wasn't going to let anyone know he had a mate, Tamiko knew that tomorrow would just be as hectic as the days after the other mating ceremonies, when he had to be on cleanup duty and never even complained because he was the slave for a reason.

That very idea made him want to punch the alpha's son on behalf of the whole pack, but then he couldn't. He just had to live here until he found out what he needed to because, at the end of the day, he had to learn more about himself.

Maybe he would find a reason again, but hopefully, that reason wouldn't be Gabriel fucking Grealor, right?

"You can't be that cruel, Tamiko," Gabe said, and this time Tamiko stared at him like he was insane, ignoring the tingle he felt when his mate called his name. It sounded awfully beautiful but that was bullshit and Tamiko wasn't going to play along.

Was this man being serious right now?

What the hell was going on in his head to make him even think that things would be alright in the end? Was this him fantasizing? Because then he had to be deep into his fantasies this time. He was pathetic and it was a shame that this was happening to them.

"I see you aren't a good listener, Gabriel. It makes me wonder how you will run a pack if you can't even get your affairs in order," Tamiko laughed, ignoring the fear on Gabe's face. It was satisfying and if Tamiko could, he would do whatever it took to see it again.

But then that also meant that he would probably see Gabe more than he wanted to, and honestly, having Gabe this close to him made him have anger issues.

He was still furious about the damn bond, and despised the fact that, of all the bastards he could have been pared with, the goddess just had to choose the dumbest of them all.

What if Tamiko's mate was a lycan erasthai, waiting for him in Kawai?

Oh, but this was frustrating as hell.

"The pack slave would like to get some rest, your highness. Make sure you lock the door on your way out. I don't want to be sick before my slavery tomorrow, alright? See you never," Tamiko added coldly.