“He can’t escape me now.” He unclicked the strap for the helmet and lifted it over his head. “Had, in fact, trapped himself from the very beginning.”
The alpha may as well have tied a bow around his own neck and gifted himself to Shiloh in a pretty box.
“Yes, but…” Bishop hesitated.
“Speak.”
“He saved you because he’s a good person. Not out of personal affection.”
Shiloh rolled his eyes. “Semantics. Who cares so long as I get what I want in the end?”
All the alpha had done with his deception was prove that love was a manufactured concept meant to push romance and increase sales on shit like flowers and chocolates. It wasn’t like that was new to Shiloh, so staying mad about it was a waste of energy.
“And you still haven’t changed your mind?” Bishop asked.
“He’s my alpha. Doesn’t matter how it happened, or why.” That was the problem with Sarang. He stupidly believed Shiloh would cry learning this obsession he felt may have something to do with the forced life-bond.
Nope.
Shiloh didn’t give two shits why he felt the way that he did. When he was craving cake, it certainly wasn’t because his body needed it to survive. There weren’t health benefits. A chemical in his brain simply told him gorging on sugar would release endorphins and make him happy.
Feasting on the alpha would do the same.
He’d had Sarang on his knees already. But he wanted him in his bed. Permanently.
“The alpha doesn’t have to love me,” he continued. “He just has to be mine. Plain and simple.”
“You’re underestimating what it means to possess someone,” Bishop disagreed.
Shiloh frowned, lifting the visor so he could stare the other man down. “Explain.”
“I’m just saying, you aren’t the type of man to be satisfied with scraps. Eventually, you’ll desire all of him,requireall of him to satiate that desire. There’s a reason people talk of the mind, heart, and body as separate entities.”
“I own his soul,” Shiloh reminded, but Bishop merely shook his head.
“You’re linked to his soul, but that’s not the same either.”
“Damn it, Bishop, either spell it out clearly or shut the fuck up.”
“Don’t be so flippant about his heart, is all I’m trying to say. You’re going to want it, so it’s best not to do anything that could jeopardize him giving it to you.”
“I’ll just take it?” Duh.
“Love has to be freely given.” He held up a hand when Shiloh went to argue. “I know you don’t believe in it, but most of the universe does. Don’t you think it might be safe to assume you could be wrong in this regard? And if you are, and it is real…”
Shilohwouldwant it.
Damn it.
“Well, that’s stupid.” Shiloh held onto the bottom half of his helmet, contemplating. “So you’re saying I should be more upset that he lied about why he’s stayed with me all this time?”
“You should feel however you feel,” Bishop corrected. “It’s just something I’m suggesting you keep in mind while you consider how to proceed.”
It’d only been a couple of weeks since Shiloh had procured Sarang. His Lefthand was getting hasty. He hadn’t even gotten the bite yet, which was way higher up his list than something as useless as love.
“My alpha doesn’t need to love me to knot me,” he pointed out.
“You’ve spent years trying to get him to like you. Lying about who you are, acting helpless and minimizing yourself.” Bishop’s expression took on a bitter note. “Can you really say you wouldn’t be pleased to have his love? Soothing your bruised ego over his lies by spackling them over with lies of your own isn’t the way.”
