Plop...plop...plop

Jak fiddled with the smooth stone in his hand before he threw it into the water. He watched the ripples spread out on the water from the epicenter. He envied the smooth little rocks and their ability to sink into the ocean...never to resurface.

To say this day was shitty is an understatement.

When Jak woke up today in his warm cozy bed, he should've been happy. He had a loving father, great friends, and an entire city of people who adored him despite his teenage antics.

But the news he received from his father when he returned from Haven hit him like a rampaging Bullaphant.

An arranged bonding...

...with some random noble from Haven.

Two days later and he was still reeling from the bomb his father dropped on him. He'd spent the last two days begging his father to call it off, threatening to renounce his title, and trying to bargain for an alternative.

Nothing had worked...

And now his mate was arriving today.

His day became even worse after that mop-headed asshole threatened Daxter in the Palace guest wing. So much so, that Jak could still feel the dark eco boiling under his skin an hour later.

It was a good thing Daxter got him out of there before he got too angry.

Something about that man just rubbed him the wrong way...he couldn't explain it.

"I swear to the Precursors, if I have a bruise on my glorious neck I'm suing that tattooed bastard!" Daxter paced back and forth, his fear having worn off and turned into rage, "Who the hell does his think he is?! WHO THE HELL EVEN WAS HE?!"

"No idea, but if I ever see him again, I promise I'll repay him for that gut punch." Jak tossed another pebble into the ocean, albeit a bit more aggressively.

They were quiet for a moment before Daxter moved to sit beside his friend, "Hey, you doin ok, big guy?"

Jak let out a frustrated sigh, "No Dax, I'm not. This fucking sucks."

He was only 17 years old...hasn't even experienced his first rut yet, hell he's never gone past third base yet! How the hell was he supposed to be bonded to someone he's never even met before?!

Daxter placed a hand on his shoulder, "I'm sorry Jak...this isn't fair to you. Its time like this I wish we were twins so we could trade places. If I could just-"

"Thanks Dax, but I couldn't ask you to do that, even if we were." Jak sighed again and stared out at the open sea, watching the sun begin to set, "Besides...it's my responsibility as the Prince. Dad had no choice in the matter. Haven demanded this to seal the treaty and this treaty is more important than...my happiness, I guess."

"Nothing is more important than that Jak." Daxter narrowed his eyes, "But, you know you can always come talk to me when it gets too hard right? I'm here for ya."

Jak smiled softly and turned towards his best friend, "Yeah I know...thanks Dax." He felt a tad bit better...Daxter always had that effect on him. "I just wish it wasn't a complete stranger, y'know?"

"I hear ya man. But hey, you might get lucky! She could be a hot chick with huge knockers!" Daxter waved his hands in large circles over his chest while giving a toothy grin.

Jak huffed out a laugh, "Yeah...or it could be some fat, balding old man with a foot fetish."

"Hey now! No kink-shaming!"

"Some kinks need to be shamed Dax."

"This is why I never tell you anything!" Daxter huffed and crossed his arms in mock anger. "Just for that, I hope Mr. Mop-head-cheap-paints turns out to be your mate!"

Jak crinkled his nose in disgust, "Ew Dax, don't even joke like that."

"Mr. Reista? Sir?"

His belly rounding with life...

"Hey, c'mon, dinner's ready. Aren't you hungry?"

A tiny screaming person latched to his chest, sucking out his life.

"Geez, that must've been one hell of a trip."

Sharp teeth biting his neck, hands pinning him down to a mattress, forcing his legs open...

"Sir?"

His grandmother laughs at him as his pride is tarnished and his body violated...his soldiers turn away in disgust and disappointment as they watch him being dominated by an alpha.

"Torn?"

Looks of pity, looks of resentment...people who are shocked at his condition and people who knew it was only a matter of time...

"TORN!"

He jolts awake in a cold sweat. The nightmare recedes as he remembers where he is. Keira is standing over him, a look of concern and...shit...pity.

"You...ok?" She had a look of genuine concern on her face.

Torn suppressed a shudder as he remembered the horrible nightmare, "Yeah...just...still a bit tired." He slowly sat up, wrinkling his nose in disgust as he feels how damp his body is. He'll definitely need another shower.

Keira was obviously still concerned, but she pushed it aside and said, "Dinner's ready. They're waiting for you in the family dining room. I laid out an outfit for you, if you don't mind. This'll be the first time you're meeting Prince Jak...I figured you'd like to make a good first impression. It's a traditional Spargan noble dinner wear."

Torn glanced over at the outfit, neatly hanging on a rack near the closet.

It was a simple dark blue silk kurta that was adorned with silver stones in a line down the left side. The kurta split open at the hip and seemed to hang to his mid-thigh. Underneath were cream-colored slacks and knee-high black boots. It was a simple outfit and exotic looking compared to the clothes seen in Haven.

Form hugging, yet regal.

Well, at least it wasn't a dress...

"Thanks...blue is my color."

"I figured!" Keira smiled again, happy that Torn seemed to approve of the outfit, "Hurry up and get dressed. I'll escort you, that was you won't get lost again." There was a playfulness to her words, but Torn wasn't exactly in the mood to be coy. "Yeah...thanks." He shifted his body to the edge of the bed and moved to stand, "Think I'll take a quick shower first, though." He made his way to the bathroom and heard Keira call after him, "Make it very quick!"

He closed the door and turned on the shower, removing his shirt and shorts before standing under the spray. He let the water hit his back as snippets of his nightmare flooded his mind.

He did not want to get pregnant.

He did not want kids.

Hell, he never even wanted to be bonded in the first place.

And yet, here he was...

Oh well...maybe tonight would surprise him. After all, it couldn't possibly get any worse.

When he felt he was presentable, he stepped out and toweled off again. He looked in the mirror to check his appearance once more. The bruise was darker now and more noticeable, and he looked tired and worn down.

Not exactly an attractive look for him.

He fiddled with his locks and wondered what the hell he should do with them...if anything. He decided to loosen the ties a little to allow the dreads to fall forward and frame his face a bit. He usually tied them back to keep them out of his face, but perhaps if they were looser, he would look less tired and more put together.

When he was satisfied, he wrapped the towel around his waist and exited the bathroom.

"OH MY GOD!"

He startled and turned to a very flustered Keira...

...he forgot she was still there.

"I-I'm not looking!" She covered her eyes with both hands and turned away, "B-but just so you know, I'm also an omega!"

"That's still not helpful...I'm a dude."

"You're...right about that, sorry." She started turning several shades of pink and Torn decided to have pity on her, "Hey, it's fine...you're about to get an eyeful tomorrow when I go in for the pap smear anyway, so don't worry about it." He dropped the towel and quickly slid on some underwear to at least cover his junk. "You can look now, underwear on."

Keira sheepishly turned back around, still flushed pink and obviously trying not to stare at Torn's lithe yet muscled form, "Wow...you're...really built huh?"

"Um...thanks?" He grabbed the pants and slid them on, "Kinda have to be when you're in the military."

"Right...yeah."

Torn finished dressing, tying off his boots before giving a turn, "How do I look?"

Keira smiled widely, "Incredibly handsome! The Kurta really defines your arms, bust, and waist. Jak is gonna love you!"

That makes one of us then...

He buried that bitterness deep down. He was determined to at least give the guy a solid chance. Who knows? Maybe the prince was a kind-hearted, regal man who was intelligent, level-headed, and mature.

Though to be honest, anyone would be better than someone like that blonde jackass from earlier.

He followed Keira down a flight of stairs to a surprisingly homey area that looked more like the insides of a well-lived-in cottage. He was led to a large wooden door where could hear voices coming from the other side.

"This is the royal family's private dining room. The grand dining room is used for special events and visiting guests. Whenever Damas wants us to eat together we come here." Keira grasped the door handle, looking back at Torn, "You nervous?"

Torn wanted to say that he wasn't. But his hesitance to answer gave it away...he very much was.

"Don't worry." She gave him a warm smile, "Just go in there confidently and be yourself. I promise, everything will be fine!"

With that, she opened the door and walked in, "Sorry we're late! Had to freshen up."

Torn entered behind her and was about to greet the King when he locked eyes with the last person he wanted to see.

Jak stared back at him...his expression showing that the feeling was mutual.

"YOU!?"

Jak was now standing, a low growl already starting in his chest.

Torn smirked and glared down at the annoying blonde, "Fancy seeing you here. Did you buy me some more paint yet?"

Jak retuned the glare with one of his own and hissed, "No, but I do have something to give you if you're man enough to come closer!"

This kid knew how to piss him off, "Not before I thank you for the face decoration you gave me earlier." He jabbed a finger towards his bruised cheek.

"Come over here and I'll even you out!" Jak prepared for a fight.

"Aw, what's wrong kid? Too scared to make the first move?" Torn clenched his fists, preparing for the kid to move. He remembered how fast the little shit was and didn't plan on getting caught off-guard again.

"What, you didn't get enough last time?"

"Last time was just play, this time I plan on stomping your flat ass into the ground."

"OH THATS IT-" Just before Jak could lunge across the table, King Damas stood up and roared, "ENOUGH!"

Torn tilted his head down in submission before he could stop himself, though he was satisfied to see the blonde brat do the same.

Torn lifted his head first and addressed the king, "Forgive me your grace. I had the misfortune of meeting this brat and his friend in the halls earlier when they barreled into me and destroyed something precious to me." He turned to glare at Jak, "I didn't think I would be seeing him again so soon."

Damas turned to Jak and Daxter, giving them a stern look, "Is this true?"

Jak raised his head but avoided looking his father in the eye, instead focusing his glare on Torn, "It was an accident, but he made the first move and threatened Daxter! And he punched me!"

"You punched me first you little shit!" Torn was now the one growling as he glared daggers at the blonde.

"And you deserved it for threatening my friend, you old fart!"

"You son of a-"

"ALRIGHT!" Damas roared again, once more quieting both parties. The old king sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, "It would seem this meeting will not go as I intended, as you've seemed to have already met. Since it looks like we're already off to a bad start, I might as well drop the other shoe now."

He turned to Torn, "Commander, this is my son, Jak Mar."

He turned to Jak, "Son, this is Commander Torn Reista, your soon-to-be mate."

The room fell dead silent as the two previously arguing men turned to gape at each other...wide eyed in disbelief and objection.

Jak and Torn stared...unblinking. Both silently wishing that they didn't just hear what the King had revealed.

Neither of them wanted to believe that their days could have possibly gotten worse.

But it seems they both just hit rock bottom.

The silence was broken when Daxter burst out laughing, hysterically.

Jak flopped boneless back into his chair, the look on his face screaming 'this can't be happening!'

Torn started to put two and two together...the orange idiot called the blonde idiot "Jak"...the Prince of Spargus was named "Jak"...

Torn shakily grabbed a chair and slumped into it, grasping his head with both hands, "Oh you have got to be kidding me..."

"There is NO WAY my luck is this bad, Dad! Please tell me you're kidding!" Jak pleaded desperately.

"Calm down both of you!" Damas sighed and sat back down, "You had a rough start, yes, but that's no reason to assume this still can't work out. Alliances have been forged on worse conditions; you know! Let's just take a moment to stop panicking like children and eat." He snapped his fingers and a servant who was standing nearby nodded and left through another door possibly leading to the kitchen.

At that moment, the door burst back open to reveal Sig and Samos grinning happily.

"Hello Cherries! How'd it go? Do I hear wedding bells?"

One more look around the dining room and Sig got his answer.

"...that good huh?"

"Again, I'm so sorry, I did not know he was your son, please forgive me-"

"Torn please stop apologizing! It was an honest mistake, that was justified." Damas turned his attention to Jak and Daxter, "You boys owe Torn an apology! What were you thinking racing around the halls like that anyway?!"

Jak refused to look anywhere except the plate in front of him. He hadn't moved or spoken since Damas made the big reveal.

Torn couldn't blame him.

To say they had a terrible first meeting would be like saying getting shot tickles.

"That's not necessary your highness, I still have a lot of paint left and I'm sure I can easily find more." Torn was trying his best to backpaddle since he literally just showed his ass by threatening the Prince right in front of the King.

Not to mention he actually assaulted him...

...although granted, Jak did assault him first.

Nevertheless, he and Jak already hated each other, and he didn't want to have to face the wrath of both the Prince AND King.

Damas sighed in mild irritation, "I'm terribly sorry for my son's rudeness. I'll have some more supplies sent up to your room tomorrow."

Torn now felt horrible, "That's really not necessary your majesty-"

"Nonsense! Please, think of it as making amends for giving you such an awful introduction to our city." Damas furrowed his brows in regret, "I wanted you to be comfortable here and see us with our best foot forward."

Torn looked down, touched that the King seemed to genuinely care about his adjustment, "If it makes any difference, your majesty, Keira and Sig have been very welcoming...in their own ways."

After he had said it, Sig burst out laughing, "Nice to see you're such a good sport about it! This one's a keeper Damas. Got a lot of fight in him!" He then leaned in and whispered loud enough for everyone to still hear, "It'll be good for Jak to have someone willing to go toe to toe with his bullshit."

"I can hear you Sig." Jak grumbled, still not making eye contact.

"You were meant to, Cherry." As soon as he finished that sentence, the servants came back and set a covered plate of food in front of each of them. The covers were removed to reveal a thankfully simple meal consisting of some kind of meat slab, root vegetables, and rice. Torn, not knowing what to expect, had been worried about some exotic food that would either burn off his taste buds or consist of some weird insect.

As they dug in, the table became quiet once more, until Sig broke the awkward silence, "So Torn, care to tell me how you managed to become the Leader of Haven's military while being an Omega? If you had started here, you probably would have flown through the ranks in no time...but last I checked, Haven wasn't too keen on Omegas in power? Though, the Civil rights movements also didn't begin until shortly after I left."

Torn paused mid bite and placed his fork down, uneasiness started to creep in. "It wasn't easy. There was an initiative to include Omegas in the military. I begged my parents to let me join, and they gave me permission. At the time there was still a lot of flak around Omegas serving on the front lines or any position other than a desk job. I went through basic training, but then got sent to work communications."

The room was quiet, and all eyes were on him...including Jak's. Unable to stop it, Torn began spilling his guts to a table of strangers.

"I was angry, felt cheated. I wanted to serve my city by fighting Metal heads and Marauders. I went to my CO and told him straight. He didn't think I was serious at first, thought I didn't know what I was asking for. So... I challenged him to a duel."

"That was quite bold!" Damas seemed impressed.

Torn gave a small smile, "Yeah...and pretty rash now that I think back. He laid me out flat in seconds. But even though he was kicking my ass, I kept getting back up and giving it my all. Finally, he tossed me to the ground hard and knocked me unconscious. When I woke up, I was in the infirmary...and he was watching over me. He said he liked my courage and saw that I had the heart of a fighter...so he made a deal with me. He offered to spar with me...teach me what he knew...and if I could manage to knock him down, he would let me join a squad."

"I trained hard every day with him. I broke nearly every bone in my body and went home barely able to lift a finger. When I sparred with the other troops, I dominated every single one of them...but no matter how hard I tried; I couldn't beat my CO... until one day I did."

Jak sat up a bit, still very pissed off, but intent on hearing the rest.

Torn continued with a sad smile, "The day I finally knocked him on his ass, I felt so strong. He was so proud too. I was assigned to my first squad the next day and we quickly became the top troop. I kept pushing myself and got promoted. Pretty soon I became a captain, and my strategies were second to none. My CO became the former commander of the guard, and when it came time for him to choose a successor, he chose me."

"He was ostracized for his decision. People tried to have him discharged, dishonored, and even arrested for making such a controversial decision. But he never regretted it. I'd like to think I did a good job in his place. Crime rates decreased by nearly half, we managed to take back important land taken over by our enemies, and people were happier. Plus, more Omegas began taking jobs formerly monopolized by Alphas. It felt like I finally had a purpose..."

He fell silent...the weight of his story started to bear down on him.

Remembering how the story ended felt like a negation of all he accomplished.

"Sorry...didn't mean to talk so long." He shifted uncomfortably as the room became quiet once more.

Not seemed to have read the room, Damas smiled proudly and announced, "Not at all! We're so honored to have you here with us! You truly are a one-of-a-kind man and I'm so grateful that you agreed to bond with my son." He stood up and looked between the soon-to-be-mates, "I know you will get along quite nicely in time. The wedding and bonding ceremony is only two weeks away, in the meantime, I want you to spend as much time with each other as possible!"

"Dad!" Jak moved to protest, but Damas shut him down with a disapproving look.

Torn felt sick again.

He stood up quickly, "Sorry your highness, but can I be excused? I'm still very tired from my journey."

It was a lie, but if Damas knew, he didn't show it, "Of course my boy, and please, you're family now. Call me Damas...or father if you wish!"

Torn paused, not willing to truly call him by either. He gave a respectful bow then turned on his heel and exited the room like it was on fire. He sprinted as quickly as he could across the hall, not bothering to locate where his bedroom was. He managed to find a balcony and stumbled to the edge, grasping the rail and taking heaving breaths of fresh night air.

He stared out across the city and at the open ocean. He watched the waves lapping the beach as children played in the moonlit expanse.

He thought briefly of his CO... now long deceased, much like his parents. After all the sacrifices he made to help Torn get where he was...he couldn't even begin to imagine how disappointed he must be.