CHAPTER THREE

Cade was late at his part-time job, it was a coffee shop near his apartment. When he arrived, the customers and his two co-workers were looking at him weirdly.

Cade was well aware that he looked weird; his sweats were drenched from running, and he was dressed in a large-sized long sleeve that didn't fit his small build.

He was tensed but he chose not to mind about those eyes on him and headed to the staff locker room, wiped his sweat with a clean towel, and changed into the spare clothes he had in his locker.

He folded the black long sleeve shirt he had taken from the hotel room and placed it in a paper bag in his locker. He didn't take it, it was more likely that he stole it.

He was about to exit the locker room when Gendiel blocked his way to the door.

Her eyebrow raised "Girl, are you aware of your appearance right now?" she asked, crossing her arms across her chest.

Cade quickly grasped what Gendiel was trying to say. "Oh, I'm sorry, I was running because I was going to be late, but even with all the running,

I'm still late," he apologized, awkwardly rubbing his temple.

Gendiel probably thought he looked disgusting since he was drenched with sweat earlier and made the customers uncomfortable.

"I'll go and apologize to the customers," he said, his head slightly bowed. He excused himself and was about to go when Gendiel dragged him to the room's side corner, pushing him in front of a mirror.

"In case you're not aware..," Gendiel implied.

When Cade saw himself in the mirror, his breath stopped and his swollen lips parted, his face was flushed, and his neck was covered with heavy red marks that were visible on his pale skin.

People called them 'hickeys'.

Had he been looking like that for a while? Was this the reason why customers were staring at him

earlier? So embarrassing.

He was still in a state of shock when he heard Gendiel "Girl, you've just informed the entire cafe that you had sex," a hint of amusement plastered on her face.

Gendiel slightly leaned into his neck, sniffing him "And even though I'm a Beta, I still can smell an Alpha's pheromones on you," she giggled.

Bullseye, she hit the mark.

Seeing those dark red spots on his neck, it looked like his blood had been sucked dry, Cade thought he had slept with a mosquito it turned out it was an Alpha.

Cade's mind turned blank, he didn't try to deny it or say anything to Gendiel. He just covered his face with his palms, trying to hide his embarrassment in front of his coworker.

Gendiel noticed his silence and tapped his shoulder, trying to make him feel better.

"Girl, it's alright, everyone does it. I just never thought you're wild in private" Gendiel teased.

Cade opened his mouth and closed it again, he seemed to want to say something but he couldn't.

Cade was hesitant to come out, anxious about what the customers were thinking about him now. In the end, he decided to do his work. He didn't have time to slack off since he needed money.

Gendiel applied some cream and foundation on his neck to cover those dark red marks. After that, he came out of the locker room and proceeded to the counter, and started serving. He was still getting stares from the customers, but he chose not to care.

Cade went straight to his apartment after he got off from his part-time job. He was exhausted to move around, but he pushed himself to take a shower before going to bed because he didn't take one since last night, he felt sluggish and uncomfortable.

He had taken off all of his clothes and was about to reach for the doorknob to his bathroom when his attention was being drawn to the full-length mirror over the bathroom door.

Cade was speechless as if something was clogging his throat.

He thought those marks on his neck were already bad enough, but seeing his whole body through the reflection, covered with red marks and bite marks, it was way worse. It looked painful and kinda weird. If someone saw him right now, they would think he had some kind of disease.

His eyes followed his fingers caressing his clavicle, moving down to his chest and down to his flat stomach, tracing those stubborn bite marks and red marks.

Biting his bottom lip as his gaze drifted down to his lower part, seeing his inner thighs had few marks on them. Cade couldn't help to recall everything that had happened.

The memory was so vivid that he could describe everything in detail how the stranger made his body shiver with every stroke of his hand and how tender and gentle he was held by him, at that moment, Cade thought he was the most fragile thing in the world. Until now, he still could feel the stranger's warmth caressing every part of his body.

Cade's face blushed and he was aroused before he realized it.

He was embarrassed by his thoughts.

He went over to the shower, thinking that a cold shower would wash away his dirty and sinful thoughts.

Cade shivered, the moment the water touched his skin. He slightly gasped as the intensity of the flowing water made his body feel tingly and he felt hot rather than cold. Since when did his body get so sensitive? Perhaps, he was still in heat? But, he was completely normal aside from being sensitive just now.

The image of the stranger came into his mind again but Cade shook his head, trying to get rid of the idea.

He had to forget everything, the fact that the stranger was already gone when he woke up, just meant that the stranger didn't want to do anything with him. It was only one-time sex.

If there was an accident called 'hit and run', in Cade's case it was called 'fuck and run'.

After he was done showering, he sat on the edge of the bed, drying his hair with a clean towel when his cell phone rang beside him.

Cade saw his uncle's name on the caller ID.

He picked up the call, "Good evening until--".

"When will you send money?" his uncle cut him off.

"What do you mean, uncle? I just sent you 110 dollars 5 days ago, "

When his uncle called his number, it just meant only one thing, money.

"Why do you ask? You know that your auntie and I are also struggling financially and, don't forget I'm feeding your brother, and sending him to school adds to my expenses!" his uncle exclaimed.

What did his uncle mean by expenses? He'd been sending money to him twice a month because if he didn't, he wouldn't let his brother eat, and Cade was the one paying for his brother's school, so he was practically the one raising him. Cade wanted to say those things to his uncle's face but he remained silent.

He still couldn't change the fact that it was his uncle who took them in, and

Cade was grateful for that.

Cade took a deep breath. "I know uncle, I won't forget. I'll wire the money to your account but I can't send more than 80 dollars," Cade clarified.

"Only 80 dollars? I can't buy anything with that tiny amount, make it 100 dollars. " his uncle demanded.

"I'm sorry, uncle, I can't do that. I just paid my apartment rent this month and I need to buy some materials for my school project,"

"If you just listened to my advice to quit going to school, and just work so that you could focus on supporting your brother, but you refused to listen. You're so stubborn, that's why your useless mother left--"

"Uncle, I'm sorry, but I have to sleep now. Please tell Cai, I said hi, and I miss him so much," Cep said, swiftly ending the conversation.

Cai was his little brother, 6 years younger than him and also an Omega.

He placed his phone next to the pillow. He then lay down on the bed, contemplating his uncle's awful banter.

Cade was used to his uncle's ridicule and taunts, but it still hurt him.

Shifting in the fetal position and hugging himself as he could feel his eyes getting wet, he wanted to go back to those times when he had used to have a complete family.

Cade remembered, that his mother craved attention from his father, but his father couldn't provide it to her because he was often working outside, causing the constant bickering between Cade's parents. However, despite his busy schedule, his father was a good parent to his children and his mom was a loving woman.

Everything changed when his father died in a car accident.

Not long after his father's death, his mother sold their house and fled with his father's insurance money with another man, abdicating her responsibility to her children.

Since then, Cade and Cai were left homeless and penniless. Nobody wanted to take them in, not even their distant relatives, because they were Omegas and they couldn't earn any profit by raising Cade and Cai.

One day, Cade's uncle Trevor-- his father's only brother, suddenly showed up and planned to send them siblings away to a foster home but Cade pleaded with his uncle on bended knees, begging not to send them away and take them in. He persuaded and promised his uncle that he would not be a burden to him.

Cade's tears rolled down his cheeks, but he didn't bother to wipe them away.

He begged for hours until his uncle Trevor agreed to take them into his home, in return, he must work to provide for himself and Cai. Since then, he worked to the bones.

He was still in high school at the time and balancing his studies and part-time jobs had been difficult for him every day, but it was alright as long as he and Cai were staying together.

He went through a lot in that household for 4 years.

During their stay in his uncle's house, his uncle's two children bullied them every chance they got, and his uncle's wife despised him and Cai.

The daughter was a Beta and the same age as Cade. She would lie to her mother and claim that Cade and Cai were stealing her things, and their auntie would be furious and beat them up without giving them a chance to defend themselves, and wouldn't let them eat for the entire day.

His uncle's son was an Alpha and 2 years older than him. Cade was constantly harassed by him, making advances on him with dirty glances and innuendo, making him uncomfortable and grossed out.

Cade tried to report to his auntie and uncle about their son, but they didn't believe him. Instead, they blamed Cade for being an Omega and were accusing him of purposefully seducing their son.

He couldn't do or say anything because he was still a minor at the time, and he was afraid his uncle would kick him and Cai out if he complain.

Cade was left with no choice but quietly accepted all humiliation and mistreatment in that house.

Despite the issue at home, Cade didn't let it affect him. He continued to be active in school and received excellent grades and graduated from high school with honors.

Then, Cade enrolled in university where he was able to meet the requirements and passed the full scholarship exams. He then found a cheap apartment near his college and used his scholarship money to pay for it.

Of course, his uncle Trevor and his wife were against it, they wanted him to drop out of school and start working right away, but he fought for his right to education, and in the end, his uncle was unable to stop him.

Cai was still at his uncle's place, he couldn't pay attention to Cai if they were going to live together because he was often busy with school and part-time jobs, but that was only for now.

Cade promised himself that he would graduate from university and make a lot of money so that he could live a better life with Cai. For the time being, he must be patient.