Upside Down (COMPLETE) Inside Out, Book 2 [BoyxBoy]

Parker

The boy demanded a few requests in their alliance. Parker knew he could always finish him off anytime and get the business done by himself, but there was something comforting about the presence of this stranger, a sense of similarity that he hadn't had for years.

They shared a common enemy, and for some reason Parker felt a strong connection with the boy through that. They didn't get deep down and personal, but through his eyes Parker could see the same burning desire that slowly destroyed him as a person. Whatever the enemy was, he shouldn't be forgiven. He didn't deserve a life.

It seemed like having an ally in the same hatred made Parker want this boy to stay, although he could be a prick at times.

He sensed the boy strolling outside the cottage, trying to find the building hidden in glamour. He was cursing here and there, and Parker let out a sigh.

"In here, Theodore," said Parker, mentally charming the glamour off.

The boy muttered profanely as he walked inside the room, standing behind Parker who sat on his cot facing the window. They'd been meeting a couple of times previously, mostly Parker did the waiting so his ally could make up his minds for the demands he desired.

"First of all, do not call me Theodore. It's just Theo," he barked out.

Parker smirked. "I can call you whatever the fuck I want. Feel free to walk out the door as a dead body if the matters of what the fuck should I call you becomes your primary concern."

Theo let out a grumble. Later, he threw a rectangular wooden box, its middle held a blood red print of a logo familiar to Parker. In the logo was a round shape that was supposed to symbolize full moon, and also a head of a werewolf with their fangs flashed. Beneath it were symbols that read The Institute.

"What's this?" Parker asked.

"My first request." Theodore looked outside the window, his arms crossed over his chest.

"Did I say something about granting multiple demands?" Parker shot at Theo with a sharp glance, though the other guy didn't look his way.

"I did tell you about wanting multiple demands." Theo turned around and looked at Parker.

"Did I tell you about getting rid of you if I'm sick of you?" Parker opened the box and spotted a golden elastic paper with tiny prints on it.

"I'm enlisted in that school for faggots," Theo blurted out. "I don't want to go."

Parker smirked and heard Theo grunting once more. It amused him, this whole military-like enlistment the werewolf leaders made for the young ones. He remembered being young and had to sit before oracles to sort out the names that pop out there for the list of freshmen in the Institute of the Otherworldly. The shape-shifters had closed a deal with the magicians to help them build a school to shape young werewolves to become warriors through bond, friendship and cooperation. Hence, the magicians suggested divinations to decide the ones who made the cut. Parker remembered that the ones chosen magically were destined to excel and nurture there. Bullshit, he thought.

Who knew maybe no magicians cared to entertain the shape-shifters anymore—maybe they just plucked out random names in the end and handed it over to the people from the school. Not that the werewolves would find out, though. Plus, mortal wizards were inseparable from their internalized prejudice towards immortals, specifically vampires and shape-shifters. Well, they were the people of magic, the highest kind in the hierarchy, weren't they?

"So?" Parker finally asked.

"Do whatever you can so I don't have to go there," Theo replied. "I still want to marry a girl. That school will only make me queerer."

Parker guessed it was the rumors where all enlisted kids there paired up with each other a lot. The Institute segregated the sexes in all their faculties, therefore there was a fat chance that all the boys there matched up through escalated hormones and formed permanent bond with each other. It was not just a gossip; he heard that it was something related to divinations as well—the oracle picked those who'd become destined pairs there.

Well, the first one wasn't as hard—Parker knew he could have good access through the Institute's system to rid of Theodore's name, though it required some effort.

Parker let out a sigh. "You don't have to attend the registration day."

"Which is about a couple of months from now," Theodore blocked him.

He continued, "When they sort the names of those who haven't registered, I'll clear yours before they send out their people to track your Alpha, charge him and drag you."

"Perfect!" Theo bemused, and Parker rolled his eyes as he waited for his next request.

Parker shook his head, holding his urge to blow up. The one thing he had in common with Theodore seemed strong enough for him to do so. The boy was clearly broken, and in some sick, twisted way the piece of him that shattered reminded Parker of his own in the past. He didn't exactly believe in destiny, but only fate could reason the sudden meeting between the two of them.

"Fine," said Parker, making it sounded like a grumpy agreement. "Anything else, princess?"

"Fuck you," Theo said, but clearly it seemed that his face was lighting up. "Next is probably way simpler for you to grant. You know about the upcoming Combat, do you?"

Parker made a subtle nod and hummed. The Wolf Combat was a traditional shape-shifters event for centuries; he remembered his parents forcing him to tag along every year when he was a child. Even young Parker thought of the game as pointless and nonsensical—like most games the Combat also based off on nothing but luck and blind ferocity; one had to beat down their opponent to the point of surrender to win. Well, being immortals they were, losing life was not a risk when only involving physical injuries, and the fight was also the dogs' way choosing their Alphas back in the old days. Now he heard werewolves too practiced democracy, trying damn too hard to be like mortals. Stupid.

"I want to win against Jace Andrews," Theodore finally said. "I want to hurt him."

"Coward," Parker said, throwing pebbles randomly in the air. "May I know why?"

"Stay out of this," Theo grumbled. "Just ... do it. Make me win against him. This may help you as well ... if Jace Andrews get hurt, his mate may probably be too. And that way it'll be easier to capture this enemy of ours."

"Mate?" Parker asked, his eyes widening.

"Just consider this particular request as my personal contribution to capture our enemy, okay mister vampire?"

"What do you mean by the mate thing?" Parker asked again, suddenly feeling curious. He usually never needed to know anything from anyone, especially not from some shape-shifter. Was it possible that this could be traps, that Theo was also part of the enemy's plan?

"The one we want to murder so much, he's in love with Jace. Hurting Jace Andrews may lure him into our trap—they share a mate bond, and having it to weaken can destroy both of them."

No, that's impossible. The boy can't be paired to anyone . . . can he? He felt a fiery sensation inside his chest, to the thought of the boy being in love with another boy. It can't be true . . . if what he meant of the bond by the pairing effect . . .

Parker brushed his thoughts off. As he stared right into Theo's eyes, he reassured himself that he was taking the right step forward. They wanted to kill the same person, and if that turned out to be false, he could always execute Theo and continued on his quest.

"Deal," Parker said, standing up from the ground and advanced into his cottage before reversing the glamour so Theo couldn't see his place again.