Total pages in book: 62
Estimated words: 58808 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 294(@200wpm)___ 235(@250wpm)___ 196(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 58808 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 294(@200wpm)___ 235(@250wpm)___ 196(@300wpm)
Eric nodded and hurried out of the room, his stomach in knots and his hole still uncomfortably slick.
He stuffed three fingers inside himself as soon as he got home, but they didn’t bring any relief.
They never did anymore.
Chapter 3
Eric didn’t follow his doctor’s advice.
He couldn’t think of anything he was less eager to do than talk about his constant horniness with his older brothers. It was too embarrassing. Besides, Anthony was still half a stranger after being gone for fifteen years. Jules and Liam were blissfully in love with their mates; Eric didn’t want to ruin their happiness by making them worry for him. He wanted to deal with the issue on his own before it reached his brothers’ ears.
The problem was, he needed to convince the Cleghorns of that. Eric liked Royce and Haydn, but he doubted it would be easy to convince them to hide the truth from his family.
Unfortunately, he was right.
“No,” Royce said, in a tone that brooked no argument. “I can’t make a decision like that and sign these forms without consulting your legal guardian.”
Eric crossed his arms over his chest, trying not to look intimidated. In the months he’d stayed with the Cleghorns, he’d never had to confront the alpha of the family, much less confront him for a reason like that in Royce’s rather intimidating office. It reminded him that this was the leader of the country he was arguing with. “You are my legal guardian. Anthony gave you the authority.”
Royce shot him a rather tight look. “Not when it comes to something like that. I can’t in good conscience authorize you getting an unorthodox treatment like that without consulting your actual family alpha.”
Eric glared at him. “This is my body. I should be the only one making decisions about it. Not Anthony, not you or Haydn. Me.”
“Eric is right,” Haydn said, laying his hand on his husband’s shoulder. “If he doesn’t want to have his family informed, you do have the authority not to inform them. It’s that simple. It is his body and he should be the only one to have a say about it.”
Royce looked at his husband. They exchanged a long, intimate look, seemingly having a silent conversation with their eyes only, and Eric averted his gaze, feeling awkward. It was hard to miss how in love Royce and Haydn were. It made him wistful. And a little envious. He would never have something like this.
“Fine,” Royce said at last, turning back to Eric. “I’ll sign the forms—after I have my lawyer take a look. But I want you to know that getting that treatment isn’t the only viable option you have.”
“What do you mean?”
Royce’s dark eyes were serious but not unkind as he said, “I think it’s time for you to stop hiding in this house. It’s been months, Eric. We’ll start taking you to social events. You can meet people there. Unmated young alphas from good families.”
His stomach knotting up, Eric shook his head. “I don’t have time for that. The doctor said things would get worse within six—”
“I remember,” Royce said, unmoved. “And I’m not suggesting that we find you an alpha within the next six days—that would be very rash, even if it were possible. But I don’t want you relying on that treatment indefinitely. The sooner you get an alpha of your own, the sooner the problem will go away.”
“You shouldn’t associate yourself with me in public,” Eric said, looking at his shoes. “You’re public figures.”
“We can handle it,” Haydn said firmly. “Royce is right. Think about it, okay? It’s your decision to make, but you should at least consider it. Who knows, you might meet someone you like.”
Reluctantly, Eric nodded and made his excuses.
Four days and about a hundred signed forms later, Eric sent the paperwork back to the clinic and booked another appointment. He winced when he saw the time of the appointment: eight in the evening. He felt bad for making Dr. Randall work overtime, even if it was for a cause he was clearly passionate about.
Speaking of which… Eric couldn’t resist digging up stuff about Dr. Randall. The doctor’s cynical conviction that an alpha-omega mating bond was just a product of the right hormones and pheromones released by the body and not anything special had to stem from something, right?
Eric had always been good at research. It took him less than an hour of digging up old articles and creeping on social media to piece together Hugh’s past.
Hugh Randall had been married. And not just married, but properly mated to an omega. Apparently, Hugh had been on a school trip with his class when he and his classmate, Nadine, got separated from the class and stuck in a cave for days. Nadine had gone into her first heat, presenting as an omega, which consequently triggered Hugh’s first rut. They both had been fourteen.