Total pages in book: 62
Estimated words: 60378 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 302(@200wpm)___ 242(@250wpm)___ 201(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 60378 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 302(@200wpm)___ 242(@250wpm)___ 201(@300wpm)
Until this evening.
Anthony’s hands balled into fists as he remembered Michael’s uncharacteristic behavior, the aggression and challenge in his body language. He’d even bitten him, hard enough to draw blood. It almost seemed as though Michael was in rut, except Vos was no longer in its full-moon phase.
The aggression was definitely odd, but it was nothing compared to what had ended their fight.
Anthony was well aware he had been out of line when he’d used his Voice on his friend. But he couldn’t help himself. Drawing blood wasn’t done in a friendly spar. Until then, he’d been mostly just humoring his friend, not sparring for real, but being bitten had triggered his aggression and the alpha command had entered his voice before he could think twice. Using one’s Voice on another alpha was considered highly offensive—it was considered a sign of disrespect—but that was usually it. Anthony certainly hadn’t expected that his command would affect Michael in any way.
But it had.
His Voice had made Michael obey, as if he were a pup. Or an omega.
The memory alone sent Anthony’s pulse racing, his body flooded with hormones and pheromones he couldn’t begin to sort out. It wasn’t normal for an alpha to be so affected by another alpha’s Voice. Almost unheard of. The only known exception was an alpha parent using it on their newly presented pup—and even then, it rarely worked, certainly not well enough to break up a fight. By every law of instinct and biology, it should have been impossible. And yet. It had happened. He had felt it working.
There was something else, too.
After years as a covert operative, Anthony’s mind had catalogued every detail of Michael’s behavior—even in the middle of their argument—for later analysis.
And afterward, one thing stood out. Just before he fled the room, Michael’s scent had been unmistakable: fear, mortification—and arousal.
Something about the situation had aroused Michael.
“You’re so worked up,” Jon observed, snapping Anthony out of his confusing thoughts. His blue eyes, a few shades darker than Anthony’s, peered at him carefully. “What’s going on, Ant?”
“Nothing,” Anthony said. “I need to go. Tell Li I said hi.” He strode away before Jon could say something.
He couldn’t see Michael anywhere. It looked like he’d left already.
Pulling his phone out, Anthony messaged him. Where are you? We need to talk.
He could see that the message was received and read.
At long last, Michael replied. Can we just pretend it didn’t happen?
No, Anthony sent back. He was done letting Michael avoid the issue. There clearly was an issue. Michael had been acting off since their trip. What had happened tonight proved that his friend hadn’t been entirely honest.
There was a long pause before Michael’s next message.
Fine. Come to my place, then.
Shoving his phone into his pocket, Anthony strode toward the door.
He was going to get to the bottom of this, one way or another.
Chapter 10
“Lord Blake is here to see you, my lord.”
Michael took a deep breath before exhaling and leaning back in his chair. Although he’d already lost his jacket, he suddenly felt overheated in his thin dress shirt. He should have changed after the ball.
“Let him in,” he said, and made an effort to relax his body. There was nothing to worry about. Ant was his friend. He wasn’t going to judge Michael for what had happened, no matter how mortifying it was.
Anthony entered his office and shut the door with a hard, final click.
Michael’s gut tightened the instant their eyes locked.
“You want a drink?” Michael said after a moment, nodding toward the minibar. “Help yourself.”
Without saying anything, Anthony poured himself a drink and took the chair across Michael’s desk.
They stared at each other. Anthony was quiet, nursing his drink idly.
Michael wished he had one too—something to keep his hands busy. “So, this is awkward,” he said with a wry smile. “We really should have just pretended it didn’t happen.”
Anthony’s dark eyebrows drew together. “It’s not something we should ignore. My Voice shouldn’t have worked on you. It could be a serious health issue.”
Michael grimaced, but Anthony was right. Without all the facts, he could have believed himself terminally ill as well. Alphas lost their Voices—and the ability to resist other alphas’ Voices—close to their deaths. No wonder Anthony had jumped to that conclusion.
“I’m not sick, Ant,” he said softly.
“Then why? How?”
Michael shrugged. “My guess is being around your unnatural rut on Belith fucked something up in me. I’m sure it’ll pass. Just a little side effect.” And never mind that these days I can’t come without stuffing something in my asshole.
His face warm, Michael forced himself to keep looking Anthony in the eye.
“Are you saying you’ve been struggling with this issue for weeks?”
“I didn’t know there was an issue,” Michael said stiffly. “Other alphas don’t exactly go around using their Voices on me.”
Anthony shifted a little in his seat, but he didn’t look particularly guilty. His gaze remained on Michael, steady and thoughtful. “You’re not telling me something.”