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)
Groaning, he dropped his face into his hands.
Feeling utterly defeated, he reached for his phone.
It rang twice before Anthony picked up.
“Michael?”
His low voice sent a shiver of need through him, and the knot of tension at the base of Michael’s spine unspooled slightly. Not gone, but eased.
“I want to see you,” Michael said.
There was a bit of silence on the line.
It occurred to Michael that it was the first time he’d actually acknowledged aloud that he wanted to see the other alpha. Even when he’d texted Anthony during his rut, it had been more of a straightforward command: Come to my place. He’d never talked about it in terms of want.
“I wanted to see you too, but I thought you were angry with me,” Anthony said, his voice careful. “For what I said.”
“I am—I was—” Michael squeezed his eyes shut. “I don’t want to argue about it again, Ant. I don’t feel good.”
“What do you mean?” Anthony said, his voice becoming sharp. “What’s wrong?”
Michael shrugged, feeling exhausted. “I don’t know. I just feel strange. On edge. Like I’m coming undone and don’t make sense anymore.” He laughed a little. “Considering everything Hugh has told us, maybe I am coming undone.”
“And you think my presence would help,” Anthony stated, his tone strange.
“I don’t know,” Michael said, pinching the bridge of his nose. “It’s probably not smart. But I just want to see you.” Admitting it again brought a mix of thrill and fear.
“Okay,” Anthony said in that strange tone of voice. “I’ll be there soon.” He hung up, leaving Michael wondering how soon “soon” was.
He didn’t have to wonder long.
Anthony arrived barely twenty minutes later.
He strode into Michael’s office as though he owned it, his alpha scent immediately filling the room.
Instead of feeling an answering aggression, Michael felt the knot of tension at the base of his spine finally fade.
Anthony stalked over and took Michael’s chin in his hand, tipping his face up. “Are you okay?” he said, the knuckles of his other hand brushing against Michael’s scent gland, scent-marking him casually.
It made liquid warmth pull to Michael’s stomach. He leaned into the other alpha’s touch, struggling to keep his eyes open. “I don’t know,” he admitted honestly. “I feel strange. It’s better now that you’re here, but I feel like—like I’m a passenger in my own body. Restless. I’m not sure what I need to feel better. There’s just so much noise in my head.”
Blue eyes studied him attentively. “Come on,” Anthony said after a moment, pulling him to his feet. He put a hand on Michael’s nape, a warm, firm, grounding touch that settled something in him.
As though in a daze, Michael allowed the other alpha to steer him toward his bedroom.
“Lord Blake!”
They froze at the sound of Michael’s mother’s voice.
Michael turned his head, watching her approach them.
“I didn’t know you were visiting,” she said with a smile.
Anthony picked up her hand and bowed over it slightly. His other hand remained on Michael’s neck. “My lady,” he said, all effortless alpha charm.
She certainly looked charmed.
Something ugly twisted Michael’s insides. “I’m sorry, Mother,” he said stiffly. “Anthony and I have things to discuss.”
She peered at him, a puzzled frown flickering over her fine features as her gaze fell to Anthony’s hand on his nape.
Michael knew it was more than a little suspicious. Alphas didn’t touch each other like that. Although it wasn’t exactly scruffing, the firm hold was definitely restricting. It should have felt stifling. Threatening. Michael should not have been allowing Anthony to touch him like this, period, much less in someone’s presence.
But Michael couldn’t bring himself to shake the hand off. A small, messed-up part of him wanted everyone to see Anthony touching him that way. Mine, the beast in him growled, even as his instincts failed to react as an alpha should have reacted in such a situation.
“Of course,” his mother said after a moment, giving Anthony’s hand another strange look. “Don’t let me keep you.”
Murmuring his goodbye, Anthony resumed guiding him toward his bedroom.
“She’s probably suspicious,” Michael said with a sigh, but he couldn’t bring himself to care much.
“Probably,” Anthony agreed, sounding unconcerned. He pulled Michael’s bedroom door open and steered him toward the bed. “Get undressed and lie down. On your stomach.”
Chuckling, Michael shot him an incredulous look but obliged. “Is sex seriously your answer to everything?” But his cock was already stirring at the mere thought of having Anthony back inside him again. Fuck, he really would be wet for Anthony at the slightest touch if he were an omega. His body was such a whore for this man.
“I’m not going to fuck you,” Anthony said, toeing off his shoes and undressing too. He climbed on top of Michael and settled his weight on him, his chest to Michael’s back.
Oh.
Michael gasped, his mind going so very quiet.