It’s only the second day of her heat, yet I am already abandoning her.
I’m such a shitty excuse for an alpha.
I text Hiroshi. I need him here to keep watch over Ravyn. While I could do with his help with his grandfather, he is the only one in the penthouse who can watch over her right now.
He’s a beta. Much to his father's chagrin.
He will be able to keep himself under control in her presence. Ted has his history with Beatrice, and I don’t want her heat to trigger him. Fionn has his little omega sister, Maeve, so out of respect, I will keep Ravyn far away from him, too.
Hiroshi arrives at the door just as I slip into a pair of pants. I peer back at Ravyn. She’s naked beneath those sheets, but I have no choice.
The beta barely glances at my half-naked torso the moment I open the door. Instead, his eyes fall on Ravyn. There’s no mistaking his lust. She does look amazing right now. Her perfume coats the air of the room, yet I have to go. It’s bad enough that I'm an hour late.
“Hiroshi, I just got a call from Nancy. Your grandfather is waiting at the office...”
I don’t fail to see the beta flinch when I mention his grandfather. The old man has always been nice to him. It’s his father who treats him like dirt.
“Shit,” he whispers, reaching up to rub between his eyes. “I should have woken you earlier. Just with everything that happened last night…”
Yeah. I suppose we need to cut ourselves some slack. We may be an enterprise, but we’re also one of the most targeted packs in the city.
Many are vying for our turf.
“I’m sorry, Killian. I have failed you.”
There’s no missing the shame in his eyes. I’m not surprised with his shitty father, treating him like a liability his whole life because he had the nerve to be born a beta.
Fuck that man. I hate his guts.
Hiroshi wilts. I reach out, placing a hand on his shoulder. He’s the youngest of us at age twenty-nine. So I will be like the older brother he never had; the one that should have been there for him the day his father disowned him and kicked him out of the house.
“Hey, it’s fine. It’s not your responsibility. I was distracted. We all were.”
He glances my way, and some light returns to his eyes. A small smile lifts the corners of his mouth. “Thank you.”
I’m not so good at smiling myself. Instead, I give him a stiff nod and glance back at Ravyn. “Do you think you could look after her for me? I didn’t want to ask Ted because of... well... you know.”
Hiroshi stiffens beside me. I know he doesn’t want to be around the omega when she’s in heat either.
She’s just too tempting. Her perfume smells too good. I can still taste her on the roof of my mouth. It’s going to be hard concentrating at the meeting, with my knot swelling between my legs.
Hiroshi doesn’t realize how lucky he is at times to have a normal cock.
He sucks in a deep breath, and some of his black hair falls over his eyes. Then he nods, giving me his affirmation.
“All right. I’ll do it. You go and meet up with my grandfather. Just remember everything I taught you.”
I rush down the hall as I recall his advice. His grandfather is a very formal man who's all about tradition.
So I better work on my bow.
I just hope it will all be worth it.
Chapter 20
Hiroshi
ItoldTedandFionn to leave for the day, and the first alpha was more than happy to oblige.