“Pelugians,” said the beta woman with a delicate scoff. “Their society is still stuck in the dark ages. We’re much more progressive, of course.”
Lucien made a strangled noise and turned away while Eric balled his fists behind his back, annoyed on Lucien’s behalf. If Kadarian society were truly progressive, these snobbish people wouldn’t act like Lucien wasn’t even there. At least they weren’t openly sneering at him, but Eric was certain it hurt Lucien that they acted like he was invisible.
“We might be more progressive,” the male omega said, looking at Eric in an assessing manner. “But alphas don’t like mating used goods, Vagrippa. It would be hard for an omega with such a damaged reputation—even if it is slander—to find a semi-decent match.”
Eric pursed his lips tightly. He wasn’t sure if he was glad or annoyed that the man was speaking his mind. His straightforwardness was better than him being fake-polite to him and then saying this behind his back, but it was still jarring to be talked about like he wasn’t even there.
But before he could say anything, the beta woman murmured, looking toward the door, “I should go fetch my son from the card room. He’ll want to know that Randall is here.” Unaware of the effect her words had on Eric, she said with a wry smile, “Zhien will be very annoyed with me if I don’t tell him and he misses Hugh.”
“I think your son is wasting his time, Amaya,” the male omega said. “Everyone knows Randall has no intention of taking a mate again. Pity.”
“It is a pity,” Vagrippa said, following their gaze to someone behind Eric’s back. “Randall was one of my top choices for my daughter, but the stubborn girl went and got mated to her childhood sweetheart.”
“She would be too young for Randall anyway, my dear,” Amaya said. “I’ve heard he steers away from young omegas after his unfortunate first marriage. My son is twenty-six, a perfect age for him.”
The male omega, whose name Eric still didn’t know, shook his head. “And I still think your son is wasting his time. The only thing Hugh Randall is interested in is meaningless flings with mature omegas not looking for anything serious. I’ve spoken to Felicia Randall just last month. The poor woman completely has given up hope that her son will ever get married and give her grandchildren to dote on. What a waste. The Randall fortune is enormous.”
Amaya sighed. “Unfortunately, it isn’t Randall’s fortune my son is interested in, Theo. I don’t think I can convince him to give up and settle for someone else.”
“I can’t blame him, truth be told,” Theo said with a small smirk. “If I were even ten years younger…”
Gross. He had to be at least sixty, old enough to be Hugh’s parent.
“Stop scowling,” Lucien whispered into his ear.
“I’m not scowling,” Eric said and finally gave in to the urge to look where everyone was looking at.
The tall alpha wearing dark evening clothes looked completely different from the doctor he knew. Gone was the patience, the kind bedside manner Eric was familiar with. The look on Hugh’s handsome face was cold and haughty, his posture emanating confidence and faint disdain, not a trace of a smile on his lips as he conversed with someone, his hands in the pockets of his dark suit pants.
Fuck, he was gorgeous. It was an objective fact. Eric wasn’t ogling him or anything. He was looking respectfully, but it was hard not to notice Hugh’s mouthwateringly firm jawline, his full lips and straight nose, his beautiful turquoise eyes framed with dark eyelashes and well-shaped brows. His tall, muscular frame filled out his dark evening suit perfectly, the fabric accentuating the width of his shoulders and the tautness of his stomach. Alpha, his mere presence screamed. Alpha.
He’d had this man’s cock in him.
Eric averted his gaze, his mouth gone dry. He’d tried so hard to suppress the memory, to push it out of his mind, but it was still there nevertheless. He couldn’t forget what it felt like to have that fat cockhead breach him, how perfect it felt, the gush of come inside him that finally brought the relief he’d needed for days.
Don’t think about it. It was a one-off. It doesn’t matter.
It really didn’t.
It didn’t.
But no matter what he told himself, he couldn’t stop being painfully aware of Hugh’s presence in the room. It was like there was an invisible string connecting them, tugging at him, and demanding him to follow it. He just wanted to talk to Hugh. Just to talk.
No, damn it. He was supposed to stay away from Hugh.
“I think Rodd Stevens might be a viable option for the boy,” Amaya said, tearing Eric away from his obsessive thoughts. It took him a moment to realize that she was talking about him. “Rodd’s financial situation isn’t good after his company went bankrupt, and he’s not much of a looker, nor is he in possession of a pleasing personality, so his options are limited. He might agree to mate the boy for the connection to the Pelugian royal family, especially if he’s given a big dowry. Granted, a very big dowry. After all, it would be very hard for any alpha to look past the boy’s transgressions.” She patted Vagrippa’s shoulder. “Not every alpha is as generous as your husband to marry used goods out of the goodness of his heart.”