Eric knew this was the moment he should tell Jules no, tell him that it was pointless. Hugh would never be his alpha.
But it doesn’t mean you can’t have him, even if for a little while.
The thought made Eric go still.
It was pure madness.
But it was also true. His reputation was ruined anyway. He had been labeled a slut without even being kissed. Why couldn’t he do something to actually earn that reputation for once? Something good for himself, even if it wouldn’t last? Alphas had sex for fun all the time, no strings attached. Why couldn’t he?
“All right,” Eric said, sitting up straighter. “I’m listening.”
Chapter 12
Standing in front of Hugh’s office door, Eric licked his lips and wiped his sweaty hands on his pants. He knew Hugh was alone. Hugh’s last patient for the day had just left. As for how Eric knew, there might have been hacking into the clinic’s servers involved. In Eric’s defense, it was Jules’s idea, even if the execution was his. For Jules’s plan to be converted into action, Eric needed to see Hugh in private, and he drew the line at stalking his house like the worst sort of creep. This was probably still creepy, but hopefully not too creepy.
Though he had other things to worry about right now. Potentially far more mortifying things.
Eric pushed the door open.
“Eric?” Hugh said, looking up from the file in front in him. His rich brown hair was a little ruffled, as if he had been raking his hand through it, but other than that, he looked impeccable, as always. Mouthwateringly handsome. His five o’clock shadow only added to his attractiveness. “What are you doing here?”
Eric carefully shut the door and pressed the button to lock it.
“I need your help,” Eric said.
The furrow between Hugh’s brows deepened. He leaned back in his chair, fixing his tie absentmindedly though it didn’t really need fixing. “Dr. M’Zen is your doctor now. You should be going to him if you have new alarming symptoms.”
“I don’t trust him like I trust you.”
Hugh’s nostrils flared, a muscle jumping in his jaw as his faint scent became stronger. “All right. What is the issue?”
“I can’t focus on anything.” Eric tried hard not to blush as he met Hugh’s eyes, but he probably failed. “It’s too sensitive, and it aches all the time.”
Hugh didn’t even blink, his face neutral, as if they were speaking about the weather. “Your cock?” he said.
“No—well, that too, but I meant my… you know,” Eric mumbled, his face so hot he felt like it was about to be set on fire. He wasn’t lying. Just talking about it with Hugh made his hole ache and become slick, itching to be stroked and filled. He tried hard not to look at Hugh’s long, strong fingers. “And I’m leaking. Like, almost constantly.”
Hugh glanced at the calendar on his desk. “You’re still seven days away from your heat. What did Doctor M’Zen say? Are your hormone levels back to the elevated pre-heat level?”
“I don’t know. I didn’t see him after our first and only appointment.”
“Eric,” Hugh said sternly.
Eric shivered, squeezing his thighs together. “Don’t look at me like that. I don’t like him. He’s not as good a doctor as you.”
“Thanks for the vote of confidence, but he has ten years of experience on me.”
Eric scoffed. “The first thing he said to me was that I’d made my bed and I should get mated to the first alpha willing to have me.”
“He did what?” Hugh said flatly, a muscle pulsing at his temple as he got to his feet. “That’s unacceptable. I’ll speak to our boss about his conduct.”
“That’s not important, Hugh,” Eric said, rounding the desk quickly.
“I disagree,” Hugh said, turning toward the door.
Eric put a hand on Hugh’s bicep to stop him. “Please. Getting Dr. M’Zen in trouble wouldn’t help me. I need you to help me.”
Hugh shot him a frustrated look but stopped. “I can’t help you, Eri,” he said tightly. “I’m not your doctor anymore. I’m forbidden from being involved in your treatment.”
“I don’t want you to help me in your professional capacity,” Eric said, propping his hip against the desk and dropping his gaze. “Can you… Can you help me again? I’m so frustrated it hurts.” He wet his lips with his tongue. “I need you.”
The resulting silence was the worst in his life.
Seconds dragged by, and Eric started thinking that Jules was wrong.
Alphas love being needed. That’s their biggest thing. Like, taking care of an omega they care about actually gets them off, gives them a hormonal high. Devlin loves hearing how much I need him. So I indulge him and tell him that even when I don’t really need him! If that alpha cares for you that way even a little, he’ll love hearing that you need him.