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“We’re right here,” the lawyer said, a dry figure of a man—a beta, from his scent, and one who didn’t get laid often.
Random thoughts, anything but to consider why they were here, outside a mansion in the outskirts of town, waiting to be shown in by the butler of one of the most powerful clans in the country.
One of his friends was with him, for all the good it did him...
“Seriously?” Alex had been raving since they’d left the academy. Actually, since Val had asked him to accompany him. “This couldn’t wait another few weeks or months? You need to do it now?”
“I owe Lotus Academy a shitload of money,” Val ground out. “Do you think I’m enjoying this?”
“You could have taken some time to... think about it. I dunno. Talk to Zach.”
“And tell him what exactly?”
“Fuck, man. You’re giving Zach up and meeting with this other omega you’ve never wanted. That’s it, you’ve made up your mind, end of the fucking story?”
“If you see any solution I’m not seeing,” Val growled, “then tell me now! Go on.”
“I understand that you need the money your father left you—”
“You understand shit, Alex.”
“You could get that money—”
“Two hundred thousand?”
“Alex gaped at him. You paid that much for the auction?”
“That’s the sum of the auction and the money required to pay Zach’s debts off.”
“Shit. That’s... not a little for a dowry.”
“How perceptive of you. I hadn’t really noticed.”
“Cut the sarcasm, Val, it doesn’t suit you. Damn, I didn’t have to pay that much for Kai’s debts.”
“Congratulations. Be fucking thankful.”
“Why, though? Why did I pay less?”
“Probably because you’d already knocked him up and then terrorized the Dean into handing him over to you. You also never had to bid for him. I think the Dean has had high hopes for Zach—high monetary hopes, and man, there’s no way I can get that kind of money just like that. Here’s the thing: we may be heirs to great fortunes, but unless your father has left you money, like your omega father did, well, tough.”
“True... Damn it.” Alex huffed and ran his hands through his hair. “Kai will kill me if he finds out I agree with you. To be fair, I only agree that it’s a lot of money.”
“Still not helping.”
“Why am I here anyway? Why not take Luke with you? I fucking hate this, man.”
“Shut up, Alex. You owe me, remember?”
“That old story?”
“Old? It was only a couple of months ago, if memory serves. I helped you when you needed me, didn’t I? You owe me a favor.”
“You’re an asshole.”
“Yeah, probably. Truth is...” Val rubbed at his chest. “I feel like I’m gonna toss my cookies here.”
Alex gave him a pat on the back and said nothing. He probably thought Val was nervous.
The whole fucking truth was Val felt like his heart would give out, the pressure on his chest crushing his lungs. This was all fucking wrong.
He had to call Zach, explain, plead, just... just hear his voice. There was a fucking hole in his chest, in his head, where Zach was meant to be.
Missing him was too small a word for the force of his feelings for the blond omega.
Damn it.
Was there any chance Zach would understand why Val was doing this? Not even Val was convinced. But what the fuck else was he supposed to do?
What the hell could he do? Kidnap Zach and run away? Would Zach want to run forever? Problem was, he’d asked himself those questions a million times and still hadn’t come up with an answer.
Talk to Zach! a small voice in the back of his head insisted. Ask him. You never know. Maybe he wants to run away with you. Maybe he prefers it to not having you.
And that, right there, was so implausible a scenario that he almost laughed out loud. Zach barely knew him. Apart from fucking twice—two very memorable times—Val had been absent from his life. Why would he throw his life away to be with him?
And if he does? that annoying little voice insisted. What if he does?
Before he could lose his nerve, before he could convince himself he should leave and go find Zach right here and now, the door opened.
Fuck... Too fucking late.
The butler, as expected, greeted them with a formal bow and led them into the dim, opulent hall of the mansion. A chandelier glittered, caught in the light of arched windows, and plush carpets swallowed the sound of their footsteps.
Nothing amazing, not for Valerian de Chateau. His father’s townhouse was as luxurious as this one. Valerian had grown up with a silver spoon stuck in his throat.
It didn’t amaze him. It annoyed him.
Especially since all this was about money. The will. The Claiming.
Losing Zach.
You forget it was your own fault.
Yeah, that, too.
It didn’t fucking help, no. Not when he was standing in the house of this unknown omega—by the name of Jai de los Lobos—waiting to meet him face to face for the first time.
And announce his decision to Claim him, as per the will’s instructions.
To have and to hold, and all that jazz.
Make babies and get a dog and a white picket fence.
His face kept going too warm, as if he was going to pass out. Or throw up.
When he thought of Zach and babies, his dick got hard and his thoughts went bright.
When he thought of having babies with this omega, he felt like running away, like a coward dog.
Take it like a man, he told himself.
Take it like an alpha wolf and stop thinking of running. It won’t do you or Zach any good.
Damn it, father, I changed. I’m not a manwhore anymore. If only you’d given me another chance...
“If you wouldn’t mind waiting here...” The butler showed them into a sitting area with velvet curtains and carved furniture. “I will see if the young master is ready to come down.”
The lawyer—the family lawyer, hired by his alpha father in advance to execute his will, the stone-cold fucker, and fuck he was dead and Val could barely believe it—sat down in one of the enormous armchairs and tapped his fingertips on the armrest, his face cast in stoic lines.
“Nice digs,” Alex muttered, walking around the room—probably to burn off excess energy and anger.
It was all Val could do not to follow him. He made himself remain standing by the French doors leading out into a verdant patio, arms folded over his chest.
He couldn’t fall apart. They were all here because of him, because of his actions.
Take your punishment like a man, he told himself yet again. When will you finally accept this is the best solution? You berate Alex and then you keep doubting the solution yourself. Get your head out of your ass and face this shit.
It’s happening, like it or not. Now is not the time to get mired in doubt, and fuck, this pep talk isn’t making me feel any better...
...or miss Zach any less. How am I gonna live without him?
He was still blinking, shocked by the panic the question stirred in him, when the lawyer cleared his throat.
“Valerian.” Alex went to stand beside him as Val turned around. “He’s here.”
The omega coming down the winding stairs in the hall was slight, though taller than Zach. His hair was like burnished bronze, his eyes dark, his skin pale gold. Dressed in a high black polo neck sweater and jeans, black boots completing his look, he was beautiful in a distant, elegant way that reminder Val vaguely of a Lotus Boy.
Of course, these days everything reminded him of Lotus Boys, and in particular one specific boy.
His Zach.
Just the thought, the memory of their lovemaking, got his chest to go tight and his dick hard, and when the omega approached, a widening of his eyes told Val he’d noticed his state of arousal.
Did he think it was for him?
What else would he think? Fuck. How fucked up was it that he was meeting his future Mate for the first time and he was hard for someone else?
“Hi,” the omega said, approaching them, smiling. His teeth were very white and straight, Val noticed absently—unlike Zach whose front teeth were endearingly, slightly crooked.
He’d never thought much about that. It was just another thing that drew him to Zach. All those little imperfections that spoke of an imperfect life, and spoke right to Val’s soul.
They made Zach perfect.
To him.
“Which one of you is Valerian?” the omega asked, and Alex elbowed him in the ribs, hard.
“Him,” he said.
The omega turned his smile on Val. It had become a little uncertain. “Hello, then, and well met, alpha.”
The formality again reminded Val of Zach and he winced. “Hello,” he said, finding his voice had turned hoarse. “Well met.”
He had to remember that this omega—Jai, that was his name—wasn’t to blame in any way. He was just another innocent caught in this tangle.
“Well, would you like some tea or coffee?” Jai waved a dismissive hand at the butler who bowed and hurried out—to bring tea and coffee, most probably. “Have a seat.”
Why did it bother Val that this omega acted like the rich kid he was? Val wasn’t any better. He used to boss everyone around when he was younger.
Still did sometimes.
And he should really fucking stop comparing Jai to Zach.
So he sat, feeling as if every muscle in his body resisted the action, the defeat, and forced his hands to unclench. “Coffee for me,” he said curtly and winced. “Please.”
Alex dropped down beside him with a huff. “Same.”
“And who might you be?” Jai lifted a fine brow at Alex. “And the older guy?”
“He’s my lawyer,” Val said. “The older guy, that is.”
“Does he have to be here?” Jai grumbled, and oh fuck, Val wanted to slap that pouty mouth. Spoilt didn’t even begin to cover it.
“Yeah, he has to be here,” Val said.
“I am here to ensure that this meeting has taken place,” the lawyer said drily, “and that the terms of the will be properly explained.”
“You did that on the phone.” Again that whine. It got on Val’s last nerve. “I got it, I’m not stupid. My fathers agree.”
“What about you?” Val asked, the words tumbling out of his mouth before he could stop to think about them. “What do you want?”
“It’s a lot of money for my family.” Jai shrugged. “And you’re not bad looking. I could do worse.”
Val stared at him.
Alex breathed a curse.
“Well, your fathers should be attending this meeting,” the lawyer said, squinting around at the opulent sitting area. “Are they at home?”
“Oh shoot. I’d really been hoping to meet my alpha alone, you know.” Jai batted his lashes at Val who felt sick. “Can’t we arrange that? Have some alone time together?”
“Are you fucking nuts?” Val growled.
“What?” Jai lifted his chin in challenge. “We’ll do the dirty deed sooner or later, Mate. Won’t we?”
“Only after the Claiming,” Val snapped. Because he had to produce heirs, as per the will. “You’ve only just met me. Slow the fuck down.”
And why the hell did the thought of sex with this Jai make his dick go limp and shriveled?
“I don’t care about social expectations,” Jai said, his voice going a little shrill. “I want to have some fun and I don’t think my fathers matter in this.”
Thankfully the lawyer was the one who replied, saving Val the need to curse a blue streak and insult his future Mate before they’d even touched. “Your fathers need to be present for the Claiming proposal to be witnessed by all parties, Mr. de los Lobos. I thought I made that clear on the phone. Didn’t you tell them?
“Oh, don’t be such a party-pooper. Sheesh. They’re in the garden, having their afternoon tea.”
Val was going to lose his shit with this guy. The thought of Claiming him, having babies with him... it bothered him. Fucking sickened him.
Pretty or not, Jai was not his soul Mate, never would be, and Val’s body, Val’s soul didn’t want him anywhere near him.
Shit. This was bad. He hadn’t wanted to think about it too hard as he’d gone through the motions of calling his lawyer, discussing the will, and having the man call the De los Lobos family, but now it was staring him right in the face. The problem. Reality.
The man he was supposed to Claim.
Instead of Zach.
Fuck.
“Let’s go find your fathers, then,” the lawyer said, sounding as weary as Val felt. “So we can do this properly.”
How romantic.
Not.
Yeah, let them go and sign Val’s death sentence officially, with no doubts as to its veracity and validity. Wouldn’t want that, would we?
Fuck, fuck, fuck.