“You’re going to have to think about it and make a decision.”
“I know.”
Noah only hoped he wouldn’t lose a piece of his heart in the process.
* * * *
Duncan was moping and he knew it. He didn’t care one bit, but he seemed to be the only one not to.
“Come on, Duncan. You have to get up.”
Duncan sighed and moved his head out from under the pillow to look at the alpha mate. “Why are you here again?”
“To bug you until you get your ass out of bed.”
“Right. No thank you. I knew I shouldn’t have slept here last night.” Duncan buried his head under the pillow again, but he should have known better than to think Zach would let him win so easily. The sheet covering him suddenly disappeared and left his warm body exposed to the fresh breeze coming in from the open window.
Duncan shivered and blindly reached for the sheet without finding it. He took his head out again and scowled at Zach, who was holding the sheet far enough from Duncan that he couldn’t catch it and beaming down at him. “Come on, up.”
“Why?”
“Because you have too many things to do to stay in bed.”
“Like what?”
“Umm, what about going to work?”
“Don’t wanna.”
“Gosh, Duncan, I’d never have pegged you for the moping type.”
“I wasn’t until I met my mate and the guy rejected me.”
“Want to talk about it?”
“No.”
“Oh. Pity you don’t have a choice.”
Duncan felt the mattress dip next to his hip and made a grab for the sheet. Zach snagged it away before he could touch it and threw it on the other side of the room. “You know I won’t leave you alone until you talk about it.”
“What are we, girls?” Duncan grumbled, earning himself a slap on his ass. “Oww! Why are you hitting me?”
“Someone has to knock some sense into you, and I’m not a girl. You can ask Kameron if you need confirmation.”
Duncan shuddered. “TMI, man. I really didn’t need that mental image.”
“You asked for it.”
“Weren’t you sweet and meek once?”
“Yeah, that was when my father forcefully kept me away from my mate, then I got beaten up daily. Didn’t really have the time to be myself, you know.”
Duncan rolled on his back and sat up, giving Zach what he hoped was an apologetic smile. “Sorry. I’m a dick.”
“Yup.” Zach was smiling back, though, and Duncan felt a little less of a dumbass.
“I see it didn’t hit you too much, though.”
Zach shrugged. “It’s in the past. It hurt when it happened, sure, and sometimes I still think about it, but I don’t want to dwell on it. I’m happy now.”
“I’m glad.”
“Me too. Now, spill the beans, come on.”
Duncan sighed. “There’s nothing to talk about, Zach. Noah and I talked, he told me we couldn’t be together, he ran. End of story.”
“Okay, now tell me the extended version.”
“You’re not going to let it go if I don’t, right?”
“Nope.”
“Basically, he told me he couldn’t be with me because his parents expect him to get married and have kids. He thought I could understand the fact that he doesn’t want to lose them over this since I know I’m going to lose my parents for it, but... I don’t care. I love them as much as I can, knowing they are how they are. It hurts, but it would hurt more to push Noah away. He thinks differently, though.”
“So he just decided to do what his parents tell him to do. That never ends up well.”
“It’s not like I can force him to do anything different. He did tell me he’d give me a chance, but I don’t have his phone number. I have to wait for him to contact me.” Duncan hesitated. “What if he doesn’t, though?” Zach’s face assumed a guilty expression. “What did you do, Zach?”
“Why do you think I did anything?”
“I can see it on your face. You really have to work on your poker face, you know.”
“Okay, so maybe I talked with Jago yesterday and maybe, hypothetically, we wondered how Noah had come here. We might even have gone out while the two of you were talking to see if we could find his car and written down the plate number.”
Duncan smiled. “It’s all hypothetical, of course.”
“Of course.”
“What kind of car was it?”
“No idea. You know I’m crap with cars.” Zach pushed his hand in his pocket and it came out with a piece of paper. “But this is the plate number.”
Duncan took it and immediately noticed the number didn’t match the one he had. He also saw there was a phone number and an address written under the plate number. “Was all this written on the plate?”
“Well, no. I might have contacted Isaiah and asked him to check the plate for me.”
“You might have.”
“Yes.”
“Hypothetically.”
“Exactly.”
Duncan launched himself at the alpha mate and hugged him tight. Zach squeaked but his arms went around Duncan anyway, hugging him back. “It doesn’t solve everything, but I hope it helps at least a bit.”
Duncan leaned away. “It does. Is that Noah’s number?”
“Yeah. Isaiah told me the car was registered in Noah’s father’s name, but he managed to dig a bit and find Noah’s personal number. It was easy, since we had his full name, too.”
“Thanks, Zach.”
“What are you going to do now?”
“I’m going to give Noah a bit of time to think about things while I go and have the talk with my parents.”
“I think you should talk to them here with Kam present.”
Duncan opened his mouth to protest but Zach shut him up before he could.
“Listen, I know you think they won’t hurt you, but you can’t be sure of that. You know them, Duncan, and you know how they were with Derick.”
“They never hurt him.”
“Not physically, no, but you know what they think about him being gay. I don’t want them to snap when you tell them you are, too.”
“Fine, I’ll do it here then.”
Duncan rose from the bed and quickly dressed, since he’d slept in his underwear. “When can we do it?”
“Whenever you want. Don’t you have work today?”
“Yeah, but I’ll be done by lunch. Would this afternoon be fine?”
“You don’t waste time, huh?”
“I don’t see why I should. I’m not going to change my mind, even if Noah ends up dumping me.”
“I’m sure he won’t.”
Duncan shrugged. “No idea. I hope not.”
“You know we’ll be there for you if he does, right?”
Duncan nodded, even if he knew he wouldn’t turn to Zach if it came to that. He’d probably disappear for a while and take time to get used to the idea of never having a mate, but he’d come back. Not having a mate wasn’t the end of the world. He survived more than twenty years under Erskine’s rules, he would survive this, too, and come out of it stronger.
That didn’t mean he wouldn’t do everything he could to get Noah, though.
Duncan waved at Zach and bounded out of the room. He stole a strip of bacon from Jago’s hand when he passed through the kitchen and ignored the indignant squawks the man yelled after him as he walked out of the house and chewed on the bacon.
Duncan took his phone out from his jeans’ pocket as he walked home and started typing a message. He cancelled it, then rewrote it. He checked that he had the right number twice before sending it off and stuck the cell back in his pocket before steeling himself and walking up the steps that led to the front door of the house he’d grown up in.
* * * *
Noah tried to concentrate on the book his private teacher had told
him to read, but it was hard. He read the words only to forget them right away and had found himself reading the same paragraph four times.
He sighed and pushed the book away. He scowled at it before sliding it closer again, knowing he had to learn that stuff if he didn’t want his father to be disappointed. He really wished he could just go outside and bask in the sun instead, though.
A ping came from his right and he grabbed his cell phone, happy for the distraction. He frowned when he didn’t recognize the number that had sent the text message, but opened it anyway, gaping when he discovered who it was from.
Hey Noah. Hope u’re thinking about that call I’m waiting 4. U decided 2 give me a chance, remember? Duncan.
Noah racked his brain, but he couldn’t remember when he’d given Duncan his number.
How did you get this number?
A friend looked it up 4 me.
You stalked me?
Not me. A friend.
And you’re trying to convince me you didn’t have anything to do with it?
I swear I didn’t. I woke up just now and Zach gave me ur number.
Noah wasn’t sure he believed that, but he wasn’t really angry with Duncan. He knew he’d said he would give the man a chance, but he also knew he’d probably have chickened out if Duncan hadn’t texted him.
What do you want?
Date?
Noah bit his lower lip. He wanted to say yes, but he wasn’t sure he’d be able to get out of the house without his father or the domestics noticing it. He didn’t want to push his luck.
Can I get back at you with this?
U trying to get out of the deal?
No. I just need to make sure I can manage to come if I say yes.
Ok. Friday night ok?
Sure. I’ll let you know.
XOXO.
Duncan couldn’t stop the smile that bloomed on his lips. He was still hesitant and conflicted, but he wasn’t going to go back on his word. He closed his book and went in search of his father, knowing the man would probably be in his study.
Noah knocked on the door and waited for his father to tell him to come in before opening the door.
“Noah. What can I do for you?”
“I just wanted to tell you I’ll be going out Friday night.” Noah didn’t ask for permission because he knew his father wouldn’t grant it. The man always said that if Noah wanted something he shouldn’t be hesitant about it, and asking for permission was hesitancy in his world, especially since Noah was way past the age where he had to ask for it.
“Really?” Noah’s father looked up from his computer. “And where will you be going?”
Noah smiled tightly. He could hear the hidden questions even if his father didn’t ask them aloud. Who will you be going with? Are they acceptable companions for you?
A flare of annoyance rose in him. Would he really allow his father to decide for him? “I’m not quite sure yet. I just wanted to let you know in case you had planned something different.” It wouldn’t be the first time Noah’s presence was requested at official dinners and balls.
“No, I won’t need you on Friday. I hope you’ll behave as you should.”
“Of course I will, Father.”
“I’m putting my trust in you, then.”
Noah nodded and made to turn away, but his father stopped him. “Your mother gave me a list of acceptable brides. I want you to look at it and tell me if there’s one girl you’d prefer.”
Noah gritted his teeth together. What were his parents thinking, that those girls were items on a menu Noah would have to choose from? It made him feel cheap, not to mention that he didn’t want to get married just because the girl was deemed acceptable by his parents. Still, he smiled again and held his hand out. His father handed him the list and Noah walked out of the room, resisting the urge to throw the piece of paper at his father or to crumble it in front of him.
He waited until he was back in his room to crumble the offending list and throw the ball of paper against the wall. He leaned against the closed door and looked at the innocent-looking note that now sat on the carpet. He wanted to burn it, but it wouldn’t solve anything. His father would expect an answer soon, and Noah knew he had to go through the list. He just wasn’t sure he had the will to do it at the moment.
Noah picked it up anyway and slumped on the bed, stomach down. He opened the note and flattened it as well as he could before looking at the names. Each one had a few lines of personal info next to it and a picture, and while the girls were all cute and nice-looking, he couldn’t have cared less. How could he choose the person he would have to spend the rest of his life with from a piece of paper?
He rolled to his back and looked at the dark green canopy above him. He knew the time had come to do some very serious thinking, before it was too late and the only option left was doing what his parents wanted. The time had come for him to stop following the flow of a life someone else had chosen for him, but he didn’t know where to start.
Noah wanted to talk to Duncan, but he knew what the man would tell him. Of course he wanted to be with Noah, and while Duncan seemed to be a good man, Noah couldn’t be sure he wouldn’t try to push him into a decision Noah didn’t want. Not that he wanted to reject Duncan. It would be both the easiest and the hardest thing to do for Noah, but he wasn’t ready to make a decision yet.
He knew who would help him see things in a different perspective, though, so he rolled again and grabbed his cell phone from the foot of the bed where he’d abandoned it earlier. A few swipes of his finger and Noah was waiting for Demi to answer his phone.
“Noah.”
“Hey. Are you at work?” Demi had to work to survive, and Noah was faintly envious of that. He wanted to sustain himself too, but he was too scared he wouldn’t be able to. The only things he could do were painting and drawing, and he wasn’t naïve enough to think he could make a living out of that.
“Yes. Do you need something?”
“Just to talk to you.”
“You want me to come?”
“Ah, don’t worry. It can wait.”
“I can ask my boss to take my lunch break early. We’re near your house anyway.” Demi was a gardener and worked for a company that took care of the more luxurious estates, just like his father did. That was how they’d met, actually. Demi had gone to work with his father once when they were kids and had gotten lost in Noah’s gardens. Noah had found him and they’d spent hours talking and playing, until Demi’s father had found them and taken him home.
Noah had cried and staged temper tantrums until his parents had finally allowed him to be friends with Demi. They had been since then.
“You’re sure?”
“Yeah. I just have to finish taking care of Mrs. Styles roses, but I should be done in about an hour. Then I have to go over to the Blackwell estate, but it still leaves me an hour for lunch.”
“I’ll make sure Mary gets something ready for you.”
They hung up and Noah got up. He had to talk with Mary, the cook, and make sure his father didn’t find out about Demi. The man hadn’t said anything about their friendship in the past years, but Noah always felt better knowing he wouldn’t actually see Demi around the house. He had no intentions of putting their friendship at risk by having the two meet when it wasn’t necessary.
* * * *
Duncan had done all he could to make time. He’d showered as soon as he was done sending messages to Noah, his heart just a little bit lighter at the thought that his mate had accepted to go on a date with him. He’d dressed, combed his hair, and even taken out a bag and started packing his things. He would need boxes and more bags, and fast, but he couldn’t move out without talking to his parents first.
He’d skipped lunch because he didn’t want to see them before he had too. He was scared everything would spill out as soon as he opened his mouth. He waited until he was sure both his mother and his father were done eating before wal
king out of his room and heading to the living room.
His father was home, since he was in that period of time where he had to hide from the humans. It was something all of them had to do sooner or later and Duncan wasn’t looking forward to his. Luckily for him, he still had at least five years if not a little more before people started noticing he didn’t age as fast as they did. Duncan’s mother had never worked, opting for staying home with the kids, which for her meant sitting in front of the TV most of the day.
Duncan found them on the couch, their gazes glued to whatever soap they were watching. He stood next to the couch and cleared his throat. “Mom? Dad?”
Duncan’s mom looked his way and he hurried to tell her what he needed. “Kameron wants to see both of you.”
That got his father’s attention. “Why? We haven’t done anything.”
“I know.” Duncan also knew that if he told them he was the one who needed to talk to them, they would want him to do it right then and there, and he couldn’t. As much as he might love them, he knew Zach was right. They would react badly to his news. He didn’t want to put himself in harm’s way just because he thought he could do things on his own. “He just said he wanted to see both of you. Now.”
His father looked like he wanted to argue, but he finally got up from the couch and disappeared in his room. Duncan’s mother was close behind after she turned the TV off and she shut the door. Even if he could hear then whispering, Duncan moved to the front door. He didn’t want to know what they were saying, not yet—never, if he had his way.
He waited for his parents there, even if it took them a half hour to get ready, whatever that entailed for them. They didn’t look any different when they came out, although his mother had put on some make-up. She still wore her flowery dress, though, and his father still had on the white T-shirt he’d been wearing before.
Duncan shrugged and stepped out, quickly making his way to the path that would lead them to the alpha house. Ten minutes later, they were there.
Duncan didn’t bother knocking on the front door. He pushed it open and stopped only when he was in front of Kameron’s office. There he did knock, and waited for an answer before opening. “Hey, Kam. Did Zach talk to you about a meeting with me and my parents?”
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