“No,” Caleb whispered, straining and rubbing against the wall. “It’s right on time.” Then he moaned and slipped to the floor. “It’ll be here soon. I need… Oh no, I need an alpha to help me. Xan’s not here.” He gritted his teeth and met Urho’s eyes with despair. “Can you…? You promised.”
Urho moaned, his cock responding to the pheromones pouring off Caleb in abundance now that Urho had drawn close, the omega body’s physiological attempt to seal the deal. “Darling, Xan’s going to be here very soon. Try to wait for him.”
Caleb snorted. “You know better than that,” he said, quivering and digging his fingers into his skin. “There’s no holding it back. And he’s not here. I need him and he’s gone.”
“Shh,” Urho said. “Let’s get you in bed. You can nap and—”
“No!” Caleb wrenched away from him. “Xan should be here,” he shouted. “But he’s not and you promised.”
Urho groaned. Taking Caleb without Xan here with him, without even his permission over the phone would feel wrong. Like a violation of his commitment to Xan. At the same time, if he didn’t take Caleb then he’d feel like he was violating his commitment to Xan in allowing his omega to suffer.
“There are other options. The village…there’s probably an alpha—”
“You promised!” Caleb shouted, his body going rigid. “I hate this. I hate it. I hate it so much and I don’t want a stranger touching me. I don’t want it!” His body shook again as though in a small seizure. His eyes rolled up. He groaned and rolled away from Urho, slithering on the carpet, rubbing it against his pale skin. “Make it stop. Make it go away.”
“Darling, I can’t. You know I can’t.” Urho rubbed at his face. He needed help. He needed Xan. “Wolf-god! I need some assistance in here!” he shouted, hoping for a beta servant, hopefully Ren, to hear.
“You’re going to lock me in,” Caleb yelled, panic threading his voice. “You’re going to leave me here.” He started to sob, rubbing himself on the carpet. “No, no. I won’t. I won’t!”
“Caleb, please, listen to me.”
“No, I need to get back to Janus. He’ll wonder where I’ve gone. He needs me.”
“Janus is unconscious and your scent will only tax his system more. As an alpha, he’ll respond to you even in his illness. He needs his strength to fight. Come on now. Let me get your clothes off, get you into bed. You’ll be more comfortable.”
“You’re going to lock me in!” Caleb shouted again, struggling against Urho’s grip when he reached down to try to haul him up. “Help me. Please help me. I don’t want this at all—I don’t want it. I don’t want it with a stranger.”
“Shh. I hear you, I understand. I promise, I won’t get a stranger.”
Caleb drooped against him. “Thank you, Urho. Thank you.”
Urho rocked him, surprised at how thin Caleb felt, how fragile in comparison to Xan, who was more solid than he looked. He smoothed his hand through Caleb’s hair and groaned when more slick released, perfuming the air around them and making his mouth water.
At that moment, Ren walked past Caleb’s open door holding a wastebasket and wearing a grimace.
“Ren,” Urho called out. Ren halted at the door and stared in, wide-eyed. Urho held his gaze firmly. “Call the city until you reach Xan. His home there, his office, his family’s house. The residences of friends or family. His brother’s place.” Urho swallowed hard, but made himself add, “Call the house of Wilbet Monhundy, too, if you don’t reach him anywhere else.”
“Yes, of course, Dr. Chase. I’ll do it at once.” Ren’s eyes went wide at the sight of Caleb’s flushed skin and dilated eyes. “Flu?” he asked worriedly.
“Heat,” Urho said, his cock twitching as even more slick slipped from Caleb’s asshole. Caleb twitched restlessly in his arms, his cheeks flushed and his eyes glassy.
“Oh, wolf-god,” Ren replied, panic registering on his face. “I’ll call right away. At once.” He rushed off, muttering, “Oh fucking wolf-hell below.” The string of curses didn’t stop, echoing as he raced down the hallway.
“Caleb? I need you to let go of me. I’m going to get the alpha dildo Xan keeps in his closet.”
Caleb shuddered against him. “Knot me. I need it.”
“Not yet, sweetheart. Let’s give Xan a chance to get here.” He squeezed his eyes shut, his throat dry. There was no way. Xan was a three-hour train ride away and no one knew where he was in the city. The first big wave was going to hit Caleb soon. Very soon. Any second, really. And then…
He wondered where all the beta servants were now when he needed them. They’d been practically swarming the halls since Janus had been sick and the detached wing evacuated. But now, there was no one. He had more assignments to hand out, more messages to pass on, and he was trapped on Caleb’s floor cradling his hot body, praying for a miracle.
Carefully, Urho unwound Caleb’s arms and stood. “Wait here. I’ll be right back.”
Caleb moaned and commenced rubbing against the carpet again. Urho tried to smile reassuringly, but his gut ached as he headed down the connecting passage, past the bathrooms and closets, into Xan’s room.
“I’m too old for all of this,” he muttered to himself. “Riki, you and I should have been retired to the beach by now. Just look at me.” He almost laughed then, but sobered when he realized it was the first time he’d spoken to Riki since he’d come to Virona.
He shoved those thoughts aside and ransacked Xan’s closet, finally locating the alpha dildo. He’d seen it the first time one night after making love. Xan had the bright idea of having Urho restrain him with one of his ties for the next go-round, and the dildo had fallen out of the closet when he’d gone in search of a sartorial choice Xan approved of. Apparently he couldn’t be tied down by just any tie. He’d asked Xan about the dildo after the next set of orgasms, and he’d been told that, while it was a tempting toy, it was reserved for use during Caleb’s heat.
