19. Get over him

Sitting in the living room, Connor looked up at the steaming mug held out by the man standing in front of him. He ran his index finger through the ceramic spear and nodded slightly to thank Greg. The doctor sat down next to him before resting his arm on the back of the sofa. As if it was a reflex, Connor immediately snuggled up to him and the man's hand moved from the couch to rest on his shoulder, which he squeezed gently.

Glen had fallen back into a restless sleep and the two men retired to chat. Connor took a long sip of the herbal tea and winced as he lightly burned his tongue.

"Are you okay ?" Greg asked, concerned. The WIA agent nodded again and leaned back completely against him. The strands of light brown hair tickled his cheek, but the doctor didn't move. He just let his thumb gently stroke the base of Connor's neck. They stayed there for a while, while the agent finished the liquid in his cup.

When the mug was empty, Greg picked it up and set it on the table before placing his arm around the agent's shoulder.

"If you want me to help you, I need complete access to his medical file. I know your father was his regular doctor, could you arrange to give me the necessary authorizations? "

"In theory that shouldn't be a problem," He sighed before continuing. "As you know, after the incident that happened on the day he was supposed to receive his rank, Glen was brought under the authority of the WIA. He was my best friend and my dad couldn't stand him staying in the lab so, soon after, he made arrangements for him to move in with us. He never shifted beside this one time when he was thirteen and all the werewolves present said the same thing. "

"A huge black and white wolf has lost control." Greg continued for Connor and let out a sigh.

"I don't understand why you keep staying so close to him when he's such a ticking time bomb."

"He's all alone, Greg. Glen and I met as a kid, we grew up together and supported each other, do you want me to abandon him?"

He spoke with a sad expression. The doctor stared at him. His hand left Connor's shoulder and stroked his hair.

"Werewolves are born in their true form, but Glen was born in human form. He never shifted to either werewolf or wolf form other than during this single incident. He has been rejected by his family and his pack, despite his alpha pheromones. As a child, he spent most of his time in the WIA lab, because Alpha Carter wanted us to find out 'what was wrong with him'. The reason he and I became friends and then family was that my father, who was his doctor, introduced us because Glen was alone all the time and we were the same age. "

"I know, but that doesn't mean that I like that he's around you all the time."

"Everyone sees it as either a failure or a potential danger."

"He's dangerous, Connor."

"He's not," the man said, raising his voice. His body had moved away from Greg to mark with a physical distance his opposition to the statement. "When he shifted that day, he lost control. He had never been in his original form, let alone in his wolf form. No one taught him what to do because his pack members were too busy treating him like an abomination."

"Still, he killed his mother."

"And you think he doesn't blame himself? It took almost two years for him to start talking again after that day. He was devastated, Greg. I want… I just want to help him and be there for him, like when he was there for me after my family died."

Seeing his gaze, the doctor capitulated. He leaned down and placed a light kiss on Connor's lips.

"So… Can you explain this whole jealousy crisis to me now before we get to the heart of the matter? Because I would like to understand how the hell you could think that there was something between Glen and me. "

The WIA agent shuddered at the mention of what seemed to him utter blasphemy of his friendship. Even though he'd made that dubious joke a few weeks ago to enjoy his best friend's expression, he never looked at him that way. He stared at his lover to await his answer and noticed the beard of a few days eating his cheeks. He had an urge to run his tongue over it and give himself a well-deserved naughty break after all the harshness to watch for a stubborn alpha.

Greg looked away before stammering uncomfortably.

"I ran into Cassie Knowles by chance when I was shopping a week ago. She recognized me and came to talk to me. She told me she found out you and Glen were having an affair."

"Affair? She wasn't even his girlfriend. Barely fucking buddies!" The man pointed out the fact harshly.

"She said he was acting like a lovesick boyfriend while he was sick. Wait, was he looking for that omega you told me about like he was doing earlier? "

Connor looked at his companion who had just understood his mistake and his stupidity at the same time.

"Feeling dumb, right?"

"Y-yeah, kind of. I'm sorry, sweetheart. I should have talked to you. "

"Well, I'm also at fault since I've ignored you for the past three weeks. I guess that makes us a couple of idiots. "

Connor returned the kiss he had received a few moments ago to his boyfriend. He was about to slip his tongue between his soft pink lips that tempted him, when a whisper reached him from the bedroom, calling him back to reality. He firmly pushed the object of his distraction away and straightened his face.

"Do you remember when you were still a resident under my father and the research you started about pheromone between bonded werewolves?"

"The one that was a fiasco. Yes, thank you for the reminder. "

Connor chuckled and stroked the man's hair. He was looking at him with a pout that made his face irresistible. If there was one daring thing that he didn't regret in his life, it's to have made a move on his father's former protégé of seven years his senior, after watching him from afar for years. Five years after they became a couple, he still had the same feeling in his stomach when he looked at him. The agent stifled the guilt he felt upon realizing how much he had neglected his relationship and concentrated on their conversation.

"You couldn't get a conclusive result, because none of the mated couples known to the WIA were fate mates. But if Glen and this unknown omega are what I think, it will be easy for you to prove it and then resume your research. "

The doctor replied with a dubious pout at his partner's enthusiasm. "Except that we are faced with two major problems. The first is that Glen refuses to have anything to do with this omega. Well, at least his human side. The second is that even if he decides to act, he has no idea where he is. Where did he meet him? "

"At Red Creek Academy."

"A teacher? No, he wouldn't have arrived in the middle of the school year. " He immediately corrected the direction of his thoughts, his brow furrowed. "Don't tell me he is a student?"

The doctor's eyes were wide in an expression of utter disapproval. Connor didn't seem fazed by the idea and raised an eyebrow, amused by the reaction.

"Should I remind you that if I had hit on you right when we met, you would have been in the same situation?"

The brown-haired man's mind immediately drifted into a student-teacher role-play scenario he wanted to try. He made a mental note and put the thought in a corner of his brain for a more appropriate moment. He looked at the man who was grumbling after his last remark and couldn't help but chuckle.

"Ok, first I would like you to help me. I would like to know who is this omega."

"Why don't you go through your office?"

"It's not an investigation, and I cannot mention that I am doing this for Glen, as his pack is currently looking to mate him for political reasons. For now, he keeps them away by saying he doesn't want anything to do with the world of the werewolves. If I start looking for an omega, it will immediately attract Alpha Carter's attention. He will realize that it has to do with Glen. I don't want him ending up mated to a random omega as his wolf desperately claims his mate. That's when you butt in."

He put his hand on his boyfriend's shoulder, a bright smile on his lips. Already tired from his role, Greg sighed.

"And what should I do?"

"I want you to use your connections to research who was the omega. I have the date and approximate time of day so it shouldn't be difficult. "

"Alright, I'll see what I can do, but I won't promise you anything."

Satisfied with his response and the start of the plan he had hatched, Connor finally felt relaxed. A more lascivious smile spread over his lips and he rose to straddle the man beside him. He passed his arms around his man's neck and let his lips brush over the doctor's like an invitation. Greg put his hands on his hips, a glint in his eyes.

"You left me waiting in the cold for four hours, how will you plead for my mercy?"

Greg started to drop kisses on his boyfriend's face, carefully avoiding his lips. When he kissed his left eyelid, the WIA agent felt the rough skin from the doctor's budding beard pressing against his cheekbones. This time, he didn't fight his impulse and retaliated, letting his tongue grate against the unshaven skin in an abrasive, but satisfying, sensation. The salty taste on his taste buds excited his libido.

"Can I spend the night here?" Greg's gaze flared and a chill descended Connor's spine.

"I had no intention to let you go."

A smirk appeared on Greg's face and he wrapped Connor's waist to lift him off the chair.

_______

Cherry was staring at Eden from her side of the cafeteria table. The male omega's eyes were glued to the book next to his plate. He chewed his meal without worrying about his friend. Sitting next to his mate, Dante wondered for the umpteenth time, what was going on between his best friend and his fiancée.

Ever since they arrived in Red Creek, the teenager had been acting weird. He had tried to confront him, which had elicited a response assuring him that all was well. The more days went by, the more he felt that his friend wasn't himself.

Always on the alert, his gaze seemed to constantly look for someone. To top it off, the young beta was one hundred percent sure his fiancée was in the know, which heightened his frustration. Wasn't he trustworthy? Why was Eden so insistent on leaving it in the dark? Although he wasn't thrilled, he could tell from their interaction that even though Cherry knew what was wrong with their best friend, she couldn't make him listen to whatever solution she proposed to him.

Dante watched the teenager, who snapped his head when he caught the passage of a student behind them. He didn't miss the expression of disappointment that hung on the omega male's face for the second moment, nor Cherry. The female omega narrowed her eyes and was about to speak when Eden suddenly stood up. He grabbed his tray and excused himself before hurrying away. Dante stared at his back as he moved away and saw the red and black ponytail wriggle frantically. Cherry was putting her things away to stand up and follow her packmate.

He couldn't stay like that, it was unbearable. He needed to know what was going on with his childhood friend, besides the frustration of being kept out, he couldn't stand seeing the male omega in pain and not being able to do anything to help him. He swallowed his last bite and got up to go after the two omegas. He walked for a moment without finding them when he suddenly heard Cherry's voice.

"You need to talk to your father about it, please, Eden. The banquet is in a week. "

"It's exactly because the banquet will be held in a week that I won't say anything."

"At least try to find him, why don't you even try?"

"Why would I do that? To be easily rejected? " Eden was angry.

"He won't reject you!"

"And how can you be sure? Do you have any insurance or any proof to show me? "

"No, but there is no way he could reject you. This guy is probably your fated mate, Eden. C'mon! "

"Yeah, fated mate!" He repeated with a touch of disdain in his voice. "And did that fated mate of mine try to look for me? Do you think it's not clear? Why do you want me to hold useless hope? I have a duty, Cherry. So I'm not going to ask my dad to cancel a banquet just because of some stranger who probably didn't show up because he already heard about the messed-up omega from Bloodhood. "

"Eden…"

"Thanks for your concern but don't worry. I'll get over him, eventually. "

He turned on his heel and left in the direction of their next classroom. The young woman was muttering and stamping her foot when her dominant's voice interrupted her rant.

"Okay now, you need to explain everything to me from scratch because I want to make sure I got it all."