EIGHT

What he expected to be a one-time thing happened again the next morning, and then the next again, and then the next until waking up to the sight of Wade cooking in the kitchen didn’t look unusual anymore.

It’s the fourth day, and now he just automatically slips and perches himself on a stool by the kitchen counter to silently watch him cook. It’s the fourth day of him being absent in the company too, and he’s in constant worry. He wonders how everyone is doing there, what’s happening and their current state. He tried to tell Wade multiple times that he’ll be fine to go to work but the alpha only just looks at him dead in the eye, and it effectively makes him quiet. He huffs every time it happens. He’s also worried for the alpha’s work. He, too, hasn’t been going to his company to work for days now. Isn’t he worried? But then again, he had established his company for years. Wade surely has confidence in his workers, something Klyde lacks, especially now that they’re screwing him over.

“Your fever has gone down,” Wade said after a while, busy plating the scrambled eggs he’s done cooking. Klyde thinks the scene looks awfully domestic. They’ve been awfully domestic for the past days.

“I’ve literally been telling you that for the past days,” he said sulkily.

“But you chose to ignore me.”

“I am aware,” the alpha sighed. He walked around the kitchen counter to place the dishes he cooked on the kitchen table. Klyde was quick to follow. They both sat down.

“But I can still smell it the other day. The scent is completely gone today, so now I know you’re really fine.”

“What’s up with that?” he curiously asked as he reaches for the eggs.

“What’s up with what?”

“That scent. It’s weird, you can smell my fever?”

The alpha remained quiet.

Klyde doesn’t know when these small talks started but he finds himself enjoying them. Now though, now that he’s fine and well, maybe it will go away again.

They remained quiet for the rest of the meal, the sound of the utensils hitting the plate the only things that can be heard. It feels somehow uncomfortable, after spending days having meals filled with small talks and it’s now suddenly gone.

When Klyde finished eating, he pushed his plate away from him, wiping his mouth using the cloth on his lap.

“You’re done?” Wade asked as he chewed on his food.

Klyde only nodded as he stood up.

“Rest. You can go back to your company tomorrow, rest today.”

He thought, as he climbed the stairs, he’s really itching to get back to work today but knowing the alpha, he knows he won’t let him leave the apartment. So, he settled on just entertaining himself in his room, checking his phone for emails, getting ready for tomorrow.

--

You’d think that after not being able to go to his company to work for being sick, Klyde would have learned his lesson. But here he is, in his full glory, sitting in his office surrounded by paper works yet again. And it’s almost midnight.

He has been calling meetings after meetings ever since he came back, has been staying out late to finish paper works too. At this point, he’ll just get sick again. His secretary has told him that, but he ignored her and continued. H’s been doing it for a week now.

“I still have to sign these,” Klyde murmured to himself, eyeing the pile of papers on his desk. But he has a presentation to finish and documents he has to review. This week alone, he had three meetings, and it’s only Tuesday, he still have tons of them before this week ends.

He removes the glasses he’s wearing, rubbing his eyes that are starting to sting since he’s been at it for hours. He groans and stretches his body too.

He looks up to look at the time on his wall clock, hung at the wall directly in front of him above the door. He’s surprised to find that it’s past 12. He checks his phone for good measure too but it showed the same time. He muttered a curse.

He contemplates on whether he’ll finish signing the documents now, he licked his lips, in deep thought. He eventually stood up, figuring he’ll be able to do more if he will come early instead of staying late now.

He stood up and started gathering his things, he did not forget to clean up his dinner left overs. It’s a takeout his secretary got for him earlier. He’s thankful though he was busy to tell her that earlier, he’ll make sure to tell her next time.

After gathering his things, he casted a last look around his office before locking it up and getting on the elevator down.

By the time he’s on the parking lot, his head is throbbing with an oncoming headache once again, and he wants to curse, he can’t get sick again.

He shuts his car door and winces at how it made his head pound harder, he drove back to Wade’s apartment, eyes squinted to battle his headache the whole time.

The apartment was, as usual, dark when he entered. But staying there for quite some time now, especially when he was sick and had no choice but to explore the house when he was too bored, he had come to memorize the layout of the house, even the placing of the furniture. He easily walks around them as he navigates his way to the stairs. He was about to open the door to his room when he heard one open. He looked to his right where he knows where Wade’s room is and there, the alpha is standing in his room’s entryway, the door slightly open. He has a furrow in his brows, his arms folded in front of his chest as he looked at Klyde.

“What are you doing?” the alpha asked. Klyde can smell him from where he is, why is his scent suddenly so strong?

“Uh, entering my room?” he asked, confused. His hand is holding the knob, in the act of opening it.

“Why are you just getting home now? Are you trying to get sick again?”

Klyde sighed, letting go of the doorknob to face the alpha properly.

“I know what I’m doing,” he replied, suddenly feeling irritation creep on him.

“Do you?”

“Look,” Klyde started. He closed his eyes as he felt his head throb. He feels so tired and he just wants to lie down because he still needs to go to work early. He opened his eyes to meet Wade’s eyes. He thinks he sees a ghost of worry flash in the alpha’s eyes, but it was gone in an instant he thought he just made it up.

“I’m tired, okay? And I don’t really want to listen to your scolding right now.”

Wade sighed. His arms dropped by his side.

“You’re going to get sick if you continue doing that again.”

“Why do you care so much?” he snapped.

“You’re my husband.”

“Yes. But I only married you to save my company, didn’t I?” he said it so loud that it echoed in the quiet of the night. His words echoed in his mind, and even in his tired state, he knows what he said is wrong. And he wants to say sorry, he was the one who asked the man for help. What is he doing acting like this now? He wants to open his mouth, say sorry, but his pride won’t allow him.

He pushed his lips into a thin line as he watched the alpha’s face slowly become blank.

“Right,” he said, voice void of emotion. Klyde wants to shudder at how cold it suddenly sounded.

“My bad. I just thought you should take care of yourself because what’s the use of this marriage if you’ll just get too sick to save your company. My bad.”

Fuck. He almost flinched at the harsh tone.

He wants to apologize, but his body just remained standing there. He suddenly can’t smell the alpha’s scent. The mouth-watering scent suddenly gone.

“Well, I’ll let you rest now.”

The door shut and Klyde was left there standing like a fool staring at the closed door. He doesn’t know how long he was standing there, but he eventually feels the tiredness win over him so he dragged his body inside the room. He pushed himself to wash up, change into comfortable clothes and sink into his bed.

--

Klyde easily forgot about the encounter as once again got busy with his work. He answers calls after calls, signs countless documents and holds meetings.

He just got out of one and he feels so drained. The investor wanted to go back, Klyde is happy about that, until they suddenly wanted to meet Wade. They mention wanting to verify their marriage and Klyde wants to fucking scoff, verify? Fucking hell! It was in the news!

He told them that his husband is busy tending to his company to meet investors in his. They looked reluctant after that, but Klyde is still thankful that they ended up signing.

A little more, Klyde thinks. He just needs to work a little more then he’ll be back in the game. If he can, then maybe he’ll be able to cut the contract earlier than planned instead of the two years. That way, he’ll be out of the alpha’s way as soon as possible.

He sat on his swivel chair and picked up the documents he was reviewing earlier before he got called for the meeting. He was so engrossed in the paper works he didn’t know how much time had passed. His phone suddenly rang, he startled at the shrill sound of it.

He brought his hand to his chest, trying to calm his startled heart, before picking it up. It’s an unknown number. He’s wary, he wasn’t planning on answering it but it continued to ring. He had no choice but to pick it up. He slowly pressed his phone to his ear.

“Hello?” he quietly asked.

Silence. Then…

“Sweetheart.”

Huh? He pulls his phone away from his ears to stare at it, confused. Sweetheart? Who’s this? And how did they know their personal number?

“Uh, hello?” he unsurely called out again.

“Sweetheart, Rehan,” the man spoke.

Wait… Wade? Why is he calling? And...sweetheart?

“Ah, yes? Wade?”

“Hmm,” he hummed.

“Are you busy?”

Klyde feels so confused. Didn’t they have an argument nights ago? Why is he suddenly acting like nothing happened?

“Uh, kind of?” he answered, voice still unsure. His eyes scanned around the documents on his table.

“Why?”

“Well, can you come over?”

Klyde’s brows furrowed. What the fuck is happening?

“Why?” he blinked.

He heard a sigh.

“Can’t you just go?” he can hear the exasperation in the alpha’s voice.

“I’m doing something. I can’t leave unless it’s really important,” he explained.

Silence. He thinks he hears faint voices coming from the other line too, but he can’t discern what they’re saying.

He heard another sigh.

“My pack wants to meet you.”