Chapter 8: Heavy burden of the Heart

"You must be the husband?" The Doctor said as he looked at the man who is panting and catching his breathe in front of him. "N-no, I ah yeah I'm the husband?" Lance struggling for words as he answered the Doctor in front of him. Lance went straight to the nearest Hospital from their home where Sebastian brought Liam. It was not the best Hospital in town, infact it is one of the smallest Hospital but Sebastian thought Liam will be needing immediate medical assistance and the nearest one would be the most accessible of all. Lance went straight to the reception area to know where Liam might have been. The moment he got the room he run fast thus resulting to his disheveled self in front of the Doctor. Even in his messy look nurses and other people who passes by can not help but to turn their heads around to admire his good looks.

The Doctor heave a sigh. "Young people this days" the Doctor mumble but was loud enough for Lance to hear. "If you are a responsible husband then you should have stayed by your wife's side. He is too emotionally unstable which is why last night incident happened. The first and second trimester of the pregnancy is the most crucial part if you don't want to loose your baby then take good care of your wife." The Doctor reprimanded Lance for being an irresponsible husband. "By tomorrow he can go home. He needs a lot of rest and make sure not to stress him out. Understand?

"Ye-yes, I'm sorry" Lance said apologising like a child that has been scolded by his parents.

"Don't say sorry to me, go say it to you wife!" After saying it the Doctor went to his other patients.

*****

Lance entered Liam's room and saw the boy sleeping peacefully. He went and sat near beside him. He gently stroke away strands of hair covering his closed eyes. While doing so he can't help but look closely the small face of the Omega boy who is carrying his child. Porcelain skin, long black lashes, thin pouty pinkish lips and his Raven straight hair. *How can a person be this innocent looking?* He wonder.

Moments later as Lance continues to stroke Liam's hair, Liam slowly opens his eyes. Lance immediately asked Liam if how is he feeling? but Liam's answer caught him by surprised.

"Welcome home" Liam said with wide warm smile.

Lance can not help but feel like his stomach has been crunched, his breathing suddenly gets heavy and his heart keeps on pounding which leaves him to just stares at Liam unable to put anything to words.

Liam laughs, finding it quite funny to see how shocked Lance is so to break the man from his thoughts Liam said " Shouldn't you be saying I'm home instead of just staring at me?"

Lance came into his senses after Liam spoke "ye-yeah I'm home"

Liam smile sweetly at Lance *There there it is again* Lance thought as he felt his heart pounding at the smile which Liam shown. Lance excused himself for a minute. He went to the rest room and wash his face. He looked at himself in the mirror mumbling to himself "what is happening to you" people who are entering the rest room can't helped but looked at him with pity thinking he must be carrying some sort of a heavy burden to make him looked that miserable.

Lance can't helped but hear laughs from the inside of Liam's room as he walked near it. He was greeted by an unfamiliar face who he haven't seen in his life and that unknown man is talking so casually to his Liam.

Lance made a fake cough to get the attention of the two. "Liam I brought this fruits for you" Lance said as he placed bed table that has peeled fruits on it. Lance then turn his face to Pierce who is sitting beside Liam's bed.

"Sir, he is my nephew and a good friend of Liam" Sebastian interject with Lance skeptic look.

Lance looked at Sebastian with full of questions and curiosity as to how did it happened that Liam and his nephew got to know each other.

Sebastian answered Lance's unspoke questions "Liam wants to learn how to bake sweets and pastries for your birthday so I asked my nephew who owns a coffee and pastry shop to help Liam but you never went home so that cake and sweets were all eaten by us in the end. My nephew became good friends with Liam so after learning what happened he decided to pay him a visit." Sebastian lied. If Lance were to learned the truth that Liam worked under Pierce everyone involved will get into trouble specially Liam.

Lance looked at Pierce with an annoying and doubtful look. He can feel from the man's presence that he is a dominant alpha but not as dominant as he is. Regardless an alpha is still an alpha and being one is threat for him.

Fear starts to make its way into his system by the thought that there are other alpha who can get close to Liam. In his 28 years of existence never once he felt fear towards other Alphas for he knows he stand out amongst all them when it comes to dominance but for the first time he felt fear of loosing to someone much inferior to him.

"My name is Pierce nephew of uncle Liam, you must be my Uncle's young master?" Pierce extend his hand to Lance for a handshake but Lance didn't reach it.

"I am Liam's husband." Instead of confirming if he was indeed Sebastian master, he went on saying he is Liam's husband. "Liam needs to rest I think you should go."

Pierce retract his hand and went on saying "Right, I think I should take my leave." Pierce is fully aware with the murderous pheromones Lance is releasing towards him when he told him he is Liam's husband. It was thick and heavy enough to make someone bring them down to their knees. If he was not a dominant Alpha himself he would have lost his strength with that amount of pheromones directly to him. *No he was actually holding himself back, I think it was just a warning. What a jealous and possessive man* Pierce thought as he take his leave.

"I think there's no need for you to visit my home. I think MY LIAM already know how to bake ME those sweets." Lance said before Pierce could open the door to leave giving emphasis to the words MY LIAM and ME.

"Oh that yeah yeah I understand but." Pierce looked at Liam who is quite oblivious with what is happening between the two Alphas. "Liam would it be ok for us to meet sometimes? I mean to catch up and spend some quality time together? I mean your HUSBAND is OFTEN not at HOME. I can keep you company if you get lonely." Pierce said teasing the other Alpha who is now shooting daggers to the one standing by the door.

"No need for that I can keep Liam company, he won't be lonely if he is with me." Lance said.

Pierce just wave his hand and left.

******

Lance looked at Liam with questioning look.

"What?" Liam asked

"Are you really going to meet up with that guy?" Lance angrily looked at Liam.

"Yeah, why? he is a good person with a good heart." Liam said innocently.

"Don't meet up with him. I'll go home everyday just don't meet up with him." Lance said with finalization.

*****

It has been a week and true to Lance promise he did comes home everyday and that made Liam very happy. It has been a week and still Liam couldn't bring himself to give the gift which he worked so hard to buy for Lance. He was a bit shy with the thought that the gift doesn't worth that much compared to the luxurious gifts and items which Lance received from others. His was very cheap indeed even with all the money he worked hard for it is the only thing he can afford.

That night after dinner Liam mustard up all the courage he can gather and slowly went to Lance's study room.

Even though the man goes home everyday he always brings his works at home as these works will occupy his mind away from Liam. He always stays in his study room to work and only comes out when it is time for bed.

A loud knock got Lance's attention. A small figure of Liam appear after Lance gave the permission to come in.

"I'm sorry to disturb you but-but I just want to give this to you. It doesn't worth that much but but but." Liam said fidgeting near him as he struggles for words.

"Happy Birthday!" The moment Liam said Happy birthday he suddenly grabbed Lance's hand and put the small box on his palm and run fast out of the room.

*What did just happened?* Lance thought to himself full of confusion as he stares to the open door of the study room back to the box in his hand. Lance open the wrapper of the box and found a note saying (Time is the only thing in this world that can not be bought by money, we can not borrow, we can not earn but most importantly we can not turn back, we can only spend it. I wish for this to remind you on how to spend your time wisely. I wish for you to have more time to spend with your family, friends and love ones and more cakes to slice. It is not that much but I hope that you will like it. Love, Liam)

Lance opened the box and saw a silver plated man watch with brown leather strap. It is definitely looks cheap for someone who is as high class as him but nevertheless it made him very happy but soon that happiness disappear and was instantly replaced by confusion with his feelings towards Liam. After sometime he decided to just keep the watch to the drawers to his study. He can't afford to get swayed with his feelings. He needs to keep everything at arm's length. He can't let himself get hurt again just because he let his heart take over again.