Chapter 24 CHAPTER 024
Soren wakes with an awful pounding in his head that feels like someone took a hammer to his skull and didn’t stop. He groans softly and forces himself into a sitting position, pressing his fingers to his temples while trying to make sense of the room through blurred vision. The curtains are half drawn with sunlight slicing through the gap and stabbing straight into his skull.
He is in his room, that’s for sure, but he doesn’t remember how he got there. Suddenly, Soren freezes as the memories unexpectedly flood back. Soren facepalms. Reign couldn’t possibly be mad that Soren threw a shoe at him. It was childish, yes, and disrespectful, maybe, but Reign doesn’t lose his temper over things like that. And he couldn’t be mad that Soren was acting like a jealous brat?
“Oh my God,” he mutters, dragging a hand down his face. He’s been so stupid—the last person he should ever be with when drunk is Reign. Drunk Soren could blurt out that he’s an omega, and that would be a fucking disaster. Well, it’s a relief he didn’t.
With a sigh, he gets out of bed, dressed in last night's clothes. He doesn't care; he needs coffee or something to get rid of his hangover. He walks out of his room barefoot, walking down the hall in a hurry.
When Soren arrives at the kitchen, the maids are already there, running around making breakfast, bowing at the sight of him as if he were some royalty. Soren grimaces, but then his gaze lands on the familiar figure standing near the coffee maker, drinking from his coffee.
“Oh, Mr. Fox, good morning,” Sylvester smiles as he glances up. Soren suddenly became painfully aware that he looked disheveled and fucking barefoot.
“It’s Soren,” he corrects flatly, walking over to the counter. He grabs a cup and starts making his coffee, movements slow because his head is still threatening to split open. What is the alpha doing here and so early? Is he and Reign that close that he could be at his home, making himself comfortable, as he owns part of it?
Sylvester hums. “Of course. Soren.”
Soren keeps his eyes on the machine, hoping the alpha won’t say anything else, but clearly, fate is on his side.
"Dr. Mira told me what happened at the hospital.”
Soren’s jaw clenches. “I know she was being nice, and I was being a bastard. I know, I know. I’m sorry."
“That’s not what I meant. Your feelings are valid. Dr. Mira is a stranger to you, and you should feel protective of your family,” Sylvester counters. “She was concerned because your sister and mother are omegas.”
Soren stiffens at how those words hit too close to home. “My sister is too young to take suppressants, and my mother doesn’t wish to hide her scent, so I don’t think they should be ofconcern to you and your omega advocacy program."
Soren knows he’s being rude, but he doesn’t want anyone poking into his life when they shouldn't. Even Reign didn’t poke this much; he would have found out his secret if he did.
“I understand, but there have been cases of missing omegas in the city lately. Every omega must be safe.”
Soren rolls his tongue as he waits for the machine to finish making his coffee. Why is it suddenly taking so long? “You seem to care so much for Omegas.”
“Of course. There are fewer omegas every year,” Sylvester says calmly. “Trafficking, illegal suppressants, and forced bonds. You’d be surprised what desperate alphas are willing to do. And my mother was an omega; she died from illegal suppressants. Since then, I swore to protect every omega to my capacity.”
Died. The word echoes in Soren’s head. A large lump forms in his throat. Soren could also die from an illegal suppressant. The thought hits him hard, and his hands suddenly tremble. When he finally gets the coffee from the machine, it slips out of his hand and hits the floor, shattering into pieces. Soren stumbles a step back in shock when an arm suddenly wraps around his waist to catch him.
Soren snaps his headquickly too meet the brown eyes of Sylvester.
“Are you okay?” the alpha asks, worry in his tone and eyes that shine down on Soren like stars.
Soren swallows the clot in his throat and forces out the words. “Yeah, I’m fine."
And suddenly, Soren feels a heavy presence and pheromones before Reign steps into the kitchen, already dressed in his signature black suit, large coat, and black gloves, with his hair in perfect shape.
His eyes immediately take in the sight before him and land on the sight of Sylvester’s still around Soren’s waist.
“I don’t believe I should have to tell you to take your hands off him,” he says calmly, with blank brown eyes, yet the sight of them sends a shiver down Soren’s spine, especially when his pheromone seems to make the kitchen colder.
Soren’s eyes widen, and immediately, he pushes himself from Sylvester’s arm and stands on his feet. He clears his throat and tucks a strand of hair behind his ear.
“It was merely an accident, cousin,” Sylvester smiles, waving his hand at the beta maids who immediately start to clean up the mess.
“Come,”
Soren almost shivers at how deep Reign's voice drops, and then he realizes those words are being directed at him. He swallows and, like an obedient pup, he approaches the frosty man, ready to be scolded for being so indecent in the morning and fucking barefoot in front of his cousin, but instead, Reign hooks a finger under his chin and lifts his face.
“Did you get hurt, darling?”
Soren gulps at the name. “No,” he answers.
Reign’s eyes dance on his face for a moment while Soren suddenly remembers what he did to the man last night.
“You are not mad about last night, are you?” Soren blinks cutely.
Reign tilts his head, and a barely there smile curls on his face while his eyes sparkle with amusement. “What do you think, darling?”
Soren’s thoughts fly in all angles on how to make things right, and he does the first thing that comes to his mind as he stands on his tiptoes and presses a kiss to the Enigma's jaw.