He crept closer to the voices, the carpeted floor muffling his footsteps. Micah stepped up to a tall potted plant that shielded him from the other half of the office, the short bit of an L-shape that contained Harold’s desk, and a few others.
“I don’t want any connections with him,” Bernard said. “My wife brought it up when she went to a game. She said he—bears a resemblance.”
To who? Bernard? Micah held his breath. He’d seen the similarities, too, back when he’d first gotten to know Kai. Micah had asked if Kai was related to the college president.
There was a stretch of silence. Micah almost thought one of them would step out from behind the potted plant, and discover him.
“Did you do a paternity test?” Harold asked at length.
“Recently, yes.” Bernard paused. “By then, he’d already received the scholarship. I should’ve gone through the applicants, for gods’ sakes.”
Micah reeled. So Kai was... Bernard’s son? An illegitimate one?
He turned, heading for the door, his mind spinning. I’ve been sleeping with Bernard’s son.
How could this possibly get worse? He fumbled with his walking stick, banging it against the foot of a desk. The sound was loud enough that the conversation stopped. Micah’s blood grew cold.
He didn’t have time to run. He couldn’t hide well, either. So he took two giant steps away, turned, and dropped to his knees, sprawling across the carpet as though he’d tripped and fallen.
“Who’s there?” Bernard snapped, his voice crystal-clear when he strode into Micah’s half of the office.
Micah pried himself off the ground, his skin too tight. “Walking difficulties.”
He made himself meet Bernard’s eyes. Bernard Hastings was tall and broad-shouldered, his hair turning white, his poplar scent stirring memories of humiliation that Micah would rather forget. I don’t think we’ll work out. You lack the qualities of a good omega.
It never was pleasant, having that judging stare sweep down him, and lock onto his face.
“Davis,” Bernard said coolly, surprise flickering through his gaze.
Micah knew what had caught Bernard off-guard—it was the cosmetics that hid his scars. Except Micah wasn’t sure hiding his scars was a good thing right now. Would it make Bernard mock him?
Bernard took two steps forward, towering over Micah. Micah scrambled to his feet, trying not to wipe his sweaty palms on his hands. I need to leave. But how?
“How much did you—” Bernard paused. “How long have you been here?”
“I was, um.” Micah waved, casting his gaze around the office for inspiration. “I was here to drop some documents off. Not long at all. Was there something I should have heard?”
“Ah.” Bernard narrowed his eyes. “No, nothing.”
“I should be going,” Micah said, turning for the door. All he needed was to keep his mouth shut, and wait until he got Kai alone. If only you knew, Bernard.
Except Bernard’s nostrils flared. And Micah tensed at the honey scent on himself, the lingering notes of elm and juniper that he’d not hidden, because he didn’t have consultations or classes scheduled for this morning.
“You’re expecting?” Bernard asked mildly, glancing at Micah’s belly.
It wasn’t obvious—at sixteen weeks, all Micah had was a barely-there baby bump. “Yes,” he said, sliding his hand over his belly to protect his baby from Bernard’s stare. I know I’m old. I don’t need to hear about it.
“Who’s your alpha?” Bernard’s stare bore into him. “The scent seems familiar. Or are there two?”
Micah stopped breathing. Because one of them is your son.
Harold Saxon wandered over to join them, eyebrows raised. He was older, in his sixties. “What’s the problem? Micah?”
“I was congratulating Davis on his pregnancy,” Bernard said, reaching out for a handshake. “And on finally finding an alpha. I guess the cosmetics helped.”
Micah flushed. Bernard didn’t have to make Micah sound so undesirable.
And now Harold was sniffing at Micah, too. As the chemistry department head, Harold would be familiar with Kai and Spike’s scents—the brothers went everywhere together. Harold’s eyebrows crawled up his forehead.
“I have a lecture starting soon,” Micah said, awkwardly accepting Bernard’s handshake. Bernard’s grip felt restrictive around him, cold and threatening. “But thank you. I’ve been seeing someone outside the college.”
“I could’ve sworn the scents were familiar,” Harold said. “There are some students with these same scents.”
“I hope you aren’t suggesting that I’m dating my own students.” Micah hoped his voice didn’t betray him. His ears grew hot, though, and his insides shriveled. “Plenty of people share similar scents.”
Both Bernard and Harold scrutinized him. Had they seen through Micah’s lie?
As slowly as he could, Micah pulled his hand out of Bernard’s grip, stepping away. These two alphas... they had too much power over Micah by themselves. Together, they could easily put Micah out of a job.
“I believe you saw my email,” Bernard said pleasantly. “Do tell if you encounter any staff member violating college policy.”
And the threat that Bernard didn’t voice: If we find out that you’ve been seeing our students, we will take action against you.
Micah’s blood ran cold.
“I will,” he said, all but trembling now. Then he turned and strode toward the exit, his head held high, his heart beating so fast it almost burst.
Bernard and Harold’s stares sank like barbed hooks into his skin. Micah couldn’t shake their attention, not until he’d stepped out of the department office. From there, he hurried back to his office, not caring about the twinge in his leg, or the cold sweat that prickled all over his body.
He didn’t stop shaking until he’d locked himself back in his office, and sunken into his chair. The scents of paper and tea didn’t comfort him like they always did.
Micah hugged himself. He didn’t dare unlock his phone, or hit one of the numbers on speed-dial. He didn’t dare talk to Kai or Spike right now. It felt too risky.
I can’t lose this job. I have a baby to raise.
Bernard wouldn’t care about that, though, and neither would Harold. Micah meant nothing to them.
26
Kai
“What’s with this text?” Kai asked, looking up from his
