Chapter 8
Thorn didn’t know why he was running. The house was small, and it wasn’t like he could make it very far.
Sure enough, the alpha caught up with him in no time, just as he made it into the bathroom at the end of the hall. Baal’s hand whipped out, catching the door before it could slam in his face, and then laughed when he realized where they were.
“Avoiding the bedroom on purpose, frosty omega?” He stepped into the room, clicking his tongue when Thorn retreated until his back came against the sink counter.
There was a very obvious bulge in his dress pants.
“Alpha.” He didn’t have a right to deny him, but Thorn…It was almost as though all his bravado had vanished in a puff of smoke the second he’d felt Baal’s tongue stroke against his own. Becoming a kept omega in theory was one thing, but now that it had turned into reality… “Please. It’s too soon.”
Baal stalked forward, but when Thorn flinched away, he was surprised by the wave of soothing pheromones that licked against his skin in place of the lust ones.
“I was only teasing, sweetheart,” the alpha murmured. “Don’t be frightened.”
Thorn blinked and lifted his head, uncertainty coursing through him. Was this another trick?
“You’re exhausted,” Baal noted. “I kept you awake all last night, it’s really no wonder. Take a hot shower and relax. I’ll wait for you in the bedroom.”
When the alpha stepped back, Thorn’s hand shot out as if on its own accord, grabbing onto his wrist. “Wait.”
“We aren’t practicing tonight,” he reassured, somehow reading his thoughts better than Thorn was even able to. “I’m just going to hold you while you sleep. The sooner we get you comfortable with my pheromones, the better.”
An omega could become addicted to an alpha’s pheromones. Thorn didn’t say it, and neither did Baal, but…No. It was one thing to acknowledge he was a suitable candidate for breeding, but it would be arrogant for him to think someone like Baal could ever want him for more.
There was sexual chemistry, sure. But that was all it was.
Thorn was relying on the fact that the alpha would one day grow bored with him. A man with as much power and prestige as Baal Fae? One who could have his pick of mates?
He’d never want Thorn long-term.
Their time at the White Hunt must have been thrilling for some reason, enough that the alpha wanted to continue the game.
And there was nothing inherently wrong with what Baal was saying either. If Thorn’s subconscious began to associate Baal’s presence as a safe space, the odds of him getting pregnant during his next heat would rise.
“Take a shower,” the alpha instructed. “I’ll bring you a change of clothing. It’s too cold to walk out in a towel.” His expression darkened. “Did you know your heating system isn’t working?”
“I couldn’t…” He couldn’t afford this month's bill. “It’s fine. I have a pile of blankets I can sleep under.”
“It isn’t.” Baal tugged his arm free and then walked out of the bathroom, leaving Thorn standing there staring at the closed door.
A part of him wanted to follow, maybe even try to convince the alpha to leave, but the smarter part of him understood this was the lesser of two evils and he should be grateful.
Whether he liked it or not, he’d signed himself over to the other man.
If Baal had insisted on screwing, Thorn wouldn’t have been able to deny him.
There was too much to think about, but the energy drained out of him, and before long, it was difficult just to remain upright.
When was the last time he’d slept? This morning didn’t really count, since it couldn’t have been for more than a few hours.
The nights leading up to the White Hunt, he’d been too anxious to sleep much either.
Thorn stripped out of his clothing, taking care to fold it nicely and set it on the counter.
The items were expensive and he didn’t want to give the alpha the wrong impression and come off as ungrateful, so he couldn’t leave them in a pile on the floor like he would have if he’d still been in his t-shirt and jeans.
The hot shower spray caused him to moan once before he caught himself, and he froze, ears straining to hear any sounds outside. If the alpha had heard him, however, it didn’t seem like he was going to interrupt.
He didn’t know what to make of that.
Didn’t know what to make of any of this.
“Tomorrow,” he promised himself as he quickly washed up and rinsed the suds from his skin.
“I’ll deal with it all tomorrow.” Tonight, he’d allow himself a bit of grace.
If he didn’t rest, he wouldn’t be able to function properly, and something told him he was going to be kept on his toes where the alpha was concerned.
The fact that Baal had predicted everything Thorn would ask for and already came prepared with an adjusted contract was frightening in its own way.
It meant the alpha had put real thought into this.
After one night?
Did that make sense?
“Don’t be ridiculous,” he muttered. He had no clue how the White Frost operated. Baal probably had a string of lawyers on retainer he could contact at any given hour. The contracts most likely hadn’t taken him long at all to get drawn up, not like it would for someone like Thorn.
This was just another passing fancy for the alpha.
Thorn didn’t need to overthink it.
Stepping out of the shower, he dried off and was about to reach for the door when it suddenly opened.
Baal stepped in quickly, shutting it behind him before too much steam could get out, and then handed over a bundle of clothing.
Thorn took it and waited, but the alpha made no moves to leave.
With a sigh, he started to dress, careful not to drop the towel around his waist until he was already in the oversized t-shirt he was used to sleeping in.
It didn’t cover him completely, but enough that he wasn’t too embarrassed.
Not that he really had need to be, considering Baal had seen it all already, but there was something almost intimate about this moment.
He didn’t like it,
Or maybe he did.
Maybe he didn’t know.
“Who taught you how to dry your hair?” the alpha sounded displeased. He grabbed a clean towel from the rack by the door and came forward, cornering Thorn against the counter.
“It’ll air dry,” Thorn said, going still when Baal brought the towel over his head and started to take care of the job himself.
“I told you,” he growled, “it’s cold. What if you get sick?”
“I’ll be fine. My constitution isn’t that weak.” The alpha wouldn’t have wanted him as a potential baby daddy otherwise.
“I contacted the company. You’ll have heat by morning, so we’ll have to make do tonight.”
“You didn’t have to do that.”
“You’re my kept omega,” he reminded plainly. Satisfied with his hair now, Baal dropped the towel and then bent at the knees, sweeping Thorn off his feet in one swift motion. “Open the door.”
“I can walk.” Thorn did as he was told anyway, grabbing onto the handle. The alpha carried him from the bathroom into the nearest bedroom and deposited him onto the mattress. “How did you know this was mine?”
“The other room is nicer,” Baal said.
“So?”
“You’d obviously give all the better things to your brother.” He turned. “Wait here.”
Thorn slipped beneath the covers and took a fresh look at his space. The room was below modest, practically empty, with water spots on the ceiling and cracks along the edges. The single window got stuck and couldn’t be opened, and currently, a thin layer of frost coated the inside panel of glass.
His comforter was lumpy from too many washes, and while there weren’t any stains, it was clear it was old. Since the alpha had brought him a shirt and sweatpants, he must have gone through the contents of Thorn’s closet and seen his practical, inexpensive clothing.
What did Baal think of him?
His house was a far cry from even the cabin in the woods.
The alpha’s return interrupted his thoughts, and he accepted the steaming mug when it was held out to him, too cold to be prideful.
“Sip slowly,” Baal ordered.
“Thank you.”
“Milk is the only thing in your refrigerator. You don’t even have cocoa mix anywhere.”
“I know.” Thorn liked hot milk, so it was fine. “This will help warm me up just as well.”
“And costs less,” Baal drawled, “is that it?” He tsked. “Tomorrow, I’ll take you grocery shopping.”
“That won’t—”
“Enough. If you’re malnourished, how do you expect to uphold your end of the deal?”
Right. Thorn pretended to find interest in his cup, when in reality he was hanging his head.
Again.
Was it instinct as an omega that constantly had him wanting to bow to this alpha? Or was it the fact that nothing Baal seemed to say was off the mark?
Baal removed his jacket and draped it over the three-legged chair in front of Thorn’s old desk. Then he unbuttoned his cuffs and rolled up his sleeves, before rounding the bed and motioning for Thorn to move over.
“Finished?” he asked once he was sitting next to Thorn, and when Thorn nodded, he took the mostly empty mug and set it aside on the windowsill.
Had he…made Thorn move so he could take the colder spot by the window?
No…That would be too thoughtful.
That spot was furthest from the entrance. As a mafia member, he probably just didn’t want to be closest to the door.
“Lie down.” Baal clicked off the lights and settled into the bed, turning so he was facing Thorn. He didn’t argue when Thorn gave him his back, but his arm wrapped around his waist and hauled him against his chest. “Relax, sweetheart.” His nose trailed lightly up the line of Thorn’s jaw.
“I don’t know how you expect me to do that,” Thorn admitted.
“You’ll get used to this.”
Did he want to? Putting out was one thing, but this was too foreign.
“Relax,” Baal repeated.
“I can’t. I’ve never…done this before.”
“This?”
“Cuddled.”
The alpha stilled for a moment and then lifted up enough that he could peer over Thorn’s shoulder to view his face. “You weren’t a virgin when I took you last night.”
“Of course not,” he scoffed.
“Yet you claim you’ve never been held? What about past lovers?”
Thorn shrugged like it wasn’t a big deal. “They left once we were done. Or they fell asleep, but like, next to me. Not like this.”
“Poor frosty omega,” despite his words, Baal sounded rather pleased by this new information. “We have a lot of work to do, huh? Don’t worry. You’ll adjust. Soon, you’ll find it hard to sleep without me.”
He pursed his lips as the alpha settled back down. “Is that a threat?”
“Did it sound like one to you?”
“Kind of.”
“Then maybe it was,” he chuckled, “a little.”
“Alpha?”
“Hmm?”
“I don’t understand why you’re doing this.”
“You will,” Baal repeated his earlier sentiment, and then nuzzled closer. “Sleep. There’s nothing that can’t wait till morning.”
Thorn thought for sure he’d be up all night, but the exhaustion was too great, and before long, he couldn’t keep his eyes open.
For the first time in his life, he fell asleep in the arms of an alpha, protected in his warmth and engulfed in the pleasant scent of gingerbread and spice.