Damien would be back today.
He'd be back, and Alex had only one chance to get things right.
His bags were already packed—hidden in the back of his closet. Not too much, only the essentials. William would take care of the rest. His father had insisted, "Just bring yourself and the baby, Alex. That's all I care about."
It was still strange to think of William as his father. And stranger still how easily the man had embraced the role.
When Alex had first approached him in the park, he hadn't expected much. Maybe a conversation. Maybe rejection. But what he got instead was warmth—a kind of fierce, immediate affection that Alex hadn't even realized he'd been craving his entire life. William had listened to everything, his eyes growing stormy with quiet fury when Alex told him the truth about his upbringing. His fists clenched when Alex explained how the Mastersons had hidden his secondary gender, how they had shamed him into silence. And when he mentioned the pregnancy, William had simply placed a trembling hand on Alex's shoulder and said, "You're not alone anymore."
It had been the first time in his life someone had looked at him—really looked at him—with love instead of disappointment.
Now, William was waiting, ready to take him in, ready to help him through the pregnancy and the chaos to come. The pieces were falling into place.
But there was still one more thing Alex had to do.
His visit to Dr. Addison hadn't been scheduled, but she had seen him anyway—her expression calm but alert the moment she noticed his pale complexion and guarded eyes.
"You're not due for another check-up," she said, ushering him into the room. "Is something wrong?"
Alex had hesitated only briefly. "Not wrong. I just… I needed to know how things are progressing."
Dr. Addison had run a few tests, her practiced hands gentle, her voice clinical but kind. When she finally looked at him over the rim of her glasses, she said, "Your body is responding far better than I anticipated. In fact, the pregnancy is progressing beautifully. The baby's growth is stable, and your hormonal balance has adjusted remarkably."
Alex exhaled slowly. Relief. But it didn't last long.
"What about the bond mark?" he asked quietly.
She frowned, then turned back to the results. "It's nearly fully formed," she said. "It won't be long before the bond is permanent."
The weight in his chest returned. "And the baby?" he asked. "Does it still need… the alpha's pheromones?"
She looked up sharply. "Yes. The fetus is still in its critical stages. The hormonal support provided by your bonded alpha is necessary, especially since your body was chemically suppressed for so long. The baby needs those pheromones to continue developing safely."
Alex had paused. Swallowed. "Is there a way to get enough… in one go?"
Dr. Addison blinked. "One go?"
"I mean," he clarified, trying to keep his voice neutral, "in cases where the alpha can't be present often. Is there a method to provide what's needed… all at once?"
A long silence. Then she nodded slowly. "In rare cases—especially with bonded pairs—omegas can store their alpha's pheromones within their system. It's uncommon. But your situation is also… unique."
Alex's brow furrowed. "What do you mean?"
"I reanalyzed your data. Your body responded very strangely after the bonding bite. The suppressant backlash, the heat-like symptoms—your system went into overdrive trying to compensate. It's as if your body knew it had to preserve the child at all costs."
"And?"
"And I believe your body did exactly that," Dr. Addison continued. "It forced a pseudo-heat to extract as many pheromones from your alpha as possible. It's likely those pheromones helped stabilize the fetus so quickly after you stopped taking the secondary gender suppressants. Your body did it to save the fetus. Of course, if you hadn't stopped taking the suppressants you would have lost the fetus and even your life. The amount of alpha pheromones stored in your body were a double-edged sword. You were lucky not to be cut down by it."
Alex was quiet for a long moment. "So it's possible… to gather enough?"
"Yes. But it would require full, repeated exposure—intercourse, prolonged physical closeness, and a lot of bodily contact. Your body will probably know when it's enough. You have a high sensitivity to your alpha."
Her eyes narrowed slightly. "Why do you ask, Alex?"
He shifted in his seat. "Because… I don't trust him. I don't trust being near him long-term. I don't want him involved more than necessary."
She didn't argue. She only said, "Then be careful. This method might work—but emotionally, physically, it'll be… complicated."
He left the clinic with her warning still echoing in his ears, but with his mind clearer than ever. He knew what he had to do…so now he was patiently waiting for Damien's return.
The door down the hall creaked. Footsteps. Heavy and slow. Damien was back.
Alex's heart stuttered, then steadied. This was it.
He stood up, walking to the mirror and checking his reflection. He'd changed out of his usual cold armor—no black turtlenecks or rigid clothes. Instead, he wore something soft, more relaxed, more… approachable. It felt strange to weaponize vulnerability, but this wasn't seduction. This was survival.
He listened to Damien's movements, waited until the sounds faded into the silence of his room.
Then he slipped out and walked to Damien's door.
He didn't knock. Just opened the door and stepped inside.
Damien was sitting on the edge of his bed, unzipping his bag. He looked up, clearly surprised to see Alex in his doorway.
"…Alex?"
Alex swallowed, but he didn't back down. "Can we talk?"
Damien studied him, his gaze guarded. "Now?"
Alex nodded. "Yes. Please."
Damien gestured silently for him to come in. Alex closed the door behind him.
For a moment, there was only quiet.