Chapter 66

Upon arriving at the hospital, Nathan walked toward the information desk with practiced ease. The receptionist recognized him instantly, greeting him with a bright, welcoming smile.

Alex, feeling like an interloper in a world he didn’t belong to, hovered a short distance away, his gaze darting between Nathan’s rigid back and the sliding glass doors of the entrance. Logic dictated that he should simply accept this kindness since he needed to see a doctor anyway, yet the gnawing fear that he was only incurring more of Nathan’s hatred made his skin crawl with discomfort.

Nathan finished speaking with a nurse and turned around. His eyes swept the lobby, locating Alex without effort. Standing with his shoulders squared and his posture perfectly straight, Nathan called out to him, his face a total mask of indifference.

“Come here.”

“Okay,” Alex whispered.

The response likely didn’t even reach Nathan’s ears, but Alex obeyed, trudging toward him. Even though his steps were heavy with hesitation, Nathan waited for him in silence.

“Explain where it hurts,” Nathan commanded.

Alex opened his mouth to answer, the word Rut perched on the tip of his tongue, but he faltered. He suddenly remembered that his very first Rut had taken place at Nathan’s house. He feared that excavating that particular buried memory would inevitably drag up a tangle of other things they both would rather leave undisturbed.

At least, that was the case for Alex.

As he hesitated, someone approached from the side and gave Alex a sharp tap on the shoulder. Startled by the contact, Alex blinked and turned his head. A striking man with neatly swept-back brown hair stood beside him. With dark, defined eyebrows, a straight bridge of a nose, and a wide, refreshing smile, he looked remarkably polished. Alex spent several seconds squinting at the stranger before the realization sluggishly dawned on him.

“Matthew?”

Dressed in a sharp black wool coat and a casual suit, Matthew looked nothing like his usual self. His hair was styled away from his face and, most shockingly, he wasn’t wearing his glasses. Alex was certain he was the only person at the precinct who had ever seen Matthew like this.

Alex had witnessed this transformation once before by pure accident, which was how he had discovered that Matthew’s glasses didn’t even have a prescription. Apparently, the investigator only wore them because looking at his colleagues with his bare eyes made him feel “unpleasant.” Even so, the discrepancy between the ‘Plaid-Shirt Psycho’ and the man standing before him was so vast that it took even Alex a moment to bridge the gap.

“What are you doing here?” Matthew asked. “Aren’t you on leave until today?”

“What about you?”

“I had to drop by the lab before running some errands. I needed to check the analysis on the samples Ilay extracted.” Matthew’s smile deepened into a grin, and he reached out, slinging a familiar arm around Alex’s shoulders.

Even though they were partners and Matthew was his only friend, they weren’t exactly the type to engage in such affectionate physical contact. Alex instinctively moved to nudge him away, but then he remembered Nathan was watching. The thought that he might look “undignified” or “aggressive” in front of Nathan made him freeze. He was desperately worried about how he was being perceived, even though he knew there was no longer any reason to care.

Ultimately, Alex remained still, allowing Matthew’s arm to rest heavy across his shoulders. Nathan watched the two of them with an expressionless gaze. Matthew, belatedly realizing they weren’t alone, offered a polite nod of recognition.

“Mr. White. I see you’re off duty today as well. You look very sharp.”

Nathan didn’t bother asking for Matthew’s name, having evidently deduced the investigator’s identity from the context of their banter. He didn’t even seem particularly surprised by the man’s altered appearance. If it had been Anna or Ilay, they would have recoiled in shock. The thought of their potential reactions brought a faint, involuntary smile to Alex’s lips.

“Yes,” Nathan replied curtly. Instead of engaging in small talk or asking after them, he turned his focus back to Alex. “Let’s go.”

Nathan turned to lead the way, but Matthew’s concerned voice brought them to a halt.

“Go where? Are you sick, Alex? Is it because of your Rut?”

The moment the word sick left Matthew’s lips, he had seemingly connected the dots. Nathan, who had already half-turned, paused mid-stride.

“Yeah,” Alex muttered. “It’s supposed to be ending, but it’s still lingering.”

“Anna was worried about you,” Matthew said, his brow furrowing. “I don’t know exactly what your ‘state’ is like, but this happens way too often. What are you going to do?”

“I’m fine.”

“You always say that.” Matthew reached out and pressed a palm to Alex’s forehead.

Alex squinted, staring at Matthew in confusion. This is weird. Matthew was never the type to be this hands-on. However, for the same reasons as before, Alex didn’t pull away. He simply let the investigator fuss over him.

“You’ve definitely got a fever. Honestly, being an Alpha or an Omega sounds like a massive pain. Make sure you get a proper exam.”

Matthew’s concern was genuine, and Alex offered a small nod of gratitude.

“I’ll leave him in your capable hands, Mr. White,” Matthew added.

Nathan fixed Matthew with a frigid stare before offering a single, clipped nod. Then, his eyes shifted to Alex. He didn’t speak, but Alex could feel the silent pressure for him to move. Shrugging Matthew’s hand off his shoulder, Alex stepped toward Nathan and gave his partner a final wave.

“See you later.”

“See you tomorrow,” Matthew called back.

As they exchanged farewells, Nathan had already begun to walk away. Alex followed a pace behind, carefully gauging the man’s mood.

They reached the elevator in silence. Nathan pressed the call button without a word. The static between them, which had never felt awkward in the past, now felt like it was physically suffocating Alex. Letting out a shallow breath, Alex fixed his eyes on the floor. As he stared dazedly at the fluorescent lights reflecting off the linoleum, the doors slid open. Nathan glanced back at him.

“Get in.”

“Ah, yeah. Thanks.”

Nathan held the button, allowing Alex to enter first before following him inside. A group of other people crowded into the car at the same moment, forcing Alex to stand directly beside Nathan. His nerves spiked. Desperate to avoid even the slightest physical contact, Alex practically tried to merge with the elevator wall.

“What are you doing?” Nathan asked.

As the crowd continued to push inward, Alex whispered, “People are coming in, so…”

“We’re getting off soon. Move over here.”

Nathan’s voice was laced with irritation, and Alex felt the man’s hand on him once more. Grabbing Alex by the fabric of his coat, Nathan pulled him closer to his side. The doors hissed shut. Amidst the low murmur of the other passengers’ conversations, Alex held his breath, hyper-aware of Nathan’s frame hovering mere inches from his own.

True to his word, they exited on the third floor. Nathan directed Alex out first and led him toward a room that appeared to be a private consultation office. Nathan gave the door two sharp, controlled knocks. Alex found his eyes constantly drawn to those hands, hands that moved with such deliberate restraint.

“Come in,” a voice called from within.

Nathan opened the door and stepped inside, with Alex following in his wake with sluggish steps.

“So, who is it you’re asking a favor for?”

A male doctor, who had been scrutinizing a chart with a weary expression, looked up and went straight to the point the moment he saw Nathan. Nathan turned his head slowly toward Alex.

“You’re here because of your Rut, right?”

“Ah, yes.”

Alex realized he had forgotten to actually answer the question earlier. Nathan turned back to the disheveled doctor.

“I’ll be waiting outside.”

“Fine. I’ve logged it,” the doctor replied.

“Understood.”

His business concluded, Nathan walked out of the office without sparing Alex a second glance. Alex stood rooted to the spot, staring at the closed door with a hollow, sagging expression. The doctor let out a heavy groan and straightened his back, clapping his hands together to get Alex’s attention.

“Alright, patient. What’s your name?”

Alex forced himself to tear his eyes away from the door. “Alex Yeon.”

“I’m going to start with some basic questions before we move on to the exam, so just answer as best as you can.”

“Yes, sir.”

He must be gone by now. 

Alex fought the urge to peek out into the hallway and took a seat across from the doctor. The pulse that had been racing in his throat slowly began to steady.

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