Noël wasn't sure when it started. This fluttering warmth in his chest every time Avery spoke to him in that low, clipped tone, or the way his heart always raced when their hands accidentally touched. Maybe it was the soup. Or the quiet concern Avery always tried to mask behind sarcasm. Or the way he sat beside him during that awful night without asking for anything in return.
It was dangerous. Ridiculous. And stupid.
But Noël had a crush. And it scared him more than his heat.
He sat curled up on the edge of his bed, face turned away from the door, knees hugged tightly to his chest. This was just hormones. Just side effects of suppressants. It didn't mean anything. And even if it did what kind of person would fall for their boss in the middle of a heat cycle?
Someone desperate. He didn't want to be that person.
------
Meanwhile, Avery sat at his desk, staring at the results of yet another search.
"Signs an Omega likes you."
"What is the ethical way to court an Omega?"
"When does care turn into something deeper?"
It was ridiculous. He, Avery Cheng, CEO of a major logistics firm know to have a cold personality, was googling love advice like some confused teenager. But how else was he supposed to understand it? Noël was different. He seemed weak to the eye but he had an inner strength but still his body was fragile and he was so easily bruised by the world.
He couldn't afford to mess this up. Not now.
Not when his heart already felt like it belonged to him. He wanted to make sure that he was going to be a healer and not someone who adds another crack on his heart.
---
Later that afternoon, Noël stood in the hallway, nervously fidgeting with the hem of his shirt. He remembered Miss Reed telling him clearly that he wasn't allowed to go in Avery's office. But he really wanted to ask so he took his chance and went in as the door was open. With His voice trembling he finally spoke.
"Um… Avery?"
The Alpha looked up from his laptop, surprised. "Yeah?"
"I was wondering…" Noël swallowed hard. "If… if maybe I could have a few hours off this weekend. Just Saturday afternoon. I—I wanted to meet a friend. If I'm better by then, I mean."
Avery blinked.
Today was Wednesday. That gave Noël only two days to recover and based on the feverish glint in his eyes this morning, the chance of him stabilizing was low. Still, something in the way he asked made it impossible to say no.
"Only if you get better," Avery said after a pause. "No symptoms by Friday night."
Noël's whole face lit up. "Deal!" Noël said then he ran out off the study.
Avery smiled to himself, even though worry churned in his stomach. It wasn't just about the heat anymore. He didn't like the idea of Noël being out of his sight. Especially not when another man was involved.
---
Noël went to the kitchen to start cooking dinner. The kitchen smelled of ginger and garlic.
Noël stood by the stove, stirring a light broth. When suddenly his head swam, and a cold sweat broke along the back of his neck. It was too hot. Too bright. His vision blurred.
Then the world tilted sideways and everything went black.
He fell on the kitchen floor unconscious. Luckily the pan fell next to him.
The noise of the pan hitting the floor alerted Avery.
"Noël?!"
The pan clattered to the ground as Avery rushed into the kitchen. Noël lay sprawled across the tiles, face pale, body trembling.
"Damn it," Avery muttered, kneeling beside him. He scooped the smaller body into his arms without hesitation, cradling him close, heart racing.
He was burning up.
He rushed to Noël's room and placed him on the bed gently and grabbed his phone, calling the doctor without wasting a second.
------
Twenty minutes passed. Noël stirred before the doctor arrived.
He wasn't conscious enough to speak clearly, but he whimpered, moaned, and clung to Avery's shirt with trembling fingers. His pupils were blown wide, his body reacting with feverish instinct. His senses overloaded—Avery's scent overwhelming him.
"I-It hurts," Noël panted, eyes glassy. "Please… please help…"
Avery clenched his jaw, every nerve in his body on fire.
"Just hold on, okay? The doctor's coming."
But Noël was no longer thinking rationally. He began tugging at his clothes in an attempt to undressed himself. He was writhing against the sheets, whimpering, sweating. His hips arched subconsciously, searching for relief.
Avery's self-control snapped for a moment as he stared. Noël looked sinful, his slender legs tangled in the sheets, shirt half-off exposing his thin waist, flushed cheeks and swollen lips parting to let out a desperate whine.
"Avery…"
The Alpha gritted his teeth and looked away, forcing himself to breathe. He had started to feel his body responding to what he was seeing. The scent filling the room didn't help either.
He had to be strong. He couldn't take advantage. Not like this.
He helped dress Noël again barely managing to keep him from stripping completely. Just then the doorbell rang.
-----
The doctor was calm, quick, and thorough. After a careful examination he finished noting down the result.
He looked at Avery with a worried face.
"No more suppressants," he confirmed. "Any more, and we risk permanent hormonal imbalance. His body is already reacting to overdose."
Avery's blood turned cold.
"Then… what can we do?"
The doctor looked grim. "You have two choices. He can try to endure it which is dangerous and painful. Or he needs to bond with an Alpha, at least temporarily, to soothe the symptoms."
Silence fell.
The word "bond" echoed too loudly in the room.
Noël, half-conscious, was crying softly now. His body tense, lips trembling, hands clutching at the sheets. His pain was too real, too raw.
Avery's hands clenched into fists at his sides.
He had to make a choice.
Now..