Page 48 of Alpha Heat

Caleb swallowed and smiled gently. “You loved him dearly, I can tell. You wereErosgapé, I take it?”

“Yes.”

“You’re a strong man to have gone on without him. Many can’t.”

“He made me promise.” Of course, the promise had come close to the end, when Riki knew he wouldn’t survive. Urho had assumed the promise was elicited for the sake of the child who also died but he didn’t want to meet Riki in the afterlife and discover he’d been wrong. So he’d soldiered on despite every desire, especially at first, to put an end to himself.

“Ah.” Caleb’s voice dropped into a compassionate tone.

Urho ate in the resulting silence for a while before saying, “You must wonder what my intentions are with Xan.”

“Do you even know?” Caleb asked, his blue eyes catching Urho’s and holding his gaze. “I suspect you don’t have a clue what you’re doing or why. Acting on instinct and rationalizing after the fact.”

Urho took a sip of water and then cleared his throat. Caleb saw too much and too clearly. “I planned only to offer to satisfy his needs so he wouldn’t be tempted to go tohimagain. I didn’t expect…”

“To like it? To want him for your own reasons?”

“I should have anticipated both of those things, shouldn’t I?” A wry, tight smile twisted the corner of Urho’s mouth. “But you’re right. I didn’t. Until it was happening and everything flashed clear, like when I imprinted on Riki all those years ago. And again when it was over, and in the aftermath I realized…”

“You realized?”

Urho looked around, trying to see if any servants were lingering.

“We’re alone. They won’t disturb us again without making a ruckus as they enter. They’re used to us.”

“Ah.” Urho wiped his mouth and took another bite of his food, stalling for time, but Caleb wasn’t having it.

“Go on. I’m interested to hear what stolid, sensible Urho is feeling when he’s thrown all of that to the wind.” He grinned crookedly.

Urho sighed, wanting to argue the description, but he knew he’d polished that reputation over the years, in part to obscure the things he did as a doctor that were not so very sensible. “Everything’s more confusing when I’m not near him. Right now, I wonder if it was a mistake to make my offer, to have discovered this part of me; to want him, all of it. What good can come of this? We could be arrested, imprisoned.” He gestured with his fork in frustration. “We can never be a proper couple. He’s contracted to you as your alpha, for wolf-god’s sake. Pretending to be my omega is pointless.” Urho’s voice rose slightly as the fears he forgot about completely while in Xan’s presence frothed to the surface.

“Do you plan to run away then?”

Urho stammered, but Caleb went on before he could answer.

“Are you going to run from the first taste of joy you’ve had in years? The future that we could all three forge?” His voice grew harder. “Thepromisesyou made to him and me last night?”

“No,” Urho replied gruffly. “That’s not what I want either.”

“I didn’t think so.” Caleb sat back in his chair again, his body losing the sharp aggressive lines that had accompanied his questions. “As for whether or not Xan is an omega, when he’s in your arms, he’s whatever you both want him to be. Will he ever go into heat or bear your children? No. But he’ll do anything in his power to please you if you just give him the chance.”

“I’m not running,” Urho said flatly. “Even though it would be the smart thing to do. Not to mention the safe thing. But, no.” He rubbed between his eyes and sighed. “You don’t have to convince me. I’m going to keep my promises and, in exchange, I expect him to do the same.”

Caleb smirked, his eyes glinting mischievously. “So you’ve already exacted promises from him too? You move quickly, Dr. Chase.”

“I thought we were on a first-name basis now.”

“We are, but sometimes a man has to tease another man when they’re so very transparent to everyone but themselves.” Caleb laughed and crammed more marmalade toast into his mouth, his eyes crinkling at the edges as he chuckled and chewed.

“I’m sorry to disturb breakfast, Mr. Riggs,” Ren said after knocking loudly and being called into the room. “But Jason Sabel is here for Mr. Heelies. How do you recommend I proceed?”

“Send Jason in here,” Caleb said, wiping his mouth with a napkin. After the servant exited, he turned to Urho. “This should be awkward. But I’m sure we’ll all survive.”

Jason entered the room dressed in his usual suit, with a tie obviously chosen by Vale, and his hat in his hand. His eyes went wide seeing Urho at the table, but after only a moment he smiled good-naturedly and said, “Caleb, Vale sends his love.”

“Of course, and mine goes to him.”

“He would have sent some to you, too, Urho, if he’d known I’d see you.”