Page 31 of Slow Heat

“What’sthatlike, really?” Rosen switched off the water and set up to fry the fish in a dented pan over the stove.

“Intense.” Vale didn’t want to say more. It was too personal and left him feeling out of control, like heat: compulsive and needful. But he wasn’t going to say that either. “In other news, I’ve been let go from the university until I’ve contracted and bonded with Jason Sabel, or until he’s graduated after taking a surrogate. Whichever comes first.”

“What?” Yosef turned to him, brows drawn low. “Absurd. That’s discrimination, surely.”

“You’re the attorney. You tell me.”

He stroked his white beard slowly. “The law does give preference to the alpha in all things, obviously, and an alpha’s education takes primacy over an omega’s career. Their future is always so much more important than an omega’s present,” he said snidely, citing a familiar position taken by the omega freedom groups.

“Well, they do have to provide for us horny, pregnant, omega sluts,” Vale said, offering up the New Wolf Reform and Wolf Above parties’ counterargument as grossly as possible. He rubbed his eyes and slouched in his chair. “Alphas need a good education for that.”

Yosef patted Vale’s forearm. “Don’t talk about it like that. You’ll get yourself in trouble.”

Vale laughed. What was he in now if not trouble?

“What are his family’s politics?” Rosen flipped the fish and added some herbs he’d stashed in Vale’s cupboards. “Do you know?”

“They have money, so my default assumption is they vote Stringent Wolf Reform, but I can’t say for sure. They could be religious and go Wolf Above.”

“Yule Sable is his father?” Yosef asked.

“Yes, and his pater is Miner Hoff. I know nothing about either. I’m sure they’ve got an investigator looking into me, but I can’t afford to throw money at that kind of nonsense.”

“Actually, you can. You’re due an allowance now. No need to be so frugal with your inheritance.”

“I’m not going to accept an allowance. That’s absurd.”

“What’s absurd is that you won’t even consider it. Look, Yule Sabel owns a company that makes engine parts for motorcars. That family is beyond well off. They’ve also inherited money from lands they owned and sold in the last fifty years for a sum that would take your breath away. It was in the papers. You’d know these things if you read one from time to time.”

Vale rolled his eyes. Newspapers were for people who wanted to see all the ugly things in the world. Poets needed to see beauty or they’d never get a word down that wasn’t ruined by tears.

“Look who’s arrived for dinner,” Rosen said sweetly. “It’s my pookie-wookie wum-wum.”

Zephyr slinked into the room, sniffing the air delicately.

“She despises baby talk, Rosen,” Vale said. “How many times do I have to tell you that?”

Zephyr rubbed against Rosen’s ankles and meowed adorably until he dropped a piece of fish. She ran off with it to the corner, where she ate in jerky little bites of bliss.

“Well, if you’re going to bribe her, you can talk to her however you want, apparently. Some morals you’ve got there, Zephyr,” Vale called to her. “Who knew your affections were for hire?” He turned his gaze to Yosef. “Unlike mine.”

“That is ludicrous.” Yosef folded his arms. “As your attorney, I can’t allow you to leave that kind of money on the table.”

“I won’t be beholden to them. I won’t be forced into a contract by profiting financially from the imprinting.”

“That’s not how it works legally. They owe you the money whether you contract with their son or not. For the rest of your life. Even if he takes a surrogate. It’s how it’s done. Period. There’s no obligation on your part at all.”

“Don’t be asinine, of course there is. There’s emotional obligation, if not legal. I can’t accept funds from them and not have that play into my choices.”

“If I know you, and I do, it would make you resist contracting more rather than less,” Yosef argued. “You wouldn’t want to feel like a prostitute.”

“Not like old Zephyr over there,” Vale said, eyeing his cat. “The little fish whore.”

They fell into silence, both of them mulling over the situation as Rosen finished up dinner. Vale rubbed at his eyes, imagining not having to worry any longer about money. It was tempting. And yet…

“I’m due the money even if he takes a surrogate?” Vale asked. “Why?”

“Because, as the omega, you’d be forbidden to contract with another alpha for life. He’d also have to pay the government a handsome annual fine for the loss of your potential reproductive benefit to the world at large—”