Page 59 of Slow Heat

Rosen smirked. “You’re so cruel to him.”

“I can’t do anything about his feelings for me.”

“At least don’t deny you have them for him, too.”

Vale groaned. “You’re missing the entire point of what I came to talk about. When will Yosef be back? He’ll understand.”

“He’s travelled to see his pater today. He’s not doing well. Hasn’t since Yosef’s father passed.”

“Érosgápesuffer,” Vale murmured, crossing his arms over his chest and imagining a future where Jason faced so many years alone. Like Urho. “I’d die long before Jason. Another reason he’d be better off with a surrogate his own age.”

Rosen rolled his eyes. “You can tell yourself that all you like, but it doesn’t make it true. Just like eating moldy cheese sandwiches won’t make them a decent dinner.”

“Speaking of, you need to feed me before I go home. I’m out of everything civilized. This morning I almost resorted to eating Zephyr’s food before I found a hunk of cheese in the bottom of the refrigerator.”

“It was molded, wasn’t it?”

“I scraped it off.”

Rosen sighed. “I’d be much more worried about how you’re going to feed your alpha than whether or not he’d be better off with a surrogate.”

“A surrogate would probably know how to cook,” Vale said mournfully. He knew he was whining now, but wasn’t he allowed a little self-pity? This was a big change no matter what happened.

“And a surrogate would never satisfy him deep down and you know it. It would never be the same. You’reÉrosgápe. He’d long for you regardless. Besides, what would you be cursing yourself to? A life of knowing that he’s out there, miserable with someone else, and that you can’t have him? Ridiculous. Put your best self forward. Convince him to contract with you. Be happy.”

“That heat… You remember the one?” He looked at Rosen meaningfully. “When you found me? And then after…”

Rosen threw his paintbrush down and grabbed Vale into a hard hug. “Nowthatwas a mistake. An honest, tragic, horrible mistake.”

“The scar tissue from the abortion would make a birth too dangerous. Even if Jason and I contract, if we consummate, and bond, he’d always have to hold back during heat, never give in entirely. He’d have to keep his wits about him to use a condom when I’m begging for his child. He’d be better off with someone he can just fall into heat with and screw blind.”

Rosen went still but held him even tighter. Eventually, he whispered in his ear, “Rumor has it his pater has access to abortifacients.”

Vale jerked out of Rosen’s embrace. “What?”

“Drugs that prevent pregnancies from taking. That’s why he’s so fragile.” Rosen pushed a hank of loose dark hair out of his eye, but it felt back almost immediately. “Or at least that’s what I heard.”

“Who told you this?” Vale’s heart beat faster, cold seeping into his gut.

Rosen shrugged. “Betas gossip just like anyone else. The chemist’s lover told me.”

“Which chemist?”

“Delta section.”

“Anton? The chemist with the red beard who hands out balloon animals for the sick children while they wait for their medicine to mix up?”

“The very one.”

“He makes abortifacients for Miner Hoff? You’re certain?”

“And other omegas who won’t survive a birth.”

“No!” Vale’s mind whirled. “It’s too risky.”

“It’s true. Shankar only told me because he wanted to know if Yosef would be willing to represent Anton if he should ever be discovered and arrested. I told him Yosef would be happy to, of course, but we all know those laws are airtight. The man would swing.”

Vale swallowed hard. “You can’t tell anyone about this, Rosen. You know what would happen to Miner.”