Unnatural (The Wrong Alpha 1)

Haydn seemed sympathetic to his plight, but he didn’t seem to have the same problem at all. It was probably easier for him because he didn’t regard Cleghorn as his territory. For him, he was only sharing a roof with another alpha, nothing more.

“All right, that’s enough,” Haydn said one morning.

Royce lifted his gaze from the document he was studying on his tablet—or rather, pretending to be studying, trying to distract himself from the fact that the small dining room stank of the other alpha.

Haydn sipped his drink before setting his cup down. “We can’t go on like this,” he said. “If we do, you’re going to snap. Get up.”

Royce narrowed his eyes. He didn’t appreciate being given orders. Who did he think he was, ordering him in his own house—

He cut off that train of thought. This wasn’t him. He wasn’t this territorial caveman.

Royce got to his feet and breathed deeply, trying to relax his knotted-up muscles. It really couldn’t go on like this. Other people in the Senate were starting to take notice of his snappish attitude. Before long, there would be rumors that there was something wrong with his marriage, which was the last thing they needed to keep this shaky peace.

“Come here,” Haydn said softly, as if knowing how close to snapping he was.

Royce stalked forward and stopped by Haydn’s chair.

Looking him in the eye, Haydn swallowed and tilted his head to the side. Baring his neck.

Royce tensed up. Haydn hadn’t offered him his throat again since that first night. That other time had been instinctive, in response to Royce’s anger. This was deliberate. Haydn was doing it because he wanted to help him. He must have been forcing himself, fighting his own instincts for Royce’s sake. It was incredibly generous.

And it was exactly what Royce needed to placate the alpha in him.

He leaned down and shoved his face against Haydn’s bared throat, rubbing his nose against the scent gland, his pheromones pumping out like crazy, until all he could smell on Haydn’s skin was him, Royce.

He could feel Haydn stiffen at first before slowly relaxing. Fingers came up to thread through Royce’s hair.

“Better?” Haydn murmured as Royce finally relaxed, just scent-marking him lazily.

“Yes,” Royce said gruffly, embarrassed that he even needed this. Millions of years of evolution, and yet he was little better than the animal he was descended from. He lifted his head and straightened. He felt calmer than he’d felt in weeks. “Thank you.”

Haydn nodded with a small, crooked smile. “Anytime. Seriously, anytime. We can’t have you exploding and making people talk. Gossip-mongers look for any little reason to blow things out of proportion.”

Royce grimaced. It was true, unfortunately. There were already people questioning their marriage because they didn’t make public appearances often. “Speaking of gossip, it’d help if we were seen together. What about dinner tonight? I know a great restaurant I think you’d like.”

“All right,” Haydn said. “I think I’ll be done with paperwork by six in the evening.”

Royce frowned. “Your father is still punishing you for not returning to Pelugia? How old is he, five? That’s just childish.”

Haydn laughed, but Royce could sense his mirth wasn’t entirely genuine. “He doesn’t like it when I disobey his orders. I had to tell him I would be home within the next five days.”

Royce kept his face carefully neutral, even though he wasn’t sure how he felt about it. As much as Haydn’s alpha scent all over the house drove him nuts, he couldn’t imagine returning home and Haydn not being there. The thought was… strange.

“We’ll talk about it in the evening,” he said, glancing at his watch. “I’ll pick you up at seven.”

“I’ll be sure to wear my prettiest dress,” Haydn said with a laugh.

Royce smiled back. He liked how generous with his smile and easy to laugh Haydn was. He was… fun to be around. For an alpha, he was quite easygoing and laid-back. It made living with him far less painful than it could have been. “You’ll always be the prettiest for me,” he deadpanned.

Haydn grinned and blew him a mock kiss.

Royce’s hands twitched. He turned swiftly and strode out of the room.

This… playful behavior never failed to agitate him. Haydn was that way with everyone. He flirted with Belinda, he flirted with Royce’s mother, he flirted with their employees—and he flirted with Royce. He didn’t mean anything by it; it was just the way he was. Haydn genuinely liked people and it was just a bit of fun for him. Royce knew it.

It still put him on edge. He… didn’t mind when Haydn was that way with him. It was ridiculous, but it was… tolerable.

But as soon as Haydn fixed his baby blues on someone else and smiled at them, Royce could barely stop himself from kicking him out of the house. Maybe it was his instincts acting up again, reacting to a strange alpha charming his people in his house. But it was immensely frustrating. Haydn was immensely frustrating. Haydn was—