Chapter 18

                                    

                                          
The walk back to the house was mostly silent as Seokmin tried to get his head around the promise Joshua had made to him.
“You’re really not going to report me? Or the pack? You were dead set on it this morning.”
“That was when I thought reporting you would get you the help you need. You’re convinced it won’t, and I don’t want to be the one who gets your pack turned into a living research experiment. I know all too well what that feels like.”
“What is it you’re suggesting we do?”
Joshua glanced over his shoulder at him as they walked around to the front of the house.
“We start simple. Let’s just focus on getting you through the next few days’ worth of changes and making sure you’re getting enough sleep. You look like you need it.”
It sounded too good to be true.
“You’ve already got a lot of things on your to-do list. Are you sure you can manage me on top of that?”
The omega gave him a look of fond exasperation. “I wouldn’t have offered otherwise.” He glanced at his phone. “I’ve got some work to catch up on and an Omega House to save. I’ll be back this evening, okay?”
“Sure. I could make dinner? It’s the least I can do.”
“Sounds good. See you around five?”
“Five it is.”
They both paused awkwardly before Joshua hurried toward his car.
Seokmin watched him drive away, wondering again whether encountering Joshua was a stroke of luck or the beginning of the end. How sane could the omega be if he was willingly throwing himself into the path of an unstable, highly-trained military alpha?
Seokmin was surprised when Joshua reappeared that night, and the night after, coaxing him through the most difficult days of the full moon. Each evening Seokmin cooked dinner, and each morning he made Joshua breakfast, the omega often hurrying off with the food half-eaten as he tried his best to get the town to reconsider their campaign against the Omega House.
On the fourth day, he met Joshua at the front door, and the omega almost stumbled over the threshold. Seokmin caught and steadied him.
“Sorry,” Joshua said. “It’s been a long week.”
“I’ve got dinner warming in the oven.”
The omega made a face. “I’m not really hungry. Maybe later? How are you feeling? Do we need to head down to the basement soon?”
Truth be told, Seokmin was feeling better than he’d felt in months.
“Actually, now that the full moon is a few days past, I think we might be coming out of the danger zone. It’s quicker than I expected, which I’m guessing is thanks to you.”
Joshua gave him a wan smile. “Flattery will get you nowhere.” He paused, glancing back at the door. “Maybe it would be best if I stuck around tonight anyway? Just in case.”
Seokmin had been hoping he’d say that but hadn’t wanted to burden the clearly tired omega.
“If it’s not too much trouble.”
“Do you think you could throw an actual bed into the bargain? My back has been reminding me all day that it’s too precious to sleep on a bare concrete floor.”
Seokmin snorted, snaking an arm around Joshua’s shoulders and leading him toward the stairs.
“I think we can manage that. This house is far bigger than I need.”