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“This area is next to the forest,” Royce protested. “How do you know I wasn’t parked for a midnight run?”
“Cut the shit, jackass,” Amelia said. “Hershal brought Stardust in for an appointment yesterday, he saw your car.”
“Stardust?”
“Stardust is Hershal’s cat! You’ve met her three times!” Royce opened his mouth to retort—now that she mentioned it, he did remember Stardust. She was giant, fluffy, gray, and mean. Before he could voice any of this, Amelia cut him off. “And don’t you give me your bullshit. Stardust is a cat, you’re a dog. She wasn’t being mean, it’s just her nature.”
“She slapped me.”
“Well, maybe you deserved it.” Amelia’s face flushed, and her features became hawk-like. “Don’t you disrespect my mate’s cat, you mangy mutt.”
“Alright, alright,” Scott soothed. Coincidentally, Royce also didn’t get along with Freddy’s cat, Gingersnap. Seriously, why did all the omegas have to have cats? “Listen, Royce, you can’t do this. You just can’t. Now if your alpha kicked in and you’re interested in wooing this omega, I’m gonna be the first to tell you, you’re going about it all wrong. I know it can be hard to control, but I can help you.”
“Woo him? I’m not interested in wooing anyone!” Royce yelled. Why? He had no idea. He hadn’t had a temper since he turned nineteen.
“Then why are you stalking the doctor?” Scott asked. Royce pursed his lips. He didn’t have an answer. “That’s what I thought. You need to leave; otherwise, it’s going to Argus. And then you’ll get kicked out of Elk Cove.”
His thoughts raced. He could tell them, the birth control, the suppressor, it wasn’t normal. But he kept his mouth shut. Odd as it sounded, part of him didn’t want to betray the veterinarian’s confidences. Which made no sense no matter how he looked at it.
If he was hunting this omega to ensure he wasn’t a threat to Elk Cove, then Royce shouldn’t give a damn about his confidences. He should be screaming from the rooftops that something was wrong with him. But he wasn’t.
Why though?
He needed … He needed to get close to the doctor. That’s it. If Royce was able to see him, be in the same room as him, it would all be okay. Yes, that’s what he needed: Royce needed to see the doctor, to be in the same room as him. It was urgent … But he couldn’t do that.
Why couldn’t he do that?
He had to see the doctor. Simply being in the same room would make it better. Getting a good look at his face, Royce needed to see the omega’s face … It was imperative that he lay eyes on Doc.
But no, that wasn’t it.
The more he tried to put his finger on it, to pinpoint why, the worse his brain fog got. The only discernible thought in his head was that he needed to be in the same room as Doc. It was starting to hurt his chest.
Why was his chest hurting?
It would get better if you were in the same room as Doc, a small part of him screamed that over and over again.
He was an unmated alpha without a pet. The only reason he’d be anywhere near this omega or the clinic would be to woo him, as Scott suggested. The thought of wooing any omega right now made his stomach clench and churn. He doubled over with a groan.
“When was the last time you ate?” Scott’s face became concerned. Amelia, meanwhile, was still glaring at him from the rearview mirror.
“I don’t—I went to the grocery, but I … I think I left without my cart. I can’t remember.” Royce ran a hand through his hair. Why was his forehead clammy? “What day is it?”
“Saturday.”
“Thursday evening, I think.”
“That’s it, you’re going home,” Scott said.
When Royce didn’t make a move, Amelia asked, “Do I need to hot-wire your car and force you?”
“What?” Royce blinked hard. The brain fog was becoming unbearable; when had he slept last?
Why couldn’t he see Doc?
“You might want to let me drive. Amelia, you can follow us in your car,” Scott said.
“Nah, I’ll just pop this pretty little dashboard open and—”
