Peter took a deep breath, satisfied with Merchant’s answer.
“There’s another thing,” Merchant said. He didn’t sound nervous, so it couldn’t be bad news.
“Yes?”
“His trip home doesn’t have anything to do with you or Tank Security. His father apparently just had a heart attack and Chad booked the flight as soon as he heard.”
Peter wasn’t exactly proud of himself for being happy by that news.
“Is his father going to be okay?” he asked. If Chad’s father was going to be okay, he wouldn’t feel so guilty.
“I got that impression, but I don’t know.”
“Is he an alpha?” Peter asked, suddenly curious. It wasn’t unheard of for two betas to have an alpha child, but it was unusual. If that was the case, it might explain some of Chad’s behavior.
“I don’t know. Do you want me to find out?” Merchant hooked his thumbs in the front pockets of his jeans, once again looking perfectly relaxed. A part of Peter was tempted to bare his teeth in a little growl, just to put him in his place.
“No. I’ll talk to him. Did he say anything else I should know?”
Merchant hesitated, and Peter furrowed his brow in a warning frown.
“Not really. He just… seemed a little beaten up. His ribs were obviously bothering him, and I think he was hiding a limp.”
Peter’s frown deepened. He had dominated Chad pretty thoroughly, but he hadn’t been rough with him. Did Merchant think that Peter was the one who had hurt him?
“Anything else?”
Merchant shook his head.
“Then you can go. I’ll call you if I need anything else.”
Merchant nodded and left the office, closing the door softly behind him.
Peter went back to work, but he didn’t get much done. He was distracted, his mind circling back to Chad with alarming frequency.
He didn’t like the way things stood between them. It gnawed at him. Closing out his browser, Peter pinched the bridge of his nose and wondered when he’d become such a clingy wreck.
He actually wanted to book a flight and follow the younger alpha. It was pathetic.
Restless and embarrassed, Peter packed up his things and left the office. He called Aiden from the elevator, asking him to meet him at the gym in half an hour.
Hopefully a day spent working out and besting Aiden would get his mind off Chad.
***
Chapter 16
Chad met his mother at the curb outside the hospital main entrance. She looked tired, with dark circles under her eyes and her hair made up in a messy bun, but when she saw him she smiled brightly.
“Chad, it’s so good to see you,” she said, hugging him tight. Since the top of her head only reached his chest, Chad had to bend down awkwardly to hug her back. It was wonderful.
“You too, Mom,” he said. “How’s Dad?”
His mom pulled back, still holding onto his sides as she looked up at him. The expression in her face was exasperated.
“He’s going to be fine. He has to take it easy for a week—and the doctors recommended he make some changes to his diet—but looking at him now you wouldn’t know he just had a heart attack.” She shook her head like she couldn’t believe something like this had happened to her husband. “He’s looking forward to seeing you.”
Chad grinned, relieved that everything looked like it was going to be okay. He shifted his backpack further up on his shoulder, looking toward the hospital entrance.
