"And where have you been?" came a deep, resonant voice, one that belonged to none other than Sebastian.
He stood before the wide mansion window, his tall frame backlit by the morning light filtering through the window. His back remained turned to Gabe, who had just wheeled himself into the living room.
The living room was filled not only with smoke but with the heavy scent of Alpha's dominant pheromones. The scent was strong and unmistakably Sebastian's: sharp cedar and burnt tobacco. It mixed with the haze from his cigarette, making the entire space nearly suffocating. On the floor lay a mess of empty beer bottles, more than half a dozen scattered like fallen soldiers.
What on earth is he still doing at home at this time? Isn't he supposed to be at work by now? Gabe thought, his brows furrowing as he swallowed hard. The heavy Alpha musk hit his senses, and instinctively, his hand rose to cover his nose to keep the smell at bay. His omega instincts screamed discomfort, the scent of anger from an S-rank Alpha could overwhelm weaker omegas if left unchecked.
Instead of answering Sebastian's question, Gabe began to wheel himself away.
But Sebastian turned slowly, deliberately, to face him. A lit cigarette burned between his fingers, its glowing tip flaring as he took another drag.
"Didn't I just ask you a question, Gabe?" Sebastian's deep voice was calm, but the dominant pheromone pressure in the air grew heavier. "Are you ignoring me?"
"Oh yes, I am," Gabe snapped, his tone sharp and cutting as he finally met Sebastian's gaze, his hand still placed on his nose. "And what right do you even have to ask me such foolish questions as if I ever ask where you're going or where you're coming from?"
"You're my omega," Sebastian replied coolly. "You belong to me. Hence, I have every right to know where you go and where you come from." This time, he exhaled smoke directly into Gabe's face.
He coughed violently, tears stinging his eyes. "Have you lost your mind?" he yelled, covering his nose with one hand while waving the air with the other. "You know I'm asthmatic, you crazy man! Are you trying to kill me so your whore can just move in without interference? And stop releasing your damn dominant pheromones!" He added, his body trembling slightly now.
For a long, tense moment, Sebastian said nothing. Then, with a flick of his wrist, he crushed the cigarette against the polished marble floor, grinding it under his expensive leather shoe.
He moved closer, his tall frame folding down suddenly as he knelt before Gabe. The shift of position didn't soften him, it only made the space between them more charged. Their eyes locked, and the intensity of Sebastian's stare was almost suffocating.
"Did you go out there to have sex with other Alphas?" Sebastian asked, his tone deceptively calm.
Gabe froze. His heart thudded against his ribs.
H…how did he know? I mean I could have had sex if not for self control.
"Your release....," Sebastian continued, voice lowering to a dangerous growl. "It still clings to your clothes even though it's dried." He leaned closer, eyes darkening. "Tell me, Gabe....are you able to get your dick hard again? Which Alpha was bold enough to touch what's mine?"
His words dripped with possessiveness, every syllable vibrating with his scent mark of ownership that Gabe still carried faintly on his neck from their mating years ago.
Oh yeah… this is exactly why I wished he wasn't home, Gabe thought bitterly. He should've been at work. But here he is. And did he just say 'what's his'? He must be crazy.
"You must have gone crazy!" Gabe snapped again, his voice shaking now with anger and unease as he tried to wheel himself away. But Sebastian moved swiftly, his Alpha reflexes fast....one step, and he blocked Gabe's path.
"Crazy?" Sebastian repeated, his lips curling into something between a sneer and a smile. "Oh yes, I'm crazy. Crazy enough to demand you tell me where you spent the night and explain why the fuck you smell of cum." His voice hardened. "You think I wouldn't know? Please."
He chuckled darkly, the sound echoing through the room. "I'm a Level-S Alpha....the strongest rank there is. My senses are sharper than any other's. And besides, you're my omega. I've memorized every note of your scent, every faint trace."
"Oh really?" Gabe shot back, an eyebrow arching as a dangerous smirk curved his lips. "I guess you've also mastered the faint scent of your whore. If you're so damn smart, Sebastian, maybe you should worry about him instead. Because just the way he's screwing you, he could be screwing other married men out there. So if I were you, rather than wasting your effort on me, you'd go after your whore. He needs your attention more."
Sebastian's voice dripped with sarcasm as a slow smirk spread across his face. Rising to his full height, he towered over Gabe once again. "Oh really? Then I suppose it's good news that you're able to get your dick working again…" He paused deliberately, eyes glinting coldly. "With your hand, I guess. Because honestly, there's no Alpha out there who would want your ass. I bet you couldn't handle me and Matthew being together, so you ended up playing with yourself until you cum just to cure your little bout of depression."
"Calling me a cripple now.....is that your newly found thrill?" Gabe shot back, voice trembling but full of venom. "Yeah, go ahead. Call me more. It's obvious anyway....I'm stuck in this damn wheelchair."
For a moment, Sebastian said nothing. His throat bobbed as he swallowed hard, his Adam's apple moving visibly then came a long, shaky sigh. His features softened for only a heartbeat.....but his pride pulled the mask right back on.
"Let me ask you this, too…" Sebastian said quietly, tilting his head slightly, curiosity flickering in his eyes. "Why did you call your best friend? You had him come all the way from Country X just to help move your things from the master bedroom into the guest room?"
"And how's that your business?" Gabe snapped. "Shouldn't you be happy, though? You've got the whole bed to yourself and your whore. Just stop asking stupid questions and let me be."
"We're legally bonded, Gabe," Sebastian said, his voice low but firm, placing his hands on his hips. "You should be in the master bedroom no matter what. Just stop being dramatic and move back into the room. I'll forgive you this once."
"Forgive me?" Gabe repeated, his brow furrowing before a mocking smirk spread across his lips. "Oh, fuck. How come I'm only just realizing that I married a scum for a husband? And it's not like I didn't see this attitude before....I saw the red flags and still ignored them. That's on me. So no, it's not your fault. It's mine, for being that stupid."
"A scum?" Sebastian echoed, scoffing as he crossed his arms. The faint dominant hum of his scent rose again, pressing down on the omega in front of him who still had his hand covering his nose.... "Just tell me, Gabe… what's the point of all this drama? You knew I was screwing Matthew from the beginning. That's because you can't satisfy my sexual needs anymore. I'm an Alpha....an S-Rank Alpha. Do you even know how painful it is for me during rut? You expect me to pretend I'm fine when I'm not?"
And do you know how painful it is for me during heat, you bastard? Gabe thought bitterly, his hands tightening on the wheels of his chair. You never once touched me after my accident. And you think I'm a fool? You were screwing Matthew even before that day.
His heart raced, but he steadied his voice.
"Just get the fuck out, Sebastian. You disgust me."
He turned the wheels sharply, pushing himself toward the guest room. This time, Sebastian didn't stop him. He simply stood there in silence.